1) What is the No. 1 issue in your district and how would you address it?
Creating a positive business environment for entrepreneurship and job creation, particularly in the manufacturing and agricultural sectors, which cannot be accomplished until we make substantial progress on reducing and eventually eliminating the federal budget deficit. I have developed a comprehensive 10-point agenda that lists many of the detailed specifics on what policies I would press Congress to adopt in the effort to help spur job creation and growth (www.manzullo.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Jobs-Agenda-120211-final.pdf).
2) How would you promote job growth in your district?
The best thing Washington can do to improve employment is to end the uncertainty to give employers confidence to expand and create jobs. President Obama should stop threatening tax increases, he must pull back on the massive regulatory burdens proposed this past year, and he must focus on real spending cuts. I have developed a comprehensive 10-point agenda that lists many of the detailed specifics on what policies I would press Congress to adopt in the effort to help spur job creation and growth (www.manzullo.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Jobs-Agenda-120211-final.pdf).
3) Should the federal government cut spending and where?
I have already voted over 700 times to cut $2.6 trillion in spending since 2007. I also supported the budget alternative offered by the House conservative Republican Study Committee (RSC) that would have cut $9.1 trillion in spending over 10 years and produced a balanced budget by 2020. More details can be found on www.rsc.jordan.house.gov/Solutions/rscfy2012budget.htm.
4) If Republican, which GOP presidential candidate do you support?
I have not had a good track record in picking the GOP presidential nominees. In 1996, I endorsed Senator Phil Gramm for President. In 2008, I endorsed Fred Thompson for President. So, I am not supporting one particular candidate at this point in time. However, Republicans are fortunate to have a good array of candidates for president.
5) Give an example of something you’ve done that is bipartisanship in nature.
I am blessed to work primarily on manufacturing issues where there isn’t the partisan gridlock that you find on other issues. I work closely with my Democratic co-chair of the Manufacturing Caucus, Rep. Tim Ryan of Ohio, on issues such as decreasing our dependency on China for critical “rare earth” minerals. I also work with the top Democrat on the Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Howard Berman of California, to reform our outdated export control laws, such as removing commercial communications satellites from the highly restrictive munitions list (H.R. 3288).
6) Name one good policy idea that comes from the opposing party.
I have joined Rep. Daniel Lipinski (D-IL) as the lead Republican co-sponsor of his National Manufacturing Strategy Act of 2011 (H.R. 1366) to require the development of a quadrennial review of the state of our nation’s manufacturing sector to provide a means of setting national policy direction to support domestic economic growth in manufacturing. I have also joined Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) as the lead Republican co-sponsor of her Manufacturing Reinvestment Account Act of 2011 (H.R. 110) to establish a tax-free manufacturing reinvestment account (MRA) of up to $500,000 to be used to invest in machinery, facilities and job training.
7) How do you define family values?
Family values are defined as those historic principles that reinforce traditional marriage as the foundation of civilization, the seedbed of virtue, and the wellspring of society.
8) What are your thoughts on the healthcare law?
I opposed the Democratic health care law throughout the entire legislative process because of the unconstitutional individual mandate to purchase health insurance and the job-killing employer mandate imposed by this new law. In addition, the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated that this legislation would increase health insurance premiums by an average of $2,100 per year. Instead, I supported the better Republican alternative to the new Democratic health care law that used free-market solutions. This includes allowing small businesses to join together to have greater purchasing power when buying health care insurance and limiting punitive damages in medical liability cases. It was the only alternative that CBO predicted would lower health insurance premiums by up to $1,930 and would save the federal government $54 billion in health care costs. On January 19, 2011, I voted to totally repeal the new health care law (H.R. 2). I have also offered specific suggestions on what should be done to replace the flawed law that allows Americans to retain and expand their options in terms of choice of health care providers in America (see point #6 in my Jobs Agenda www.manzullo.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Jobs-Agenda-120211-final.pdf).
9) Who is your political role model?
Ronald Reagan because of his optimism and north-central Illinois values. He also represented the best in what someone can achieve.
10) What’s on your iPod?
My favorite music is anything by Stevie Wonder.
