PRE ELECTION EXAM–what a GOOD idea!

PRE-ELECTION EXAM: 60 QUESTIONS FOR EVERY CANDIDATE

NO VOTES WILL BE CAST FOR ANY CANDIDATE, FOR ANY OFFICE, WITHOUT COMPLETION OF THIS EXAM. INSTEAD OF PUBLIC DEBATES, WHERE EVERYONE CAN POSTURE AND BELLOW, LET’S HAVE EVERY CANDIDATE PROVIDE WRITTEN ANSWERS TO THE FOLLOWING 60 QUESTIONS, PUBLISH THE RESULTS (OR READ THEM ON TV AND RADIO), THEN HAVE VOTERS DECIDE.

1. IF JOB CREATION RESTS SO HEAVILY UPON THE PRIVATE SECTOR, WHY ARE CORPORATE PROFITS AT ALL TIME HIGHS BUT JOBS ARE STILL SCARCE?

2. IF REGULATIONS ARE STIFLING THE PRIVATE SECTOR, WHY ARE CORPORATE PROFITS AT ALL TIME HIGHS?

3. WE HAVE A NAVY THAT IS LARGER THAN THE NEXT 13 NAVIES IN THE WORLD, COMBINED, AND 11 OF THOSE ARE OUR ALLIES. WHY DO WE NEED TO KEEP INCREASING THE MILITARY BUDGET?

4. WHY ARE WE STILL ALLOWING MILLION DOLLAR BONUSES FOR WALL STREET EXECUTIVES?

5. WHY ARE WE COMPLAINING ABOUT GAS PRICES WHEN VIRTUALLY EVERY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD IS PAYING TWO TO THREE TIMES AS MUCH AS WE PAY?

6. HAVE YOU EVER READ THE BOOK “THE TYRANNY OF DEAD IDEAS”?

7. WHY DO YOU THINK WE ARE OVER-TAXED WHEN ONLY THREE DEVELOPED COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD PAY LESS TAXES THAN WE DO IN THE U.S.?

8. WHY, WITH SUPERIOR RECORDS FOR HEALTH CARE (WITH THE EXCEPTION OF BREAST AND PRSOTATE CANCER), ARE ALL THE OTHER DEVELOPED COUNTRIES WRONG TO HAVE COMPULSORY, UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE WHILE WE REJECT THIS?

9. DO YOU THINK IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE ONE-THIRD OF OUR HEALTH CARE DOLLARS GO TO PROFIT-MAKING INSURANCE COMPANIES, INSTEAD OF HEALTH CARE?

10. DO YOU HAVE ANY CONCEPT – OR EVEN KNOW ABOUT – BENJAMIN FRANKLIN’S CONCEPT OF SOCIAL BENEVOLENCE?

11. DO YOU APPROVE OF TORTURE?

12. DO YOU THINK IT IS A GOOD THING THAT GENERAL ELECTRIC PAID NO TAXES AT ALL LAST YEAR? WOULD YOU CHANGE THAT? HOW?

13. DO YOU BELIEVE THAT RADICAL MUSLIMS HATE THE U.S. BECAUSE (1) THEY RESENT OUR FREEDOMS, OR (2) BECAUSE WE HAVE MILITARY IN THEIR HOMELANDS?

14. DO YOU BELIEVE THE AMERICAN WORKER HAS THE RIGHT TO BARGAIN COLLECTIVELY?

15. DO YOU BELIEVE THAT AN ASSEMBLY LINE WORKER, OR TEACHER, SHOULD PAY SOCIAL SECURITY TAXES ON 100% OF THEIR EARNINGS WHILE A CORPORATE CEO OR NFL QUARTERBACK SHOULD ONLY PAY SOCIAL SECURITY TAXES ON 1-5% OF THER EARNINGS?

16. IF YOU ANSWERED YES TO THE QUESTION ABOVE, WHY?

17. DO YOU KNOW THE DIFFERNCE BETWEEN SOCIAL SECURITY AND PERSONAL SECURITY?

18. DO YOU THINK YOU KNOW MORE ABOUT GLOBAL WARMING THAN THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES? IF YOU ANSWERED YES, EXPLAIN WHY?

19. DO YOU BELIEVE THAT SEXUAL ORIENTATION IS A SOCIALLY CAUSED PHENOMENON, OR A BIOLOGICALLY CAUSED PHENOMENON? DO YOU HAVE ANY EVIDENCE FOR YOU ANSWER?

20. WHY, IF EVERY STUDY EVER CONDUCTED SHOWS THAT IT IS NOT A DETERENT TO CRIME, SHOULD WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT CAPITAL PUNISHMENT?

21. WHAT CHARACTERISTICS MAKES A COUNTRY GREAT?

22. IF THE PENTAGON CLAIMED THAT A MILITARY BASE IN YOUR HOME STATE WAS NO LONGER NECESSARY FOR THE DEFENSE OF THE COUNTRY, WOULD YOU ARGUE TO KEEP IT OPEN? IF YOU ANSWERED YES, EXPLAIN WHY YOU THINK YOU KNOW MORE THAN THE PENTAGON ABOUT NATIONAL DEFENSE.

23. THE DISPARITY IN INCOME IS AT AN ALL TIME HIGH IN THE U.S. HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THIS? DOES IT CONCERN YOU?

25. ISRAEL BEGAN AS A NATION WHEN IT SEIZED – WITHOUT ANY FORCE OF LAW – LAND FROM 600,000 PALESTINANS. WOULD IT MAKE YOU ANGRY IF SOUTHERN BAPTISTS TOOK FLORIDA FOR THEMSELVES BECAUSE OF SOME RELIGIOUS BELIEF THAT FLORIDA BELONGED TO THEM?

26. DO YOU BELIEVE THAT IF THE U.S. ENTERS INTO ARMED CONFLICT, THERE SHOULD BE A DRAFT? WHATEVER YOUR ANSWER, EXPLAIN IT?

27. DO YOU BELIEVE THAT IF THE U.S. ENTERS INTO ARMED CONFLICT, TAXES SHOULD BE INCREASED TO PAY FOR THAT CONFLICT? WHATEVER YOUR ANSWER, EXPLAIN IT.

28. DO YOU BELIEVE THE U.S. SHOULD TAX CORPORATIONS MORE IF THEY MOVE JOBS OVERSEAS? IF YOU ANSWERED NO, EXPLAIN WHY.

29. DO YOU BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD HAVE NATIONAL STANDARDS IN TERMS OF EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS?

30. DO YOU BELIEVE THE PATRIOT ACT IS CONSTITUTIONAL?

31. CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY, IF CORPORATE PROFITS ARE AT ALL TIME HIGHS, PERSONAL WAGES HAVE DECLINED (WITH THE EXCEPTION OF CEOS)?

32. DO YOU BELIEVE OIL IS AN INFINITE RESOURCE?

33. DO YOU BELIEVE THAT POPULATION GROWTH IS A MAJOR THREAT TO THE SURVIVAL OF THE U.S. AS WELL AS THE REST OF THE WORLD?

34. DO YOU BELIEVE IN THE FREE MARKET?

35. DO YOU BELIEVE WE SHOULD CONTINUE AGRICULTURAL SUBSIDIES?

36. IF YOUR ANSWERS TO 34 AND 35 WERE DIFFERENT, JUSTIFY THAT.

37. DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THOSE WHO LIVE IN FREE SOCIETIES ALSO MUST RISK MORE DANGERS THAN THOSE WHO LIVE IN REPRESSIVE COUNTRIES BUT WHO HAVE MORE SECURITY?

38. DO YOU BELIEVE THAT, WITH REGARD TO POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS, CORPORATIONS ARE THE SAME A “CITIZENS”?

39. THE SECOND AMENDMENT PROTECTS OUR RIGHT TO OWN FIREARMS. HOWEVER, WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO OWN MACHINE GUNS, FLAME THROWERS, CANNONS, OR HAND GRENADES. WHY ARE WE ALLOWED TO OWN ASSAULT RIFLES?

40. DO YOU HAVE CONCERN OVER DWIGHT EISENHOWER’S WARNING ABOUT THE “MILITARY-INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX”? DO YOU THINK HE WAS CORRECT?

41. DO YOU BELIEVE IT IS JUSTIFIABLE TO VIOLATE INTERNATIONAL LAW IF THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE U.S. ARE AT STAKE?

42. DO YOU BELIEVE IT IS JUSTIFIABLE FOR THE CITIZEN TO VIOLATE NATIONAL LAWS IF THE ACT IS IN THEIR BEST INTEREST?

43. DO YOU BELIEVE IT IS WRONG FOR THE U.S. TO APOLOGIZE FOR PAST TRANSGRESSIONS OF INTERNATIONAL LAW AND/OR SUPPORT OF TYRANTS WHO ABUSED HUMAN RIGHTS?

44. DO YOU BELIEVE IN THE RULE OF THE MAJORITY, OR THE FILIBUSTER? EXPLAIN YOUR ANSWER.

45. SHOULD RELIGION PLAY A ROLE IN THE SELECTION OF CANDIDATES? WHY?

46. DO YOU BELIEVE THAT ISSUES SUCH AS ABORTION, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, OR CONTRACEPTION SHOULD BE POLITICAL ISSUES? WHY?

47. DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THE U. S. IS AN EMPIRE?

48. DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE FORCES AND EVENTS THAT LED TO THE DECLINE OF GREAT NATIONS OVER HISTORY? CAN YOU IDENTIFY THEM?

49. WHAT SUGGESTIONS DO YOU HAVE TO ELIMINATE, OR AT LEAST REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY NECESSARY FOR POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS?

50. CAN YOU RATIONALIZE THE FACT THAT ONE IN SIX AMERICANS IS NOW AT THE POVERTY LEVEL AND THAT WE KEEP REPEATING THAT AMERICA IS THE GREATEST NATION ON EARTH?

51. SHOULD A PERSON MAKING $500,000 A YEAR PAY THE SAME TAX RATE AS ONE MAKING $35,000 A YEAR?

52. DO YOU BELIEVE THAT CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS ARE REALLY THE RESULTS OF LEGISLATIVE FAILURE? JUSTIFY YOUR ANSWER.

53. SHOULD ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES BE SUBJECT TO THE SAME LAWS/REGULATIONS AS EVERYONE ELSE?

54. HOW WOULD YOU REACT TO A CONGRESSIONAL REGULATION – OR EVEN A LAW - THAT PROHIBITED AMENDMENTS OR RIDERS THAT ARE UNRELATED TO THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THE BILL?

55. DO YOU BELIEVE CLASS WARFARE IS A REALITY IN THE U.S.? IF YOUR ANSWER WAS YES, WHAT SHOULD WE DO ABOUT THAT?

56. OF THE LAST 12 PRESIDENTS, CAN YOU NAME THE TWO WHO RAISED THE NATIONAL DEBT THE MOST DURING THEIR TERMS?

57. WHERE DOES EDUCATION RANK IN NATIONAL PRIORITIES FOR YOU? PROVIDE A NUMBER AND IDENTIFY THE PRIORITIES THAT ARE HIGHER THAN EDUCATION.

58. WHY DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THE U. S. INVADED IRAQ?

59. CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT IS HAPPENING IN VIET NAM TODAY – AN OFFICIAL TRADE PARTNER - THAT WAS WORTH 58,000 AMERICAN LIVES TO PREVENT?

60. WHICH IS MORE VITAL TO AMERICA’S SECURITY, A STRONG MILITARY OR A STRONG EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM? JUSTIFY YOUR ANSWER.