Darcy Burner is the third candidate to respond to my questions for the Democratic candidates in the race for the open 1st Congressional District seat. Her responses are below.
EXAMINER: The state legislature has now passed, and the governor will soon sign, a marriage equality bill in our state. The Federal government still has the Defense of Marriage act in place. President Obama has said he will not enforce the act but has stopped short of calling for its repeal. Would you work to repeal DOMA?
BURNER: Yes, and I would work to extend federal benefits to all marriages. I value families in all shapes, sizes, and configurations. The freedom to create a family is profound, and I'm all for a world full of happily-ever-afters.
EXAMINER: This year there will be a ballot measure in Washington State to legalize the growing and possession of marijuana. Washington and other states already have approved medical marijuana. A major stumbling block has been the US Code that has the federal government essentially negating these state laws. Would you work to revise the US codes that are preventing the legalization of marijuana?
BURNER: Yes. Federal preemption means that federal law trumps state law on these issues. If we actually want to legalize marijuana we have to change federal law. I support doing so. I think it is silly that we are, for political reasons, undermining the science and failing to look at possible beneficial uses of marijuana.
EXAMINER: Currently, President Obama has proposed a cut in the Defense budget of some $487 Billion. Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA) and others have said we could safely cut twice that amount. Whose position do you support Obama or Frank?
BURNER: When I was the Executive Director of Progressive Congress, I worked with the team of folks who helped Congressman Frank put together his proposed cuts. I support the U.S. taking a much more rational approach to national security - investing in that actually keep us safe - rather than providing an unlimited gravy train for defense contractors.
EXAMINER: Social Security is a bedrock plank of the Democratic Party. While there is much concern about its ongoing solvency, there is an argument that says raising or eliminating the cap on withholding could eliminate those concerns for the indefinite future. Would you work to raise or eliminate the cap?
BURNER: When I served as Executive Director at Progressive Congress, I helped U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch (D-FL) publically launch his bill to scrap the cap on social security (HR 5834, “Preserving Our Promise to Seniors Act”) and led the drive to gain hundreds of thousands of citizen co-sponsors. In Congress I will not only vote for this bill, I will sign onto this bill as a co-sponsor.
EXAMINER: For years now, many in Organized Labor have felt under assault by this country’s shift to a policy of “Free Trade.” They believe that workers in the US have been placed at a disadvantage by having to compete against countries with few if any worker’s rights or safety laws; plus a tax code that rewards companies for moving jobs off-shore. Will you work to eliminate tax breaks for companies who shift labor off-shore?
BURNER: It’s time that the leading import should be something other than foreign oil and the leading export should be something other than American jobs. The best way to stimulate our economy is to put Americans back to work. In Congress, I will fight to eliminate tax breaks for companies who export American jobs.
EXAMINER: Do you support Free Trade or Fair Trade?
BURNER: I strongly support fair trade, which provides a level playing field for American workers through strong environmental standards, labor standards, and intellectual property standards. The idea that we would sign a trade agreement with Columbia where half of all the murdered labor leaders in the world were murdered last year is absurd and unconscionable.
EXAMINER: In his State of the Union address, President Obama suggested that we should shift our subsidies from the Oil and Gas industry and toward the Clean Energy industry. In the past, he has included nuclear in the cadre of Clean Energy providers. Will you work to shift the subsidies?
BURNER: I am strong supporter of the renewable energy programs that current 1st District Congressman Jay Inslee has been a champion of. In Congress, I will continue to support renewable energy, including shifting the subsidies away from oil companies (who are posting record profits) and toward clean energy companies that are driving innovation and jobs. I am however very concerned with additional investments in nuclear given the Fukushima meltdown in Japan, the problems with the Fort Calhoun power plant during the Missouri river flood last year and the unresolved problems with Hanford waste cleanup.
EXAMINER: What is your position on nuclear energy?
BURNER: I have very significant concerns about if it is possible for us to make nuclear energy safe or cost effective. See, for example, Fukushima meltdown, the problems with Fort Calhoun and the unresolved problems with Hanford waste cleanup. The current estimates are that within five years it will be cheaper to produce energy using solar photovoltaic cells than by burning coal. We need to be investing in the clean, safe energy technologies of the 21st century rather than the dirty, polluting, deadly technologies of the 19th.
I want to thank Darcy Burner for her answers and look forward to hearing from the remaining candidates.
Peace,
Chad Shue
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