Mark Kennedy in MN Senate Primary Debate
On Abortion:
Protect the most vulnerable among us
I am pro-life and I believe that protecting the most vulnerable amongst us has got to be a priority
Source: MN 2006 Senate debates - MPR interview
Mar 2, 2006
On Budget & Economy:
Focus on controlling spending
We need to do a good job of controlling spending. I believe we need to continue to keep taxes low to create jobs and grow the economy. That path, of keeping the economy growing and controlling spending, is what we need to do.
Source: MN 2006 Senate debates - MPR interview
Mar 2, 2006
On Budget & Economy:
Deficit only ballooned because of 9/11 and military needs
Q: The deficit has ballooned out of control during Bush administration and Republican control of Congress.A: 80% of that was because of 9/11 and the recession that followed, and the need to rebuild the military.
As well, w had things like Katrina. We need to step up as a country and meet those challenges. That’s where the largest percent came from.
Source: MN 2006 Senate debates - MPR interview
Mar 2, 2006
On Government Reform:
Introduced line item veto to control wasteful spending
We need to do a better job on cutting out the wasteful spending. Why should we pay for a rainforest in Iowa, or a bridge to nowhere in Alaska? That’s why I’ve introduced the line item veto.
Give the president the ability to cut the waste out of there, to hold Congress accountable, and to get wasteful spending under control. I’ve voted for budgets that are tighter than the ones that pass every year.
Source: MN 2006 Senate debates - MPR interview
Mar 2, 2006
On Tax Reform:
Make the positive effects of tax cuts permanent
Q: Do you believe in making all the tax cuts permanent? A: I do believe the tax cuts we passed need to be made permanent, that they are having a positive effect on the economy, that we need to continue growing the economy.
The tax relief we passed turned around the country, and that’s the path we need to continue on, not taking the risk of a huge tax increase.
Source: MN 2006 Senate debates - MPR interview
Mar 2, 2006
On War & Peace:
Foment democracy in Iran
We have to take every action possible to keep [getting nuclear weaponry] from happening. That would be a very destabilizing force. They have been a belligerent neighbor.
They have set their sights on eliminating Israel. We need to work to foment democracy in Iran. I support funding to encourage that.
Source: MN 2006 Senate debates - MPR interview
Mar 2, 2006
On War & Peace:
Keep military option open for preventing Iran nukes
Q: What about nuclear weapons in Iran?A: We need to leave all options on the table and do whatever is necessary to prevent Iran from moving in the direction of having nuclear weapons.
Q: Would that include military options?
A: We need to keep ALL options on the table
Source: MN 2006 Senate debates - MPR interview
Mar 2, 2006
On Energy & Oil:
Opposes drilling ANWR despite voting for it
We were taken advantage of, by the House leadership putting ANWR into an important bill about funding out troops in time of war.
Putting ANWR into a defense spending bill was a cheap trick. I wish we could have had a clean up-or-down vote on ANWR. If it were stripped out, I’d have voted against it.
Source: MN 2006 Senate debates - MPR interview
Dec 20, 2005
On Foreign Policy:
China needs to act responsibly on human rights
[With China] we are dealing with a country that has clearly grown significantly, but is coming to terms with what that power means. They’ve sold a lot to us, but they need to understand when it comes to allowing access to their market, they need to let
America compete where we have strength. They need to act responsibly when it comes to human rights. I’ve been pushing those types of things with officials in the Chinese government.
Source: MN 2006 Senate debates - MPR interview
Jun 2, 2005
Page last updated: Feb 18, 2019