The Associated Press: on Government Reform
Kate Brown:
Automatic voter registration for all drivers
Seventeen years after Oregon decided to become the first state to hold all elections with mail-in ballots, it took another pioneering step on Monday to broaden participation by automatically registering people to vote. Gov. Kate Brown, a
Democrat, signed a bill that puts the burden of registration on the state instead of voters. Under the legislation, every adult citizen in Oregon who has had business with the Department of Motor Vehicles since 2013 but has not registered to vote will
receive a ballot in the mail at least 20 days before the next statewide election. The measure is expected to add about 300,000 voters to the rolls. Some other states have considered such legislation, but none have gone as far as Oregon.
Minnesota nearly instituted automatic voter registration in 2009 before it was vetoed by Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who said that "registering to vote should be a voluntary, intentional act." Similar concerns were raised by Oregon's minority Republicans.
Source: Associated Press in N.Y. Times, "Voter Reg made Automatic"
Mar 17, 2015
Tim Pawlenty:
Registering to vote should be a voluntary, intentional act
Seventeen years after Oregon decided to become the first state to hold all elections with mail-in ballots, it took another pioneering step on Monday to broaden participation by automatically registering people to vote. Gov. Kate Brown, a
Democrat, signed a bill that puts the burden of registration on the state instead of voters. Under the legislation, every adult citizen in Oregon who has had business with the Department of Motor Vehicles since 2013 but has not registered to vote will
receive a ballot in the mail at least 20 days before the next statewide election. The measure is expected to add about 300,000 voters to the rolls. Some other states have considered such legislation, but none have gone as far as Oregon.
Minnesota nearly instituted automatic voter registration in 2009 before it was vetoed by Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who said that "registering to vote should be a voluntary, intentional act." Similar concerns were raised by Oregon's minority Republicans.
Source: Associated Press in N.Y. Times, "Voter Reg made Automatic"
Mar 17, 2015
Dan Sullivan:
TV ads financed by super-PAC, both for him & against
The candidates clashed over the economic stimulus, gun rights and campaign spending. Sullivan has raised almost four times as much money as Treadwell and has a super PAC backing him, enabling him to bombard the airwaves with advertising. Begich
and his super PAC have also jumped into the fight, attacking Sullivan over his roughly seven-year absence from the state, when he was in Washington, D.C., working in the administration of President George W. Bush and serving with the military overseas.
Source: Associated Press on 2014 Alaska Senate race
Aug 11, 2014
Roy Blunt:
Took $200K from lobbyists for 2010; tops among House members
Carnahan repeatedly criticized Blunt for ties to lobbyists. He has taken $200,500 from lobbyists this election cycle, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, tops among current House members. "Even your own party thought you were too tainted by
these special deals & relationships with lobbyists," she said.Blunt rejected the criticism, contending that some Senate candidates have taken more money from lobbying groups. He criticized a federal grant to Carnahan's brother for a wind farm project.
Carnahan responded that she had nothing to do with her brother's business. The federal government previously has provided tax incentives to boost renewable energy.
The stimulus package offered cash payments instead of tax credits for wind-energy projects. The U.S. Treasury Department has said it had no discretion in deciding who qualified.
Source: Associated Press coverage of 2010 Missouri Senate debate
Oct 15, 2010
Joe Miller:
Federal aid to Alaska is coming to an end
Murkowski took aim at Miller's contention that the era of earmarks is dead, saying aid to further build infrastructure in this still-young state is vital, not pork. She suggested--to loud applause--that if such cuts are to be made, perhaps the best place
to start looking to make them is in the Lower 48. Miller said a new day is coming and Alaska needs to be prepared. While the past few decades have been a blessing, he said--a period in which members of Alaska's delegation brought home billions in
federal aid and projects--it's a "dream" to think that will continue. He believes the fights should be waged during the appropriations process.
But McAdams, like
Murkowski, argued the need for Alaska to continue fighting for what he calls its fair share. Murkowski stressed her seniority as critical to helping to ensure Alaska's voice is heard.
Source: Associated Press coverage of 2010 Alaska Senate debate
Oct 7, 2010
Joe Miller:
Limit federal powers to those spelled out in Constitution
A big issue was money. Miller, who believes the powers of the federal government should be limited to those spelled out in the U.S. Constitution, has argued that federal deficits are crippling,
Washington is out of control and Alaska must be weaned off its heavy reliance on federal help and given greater control of its own resources.
Source: Associated Press coverage of 2010 Alaska Senate debate
Oct 7, 2010
Lisa Murkowski:
Earmarked aid for Alaska is vital; cut pork in Lower 48
Murkowski took aim at Miller's contention that the era of earmarks is dead, saying aid to further build infrastructure in this still-young state is vital, not pork. She suggested--to loud applause--that if such cuts are to be made, perhaps the best place
to start looking to make them is in the Lower 48. Miller said a new day is coming and Alaska needs to be prepared. While the past few decades have been a blessing, he said--a period in which members of Alaska's delegation brought home billions in
federal aid and projects--it's a "dream" to think that will continue. He believes the fights should be waged during the appropriations process.
But McAdams, like
Murkowski, argued the need for Alaska to continue fighting for what he calls its fair share. Murkowski stressed her seniority as critical to helping to ensure Alaska's voice is heard.
Source: Associated Press coverage of 2010 Alaska Senate debate
Oct 7, 2010
Scott McAdams:
Fight for fair share of federal aid to Alaska
Murkowski took aim at Miller's contention that the era of earmarks is dead, saying aid to further build infrastructure in this still-young state is vital, not pork. She suggested--to loud applause--that if such cuts are to be made, perhaps the best place
to start looking to make them is in the Lower 48. Miller said a new day is coming and Alaska needs to be prepared. While the past few decades have been a blessing, he said--a period in which members of Alaska's delegation brought home billions in
federal aid and projects--it's a "dream" to think that will continue. He believes the fights should be waged during the appropriations process.
But McAdams, like
Murkowski, argued the need for Alaska to continue fighting for what he calls its fair share. Murkowski stressed her seniority as critical to helping to ensure Alaska's voice is heard.
Source: Associated Press coverage of 2010 Alaska Senate debate
Oct 7, 2010
Blanche Lambert Lincoln:
No moratorium on earmarks; they fund local projects
Republican Senate hopeful John Boozman said Arkansas "can't afford" Blanche Lincoln anymore, while the Democratic incumbent accused Boozman of putting politics above the state's needs as the two debated on
Friday for the first time in their election matchup.Boozman and Lincoln sparred over Social Security, taxes and earmarks during the debate. "Sen. Lincoln is a good friend and I admire her, yet we can't afford her anymore,"
Boozman, a congressman representing northwest Arkansas, said.
Lincoln criticized Boozman for supporting House
Republicans' moratorium on earmarks and said that his opposition to money for local projects is harming his congressional district. "The fact is he signed with his party above his state and his district," Lincoln said.
Source: Associated Press coverage of 2010 Arkansas Senate debate
Sep 10, 2010
John Neely Kennedy:
No pay-for-play; campaign contributions notwithstanding
Landrieu questioned why Kennedy would take more than $350,000 in campaign contributions from businesses and individuals who had projects before the Bond Commission, which Kennedy chairs.
Landrieu suggested that was an impropriety since Kennedy can decide what projects appear on commission agendas each month. “There’s a lot of talk around Louisiana about how you get on the agenda,” Landrieu said.
Kennedy denied any pay-for-play suggestions, and he said he was glad to compare his record to Landrieu’s campaign contributions, which he said include $300,000 from Wall Street firms and more than
$200,000 from executives with collapsed mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. “Sen. Landrieu criticizing my fundraising is a little bit like being called vain by Donald Trump,” Kennedy said.
Source: 2008 Louisiana Senate Debate by Associated Press on NOLA.com
Oct 16, 2008
Mary Landrieu:
I have delivered for Louisiana; send me back for more
In past debates Kennedy opened by aligning himself with John McCain, but [in this debate] he described his ideas for re-establishing economic stability in the financial markets and the
US economy, an attempt to take control of an issue widely considered a drag on GOP candidates nationwide. “I know many of you are scared. Don’t be. Be concerned, be angry, but don’t be scared,”
Kennedy said. “We will survive this economic crisis.”Landrieu, meanwhile, continued to push herself as a centrist senator who works across party lines and has brought home billions of dollars in aid to
Louisiana during her 12 years in Congress, particularly since the blows of hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. “Send me back to continue to fight for you, to deliver for you,” she said.
Source: 2008 Louisiana Senate Debate by Associated Press on NOLA.com
Oct 16, 2008
Bob Casey:
Restrictions & disclosure requirements on lobbyists
Casey’s plan would require lobbyists to disclose on the Internet details about conversations with members of Congress on the same day they occur. It also would require former members to wait two years to lobby on Capitol Hill, and require politicians to
reimburse corporations who fly them on private jets for the price of a private jet flight - not just for the price of a first-class ticket. Casey said his plan would help abolish the “culture of corruption” in Washington.
Source: Kimberly Hefling, Associated Press, in phillyBurbs.com
Nov 14, 2005
Scott Kohlhaas:
Qualified candidates for Senate deserve to be heard equally
According to the latest elections data, more than 52 percent of the state’s 469,042 voters are registered as independents or nonpartisans.
Republicans and Democrats together represent slightly more than 40 percent of the electorate. “Alaskans deserve better,” Kohlhaas said. “The qualified candidates for US Senate deserve to be heard equally.”
Source: Commentary on AK Senate Debate, in Associated Press
Oct 27, 2004
John Edwards:
Day 1: Order limits on lobbyists & special interests
Q: After the inauguration, what would be your first action as president?A: I will introduce legislation and sign executive orders to limit the influence of lobbyists and special interests in Washington. These measures will include:
preventing candidates for federal office from taking contributions from Washington lobbyists; closing the revolving door between lobbyists’ shops and government jobs; shining a bright light on lobbyist influence; and stopping the war profiteering in Iraq
Source: Associated Press policy Q&A, “DAY 1”
Jan 25, 2004
Andrew Cuomo:
Cannot be both a state vendor & campaign donor
Cuomo said contributions should be limited to $2,000 per election for statewide office and $1,500 for state legislators. He said state contractors should be banned from making political contributions for two years after being awarded a contract and shoul
two years of giving a contribution to an official who controls such contracts. “To be blunt, you should not be both a campaign donor and a state vendor. It is a blatant conflict of interest.”
Source: Karen Matthews, Associated Press
Mar 21, 2002
Orrin Hatch:
Soft money gets out the vote; against banning it
Hatch said that the current campaign finance reform would starve the GOP of money for elections. Soft money is “the money we use to get out the vote,” Hatch said. “It would be the unilateral disarmament of the Republican Party.” He claimed the bill would
allow traditionally liberal interests to send unlimited sums of money to the Democratic Party. In fact, the McCain-Feingold bill would ban union, corporate & individual “soft money” donations to political parties, as well as “independent expenditures.”
Source: Scott Lindlaw, Associated Press
Oct 4, 1999
Orrin Hatch:
Soft money is free speech; daily disclosure is better
Hatch also argued that the McCain-Feingold bill would restrict “legitimate” First Amendment rights. At the same time, Hatch asked his listeners to envision a president “who really doesn’t owe anybody anything,” because he hasn’t been influenced by
campaign donors. The Utah senator said he would support efforts to limit the influence of political donations by requiring daily disclosure of all such contributions on the Internet.
Source: Scott Lindlaw, Associated Press
Oct 4, 1999
Steve Forbes:
Independent outsider is the way to reform campaigns
Forbes said there needed to be fewer restrictions on spending by political campaigns, and that candidates ought to be able to do more with the money they have. But he said such changes won’t come if another Washington insider is elected. “To move
forward, it is going to take an independent outsider and individual not beholden to the establishment, special interests, lobbyists,” Forbes said during a campaign appearance. “They have no hooks in me.”
Source: Associated Press
Oct 4, 1999
Dan Quayle:
For term limits; cut Congressional benefits after 12 years
Quayle advocates voluntary term limits in Congress. He said that once elected, lawmakers get closer to lobbyists and to Washington, at the expense of their constituents. To discourage career politicians, Quayle said he would favor cutting free health
care and additional retirement benefits for lawmakers serving more than 12 years.
Source: Politics 2000, Associated Press
Jul 31, 1999
John McCain:
Soft money makes gov’t work for special interests
McCain called for campaign finance reform, saying no programs can be achieved without first limiting the influence of special interest groups. Specifically, he wants to abolish soft money, the unlimited contributions made by corporations and interest
groups to party committees to influence campaigns. “Until we abolish soft money, Americans will never have a government that works as hard for them as it does the special interests.”
Source: Matthew Fordahl, Associated Press
Jul 7, 1999
Steve Forbes:
Eliminate tax code instead of soft money
The Forbes camp rejected eliminating “soft money” in campaigns. “We believe the best reform is to eliminate the tax code,” said Forbes’ campaign manager, who added Forbes also supports increased personal contribution limits, disclosure and term limits.
Source: Matthew Fordahl, Associated Press
Jul 7, 1999
Elizabeth Dole:
Judicial appoinments: No legislating from the bench
On whether she will appoint only pro-life Supreme Court justices: “Mrs. Dole appoints people who think like she does, who she likes and who will not legislate from the bench,” said a spokesman.
Source: Associated Press
Jun 14, 1999
George W. Bush:
Judges should interpret Constitution, not legislate
Bush would not require his Supreme Court nominees to pass an anti-abortion ‘litmus test.’ Bush told reporters he would nominate Supreme Court judges based on three criteria: Judicial temperament and “do the judges share my overall philosophy and will the
judges strictly interpret the Constitution as opposed to using the bench to legislate?”
Source: Associated Press
Jun 14, 1999
Lamar Alexander:
Supreme Court should interpret Constitution literally
On appointing pro-life Supreme Court justices: “He would appoint judges who share his philosophy” and would “interpret the constitution the way it was written,” said Alexander’s political director.
Source: (cross-ref from Abortion) Associated Press
Jun 14, 1999
Mike Huckabee:
Term limits counter election skewed laws toward incumbents
I strongly advocate a constitutional amendment that would limit the terms of members of Congress. Election laws are skewed in favor of the incumbents. The power of incumbency is reflected in the franking privilege, the use of staff paid for by the
taxpayers to do research, the advantage of media attention that is given to incumbents over challengers, and the ability of incumbents to come home at strategic times to announce various projects in order to continue the “aura” of the office.
I would personally favor that no one be elected to the US Senate for more than two six-year terms, and that no one be elected to the Congress for more than three four-year terms. As one who is attempting to challenge a long-term incumbent, it has
become increasingly apparent that the current process is not adequate to remove members of Congress. Since we already limit the President to eight years, it seems ridiculous to give Congressmen and Senators long-term careers at taxpayer expense.
Source: Responses to Associated Press Questionnaire for AR Senate
Nov 1, 1992
Mike Huckabee:
Change House terms to 4 years, to avoid constant campaigning
Changing the House of Representatives’ term to four years from the current two-year term would give a Congressman more time on the job and less time having to campaign for reelection. It would also be possible to make the four-year terms of
Congressmen fall in the middle of the presidential election cycle, which might be helpful in balancing the attention given to the various races taking place at any given time.
Source: Responses to Associated Press Questionnaire for AR Senate
Nov 1, 1992
Mike Huckabee:
Won’t vote for pay raise for myself as member of Congress
I would not vote for a pay raise for myself as a member of Congress as our incumbent has done on at least four occasions. There needs to be radical reform in the scandalous manner in which pay and perks are handled.
With the enactment of a term-limitation act, the class of Congress that is ending its term should work with an independent commission to evaluate whether or not any adjustment in salaries should be considered for the next Congress.
Source: Responses to Associated Press Questionnaire for AR Senate
Nov 1, 1992
Page last updated: Feb 15, 2019