Jim Martin on the Issues

JIM MARTIN ON THE ISSUES

Issue #1: Health Care

Do you support Barack Obama’s health care proposal?

I share Barack Obama’s goal of universal health insurance and believe it must be a priority for the new Congress. How we go about achieving that goal will be the result of compromise and negotiation. I think the first step, which we all should be able to agree on, is health insurance for all children.

What is the main problem with our health care system today?

I share Barack Obama’s goal of universal health insurance and believe it must be a priority for the new Congress. How we go about achieving that goal will be the result of compromise and negotiation. I think the first step, which we all should be able to agree on, is health insurance for all children.


Do you support scaling down Medicaid, and if not, how do we pay for it in the future?

There are ways to keep Medicaid costs under control including streamlining information processes and cutting red tape. But the best thing we can do to reduce the costs is to reduce the number of enrollees by getting our economy back on track and providing new jobs and opportunities for lower-income Americans.

Issue #2: Environment
Do you support drilling for oil and natural gas off of Georgia’s coast?

I believe Georgia’s coast is a precious resource and I would not support drilling that would put those unique coastal marshes at risk.

Do you believe human generated Global Warming is real, and if so, what is one policy you would implement tomorrow to help curb rising temperatures?


Climate change is a real threat to both our environment and the world’s stability and the United States must take a leadership role in addressing this global challenge. One of our first steps should be a significant reduction in our own carbon emissions while also placing a greater emphasis on sustainability when making decisions concerning economic and industrial development.


Has the US EPA done a good job protecting the environment, and if so, please explain how. If the answer is no, please cite specific examples.


While the EPA is an important agency that does much good work, more can be done to protect the environment. For example, the EPA has recently changed its policy with respect to air quality standards review. As part of this new policy, the agency will rely less on scientists and more on policy makers who have minimal scientific knowledge when formulating policy. Given the fact that the air quality in hundreds of U.S. counties has been determined to be too dirty to breathe, it is critical that the EPA consult with those most qualified to preserve and improve our air quality.

Issue #3: Economy
What is the biggest challenge facing our economy?

From record-breaking oil prices to staggering increases in the cost of ordinary goods, middle class Americans are having an increasingly difficult time making ends meet. Our salaries have remained stagnant while the cost of living has skyrocketed. Washington has to focus on the needs of working Americans again.

If elected, could you do anything to help curb fuel prices?

The price of gas in the United States has become a crisis for many Georgia families. One of the first things we need to look at is cracking down on speculation in the oil futures market. Recent Congressional testimony indicates that speculation may be responsible for a dollar or more of the price of a gallon of gas. Other steps we can take to reduce the burden of gas prices include promoting conservation and requiring that oil companies reinvest their record profits into increased production mechanisms and alternative fuel sources.


What is one policy that could be implemented to help lower Georgia’s unemployment rate?

I believe it is time to put economic policies in place that encourage innovation, particularly when it comes to finding and developing new sources of energy and conservation. This has enormous potential to create new “green collar” jobs and the federal government can play a vital role in facilitating technical development and research. Such encouragement can create jobs for people of all skill levels and would serve to reduce Georgia’s unemployment rate.


Would you support a repeal or renegotiation of NAFTA?


Our foreign trade policy should not be geared solely towards benefiting large corporations. Rather, when negotiating trade agreements, the considerations should center on how it will affect American workers. I believe NAFTA was flawed but that our future trade with NAFTA countries can serve to benefit Georgians.

Issue #4: The Iraq-Afghanistan Wars
Did you support the initial invasion of Iraq?
Without the discovery of WMD’s, is the Iraq war a justified war?
Do you support the Reid/Pelosi plan for troop with drawl?
Would you support sending more troops to Afghanistan to help stabilize the situation there?

With Iraq being one of the most important issues we’re facing – with a profound impact on our security, our economy, and the service and sacrifice we ask of the men and women who serve every day – it is counter-productive to second guess the past. We need to focus as a nation on where we go from here.

I believe the President and Congress should make a policy decision that it is time to leave Iraq. My position is that the military commanders on the ground should establish the manner and timing of the withdrawal in such a way so that the safety of our troops is ensured.

The threat of global terrorism is real and our troops should be deployed in a way that best addresses threat. Current intelligence indicates that Al-Qaeda has a strong presence both in Afghanistan, as well as Pakistan. These regions should be the principle focus of the war on terror.


Issue #5: Miscellaneous
If elected, you will be the junior Senator from a conservative leaning state. What experience do you have to usher legislation through a Congressional body that highly values seniority?

I have 18 years of experience as a legislator serving the people of Georgia in its House of Representatives. Over the course of my service, I developed a strong reputation for working with members on both sides of the aisle to accomplish significant legislative goals. This skill enabled me to pass many important pieces of legislation from healthcare coverage for children, to protecting workers and families from the threat of lost jobs and foreclosure. My experiences in Georgia will enable me to hit the ground running in Washington, reach out to my colleagues, and effectively legislate starting on day one.

Do you support the FISA compromise bill recently endorsed by Senate Dems as well as Barack Obama?

Civil liberties are a bedrock of our democracy and the FISA compromise, while providing stronger judicial oversight and privacy protections, goes too far in its immunity provisions for telecoms that may have broken the law. We can have a strong FISA law that gives us the tools we need to protect ourselves against terrorism, but the compromise sends a signal to that it’s okay to break the law and that the privacy of everyday Americans is not important


Would you make a water sharing agreement between Florida, Georgia and Alabama a priority of your office?

Water is a precious resource to be shared by all states. It is critical that as one community develops, it is mindful of how that development impacts neighboring communities. This is particularly true where water supply and quality is concerned. I support efforts by Congress to provide dedicated funding so that states can prepare comprehensive water plans that will not have adverse impacts on neighboring states.


Will you refuse lobbyist and PAC campaign contributions, as the DNC and Obama have?

I am proud to have thousands of individual supporters from all walks of life and from all parts of Georgia, and that will always be the base – financially and otherwise – of my campaign. But I owe it to them and the change we want to see, to play by the same rules as Saxby Chambliss in order to run a strong campaign.


Can you promise that absolutely no campaign commercials will be produced showing you with a golden retriever, or on the beach, or a combination of both?

No, I like golden retrievers and beaches.