Simon Ribeiro Q & A

1) What is the No. 1 issue in your district and how would you address it?

Livable Wages/Salaries

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2) How would you promote job growth in your district?

We need to make the district’s environment more Attractive to Jobs and Commerce by lowering taxes, funding good programs (like education and culture), and making transportation and parking easier.

3) Should the federal government cut spending and where?

Yes.

The Defense Department can get the most dramatic cuts (because it has the largest and most wasteful budget),

The war in Afghanistan should bet cut.

Many programs (such as those in Homeland Security) are redundant and can be consolidated and/or streamlined (Administrative costs would be drastically reduced by a consolidation).

Instead of having various health programs, such as Medicare for Seniors, Medicaid for some of the Poor, V.A. for Veterans,  Where ever there are redundencies  and still have a strong defense program for the US.

4) If Republican, which GOP presidential candidate do you support?

Congressman Ron Paul.

Although I disagree with him on some important issues, I agree with him on many other important issue.

Issues that I am in agreement are the following:

Ending the expensive and unnecessary Wars overseas.

Cutting the bloated military budget.

Ending the Federal Reserve System as it is currently set up (it should be public, not private).

Legalizing Marijuana (and managing it like alcohol and cigarettes).

Simplifying the tax code.

Consolidating redundant programs.

Issues that I am in disagreement are the following:

The Government’s role in providing Social Service Programs (Healthcare, Education, Pensions, Unemployment Insurance, Welfare, et cetera ).

I believe the Constitution’s clause, “General Welfare,” in these technologically advanced times means that government ought to providing the people with adequate healthcare, education, livable pensions, necessary welfare, et cetera)

5) Give an example of something you’ve done that is bipartisanship in nature.

Everything.

I consider myself a “nonpartisan,” impartial, independent, and have always acted on what is best for the people, not the party.

I have and will embrace good ideas from all parties and try to build on them.

6) Name one good policy idea that comes from the opposing party.

Cutting taxes on the poor and middles classes.

Getting rid of various forms of regressive/unfair taxes.

Simplifying the tax code.

Trying to help small business with simpler and reduced taxes, and simpler regulations.

Trying to attract the outsourced jobs of the US, back into the country by simpler and reduced taxes and regulations.

(Safety regulations will always be administered).

7) How do you define family values?

Love, Kindness, Compassion, Mercy, Education, raising the children to know how to love, be kind, work hard, and be merciful.

Family Values means that Government must Value Family.

In other words, since the family is the cornerstone of society, governments must protect and help it, since they must protect and help society.

A functioning family is a family that loves one another, works hard for one another, and instills those values in the upbringing of the youth.

Leaders should be good role models for families, and should show the values of love, mercy, kindness, compassion, and justice.

8) What are your thoughts on the healthcare law?

It is complicated, non-comprehensive (does not cover everyone and does not cover everything), does not address the expensive nature of healthcare, does not use collective bargaining in order to negotiate prices (such as medicines and procedures), and rewards the same corrupt healthcare companies that messed up healthcare in the first place!

There are some provisions (like getting rid of the pre-existing conditions discriminations) in it that are steps in the right direction, but overall, it is a laugh and far cry from what universal healthcare ought to be.

9) Who is your political role model?

Jesus

Not just as a moral or ethical figure, but as a historical figure, a symbolic figure, and as a political philosopher.

He showed the limitations of man’s laws, man’s justice, man’s due process, man’s religion, mob juries, unwarranted punishments, man’s ignorance, man’s greed, and man’s vanity.

St. Augustine, the political scientist, on his views of Just War and Just Warfare.

Thomas Jefferson on his views of Banking, Money, and the evils of concentrated power.

10) What’s on your iPod?

Various Audio Books, Many genres of Music (Classical, Classic Rock, Grunge, Mo-Town, Jazz, Blues, Blue Grass, Country, Hip Hop, R&B, and Rap).

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