GOP candidates discuss key business issues: Full Responses

The following are the responses of five of the leading Republican presidential candidates to eight questions posed by New Hampshire Business Review. All candidates were given a 150-word-per-answer limit. Responses were edited down to that length if they exceeded it. Three of the other leading candidates – former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee -- did not participate, despite repeated requests.

Note: If you are interested in reading the answers of Romney, McCain, Tancredo, and Paul to compare to Duncan Hunter, feel free to click on the link at the bottom. I am only provding Hunter's answers to the questions because this is a Hunter blog.)

Health Care

Q: What would you do to relieve the health-care insurance burden on business?

CALIFORNIA CONGRESSMAN DUNCAN HUNTER: I believe the best way to address health-care reform is by bringing freedom back to the system.

First, consumers should have the freedom to buy health insurance across state lines. Second, consumers should make their own informed health-care choices and, therefore, we must require full disclosure of service costs.

We can achieve a more vibrant and cost-effective health-care delivery system if we return the eye of the consumer to the purchase of health care rather than continue the false market that has been negotiated between insurance companies and service providers. Third, I support the development of a direct payment system between patient and doctors. This will revitalize the family doctor and ensure that patients have a relationship with their provider that will ultimately decrease costs and provide for better outcomes. Freedom is the answer to health care, not mandates.

Foreign workers

Q: Many New Hampshire employers are dependent on foreign workers, but others say they take jobs from U.S. citizens. What do you propose to do with the immigrant visa programs specifically and immigration in general?

HUNTER: I have represented a border community for over 25 years, so I know and understand the impacts of illegal immigration on our communities. The U.S. has one of the most generous immigration and guest worker programs in the world. We welcome nearly 1 million people into our country each year – what I like to call the “front door.” We can’t make changes to our legal visa programs until we secure our border and close the “back door.”

As president, securing our borders will be one of my very first priorities and I intend to build the border fence mandated in the Secure Fence Act in six months. After we have fully implemented border security, we can closely consider whether any changes are needed in our existing visa programs.

Sub-prime mortgages

Q: What would you do about bailing out investors and mortgage companies and helping those facing foreclosure? How do you feel about regulating such lending to prevent similar situations in the future?

HUNTER: Owning a home is part of the American dream and I support policies that make home ownership more accessible for families of all income levels. I support the administration’s recent policy adjustments that encourage lenders to work with borrowers to renegotiate terms and increase the flexibility of FHA loans so qualified borrowers can move to longer term fixed loans.

It is important to note that according to the Mortgage Bankers Association, 35 percent of homeowners own their homes outright; 95 percent of all mortgages are being paid on time and 85 percent of sub-prime mortgages are also being paid on time. I support taking steps to increase disclosure to ensure consumers have all the information they need, but additional burdensome regulations are not the answer.

People need to have the freedom to make their own choices, with an understanding of the consequences. More government intervention is not the solution.

Tax code

Q: What changes would you make that would directly affect business?

HUNTER: The backbone of our national economic success is our manufacturing base. Unfortunately, over the last decade, our domestic manufacturing base has been relocating to foreign shores, most notably China. In fact, according to the Economic Policy Institute, as many as 13,000 manufacturing jobs have been lost in New Hampshire alone since 2001.

I believe this decline in U.S. manufacturing will have severe ramifications, including the loss of high-quality jobs and an inability to arm and defend ourselves in the future. Therefore, I support removing all federal income taxes on domestic manufacturing goods which will help level the playing field for domestically manufactured goods here at home and improve the competitiveness of U.S.-made goods in the global marketplace. This will increase tax receipts both locally and at the federal level as more people are employed in higher-yield jobs.

Labor

Q: What specific changes in federal policy– such as minimum wage or union recognition – would you favor or oppose?

HUNTER: Labor unions have made significant contributions in the areas of worker and consumer safety as well as fair compensation for American workers. Their contributions should not be overlooked. However, with the exception of public safety employees, who by the nature of their job cannot strike, I do not believe that membership in a union should be compulsory.

While unions still have a role in today’s workplace, underhanded tactics that take away a person’s right of free association cannot be tolerated. Entering a union should be a choice, not a mandate. Further, dues paid by a union member should not be used in political contributions without the knowledge and permission of that specific union member. Mandated dues should focus on providing core union services, not on political campaigns that are often divisive.

Environment

Q: What policies would you implement that would directly affect business?

HUNTER: Protecting and improving our environment is one of our greatest challenges. To be successful we must strike a balance between the needs of the environment and those of our communities and families. I support implementing pro-business policies that focus on incentives rather than government mandates. Releasing the power and ingenuity of the American business community to innovate and implement new, clean sources of energy will lead to large economic and environmental advances across the economic spectrum. But it must be accomplished through a regime of incentives, like tax credits, rather than imposing an additional layer of burdensome government mandates and regulations, which often add expensive reporting requirements and little actual positive environmental impact.

Already, there are U.S. companies that, without punitive government intervention, are taking steps to create more environmentally sound operations. We must avoid stifling these advances and instead encourage this innovation and investment economy-wide.

Small business

Q: What would your administration do about existing loan and incentive programs, such as the Small Business Administration? What, if any, new programs are needed?

HUNTER: Small businesses [make] up over 90 percent of private firms, employing approximately 50 percent of private sector employees and create 60-80 percent of net new jobs. Unfortunately, small businesses, particularly those with fewer than 20 employees, spend a significant amount of their resources seeking to comply with complicated federal regulations. My administration will reevaluate these regulations and identify those that restrict and stifle small business growth rather than creating an environment in which it can thrive. I will incorporate policies that remove unnecessary bureaucracy and duplicity and emphasize a streamlined approach for new firms with innovative technologies and techniques to do business with the federal government.

America’s small businesses have also been hurt by trade deals that promised to place them on a more equitable economic playing field with their foreign competitors. These promises haven’t been realized and I am committed to removing America from these unfair trade deals.

Corporate governance

Q: Is the Securities and Exchange Commission going too far, or does it need to be more stringent, in its oversight and enforcement of securities laws? What should be done to insure market integrity?

HUNTER: Insuring market integrity is critical to the efficient function of our capital markets. Investors must have the necessary and accurate information to make informed investment decisions. Without this level of certainty, the system suffers. However, as Congress and the SEC have taken steps to impose regulations to ensure that investors receive accurate information about firms whose securities are traded on public markets, the consequences have been heavy compliance costs.

These burdens of compliance have caused concern that companies are choosing to avoid the U.S. public stock markets and instead listing themselves on private and foreign markets to avoid U.S. securities regulations. Ensuring the viability of our public stock markets is critical for our economy. Therefore, I support efforts to reform Sarbanes-Oxley in a manner that protects market integrity but removes some of the regulatory burden that has caused firms to abandon U.S. stock markets.

(excerpt...see http://nhbr.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071207/POLITICS/71206001/0/contact)