Posted on 05/14/2010 9:10:18 AM PDT by pissant
Fellow conservatives, please welcome US Senate candidate from the great state of California, Lt. Colonel Chuck DeVore!
Chuck is THE candidate in the race for the GOP Senate nomination who has a proven track record of both fiscal and social conservatism. He is pro-life, pro-gun, pro-God, and equally important, strictly pro-Constitution. He is currently serving his third term in the California Assembly and is a Lt. Colonel in the US Army Reserve.
Chuck also was a Ronald Reagan appointee to serve as Special Assistant for Foreign Affairs in the Pentagon from 1986-88. And Chuck shares the Gipper’s philosophy on governance and politics. Some of the folks who have endorsed Chuck’s campaign for US Senate include SC Senator Jim DeMint, radio superstar Mark Levin, California congressman Tom McClintock, and recently retired rock-ribber, Duncan Hunter.
If you have seen the debates, you know that Chuck is quick on his feet, self assured, and most importantly, a genuine conservative
Chuck has been married to his wife Diane for the last 22 years, and they have two wonderful daughters, Amy and Jennie.
So stop by, say hello, and ask any follow-up questions you want. Chuck will be here for about an hour and will answer as many as he can in that time. He can always come back and answer the ones he does not have time for today. And please consider supporting this man, who will vastly improve the US Senate from the moment he walks in the door.
(NOTE: The first 10 questions were answered this AM by Chuck and I included them below for expediency)
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So here are the initial 10 Q&As:
1) Some of your opponents’ supporters have tried to slander you as having a ‘Ron Paul’ foreign policy when it comes to Islamic jihadists, particularly in regards to Afghanistan. Will you please tell us how you would like the US to act in Afghanistan, and furthermore, how you want us to go after the terrorists worldwide?
Afghanistan is not Iraq. The challenges there are very different. Nation building will be a long, open-ended and arduous task. I have constantly said we need to remorselessly kill our enemies, rather than nation-build in a hostile land. For this, we need special forces, human intelligence and drones, not a large conventional force that we promise to soon pull out. Nation-building in Afghanistan will be costly and frustrating. Meanwhile, do to cost pressures, the Obama Administration has canceled a host of important weapons modernization programs.
2) What would you like to see happen with the US relationship to the UN? Keep it the same? Get out altogether? Something in between?
The UN is more trouble than it is worth. If we want to be part of an international organization, why not a group of democracies who enjoy rule of law?
3) In one of your interviews recently, you noted that a real existential threat to the US is China. Former Congressman Duncan Hunter sees the same thing. What changes would you work for as Senator regarding the United States policy and relationship with China?
I would like to consider going back to annual most favored nation status votes. China is a growing strategic threat, both militarily and economically. They have historical grievances with their neighbors and the West. They are rapidly modernizing their military. Lastly, they have manipulated their currency and tax laws to gain a built in export advantage over their trading partners.
4) Do you support the Right to Life Act, defining personhood and therefore conferring Constitutional protections to unborn children? Would you support a constitutional amendment defining such if the courts vacated the Right to Life Act (assuming it passed)?
Yes, but it will be very tough to enact, needing a two-thirds vote to pass out of the Senate and House. In the meantime, we need to do all we can to curtail abortions in America.
5) What is your belief regarding the original intent of the Second Amendment? And do you support that today?
The Second Amendment, part of the Bill of Rights, confers an individual right to keep and bear arms. I have a proven “A” rating from the NRA in six years of voting in Sacramento.
6) Your answer during the debates regarding a ‘pathway to citizenship’, better known as McCain’s Amnesty, was superb in that you want to require illegal aliens to leave and get in back of the line. However, once deported, they very often then sneak right back in. Do you support the original Secure Fence Act that was designed to put up another 854 miles of double fence with a Border Patrol road between throughout the smuggling corridors of the SW states? Also, what other enforcement activities, if any, do you recommend to curtail the illegal border crossings?
We need to complete a physical barrier – the virtual fence is virtually worthless. We need to maintain the size of the Border Patrol, not reduce it and, when and where needed, we need to augment the border once again with the National Guard.
7) Most members of Free Republic have their own lists of Federal Government Departments and Bureaus they would like to see eliminated. Can you identify a few Departments or Bureaus or programs you would like to see either eliminated altogether or devolved to the States?
Let’s return education dollars back to the states by eliminating the middle man, the Department of Education. The Department of Energy is also very wasteful, send the stewardship of nuclear weapons back to the Department of Defense and eliminate the Department of Energy.
8) What is your criteria for voting in favor of confirmation for a Supreme Court Justice? Or conversely, what would keep you from confirming a SCOTUS nominee?
One determiner: what is their view of the Constitution and the role of government as defined by it? Example: when Sonia Sotomayor said “empathy” played a big role in her decision making, that was a red flag for me as empathy has no role in rule of law. Further, her overturned decision in Ricci v. DeStefano (the firefighter case) was very revealing. I am the only Republican running who has consistently said from the start that I would have voted against confirming Sotomayor.
9) What role, if any, should the Federal Government have in education?
There is no specific Constitutional role for the federal government for education – although, as we saw in the Northwest Ordinance, the early Congress did see education as important. Education is best left up to the states and localities.
10) What are the top three attributes that you believe you possess that recommends you over your two primary opponents in the race to face Barbara Boxer for the US Senate election?
Philosophical clarity and confidence, combined with a tenacious ability to communicate a vision of limited government in a compelling way.
Thanks to JimRob and pissant for this fantastic opportunity to host Chuck DeVore.
Thanks to Chuck DeVore for giving us a true and proven choice this June (and November), and for being such a great candidate, husband and father. It has been a fun campaign to be a part of and I hope it continues up and through November 2.
We’ll need everybody to vote their conscience to make that happen. Don’t let the media and talking head pundits decide our candidates for us. It’s in our hands. Vote.
Signed
The Ubiquitous Triple-C
With the endorsements of DeMint, Mark Levin, McClintock and Duncan Hunter as well as a member of our esteemed and beloved military, you must be beyond reproach. LOL!
I'll be back with questions.
Thanks!
Thanks again to Jim Robinson.
I have to run to give a speech east of Palm Springs.
All the best!
Chuck is the man!
Outstanding. I was JUST about to contribute but I noted the restriction for Federal Contractors to contribute to any national federal campaign. Sadly (because of the contribution restriction) but happily (because I have work) I may not contribute legally.
Which just about pisses me off, right there. lol
You’ll be getting my vote. Take care. Best of luck to you.
IMO your answer at #105 was pitch-perfect.
I half-feared a protectionist attitude re CA bases: I have to say that you favorably surprised me.
Best wishes, good luck, God speed and thank you for spending time with us here!
I have offered to teach you how to deal with the environmental left. The second book has extensive photographic evidence of the disastrous consequences of government habitat management, in addition to detailing how the Biblical system of habitat management as integrated with an ingenious system of national defense was really supposed to work.
I have contacted your consultants and Diane when she responded after I gave you money. So far, nobody has shown any interest. Do you have any such interest? If so, please FReeepmail me or call my cell. Diane has the number.
Sorry to be so abrupt, but I must get out to weed.
PLEASE DONATE $$ to Chuck’s Campaign. Out of money, volunteer to phone bank or (if local) wave signs!!
http://www.chuckdevore.com/action/
ROTFLMBO!!!
And...
Helpful - Having a tax and regulatory structure that promotes businesses, especially small businesses, and creates a positive (vs. toxic) environment for industry to grow and prosper.
Right now, under the anti-profit and anti-capitalism Democrat Party, the business environment is so negative that nobody is hiring, taking on new projects or expanding.
If there are enough jobs and people can find work, they will not need to be dependent upon government.
Thanks for your time. Let us know if you want to do it again!
I've sent donations to several candidates outside of my home state, including Scott Brown, J.D. Hayworth and Marco Rubio. After reading Lt. Col. Devore's answers here today, I will be sending him a donation as well. His answers have been spot on, and it impresses the heck out of me when a candidate is confident enough in his/her core beliefs to mix it up on an internet forum. Great job today.
Here's to you Mr. Robinson!
east of Palm Springs....that’s where I am! I’d better do some fast research.
Thanks for organizing and setting this up, pissant. Encore!
It should disturb us all. I’ve never been a fan of targeted campaigns that write off states because they assume people are too ideologically rigid for any appeal to be made. I believe people want leaders like Chuck and like Gov. Cristie put so well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsdqfVA3fqk
Why is it that politicians play to the weak among us when what most of us want are strong, honest, principled leaders, and we should be ashamed if we are convinced by polls not to vote for them. We should have a faith in God and just do the right thing. Aren’t we tired of calculations and strategizing meant to trick the voters and manipulate them? I’d think so but so many of us even here eat it up and call it being pragmatic when we are really just being fools.
Good luck and may there be many more fighters out there like you. Once upon a time, the great fighter Mohammed Ali had a "Bum of the Month Club," taking on any fighter anywhere. I like your similar fighting spirit. We need more of the same.
God bless you
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