Voters Guide May 8, 2012 West Virginia Primary Election
This candidate information is brought to you by the League of Women Voters of West Virginia as a public service. Candidate responses are printed exactly as received, including spelling, grammar and content. Candidates’ responses were limited to 50 words.
Democratic Candidates for Unites States Senate
CANDIDATE Sheirl Fletcher
COUNTY OF RESIDENCE Monongalia
PARTY Democratic
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Sheirl Fletcher, former two-term member of WV Legislature and WVU graduate, is a geologist and environmental specialist with 30+year career in the energy sector. The mother of two grown children, she understands women’s health, education and children issues. Visit www.fletcherforUSSenate.com for info on jobs, energy and protection of the environment.
QUESTION 1. What should be done to control mounting Medicare costs?
ANSWER: I support Medicare reforms leading to better health for patients and lower costs for providers and taxpayers, including: Invest in patient safety – lower hospital readmissions and hospital- acquired conditions; Reform provider payments- rewarding quality and efficiency; Crack down on fraud and abuse; Reduce excessive Medicare payments to insurance companies.
QUESTION 2. What programs are you willing to cut or eliminate in order to reduce the federal deficit?
ANSWER: Congress must operate under a balanced budget process. In addition to the CBO, an independent federal auditing office should be created to review the budget, identify cost saving measures and make recommendations to Congress. Government waste/fraud and duplicative services must be eliminated, and government programs made more efficient and effective.
CANDIDATE Joe Manchin
COUNTY OF RESIDENCE Marion
PARTY Democratic
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: As U.S. Senator, Joe stands up for West Virginia and commonsense. He focuses on creating jobs, getting our finances in order, keeping our promises to seniors and veterans and energy independence. Joe is from Farmington and is an outdoorsman and businessman. He and Gayle have three children and seven grandchildren.
QUESTION 1. What should be done to control mounting Medicare costs?
ANSWER: Before we touch the core of the program, we need to eliminate the waste, fraud and abuse in the system. The government auditors found $125 billion in waste across the government last year, and we should make sure we’re using every dollar the right way before we consider changing critical services.
QUESTION 2. What programs are you willing to cut or eliminate in order to reduce the federal deficit?
ANSWER: We need to get our financial house in order, like we did in West Virginia. First, nation-building in Afghanistan should end immediately. By the end of 2012, we will have spent $650 billion. We’re building their roads, bridges and schools when we should be rebuilding America and reducing our deficit.
Republican Candidate for Unites States Senate
CANDIDATE John R. Raese
COUNTY OF RESIDENCE Monongalia
PARTY Republican
Candidate did not reply
May 2012 Primary US Senate.doc