Who should I vote for in the 2008 Louisiana 4th District House of Representatives Race?
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Just before the September 6 primary, Democratic candidate Paul Carmouche paid a visit to the Downtown Shreveport Farmers' Market to show his dedication to Louisiana's 4th Congressional District's farmers and agriculture. He focused on the importance of local growers in the economy of the 4th and with National Food Safety Education Month beginning, food safety was on everyone's mind. “Agriculture is vital to west Louisiana’s economy, and the hard work that farmers do cannot be ignored. Every Louisianan who eats should feel confident in knowing that our local growers provide a safe and wholesome product.”
Supporting Evidence:
Carmouche Visit to Farmers’ Market Underscores Commitment to Agriculture
(carmoucheforcongress.com)
Side: Carmouche Supports Farmers
Carmouche may be one of those pro-drilling Democratic candidates facing some disappointment after the passing of HR 6899. According to section 171, subtitle G on oil shale leasing, Requirement That State Approve of Oil Shale Leasing- Section 369 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15927) is amended by adding at the end the following: Requirement That State Approve of Oil Shale Leasing- No lease may be issued under this section, section 21 of the Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 241), or any other law, for exploration, research, development, or production of oil shale on lands located in a State, unless the State has enacted a law approving of Federal oil shale leasing in the State. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed as preventing the Department of the Interior from preparing an environmental impact statement under the existing authority under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) with respect to an individual lease sale proposed under the commercial leasing program established under this section.’. This means, in effect, that Camouche's support for the NW Louisiana Hynesville shale reserves discovery really means very little if the process is found to be environmentally unsound. Will this cause another rift in the bill's enactment and what steps can be taken to ensure that obtaining shale is environmentally sound?
Supporting Evidence:
Carmouche runs into trouble with shale in Hynesville thanks to HR 6899
(carmoucheforcongress.com)
Side: Paul Carmouche
Jon Fleming supported a proposal earlier this year to bus immigrants across the border for migrant and labor work leasing of up to six months at a time. He has met with major opposition from interest groups such as the Minutemen who see his supported proposal as a dangerous way to further inhibit already out of control illegal immigration. Says Fleming, "We will welcome their willingness to work. We will welcome the positive contributions that they can make to our society. We will encourage them to (pursue) the American dream. And when they become citizens, we will gladly call them our fellow Americans." Fleming wants to create an "express lane" for illegal immigrants
Side: John Fleming
"This was not a lifelong dream for me, but I decided to run because...I'm tired of sitting on the sidelines and watching our government, country and economy go down the tank...there's nobody in the middle." Carmouche recently gave an interview with the Shreveport Times about his reasons for running. His centrism and focus on bringing both sides of Congress together is, Carmouche believes, key to reformation of Congressional ethics and decision-making. Side: Paul Carmouche
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Republican candidate Dr. John Fleming uses his background in the medical industry to claim he has the best knowledge to help reform the healthcare system. He believes we can insure all Americans without establishing a government controlled system. Pointing out the 40 million Americans are not poor but people caught between the system of the government's Medicare and MedicAid systems and those that receive private insurance from an employer. He pushes for widespread private coverage for these people that allows portability and accessibility. Fleming was a medical officer in the U.S. Navy before starting his own civilian practice. In 2007, he was awarded Louisiana Family Doctor of the Year. Side: Fleming's Medical Plan
Fleming has a zero-tolerance policy in mind for illegal immigration. He proclaims that illegal immigration is not immigration, but "invasion because immigration is a legal, orderly process." Fleming says that he is tired of seeing the American taxpayer's dollars go to health care and education for illegal immigrants. Even though America has been and always will be "A beacon of light" as Fleming puts it, the entry process must always stay an orderly one to protect current citizens first. If elected, Fleming hopes to support the following measures in Congress to help prevent illegal immigration: -Secure our borders by all means necessary. -Ban the possibility of giving Amnesty to illegal aliens. -Require illegal aliens to return to their home countries and allow them to return to the United States only after they comply with immigration law. -Make English the official language of the United States. -Eliminate the spending of tax dollars on benefits and services for illegal aliens. -Deport illegal aliens who commit felonies. -Cut off federal funds to states and cities that declare themselves “sanctuaries” for illegal aliens. -Impose serious fines on businesses found to knowingly, willing hire illegal aliens. If we cut off the jobs that are the economic motive for crossing our borders illegally, the illegal aliens will self-deport. -Discontinue the practice of granting automatic American citizenship to babies born here, but whose parents are illegal aliens. Side: John Fleming
On Fleming's website, he has two sets of issues dedicated to religion and the Christian roots of both candidate Fleming and America. Fleming: Historical revisionists want you to believe that the United States was never a Christian nation. They are marketing a version of separation of church and state that is no where contained in our Constitution. I am dedicated to making sure that we do not succumb to their vision of an America without God. For that America will be doomed to perish as have all nations that have denied God. Fleming discusses how "giving testimony and staying with his Christian roots" have made him a successful man in his professional and family life and how the government's Christian principles should be a beacon of hope and guidance for all Americans. In a time when religious freedom and cultural understanding are more important than ever as the US tries to heal the diplomatic rifts caused in the middle East over the past decade, is Fleming's ultra-conservatism a catalyst for conflict? Side: John Fleming
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