James C. Mitchell, Jr.

1557 Cardinal Court

Lindenhurst, Il 60046

Mitchell4president08@comcast.net

 

 

Shriver Center

http://www.povertylaw.org/

2008 Presidential Candidate Survey

30 July 2007

 

 

OPENING COMMENTS

 

I believe the United States of America has lost the heritage of family values, personal responsibility, individual reliance and integrity of character since the technology shift necessary for the conduct and successful conclusion of WWII. These societal traits have been replaced with a plethora of government programs providing dependency, administered through federal, state and local units of governments at great expense of taxation on the employed, law abiding citizens and requiring little or no demands for achievement on the recipients of these programs. We need to change this paradigm!

 

We need to hold parents accountable for their children’s: behavior, health, attendance in school and completion of homework until age 16. Or, unfortunately, if parents are unable, incapable or unwilling to address their parental responsibilities, government intervention is necessary to rescue and protect these children and other members of society.

 

We have become a society of different structures for population management: schools, religious organizations, fraternal organizations, unions, political parties, prisons, mental health facilities, aging facilities, military and units of government. Prisons are the only non-voluntary option when the attendees have failed socially because of bad behavior attributed to bad parenting and/or poor life management choices.

 

So we have the dilemmas presented by this questionnaire, “What to do with people who can’t succeed on their own?”  And, therefore, “What kind of structured environment do they need to continue their existence and participation as an American citizen with all the rights, privileges and responsibilities provided for in the Constitution?”

 

President John F. Kennedy had many memorable quotes. The following two help frame my positions on the questions asked.

 

“My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”

“A young man who does not have what it takes to perform military service is not likely to have what it takes to make a living. Today's military rejects include tomorrow's hard-core unemployed.”

 

 

 

 

 

Questions

 

 

  1. Health Coverage

 

  1. Do you have a proposal for a national health care plan? Please explain.

We need to:

·                    establish criteria from birth, based upon age, gender and necessity of dependence, for health screening that includes at least annual exams of wellness, health, hearing, vision and immunization needs

·                    have health and wellness participation and improvement as part of any health screening plan

·                    depending on locale of service delivery-rural, urban or city, the need to optimize the availability and delivery of these basic services

·                    consumer education on cost effective accessing of routine vs. emergency medical services

 

  1. Do you have a position on achieving health coverage for all children?  Please   explain.
  2. What is your position on Medicaid and State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)

·      B&C. Community centers where low income families can receive a variety of social services either free or on a sliding fee scale for health screening, routine medical treatment or referral, counseling assistance for, but not limited to, drug and alcohol abuse, education, job training, parenting, etc.

 

  1. Budget and Tax Policies

 

  1. Please explain your number one priority for U.S. budget and tax policy.

·      repeal the 16th amendment

·      I support the proposals of www.fairtax.org

 

  1. What is your position on the increase or decrease of federal funding for anti-poverty programs?

·      Hold the same

·      Provide block grants to states on a per capita basis holding governors accountable for efficiency and corruption

 

  1. Unemployment and Work Supports

 

  1. Do you have a position on Transitional Jobs programs to help chronically unemployed people become steadily employed?  Please explain.
  2. Do you have a proposal for providing access for unemployment insurance programs?  Please explain.

 

 

 

 

 

·      A&B. There is something wrong with our tax policies that allow companies to move manufacturing jobs from neighborhoods and rural America to overseas locations with out some combination of housing relocation, transitional training and/or unemployment insurance for the affected workers.

 

  1. Do you have a position on funding for and access to supports for working families, including earned income credit, quality, affordable childcare, and transportation assistance? Please explain.

·      Some of these services like child care can be available through community programs in YMCA’s, churches, schools and park programs

·      Transportation is dependent upon employment location relative to housing and a partnership with employers and public transportation

 

  1. Housing

 

  1. Do you have a position on low-income housing programs? Please explain.
  2. What are your views on the Housing Choice Voucher Program?
  3. What is your position on the One-for-One Replacement Rule in the Housing Act, under which every unit of public housing that is demolished must be replaced?

·      I support the low-income housing programs: assistance, vouchers, one-for-one replacement, etc

·      The complexity of the legislative process, program administration, replacement locations, funding management need to be streamlined

·      Manipulation and corruption need to be eliminated

·      Punishment of slum land lords and corrupt building inspectors

·      Improved quality of housing construction

 

  1. Asset Building

 

  1. What is your position on the federal establishment of a long-term, asset-building savings account for every child in the United States?

·      The federal government needs to get out of the direct funding responsibility for individuals

·      The federal government needs to provide legislation promoting individual long-term savings programs

·      The insurance and banking markets have available investment programs

·      The federal government needs to provide appropriate regulatory oversight and prosecution of: securities manipulation, fraud, theft, embezzlement, etc without elected official obstruction

 

  1. What is your position on the Community Reinvestment Act of 2007 (HR 1289)?
  2. What is your position on the Food Stamp Personal Savings and Investment Act of 2007 (S591)?

·      B&C      I support.

 

 

 

 

6. Crime and Re-entry

 

  1. What is your position on the second Chance for Ex-Offenders Act (HR 1593)?

·      I support

 

  1. Do you have a position on drug treatment programs as alternatives for conviction and incarceration for drug possession, drug use and drug-related crimes?  Please explain?

 

  1. What is your position on Transitional Jobs as an employment strategy for former prisoners as a means of recidivism?

·      B&C   Depends on the commitment of each individual to stop wasting their lives and precious community resources needed by them and others more willing and committed to: kick the habit, improve self esteem, complete education or job training where applicable and continue as a law abiding citizen

·      It also means we need jobs for these people to go to as part of the strategy even if they are similar to CCC types of jobs.

 

  1. Education

 

  1. Do you have a position on “bridge” programs that help low paid workers obtain skills or education to qualify for higher paying jobs?  Please explain?
  2. What is your position on federal funding for skills training programs?
  3. A significant segment of youth at risk of dropping out of schools are parents, expectant parents, or victims of domestic or sexual violence.  Do you have a position regarding this issue?  Please explain.

·      A,B&C   If there aren’t regular jobs then CCC types of jobs and job training will be necessary

·      Provide a safe environment to complete schooling

 

8. Immigrants and Refugees

 

A.     Do you support the establishment of a guest worker program? Please explain.

B.     What is your position on lifetime eligibility for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for elderly or disabled refugees and asylees who are eligible for SSI except their lack of citizenship?

·      A&B  I believe we should be consistent with the country of origin regarding guest worker program reciprocity

·      I do not believe illegal aliens have any rights that U.S citizens are entitled to

·      I believe we should be consistent with the country of origin

·      I believe birth of a child on U.S. sovereignty by illegal aliens should not confer any citizenship rights to either the parents or the child

C.    Do you have a position on providing materials concerning health care and public benefits programs in languages other than English?

·      English is our only language for all domestic communication requirements

·      Translators or community groups of same ethnic origin

 

 

 

 

9. Civil Rights and Racial Justice

 

  1. What would be your administration’s plan for enforcing civil rights laws and programs?

·      Do correctly and completely without elected official obstruction interference

  1. Do you have a position on the federal government’s role in funding or providing high-quality civil legal assistance to low-income individuals? Please explain.

·      I am not interested in lawyers living off the federal government in the guise of helping the indigent

·      Some legal assistance can/should be handled by law school students as part of training and community service obligations

  1. What is your position on the federal Prison Litigation Reform Act of 1995?

·      It is appropriate.

·      Better monitoring of the judicial process: type of crime committed, crime scene investigation, evidence protection and integrity, detective work, time required for apprehension, interrogation, legal representation and sentencing guide lines

·      Regular inspection of prisons and procedures with prisoner interviews