What questions should I ask a Congressional candidate?

[Philhelm]

I've sent emails out to the candidates of the 3rd district of Kansas, and one, Daniel Gilyeat, had actually responded. He gave me his phone number, and I had the chance to speak with him directly. I told him that while I consider myself to be a conservative, I am not pleased with the current trend of so-called conservatism. We spoke of many things, and he seemed to be fairly down to earth. He even mentioned Judge Napolitano, had stated that he likes Ron Paul, and claimed that he was libertarian leaning in some ways.

In any case, he told me to call or email him at anytime if I have any more questions. He had also invited me to an event he has this weekend. So far, he seems like a good potential congressman, but I'd like to get into good meat and bones questioning. What sort of questions should I ask? I have some questions in mind already, but others might be able to come up with things that I may have missed, or perhaps spark more ideas.

[Deborah K]

Ask him if he thinks the Constitution is a "living document". Ask him if he thinks America is a democracy. Ask him what he knows about individualism vs. collectivism. Get at the root of his philosophy and you'll quickly discover how he'll vote.

[Elwar]

Tell him that you do not give him permission to take money from you. Then ask if he will be taking any of your money against your will.

Ask if he supports the initiation of force and if he would initiate force against anyone as a congressman.

[tremendoustie]

I've sent emails out to the candidates of the 3rd district of Kansas, and one, Daniel Gilyeat, had actually responded. He gave me his phone number, and I had the chance to speak with him directly. I told him that while I consider myself to be a conservative, I am not pleased with the current trend of so-called conservatism. We spoke of many things, and he seemed to be fairly down to earth. He even mentioned Judge Napolitano, had stated that he likes Ron Paul, and claimed that he was libertarian leaning in some ways.

In any case, he told me to call or email him at anytime if I have any more questions. He had also invited me to an event he has this weekend. So far, he seems like a good potential congressman, but I'd like to get into good meat and bones questioning. What sort of questions should I ask? I have some questions in mind already, but others might be able to come up with things that I may have missed, or perhaps spark more ideas.

If he's a republican, I think the following issues would help clarify whether he's a liberty supporter or not:

- Does he support auditing the fed? How about ending it? Would he allow competing currencies?

- Does he believe we should be the policeman of the world? Does he support withdrawing the troops from the 700 bases in 130 countries they're currently in?

- Does he support or oppose the drug war? Does he believe people have a right to decide how to use their own bodies, as long as they don't harm others? Does he recognize the problems that prohibitions cause?

- Does he support privacy rights? Would he repeal the patriot act?

- Would he end the department of education? Department of agriculture? Any other departments?

- Does he support states rights? Does he believe power should be held in communities, or centralized in the federal government?

[tremendoustie]

Tell him that you do not give him permission to take money from you. Then ask if he will be taking any of your money against your will.

Ask if he supports the initiation of force and if he would initiate force against anyone as a congressman.

I'm a voluntaryist, but I think this may be biting off more than can be chewed. It's a long shot that he'd even understand these questions, let alone be able to answer them. The guy doesn't have to be a straight voluntaryist to be worthy of a vote -- just committed to shrinking all aspects of government.

[djdellisanti4]

Always bring up the Fed, they wont realize it's a problem if not enough people bring it up. I asked a Republican candidate in my district about auditing/ending the Fed and he said he supports it, but it wasn't a big enough issue to really matter.

[TXcarlosTX]

Ask if has a understanding of Austrian Economics

[Elwar]

I'm a voluntaryist, but I think this may be biting off more than can be chewed. It's a long shot that he'd even understand these questions, let alone be able to answer them. The guy doesn't have to be a straight voluntaryist to be worthy of a vote -- just committed to shrinking all aspects of government.

True...I've never had the chance to talk to a Congressman (besides Ron Paul) but the first thing I would tell them is that they do not have permission to take my money.

I want them to keep in the back of their mind the fact that they are no better than a thief when it comes time to spend the ill gotten gains.

[Philhelm]

Thanks for the responses. I did manage to speak about some of those things, but there are other things that I should have asked. Between the information gained from his campaign website, and my phone conversation with him, he seems that he may be a good candidate...or at least better than what we've got now. Here are some of the things I have learned about him:

-Supports an audit of the Federal Reserve.
-Opposes the USA PATRIOT Act.
-Wants lower taxes.
-Wants smaller government.
-Opposes Cap and Trade.
-Supports term limits for congressmen.
-Supports securing our borders.

Our discussion went all over the place, but I did mention that I am against legislation for victimless crimes, and had said that while I understand that it is not a typical conservative stance, I believe that the War on Drugs should end. About the war, he had said that our troops are dying in vain. I had also mentioned that while conservatives tend to be against government spending, they also support social security. Unfortunately, he said that he wasn't against social security, but the government pilfering of it. On the other hand, attacking social security at this point is a losing battle for any would-be politician, so I decided not to press the issue.

Overall, I look at him favorably, although he is no Ron Paul. The fact that he was the only candidate to respond, in person at that, says a lot too.

[Philhelm]

He also directed me to the Freedom Papers. I haven't read them yet, but am about to. I figured I share it with the rest of you.

http://xxx.v4asa.org/freedom1.html (just replace the xxx)

[Icymudpuppy]

Do you support the 6th Amendment to the US constitution guaranteeing an accused person the right to a fair and speedy trial by an impartial jury in the district in which the alleged crime took place, or do you support the Bush/Obama doctrine of indefinite detention without trial?

[Elwar]

Unfortunately, he said that he wasn't against social security, but the government pilfering of it.

This tells you everything you need to know. He is a facade liberty candidate. His principles don't back up his rhetoric.

It's like the Democrats that were protesting Bush's war because they didn't think we could win it, or they didn't like how it was being handled. They aren't against attacking a country that hasn't attacked us, they're just against the way it was done.

He's not against stealing from one group to pay off another, he's just against doing it in a sloppy way.

I'd say vote for him in the primary and vote for the Libertarian in the general election.

[unklejman]

If 100% of your constituency asked you to do something that is not allowed by the constitution, would you do it?

[Imperial]

This tells you everything you need to know. He is a facade liberty candidate. His principles don't back up his rhetoric.

It's like the Democrats that were protesting Bush's war because they didn't think we could win it, or they didn't like how it was being handled. They aren't against attacking a country that hasn't attacked us, they're just against the way it was done.

He's not against stealing from one group to pay off another, he's just against doing it in a sloppy way.

I'd say vote for him in the primary and vote for the Libertarian in the general election.

Jeffrey Miron, the libertarian Harvard economist, has pointed out that assistance to the indigent is probably one of the least negative of government's coercive activities.

FA Hayek, in the Constitution of LIberty, actually points out that a limited social security system is not necessarily coercive.

So I wouldn't suggest making social security some sort of litmus test when there is such division on the subject.

[libertybrewcity]

ask him if he respects the constitution

ask him why he won't audit the fed, unless he voted for it.

ask him why he is ruining the country.

[Philhelm]

ask him if he respects the constitution

ask him why he won't audit the fed, unless he voted for it.

ask him why he is ruining the country.

He's not an incumbent, so those questions wouldn't apply. He claims to support the Constitution, and that he would have supported an audit of the Fed. As an added bonus, he opposes the PATRIOT Act. He's not perfect, but he seems better than typical GOP, especially with his stance on the PATRIOT Act. However, I was certainly disappointed that he didn't mind social security. Also, I don't know his stance on victimless crimes (i.e. drugs, prostitution, and gambling).

[Philhelm]

This tells you everything you need to know. He is a facade liberty candidate. His principles don't back up his rhetoric.

It's like the Democrats that were protesting Bush's war because they didn't think we could win it, or they didn't like how it was being handled. They aren't against attacking a country that hasn't attacked us, they're just against the way it was done.

He's not against stealing from one group to pay off another, he's just against doing it in a sloppy way.

I'd say vote for him in the primary and vote for the Libertarian in the general election.

His stance on social security was disappointing; however, he may be an acceptable candidate all the same. I respect purism, but I can also respect the philosophy of picking your battles, and social security is very low on my list at the moment, as I feel we face an innumerable amount of greater problems. I was thinking of asking him if he would support, or perhaps introduce a bill, which would make social security voluntary, in which only those who put into it would collect it later (which would completely undermine it...heh heh).

I am impressed that he opposes the PATRIOT Act. There are still many conservatives who support it, so he already is at least a bit better. He seems like a down to earth fellow, and a normal joe. That doesn't mean that he'd be a good congressman, but he seems to be a genuinely stand-up guy, even if his positions might not completely fall in line with what I want.

edit: Last time I checked, I did not see a Libertarian candidate.