ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, October 4, 1996 TAG: 9610040003
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
D - Democrat
R - Republican
L - Libertarian
VIP - Virginia Independent Party/Reform Party
What policy or policies do you advocate that would help Mary Grogan, Jack Robertson - and others like them - who are concerned that there aren't enough good jobs in today's economy?
FOR U.S. SENATE
Mark Warner (D)
``First, we must make certain that our future trade agreements do not encourage American companies to move jobs out of our communities to avoid U.S. labor laws.'' Education must be improved so workers can add technology skills. ``We have to change our federal worker training programs by consolidating the over 80 federal programs into a voucher system which will allow competition between public and private training programs.''
John Warner (R)
``Through my support of technology research and development, of training and apprenticeship programs, through my support of educational IRAs, and my consistent support for the federal student loan program, I believe significant headway has been made in helping Virginians become more globally competitive. Obviously, by Ms. Grogan's and Mr. Robertson's expression of concern, more must be done.''
FOR 5TH DISTRICT, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Virgil Goode (D)
``For businesses to create good jobs, we must have good schools, good roads and a free enterprise climate. I have worked and will work to reduce class sizes in kindergarten through third grade and put computers in classrooms, to upgrade U.S. 58 and build I-73 and to keep Virginia's budget balanced. Additionally, our member of Congress must evaluate proposed trade agreements to ensure that they really benefit our businesses.''
George Landrith (R)
``The economy is stagnant and barely creeping along. Under such circumstances, many people compete for just a few jobs which drives wages down. We need to get the economy moving again, creating more and more jobs and seeing wages go up. To increase jobs we must: (i) reduce taxes; (ii) reduce burdensome regulations; (iii) enforce our trade agreements; (iv) balance the federal budget and (v) eliminate frivolous lawsuits.''
Tex Wood (VIP)
``Mary apparently works a 40-hour week. She can take advantage of nearby colleges (and odds are, her company would help) by taking a course a semester. Jack, now, knows the pervasive effects of NAFTA and GATT. The business where he once spent money when he was making twice what he is now also knew the devastating effect of our record-making low tariff rates.''
FOR 6TH DISTRICT, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Bob Goodlatte (R)
Believes opportunities for good jobs are growing, especially in the Roanoke Valley, because workers are benefiting from a growing economy and low unemployment. "I think that they have had trouble finding good-paying jobs, but I think that we are improving." NAFTA and other trade agreements are helping American workers by opening markets for U.S. goods in Mexico and other places. "We want to make sure that we have every opportunity to dominate those markets."
Jeff Grey (D)
Blames slumping wages on "our corporate welfare system and the tax breaks that we give to corporations to open up operations overseas. I think we need to have some serious corporate welfare reform and close up these tax breaks." The new increase in the minimum wage was also a good start to improving things for working people. Goodlatte's votes against the minimum wage "certainly indicates that he's not worried about wage stagnation in this country."
Jay Rutledge (L)
Believes wages have stagnated because "we're driving companies overseas with coercive taxation and coercive regulation." The way to help citizens concerned about the lack of good-paying jobs is to repeal the federal income tax so that people can have more take-home pay, and eliminate almost all current government health, safety and financial regulations.
FOR 9TH DISTRICT, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Rick Boucher (D)
``Today, applicants for federal job training programs must show they fit into narrow categories to qualify. For example, they can qualify by showing they lost their job due to international trade. There ought to be job training for people who lose their jobs for whatever reason. Also, the federal government's role in economic development must continue.''
Patrick Muldoon (R)
``American workers like Mary and Jack, comprise the most productive economic force in the world. However, our government has hog-tied business with taxes and regulation, forcing layoffs, closings and relocation abroad. Southwest Virginia will prosper when money stays here in the hands of those who earn it instead of being sent to Washington bureaucrats.''
Tom Roberts (VIP)
``One of the main causes of the recent departure of good-paying jobs is the one-sided NAFTA agreement which was promoted by our Democratic and Republican [legislators] as a pay-back for political action committee funding. I will never sell my vote, especially for something that so blatantly favored the few at the expense of many.''
LENGTH: Long : 101 lines KEYWORDS: POLITICSby CNB