Candidate Q&A - Congress; Gene Curtis

1. What steps do you propose to spur the national economy and create jobs in Missouri?

I will propose to the Congress that any income from a financial transaction that involves a tax-free exchange will be changed to allow the parties involved to have one year after the close of the transaction to execute the tax-free exchange. This proposal will include any property that is subject to the capital gains tax, and it will be retroactive for five years, including the property of deceased people.

Example: If you bought $10,000 worth of Wal-Mart stock and sold it for $50,000, you would have one year to find a tax-free exchange. You could put the profit only into something like farmland or government bonds and the profit would not be subject to taxation.

We must also reconnect the U.S. 60 corridor by building a bridge across the Mississippi River and connect to Interstate 57 near Charleston. Kentucky has expressed an interest in building a four-lane road from Interstate 24 to the new bridge near Wickliffe, Ky. As I understand it, the road will be designated Interstate 66.

Another need that will have to be addressed sooner rather than later is a toll road from Caruthersville to connect with Interstate 35 north of Kansas City. This toll road was first proposed during the administration of Gov. Warren Hearnes. We also need a toll road to connect Interstate 24 to Cape Girardeau and the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge and continue west to connect with the proposed toll road from Caruthersville to Kansas City. These toll roads would directly connect six interstate highways and 12 U.S. highways in the heartland of America. 2. What measures would you endorse to avoid future corporate scandals?

What we need to do is hold all of these executives accountable. There should be some measure that stockholders can take to severely limit the stock options that are causing all the problems in the first place. There needs to be some sort of checks and balances put in place by Congress. People will yell that they are being over-regulated, but if we don't impose these things it will get further out of control.

We should allow people to move their money out of 401(k) plans at any time and into money markets or treasury bills -- something safer.3. What is your position on possible war with Iraq?

We have to support our leaders and assume they have the best possible information. I don't see it as George Bush's war; I see it as a war of the people of the United States. I support the president's position as long as he has the advice and consent of the U.S. Congress.4. Describe your preferred plan for providing a prescription drug benefit to the elderly under Medicare?

The Gene Curtis National Health Care Plan would cover everyone in the United States that is not now covered. The plan would include all members of Congress and all federal appointees, including federal judges. The reason for this is if these decision makers are subjected along with the general public to the concern over spiraling health-care costs, they will surely find a solution promptly.

The premiums for the plan would be 17.5 cents per hours on a payroll deduction plan. The federal government would act as the collector of the premiums and would re-route the funds back to each congressional district to be disbursed as needed by an administrator. The funds would not go through President George Bush's lock box. The administrator would be hired by an elected board of directors who would be responsible for the local administration of the plan.

The coverage would be an in-hospital type plan that is commonly referred to as a catastrophic health insurance plan. Coverage would also include all people who do not now have insurance, migrant workers, people on welfare and those workers who are not covered by Social Security.

Additional coverage, such as prescription medicine, nursing home care or even facelifts and tummy tucks may be purchased at the expense of the insured by endorsement from existing insurance companies.5. Do you favor allowing American workers to invest a portion of their Social Security withholding in private investment accounts?

What I want to do with the Social Security Trust Fund is remove it from George Bush's lock box and make it a national program but locally handled. There would be a national board of directors, but it would have to answer to local boards of directors.

The Rural Electric Association, Production Credit Association and Federal Land Bank are already like that. The blueprint is there. Let's follow it.6. What is your position on farm subsidies?

I would still like to see set-asides for certain crops. But since the Republican Congress passed the Freedom to Farm Bill and subsequently declared it a dismal failure, I wonder how many farmers and farm-related businesses think that we would have the kind of farm bill that we now have if we had had fewer Democrats in Congress. For those who really know, welcome back to the Democratic Party.7. In one paragraph, why should someone vote for you rather than your opponents?

Jo Ann Emerson will follow the Republican Party line 100 percent.