Missouri House, 159th District -- Bill Burlison

Name: Bill D. Burlison

Party: Democratic

Birth: March 15, 1931

Spouse, children: Michal Sue Prosser; James, 50, Laura, 48, Jeff, 44

Occupation: Lawyer

Employer: Self-employed

Businesses owned by candidate or spouse, all or in part: Attorney's office, small family farm.

Public offices held: Cape Girardeau County prosecuting attorney; U.S. representative; county commissioner, Anne Arundel County, Md.

Past political campaigns and offices sought: Prosecuting attorney, 1962 to 1966; U.S. representative, 1968 to 1980; Anne Arundel County Commission, 1998, 2002.

Question 1: What is the most important issue facing the 159th District?

Answer: Providing revenue for the needs of our working poor and middle classes without increasing deficit spending or increasing the public debt. This can be done only by requiring the big business special interest ultra-wealthy multimillionaires and billionaires to once again pay their fair share of the tax burden.

Question 2: What in your background or education makes you qualified for this office?

Answer: (1) The only person on the ballot with seven academic degrees. (2) The only person on the ballot to have served on all levels of government office: local, state and federal.

Question 3: Why are you better qualified than your opponent?

Answer: See my answer to question 2. Also, I have communicated with every registered voter, thus I know the needs and desires of the people.

Question 4: In 2005, lawmakers voted to restrict eligibility for Medicaid as a cost-cutting measure, resulting in 100,000 removed from the Medicaid rolls. The state currently has a surplus. Should eligibility be restored to its previous level or any other steps taken to expand health coverage to more Missourians?

Answer: See question 1. Adequate health services should be provided for all Missourians.

Question 5: Do you support using state resources to allow parents to choose to send their child to any school, public or private?

Answer: (1) This means the end of the public school system as we know it. Jefferson advocated the public school system a long time ago. I am not ready to abandon it two and a half centuries later.

(2) To do so is clearly in violation of the U.S. Constitution as intended by the drafters and even by interpretation of the modern Supreme Court.