U.S. House of Representatives 8th District of Missouri -- Branden McCullough

Name: Branden McCullough

Party: Libertarian

Birth: March 12, 1979; Cape Girardeau

Spouse, children: Beth; none.

Occupation: Teacher, Doctoral student in History

Employer: Southern Illinois University -- Carbondale

Businesses owned by candidate: None

Public offices held: None

Past political campaigns and offices sought: 8th District Representative, 2006.

Question 1: What is the most important issue facing the next representative from the 8th Congressional District?

Answer: The most important single issue for our next Congressional leader is the reduction of taxes at all levels. This must be accomplished in conjunction with cuts in spending. The massive deficit, increased by the recent corporate bailout, is leading our country toward economic collapse. My opponent voted for this bailout, which demonstrates a lack of leadership and judgment. I will not vote for increased taxes, corporate welfare or unbalanced budgets.

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

Answer: For too long, our leaders have ignored and blatantly repudiated our Constitution. As a historian, I have intimate knowledge of our Constitution, and I understand that ignoring the advice of our Founding Fathers has led to the problems we now face. I understand that the Constitution is there to limit the power of government, not to increase the power of Washington bureaucrats. As such, I will always vote to protect all our Constitutional rights.

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

Answer: Oftentimes, qualifications are defined by experience. However, we do not always ask "what kind of experience?" My opponent has a decade of experience in voting for expansions of government run health care and corporate bailouts. That is not the kind of experience we need. I understand that my job is limited to ensuring the freedom and prosperity of my constituents in accordance with our Constitution. On this basis, I am immensely qualified.

Question 4: What is the most important step for achieving economic stability during the next two years?

Answer: Cutting taxes and curbing spending is a good place to start. The free market will right itself, and it will happen more quickly with less government involvement. Additionally, controls must be placed on the Federal Reserve. Money is being printed out of thin air to make up for budgetary shortfalls, which means inflation and higher consumer costs. This hurts everybody because it means higher food and gas prices. However, lower taxes and lower prices help everybody.

Question 5: Should Congress enact a health care program that covers every American or should private sector efforts be allowed to prevail? Why?

Answer: P.J O'Rourke once said: "If you think health care is expensive now, just wait until it's free." We need only look at the difficulties facing European countries to see that universal health care programs are more expensive and sacrifice quality. We can fix the system by infusing the free market into health care. This means creating more competition between doctors and hospitals, breaking up pharmaceutical monopolies and making all health care expenditures tax-free.