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Key Issues, Bob Liebman Campaign for NM US House Seat 1 Print E-mail
  1. Deficits. Obscene. Against. Supply Side only passes off the costs of temporary, immediate benefits to our children and grandchildren, giving a false padding on which the temporary economy is structured. 2008 Update! Bush II inherited the debt at $5.7T, and has run it up to a current $9.4T. Everyone in the States currently owes our government $31,000. Unbelievably irresponsible and devastating to our country. Osama might not need to do much more to accomplish his goals.
  2. War in Iraq. Against. President Bush lied to get us there, and the program is based on the Neo-Cons' 150-180 out political and international theory. 2008 Update! We're now in at roughly $.5T spent on this fiasco, with a minimum scheduled outlay of $3T over 10 years, inclusive of all the mained and otherwise unhealthy vets due services. The best way out is better relations with Syria and Iran, directly or indirectly linked also to Israel and the Palestinians.
  3. Shrinking of Social Services. Wrong, allowing for the false notion of ‘lack of funding’ largely resultant from the so-called 10 year tax cuts, but also, to a lesser extent, due to spending on Iraq/Afghanistan, and to the Tax Code itself, which is complex and tilted toward the wealthy. 2008 Update! Cancel the Bush 10 year tax cuts. Reverse many cuts and 'good deals' for persons making over $250,000. Raise or just plain eliminate the current Wage Base (contributions to FICA and Medicare) which is currently set at $102,000, along with lowering the FICA portion from 6.2 to 5%, and the Medicare portion from 1.45 to 1.25%.
  4. 10 Year Tax Cuts. Wrong, and need to be cancelled, with a tilt in the tax pyramid back toward the Middle Class, and some serious study commenced regarding, minimally, tax code simplification, and possibly also regarding movement toward a Flat Tax Structure. 2008 Update! Same, with item 3 above combined for consideration.
  5. Flat Tax Structure. Would probably vote for, if it came in at 18% or under. 2008 Update. Same, but with consideration of items 3 and 4 above.
  6. Environmental Issues.  Generally pro-environment, but with emphasis on strong study of any given issue in a round out manner. ‘When in serious doubt, tilt toward the environment…..’ 2008 Update! With Global Waming ever more substantially proven and the added negative changes in the environment since even 2 years ago, it is imperative that we consider and act positively on as many 'Green' issues as possible.
  7. Overall Notion of Philosophy of Neocon DC Think Tank, 'Project for the New American Century.' Largely against. Some merits, such as agile force structure, but largely wrong in its view of the world and how to deal with it. 2008 Update! Same. I'm actually somewhat surprised that this organization even still exists.
  8. Pro-Life or Pro-Choice. Pro-choice, but with strong emphasis on education of folks for whom it would be unwise to have children at a given point in their lives, plus adoption. 2008 Update! Same, but with even more emphasis on education and adoption.
  9. Gay or Lesbian Unions. Definitely pro legal unions, and open-pro to allowing legal marriages. This is largely to entirely a matter of genetics. 2008 Update! No change. Strong disposition toward as many legal rights as possible accompanying legal unions and- of course- marriages.
  10. Immigration. Pro Border Security, both South as well as North. Also for legal Guest Worker programs, with Green Card possible in three years for those who otherwise qualify, i.e., no felonies or serious misdemeanor charges on record. 2008 Update! Strong programs and coordination between Labor and Foreign Affairs departments of US and Mexico to legally and temporarily or otherwise place Mexican workers in US jobs as legitimately determined necessary, again, with possibility of such workers moving on toward Resident Alien status under successful fulfillment of predetermined conditions.
  11. Prospective Nuclear Iran. Issue probably could have been solved, and still can be, through  unilateral diplomacy. 2008 Update! Little if any question in this Candidate's mind that this issue can be resolved, along with the possibility of resolution of the Iraq issue 'along for the ride.' The diplomacy might be more than unilateral, however, albeit with minimally the US, Russia and/or Syria playing more prominent roles in the diplomacy.
  12. Prospective Nuclear North Korea. Same as Iran. 2008 Update! 'Same,' that is, allowing for a different 'cast of countries' regarding the diplomacy, i.e., as t  o now, the US, North Korea, South Korea, China and Russia.
  13. Middle East (Israel, Palestinians) Peace Talks. Pro Ongoing dispositions  toward a Two State Solution. The Hamas-Fateh Coalition must recognize the right of Israel to exist,  Israel must refrain from building any further settlements on the West Bank, be open to removing some that are there, and to East Jerusalem as the new Palestinian capital. 2008 Update! Jimmy Carter's recent visit with Hamas Chief Khalid Mashaal in Syria along with Bashar al Assad, President of Syria, sets the pace for a good route to follow. The possibility of some ongoing social events such as the so-called 'Ping Pong Diplomacy' in China during Richard Nixon's and Mae Tse Tung's times might be well considered, as well.
  14. Higher Oil Prices. Largely due to a combination of world conditions and India and China entering the markets more strongly. Emphasis MUST be on developing alternative resources, such as hydrogen, thermal, wind power, ethanol and others, for the sake of the environment even more so than increasing prices. 2008 Update! Tensions regarding Iraq, Iran, Russia other other areas have helped accerbate pricing so that today's news has up to a year ago or so unthought of $113 per barrel oil, resulting in US gas prices going to $3.50 per gallon or so. This candidate believes that these conditiions are largely unnecessary, and that these newly high prices would not be so if relations were't so 'sour' in the Middle East and, to some extent, Russia. This candidate believes that there is 'plenty' of crude oil left in the world, and that with proper relations between the United States and other coutries, oil prices would be much lower. This doesn't negate the need, both in the interest of security as well as fighting global warming, to move toward alternative, non-fossil fuels, as promptly as possible, however.
  15. Global Warming. Pro-strong—very strong—actions. Sign Kyoto Protocol, begin constructing stronger and stronger treaties toward reduction of gases world-wide, as we have better relations to be able to effect such, and maximum tax breaks and other incentives toward Green solutions in as many areas as possible. 2008 Update! Same, but ever more urgent. Both 'we' and the rest of the world must now move away from fossil fuels and toward viable alternatives as promptly as our international economies and relations will allow us.
  16. Healthcare. Need to GRADUALLY be working toward Universal Care. Suggest convening a panel to determine inefficiency in US healthcare system, with the possibility of legislation toward providers making changes in 'The System,’ as work  is ongoing toward a more permanent fix. 2008 Update! Same, but with emphasis on movement overall to a single payer system based on a combination of shared risk and cooperative financing from either a for profit or non-profit entity and varied governmental entities, such as cities, counnties, states and the federal government. In essence, partnership between government and either for profit or non-profit agency.
  17. Medicare Part D. Bush-Pharmaceutical Industry Boondoggle, and overly complex for the consumer. We need to work to determine why  Canadians and Britons are healthier than we are for less (minimally, in Canada’s  case) resources expended. 2008 Update! This would be worked into item 16, above, so that drugs could be available to all, probably with some form of lesser profit for the pharmaceutical companies.
  18. Bush Admin Wire-Tapping/Eavesdropping Sans Court Order: Against!!!! Our Constitutional Rights have been violated. (All the CIC needed to do was go to FISA, the court established for such in the wake of the Nixon era wire-tapping events against students against the Vietnam War.) 2008 Update! This issue has become somewhat 'settled' since, but, allowing for the continuing need for domestic and international intelligence regarding the so-called 'War on Terror,' there nevertheless continues to be a need for the protection of individual and corporate rights.
  19. Overall Foreign Policy. Overwhelmingly against. PNAC (Project for the New American Century) approach is both a pragmatic disaster, as well as morally odious. We live in new era, and must change  or suffer severe or even possibly mortal consequences. ‘Ya’ can’t “keep ‘em down  on the farm” forever…..’ 2008 Update! Our entire foreign policy apparatus must be overhauled, with emphasis on accepting countries with their good and bad, then working to relate with them 'where they're at,' with the end desired result of both teaching and learning, and moving toward legitimate influence based on common acceptance. We can no longer either afford to or be successful in 'bludgeoning our way around the world.'
  20. Use of Force in International Affairs. Strongly against, except in the rarest  exceptions, and where all other reasonable means have failed. We live in a new era,  and have finally begun to witness- in the wake of Vietnam and Iraq II- the Limits of  Power. We must now be willing to change our behaviors with others around the world to a new openness and willingness to cooperate and share, if we are to  survive- and certainly if we are to prosper. 2008 Update! Same, with even stronger emphasis and inclusion of item 20, above.
  21. Iraq-Afghanistan and other Middle East Challenges. See my two letters to the President in this Site. Strong emphasis on negotiations to resolve the Iraq Debacle as best as possible, inclusive of the withdrawal of most-all American troops there, resolve Afghanistan in a much more prudent manner, then have a combination of an increase in foreign aid administered by savvy personnel accompanied by chasing down Al-Quaeda around the world and working toward better relations with both the Muslin as well as non-Muslim communities everywere. 2008 Update! Enphasis on relations with Iran and Syria, also Israeli/Palestinian challenge, see items 2 and 13 above.
  22. Sudan-Darfur Challenges. Part and parcel of 21 above, and again, see my second letter to the President. With the beginning resolution of Iraq and possibly other areas mentioned in my letters, funds might be made available to assist the United Nations and/or African Union toward facilitating troops for Sudan. With changes in our outlook toward the Muslim community and progress in however many of these negotiating areas, President Omar Bashir will more than likely (finally) relent and allow sufficient troops- as well as negotiators- into Sudan to make strong progress and/or resolve that crisis. US Special Forces troops could be utilized toward training of UN and African forces. Use of NATO or EU forces in Sudan, unless also US, as we disengage from Iraq, could be considered, as well. This is a crisis that can and must be solved. All of this would also be done in conjunction with discussions, negotiations, and hopefully not sanctions against, the Chinese and Indians who purchase the bulk of Sudan's crude oil. 2008 Update! All the same, but with much more urgency. Also see and cw items 2 and 13 above, allowing for linkage between most or all Muslim issues, as well as the large to total linkage between same and Israeli-Palestinian issues.
 
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