John Peterson, Republican Incumbent
Don Hilliard, Democrat
PETERSON did not respond.
HILLIARD BACKGROUND: Self-employed businessman, preparing tax returns and accounting work since 1978, former Jefferson County Commissioner, have served on numerous community and church groups throughout the years.
QUESTION 1: What makes you the best candidate?
HILLIARD: I believe that I am the best candidate because our current representative has lost touch with whom he represents.
Like so many others in Washington, from both political parties, he accepts special interest monies that has helped influence how he votes in Washington.
Now he will tell you otherwise, but when someone takes over $80,000 just from one industry and then goes on about how it would be great if we would implement their idea, I would say that that is being influenced.
The congressman’s natural gas proposal is what I am referring to. He has accepted over $80,000 from the oil and gas lobbyists and wants us to believe that that is not affecting his decisions. I am sorry, but I am not buying it.
I haven’t accepted a dime of special interest money, nor will I after I am elected. I don’t believe in it; it is legalized bribery. There are many other examples I could quote you where this has happened. This is my primary reason for running, we need to take this country back from the special interests that now control things. I don’t accept their money, I want to represent the people of the 5th Congressional District.
QUESTION 2: With such a large district, how do you intend to best represent Clearfield County?
HILLIARD: By implementing ideas that will help everyone. Dealing with issues like the budget deficits, health care, social security, veterans benefits, and my changing the tax laws and trade agreements that have been sending our jobs oversees for far too long. If we were just to address the issue of acid mine drainage we could do so many things.
First, we would create jobs, engineering jobs, construction jobs, supplier jobs, good paying jobs, not burger-flipping jobs. Second, we would be cleaning up a major environmental hazard and third after the cleanup is done and ongoing we would have the benefit of clean streams and water which would promote tourism and provide clean water for future generations.
QUESTION 3: Do you support a national health care system? Why or why not? How would it be implemented?
HILLIARD: I support a single-payer health care system, run by physicians, not the government.
I have spoken with far too many people who have told me stories of dealing with insurance companies. We need to get the insurance companies out of the health care business. They are only interested in profits not people. Doctors would like to treat their patients, and if we had a system like I suggest they could consecrate on preventive care rather than waiting until illnesses became critical. The savings in administrative costs alone would allow us to cover many of those now without coverage
However, we must go back to the issue of special interest money. As long as the drug and insurance companies can legally bribe our elected officials it will be difficult to achieve this goal. We need someone, like myself, who has to the courage to stand up to these special interests and the system in general to get things done.
In conclusion, I can do this, I have a record as a county commissioner of standing up to a county judge when I believed he was wrong. Also, I worked along side other groups and individuals in helping to fight two landfills from coming into the area. I want to serve the people and give them back their government. If people would see that an elected official would do what he says maybe, just maybe, it would help get rid of some of the apathy that is so prevalent in today society.