We’re continuing with responses to our questions for the the three candidates running for the Kansas 3rd Congressional District seat. Here’s question number four:
Are you satisfied with the level of oversight Congress has exercised during the Trump administration? If not, what issues do you believe need investigation or additional scrutiny?
Kevin Yoder, Republican
Did not respond.
Sharice Davids, Democrat
I will work with Republicans, even Donald Trump, on good ideas that will help Kansas families. But, unlike my opponent, I will stand up to and be a check on the Trump Administration when their ideas or actions are bad for Kansas, like their plan to cut access to health care or raise premiums on older Kansans. My opponent has blindly followed President Trump, voting with him 92% of the time. He voted for Trump’s plan to give huge tax breaks to wealthy corporations and voted in lock step with Trump on cutting health care, increasing insurance premiums and gutting protections for pre-existing conditions. When I’m in Congress, I won’t be “fighting for the President’s agenda” – I’ll be working for the people of our community.
Chris Clemmons, Libertarian
I’m not satisfied with the level of oversight Congress has exercised for any President in the last 50+ years. Congress continues to abdicate its responsibilities dictated in Article 1, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution. They have unconstitutionally signed away their trade authority, war authority, regulatory authority, immigration and naturalization authority, and they have recently signed away Americans’ 4th amendment rights by giving the keys to our illegal spy apparatus to Attorney General Jeff Sessions. In fact, the President’s appointee now has the capability to access all of the illegally obtained digital information on any American with no judicial review or oversight. Every phone call, email, text message, website click, etc. is now accessible to whoever sits in the A.G. position.
We fought the Revolutionary War and established our nation to free ourselves from the shackles of a tyrant king. Our founders were very clear on the responsibilities each branch of government should have, and the writings and speeches surrounding all of our founding documents speak strongly against creating a king. In fact, our government was structured the way it was, to prevent just that.
Unfortunately, those in the legislative branch are more worried about maintaining their positions of power than upholding their oath to support and defend the Constitution. Were the legislature to follow the rule of law, we would not be at war with over half a dozen countries. We wouldn’t have the world’s largest prison population. Our president wouldn’t have the power to negotiate trade agreements that violate our national sovereignty, nor would he have the power to destroy our trade relationships and destroy American jobs.
Despite all of the warnings to the contrary, Congress has created a mini-despot, and that is precisely why I am running for this position. It’s time to reign in the rampant illegal activity of the federal government and restore our nation’s checks and balances, so that we can once again be the “Land of the Free”.
Tomorrow, we’ll run the candidates’ responses to item four:
Would you ever support cutting Medicare or Social Security benefits? Why or why not?
