Atlanta Progressive News

(APN) ATLANTA — With only about five weeks remaining until the May 24, 2016 Primary Election and Non-partisan General Election, Democrat voters have little or no information about the candidates for U.S. Senate.

 

Political newcomer, Jim Barksdale, has avoided news media, including the Atlanta Progressive News and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution; while also avoiding local forums and other events around the State of Georgia.

 

http://atlantaprogressivenews.com/2016/04/17/barksdale-u-s-senate-campaign-avoiding-media-voters/

 

Meanwhile, political newcomer Cheryl Copeland has also been unresponsive.

 

Only John F. Coyne, III, a moderate Democrat from Alpharetta, Georgia, seems to be interested in empowering voters to make an informed choice based on substantive issues.

 

Coyne is the CEO of Management Enterprises Inc., providing various services to the residential and commercial real estate market with over forty years of experience.

 

Coyne is also the Founder of Managed Environments Inc., which is a non-profit company with plans to build and manage independent living/housing for young adults with developmental disabilities.

 

His responses to the APN U.S. Senate Candidate Questionnaire is as follows

 

What is your position on nuclear power? What is your plan, if any, to increase solar and wind power?

 

According to the Southern Company, the facility being built in Georgia is an “in the future” innovation of the best system to produce power.  I believe that nuclear power is the way all countries worldwide can produce power without using fossil fuels and damaging the environment from excess C.02.

 

I believe that the use of hydroelectric energy production should be expanded, using new reservoirs, tied to our river system and coastal areas using the ocean and our large lakes and intercoastal bays.  Solar is on the verge of expansion with its new technology, along with wind turbine advancement.

 

What would you do at the federal level, in terms of funding or policy, to support affordable housing and end homelessness?

 

I am a supporter that all mortgage loans should be funded by 30 year treasury bills of the federal government. These 30 year treasury bills, like savings bonds, is where people can invest their money into long term savings accounts for retirement or college education for their children and grandchildren (safe money for the future).  All the mortgages that are now guaranteed by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, FHA, and VA will be funded by the federal government and these 30 year treasury bills.  Eliminate the stock and mortgage backed securities and the banks that gamble with those funds.

 

Would you commit to making significant reductions the Pentagon budget, including, but not limited to, reducing our extensive stockpile of nuclear weapons?

 

Our defense budget consistently is a battle between the Democrats and Republicans.  Really, does anyone know what this budget should consist of?  It depends on who you ask.

 

What I do know is our military is falling behind against the powers of China, Russia, North Korea, and several Asian and Persian countries.  All of our military operations should have the finest equipment, planes, ships, etc. in the world first, nothing less.

 

Our nuclear weapons system needs to be completely overhauled because of its age.

 

If all people with [sic] equal in thought of mind and life in the world, this topic would not have to be addressed.  But there are a lot of people in the world that do not care about the sanctity of life, nor our Christian beliefs.

 

Do you support GMO labeling?

 

Just this question is a label because what does GMO represent?  It could stand for several different areas.

 

EDITOR’S NOTE: The question was referring to labeling of Genetically Modified Organisms.

 

Do you support a voter-verified paper audit trail for electronic voting in federal elections?

 

If people want a verified voter paper trail, you will go back 50 years of progress in elections.  Pull the lever or sign the handwritten ballot.  We don’t want those chads again.

 

Do you support restoring voting rights in federal elections for felons and/or ex-felons?

 

If a felon has served their time, completed their probation and returns productively to society, after three years they should be allowed to vote in any election process in which area they reside.

 

Three years is chosen because that is about how long it takes for someone to become a citizen of the U.S. through normal process.

 

Do you support a constitutional amendment in response to the Citizens United, clarifying that corporations do not have constitutional rights and allowing the federal, state and local governments to limit campaign contributions by corporations?

 

I believe that all elections should be funded equally to each candidate, whether federal or state and the limit should be set on that funding by the office that is being sought.

 

All contributions for elections will be paid to the federal government or the state government; those entities would distribute these funds accordingly during each election cycle to all candidates who qualify to run. Local elections should be self-funded or allow small contributions to be equally divided.  I like the level playing field for all candidates!

 

Would you support a greatly expanded public financing system for federal elections, including U.S. Congress and President?

 

Yes.

 

What is your position on the NSA spying programs on US citizens that were revealed by Edward Snowden?

 

Unfortunately, this is the world we live in. NSA is just more scrutinized about [sic] everyone else, anyone can be a spy.

 

Do you support a federal interest rate cap of, for example, fifteen or eighteen percent on credit cards?

 

People need to make enough money so they don’t have to use credit cards to pay their bills. Income too is the problem, along with the cost to survive.

 

If it’s said that we live in the greatest country in the world, why is it that most of us can’t afford to live here and not be in debt?

 

Credit card agreements favor the banks, every purchase restates those agreements. To get rid of high interest rates on credit cards, you have to get rid of the card first, then the banks that fund and service them.

 

Would you support reinstating the Glass-Steagall Act, which prevents consumer banks from speculating on Wall Street?

 

The elimination or rescinding of Glass-Steagall was one of the main reasons of the financial collapse.  Big Brother had his eyes closed and their hands wide open.

 

Do you support rescheduling cannabis at the federal level?  If so, how would you reschedule it or would you remove it from the federal controlled substance schedules altogether?

 

This is an issue for the voter.  Legalize marijuana, or not.  But when you do legalize marijuana you must draw some very straight and hard lines in these laws as to the penalties from more severe violations and the use of other more lethal drugs.

 

It’s the voter’s choice.  Put it on a national ballot.  The states will play with this forever, although the government and states want the tax money.

 

Do you support single payer universal health care or do you prefer the Obamacare approach?

 

I have described my agenda for health care on my website.

 

http://www.johncoyneforussenate.com/john-s-agenda-.html

 

(END/2016)