Name as it appears on the ballot: Derald Hafner
Date of birth: 4-16-1945
Campaign website: www.hafner2008.com
Occupation & employer: Semi-retired
1. What do you believe are the most important issues facing your U.S. House district, the state of North Carolina and the nation? If elected, what are your top three priorities in addressing those issues?
21 percent of our national income is earned by one (1) percent of our population. This means that a growing percentage of Americans do not have the earning capacity to live without the creation of debt.
We continue to see an erosion of the core moral/family values that affect the building block of society.
I would take my oath of office seriously and work to put the federal government back into its constitutional limits. Just a little detail here: I grew up during the cold war. We were all concerned about the global threat of Communism. But, there was a problem with this cold war and as I got old enough to compare ideologies, I noticed that what we call our federal government functioned with three big platforms of the failed communist manifesto. They were:
- A heavy progressive income tax.
- A private central bank.. (The Federal Reserve System)
- Central governmental control of education
I will start with The Federal Reserve System (Fed). With only slight oversight the Fed controls the monetary policies of the United States. It is a fractional reserve banking system that MUST monetize debt in order to best suit The Federal Reserve System. To cure our economic ills we must monetize wealth. Or, more precisely we must monetize the labor that produces wealth in the United States of America. I would work to repeal The Federal Reserve Act of 1913. This issue must be addressed to bring jobs and productivity back to the U.S. I spend more time on the economy on my website www.hafner2008.com
Secondly, we have a Federal Income Tax. No one, not even our congressmen, can point to the law or laws that require us to file Federal Income Taxes. The IRS enforces this extortion using the Sophistry of the Courts. I got that phrase from John Kotmairs book called Piercing the Illusion wherein he takes the whole issue apart legally. I personally believe that we are reaching a critical mass of Americans who will no longer tolerate the IRS as we know it. Further, the financial impact of taxing those that work is compounded by the lost of productive capacity for America. So, something has to go; I believe we should start with the Federal Income Tax.
Third, and last, the United States Constitution makes no provision for Federal Control of education. About half of our North Carolina state budget is for education. There is no quantifying material that makes it clear that federal involvement is beneficial. I would work to repeal No Child Left Behind. More resources on my website.
2. What in your record as a public official or other experience demonstrates your ability to be effective in the House of Representatives? This might include career or community service; be specific about its relevance to this office.
I do not have a career as a public official. I actually see that as a possible advantage.
3. How do you define yourself politically and how does your political philosophy show itself in your past achievements and present campaign platform?
Politically, I would like to be seen as a patriot. I have been a life long student of the economy which includes a B.A. in Economics
4. The Independents mission is to help build a just community in the Triangle and North Carolina. Please point to a specific position in your platform that would, if achieved, help further that goal.
The specific position is called economic parity. Bringing production back to the United States and establishing a sound monetary policy. The dollar has lost 40% of its value since 2002 and as I mentioned before 21% of our national income goes to 1 percent of the population.
5. Identify a principled stand you might be willing to take if elected that you suspect might cost you some popularity points with voters.
The principled stand is this: I constantly take a realistic evaluation of our current political/economic situation and apply it to constitutional principle. If the reader will note, I prominently display the oath of office on my website.
6. The U.S. has been fighting the war in Iraq for five years. Was the decision to invade a mistake? What should our policy in Iraq be today? Should we base substantial military forces there for the foreseeable future? Start to withdraw now, or if not now, according to a plan (i.e., on a timetable)? Which, if any, of the congressional resolutions introduced so far on Iraq do you support?
The decision to invade Iraq was a mistake and it was wrong. We should begin an immediate and orderly withdrawal from Iraq.
7. 1. Evaluate the war in Afghanistan. What troop levels and funding should be allocated to fight that war? What is our goal there, in your view? What should our policy be? What legislation should be introduced to address those issues?
The War in Afghanistan, also justified by the War on Terrorism is most probably to control trade routes to the far east. Our policy for Afghanistan should also be withdrawal. Congress should not fund global imperialistic expansions. We have 737 military installations in 130 different nations. We should ask , why???
8. What other major foreign policy issues do you see as needing Congress attention? Rate the importance of those issues and explain what you would do in Congress to address them.
Our Constitution does not require us to make the world safe for democracy. The Constitution of the United States provides for a Constitutional Republic and as such is a contract with the American people to protect our rights, our country, our economy; and our borders!
9. There has been an increase in unemployment, a rise in home foreclosures, a spike in food and fuel prices, a huge federal deficit, and other troubling economic indicators. What do you see as the primary sources of our current economic problems? What measures should Congress use to resolve address them? How would you begin to reduce the federal deficit? What are some of the possible negative consequences of your proposed solutions?
The primary source of our economic woes is the punitive monetary policies of our private central bank The Federal Reserve System (Fed). The federal deficit can not be effectively dealt with as long as the Fed dictates our monetary policy. It is the responsibility of Congress tocoin money and regulate the value there of Article I Section 8 subsection 5 of the U.S. Constitution. Congress does not have the authority to delegate that power to the Fed! A key term here is monetize What the Fed has done is monetize debt. In fact, a fractional reserve banking system (like the Fed), must monetize debt. That is why we are the largest debtor nation in the history of the world. Possible negative consequences only increase without going back to a sound monetary policy.
10. What should be done about the growing numbers of Americans without health insurance? What system would most fairly insure all Americanswhile keeping in mind the cost?
First, we should recognize the economic reality that health insurance actually adds to health care cost. Second, I personally made the decision that I would rather have good health than have good health insurance. Third, health care is inflated out of reach for many in N.C. Fixing the income issue will do much for fixing the health care issue. In other words, it isnt that health care is so expensive so much as American labor is underpriced. Finally, socialized medicine has never worked well for anyone else so our federal government should stay out of that game. We are a Constitutional republic.
11. On the environment, do you support a federal moratorium on new coal-fired power plants until clean coal technologies can be developed? Why or why not? And secondly, what legislation should Congress pass to help address the issue of climate change and global warming?
On the environment: No, I dont favor a moratorium on new coal fired power plants. And, I question the science on the issue of climate change and global warming. All of that said, I am no softy on the issue of pollution and generally hold the position that no one has the right (for profit or pleasure) to pollute the environment. I think we can gain the most for the environment by:
- Returning to local sustainable Agriculture That means restricted use of chemical fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides.
- Continued improvement in automotive and industrial emissions.
- Encourage Congress to reject a world treaty on global warming in favor of a tariff law that meets our labor standards and our environmental standards.
12. District 13 candidates only: What is your view of the National Bio and Agro Defense Facility, which could be built in Butner? What role does citizen opposition play in your decision whether to support it?
My website (www.hafner2008.com) makes clear my opposition to a Biolab. While I agree with the efforts of GNAT (Granville Nonviolent Action Team); I have the additional concern that the Executive directive that mandates a National Bio- and Agro- Facility is unconstitutional!
13. Where do you stand on:
a. The death penalty?
I support the death penalty. I also support the Fully Informed Jury Association in there efforts to bring jury selection more in line with Constitutional intent. This is our best insurance against condemning an innocent person.
b. Abortion Rights?
I am pro-life.
c. Affirmative action?
In his Poor Peoples Campaign Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Is quoted You cannot legislate goodness, and you cannot pass a law to force people to respect you. The only way to social justice in a capitalistic country is through economic parity Affirmative Action is a program of economic disparity. Economic parity treats everyone equally regardless of race or gender.
d. Gay rights?
Gays have exactly the same constitutional rights as have heterosexuals. We have a Constitutional republic.
e. Retroactive immunity for the telecommunications companies that engaged in domestic surveillance without a warrant?
No retroactive immunity for telecommunications companies!
14. With the passage of the USA PATRIOT Act, civil libertiesincluding habeas corpus and privacy rightshave been sharply curbed over the past seven years. Do you think these actions are justified? If so, please be specific in how theyve been effective. If not, please explain how you would work in Congress to restore civil liberties, and what, if any, restrictions on them you would propose.
Emphatically no! The USA Patriot Act should be repealed. Congress should immediately focus on restoring all civil liberties to the American people. We should actively work to bring all three branches of the federal government back to their constitutional limits. This should be an integrated thrust that includes monetary and economic reform.
15. Are there any other issues on which you, as a member of Congress, will focus if elected?
I give a broad general presentation of positions on my website www.hafner2008.com
