Interview with Ben Carnahan

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Ben Carnahan is the Democratic Candidate for State Representative in Missouri's District 131. The 131st is in extreme SWMO, in Newton and McDonald Counties. Please pass this interview on to people you know from that area.

1). What about your experience makes you qualified to represent the people of the 131st State Congressional district?

I have a Bachelors Degree in Management and Marketing from the University of Nebraska at Omaha and a Masters of Arts Degree from Webster College in St. Louis, Missouri. I spent 32 years in the U.S.
Air Force. Fifteen years in the enlisted ranks and seventeen years as an officer.

I performed maintenance on aircraft in the early years and was maintenance supervisor in the later years during my enlisted time. As a maintenance supervisor I had 50 to 100 personnel working under
my supervision performing maintenance on 25 aircraft. During my time as an officer I was responsible for scheduling, maintaining and the launch and recovery of aircraft flying on a 24 hour a day basis. The work force in this position was over 300 individuals.

I also served in the Military Airlift Command Headquarters for 12 years. In this position I worked with Aircraft companies such as Lockheed and Boeing during the acquisition of new aircraft and test
equipment for the U.S. Air Force. I worked closely with engineers and management personnel of these companies to ensure that the aircraft procured met the performance requirements needed to
complete the missions assigned.

2). How would describe your political beliefs?

My political beliefs vary depending upon the subject and the information that I gather concerning the subject that is under consideration. I believe that the action taken should be governed by
the situation and the impact that a decision would have upon society.

3). If elected, what committee assignment(s) would you seek?

These are some that I would like to serve on: The Elementary and Secondary Education Committee, the Health Care Policy Committee, and the Joint Committee on Tax Policy. The two most important issues to me are health care and education. I believe in policy that is concerned about more than cutting cost. A good representative will consider the human cost of policy and its affect on society.

4). How do you plan to compete financially with your opponent's campaign?

I plan to use some of my own funds and I am going to ask the folks in my political party to contribute funds that will be used to provide voters the information needed to make intelligent decisions concerning how they vote.

5). If elected what would be your top three legislative priorities?

I will work to secure adequate funding for education to ensure that upcoming generations have the skills needed for their families and communities.

I believe that our communities deserve a Health Care system that is more cost effective by utilizing preventative care. Kicking individuals with major mental and physical disabilities off Medicaid only saves money in the short term and it comes with a very significant human cost. I believe that Medicaid funding has been cut too deeply. The cutting of funds for a family that makes less than $600 per month has gone too far. Where is the compassion that should
be part of our lives?

I will work to ensure that jobs pay a wage that provides a decent living for working people. It is not right that wages should remain the same while the cost of gasoline increases so rapidly and record profits are accumulated by the oil industry.

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. Is he related to Mel?

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2. No, but people will wonder that. I did when I first met him.

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3. To donate...

Carnahan for the 131st, P.O. Box 2543, Joplin, Mo. 64803-2543. Make all checks payable to Carnahan for the 131st.

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4. self delete

posted in the wrong spot