Issues
Max Linn's positions on the issues provide a clear contrast to those of Bill Young:
| Issue: | Bill Young | Max Linn |
|---|---|---|
| End the war in Iraq | Voted Against | Supports |
| Withdraw the troops as soon as possible | Voted Against | Supports |
| End irresponsible "pork barrel" spending | Voted Against | Supports |
| Protect a woman's "right to choose" | Voted Against | Supports |
| Repeal the Patriot Act (which erodes our 1st, 4th, 5th, and 6th amendments) | Voted Against | Supports |
| Eliminate preferential tax cuts for multinational corporations | Voted Against | Supports |
| Lower Medicare deductibles for Seniors for preventative care | Voted Against | Supports |
| Shut down Guantanamo Bay and end torture | Voted Against | Supports |
| Stop the tapping of phone lines of American citizens | Voted Against | Supports |
| Require mandatory rest periods between redeployments of our military troops | Voted Against | Supports |
| No government intervention in cases like Terri Schiavo's | Opposes | Supports |
| Bring a change in leadership to Washington, DC | Opposes | Supports |
Max's Positions On…
The War and the Military
The Economy
Offshore Drilling & Energy
The War and the Military
Congressman Young prides himself on his attention to the needs of the military, yet as the senior Republican on the Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, he sent our troops into battle with substandard body and vehicle armor.
Democrat or Republican, we all support the sacrifices our veterans have made for us. Yet it was under Congressman Young’s watch that the appallingly dismal conditions at Walter Reed were discovered. Our wounded warriors deserve better than “moldy and rodent infested rooms.” (CNN, March 6, 2007) And the number of homeless veterans in our country is a national disgrace. Clearly more needs to be done.
It is my belief that the war was wrong from the beginning – poorly planned and harmful to our interests in the Middle East. Our troops should come home and Guantanamo Bay should be closed. America should not be in the business of torture and breaking the rules of the Geneva Convention. As a result, we are less safe now and have lost much of our moral authority in the international community.
I am strongly opposed to the Patriot Act. Our government is using fear of terrorism as an excuse to erode our Constitutional rights. Our founding fathers would be disheartened to see the direction in which our country is heading. We need leadership that will turn our country around and make us proud to be Americans once again.
The Economy
Our economy is in a tailspin. Unemployment is up, our dollar and the stock market are on a down hill slide. Excessive spending on the war has been at the cost of funds needed for schools, roads and health care. As a former certified financial planner I am well qualified to address these issues.
Social Security is in jeopardy and Medicare and Medicaid will be unable to meet future demands. Bickering along party lines can no longer be tolerated. There are critically important areas: health care, Social Security, unemployment and education that require using the best ideas from both parties. Cooperation – not competition – is the only way to address these problems.
With a Democrat in the White House and more Democrats in Congress, we will have fresh leadership and an improved spirit of teamwork and collaboration.
Offshore Drilling & Energy
I will oppose any measure that calls for the expansion of oil and gas drilling off the coast of Florida. Florida’s beaches are a national treasure and they are the backbone of our state’s economy. The threat to our beaches from a potential oil spill is too great a risk to accept.
America doesn’t have an energy crisis, per se. We have a shortage of imagination and innovation from the mainstream political parties.
Solar energy isn’t some futuristic technology. A stalk of corn is a solar energy plant. Every sugar cane plant draws its energy from the Sun. Even the waste from our citrus industry is packed with stored solar energy.
There’s a reason Florida is called the Sunshine State. It is blessed by trillions of kilowatts of solar energy every year. We need to harness that energy. Corn, sugar, citrus and other agricultural products can make Florida the energy capital of the 21st century.