They took part in a forum at Mt. St. Mary's University.
A number of hot-button issues were discussed during a candidates forum Wednesday night at Mount Saint Mary's University. Three of the Republican candidates for the 8th District Congressional seat, Gus Alzona, Shelly Skolnick and Ken Timmerman, participated. Fellow GOP candidate Dave Wallace had a scheduling conflict and couldn't attend.
A forum for Democratic candidates was not held because Incumbent Congressman Chris Van Hollen had a voting session. The only other Democratic contender is George English.
Primary Election Day is April 3rd.
One of the issues the three talked about was illegal immigration. Timmerman made his position known. "Number one, we need to enforce the laws. Number two, we have to make sure we do not serve as a magnet to illegal immigration by not enforcing those laws," he says. "I think we have to make sure we do not have sanctuary cities, such as Chris Van Hollen has help to set up in Montgomery County. I would support Sheriff {Chuck} Jenkins here in 287g." That program in Frederick County, in cooperation with the US Department of Homeland Secrutiy, lets deputies check the immigration status of those they arrest. If they're here illegally, they're deported.
Skolnick said he would enforce the current laws, but he added something else. "For one year, take a moratorium on any new laws, and concentrate on getting a bipartisan agreement on solving our fiscal and economic problems," he said.
The candidates were also asked about whether they would support a preemptive strike against Iran, which is suspected of having nuclear weapons. Alzona said intelligence agencies have found no evidence that Iran has nuclear capability. "I think Americans are just tired of war. There's been too much war. We've been suffering for the past quarter century from a flawed foreign policy, whether Democrat or Republican."
Timmerman said the nation should support the Iranians in overthrowing their government. "If we were to help the people of Iran to overthrown the regime, it would be a much cheaper, much cost effective and more moral policy for us to follow. And it would be a way for us to prevent nuclear proliferation."
Skolnick said he would support preemption under certain circumstances, but believes that sanctions against Iran are starting to affect that nation's economy. "The course that wer're on now is a very prudent course," he says.
Many Republicans have called for the repeal of the Affordable Health Care Act, often known as "Obamacare," and two of the candidates at Wednesday's forum were no different. Alzona outlined his health care proposals. "Repeal 'Obamacare' and end its Unconstitutional mandate that all American must carry only government-approved health insurance or answer to the IRS," he says. "Allow purchase of health care insurance across state lines, provide tax credits and deductions for medical expenses." Timmerman called "Obamacare" "big brother, big government gone wild," and promised he would vote to repeal it if he's elected.
Skolnick didn't call for repeal of "Obamacare," but a moratorium. "There's already been implementation and you have such a big program that saying you're just going to repeal everything causes more problems," he says. "I would just put a standstill for one year to give Congress the opportunity to re-evaluate the provisions of the Health Care Act."
Another question posed to the candidates was whether the timetable for withdrawal from Afghanistan is on track. Timmerman said letting the enemy know when you are going to leave can lead to disaster. He says US troops have done an excellent job, but they need more time to make sure the Taliban don't get back into power. "I believe that we should be enabling the Afghan government to take over their own affairs as soon as possible, and to get out. We need to bring our troops home," says Timmerman. "This country is war-weary ten years after the 9/11 attacks. But we must be mindful why we went there in the first place. We went there to make sure this does not happen again. And I want to be sure that when we leave, we've accomplished that goal."
Alzona said a timetable won't work. We need to bring the troops home as soon as possible. "We really do need to get out of there. Come up with an exit strategy and start working on it. No more of these interventionist wars where the US does not have a direct interest," he says.
A small crowd attended Wednesday's forum at Knott Auditorium.
