US Senate Candidate: Steve Larrick, Nebraska Green Party
1. What has motivated you to seek this office? What do you hope to accomplish?
I am motivated to seek a seat in the U.S. Senate by the four Green Party priorities: (1) promote world peace, (2) create a healthier environment, (3) foster social justice and (4) build governments that better represent people at the grassroots level rather than just the rich who currently tend to control our government. With these Green Party priorities I hope to bring to Washington a healthier, more peaceful path into the future. Our grandchildren will thank us for moving toward a Greener Future in 2008.
2. What do you see as your most valuable credential for this position? Please include biographical information you consider important for voters to know.
My most valuable credential is more than 20 years of grassroots community development experience with the Nebraska Department of Economic Development, the College of Architecture at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln, and other community development organizations. My lifetime of
work with grassroots leaders and families across Nebraska empowers me to address the economic and social needs of all Nebraskans rather than just the wealthy elites. Together, we can build a healthier Green Future for rural communities and urban neighborhoods across Nebraska and America.
3. What federal funding issues should have Congressional priority, for example, balanced budget amendment, Social Security, something else? What should be removed from priority?
U.S. war-related spending has skyrocketed out of control in recent years to more than one trillion dollars a year. This is causing record budget deficits and weakening our economy while creating more enemies and making us less secure. Funding is being stripped from education, health care, affordable housing, conservation programs for soil and water, and other quality of life priorities. Rather than invest in wars for oil, we need to invest in ending our tragic dependence on oil by educating our youth in the sciences of developing and storing clean, renewable energy from the wind, the sun, geothermal, and other natural systems. Green Community Energy Grants would allow our young people to return to their communities to create Green Energy Jobs building and maintaining Green Energy Systems.
4. What do you see as the solution for socio-economic, educational, and employment difficulties on Indian reservations in Nebraska?
My H.E.L.P. plan for developing the potential of all Nebraskans includes: (1) Health care for all through universal single-payer health system; (2) Energy conservation and renewable energy development through the creation of Green Energy Jobs to reduce our addiction to foreign oil; (3) Land and water conservation by encouraging more local, sustainable agricultural systems; and (4) Peace dividends from diplomatic talks with all parties to reduce the threat of war and to create a more peaceful world with a Green Economic Future.
5. To what degree should the federal government be involved in education - “No Child Left Behind,” post-secondary grants, loans, special education entitlements, etc.?
“No Child Left Behind” was a big government program that forced all local school districts into one mold. We need to return to more local control in education. We also need to provide all qualified student with the ability to graduate from college without being forced into massive debt. European nations provide universal college education for eligible students because they
are not weighted down with ever-growing war spending. Peace dividends will strengthen our education, health care, housing, and other domestic priorities.
6. Describe your understanding of and your preference for or against the Fair Tax.
It appears that the so-called Fair Tax would speed up the process of making the poor poorer and the rich richer. On that basis, I would oppose the Fair Tax in its current form. Right now, we are facing the greatest disparity of income between the rich and the poor in the history of the United States and that income disparity grows daily. We need to adopt more progressive tax structures to reduce growing income disparity or our economy will face an even greater collapse than the major depression of the 1890s and the Great Depression of the 1930s. Our economy works better when it works for all.
7. What do you see as the key elements concerning the war on terror? Explain why you see these as key.
The invasion and occupation of Iraq was the biggest mistake in American history. Iraq had nothing to do with the attacks of 9/11. Iraq had no weapons of mass destruction and presented no major threat to the United States or its neighbors. Iraq’s leaders had no direct ties with the Al-Qaeda terrorist network. By unjustly invading and occupying Iraq, the Bush/Cheney Administration severely damaged America’s standing in the world and has encouraged and
strengthened global terrorist networks. We need honest leaders who can bring greater justice and enhanced communication in the world. That will reduce the terrorist threat and help humanity unite to reverse the real and growing threat of catastrophic climate change.
8. What is your view concerning U.S. support of Israel?
I believe the United States should support and protect the sovereignty of Israel. But we must also use diplomatic measures to discourage Israel from continuing to take away more and more Palestinian lands to create new Israeli settlements.
9. What legislation would you support/propose to deal with immigrants, legal and illegal?
I would work to end overt and covert military actions to destabilize Latin American countries. I would demand greater economic and environmental protections in trade agreements to assure that treaties don’t impoverish the people and environments in other countries for corporate profits. Corporations bring illegal immigrants into this country for many difficult jobs. These immigrants work hard and help revitalize declining communities. They are welcomed by local churches. Their children participate in our schools. They pay taxes for the betterment of our communities. This is no time to rush in and tear apart families and convict hard-working parents of felonies. We need legislation that will provide a pathway to citizenship for people who have been working hard to help strengthen our communities and our economy.
10. Do you personally oppose or support expanded gambling in Nebraska that would include video slot machines and/or casinos?
I oppose expanded gambling in Nebraska that would include video slot machines and/or casinos.
11. Should ministers/pastors be allowed to address social and moral issues including their political implications without jeopardizing the tax-exempt status of their churches? Should the IRS have "policing" power?
America has a long-standing policy of separating church and state. When churches are granted tax-exempt status, they have a responsibility to limit their activism in partisan politics. Ministers/pastors have a right to speak out on social and moral issues, but when they become spokespersons for particular political parties, the IRS has a responsibility to stand up for the rule of law by challenging religious institutions to prove their non-partisan status or face the
possibility of losing their tax-exempt status.
12. When the Senate is called upon to approve Presidential appointments, whether judicial or otherwise, what would you see as your responsibility in those cases?
The Senate should carefully review the backgrounds of the prospective appointees to assure that they have a history of faithfully following the law and behaving in a just manner in working for the public good of the people of the United States.
13. What is your position on human cloning, the use of fetal tissue for research, and/or embryonic stem cell research?
I believe scientific researchers have an obligation to respect life in all their research decisions.
14. When you run into a conflict where your personal views don’t agree with your political party, your constituents, a lobbyist and/or some group that has previously generously funded your campaign, how will you decide what to do?
Our political system is corrupted by big money from outside of our state. Both of my opponents for the U.S. Senate get more than 60% of their campaign funds from outside of Nebraska. All of my campaign funding comes from residents of Nebraska and all contributions are $100 or less. So my votes are not bought and paid for by big money interests from outside the state of Nebraska. I will vote for what I believe is best for Nebraskans based on listening to the people, not the lobbyists.
15. What are your views concerning the global climate change issue?
Global climate change is real. Humans negatively impact the environment with excessive burning of fossil fuels. We can reduce unnecessary burning of fossil fuels by developing Green Energy Technologies that create and store renewable energy from the wind, the sun, and other clean, natural systems. The sooner we commit to a Green Energy Future, the less we damage the environment, the less it will cost to correct problems in the long run, and the more economic and environmental benefits we will see in communities across America. We can afford a Green Energy Future if we redirect a portion of our $1 trillion dollar per year spending on war preparations.
16 How do you picture holding this elected position will affect your family?
Holding this elected position will strengthen my family by empowering us to work together for the common good of Nebraskans, America and the global community.
17 Do you oppose or support a Parental Rights Amendment to the Federal Constitution?
I do not think it is necessary to create a new Parental Rights Amendment to the Federal Constitution. The Federal Government should not be dictating how families should function. We have a diverse society and we should be free to shape our families as we feel best as long as we follow the laws of the land.
18 Do you oppose or support a federal Defense of Marriage Amendment defining marriage as between one man and one woman?
I have been happily married to the same woman for more than 20 years, but I oppose a federal Defense of Marriage Amendment. Such an Amendment would set a bad precedent. Unlike past Amendments to the Constitution, this amendment would take freedoms away from the American people. Let’s keep America a beacon of freedom to the world.
19 What is your position on the abortion issue and what experiences or education led you to hold that position?
We should avoid abortions by avoiding unwanted pregnancies. Right now, without a Green Energy Economy, our growing global population of over 6.6 billion people is seriously damaging the global environment. Our current industrial systems deplete natural resource and pollute our world. Until we develop and adopt more renewable Green Energy Economy to replace our terrible addiction to oil and other fossil fuels, humanity is on a crash course with nature. Big government should not force women to have more children in the current world situation. The United States already has more people in prison, on a per-capita basis, than any country in the world. Why add back alley abortions and new prisons for women and doctors? A Green Energy Economy would be the greatest pro-life act. Green Parties in over 80 countries around the world are working for the same peaceful Green Energy Economy. We in the U.S. should be the leaders.
20 Would you be willing to tell us for whom you plan to vote for President?
I am watching to see where the various candidates stand on Election Day. I do not like how both McCain and Obama push for more warfare over peaceful alternatives. We need leaders who will reduce the threat of war and move toward a more peaceful world by pushing for a Green Energy Economy that puts people to work reducing our dependence on burning oil and other fossil fuels and develops Green Energy Technologies to create and store clean, renewable energy from wind, solar and other natural energy systems.