The Star asked Dave King

Candidate for: U.S. House of Representatives - KS

What is your position on abortion: supporter of abortion rights or opponent?	Supporter of abortion rights As a direct answer to the new question, and as a person who believes the government should butt-out of peoples' lives in general, I would support abortion rights (the right of an individual woman to decide her own fate) although I personally oppose abortions. But I believe the overriding issue is whether or not the federal government should be involved at all in this matter, and my position is that this is a states-rights issue and the federal government has no business being involved at all.
Has Israel lately gone too far in defending itself from its enemies?	✘ No One of the great shames of the current administration is its awful treatment of Israel. Israel is the only functioning democracy in that part of the world, and is our only friend there. The enemies of Israel surround it and have sworn to destroy it. They must be permitted to protect themselves from these serious threats, and we must declare our support in their self-defense.
Do you believe global climate change is a real phenomenon?	✘ No The reason we are still in a recession with record-high unemployment rates is that the government appropriated vast amounts of money for stimulus purposes, and has spent it unwisely, if it has spent it at all. The economy will revive itself when the excesses that caused the economic downturn to happen are corrected, but government spending helps only the friends of government. The government has no place in determining where economic stimulation is needed, nor does it have the knowledge.
Do you support repeal of the Dodd-Frank banking regulatory measure?	✘ No By bailing out the banks the government has increased its hold and influence over our finance industry, and this is a very bad thing. If banks fail, other banks will assume their customers and will prosper if they are running their companies wisely, and no one is hurt. The government should not assume to be wise enough to decide what entities should fail and which should be saved.
What changes, if any, should be made to the nation’s health care law?	✘ No Obamacare is unconstitutional and will destroy our economy and take away our freedoms. As a free and sovereign people we cannot be told that we must buy insurance, and that it must ultimately come from the government, which is the eventual result of the bill. The predictions of cost-savings from the new plan were lies, and we are now seeing that government interference in this area of our lives will cost more money, reduce health coverage and increase government control of every aspect of our lives.
Name one well-known politician who is your model public servant.	Ronald Reagan
Should the federal gasoline tax be raised?	✔ Yes If BP really did cut corners and ignore indications of trouble they deserve to pay all costs. But is the Obama administration not also culpable for its approvals of BPs plans? In fact they were going to award BP for their great safety record! Much blame can be placed on the current administration for accepting so much campaign money from BP, and for being so friendly with them as a result of the money they received, but I don't want the American public to have to pick up the bill.
Do you support expanded oil drilling in environmentally sensitive areas, including in the Gulf of Mexico, off the shores of Florida and California, and in the Alaskan wildlife preserve?	✘ No Liberal/environmental policy has created the situation where companies must drill in deep waters, which makes any problem more difficult to resolve. To stop drilling at a time of high unemployment and at a time when we are too dependent already on foreign sources of oil is sheer stupidity, and can only come from a source that wants more suffering, unemployment and dependence on government handouts.
Do you favor increasing troop levels in Afghanistan, reducing levels, maintaining the current force or pulling out altogether?	maintain current force,
Do you support cuts in federal nutrition programs like food stamps?	Allow people to opt out of Social Security and contribute more to a 401K. Repeal the disastrous Obamacare and instead legislate tort reform, insurance portability, allow interstate competition for insurance coverage, adopt medical savings accounts, and provide options for catastrophic-only coverage where the individual pays for lesser medical costs out of their own pocket. If people are paying their own medical bills they will spend wisely.
Would you favor removing the Social Security wage cap that halts contributions to the retirement system after a wage earner makes more than $106,800?	✘ No We are taxed too high already and younger workers will never see any benefits from Social Security, but are instead being soaked to support it against their will.
Would you support means-testing for Social Security and Medicare, meaning that Americans earning more than a certain amount would receive reduced benefits — or none at all?	✔ Yes It's a shame that liberal policy has stolen all of the Social Security money from the so-called "Trust Fund", but that's where we stand, and there is no money left and social Security is broke. So now we need some form of means-testing to support those retirees who unfortunately trusted government and are about to be left high and dry. Since liberals in both parties have so mismanaged the situation, traditional full benefits, and the former "full retirement" age must be reconsidered and means-tested.
Do you support the so-called “Buffett rule” imposing higher tax rates on certain high earners?	✘ No If we get rid of the liberal bureaucracies (the EPA for example) that are legislating from within their departments and choking our economy to death, we could grow out of our current dire situation without the need for tax increases. In fact, it's very important to retain the Bush tax cuts, not raise taxes. But before our economy can grow we must free businesses to compete and hire, and we can't do that with run-away spending from government. Raising taxes during a period of high unemployment is self-defeating.
Do you support the federal budget proposal from Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin?	Abolish the E.P.A. and repeal its enabling legislation. Abolish the Department of Education and repeal its enabling legislation. Abolish the Department of Energy and repeal its enabling legislation. These agencies issue edicts that hurt the economy and restrict our freedoms. The EPA even declared war on America last year with its "command and control" statement, which was a direct threat to congress to pass cap and trade
Using a letter grade, evaluate President Obama’s performance in office.	F,