OCF Candidate Survey 2006
Candidate: Darcy Burner
Party: Democrat
District: 8
Running For: US House
State: Washington
1
QDo you think organic agriculture should receive a fair share (at least 2.5%) of government resources spent on agriculture?
A Yes
Comment:
2
QDo you support strict standards for processed foods, dairy, and body care products that are labeled or marketed as organic?
A Yes
Comment:
3
QDo you support more aggressive government action to assess the harms of pesticides, take harmful pesticides off the market, and hold companies responsible for diseases and environmental damage caused by pesticides?
A Undecided
Comment: I support aggressive government action to assess the harms of pesticides and take harmful pesticides off the market and, most importantly, keep harmful pesticides off the market. However, I believe private litigation is probably adequate to hold companies responsible for health and environmental damages resulting from pesticide use. I remain open to learning more about this issue.
4
QShould people have the right to pass consumer safety laws at the state or local level that require food labels to include information on dangerous ingredients?
A Yes
Comment:
5a
QDo you support Country of Origin and labeling that helps consumers choose local products?
A Yes
Comment: American consumers have the right to know where the food they eat is from and make their own purchase decisions with full information.
5b
QDo you support government action to help US farmers develop local and regional markets and to reduce non-renewable energy use on their farms?
A Undecided
Comment: I support the creation of local and regional markets to reduce non-renewable energy use, but I am not certain government action is necessary to accomplish this goal. I remain open to learning more about this issue.
6a
QDo you support mandatory labeling of foods containing genetically engineered ingredients?
A Yes
Comment: American consumers have the right to know what is in the food they eat and make their own purchase decisions with full information.
6b
QDo you support mandatory pre-market safety testing for all genetically modified foods and crops?
A Yes
Comment: The safety of the American food supply must be a top priority for all elected officials.
7
QDo you support universal testing for Mad Cow disease and a ban on feeding slaughterhouse waste to farm animals?
A Yes
Comment: The safety of the American food supply must be a top priority for all elected officials.
8
QDo you support a restructuring of trade-distorting US farm subsidies?
A Undecided
Comment: I support a restructuring of US farm-subisidies provided that the ultimate impact of any specific restructuring proposal is neutral or net positive for American farmers.
9
QDo you support a significant shift in US farm subsidies to help family farmers and ranchers make the transition to organic?
A Undecided
Comment: I support a shift in US farm subisidies to help family farmers and ranchers make the transition to organic provided that the impact of any specific proposal is neutral or net positive for the farmers, ranchers, and rural communities affected.
10
QDo you support a significant shift in subsidies to help US farmers adopt conservation and renewable energy practices on farms?
A Undecided
Comment: I fully support programs to help US farmers adopt conservation and renewable energy practices. However, before I support a significant shift in subsidies toward this end I would have to see the specific proposal and fully understand what other programs would be affected.
11
QDo you support increases for WIC (Women, Infant and Children), the Farmers Market Nutrition Program, and other programs to help low-income Americans buy organic food?
A Undecided
Comment: I strongly support efforts to sensure that every American has access to the healthiest, most nutritious food possible. That includes recipients of benefits under the programs listed here. However, I would have to see the details of any specific proposal, and understand its financial implications, before I can give my unreserved support.
12
QDo you support universal health care with a preventive focus and a major emphasis on better nutrition?
A Undecided
Comment: One of my priorities in Congress is to assure access to affordable, quality healthcdare for every American. A critical component of this goal is to increase emphasis on preventive and routine care, including emphasis on better nutrition. I do not believe the only way to achieve this goal is with a government-run, universal program, but I do support the ultimate goal.
13
QDo you support 80%-by-2050 reduction in climate destabilizing greenhouse gas pollution?
A Yes
Comment:
14
QDo you support ending the Iraq war and redirecting funds from the $500 billion annual military spending in the U.S. toward greening the U.S. economy, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and converting U.S. agriculture to organic practices?
A Undecided
Comment: I suport increasing investment in greening the US economy, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and transitioning US agriculture to organic practices. However, I also believe it is critical to maintain funding for a strong national defense as well as bring deficit spending under control and balance the federal budget. Balancing all of these important goals will require hard decisions and a commitment to ensuring that all taxpayer money is spent with the greatest possible effectiveness.
15
Q Do you support requiring electronic voting machines to produce voter-verified paper records and election officials to use these records to conduct mandatory audits of election results?
A Yes
Comment:
16
QDo you support eliminating the distorting effect of special interest money on our elections and politicians by requiring full public funding for all federal, state, and local elections?
A Undecided
Comment: I fully support campaign finance reform that will reduce the influence of special-interest money in politics and ensure a fair and level playing field for all qualified candidates who can demonstrate a base of support. I am open to exploring various ways this might be accomplished, but I am not committed to any one solution at this time.
17
QDo you support legislation to prevent internet companies from rigging the system to serve only the highest-paying users and discriminate against users they don’t like?
A Yes
Comment:
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