Thursday's Forum at Mayo High School: January 24

The format of the forum was sent to me and is being posted with permission:

First, the candidates will each have 5 minutes to introduce themselves after the following prompt:

Tell us about yourself and why you are running for congress. Is there one issue or experience that motivated you to run?

Each candidate will be allowed a 4 minute response to each of the following 8 questions (in no particular order).

1. Describe your policy on education funding and more specifically your stance on No Child Left Behind.

2. Where do we go from here in Iraq and how do we do it in a fiscally responsible way?

3. With the National Debt over 9 Trillion dollars, students feel that older generations are passing the buck to us. What actions will you take to ease the burden on the next generation?

4. Today's youth will be entering an age where our competition is not sitting in the next classroom, but in China, India, and other developing nations. What plans and/or economic policies do you plan to implement that will keep jobs in the United States?

5. What will you take to stem the flow of illegal immigration and what rights should immigrants have in the United States?

6. What specific initiatives will you take to reduce our dependence on foreign oil?

7. The United States spends 17% of our GDP on health care, higher than any other industrialized nation, yet the soaring costs are too much for many Americans. What will you do to improve the system and lower the costs?

Candidates will also be given 4 minutes for Closing Statements

Also, candidates will be asked to respond yes or no to the following issues:

Do you oppose abortion?

Do you oppose civil unions for gay couples?

Do you believe that global climate change is caused by human actions?

Do you support the PATRIOT Act? (Yes, No, Yes, with some modifications)


Here is the schedule for Thursday evening:

6:00 Opening remarks by First District Chair of the Minnesota Teenage Republicans, Matt Payne

6:03 Senator Dave Senjem, opening speaker

6:15 Introduction by Simon Zais, President of Century's Young Conservatives (this will be very brief, candidates will be expected to introduce themselves in their opening statement)

6:19 Candidates begin opening statements and other questions posed by moderators. (Michael Hicks- John Marshall, Todd Nickel- Century, Katelyn Alexander- Lourdes, Britt Koball- Mayo)

7:30 Closing statement by Matt Payne

We hope to see you there!

Olmsted County Republican Party Candidate Forum - January 10, 2008

On Thursday, January 10, the Olmsted County Republican Party sponsored a public forum for candidates seeking the party endorsement for the First District of Minnesota. We include some clips from the event that was attended by nearly 100 people and some photos:

Opening statement:




Remarks on immigration:





..and closing remarks:

MANKATO COLLEGE REPUBLICANS TO HOST 1ST DISTRICT REPUBICAN FORUM ON THURSDAY, JANUARY 31

MINNESOTA STATE UNIVERSITY, MANKATO
COLLEGE REPUBLICANS



Contacts:
Alyssa George FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Cell Phone: 310-767-6772
Email: Alyssa.George-1@mnsu.edu

James Dye
Cell Phone: 507-382-0377
Email: james.dye@mnsu.edu



MANKATO COLLEGE REPUBLICANS TO HOST 1ST DISTRICT REPUBLICAN FORUM

Mankato, MN January 28, 2007 - - Minnesota State University College Republicans will host the announced candidates for the US House of Representatives MN-01 on Thursday, January 31 at 6:30pm at Minnesota State University, Mankato Centennial Student Union, Room 253-254.

The College Republicans are bringing awareness of the candidates so that they can address the issues of the region. Secondarily, Minnesota Caucuses will be held the following Tuesday, February 5th. The College Republicans expect to increase turnout to the caucus by hold such an event.

The announced Republican candidates for the US House of Representatives are: Dick Day, Minnesota State Senator, and retired businessman – Owatonna. Randy Demmer, Minnesota State Representative, and businessman – Hayfield. Brian Davis, Physician – Rochester.

“This is a great chance for the candidates to remind us why the ideals of the Republican Party are those of the district” said Alyssa George, Mankato College Republican Chair. George continues, “The forum is also an opportunity to disprove the youth side of the cliché ‘Any man who is under 30, and is not a liberal, has no heart; and any man who is over 30, and is not a conservative, has no brains.’ by Winston Churchill.”

If you would like more information about the topic, or schedule an interview with a College Republican, please call Shirley Piepho at 507-389-6785 or email Shirley at Shirley.piepho@mnsu.edu

Concerns About Our Latest Economic Indicators and Energy Costs

Increased Domestic Energy Production Needed to Sustain Economic Growth


For immediate release
January 10, 2008

(Rochester, MN) - Today, Brian Davis, Republican candidate and physician in Minnesota's First Congressional District, released a five point plan to put America on the path towards a sound energy policy. Citing the price of oil as leading our nation towards recession, Davis unveiled the plan on the eve of Republican debate in Rochester on Thursday.

Davis stated, "The current energy bill that passed Congress is inadequate, especially since the price of oil is pushing our economy towards recession. We need people in Congress with backgrounds in energy and those that have more faith in the free market system, than a system of government mandates. The politicians need to move away from rhetoric and take a level-headed look at the numbers and facts to achieve sustained economic growth and increased domestic energy production."

Added Davis, "There is a real possibility of a recession developing, because the cost of energy factors so much into our economy and contributes so heavily to our trade deficit, in fact, up to one-half of it."

The former Chairman of the Federal Reserve, Alan Greenspan, remarked recently that the likelihood of recession is clearly rising, and that the unemployment rate for December increased from 4.7% to 5.0%.

Davis outlined the following proposals for us to move towards eventual energy independence:

• Open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and Outer Continental Shelf for immediate exploration for oil and natural gas recovery.
• Continue developing alternative energy sources including ethanol, wind, solar power, and bio-diesel, but move away from mandates.
• Provide a stable regulatory environment that permits the development of nuclear power, an underutilized clean and safe source of electric energy.
• Remove automobile mileage standards and government imposed production mandates because they often work against the free market and have failed in the past. Let individuals decide what is best for them.
• Continue with laws to safeguard our air and environment from the known pollutants of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, mercury, lead and particulate matter.

"The bottom line: our government should be promoting policies which remove obstacles to increased production of the major sources of energy that fuel our economy: oil, natural gas, coal and uranium while still protecting the environment," said Davis.

Davis continued, "Our nation's energy policy and economic well-being should not be based on the deeply flawed theory that carbon dioxide produced from fossil fuel combustion will lead to catastrophic climate change. Eighty-six percent of our energy consumption is from fossil fuels."

"Congressman Walz is against opening up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to energy exploration. He and others are just simply wrong about this," concluded Davis.

Dr. Davis, a physician in Rochester, was trained in nuclear engineering and mechanical engineering at the University of Illinois and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He worked for several years in the electric power industry before entering the field of medicine. He and his wife, Lori, also a physician, live in Rochester with their four children.

For more detail, a letter to First District Republicans related to this topic is posted here.

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Fundraising Update: Preliminary 4th Quarter Results

Davis Raises Over $156k in Minnesota's CD1 Race in 2007

For immediate release

January 2, 2008

(Rochester, MN) - Today, Brian Davis, Republican candidate in Minnesota's First Congressional District, released his preliminary fourth quarter fundraising numbers for 2007.

During the fourth quarter - October 1 to December 31 - Brian Davis for Congress had over $58,000 in total receipts. Independent contributions totaled over $48,000, nearly the same amount as last quarter's contributions of $55,035, which was the most of any Republican candidate in the race. In addition, over $8,000 in contributions were reported from the candidate, leaving over $80,000 as cash on hand and an overall favorable balance sheet for the campaign.

The campaign continues to build momentum as donations were received from over twice as many supporters as the prior two quarters combined. Three times as many major donations from Minnesota residents were received demonstrating Davis' increasing local support. Among those contributing were the Political Action Committee of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology with $2,500, a medical specialty society of which Davis is a member, and former U.S. Senator William Armstrong, Republican of Colorado.

"We're pleased to continue receiving strong support for our campaign both in southern Minnesota and nationally. Our fundraising numbers are indicative of the support we're receiving from Republican activists across the district. Voters are responding to our conservative message focused on finding solutions to immigration, energy, an out-of-control federal budget and health care." said Davis.

The final year-end report is due to the Federal Election Commission on January 31, 2008.

Brian and his wife, Lori, also a physician, live in Rochester with their four children.

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An Indivisible Nation

The letter below is abridged from one sent on December 5, 2007 to Republican Activists in the First District. Please also see the Letter to the Editor from John Adams of Mazeppa.


Dear Friends:

On October 24, 2007, the U.S. Congress passed legislation which would create a separate class of citizen with rights differing from the rest of Americans. This legislation is known as the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act and was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives by 261-153.

Among those voting in favor of this onerous legislation was Congressman Walz.

This bill would allow natives to negotiate with the state of Hawaii and the United States concerning 'lands, natural resources, assets, criminal and civil jurisdiction, and historical grievances.' This Act is designed to create a separate, independent, race-based government for Native Hawaiians. In the words of its two sponsors, 'the purpose of the bill is to allow the Native Hawaiian people to decide on the organization of an entity to represent them in government-to-government relations with the United States.'

When asked if this could lead to reparations, secession or independence one of the bills sponsors, Senator Akaka, stated, 'could be - it all depends on my grandchildren and great grandchildren.'

In 1868, shortly after the Civil War, the Supreme Court stated that we have 'an indestructible Union, composed of indestructible states.' In 1959, Hawaii became our 50th state when 94 percent of inhabitants, including a large majority of Native Hawaiians, voted for statehood. In 1963, I began reciting the Pledge of Allegiance every day I attended public school. We all know the words 'One Nation under God, indivisible..' My four children know this pledge and recite it in school as well.

The only thing standing in the way of this Act is a presidential veto and the Supreme Court. As your Congressman to the U.S. House of Representatives, I vow to represent our values and vision for America, not to cast votes which serve to divide us as Congressman Walz has done. We are Americans first. If we forget that our nation starts down a slippery slope.

Sincerely,

Brian Davis
Candidate for the Republican Endorsement
U.S. House of Representatives, MN-01