The four Republican candidates for the Congressional District 2 seat were contacted with these questions. Two, Clayburn Griffin and Gavin Clarkson, chose to reply.

The questions will be answered alternately by each candidate. The only changes made to their words were for grammar, spelling or clarification.

1) What solution do you see for the opioid crisis upon us? How high is this priority, and to what limits would you go?

Clayburn Griffin: We need to end the War on Drugs. Legalizing marijuana would help give pain sufferers a safer, less-addictive option. For other drugs, we should focus rehabilitation efforts on recovery, not punishment.

Gavin Clarkson: While it is absolutely an urgent issue, we must ask ourselves where we can do the most good, and based on my experience with the federal government, I’d suggest that’s the last place we should start. If we don’t want Washington running our healthcare, we shouldn’t look there first for solutions to a crisis that has been significantly worsened by centralized decision making. 

Local drug courts combining punitive powers with medical treatment and rehabilitative programs seem to offer the best hope of dealing with a crisis that federal policy has exacerbated through crony subsidies, making pain a “vital sign,” mandating abuse-deterrent formulas, outlawing generics, prohibiting maintenance therapy, and over-regulating Medication Assisted Treatment options. Drug abuse and addiction is a cultural and, ultimately, spiritual phenomenon.

2) America's health system is said to be overpriced, over-controlled, and perhaps less effective than that of countries such as India, Germany, etc. Would you consider allowing some proven, safe practices from the homeopathic, alternative, herbal or other protocols to be introduced into our medical system for reasonable trials?
Clarkson: Medical licensing is a guild practice designed to protect certain medical providers by placing huge barriers to entry around the medical marketplace. Marketplace is probably too strong a word for an industry dominated by government rules, regulations, and subsidies, but in general, patients should be able to decide how and by whom they are treated. Pharmaceuticals have blossomed over the last century, but there are many treatments we have largely left behind that could come with fewer side effects. Washington, DC shouldn’t be making decisions about what people can and cannot put into their bodies.

Griffin: We need to fix our healthcare system. America is way behind the rest of the modern world when it comes to healthcare. US healthcare costs are unreasonable. Universal Healthcare should be a top legislative priority in the next few years to provide free healthcare to all Americans.

3) As no nation on earth has successfully allowed open borders and remained a nation, what basics would you advise for a return to a safe, responsible immigration policy for America? Please address assimilation, civic responsibility and the keeping of our Constitutional freedom.

Griffin: Our country would not be possible without immigration. Today the anti-immigration political rhetoric has gotten out of hand. It's not only misleading and often false but is even outright racist at times. Our immigration system is broken, but politicians do nothing to fix it and instead blame immigrants. This is a clear example of what's wrong with politics in our country. Our elected officials would rather let a problem persist indefinitely to have a rallying call each election cycle than to actually solve the problem. We have to make it easier for immigrants to come into this country legally and provide pathways to citizenship for undocumented immigrants currently here. Focusing on allowing good, responsible people into the country will let our border security resources be better spent on protecting the country from actual threats such as crime, drugs and terrorism. We have to stop wasting resources arresting and deporting families.

Clarkson: I support not just the wall, but a high-tech wall, which will also be a driver for economic development in Southern New Mexico. The wall needs high-tech monitoring equipment such as motion detectors, infrared, and ground penetrating radar, all of which will need to be monitored at command stations linked by high-speed optic fiber lines. Local communities south of I-10 currently have little or no broadband access, and the infrastructure supporting the wall will also support economic development in those communities.

I do not support a path to citizenship, but the exception I would make would be for those brought here as children who then choose to honorably serve in the military. As for those illegal immigrants who have been otherwise law abiding and are economically self-supporting, a path to legal residency gives folks everything they might want economically, except for the one thing that Democrats care about, which is their votes.

I would end chain migration and the visa lottery. Sanctuary cities should be made illegal, with criminal penalties imposed on officials who hinder federal enforcement of immigration laws. Those officials should be subject to personal liability for the damages and/or loss of life caused by criminal illegal aliens who would otherwise have been deported but for their sanctuary city policies.

4) After decades of unequal legal treatment, penalizing some and favoring others, do you approve of equality before the law, or do you see legal and judicial favoritism as a means of improving society?

Clarkson: Although I’m not sure what this question is referring to, equality before the law is a cornerstone of Western Civilization that I absolutely support. Government’s job isn’t to make people more or less equal, but every person is to be treated as equal before the law because they are made in the image of God. It is never government’s job to pick winners and losers through subsidies, taxation, or welfare, whether individual or corporate. The most fundamental functions of government center around protecting life, liberty, and property and the essentials of a free enterprise system that flow from them.

Griffin: It's important that we fill our courts with good, reasonable judges to make these kinds of decisions. We should have equality, but at the same time must avoid the trap of a "one size fits all" approach to justice. There are clearly different degrees of seriousness to any crime, and particular circumstances that must be considered on a case by case basis. I would like to see minimum sentencing reduced or done away with to give judges more discretion in sentencing. We also have to be vigilant when it comes to selecting judges and quick to remove judges who show discriminatory biases or otherwise abuse their position.

5) Do you see our Constitution as an outdated relic, with government picking the winners and the losers in the future? Who should suffer for the convenience of the more esteemed groups?

Griffin: The great thing about our Constitution is that it's a living document able to be changed and amended for the times. I would like to see amendments happen more often. It is an important feature of our Republican that we don't take advantage of enough. I would specifically like to see an amendment added to take big money out of politics, so we can give power back to the people as intended.

Clarkson: No, the Constitution is not outdated. The Constitution, unfortunately, seems to be little threat to our present system of government. I will approach all legislation in Congress with the same questions. Is it a legitimate function of government? Is it Constitutional? Constitutional isn’t optional.

Justice Scalia nailed it: ‘The Constitution is not a living organism. It’s a legal document, and it says what it says and doesn’t say what it doesn’t say.’ The Constitution strictly limits federal power in Article I, Section 8, and the Ninth and Tenth Amendments leave all other rights and powers to the people and the States respectively.

6) What is your stance on the First and Second amendments of our Constitution?

Clarkson:They mean exactly what they say. It’s noteworthy that progressives have abused the Fourteenth Amendment to perversely apply the Bill of Rights against the States, and that word is capitalized in the document. To me, it’s simple. “Congress shall make no law” means “Congress shall make no law,” and “shall not be infringed” means “shall not be infringed.” You don’t need a Harvard law degree to understand that.

Perhaps the Bill of Rights should be called the Bill of Prohibitions. It gives no one any rights God hasn’t given them already by creating us in His image. Instead, it prohibits the federal government from infringing or destroying rights that already exist, “pre-political” as Justice Scalia called them.

Griffin: I strongly support both.

7) In your opinion, does the sacrifice of present and future generations of our children ensure a better country? Would you ensure that no taxpayer funds support this policy of abortion?

Griffin: I would not limit taxpayer funds for organizations which provide abortions. We need to invest more money in comprehensive sex education and access to contraceptives. Research has proven these both lead to a decrease in abortions.

Clarkson: No, the practice does not improve our country.

I’d vote against anything that could potentially fund the murder of unborn children.

While all of the candidates in the Republican primary say that they are pro-life, those of us in the pro-life movement know that there is a difference between being "pro-life" and being a "pro-lifer." Although most folks know me for my rural and tribal economic development work, I am the only pro-lifer in the race and the only candidate in the race that has led a Christian crisis pregnancy center. If someone goes all the way back to my college newspaper in January 1990, you will see me on the front page hosting a candlelight vigil for the unborn as vice-president of the Rice University Pro-Life Movement. I was chairman of the board of Daybreak, a CareNet affiliate, in Boston, Massachusetts, which as you know is a very hostile place to be identifiably pro-life. Our ministry had two primary emphases: providing host families for young women who had no other alternative if they were going to choose life, and biblically-based post-abortion counseling for the women suffering post-abortion trauma.

8) How informed are you about the Arizona Water Settlements Act, and what should be the ultimate benefits of this program for New Mexican citizens, especially those in the southwest corner of the state? How will you defend these rights in the near future?

Clarkson: Water is arguably our most precious resource. It is a vital component of life, and the Arizona Water Settlements Act was supposed to help southwestern New Mexico by providing money to fund water projects in Catron, Luna, Hidalgo, and Grant counties. The Act also provides the option to divert more water from the Gila River system as part of an exchange with the Central Arizona Project. Unfortunately, Southwest New Mexico has yet to see substantial benefits, and access to adequate water has become harder, not easier.

As much as environmentalists want to blame development for water shortages, their hostility to the timber industry is as much, if not more to blame. Catron County, in particular, used to have a vibrant forestry industry, but environmentalist radicals put way too many family-owned timber operations out of business. Our national forests now have the highest tree density in nearly a century, and those trees drink a lot of water. A properly managed and healthy forest would consume far less water, leaving more for farmers, ranchers, and municipalities.

I will work with my former Interior colleagues at the Bureau of Reclamation on behalf of Southwest New Mexicans to ensure that their water rights are protected. I will also advocate for responsible forestry, as we need to reduce the overconsumption of water by federally-managed forests that are merely growing fuel for the next catastrophic forest fire.

Griffin: Water shortage is a huge issue facing our state. The situation will become dire very soon, and this is something we should have taken more steps to address decades ago. We know we're largely desert, and current water usage is unsustainable even without factoring in Arizona and Texas. We need to elect officials that won't only address water issues at a federal level to resolve disputes between states, but also find real solutions to the overall issue. We should be looking to water purification and desalination technology now to begin building the necessary infrastructure. I worked for a couple of years at the water treatment plant in Hobbs, NM. We are already able to do so much, but the infrastructure and policies aren't in place for us to make smarter choices with the water we do have.

9) What five practices would you advocate to encourage a return of business opportunities and start-ups for small businesses in the USA and in New Mexico, in particular?

Griffin: One of the main reasons I'm running is to bring better opportunities to southern New Mexico. Too many of our young people are leaving the state, and those that do stay get stuck in dead-end jobs. I want to provide incentive programs to bring new emerging industries to places that lack economic diversity. We should also encourage remote working, which can take advantage of our low cost of living and give New Mexicans an opportunity to work with large companies typically only available to people in LA or NYC. In addition, I want on-the-job training programs that subsidize the costs of under-qualified employees so that experienced workers can have real opportunities to advance in their career or move into a new one. Finally, we need a renewed investment in our public school system and better oversight strategies that don't result in "teaching to the test". We have to balance education standards with the need for individualized attention. Investing in the right technology for our schools will help make teachers more effective and allow our schools to more easily customize a kid's learning experience. This would allow them to get the socialization needed from a traditional school environment, but also allow them to learn at their own pace.

Clarkson: First, I will introduce federal legislation to End Dual Taxation for on-reservation job creators and energy projects, so tribes will receive 100 percent of tax revenue from energy extracted from their lands. Research shows that every $1,000 a tribe can collect in exclusive taxation results in $10,000 of tax revenue for the surrounding state.

Second, I support President Trump’s strategy of Renegotiating Bad Trade Deals using the threat of tariffs.

Third, I will continue advancing President Trump’s Regulatory Rollback agenda, which has eliminated 22 federal rules for every new one enacted so far.

Fourth, as part of supporting the American Energy Dominance agenda and rolling back the Obama strategy of simply saying no to pipelines, I will support both increased pipeline development as well as advanced technology to make sure that American pipelines are the safest in the world, including advanced corrosion prevention.

Fifth, pass the National Right to Work Act. The Constitution gives Congress the power in the Commerce Clause to make sure free-market exchanges aren’t hindered by bad state laws like mandatory union dues and memberships. Since the knuckleheads in Santa Fe, including one of my opponents, failed to support Right To Work legislation when they had the chance, amending federal law to help make New Mexico a Right to Work state will have a huge impact.

10) What legislation do you see needed and why is it a priority? What debt reductions and budget considerations do you see helping our economy?

Clarkson: I agree with Admiral Mike Mullen that our national debt is our biggest national security threat. We must restore discipline to the Congressional budget process, and Senator Rand Paul’s Penny Plan to cut 1% every year Congress doesn’t balance the budget job sounds like a great start to me. I’d even go far as to say Congress shouldn’t get paid or be allowed to go on recess while the budget deficit is expanding. If we don’t get our debt under control, eventually our entire economic system could collapse.

Also, I would dramatically reduce the size of the departments of Energy, Education, Commerce, and the EPA. I would abolish, or substantially eliminate, the IRS and the CFPB.

Civil Service Reform is vitally necessary across the entire federal government, not just the VA. I fully support the MERIT Act.

Finally, I pledge to introduce legislation to End Mandatory Telework for Federal Employees not working remotely or on travel. If you want to work for Uncle Sam, the taxpayers should at least be able to expect you to show up to the office.

Griffin: We need to be smarter about government spending. We need a simple cost-benefit analysis approach. How much are we spending and what are we getting for it? Too often we seem to throw good money after bad, and I'd like to have Congress more involved improving efficiencies of government agencies and programs. When it comes to tax cuts, we should better direct them too. The recent tax cuts gave billions away to the wealthiest people and corporations, while working Americans only saw some minor savings, if any. Many corporations responded to these tax cuts by cutting jobs and distributing dividends to shareholders. We should have given the tax cuts directly to the workers instead of the corporations, and this is a strategy we should employee in any future tax changes. Let's give tax cuts to the people so they can spend that money as they choose and let businesses benefit from that increased spending.

11) How can you, as a junior legislator, make a difference in Washington?

Griffin: I'm not a career politician or a millionaire. I'm not running for my ego or my pocketbook. We need more people in Washington who are committed to bringing real solutions for real working Americans. I want to put an end to politics as usual and the meaningless bickering back and forth on both sides of the aisle. I would make a difference because I'd be going to Congress specifically to do the job, not to play politics.

For more information about me or my campaign, visit my campaign website at http://www.clayburnforcongress.com .

Clarkson: When you’re one of 435, the best way to get nothing done is to blend in and go with the flow. I’ve already promised to advance the conservative agenda by banding together with those who are most committed to conservative change. I have already worked with the members of the House Natural Resources Committee as well as key staffers, and I have been promised the ability to introduce my legislation to end double taxation on job creators in New Mexico once I am sworn into office next January.

The key to effectiveness is remembering Reagan’s admonition about winning with “bright, bold colors,” not “pale pastels.” The American people in general, and the Republican base in particular, are tired of getting the same results no matter which party they put in power. President Trump was elected as a result of that frustration, not because he was seen as genteel and polished, but because voters saw him as exactly the bull they wanted to put in the china shop. I’ll stand out in Congress, not only for my attire, but for my swamp scars, outside-the-box ideas, and tireless energy.

For more information on me or my campaign, visit https://www.gavinclarkson.com .

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