Statesman Journal mini-questionnaire for 2014 Primary Election

Thank you for responding to this questionnaire.

Why this matters: The Statesman Journal Editorial Board will use this questionnaire in deciding
which candidates to endorse at the May 20 Primary Election. The board is doing fewer in-person
interviews this spring. Your answers also will be shared with reporters and may be published in
the newspaper and/or on our website, StatesmanJournal.com, so the public will see what you
submit.
We also ask that you respond to every question, instead of simply attaching campaign materials,
resumes, etc.
Please return the completed questionnaire to the Editorial Board as an email or an attached Word
document to Salemed@StatesmanJournal.com. (Handwritten or fax responses dont work.)
Deadline for submitting your questionnaire: 9 a.m. Wednesday, April 16.
Questions? Contact Editorial Page Editor Dick Hughes, 503-399-6727, dhughes@StatesmanJournal.com, or
Editorial Assistant Nancy Harrington, 503-589-6944, nharring@StatesmanJournal.com.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Your name: Anita Brown
Age: 62
(If your age will change before the May 20 primary, please indicate your birthday. We want to
make sure we use accurate ages in editorials and news coverage.)
Political party (if this is a partisan office):
Lifetime Democrat
Position you are seeking (name of position, district number, political party if applicable):
United States Representative, District OR-5
Number of years living in the area you seek to represent: going onto 2 years in Salem
Are you a full-time resident of that area yes
City/town of residence: Salem
Family (name of spouse/partner, number and ages of children if at home, number of grown
children):
Single, 0 children but I do have a German shepherd named Charlie Brown, who is with me
almost all the time
Your education (high school, trade, college, post-baccalaureate; indicate degrees earned):
GED, Princess Anne Business College/general business, Cypress College, US Army/clinical
specialist and medical specialist
If employed, current occupation, employer and job duties:n/a
Previous employers and when:
US Army Monterey Hospital/practical nurse 1978, Ford Aerospace 1985, Rockwell
International1995, took care of my sister as she got lupus and needed 24/7 care until
2 years ago.
Military service and date:
US Army 1978
Volunteer/civic/religious service and when:
I am currently a member of The American Wild Horse and Burro Preservation and a member of
the Sierra Club.
I worked with family victims of medical malpractice wrongful death from 1995-1999
Please list all public offices to which youve been elected, and when:
n/a
Please list any unsuccessful candidacies for public office, and when:
n/a
Other prior political and government experience:
When I worked with victims of families of medical malpractice wrongful death as an advocate in
the legislature
How the public can reach your campaign (remember that this information may be made public):
Mail address:
4863Nina Ave SE
Salem, OR 97302
E-mail address: brownanita6@gamil.com
Web site URL: anitabrownforcongress.com
Phone: 714-331-3463
Please limit your response to each of the following questions to about 75 words.
1. To an outsider, how would you describe the region you wish to represent? What is it like
geographically, economically, politically and socially? We have everything cities, family farms,
wineries, coastal towns, beautiful scenery and Trader Joes. The middle class was hit hard by the
collapse of the Banks and Wall Street but with the right political will (Brown) we can be strong
again. As individuals we have an obligation to act to benefit society, to maintain a balance
between economy and the ecosystem.
2. When did you decide to run for this office, and why? 3 days before the cut-off March 8, 2014.
I read Rep. Schrader voted no to raising the federal minimum wage with the Republicans on
March 15, 2013 and was steadfast with this unless he flip-flops as there is a primary.
This is a womans issue and I support raising the minimum wage. If you want to get people off
welfare, food stamps and want women to be self-sufficient, as women are most affected needs a
yes vote. Corporations will adjust salaries benefiting the entire economy.
3. How much will your primary campaign cost (please be specific)?
I will spend $3,000, I am not asking for contributions at this point.
Rep. Schraders Corporate Contributions received: $1,583,862 per MapLight-Money and Politics
4. Who are your key endorsements from within the Mid-Valley?
Schrader had that wrapped up like s good politician before I filed, the answer is none, unless I
am endorsed by newspapers.
5. Have you ever been convicted of a crime, been disciplined by a professional licensing
board/organization or had an ethics violation filed against you? If so, please give the details.
no
6. Have you ever filed for bankruptcy, been delinquent on your taxes or other major accounts, or
been sued personally or professionally? If so, please give the details.
no
7. Why should people vote for you? What separates you from your opponent(s)? Be specific.
I ashamed of the political greed that has overcome Congress, I would say under oath that I will
protect your clean water, air quality and environment.
Rep. Schraders logging trust tried to sneak an attachment to the Farm Bill, clear-cut logging
of 1.5 million acres of Oregons federal forests but he failed.
Rep. Schrader voted yes to Toxic Coal Ash HR2218 voting with the Republicans again, we
saw what happened in North Carolinas rivers this year because of coal ash. Dem. Senator
Barbara Boxer I will oppose this bill at every turn, because if it became law, coal ash would
continue to pose a grave threat.
8. Describe your philosophy of governance:
You, the voter, are the boss. The Politian is the pawn to bring about change for the good of the
people and should never be beholding to corporate interests and greed.
9. Give an example of a political mistake you made and what you learned from it:
Being nave that many politicians only need to be shown of the hurt they are causing, show me
the money is the incentive.
10. What specific steps would you advocate to make government more open and transparent?
I would support Sen. Merkleys bills on transparency whether or not its about mortgages, NSA
or the TPP trade agreement.
11. What specific steps would you advocate to make government more fiscally effective?
I support closing the tax loopholes that allow two-thirds of corporations to pay NO Federal
Corporate Income Tax. Corporations avoided paying 150 billion dollars last year with off-shore
accounts and so on. The states lost 42 billion dollars with tax avoidance. This is money that
America really needs after the banks and Wall Street almost brought us to our knees. Subsidies
must be for the good of the people, not corporate greed.
12. What are the three most important issues you would address if elected, and how? (75 words
for each issue)
A. The Trans Pacific Partnership Trade Agreement or TPP is described as NAFTA on steroids.
Americans will be competing with Vietnams wages. The TPP allows corporations to sue
governments if they differ, as another example: The Pharmaceutical Industry can sue third-
world countries because their citizens drugs are too cheap. Schraders Pharmaceutical
campaign contribution: $61,500 per MapLight-Money and Politics. And the TPP is secret,
only congress and the corporate giant that helped write it, can see the TPP.
B. Social Security is solvent until 2038 per the Congressional Budget Office in 2011, contrary
to Republican arguments, facts are facts. I would support S.500 which would keep our
Social Security Trust Fund solvent for at least 75 years asking the wealthiest Americans to
contribute their fair share by removing the cap on social security contributions.
C. Small businesses and family farms are the engine of our growth and I will help them get
financing they need at more affordable rates like the corporations get. Corporate farms seem
to get most of the benefits from the Farm Bill leaving family farms and organic farms what I
consider breadcrumbs.
13. What do you see as other important issues?
Rep Schraders Blue Dog Coalition is supported by Healthcare and the Insurance Lobby (the
most powerful in the US) who do not want change as they would do anything to protect their
assets: Schraders Health Professionals=$96,600, Insurance=$60,161 campaign contributions
causes alarm. In 2009 the Blue Dogs (same year Schrader joined) blocked the House from
voting for the single payer option in our Healthcare Reform exactly as the TEA PARTY is doing
today, blocking bills in the House.
I almost forgot: affordable college, neighborhood vocational schools and change the payback
schedule to be 1% of your income, this is so important to our economy.
14. What magazines, newspapers and Web publications do you regularly read to keep up on the
news, especially on issues related to the office you are seeking?
The Statesman Journal, Oregonian, Washington Post, Guardian newspapers; Moyers and
Company regularly.
15. Any skeletons in your closet or other potentially embarrassing information that you want to
disclose before it comes up in the campaign?
no
16. If you are running for a governing board in Oregon (such as city council, county board of
commissioners or the Legislature), how many meetings of that board have you attended in
person during 2013 and 2014? How many have you watched online or on TV, if applicable?
Thank you. Please return this questionnaire to the Editorial Board as an attached Word document to
Salemed@StatesmanJournal.com by 9 a.m. Wednesday, April 16.