Answers: Republican primary

' What do you want to hear about from Republican presidential primary candidates participating in the Aug. 3 Voters First Forum?

FROM OUR INBOX

Immigration: This has been a growing problem for many years over many presidencies of both major parties. However, the GOP gives voters the perception that their platform says 'all illegals should be sent back to wherever they came from” with little chance for legalization. Polls show that this is not acceptable to the vast majority of voters and the fact that the GOP seems to cling to the extreme element of the party that express this opinion troubles me. I want a realistic solution to a real problem.

GMO labeling: It troubles me that the Food and Drug Administration along with our senators and representatives are proud of the fact that GMO products increase yields, reduce labor, etc. but seem afraid to label products that have GMO content. I am not saying GMO content is good, bad or otherwise. However, I am very capable of making decisions on what I want to eat and I resent the fact that Congress has elected to deprive me of the information I need to make that decision. We label with fat, protein, sugar content, but GMO labeling is off limits?

Income discrepancy: The growing income gap troubles me and I fear it is going to cause huge divisions and civil problems in the future. It seems the current answer is expanded redistribution of income. This reduces incentive to advance and is causing problems with Social Security. I would like to understand how the candidates plan to reduce this growing gap. Hint: the answer is not tax breaks for large companies. There is no statistical evidence that this 'trickle-down” policy has worked in the past and no data that suggests it will work in the future. So unless you can show me the data, don't bore me by using this as a solution.

National debt: All those running for office claim to have a solution for reducing the debt, but the solutions seem to escape them after the election. They claim they reduce the debt when they really only reduce the increase, not the debt. It troubles me that the government considers the citizenry so stupid that we don't understand this. This is my highest concern and should be that of everyone in the country.

Both parties have made sizable contributions to problems and both need to work toward solutions. I would like the candidates to tell me some of the solutions suggested by the other party that they would support.

I want a candidate who can put aside political correctness and extremes of the right and left and work for the good of the country and the people (all the people). I want someone who will take the country out of the clutches of the PAC's and big money and put it back in the hands of the patriotic citizens that made it great. I don't want a 'Republican” or 'Democrat.” I want an 'American” who will restore American integrity, dignity and pride to the White House.

Many years ago (1967) I was inducted into the U.S. Army. I raised my right hand and said I would die for this country. I did not say I would die for a Republican or Democrat or anyone else, I pledged to my country and I'm looking for someone with that same dedication and passion.

Steve S.

Cedar Rapids

1. How is a businessperson refusing to serve a gay or lesbian couple any different from refusing to serve blacks at a restaurant?

2. Why do you define 'liberty” in terms of being able to deny basic civil rights to LGBTQ people?

3. Iowa GOP chairman Jeff Kaufmann has made clear there is no room in the Iowa Republican Party for neo-Confederate sympathizers. Why have none of you demonstrated the courage, integrity, and leadership that Kaufmann has?

I support same-sex marriage equality, and would like to see LGBTQ civil rights protected under federal law. I support Obamacare, and favor a 'conservative” approach to governance where the two electoral parties collaborate for the common good of Americans. I support amnesty for the millions of hardworking people who are in this country without immigration documentation. The government of the U.S. must be secular, not sectarian Christian. I work with Muslim students in a city with a large refugee population, many of them Muslims, and welcome them in this country. Why should a person like me consider voting for any GOP candidate at any level?

Jeff K.

Coralville

As president, would you work to get the United States out of the United Nations and get the U.N. out of the United States?

Lan N.

Cedar Rapids

How much is a gallon of milk?

Yes, really, how grounded are they?

Dave C.

Davenport

How are you going to fix the problems with Obamacare? What are you going to do about our national debt? What can you do to increase jobs? What can you do to bring back manufacturing jobs? What can you do to lower the tax burden? What are you going to do about combating ISIS? Are you going to bring back a strong military? Are you going to secure the border?

Mark B.

Clear Lake

FROM FACEBOOOK

' Sarah H.: What specific plans do you have for combating climate change? Will you pass the ERA? When can we expect federally mandated background checks for any and all guns?

' KayCee S.: Why do you continue to perpetuate ideas and legislation that divide the American people? When are you planning on throwing out Citizens United? How are you going to take care of disabled veterans, and prevent creating new ones? How are you going to narrow the wage gap? How are you going to take care of senior citizens, and K-college students everywhere? How are you going to penalize companies for outsourcing/moving overseas? How are you going to decrease the American carbon footprint?

' Andy C.: How will you eliminate corporate welfare? How will you cut and simplify taxes and still get government spending under control? Will you get government bureaucracy out of our way or simply tax and regulate us even harder? Whom do you work for, corporations, special interests or individual Americans? Is government our servant or our ruler? What government departments will you eliminate? How will you restore individual freedoms?

' Matthew G.: We know Republicans will seek to repeal Obamacare. If successful, what will you replace it with? Republicans have acknowledged the growth in income inequality as a serious problem in our country, what is your plan to fix it? The Pentagon has acknowledged climate change as a serious threat to our national security, what is your plan to combat this threat? If you don't agree that it is a threat, what study or body of research do you have to that outweighs the opinion of the Pentagon?

' Jan S.: I would like to see a president who has some military background but, failing that, a willingness to listen to military advisers. He or she would need to be a true American and love this country, instead of catering to foreigners. No government handouts to people here illegally. Strengthen our borders. Uphold the Constitution. Eliminate welfare fraud. Stop alienating our allies, especially Israel. I would also like to see an end to political correctness. Take action to get our economy going and get Americans back to work, instead of shipping jobs overseas.

' Jon D.: How do you justify government subsidies for corporations, yet decry spending on social welfare programs?

' Bill G.: Compare and contrast the Iran Nuclear Deal to the Munich Conference of 1938. Do you believe a meaningful bargain is possible when one party is obviously not bargaining in good faith? What will you do to create economic growth? What will you do rescind and replace the failed Affordable Care Act? I would like to see a candidate who explains what needs to be corrected and gives very specific solutions. In short, I would like to see a candidate who is capable making a positive case for themselves, without using negative attacks against their opponents.

' Louetta F.: I would like to know what the reaction wold be to eliminate 'gun free” zones. seems like there is more violence in a gun free zone. completely restore the Second Amendment right and repeal many of the gun laws. Law-abiding citizens who may also be gun owners are not the threat. Also comment on Jade Helm 15. And elimination of sanctuary cities.

' LeeAnn L.: Instead of the standard rhetoric about repealing the Affordable Care Act, I would love to hear suggestions for something else. What we had before wasn't working but there are issues with Obamacare so what would they do differently?

' Erin S.: What is your position on access (financial and otherwise) to higher education opportunities and student loan relief? What is his/her level of support for renewable energy? How do they want to support it (if at all) in the future? Can we make the U.S. a leader in renewable energy alternatives? What alternatives are there if the ACA is demolished? And why are so many Republicans against ACA?

' Matthew G.: Have them explain climate change and income inequality in depth so that we know they understand it. And ask them to explain their stance in immigration and why they want to do what they plan on doing for that issue.

' Krzysztof H.: Which planks of the communist manifesto do you oppose? Have you ever heard of Karl Marx and are any issues you disagree with about his vision?

' Corey Gansen How will you get money and lobbyists out of government? Do you think corporations are people? How long do you think term limits should be? Do you think someone should be able to affect cooperate laws and policies and then leave government to work at a business that directly benefited from those law changes?

' Darin L.: If you keep insisting the ACA must be repealed do you have any alternative plan? Do you think people with pre existing conditions should have access to health insurance? Do you have a plan to fix our countries infrastructure? Do you think the immigration problem is a problem with the undocumented workers or the companies the rely on them and reap the benefits of cheaper labor?

' Daniel R.: Please ask about the Federal Reserve System and the Quantitative Easing programs. Do the candidates find the inflation tax to be a constitutional tax on the American people?

' Shawn H.: When asking about education related stuff, how about some 8th grade and high school level geography, government, history, science type questions? Nothing gotcha or snarky, just some knowledge baseline from folks who will be asked to make profoundly important judgments on policy decisions involving science, history, etc. Sort of a back to basics minimum level qualifications kind of thing.

' Deven S.: I want examples of times they carried through on any issue or initiative during their political careers. Anybody can speak to an issue in a manner that the people want to hear.

' Doug M.: How do you plan to return American Exceptionalism? What will you do to jump start a stagnant economy? How will you unite a deeply divided populous? What is your plan to enforce immigration laws and protect our sovereignty? What is the plan to reverse ACA? Where do you stand on traditional American values? When will you scrap Common Core?

' Ralph G.: The main question I would ask is: Why do they think their better than anyone else in their party running, and if they win the nomination, what makes them a better candidate than who they would run against?

' Chandra J.: If you are opposed to the SCOTUS ruling on same sex marriage, why? If they'd ruled in the other direction would you still be saying that SCOTUS has too much power? Do you really think you should have a say on what I do with my ladyparts? Why?

' Chris B.: What are your positions on ending the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan? - A concerned Iraq War vet 2003.

' Dave N.: What I want is for them to not waste all their time talking about what is not working and pointing fingers. I want to hear them say what they are going to do that will be better and how will they get it passed.

' Joe S.: If you think ACA needs to be scrapped, why do you think Congress hasn't done it yet?

' Tom L.: Can you take responsibility and not blame others?

' Loren S.: When are about 12 of you going to step aside?

' Mary P.: How will they address the children in poverty issue?