HOMETOWN: Peekskill, NY FUN FACT: You know, I’m a farm guy….whenever I get free time, I’m not out on the golf course, I’ll be out on the farm weeding something, or picking something, or planting something…I love fruits. SO, WHY SHOULD AMERICA HIRE YOU? I think I have the right vision for the future of the country. I know that we can bring people together, stop dividing us for political benefit, and start uniting us for the people’s benefit. I can appeal to Republican voters, but beyond that to a broader electorate. When I talk about reducing the size and the power and the influence of the federal government, and when I talk about reducing the tax and regulatory burden, when I talk about replacing dependency with opportunity….I did it in one of the bluest states in America. WHO SHOULD WE CALL FOR A REFERENCE? My dogs would be very supportive. Balto and Bradley. They think a great deal of me, I believe. WHERE DO YOU STAND ON THE FOLLOWING… THE ECONOMY. I think one of the tragedies of the last decade has been the hideously slow economic growth and the creation of jobs. It’s not about the unemployment rate, it is about people’s belief that they can have a career that is successful….one of the things I would focus on is lowering the tax and regulatory burden, taking advantage of the American work ethic, taking advantage of our lower energy prices, linking community colleges with industry in their area to create a base of manufacturing that will significantly expand economic opportunities and jobs for middle class Americans. THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT (AKA OBAMACARE). I think it is a horrible law. I honestly think it is the worst law passed in my lifetime. We have a great healthcare system, but there were two issues pre-Obamacare: one, was it was too expensive for many people, and the second was, the unavailability of health care for too many Americans. Those issues could have been easily solved without disrupting the entire national healthcare system. STUDENT LOANS. College is way too expensive. I think that universities and colleges have gotten used to the fact that students don’t object to higher tuition or fees because they borrow it….We have to work with universities…to lower the costs and to provide options for students, so you’re not stuck paying this one flat level if you don’t want certain services. The second thing the federal government should do is not make money off of student loans. GUN CONTROL. First of all, and I think this is often missed; mental health is a critical, critical component. We have to do more to expand mental health counseling, mental health preventative services, and have the ability to deal with those who quite obviously are in public and a threat in a way that we don’t react tragically after the incident. The second thing with federal gun laws, is that we need to do a better job of enforcing them. It is illegal to bring a gun across state lines, and yet it happens all the time, and I don’t understand why the federal government is not doing far more to prevent that. WOULD YOU CHANGE ANYTHING ABOUT HOW THE US IS HANDLING THIS WHOLE ISIS THING? I would change everything. I would directly train, support, arm, fund, and provide whatever assistance to the Peshmerga, the Kurdish military….I would ramp up the intelligence and surveillance and the bombing attacks against ISIS….No nation building, not a trillion dollar war, not a ten-year war, not hundreds of thousands of troops. If we need to strike to protect us here, do that and then get out. RIGHT TO CHOOSE. YES OR NO? I don’t think politicians in Washington should tell a woman or a family what her decision must be. GAY MARRIAGE. YES OR NO? Up to the states. There are those in my party who are saying ‘pass a constitutional amendment making it illegal.’ I would vote against it. HOW MANY TIMES DO YOU HIT SNOOZE IN THE AM? I get up. I actually do. Somehow, if I have to do something early in the morning, my mind tells me that so I usually wake up beforehand. HOW DO YOU TAKE YOUR COFFEE? I have Diet Coke for breakfast. Don’t let any doctor read that. WHAT WOULD YOU ASK THE WHITE HOUSE CHEF TO MAKE FOR YOUR FIRST MEAL? Probably pizza, with sausage and mushroom. Hey, I’m part Italian, I love pizza.
theSKIMM Former. Gov. Pataki was a two-term GOP gov. in a very Democratic state who led NY during the 9/11 attacks. He's one of the more moderate Republican candidates out there. TBD on whether that will help, or hurt, him in the primaries. ALL candidates have been invited to Guest Skimm.
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