Three presidential candidates have responded to our questionnaire; their answers are below, for your consideration. All presidential candidates who are on sufficient state ballots to theoretically have an opportunity to be elected were included. These were: Republicans (McCain), Democrats (Obama), Independents (Nader), Greens (McKinney), Constitutionalists (Baldwin) and Libertarians (Barr). McKinney, Baldwin and Barr responded.
The questionnaire is at:
http://drrimatruthreports.com/index.php?p=1068
1. McKinney – Green Party
2. Baldwin – Constitutional Party
3. Barr – Libertarian Party
————————————————
1. Former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney – Green Party
Date: Wed, Oct 29, 2008 at 2:08 PM
Subject: Candidate Questionnaire
To: dr.laibow@gmail.com
Cc: “citizenswatch@starpower.net” < citizenswatch@starpower.net>
Dear Dr. Laibow, here are Green Party candidate Cynthia McKinney’s answers to your questionnaire. Please contact her press secretary John Judge (cced) with any questions. Thanks! Ann
1. International Harmonization of Health Freedom Policy: Codex Alimentarius
a. Do you support vigorous enforcement of the anti-harmonization act, 19 USC
3512, which forbids harmonization of our health freedoms with international
restrictions, such as those represented by Codex Alimentarius (the world food
code) despite US leadership at Codex in violating that statute domestically
and globally?
Yes [X] no [ ]
COMMENT: We citizens need to maintain and vigorously defend our freedom to chose herbal and other alternative health regimes that we believe will best serve us. We need to break the link between health and corporate profit.
b. Do you support the health freedom of speech principles unanimously enacted
by Congress with the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994
(DSHEA) and currently threatened by both the Codex position on health claims
and the attempted FDA restriction on truthful, scientifically supported health
claims and information?
Yes [X] no [ ]
COMMENT: This administration has a terrible record of letting corporate-based political viewpoints skew scientific research, including that regarding health and environmental matters. I see those same corporate interests at work in both the McCain and Obama campaigns, but not to the same degree. It is imperative that honest science be engaged by honest scientists with no encumbrances from corporate influences.
c. Do you support HR 2117, “The Health Freedom Protection Act,” introduced
by Congressman Ron Paul MD, that would mandate FDA approval of dietary
supplement health claims for which scientific evidence exists?
Yes [X] no [ ]
COMMENT: Furthermore, it is long overdue to have a thorough re-evaluation of the role and function of the FDA, which has on occasion abused its power by harassing alternative medicine practitioners without cause. One vital question is: “Why are foods and drugs subsumed in one agency?” Why not let the matter of food safety and quality be handled by one agency, and the matter of regulation over safety and efficacy of drugs be handled by another agency? That would be my preference. The burden of proof of both safety and efficacy ought to be on the manufacturer, based strictly on honest science. Foods and herbs used by people for centuries ought to be presumed safe unless shown otherwise. Invented drugs, however, should have to pass rigorous independent testing, with any contra-indications specified.
2. National Policy Regarding Labeling Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs).
The FDA takes the position that GMO products are deemed safe without testing,
following a 1992 Executive Order to that effect and therefore holds that there
is no reason to required truthful GMO labeling and that “GMO Free” labels
will not be allowed. According to a New York Times / CBS poll in June 2008,
87% of Americans want GMO labeling and over fifty percent do not want to buy
such products.
a. As president will you tell the FDA to stop preventing truthful GMO labeling
and make all such labeling mandatory?
Yes [X] no [ ]
COMMENT: Absolutely I would give this directive. Moreover, I would overrule that Executive Order along with many others which have intruded deeply into American citizens’ liberties in a wide range of areas, and which I would regard as fully unconstitutional.
b. Do you support Congressman Kuchinich’s bill, HR 6636, “The Genetically
Engineered Food Right To Know Act,” That would require mandatory labeling of
all foods that contain or are produced with GM material?
Yes [X] no [ ]
3. National Policy Regarding Safety of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs).
The FDA takes the position that GMO products are deemed safe without testing
following a 1992 executive order to that effect and is prohibited from
requiring or examining any safety studies after the initial, preliminary
studies by the patent holders. Independent studies in the US and elsewhere
make it clear that both the short term and long term effects of GMOs may be
hazardous to unborn children, babies, and adults and may have disastrous
impact on fertility and health.
a. As President will you tell the FDA to require, under the Precautionary
Principle, rigorous scientific evidence of GMO safety?
Yes [X] no [ ]
COMMENT: I share your skepticism regarding the safety of GMO products.
b. Do you support Congressman Kuchinich’s bill, HR 6637, “The Genetically
Engineered Safety Act,” would require that GE foods follow a food safety
review process.
Yes [X] no [ ]
4. National Vaccination Policy: No Forced Vaccination
We do not believe that mandating the uninsurable risk of vaccination is ever
justified, that it violates constitutionally guaranteed rights and we support
the broadest medical, religious and philosophical exemptions from all mandated
drugging.
a. As President, will you stop all federal funding for mandated vaccinations
imposed on American families and will you stop all federal funding to states
which impose such forced drugging and vaccinations on the people in their
jurisdiction?
Yes [ ] no [ ]
COMMENT: This is a multi-sided and complex question, not subject to a simple “yes” or “no”. On principle, I do not support mandated vaccinations, recognizing that people have individual medical histories and that fatalities or deformations resulting from mandated vaccinations are unacceptable. To suspend “all federal funding” to states that have ruled otherwise is too broad a response. On the other hand, rampant spread of infectious diseases has to be a major concern for a president. I would carefully examine the scientific evidence and any impingement on civil liberties before making such a determination. My inclination is to use the persuasive power of the presidency, rather than mandated measures.
We are deeply concerned that the states have been induced by the Federal CDC
to pass legislation which we believe is both ill-advised and unconstitutional
which forces citizens to submit to medical procedures which they may not agree
with or accept on pain of felony charges and penalties, or loss of access to
government schools or other government activities.
b. As President will you refuse to implement those presidential emergency
actions necessary to impose the emergency medical powers acts passed by nearly
all states, which make refusing mandatory vaccination or drugging a felony act
once the governor of a state has declared a pandemic to be in effect?
Yes [ ] no [ ]
COMMENT: Again, I can’t say unequivocally how I would govern during an epidemic, but I would agree that making a felony out of refusing often dubious allegations about a vaccine would be “off the table.” I might consider a policy of voluntary quarantine of those refusing as an alternative, to avoid inadvertent spread of an infectious disease. People should not be forced to undergo medical procedures against their will.
5. National Policy Regarding Pandemic Flu Preparations
We are concerned that the current pandemic flu preparations may actually bring
about the very pandemic we all seek to avoid.
a. Will you appoint a blue ribbon committee including at least equal numbers
of physicians who oppose the use of weaponized vaccinations and anti-virals to
review all current federally funded pandemic influenza research, ensuring that
it does not (like the Federal anthrax program) become the source of the
disease it is alleged to be established to prevent, study the serious
possibility that the avian Flu is non-pathogenic in its natural form and may
have been turned into a serious disease-producing virus in laboratories, and
release your committee’s findings openly and transparently to the American
people?
Yes [X] no [ ]
COMMENT: I would base my policies on the best independent science available, not only from this country but worldwide.
—————————————-
2. Rev. Chuck Baldwin – Constitutional Party
—— Original Message ——
Received: Sun, 26 Oct 2008 02:50:04 PM EDT
From: “Mary Starrett”
To:
Subject: Chuck Baldwin Supports Health Freedom!
Our
healthcare is thus:
“The federal government has no Constitutional provision to regulate or
restrict the freedom of the people to have access to medical care, supplies
or treatments. I, therefore, support the elimination of the federal Food and
Drug Administration, as it has been the federal agency primarily responsible
for prohibiting beneficial products, treatments, and technologies here in
the United States that are freely available in much of the rest of the
civilized world.”
Any questions relating to the FDA will then be difficult to answer, as we
support its abolishment and eliminating all federal monies to health
organizations similar to it. We are also for completely pulling out of the
United Nations, which would include the WHO and similar sovereignty-taking
organizations.
1. International Harmonization of Health Freedom Policy: Codex Alimentarius
a. Do you support vigorous enforcement of the anti-harmonization act, 19 USC
3512, which forbids harmonization of our health freedoms with international
restrictions, such as those represented by Codex Alimentarius (the world
food code) despite US leadership at Codex in violating that statute
domestically and globally?
Codex is a freedom-limiting and very dangerous contrivance to usurp
Americans’ freedom to choose the health modalities and supplements they
believe are best.Western medicine has been woefully deficient in pursuing
naturally- based health aids and has punished those who pursue those ends.
In addition, The FDA has acted in a Gestapo-like manner towards
alternative medicine practitioners .
We would encourage the free market to develop nutriceuticals and
supplements. We would work to abolish US compliance with Codex mandates.
b. Do you support the health freedom of speech principles unanimously
enacted by Congress with the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of
1994 (DSHEA) and currently threatened by both the Codex position on health
claims and the attempted FDA restriction on truthful, scientifically
supported health claims and information?
Yes
c. Do you support HR 2117, “The Health Freedom Protection Act,” introduced
by Congressman Ron Paul MD, that would mandate FDA approval of dietary
supplement health claims for which scientific evidence exists?
Ron Paul has endorsed Chuck Baldwin as president, however, since we are for
abolishing the FDA, this would no longer be applicable.
2. National Policy Regarding Labeling Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs).
The FDA takes the position that GMO products are deemed safe without
testing, following a 1992 Executive Order to that effect and therefore holds
that there is no reason to required truthful GMO labeling and that “GMO
Free” labels will not be allowed. According to a New York Times / CBS poll
in June 2008, 87% of Americans want GMO labeling and over fifty percent do
not want to buy such products.
a. As president will you tell the FDA to stop preventing truthful GMO
labeling and make all such labeling mandatory?
Without an FDA, this would no longer be applicable.
b. Do you support Congressman Kuchinich’s bill, HR 6636, “The Genetically
Engineered Food Right To Know Act,” That would require mandatory labeling of
all foods that contain or are produced with GM material?
Without an FDA, this would no longer be applicable.
3. National Policy Regarding Safety of Genetically Modified Organisms
(GMOs).
The FDA takes the position that GMO products are deemed safe without testing
following a 1992 executive order to that effect and is prohibited from
requiring or examining any safety studies after the initial, preliminary
studies by the patent holders. Independent studies in the US and elsewhere
make it clear that both the short term and long term effects of GMOs may be
hazardous to unborn children, babies, and adults and may have disastrous
impact on fertility and health.
a. As President will you tell the FDA to require, under the Precautionary
Principle, rigorous scientific evidence of GMO safety?
Without an FDA, this would no longer be applicable.
b. Do you support Congressman Kuchinich’s bill, HR 6637, “The Genetically
Engineered Safety Act,” would require that GE foods follow a food safety
review process.
Without an FDA, this would no longer be applicable.
4. National Vaccination Policy: No Forced Vaccination
We do not believe that mandating the uninsurable risk of vaccination is ever
justified, that it violates constitutionally guaranteed rights and we
support the broadest medical, religious and philosophical exemptions from
all mandated drugging.
a. As President, will you stop all federal funding for mandated vaccinations
imposed on American families and will you stop all federal funding to states
which impose such forced drugging and vaccinations on the people in their
jurisdiction?
Yes, we oppose any legislation, such as Homeland Security Bill, H.R. 5005,
which seeks to authorize the forced vaccination of American citizens against
small pox. The government should not have the power to force people to
receive immunizations or vaccinations.
We are deeply concerned that the states have been induced by the Federal CDC
to pass legislation which we believe is both ill-advised and
unconstitutional which forces citizens to submit to medical procedures which
they may not agree with or accept on pain of felony charges and penalties,
or loss of access to government schools or other government activities.
b. As President will you refuse to implement those presidential emergency
actions necessary to impose the emergency medical powers acts passed by
nearly all states, which make refusing mandatory vaccination or drugging a
felony act once the governor of a state has declared a pandemic to be in
effect?
Yes
5. National Policy Regarding Pandemic Flu Preparations
We are concerned that the current pandemic flu preparations may actually
bring about the very pandemic we all seek to avoid.
a. Will you appoint a blue ribbon committee including at least equal numbers
of physicians who oppose the use of weaponized vaccinations and anti-virals
to review all current federally funded pandemic influenza research, ensuring
that it does not (like the Federal anthrax program) become the source of the
disease it is alleged to be established to prevent, study the serious
possibility that the avian Flu is non-pathogenic in its natural form and may
have been turned into a serious disease-producing virus in laboratories, and
release your committee’s findings openly and transparently to the American
people?
While this seems like an excellent endeavor and a fair project, we do not
support the federal government being involved in research or supervision or
regulation of any sort in the health industry. We would encourage private
companies to look into this and definitely have their findings open for
those interested to learn from.
———————————
3. Former Congressman Bob Barr – Libertarian Party
Andrew Davis, Barr’s media representative discussed the Health Freedom issue with NSF Trustee Ralph Fucetola. He apologized for being unable to respond to the questionnaire in a timely fashion and urged us to let our supporters know that former Congressman Barr has a strong record of support for privacy and healthcare freedom of choice. He is opposed to mandated vaccinations and apparently agrees generally that the FDA is a failed agency. While a member of Congress he supported Dr. Ron Paul’s health freedom initiatives.
