Walberg Watch, which covers Michigan’s 7th Congressional District and the far-right Congressman Tim Walberg (R-Tipton) is excited to announce the first of (hopefully) many candidate interviews. Who’s first? Senate Minority Leader Mark Schauer (D-Battle Creek).
Some background from his website:
Mark Schauer, a resident of Battle Creek, currently serves as the Senate Democratic Leader. He also serves as the Democratic Vice Chair for the Senate Government Operations and Reform Committee and as a member of the Campaigns and Election Oversight Committee. Before being elected to the State Senate, he served three terms in the Michigan House of Representatives.
Prior to serving in the State House, he was a Battle Creek City Commissioner. Sen. Schauer also previously served as the Coordinator for the Calhoun County Human Services Coordinating Council; Executive Director of the Community Action Agency of South Central Michigan; and as Urban Planner for the Calhoun County Planning Department.
As a state legislator for nearly 10 years, Mark has been a consistent advocate for quality and safe schools, early childhood development and investing in prevention, job training and economic development, and access to health care. He has also worked hard to provide neighborhood and community safety through community-oriented policing, to protect consumers and small businesses, and to reduce the cost of prescription drugs.
His community involvement includes Food Bank of South Central Michigan; Habitat for Humanity; Urban League of Battle Creek; Chambers of Commerce; and Lifespan and Kids ‘n’ Stuff board of directors.
Mark holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Albion College, a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Western Michigan University and a Masters Degree in Political Science from Michigan State University where he is also all-but-dissertation in Political Science & Urban Studies. He is married to Christine and has three stepchildren.
If you have any questions for Senator Schauer about his career, his candidacy, or Congressman Tim Walberg, leave them in the comments. Just remember, I won’t be asking him anything like “When did you stop beating your wife?” If you really want your question to be answered, make sure it’s a serious, fair question.
All four announced Democratic candidates– Jim Berryman, David Nacht, Sharon Renier, and Mark Schauer– have been approached or have contacted Walberg Watch about doing interviews. Each is at a different stage of preparation, but I look forward to speaking with all of the candidates.
“How would you have voted on the FISA capitulation bill recently passed by Congress?”
I would just want specifics. How has he protected consumers and small businesses? What has he done to lower the cost of prescriptions? Etc.
I have a few questions
1. You lied to your party, your caucus and your constituents in your on the record statement when you promised that you would not seek this elected position until you had served your full term as a Senator. This proves you can not be trusted
2. You lied on two separate occasions about having polling numbers that does not exist. He even claimed that the DCCC polled for him when they did not. By the way there is no such thing as intern polling for congressional race.
3. He voted in opposition in every case for refroms that would save hard working Michigan families from having to pay higher taxes?
4. You failed to secure Majority in the Senate in 2006 despite racking up major debt for your party?
5. What make you fit for Washington Mr. Schauer?
Since enviro issues are my pet cause (among others), I would ask:
Do you support permanently protecting the Alaskan Wildlife Refuge and ending the annoying attempts by Rethugs every 2 years to open it up to drilling?
What steps do you support to combat global warming?
How would you approach the (overdue) reauthorizations of many key environmental laws (Clean Air/Water, Endangered Species,etc)? In other words, what changes do you think should be made to make them more effective?
Thanks for your questions. I’ll be speaking with Senator Schauer later today, and I’ll certainly post a transcript here.