Know Your Candidates Part III: Dwight Grotberg
Earlier this week I posted interviews with GOP House candidates Duane DeKrey and Matt Mechtel. Today I'm posting an interview with GOP Senate candidate Dwight Grotberg.
This one was done via email as opposed to the previous two interviews which were done via phone. This was in consideration of Mr. Grotberg's busy schedule and a sore throat (his, not mine).
Anyway, here's the interview: What made you decide to run for the Senate?
I have been thinking about it for 16 years. Kent Conrad came to speak at my economics class at NDSU. I began envisioning how a Republican could do a better job of representing North Dakota since then.
What has been your involvement in politics in the past?
I have been a township board officer, and have been active in the party supporting candidates and developing ideas and strategies. This is the first time I am seeking office.
What problems do you think North Dakota faces today that you can address from the Senate?
Our economy is poised to dramatically expand. Without solid fiscal policy and new ideas to support industry, we will either miss the boat or we will be susceptible to the boom-bust cycles of the past. Agriculture faces threats from over-reaching environmentalism. Other issues are Social Security, health care, and education.
Why should Kent Conrad be voted out of office?
Because Dwight Grotberg can do more for North Dakota in terms of solid national support coupled with tax cuts and growth incentives.
It is often said that North Dakotans shouldn't change their Congressional representatives because voting someone new into office would make them a "junior" Congressman thus hurting North Dakota's standing in Washington D.C. What is your response to that?
The Senator is losing support for his disaster supplemental bills, and Congress needs a fresh vision of North Dakota. I will fight to get on the committees important to our state. Seniority is not always the best indicator in choosing our officials.
Many conservative Republicans in this country have complained about the amount of spending that has taken place under Republican leadership in Washington. What is your philosophy on government spending? Are you in favor of slowing it down, and if so how would you go about doing it?
Washington wastes a lot of money. I have a plan to increase the support for our state that is backed up by a strong economic plan so that federal support is rarely needed.
Federal transfers should be an insurance policy, not the backbone of our economy.
What do you think North Dakotans are looking for in a Senator?
Someone who can connect with the people of North Dakota and consistently represent them. I will use my campaign to show North Dakota that Dwight Grotberg will be that person!
Recent polls have shown Kent Conrad to have an approval rating in the 70's. He is consistently ranked as one of the most popular Senators in the country. What is your response to that?
To win...I will have to be...MORE POPULAR! I will do that by building relationships, earning trust, and carrying my positive vision to North Dakotans.
An analysis of Conrad's voting trends from the /National Journal/ (information available here) indicates that Conrad tends to vote more conservatively during elections years than non-election years. It has also come to light that Conrad apparently doesn't even own a home in North Dakota any more. Do you think Senator Conrad has lost touch with North Dakota voters? Do you think he still represents North Dakotans well in Washington?
Like I said, I have been watching the delegation for 16 years and this is consistent with my observations. For example, I am a farmer and Matt Mechtel, Duane Dekrey, and Doug Goehring are all farmers running for office. I think that says a lot about how we feel the agricultural sector is being represented.
What do you think the most important issues in the upcoming campaign?
For my campaign, carrying a positive message, staying focused, relationship building, and fund-raising are the things I am going to be working on to bring my message to North Dakota (those issues are referred to in question 3).
What is your stance on tax reform? Do we need it, and if we do what would you see done?
If it truly helps North Dakota. I have been in countries that have a flat tax and the rates are really high. I like the idea of increasing capital loss deductions, and making current tax cuts permanent.
What is your stance on Social Security reform?
I attended the President’s first talk on social security reform in Fargo. He opened up a much needed dialogue and it looks like Congress has dropped the ball for the time being. Social security needs to pay those who have paid into it and be revamped in a way that will help younger America.
Recently certain members of Congress have come under fire for apparently shady dealings with lobbyists. Do you feel lobbying reform is needed and, if so, what would you see done?
Typical Washington corruption. The pressures must be intense to get re-elected. I would like to see new candidates like myself get more even media coverage, but I don’t want to complain.
Entitlement spending goes up every single year in this country. Programs like Medicare and Medicaid are eating up more and more of our budget, yet any time there is a move even to reduce the rate of growth in spending on these programs there is fierce opposition. What is your view on this entitlement spending?
Eventually, it will bankrupt our nation. The only thing I can see changing this is a whole new economic plan, like the one I am working on for my campaign (more later).
Health care and its cost are important issues facing this country. The President has suggested we solve the problem of rising costs by using things like health savings account to put the individual back in charge of managing and paying for health care rather than the government or insurance companies. What is your view on this situation?
I moved to a health savings account. It’s a lot cheaper but the deductibles are huge. Work needs to be done to make this industry more competitive and reduce the fact that North Dakota is number one in the nation for 2 income families.
Illegal immigration has become a hot-button issue. If you were in charge of coming up with a plan to solve the problem, what would you do?
Everybody who comes to this country legally should be welcomed. It MUST be through a strict profession of allegiance to this nation, it’s laws, and our Constitution, as well as thorough background checks. Building walls on the borders is not the answer, Ronald Regan was right.
This one was done via email as opposed to the previous two interviews which were done via phone. This was in consideration of Mr. Grotberg's busy schedule and a sore throat (his, not mine).
Anyway, here's the interview: What made you decide to run for the Senate?
I have been thinking about it for 16 years. Kent Conrad came to speak at my economics class at NDSU. I began envisioning how a Republican could do a better job of representing North Dakota since then.
What has been your involvement in politics in the past?
I have been a township board officer, and have been active in the party supporting candidates and developing ideas and strategies. This is the first time I am seeking office.
What problems do you think North Dakota faces today that you can address from the Senate?
Our economy is poised to dramatically expand. Without solid fiscal policy and new ideas to support industry, we will either miss the boat or we will be susceptible to the boom-bust cycles of the past. Agriculture faces threats from over-reaching environmentalism. Other issues are Social Security, health care, and education.
Why should Kent Conrad be voted out of office?
Because Dwight Grotberg can do more for North Dakota in terms of solid national support coupled with tax cuts and growth incentives.
It is often said that North Dakotans shouldn't change their Congressional representatives because voting someone new into office would make them a "junior" Congressman thus hurting North Dakota's standing in Washington D.C. What is your response to that?
The Senator is losing support for his disaster supplemental bills, and Congress needs a fresh vision of North Dakota. I will fight to get on the committees important to our state. Seniority is not always the best indicator in choosing our officials.
Many conservative Republicans in this country have complained about the amount of spending that has taken place under Republican leadership in Washington. What is your philosophy on government spending? Are you in favor of slowing it down, and if so how would you go about doing it?
Washington wastes a lot of money. I have a plan to increase the support for our state that is backed up by a strong economic plan so that federal support is rarely needed.
Federal transfers should be an insurance policy, not the backbone of our economy.
What do you think North Dakotans are looking for in a Senator?
Someone who can connect with the people of North Dakota and consistently represent them. I will use my campaign to show North Dakota that Dwight Grotberg will be that person!
Recent polls have shown Kent Conrad to have an approval rating in the 70's. He is consistently ranked as one of the most popular Senators in the country. What is your response to that?
To win...I will have to be...MORE POPULAR! I will do that by building relationships, earning trust, and carrying my positive vision to North Dakotans.
An analysis of Conrad's voting trends from the /National Journal/ (information available here) indicates that Conrad tends to vote more conservatively during elections years than non-election years. It has also come to light that Conrad apparently doesn't even own a home in North Dakota any more. Do you think Senator Conrad has lost touch with North Dakota voters? Do you think he still represents North Dakotans well in Washington?
Like I said, I have been watching the delegation for 16 years and this is consistent with my observations. For example, I am a farmer and Matt Mechtel, Duane Dekrey, and Doug Goehring are all farmers running for office. I think that says a lot about how we feel the agricultural sector is being represented.
What do you think the most important issues in the upcoming campaign?
For my campaign, carrying a positive message, staying focused, relationship building, and fund-raising are the things I am going to be working on to bring my message to North Dakota (those issues are referred to in question 3).
What is your stance on tax reform? Do we need it, and if we do what would you see done?
If it truly helps North Dakota. I have been in countries that have a flat tax and the rates are really high. I like the idea of increasing capital loss deductions, and making current tax cuts permanent.
What is your stance on Social Security reform?
I attended the President’s first talk on social security reform in Fargo. He opened up a much needed dialogue and it looks like Congress has dropped the ball for the time being. Social security needs to pay those who have paid into it and be revamped in a way that will help younger America.
Recently certain members of Congress have come under fire for apparently shady dealings with lobbyists. Do you feel lobbying reform is needed and, if so, what would you see done?
Typical Washington corruption. The pressures must be intense to get re-elected. I would like to see new candidates like myself get more even media coverage, but I don’t want to complain.
Entitlement spending goes up every single year in this country. Programs like Medicare and Medicaid are eating up more and more of our budget, yet any time there is a move even to reduce the rate of growth in spending on these programs there is fierce opposition. What is your view on this entitlement spending?
Eventually, it will bankrupt our nation. The only thing I can see changing this is a whole new economic plan, like the one I am working on for my campaign (more later).
Health care and its cost are important issues facing this country. The President has suggested we solve the problem of rising costs by using things like health savings account to put the individual back in charge of managing and paying for health care rather than the government or insurance companies. What is your view on this situation?
I moved to a health savings account. It’s a lot cheaper but the deductibles are huge. Work needs to be done to make this industry more competitive and reduce the fact that North Dakota is number one in the nation for 2 income families.
Illegal immigration has become a hot-button issue. If you were in charge of coming up with a plan to solve the problem, what would you do?
Everybody who comes to this country legally should be welcomed. It MUST be through a strict profession of allegiance to this nation, it’s laws, and our Constitution, as well as thorough background checks. Building walls on the borders is not the answer, Ronald Regan was right.
Jay
Hairy Polemic
goon
Zsa Zsa
Rob
Neiman
Chief RZ
docdave
Bat One
