7th Congressional District candidates: on the issues

The 7th Congressional District encompasses Indianapolis and the surrounding area.

The 7th District seat is currently represented by Democratic U.S. Representative André Carson.

Carson has had the seat since 2008.

The Democratic Party is predicted to keep the 7th District seat this election, according to The New York Times.

Neither candidate was available for comment. All of the following information has been gathered from candidates’ websites and voting records.

André Carson (D)

Carson was the second Muslim to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in U.S. history.

Before that, he was a member of the County City-County Council of Indianapolis and Marion County. He has worked as a marketing specialist, and has been employed by the Indiana Department of Homeland Security and the Indiana State Excise Police.

Economy
Carson serves as a member of the U.S. House Committee on Financial Services. In 2009, he voted for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, also known as the Stimulus Package.

He has also worked to support a recent financial reform bill, which, his website said, will protect consumers from the abuses of investment bankers and lobbyists on Wall Street, as well as preventing future bailouts.

Education
Carson voted for the College Opportunity and Affordability Act in 2008, which essentially required more reporting of college costs and the reasoning behind them and allows for expansion of the Federal Pell Grant Program.

National Security
Carson said he opposes U.S. military efforts in Iraq, and he believes it is important to remove American military support from Afghanistan quickly.

Gay Rights
Though Carson’s website does not list his position on gay rights, he did support a bill that would remove the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy after military approval.

Abortion
Carson’s campaign website doesn’t state his opinions on abortion.

Source: www.andrecarson.com

Marvin Scott (R)

Scott is the assistant dean of Graduate Studies in the Butler University’s College of Education.

He has had four unsuccessful Congressional campaigns in the past — one for the U.S. Senate in 2004 and three for the U.S. House of Representatives in 1994, 1998 and 2000.

Economy
The core of Scott’s economic plans is job creation. He criticized the Obama administration for focusing on unemployment benefits and stated that more jobs can be created in Indiana by investing in industry.

Scott also stated he plans to reduce national debt, as well as reduce taxes by limiting government spending and passing a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

“The use of the public’s money is a sacred obligation, not a divine right of government,” Scott said.

Education
Scott’s website stated nothing about his opinions on education policy, and he has no voting record.

National Security
Scott said the U.S. needs to regain military strength for national security purposes.

Gay Rights
Scott’s website does not state his stance on any gay rights issues, and he has no voting record.

Abortion
Scott identified himself as pro-life, and he opposes any government support of abortion.

“I will fight even one penny for Planned Parenthood or any other such organization,” he said.

Source: www.drmarvinscottforcongress.com