David Hoffman: A mixed bag. Too right wing for my taste.

The Editorial Board of the Tribune posted their questionnaire and answers from the candidates on line. David Hoffman was asked about the deficits and balancing the budget. He touted his work with Sen. Boren, a very conservative southern Democrat, and rooting out inefficient spending. He then said, "make hard decisions about the largest spending programs like entitlements and the military budget." I can get with him on the military budget, but I'm wondering what he means by entitlements. That's a term usually used by republicans to describe social security, veterans benefits like TRICARE, Medicare and Medicaid.

Hoffman goes on to describe "wasteful corporate subsidies". I can get with him on that too, but then he starts talking about bipartisanship and we all know that means doing whatever republicans want. He mentions effective health care reform, but that does not include Medicare for All, so he's not really in favor of the the most cost effective plan for health care reform. He's taking what's now considered the safe Democratic line on health care. If you scroll down from the deficit question, his health care reform answer is all about the mandates and subsidies already in pending legislation, and that answer pretty much nullifies his earlier statement about "wasteful corporate subsidies." He doesn't mention the public option, strong, robust, Mighty Mouse, hammer, or pop rocks. He's apparently taking the Administration line on health care reform favoring whatever ends up getting passed.

Further, Hoffman touts "alternative energy, bio-technology, high speed rail and other mass transportation industries" and that's pretty good, but then he goes into typical politician tax cut mode:

I support leaving the current tax rates in place until the recession ends because an increase may slow the rate of our economic recovery. Once our economy recovers, I would remove the tax cuts for individuals at upper-income levels as a deficit-reduction policy, but would support returning the tax rates to their current level when our deficits are under control.

Everyone knows tax cuts do not improve a stalled economy, been there, done that, but politicans cannot stop supporting tax cuts because Americans live in their little bubbles demanding their own personal tax cuts, not caring about the big picture that would help everyone, and that big picture requires jobs, middle class jobs, technology and manufacturing jobs, and spending for more jobs.

Scrolling through his other answers, Hoffman seems pretty good on the wars and favors closing Guantanamo, but he's in favor of reauthorizing all three expiring Patriot Act provision, with a few modifications. Bottom line on Hoffman is that he appears to be acceptable on his war positions, but the rest is just too right wing for my taste.