By Ross Marrinson
rmarrinson@hgazette.com
—
Jon Golnik is one of four 5th District Republican congressional candidates hoping for a victory in the Sept. 14 primary.
A Carlisle resident since 2001, Golnik graduated from Dartmouth in 1989 with a degree in history, earned a master's degree from Johns Hopkins in international economics and European studies, and earned his MBA from Wharton in multinational business.
He is married and has two children.
Gazette: Why run? Was there a particular instance or piece of legislation that sparked you?
Golnik: I was struck in 2008 that no one ran against Niki Tsongas. I thought that was nuts, so I did research on the 5th District, and found that it was a relatively independent-minded district. I felt that Rep. Tsongas wasn't listening and wasn't engaged.
Gazette: The vast majority of Americans fall under the political bell curve. How do you convince moderates to vote Golnik?
Golnik: Bipartisanship begins with practicality. We need to be balanced with our approach. It's no secret that 55 percent of the district is unenrolled. The issues we need to talk about are pocketbook issues. It's jobs, jobs, jobs ... not necessarily in that order. Everything revolves around jobs.
Gazette: What is your hot-button issue? What is the current administration doing wrong? What would you do to fix it?
Golnik: Jobs. Government can play a role in creating an environment to encourage job creation in the private sector. But small businesses have lost confidence. I'm not a laissez-faire capitalist — I do believe in regulations, but here's what we need to do:
1) Lower the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 30 percent. Would I like it to be 10 percent? Sure I would, but that's not practical.
2) We need to lessen regulations on these businesses.
3) Extend the Bush tax cuts for everyone. 70 percent of the economy is consumer-driven, and we need to put more money back in the pockets.
Everyone has played a role in getting us here. We need to look forward, not back.
Gazette: What is the first piece of legislation that you'd author ?
Golnik: I'd work in a bipartisan way to repeal the health care bill. It's a bad bill. It's a job killer. I'd target the 2.3 percent excise tax on medical devices. I don't think we can wait on this.
If I'm a small-business owner, and it costs me $8,500 to cover my family and me, and the fine to not be covered is $2,000, what am I going to do? We've got to lower costs.
How do we do that? We increase competition. We make it legal to purchase insurance across state lines. We repeal state mandates. People should be able to buy what they want. We need medical malpractice reform. Doctors shouldn't have to practice defensive medicine.
Gazette: How does that affect the citizens of Haverhill?
Golnik: Taxes and regulations increase costs to businesses. If those businesses have to increase prices so much (to pay for insurance), they'll price themselves out of the market. Why wouldn't they move out of the area? The cost of business is too high.
Gazette: Every candidate says they're different. That they'll listen. That they're the anti-politician. Why should people vote for you?
Golnik: Because I can win. Look, beating Niki Tsongas won't be easy. She'll outraise us and she'll outspend us. It will be an uphill battle, but we've got the organization to win. After a fire burned down our office, we had another one operational by 10 a.m. the next day. We will not be outworked, and most importantly, we'll listen and we'll be engaged.
Gazette: What is one issue where you differ — traditionally — from your party?
Golnik: There is an isolationist wing of the Republican party, and I'm not an isolationist. I believe failed states are the single greatest threat to national security. Some people want to get rid of the (Federal Reserve), and give the responsibility of the nation's monetary system to the Treasury. I don't agree with that.
Gazette: What is one thing Congresswoman Tsongas has done well?
Golnik: When your parents see a failed report card, they don't look at the As. I think she's failed as a congresswoman, and that's why I'm running.
Gazette: Would you support overturning Roe v. Wade?
Golnik: No. Roe v. Wade is the law of the land. That said, I don't support partial birth abortions, late-term abortions or the government funding of abortions.
Gazette: Would you support a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage?
Golnik: No. Let states decide.
Gazette: Who's your political idol?
Golnik: My grandfather, John Mahon. He was the longest-serving public official in Hartford. He used to tell me, "I love my job because I'm able to help people, but what I'm most proud of is that I've never hurt anybody." I want to be known as the can-do congressman.
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