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Alexi Giannoulias on Corporations

 


TARP needs more oversight & bank accountability

Q: How would you define the change that has come to America under President Barack Obama?

GIANNOULIAS: It's important to put things in context. If you look at the mess that he inherited and the enormous challenges that he inherited--a trillion dollar deficit, increasing job losses--I think he's done everything he can to help turn this economy around.

Q: But is the country better off in this economic recession because of the change that President Obama brought?

GIANNOULIAS: If you look at what would have happened if some of the measures weren't taken [then yes]. They weren't perfect; when you look at TARP, I would have liked to have seen some more oversights, some more accountability requirement that these banks lend money to help increase access to capital. Something we've done in the state treasurer's office. I think that was a missed opportunity.

Q: [To Kirk]: How do you define the change Obama has brought to America?

KIRK: A tremendous amount of debt.

Source: NBC's Meet the Press: 2010 IL Senate debate Oct 10, 2010

Main Street needs increased access to capital lending

Q: Since August 2009, unemployment has been at 9.5% or higher. That's 14 straight months. What does the federal government do at this point to spur job creation?

GIANNOULIAS: One of the problems is D.C. politicians who have forgotten what it's like on Main Street. The biggest problems that I hear from my friends in the business community is that there is no lending, that is tough to get a loan there. One of the first things that we need to do is to find ways to increase liquidity and to increase access to capital and to make sure that $1.8 trillion that is sitting on the sidelines in the banking system, which can be leveraged to at least $18 trillion We need to do everything we can to focus on that. We need to focus on green jobs: solar, wind, geothermal, bio-mass. There are so many opportunities but other countries like China are getting ahead of the curve.

Source: NBC's Meet the Press: 2010 IL Senate debate Oct 10, 2010

Close tax loophole that incentivizes moving jobs overseas

I would extend the college tuition deduction and provide an $8,000 tax credit for first-time homebuyers for an additional year. [I propose a] payroll tax holiday for low- and middle-income workers. These initiatives, which I would pay for by closing the tax loophole that incentivizes companies to move jobs overseas, would put more money in the pockets of those most likely to spend it, and would support the types of small businesses that are responsible for most new job growth.
Source: Democracy For America 2010 endorsements Aug 12, 2010

Reform system to reduce special interest pay-to-play

Q: What is the proper role of corporations in elections?

A: Even the soundest economic policies--such as extending unemployment benefits and reining in Wall Street abuses--can fall victim to the pay-to-play game that defines Washington. Lobbyists and corporate special interests pour millions into the campaign coffers of politicians so that they vote against the middle class. We need to reform how our government works, to get it working for the middle class and not the corporate special interests.

Source: League of Women Voters 2010 Candidate Questionnaire Aug 11, 2010

Rein in financial institutions & stimulate small businesses

Despite talk of an economic recovery, more of our neighbors are losing their jobs & home foreclosures are increasing. The large banks that caused the near-collapse of the global financial system were bailed out by taxpayers and have used the money on bonuses for their executives. Meanwhile, America's small businesses have been unable to access the credit they need to invest and grow.
    Alexi's Future Works America agenda addresses four key goals:
  1. Put people back to work and stimulate the economy by cutting taxes for working Americans and small businesses, not wealthy corporations.
  2. Rein in unfair, deceptive and dangerous practices of corporations, financial institutions and mortgage brokers.
  3. Restore fiscal sanity to the US budget and begin closing the deficit, a tax on our children and grandchildren.
  4. Keep our children competitive in the global economy and help people move to more secure jobs by investing in education and access to universities and community colleges.
    Source: Campaign website, www.AlexiForIllinois.com, "Issues" Dec 25, 2009

    Other candidates on Corporations: Alexi Giannoulias on other issues:
    IL Gubernatorial:
    Pat Quinn
    IL Senatorial:
    Mark Kirk
    Richard Durbin

    Retiring as of Jan. 2011:
    CT:Dodd(D)
    DE:Kaufman(D)
    FL:Martinez(R)
    FL:LeMieux(R)
    IL:Burris(D)
    IN:Bayh(D)
    KS:Brownback(R)
    KY:Bunning(R)
    MO:Bond(R)
    ND:Dorgan(D)
    NH:Gregg(R)
    OH:Voinovich(R)
    PA:Specter(R)
    UT:Bennett(R)
    WV:Goodwin(D)

    Unseated as of Jan. 2011:
    AR:Lincoln(D)
    UT:Bennett(R)
    WI:Feingold(D)

    Newly elected, Nov. 2010:
    AR:Boozman(R)
    CT:Blumenthal(D)
    CO:Bennet(D)
    DE:Coons(D)
    FL:Rubio(R)
    IL:Kirk(R)
    IN:Coats(R)
    KS:Moran(R)
    KY:Paul(R)
    MO:Blunt(R)
    ND:Hoeven(R)
    NH:Ayotte(R)
    NY2:Gillibrand(D)
    OH:Portman(R)
    PA:Toomey(R)
    UT:Lee(R)
    WI:Johnson(R)
    WV:Manchin(D)

    Re-elected, Nov. 2010:
    AK:Murkowski(I)
    AL:Shelby(R)
    AZ:McCain(R)
    CA:Boxer(D)
    GA:Isakson(R)
    HI:Inouye(D)
    IA:Grassley(R)
    ID:Crapo(R)
    LA:Vitter(R)
    MD:Mikulski(D)
    NC:Burr(R)
    NV:Reid(D)
    NY6:Schumer(D)
    OK:Coburn(R)
    OR:Wyden(D)
    SC:DeMint(R)
    SD:Thune(R)
    VT:Leahy(D)
    WA:Murray(D)     		Abortion
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    Page last updated: Dec 04, 2010