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Civil Beat focuses on issues, not events. When it comes to politics, that means we want to make sure we ask the candidates about their positions on key issues.

Read John Willoughby‘s responses to 10 questions from Civil Beat. His Democratic opponent for the 2nd Congressional District seat, Congresswoman Mazie Hirono, also shared answers to the same questions.

1) Would you support extending the Bush tax cuts? If so, why? If not, what should be done with the tax cuts and why?

I favor extending the tax cuts to Hawaii families associated with the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001.

Hawaii families are facing across-the-board, economy-crippling tax increases on January 1, 2011 (which incidentally, is after the 2010 mid-term election and two days before the 112th Congress is sworn in).

Though President Obama promised he would not raise taxes on Hawaii’s lower and middle-class families (individuals making less than $250,000 per year), lower and middle-income families will not escape drastic increases. According to Reuters, the top-tier personal income tax rate will rise to 39.6 percent from 35 percent. But Hawaii’s lower and middle-income families will also see dramatic tax increases: The 25 percent tax bracket will revert back to 28 percent; the 28 percent bracket will increase to 31 percent; and the 33 percent bracket will increase to 36 percent. The special 10 percent bracket (which includes many Hawaii low-income families) will be eliminated.

In addition to a draconian snap back of the estate tax, taxes will rise on Hawaii’s retiree income such as capital gains and dividends.

When Hawaii is struggling with record unemployment (10 percent unemployment, underemployment in the range of 17-20 percent, and teen unemployment of 25%), a slow-growth economy, and a recovery that can be described at best as “jobless,” the last thing we should be doing is raising taxes on the only bright spot in our foundering economy – Hawaii’s resilient small businesses.

2) Should American citizens suspected of terrorism and arrested on foreign soil be held without trial? Should the government use drones for targeted killings away from the battlefield? Is waterboarding torture? Why or why not?

First, federal law should be changed to strip American citizenship from any American citizen convicted of acts of terror or treason against the people of the United States. American citizens who are indicted for acts of terror, regardless of where these acts took place, should face trial in U.S. Federal Court. American citizens convicted of terrorist acts or treason against the United States should have their citizenship permanently revoked, and then be treated as any other terrorists regardless of nationality.

The American military and intelligence community should continue to use whatever means available to hunt down terrorists wherever they flourish. There are no “front-lines” or “battlefields” in the war on terror. Having said that, every precaution should continue to be taken with regards to using unmanned drones (or any other platform) to avoid harm to innocent people.

“Waterboarding” is the term used to describe the most successful and commonly practiced enhanced interrogation technique. Since the end of the Vietnam War, the technique has been used by the American military to train our own military members in survival, evasion, resistance, and escape training courses. This valuable training teaches our military members to develop strategies in order to successfully cope with various means of interrogation and to experience and establish interrogation resistance capabilities in cases of capture by hostile forces. (As a Naval Aviator, I personally received this very valuable “training technique” twice.) The Merriam-Webster definition of torture is “the infliction of intense pain.” In my opinion waterboarding (though unpleasant and very uncomfortable) does not rise to this definition. If administered properly, it is a very valuable means of interrogation. Notwithstanding, President Obama banned the use of waterbaording in 2009. The Department of Defense will neither confirm nor deny whether the technique is still used in training.

3) Should the U.S. ban deep-sea offshore drilling?

No.

4) Would you support the U.S. extending its mission in either Afghanistan or Iraq? Should the U.S. consider a preemptive strike against Iran?

Simply asking the question of whether to “extend” the mission in Afghanistan or Iraq only highlights the folly of assigning arbitrary “deadlines and timetables” to complete a complex military mission and only serves to give aid and comfort to the enemy while eroding our nation’s credibility with our friends and allies.

I agree with President Obama, Secretary of State Clinton, and our military leaders that no means of persuading Iran to comply with U.N Sanctions to abandon its Nuclear Weapons program should be taken off the table.

5) Do you support the regulation of the financial industry just signed into law? Why or Why not?

I support a limited structure of financial industry regulation that ensures a stable financial system and protects the citizenry. I do not support a law that describes some institutions as “too big to fail” and others as “too small to succeed.” A strong and vibrant financial industry and the marketplace — not government — should make this determination without the ill-advised promises of benefactors in Congress.

6) What is the biggest environmental problem facing the country and why? What would you do about it?

Excessive and ill-conceived, ill-advised, and ill-fated environmental regulation is the biggest problem facing our nation period. We should continue to be good stewards of the environment while adopting developmental policies that foster positive growth and ensure that our inalienable (God given, not government-provided) rights of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness will continue to be guaranteed to every American.

7) Do you support a cap and trade approach to reducing carbon dioxide emissions or would you favor a carbon tax instead? Or neither?

Neither. Cap and Trade Legislation is a scam. It is “waterfall taxation” and will kill any chance Hawaii and America have at economic recovery. Neither do I support any type of carbon tax.

8) Do you support the Akaka bill? if so, what would you tell Hawaii residents will happen if it passes? What will it mean to the state? If not, why not?

Though compromises have recently been reached that will keep in place very important Constitutional safeguards, I still have reservations with the Akaka Bill in it’s current form and I do not support it. Naitive Hawaiian self-determination should be established and decided in Hawaii by Hawaiians and not by a small group of self-serving bureaucrats in Washington. Our Constitution was built on an ideal of “Equal Rights for All, Special Privileges for None.” The Akaka Bill attempts to circumvent the Constitution in order to establish a totally separate government, class, and set of laws.

9) What is the best thing the last Congress did? Why?

The best thing Congress did this past session was to postpone Comprehensive Immigration Reform. This issue should be addressed and moved forward by a new Congress with cooler heads and not a “lame duck” Congress.

What’s the worst thing? Why?

The worst thing(s) Congress did is increase runaway deficit spending in the form of an ineffective $862 Billion Stimulus Package, TARP, Cash-for-Clunkers, etc. Instead of adding to the National Debt with spending packages designed to compensate lobbyists, special interest groups, and wealthy campaign contributors, Congress should have focused on establishing policies that would create jobs for our record number of unemployed and underemployed workers. Failing to comply with the will of the people by ramming an unpopular health care plan down Hawaii’s and America’s throat was just as damaging.

10) Transportation and infrastructure are critical to an island state. How would you work to increase federal support for Hawaii’s roads, airports and harbors?

I would work to increase support for infrastructure by ensuring that monies sent to the Hawaii are being used to improve infrastructure such as our deteriorating sewer systems, our substandard water system, our insufficient roads, our crumbling bridges, our unsanitary schools, etc. We must redirect funds being sent to wasteful special interest programs such as coral reef research, marine animal research, redundant animal research centers, a $120 million federal building remodeling project, etc. In short, if the Federal Government imposes mandates (such as water standards), they should provide money for these mandates without caveat and stop funding special interest pork projects.