Profile: Mary Buzuma

Name: Mary Buzuma

Office you are seeking: US Representative in Congress 2nd District

Age: 55

Where do you live: Grand Haven, Michigan

Marital Status and Children: Single. No Children

Questionnaire:

Why did you decide to run for this office? 

Voters need a real choice - a "Limited Government" choice for Congress.  I proudly served my country as a US Navy Intelligence Specialist for 26 years.  I would like the opportunity to serve my country again as the Libertarian candidate for Michigan's 2nd congressional district.  Being the Libertarian candidate brings with it a tremendous opportunity to promote its message of limited government, individual liberty and personal responsibility, free markets and peace.  I hope to grow membership in the Libertarian Party both statewide and locally.  

What particular skill set or experience would you bring to this office?

In the military you learn leadership.  You have to make hard decisions often under pressure.  These decisions are not always popular, but you have to make them.  The divisions and departments you are a part of are very diverse, but you have to consistently put differences aside and work together to accomplish the mission.  When I was deployed in support of operations in the Persian Gulf I witnessed firsthand the toll it takes on both the sailors that I worked with and their families.  When talk turns to possible military intervention in Iran or elsewhere I want to have a real discussion about the costs of war and whether or not it's truly in our country's best interest.  My training in Naval Intelligence has taught me to be skeptical.  Things aren't always as they appear on the surface.  Sometimes you have to dig a little bit to understand what's really going on.  

What, in your opinion, is the primary cause for the political polarization that we see in Washington, and what could or should be done about it?

Serving in government is not about scoring political points (say anything - do anything to get elected) or my party right or wrong.  They forget why they are there in the first place - to protect our rights and remembering their oath to uphold the Constitution.  They need to understand that the more government grows the less individual freedom the American people have.  If they start from that premise, there would be a lot less bickering.

 If the deficit is a major concern, how best should we deal with it as a nation, spending cuts, tax increases or both?

The deficit is a concern and it's going to be a bigger concern come 2013 when we hit the debt ceiling again.   Let "sequestration" go through.  Be honest with the American people.  If the big concerns are the economy and jobs, the time to downsize our government starts now.  The "meat axe" cuts that would create a "hollow military" would only reduce defense spending down to its level in 2006.  Were we a hollow force then?  I don't think so.  The "savage" cuts to other programs may only be less of an increase.  But only in Washington's fantasy world of "baseline budgeting" is an increase a cut.  This just might be the beginning of the road back from as some say, "financial Armageddon." Less government means less spending which means less of your money going to Washington; and in the end, more freedom.

What is the biggest issue facing Michigan that you believe you could positively impact by holding the federal office that you are seeking?

Improving  Michigan's economy and jobs.  Although the unemployment rate has improved from 14% (2008) to 9% (July 2012), keeping Michigan's economy growing and jobs are still on the minds of the voters.  Michigan needs the flexibility to do this without unnecessary federal government interference.   Beginning to downsize the federal government would help stem the flow of Michigan taxpayer dollars to Washington.  In addition I would revive the long dead practice of "Fiscal Federalism."  Fiscal federalism is the idea that Michigan should set its own economic policies rather than following directives from Washington in the form of grants-in-aid.  As the size of our federal government grows more money has to flow from Michigan to Washington in the form of federal taxes.  Now Michigan has to compete with fifty other states to get its own money back in the form of federal grants-in-aid through agencies that tell them what they have to spend it on.  Grants-in-aid programs are wasteful and create more problems than they're supposed to solve.   Keep Michigan taxpayer's money in Michigan.