Deseret News Questionnaire responses from 3rd District Congressional candidate Christian Burridge:

1. In general, what are the two major issues facing the United States and your specific House district today, and how would you address them?

Ethics Reform: I would implement real ethics reform in the Congress. We need an effective gift and travel ban for our representatives. Lobbyists are buying influence at the expense of citizens. I would vote to create an independent ethics commission to investigate congressional ethics misconduct. I support tougher ethics rules to stop the revolving door allowing legislators leaving the Congress to join lobbying firms and lobbyists serving as senior staffers in congressional offices. Finally, I would work to create transparency in lobbying activities. When the activities of our Congress are brought into the open, representatives will again be accountable to their constituents, not to their lobbyist campaign contributors.

Education: When government invests in education, local economies grow and crime decreases. With Utah's Third District having a large population under the age of 25, we must invest in public education to protect our families and the environment where our children grow. I believe school curricula need to be decided at the local level, not mandated by the federal government. The No Child Left Behind Act is not serving Utah students well — it takes away local control and burdens our schools and teachers with another massive unfunded federal mandate. I will fight to fund student loan programs and grants so that all will have the opportunity to further their education.

2. Would you over the next two years in office ever vote for a tax increase? Yes. No. Explain.

Yes and no. I would vote to maintain the estate tax for multi-millionaire heirs, and I am against giving tax breaks to oil companies — who are already making record profits —and to companies who ship American jobs overseas. I would not raise taxes on the middle class or the poor.

3. Before the United States invaded Iraq, did you favor or oppose the U.S. taking new military action in the country?