I 7 World The Levin Factor Veteran senator shares views on range of issues important to Jews. C arl Levin, D-Michigan, was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1978 and has been re-elected every six years since then. The former Detroit City Council presi- dent comes from one of Michigan's best- known political families and often has been called by supporters "the conscience of the Senate." His Republican opponent this year is state Rep. Jack Hoogendyk of Kalamazoo County, who is completing his third and final term representing the 61st District, which includes the cities of Portage and Parchment. The son of immigrant parents from the Netherlands, Hoogendyk says individual responsibility is at the core of his cam- paign. "I want to take the lessons I learned from my father — hard work, integrity, not-being defined by circumstances or surroundings — and put them to work on behalf of the people of Michigan. My pas- sions are for smaller government, lower taxes and personal responsibility:' he says on his Web site. He adds, "Public service is in my blood. It is really quite amazing how similar my political path and philosophy are to my father's. He ran for office and lost the first time — so did I. He ended up on the county board and so did I. My father is one of the biggest political influences in my life." Hoogendyk is known for his conserva- tive views on taxes, government spending and family issues. In 2002, Jack Hoogendyk was elected to the first of his three terms as state representative. Since then, Hoogendyk has been working, he says, to protect tax- payers, strengthen education and defend families. Other candidates opposing Levin are: Doug Dern of Highland, Natural Law Party; Scotty Boman, Detroit, Libertarian Party; Michael Nikitin, Brighton, U.S. Taxpayers Party; Harry Mikkelson, Caro, Green Party. The annual pay for a U.S. senator is $169,300. Michigan's other U.S. senator is Democrat Debbie Stabenow. Levin responded to the IN's senatorial candidate questionnaire while Hoogendyk chose not to. Levin's answers follow. A30 October 2 • 2008 Jack Hoogendyk Age: 53 City of Residence: Portage Family. wife, Erin, five children, seven grandchildren Business and Professional Career: Elected to the state House in 2002. Worked in sales and marketing, becom- ing a national manager for a Fortune 500 company. Formerly in Kalamazoo County, executive director of Alternatives Pregnancy Care Center, a faith-based non- profit serving young women and families facing unplanned pregnancies with servic- es such as clothing and shelter. Currently, chair of SHALOM, a non-profit adult foster care agency. Previous public service, Portage City Zoning Board of Appeals, Kalamazoo Public Health Advisory Board, Kalamazoo County Commission, elected 2000. Rep. Hoogendyk Religious Affiliation: Baptist Campaign Office: (www.jackformichigan.org ). Jack Hoogendyk for U.S. Senate, P.O. Box 10051, Lansing, MI 48901-0051, (517) 444-1181 Carl Levin Age: 74 City of Residence: Detroit Family: wife, Barbara; three daughters, five grandchildren. Brother Sander is a U.S. representative from Michigan's 12th Congressional District. Business and Professional Career: Before being elected to the Senate in 1978, served as Michigan assistant attor- ney general and general counsel for the Michigan Civil Rights Commission, 1964- 67. Special assistant attorney general for the State of Michigan and chief appellate defender, 1968-69. Member, Detroit City Counci1,1970-77, the last four years as president. Religious Affiliation: Reconstructionist Congregation of Detroit, Detroit. Campaign Office: 26115 Greenfield Rd., Southfield MI 48076; (248) 443-6846. CarlLevin@FriendsofSenatorCarlLevin. corn. LEVIN/AT ISSUE 1. Israel The U.S.-Israel bilateral relationship is critical and is rooted in our shared demo- cratic history. I believe an important piece of that relationship is our commitment to a robust defense. I have worked to strengthen that relationship as the chair- man of the Armed Services Committee. I believe it is also important for the U.S. to serve as an intermediary in Israeli- Palestinian peace talks and that a final settlement agreement will be difficult to reach without the involvement and sup- port of the United States. 2. Iran I believe the U.S. must continue to work with the international community to pres- sure Iran to give up its nuclear ambitions. 3. Gun Control I support the enactment of common- sense gun safety legislation and aggressive enforcement of the laws that are on the books. Congress can and should pursue legislative solutions to prevent gun vio- lence without infringing on the rights of law-abiding citizens. 4. Homeland Security Keeping America safe requires a commit- ment to providing funding for our first Sen. Levin responders, and we need to ensure that funding is allocated in an equitable and efficient manner. We also need to make sure that our borders are secure by hiring a sufficient number of border agents and providing them with the equipment they need, such as interoperable radios. We must ensure that containers arriv- ing in the United States are screened for radiological and nuclear materials. Finally, we need to make sure that our mass tran- sit system provides adequate protection to the passengers that depend on it. 5. U.S. Supreme Court With each Supreme Court nomination, I have done my best to fairly evaluate the nominee to determine if he or she fairly satisfies the fundamental requirements of qualification and temperament, and whether the nominee's policies and values are consistent with fundamental principles of the United States Constitution. 6. Never Forget We must never forget the impact of the Holocaust and other horrific acts of genocide. I believe that the United States and the international community have a responsibility to protect victims of geno- cide, whether in Eastern Europe or Africa, wherever these acts occur. We have a col- lective responsibility to educate ourselves, Levin Factor on page A32