State of Delaware Archives: on Homeland Security

Lauren Witzke: America's military should be strong for our defense

Lauren Witzke: Bring our troops home; limit defense spending

A: No. I believe in bringing our troops home, and only fighting wars if they are authorized by Congress, unlike the 20-year war in the Middle East.

James DeMartino: Maintain the strongest, best equipped and trained military

Rob Arlett: Keep Homeland Security and Defense Depts. properly funded

Rob Arlett: Strong military lineage; will fight to have their needs met

Gene Truono: Put country first: support strong national defense

Gene Truono: Honor the military by taking care of them

Chuck Boyce: Fire unfit VA workers, but protect whisteblowers

Kevin Wade: Welcome home America's veterans and serve them

Our freedoms are assured by the service and sacrifice of our men and women in uniform. These heroes stand watch protecting our families from those who intend to bring harm to our nation. On their return to civilian life, their example of duty and service transforms to a national obligation and duty to serve them as veterans.

Veteran's Programs will address the issues of transition to civilian life and your life journey after service to the nation. Programs of urgent importance include the following:
• Disability and Health/Illness Issues
• Family Issues
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Substance Abuse (Alcohol or Other Drugs)
• Homelessness/Housing Concerns
• Unemployment/Under employment
• Poverty

Chris Coons: Reduce spending on C-17, F-35, & eliminate other platforms

Chris Coons: Swiftly repeal discriminatory "don't ask, don't tell"

COONS: I would move swiftly as a senator to repeal don't ask, don't tell. I think it is discrimination, plain and simple. I've met with and spoken to veterans here in Delaware who've served our nation honorably for decades, several with top-secret clearances, but who could do so only at the expense of denying who they were and the relationships that they wanted to have. In my view, we should be making progress in this country towards recognizing the full range of human experience, and repealing don't ask, don't tell to me is an important next step in the civil rights movement.

O'DONNELL: The military already regulates personal behavior because it feels that it is in the best interests of our military readiness. I don't think that Congress should be forcing a social agenda onto our military. I think we should leave that to the military to decide.

Christine O`Donnell: Let military decide "don't ask, don't tell" on its own

COONS: I would move swiftly as a senator to repeal don't ask, don't tell. I think it is discrimination, plain and simple. In my view, we should be making progress in this country towards recognizing the full range of human experience, and repealing don't ask, don't tell to me is an important next step in the civil rights movement.

O'DONNELL: The military already regulates personal behavior in that it does not allow affairs to go on within your chain of command. It doesn't allow, if you're married, to have an adulterous affair within the military. So the military already regulates personal behavior because it feels that it is in the best interests of our military readiness. I don't think that Congress should be forcing a social agenda onto our military. I think we should leave that to the military to decide.

Christine O`Donnell: Don't give terrorists Miranda-ized rights

O'DONNELL: Oh, gosh. Give me a specific one, I'm sorry.

Q: Actually, I can't, because I need you to tell me which ones you object to.

O'DONNELL: I'm very sorry. Right off the top of my head, I know that there are a lot, but I'll put it up on my Web site, I promise you.

Q: Well, we know you disagree with Roe versus Wade.

O'DONNELL: Yes, but [the question was] a recent one.

Q: Well, that's relatively recent. But since then?

O'DONNELL: Oh, there are several, when it comes to pornography, and court decisions to give terrorists Miranda-ized rights. This California decision to overturn "Don't Ask/Don't Tell," I believe that there are a lot of federal judges wh are legislating from the bench.

Q: That wasn't the Supreme Court, it's a lower court.

O'DONNELL: That was a federal judge.

COONS: I think the Citizens United case takes a sort of logical extension in the law, but takes it to a ridiculous extreme.

Chris Coons: Rejected debate hosted by "9-12 Patriots" issue groud

Coons has agreed to eight debates before November 2nd. He says he rejected a debate hosted by the 9-12 Patriots for one reason only. "The 9-12 Patriots Group has endorsed her and is an issue group. We're looking for and have accepted opportunities for debates at independent venues like the University of Delaware, the Chamber of Commerce, the League of Women Voters."

And when it comes to Christine O'Donnell's decision to black out national media, Coons says she can do whatever she wants. "That's her choice. If my opponent decides to stop answering questions from the national media, I hope Delawareans will take that into account."