Below are the unedited responses from Mark Yancey to the Amarillo Pioneer’s candidate questionnaire for 2020. Yancey is a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate.
Please note: Questions from the Pioneer are in italics and the candidate’s responses are in standard type.
Yancey/Photo by Campaign
What is your occupation?
Private Investor
What is your age?
62
What is your educational background? Please list any degrees earned, and institutions attended. You may also list any professional certifications.
University of Oklahoma - Finance
Harvard University - Advanced course work in Mergers & Acquisitions
If you have a website, Facebook, Twitter, or any other online campaign materials, please list the links below.
FB: https://www.facebook.com/votemarkyancey/ - Twitter: votemarkyancey - website: https://voteformark.com/
Why did you decide to run for office in 2020?
Article 1, Section 3 of the Constitution states -The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State. It is my opinion Texas has been working with one Senator for ten plus years. I intend to represent all Texans and be present and available to ALL Texas constituents. Further, the National debt is north of $23 trillion. This is insurmountable & unsustainable. It’s a giant machine running in Washington that has been out of control in spending and borrowing for eighteen plus years (last balanced budget was 2001). It is part of the Washington culture, and it will take a “shock” to the system to change behavior. I intend to "shock" the system. I also will prevail in achieving term-limit legislation.
Article 1, Section 8 of the constitution does NOT include language for wasting tax money on the Department of Education. I want to abolish the Department of Education and return the money wasted on the Department of Education to the states pro-rata.
I support Term-Limits for the Senate, House, and the increasing the presidential term to six years rather than four years not to exceed two terms. I will prevail in achieving term-limit legislation.
I support entitlement reform including getting aggressive on the abuse and fraud of Medicare that cost taxpayers $50 million-plus annually.
What are your top three priorities, if elected?
1). Term- Limits 2). National debt of $24 trillion 3). Stop Healthcare companies and drug companies from gouging Texans.
Do you plan to host town hall meetings in Texas during your first term in office? Why or why not?
Yes. I will spend more time with Texans in Texas than time in Washington fighting partisan politics.
Reader submitted question: Would you support new federal campaign finance reform legislation? Please explain.
Yes. Citizens United vs. FEC needs reform. I also support a ceiling on "bundling" of campaign money.
Do you support term limits? Please explain.
Yes. Term-Limits are my main platform.
Do you believe new gun control regulations are needed? Please explain.
NO!
As a prospective Senator, what are your thoughts on the articles of impeachment brought against President Trump?
I could not in good conscience vote for impeachment because removal of a sitting President must not be the culmination of a partisan process, fueled by tribal animosities that have so gravely divided our country.
Reader submitted question: What should the U.S. Congress do to reduce the national debt? Please explain.
Get aggressive on medicare and Medicaid fraud. Abolish the Dept of Education. Have a better checks and balance in place to control military spending. F-35 fighter jet had a $1 billion cost overrun. The pentagon has thousands of defense contractors. Congress needs to control the process. They have not.
Please explain what reforms Congress should enact, if any, regarding the healthcare system.
Abolish ACA - all of it. Stop politically protecting drug, health insurance and hospital companies.
Do you support the proposal to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border? Please explain.
Yes. All 600 plus miles.
How will you work to ensure constituents can actively communicate with you about the issues, if elected?
The senate seat belongs to Texans. I will ALWAYS make myself available to the people who elected me to serve ALL Texans in the senate.
Are you supported by any political action committees? If so, please list your PAC endorsements.
No. my campaign will not accept PAC and/or "bundled" campaign money.
Why are you the best candidate for voters to support for the U.S. Senate?
I am a Reagan Republican with true conservative bonafide's. I will work and represent all Texans. I will not waste time in Washington fighting the endless battle of partisanship. I support the following positions:
1. Education reform which includes paying our educators a fair wage
2. Abolishing the Department of Education - $83 billion is waste
3. TERM-LIMITS – come hell or high water. This will stop the corruption.
4. Student loan reform
5. Fiscal accountability and responsibility
6. Entitlement reform including aggressively tackling Medicare fraud
7. Protection of our patented & intellectual property from China
8. Support President Trump in completing 500 miles of border wall
9. Support every word of the second Amendment
10. Terminate Obama Care – all of it
11. Prescription drug reform – stop drug companies from being “politically protected”
12. Drag BCBS, United Healthcare, Humana, and Cigna before House Banking Committee and have them explain why their gouging Americans w/ insurance premiums while they stack up billions in annual profits.