Interview questions were developed by a Vetting Committee of 10 members of the Coastal Carolina Taxpayers Association. All candidates for a particular office were asked the same questions. Interviews were conducted by 3 rotating members of the Vetting Committee. Summaries are the agreed-upon consensus of each 3-member group. Candidates were asked to interview in-person, but phone interviews were offered for candidates living outside Craven County if schedules would not allow travel. Coastal Carolina Taxpayers Association Candidate Vetting Interview Summary Candidate Vetting Questions Arthur J. Rich District 1 May 2, 1014 Party Affiliation: Republican Interviewed In Person General Questions: 1) Name, Address, Phone, E-mail, Occupation, Age Arthur J. Rich Age 37 P.O. Box 696 Garland, NC 28441 252-624-5822
arichforcongress@outlook.com 2) Educational Background Associate Degree - Sampson Community College Bachelor s Degree - East Carolina University Major Accounting and Economics Minor - Business 3) Memberships and Associations Cyprus Creek Baptist Church, Greenville Rotary Club, Sampson Rotary Club, North Carolina Accounting Society, Chamber of Commerce 4) Please tell us about your personal interests, family, etc. Does your family understand the time commitment required for this position and support your candidacy? I m a Level 2 Beekeeper. I enjoy my garden and growing produce during the growing season. My family is absolutely supportive. The challenge of the campaign is trying to reach people, and that will be a financial strain. 5) Why are you running for this office? Also, please tell us about the organizational structure of your campaign, your experience, fund raising capability, etc.? I feel that I have a lot to offer ideas that could help everyone based on my business experience. I want to preserve our liberties. We need young leaders. I want to focus on economics District 1 is the poorest in the state and one of the poorest in the country. I have ideas that will bring economic growth to the district. The people are here, we need to create the jobs. I think I can add a minimum 10,000 jobs in the district. 6) What are your values and core beliefs and how well do they reflect the CCTA Mission statement? I am totally on board with the CCTA Mission statement. People need to start taking charge of the government again. We need to elect leaders that will return power to the people.
7) Discuss an ethical dilemma you faced. What happened? How did you resolve it? I have never really experienced an ethical dilemma as a business person I successfully avoided ethical dilemmas by making good decisions. 8) What in your background qualifies you for this office? I am a people person I relate well to all people. I have a good understanding of people s personalities. We need people well-connected to all people. I have worked all my life to forge good relationships with everyone. I am a patriot with good ideas and policies from and accounting and business standpoint. 9) Is there anything in your background we should know about that could be used by the Opposition after the Primaries to impact your candidacy? Please remember that we will have to defend you, so please be thorough. No. 10) Have you ever owned or managed a business? If so, please tell us about the business. I Managed my own farm business. As a child I managed my own plot of land and grew and sold cucumbers. I have worked in job and economic development research in Virginia, North Carolina, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Michigan. In 2010 I spent 2 weeks in a shadow position with Haley Barber. 11) Where do individual rights come from? Do individuals have rights that cannot be repealed or restrained by human law? If so, what are those rights? They are endowed by our Creator. Our Constitution gives us the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. They are inalienable rights. 12) What is the purpose of Government? The role of government should be limited. It should protect us from our enemies. It should help us in the pursuit of happiness by giving us opportunities.
13) Where does an elected representative get his/her authority? The People the people elect them. They should be doing the work of the people. Also the Constitution. 14) Where would you get the authority to spend tax money on a specific project? It is taxpayer s money the people should be in control of the spending. The government should not wastefully spend. The government needs to represent the people. 15) What is your view on your prescribed role as a (Commissioner, House Member, Senator, Sheriff, etc.)? My role will be to liaison between the people of North Carolina and Washington. Work with Raleigh to meet needs of the district in the best way for taxpayers and to benefit all of the people in the district. 16) What is your view on the role of the Constitution as a guide for Governmental action? How would you go about enhancing or reducing the role of the Constitution in Government? There should not be a law passed that does not agree with the Constitution. We need to follow the blueprint of the Constitution. The Constitution is already in place for people to have power the Constitution has stayed the same. The government is impeding our progress as individuals. 17) What is your opinion on the use of Executive Orders by a Chief Executive? The President s executive orders should be very limited. The people s agenda should be first if it does not benefit the people, and executive order should not be passed. 18) Do you believe our immigration system is broken? If so, how would you address this? Yes. We need to figure out a way to stop illegal immigration. It is a danger to public safety drug lords and other criminals are coming into the country illegally. We need to meet the needs of our farmers. I am against amnesty.
We already have a system of immigration, people need to go through that system. 19) How will you communicate with your constituents? In every way possible. Need to be in constant communication with the people to make sure their needs are being met. I plan to travel extensively in the district to meet with constituents in person. 20) Do you believe Entitlement spending is about right, too much, or too little? If not about right, please explain what changes you would make? Too much. Too many people are milking the system. We need to prove to people that they can make more money working than relying on government handouts. People need to be paid what they are worth. The amount of income generated by minimum wage jobs should be tax free. 21) What is your position on Obamacare? What would you do to address the status of Health Care in America? It should never have been passed. If elected, I will try to get things somewhat the way they were I would allow people with pre-existing conditions to get insurance coverage. Every person has different needs we cannot make one policy for everyone. ObamaCare is not affordable. 22) What do you know about Common Core? What is your position on it and why? We need to give teachers and states back the responsibility of education. Every student has a different learning capability. We need to end the Department of Education and put power back in the hands of the educators and the states. Common Core is government overreach. 23) How do you view the role of the Free Market in the American Economy? It is very difficult today to start a business government control is a problem. The currency is devalued due to government waste. The return on start-ups is very low. Free markets work themselves out. Competition is good. 24) What do you know about the National Defense Authorization Act?
Basically used for funding military and defense. There are controversies about the NSA. I am still doing research. 25) Where does the authority come from to enforce gun laws, control gun ownership, or to register gun owners or their firearms? The Constitution says that we have the right to bear arms. If a person has a permit, he should be able to buy a gun on the spot. The Constitution guarantees the right to bear arms, the government might have a different agenda. 26) Tell us what you know about the origin of the concept of Separation of Church and State? We should keep church separate from government one should not impede the other. We need to keep religion out of government and government out of religion. 27) What are your thoughts about our Energy Policies in America? We need to study to feasibility of fracking and offshore drilling and make sure that they are safe. We need to use our resources. We need to build a refinery. We need to build the Keystone Pipeline. 28) Leadership has been described as a process of social influence in which one person can enlist others in the accomplishment of a common goal. What have you done that would show your leadership abilities? I have been the youngest at about everything I have already done. When I was at Murphy Farms (one of the world s largest pork producers), I was the youngest manager in the company. I saved the company one and a half million dollars in feed costs through a cost saving program I devised. The company had me teach others the methods used to make the savings. 29) If elected, what would be your number one priority or agenda item during your first term in office? Making sure I do everything I can to limit the size of government. Create employment opportunities for people in District 1. Deregulate our government. The current government policies put both the older and younger generation at risk.