John Kasich in State of Iowa Archives
On Principles & Values:
Establishment lane, anti-establishment lane & Kasich lane
Q: You call yourself an "inside-outside guy, a reformer who knows how to get things done," but you reject the establishment label. Why do you reject it?KASICH: I had a national reporter say, "There's three lanes. There's the establishment lane,
the anti-establishment lane, and then there's the Kasich lane."
Q: What do you say to Republican voters this year who view practical government experience as a liability and not an asset?
KASICH: I've been a reformer all of my career, fighting to reform welfare, fighting to reform the Pentagon, also being in a position to balance the budget, because that is very, very hard to do.
And then in Ohio, of course, I had to bring about big reform, again, because we were so far in the hole and now we just found out we are up over 400,000 jobs since I took over as governor.
Source: 2016 Fox News Republican two-tiered debate in Iowa
Jan 28, 2016
On Gun Control:
Cool off before making new gun laws after Littleton
Although he voted for the 1994 federal ban on assault weapons, Kasich said that lawmakers should have a cooling-off period after high-profile acts of violence before trying to pass new laws. Kasich noted that the two students who killed 13 people and
themselves last month in Littleton, Colo., violated 19 existing gun laws. “There were already a bunch of laws,” Kasich said. “The kids didn’t pay attention to the laws. I don’t think new laws will solve all the problems.”
Source: Omaha World-Herald, “Kasich Tours Iowa”, 5/23/99
May 23, 1999
On Gun Control:
More parenting better than more gun laws
Kasich said that the better response [to the Columbine shootings] may not involve gun control. He said parents could do more to help their children feel safe if they could choose where to send their children to school. He also advocated legislation that
would allow businesses to provide more flexible working schedules, a change that he said would give parents more time at home with children. “In most homes, both parents work and nobody has the time to spend with their children anymore,” he said.
Source: Omaha World-Herald, “Kasich Tours Iowa”, 5/23/99
May 23, 1999
On Budget & Economy:
Against ethanol subsidies, and all subsidies
Kasich opposes federal subsidies for ethanol, a corn derivative added to gasoline. Ethanol is especially important to Iowans, who see it as a way to expand demand for corn. “I’m not against ethanol, but I’m not for any subsidies,” Kasich said, adding
that he’s against similar benefits for sugar and peanuts. Kasich’s candor was appreciated [by an Iowa gathering], although his stance was not. “They tell me that’s going to kill me in Iowa, but I’m not changing my position to get votes,” he said.
Source: Associated Press, “Strong Positions in Iowa”, 4/26/99
Apr 26, 1999
Page last updated: Jan 28, 2021