Ahead of the June primary election, the Southern California News Group compiled a list of questions to pose to the candidates who wish to represent you. You can find the full questionnaire below. Questionnaires may have been edited for spelling, grammar, length and, in some instances, to remove hate speech and offensive language.
Name: Doug Smith
Current job title: Television Stage Manager
Age: 62
Political party affiliation: No Party Preference
Incumbent: No
Other political positions held: Reseda Neighborhood Council Member
City where you reside: Reseda
Campaign website or social media: dougsmithforcongress.com
From voter ID to war powers and from immigration to tariffs, Congress has tackled many issues over the past year. What do you, though, see as the top three issues impacting Californians, and what specifically could you do as a lawmaker to address these issues? (Please answer in 250 words or less, and keep your response to future proposals.)
I think the three most important issues facing Californians are the same three issues facing ALL of America. To put it most simply they are: defending our democracy, making our economy work for everyone, and rebuilding the trust we have lost in our elected officials.
All three of these have to go hand in hand, as it seems they, and practically all of our most pressing issues, are linked together, one depending on another to fix what is so problematic with this country at the moment. For me, the absolute first step is taking as much money out of politics as possible. That is why in 2024 and 2026, my campaign includes the slogan “Defund Politics.” Without that crucial first step, nothing else will be possible, while Congress and our democracy will continue floundering with an approval rating of 18%.
Speaking of voter ID, the president has implored Congress to approve legislation that would require people to show proof of citizenship in order to vote. What role do you believe the federal government plays in telling states how to conduct their own elections, as dictated by the U.S. Constitution? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
None.
The Trump administration is doing one thing, and one thing alone, from the Epstein files, to ICE, from tariffs to Iran — they are simply distracting us, attempting to steal the next election and our democracy out from under us. They are normalizing an overthrow of our government by the AI overlord techno-fascists with a surveillance state that is pulling the wool over our eyes. They must realize that this country is not theirs for the taking. 90 million people did not vote in 2024, and 75 million voted for someone other than Trump. 165 million Americans did not vote for the person in the White House who denies he is the most corrupt criminal to make it this far in American history. We have one more chance to make it right. VOTE. Our lives depend on it.
What, in your opinion, should the federal government focus on when it comes to immigration policy? For example, do you place a priority on border security, visas for high-skilled workers, refuge for asylum seekers, etc., and why? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
Overstaying a visa is a civil infraction, and not a crime, though one can be deported for it. Sneaking across the border is a misdemeanor. Vilifying immigrants who have lower crime rates than do citizens of this country, and who make our economy grow and survive, is un-American. We know who the domestic terrorists and real criminals are…they are ICE, and the billionaire Epstein class, including the Trump administration, who have so openly corrupted our country for special interests and self-enrichment, like never before in our history.
It’s been over a year since Gov. Gavin Newsom asked the federal government for supplemental disaster aid to help Southern California communities rebuild after the devastating Palisades and Eaton wildfires, but neither President Donald Trump nor Congress has acted. What would you do to push for the funding, besides writing letters to the Trump administration or the leaders of Congress? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
As a 42-year veteran union member with the Directors Guild of America, three-time elected to the Assistant Director / Stage Manager Council, and now a member of the Reseda Neighborhood Council, I again see things as all related to each other.
Whether it is the absolute need to rebuild after last year’s devastating fires, pursuing the housing crisis facing all of America, or the dire need for AI protections in the film and television industry, these are challenges that need to be handled in a similar fashion and with the utmost seriousness. If it weren’t for the “Big Betrayal for the Benefit of Billionaires,” and now an illegal war in the Middle East, not to mention the unconscionable lack of corporations and CEOs paying their fair share in taxes, America would not be collapsing like it is. We must recruit a new breed of leader, and fashion a new altruism to correct course and save us from the certain peril Trump has inflicted upon us.
Do you support a ban or restriction on congressional lawmakers and their families from buying or selling individual stocks? Why or why not? And what would you propose to ensure lawmakers aren’t using their positions to engage in insider trading? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
I absolutely support a ban on Congress trading stocks. The broken trust in our elected officials and how they are bought and paid for by lobbyists and special interests has posed an existential threat to our democracy. Having Donald Trump in the White House has given “carte blanche” and our worst criminal impulses free rein, and must be stopped.
The midterm elections are our only safeguard for the future of our American republic. This is why I am independent, and have No Party Preference (NPP), because the two-party system is not working for us. Anti-corruption laws go unenforced by an FEC hopelessly mired in corruption and unable to do its job, while both parties embrace an ever-escalating political arms race. We are funding our own demise, and it must be stopped.
Do you support stronger regulations on pollution and carbon emissions? If so, how would you ensure those regulations aren’t overly burdensome on small businesses or lower-income families? And if not, how do you propose lawmakers protect the environment and curtail the impacts of climate change? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
Yes, I absolutely support environmental regulations and reversing every single rollback the Trump administration has made to worsen the climate change crisis the world is facing. It will most likely seem like I am a broken record, but if we reverse the “Big Betrayal for the Benefit of Billionaires” bill, and not supporting the illegal Iran war we can go a long way to putting America first and solving its problems in the process, including tax burdens on small businesses, as well as returning America to the role of world leader in combatting the world’s climate crisis.
President Donald Trump has significantly increased spending for the U.S. Department of Defense. Would you, as a member of Congress, approve additional dollars for the military if the president were to ask for more funding? How would you ensure that any military spending does not end up putting the American people or national security in harm’s way? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
I support reducing military spending by at least 10%. America spending more than the top 10 countries combined is insanity. The threats America and the world face are more than just military ones. They are rampant humanitarian risks that the techno-fascists are committing by putting profit over people and destroying the soul of our nation.
We must put a moratorium on AI development before it’s too late. Like in the 1990s, when cloning animals was outlawed, so should we outlaw AGI. We cannot clone human beings so Big Tech can profit from our society’s downfall as they have already done with social media, and its detrimental effects on young people. We must be focused on what kind of world we are leaving to our children, and certainly, as one that is better than the one we are witnessing now.
Under what specific circumstances do you believe the U.S. should engage in a war? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
Only ones where the United Nations and all our allies are in agreement, and ones where Congress is an equal member in the decision-making.
Do you believe a president should seek congressional approval before engaging in military action overseas? Why, or why not? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
Yes…see above. Donald Trump is not a king!!!
Congress, in theory, is supposed to serve as a check on the president through budgetary, legislative and oversight powers. Do you believe Congress has fulfilled that obligation during the past two administrations, with one being a Democrat and the other a Republican? Why or why not? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
Absolutely not! Both administrations have behaved mostly as a rubber stamp for whatever their billionaire donors tell them to do. That said, Donald Trump is not just the worst president in American history; he is the worst person in American history. His election rhetoric and his administration of retribution have ripped apart the fabric of our society with hate and unthinkable, unpresidential behavior. Where most presidents have had a deep spiritual and religious affinity, not to mention tolerance for all religions of the world, the overwhelming worship that Trump has always exhibited is the worship of money. It has poised us on the brink of extinction.
Governments around the world are increasingly considering an age ban or other restrictions on social media use among young people, citing mental health and other concerns. Should Congress adopt such restrictions? If so, what specific restrictions do you propose? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
I believe in the strictest of regulations imaginable, if not outlawing AGI itself, like was done with nuclear physics in the 1950s. Restrictions on AI and social media should focus on child safety, deepfake prohibition, and algorithmic transparency.
But they also must focus on the effect AI is having on jobs and employment figures.
Warnings on addiction for minors, and others, are essential in pairing warnings with AI-generated notices, too. California AB 56 requires social media platforms to display Surgeon General-style warnings on feeds for users under 18 starting in 2027. These same protections are necessary for AGI as much as social media protections.
AI is already generating its own code, and there are scientists who aren’t yet sure that AI isn’t already sentient. AI alignment is imperative, and the biggest understatement in the world. We are going to get one chance at this. We cannot get it wrong. It is the most crucial step society will soon be taking, and it cannot be taken lightly. Good luck.
Statistically, violent crime rates in California are on the decline, yet residents still don’t feel safe or at ease in their communities. How do you see your role in Congress in addressing the underlying issues that make Californians feel unsafe in their own neighborhoods? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
The more the federal government can do to repair its reputation, the more Americans will feel government can work for them, too, not just for the rich and powerful, the top 1%. They’ll start to not only feel like they have a seat at the table, but are building the actual table too, and maybe even inviting people to the feast.
The less government does to convince us against politicians being in it for themselves ultimately makes people feel the American Dream is not for them, that it’s a lie, and they need to take what they were promised all along. That isn’t the American Dream; that is the American Nightmare, one that Trump allows by every facet of his personality and character, or lack thereof. It makes people feel less safe. The Epstein class and dog-eat-dog world keep people indoors, hidden from the communities we know can thrive with civic engagement, instead of ones inhabited by foreigners. Instead of the America we know, built by immigrants and diversity and vision.
There are term limits to serve in the California Legislature, but none to serve in Congress. Would you advocate for term limits for House members? Why or why not? If you support term limits, how many years maximum should a House member be allowed to serve? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
Term limits are the most important things Congress can establish…and something that also should apply to the Supreme Court. SCOTUS should have an 18-year term. Congressmembers should have a limit of six two-year terms, while senators should have two six-year terms. The president, too, should have a single term of six years alone. This would align and sequence politics and further discourage the rampant corruption from which America is currently ailing.
What’s a hidden talent you have? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
Can I get back to you when I find it? It might be that I have the talent of not seeming nervous when I actually am. I make a great tuna melt, though quite a few people know about it.