Seth Synstelien

[{"question": "Ballotpedia survey responses", "answer_html": "<p>See also: <a href=\"/Ballotpedia%27s_Candidate_Connection\">Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection</a></p>\n<div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-xs-10 col-md-6 col-xs-offset-1 col-md-offset-3\"><p><a href=\"https://ballotpedia.org/Ballotpedia%27s_Candidate_Connection\"><img align=\"middle\" alt=\"Candidate Connection\" src=\"https://cdn.ballotpedia.org/images/8/88/Candidate_Connection_Logo.png\" width=\"90%\"/></a></p></div></div>\n<p>Seth Synstelien completed <a href=\"/Ballotpedia%27s_Candidate_Connection\">Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection</a> survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Synstelien's responses.</p>\n<p><span class=\"expand-all\">Expand all</span> | <span class=\"collapse-all\">Collapse all</span></p>\n<div aria-multiselectable=\"true\" class=\"panel-group\" id=\"accordion\" role=\"tablist\"><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-bio-116632-2022-03-28\" id=\"heading-bio-116632-2022-03-28\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse-bio-116632-2022-03-28\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-bio-116632-2022-03-28\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWho are you? Tell us about yourself.\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading-bio-116632-2022-03-28\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse-bio-116632-2022-03-28\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tSeth Synstelien is a US Marine, educator, former law enforcement officer, and small business owner who has lived in Dallas, GA, since 2010. He has a beautiful wife and two daughters who look like their mom. The son of a pastor, Seth’s childhood years were split between the western exurbs of Atlanta and rural parts of western Minnesota. He earned the title of Marine in 2006, eventually serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom. There, he had the honor of completing a mission that brought home the remains of Captain Scott Speicher, the first casualty of the Gulf War. When he returned to the States, he protected his neighbors in Cobb County, GA as a police officer. Seth eventually left law enforcement to start his own business, assisting companies and non-profit organizations plan and produce media content. While working as a small business owner, he used his GI Bill to earn a bachelor’s degree from Post University and a master’s degree from Harvard University. Seth’s career evolved into academics focusing on veteran advocacy, instructional technology, and financial technology. Seth is currently on the Marine Corps Reserve Association’s board of directors, contributing to member engagement, legislative advocacy, and education trust awards.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-key-message-116632-2022-03-28\" id=\"heading-key-message-116632-2022-03-28\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse-key-message-116632-2022-03-28\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-key-message-116632-2022-03-28\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tPlease list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading-key-message-116632-2022-03-28\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse-key-message-116632-2022-03-28\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\"><ul><li>The 14th district needs a voice at the table. As long as we have a representative without a committee assignment, our district cannot contribute to major legislation or push back at terrible policy. Our current representative lost her committee assignment because, according to her own words, she was \"allowed\" to believe untrue things, talk about them and ask questions. We need a person in Congress who will work for this district and is available to the constituents. A peacemaker that loves their neighbor and can get a job done. We don't need a gullible alarmist who is easily misled by disinformation and rumors on social media.</li><li>A shocking number of our service members were unknowingly exposed to toxic substances, and the VA is denying them care. Worse, overall benefits claims have increased to an all-time high while the VA is still dragging behind. We need to overhaul the claims process and ensure the VA uses good independent data to determine veterans' benefits eligibility, not recycled DoD information. Veterans will be cared for regardless of whether their exposure injuries occurred in the US or overseas.</li><li>We need to reduce our reliance on foreign oil. As we put a python-squeeze on the Putin regime, we are feeling pain at the pump. We need to ensure that it doesn't cost a day's wage just to get to work. We have proved reserves of at least 38.5 billion barrels of oil. We need to continue to utilize those reserves to make sure that foreign autocrats pay the penalty for their crimes, not the American people. We must strive for energy independence conservatively and pragmatically.</li></ul></span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse1-116632-2022-03-28\" id=\"heading1-116632-2022-03-28\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse1-116632-2022-03-28\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse1-116632-2022-03-28\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading1-116632-2022-03-28\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse1-116632-2022-03-28\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tVeteran's affairs, Congressional term limits and personal accountability, community policing, rural economy and infrastructure (reliable internet access), small business ownership, digital economy, immigration reform, education\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse2-116632-2022-03-28\" id=\"heading2-116632-2022-03-28\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse2-116632-2022-03-28\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse2-116632-2022-03-28\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWho do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading2-116632-2022-03-28\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse2-116632-2022-03-28\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tI still look up to my father. He is a former pastor, construction worker, and retired caregiver for the mentally and physically disabled. He is a person who taught me that we need to love our neighbor and then demonstrated it with his every action up to the present.<br/><br/>\r\nBesides my father, a person of historical note who resonates with me is the German theologian and anti-nazi dissident, Dietrich Bonhoeffer. He once said, \"we are not to simply bandage the wounds of victims beneath the wheels of injustice, we are to drive a spoke into the wheel itself\". I am a peacemaker and that sentiment, to me, is what it means to be a peacemaker. A peacemaker does not merely try to keep things peaceful at the expense of a few, but rather brings order to agents of chaos to ensure future peace for everyone.<br/></span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse3-116632-2022-03-28\" id=\"heading3-116632-2022-03-28\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse3-116632-2022-03-28\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse3-116632-2022-03-28\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading3-116632-2022-03-28\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse3-116632-2022-03-28\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tJustice, Judgement, Dependability, Integrity, Decisiveness, Tact, Initiative, Enthusiasm, Bearing, Unselfishness, Courage, Knowledge, Loyalty, Endurance.<br/><br/>\r\nThese are the 14 leadership traits instilled in Marines, but these traits are not limited to leading our service members in uniform. They are ideals that a leader should use to measure their every action. \t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse4-116632-2022-03-28\" id=\"heading4-116632-2022-03-28\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse4-116632-2022-03-28\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse4-116632-2022-03-28\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading4-116632-2022-03-28\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse4-116632-2022-03-28\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tI'm tenacious. I do not take \"no\" for an answer when it's a matter of right and wrong. One truth about my family is that Synsteliens can be a stubborn bunch when it comes to doing the right thing. That does not mean throwing an adult temper tantrum; it means keeping a firm hand and the pressure on until the job is done or the wrong has been righted. I've made some folks pretty mad in my days as a Marine and as a police officer, but when it's a matter of principle or a person's well-being, I do not sit down and take rejection easily.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse5-116632-2022-03-28\" id=\"heading5-116632-2022-03-28\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse5-116632-2022-03-28\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse5-116632-2022-03-28\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading5-116632-2022-03-28\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse5-116632-2022-03-28\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tThe first time I knew I was watching a world-changing event was on September 11th, 2001. I was 15 years old, barely staying awake for a high school biology lecture, when another teacher barged into the room and turned on the classroom TV. They said a plane crashed into one of the twin towers, and no one knew if it was an accident or not. I watched with a sick stomach as a second plane crashed and more Americans died on live television. It was shocking. Something that I carried with me years later when I went into the recruiter's office. Even at that age, I knew that the words \"never forget\" were political, but they were also more than a rallying cry; they were a guarantee. It was something that those of us who bore witness would truly never be able to forget.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse6-116632-2022-03-28\" id=\"heading6-116632-2022-03-28\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse6-116632-2022-03-28\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse6-116632-2022-03-28\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat was your very first job? How long did you have it?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading6-116632-2022-03-28\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse6-116632-2022-03-28\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tMy first job was working construction with my family. I come from a family of skilled laborers who make difficult jobs look easy and I tried to learn a few things. I started getting paid by my dad when I was around 14 years old, and I labored on most weekends until I was 18 and out of the house.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse7-116632-2022-03-28\" id=\"heading7-116632-2022-03-28\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse7-116632-2022-03-28\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse7-116632-2022-03-28\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tDo you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading7-116632-2022-03-28\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse7-116632-2022-03-28\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tYes, I believe that it can be very beneficial for a representative to have previous experience in public service. It can be akin to working your way up a company from the mail-room. You get a unique perspective on how the organization works and the far-reaching effects of politics and bureaucracy on both government workers and the Americans they serve. When you have experienced the painfully slow wheels of government, it can add a dimension of common sense to law-making.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse8-116632-2022-03-28\" id=\"heading8-116632-2022-03-28\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse8-116632-2022-03-28\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse8-116632-2022-03-28\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tDo you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading8-116632-2022-03-28\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse8-116632-2022-03-28\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tNo. I think that with term limits imposed on a House seat, a term should be three years. Currently, incumbents must campaign every other year for their seat. While two-year terms may encourage representatives to return to their district more often to stay within the good graces of their constituents, it can keep them distracted from law-making and adequately serving those they are supposed to represent.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse9-116632-2022-03-28\" id=\"heading9-116632-2022-03-28\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse9-116632-2022-03-28\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse9-116632-2022-03-28\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat are your thoughts on term limits?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading9-116632-2022-03-28\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse9-116632-2022-03-28\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tI believe it is an absolute necessity to introduce term limits in Congress. We need to eliminate conflicts of interest from those who write our laws. Every time an incumbent takes money from a special interest group to campaign for re-election, it opens the door for that representative to care less about their constituents and more about the special interests of their sponsor. We need congressional reform that breaks the influence of special interest groups in Congress and holds representatives accountable for their actions and investments. It still baffles me that a member of Congress can legally invest in a business that holds federal contracts. People who shape the law should not be using it to get rich at the expense of their constituents. \t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div></div>\n<div class=\"small\" data-nosnippet=\"\"><p><i><b>Note:</b> Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.</i></p></div>", "answer_text": "See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection\n\nSeth Synstelien completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Synstelien's responses.\nExpand all | Collapse all\nWho are you? Tell us about yourself. Seth Synstelien is a US Marine, educator, former law enforcement officer, and small business owner who has lived in Dallas, GA, since 2010. He has a beautiful wife and two daughters who look like their mom. The son of a pastor, Seth’s childhood years were split between the western exurbs of Atlanta and rural parts of western Minnesota. He earned the title of Marine in 2006, eventually serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom. There, he had the honor of completing a mission that brought home the remains of Captain Scott Speicher, the first casualty of the Gulf War. When he returned to the States, he protected his neighbors in Cobb County, GA as a police officer. Seth eventually left law enforcement to start his own business, assisting companies and non-profit organizations plan and produce media content. While working as a small business owner, he used his GI Bill to earn a bachelor’s degree from Post University and a master’s degree from Harvard University. Seth’s career evolved into academics focusing on veteran advocacy, instructional technology, and financial technology. Seth is currently on the Marine Corps Reserve Association’s board of directors, contributing to member engagement, legislative advocacy, and education trust awards. Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office? The 14th district needs a voice at the table. As long as we have a representative without a committee assignment, our district cannot contribute to major legislation or push back at terrible policy. Our current representative lost her committee assignment because, according to her own words, she was \"allowed\" to believe untrue things, talk about them and ask questions. We need a person in Congress who will work for this district and is available to the constituents. A peacemaker that loves their neighbor and can get a job done. We don't need a gullible alarmist who is easily misled by disinformation and rumors on social media. A shocking number of our service members were unknowingly exposed to toxic substances, and the VA is denying them care. Worse, overall benefits claims have increased to an all-time high while the VA is still dragging behind. We need to overhaul the claims process and ensure the VA uses good independent data to determine veterans' benefits eligibility, not recycled DoD information. Veterans will be cared for regardless of whether their exposure injuries occurred in the US or overseas. We need to reduce our reliance on foreign oil. As we put a python-squeeze on the Putin regime, we are feeling pain at the pump. We need to ensure that it doesn't cost a day's wage just to get to work. We have proved reserves of at least 38.5 billion barrels of oil. We need to continue to utilize those reserves to make sure that foreign autocrats pay the penalty for their crimes, not the American people. We must strive for energy independence conservatively and pragmatically. What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? Veteran's affairs, Congressional term limits and personal accountability, community policing, rural economy and infrastructure (reliable internet access), small business ownership, digital economy, immigration reform, education Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why? I still look up to my father. He is a former pastor, construction worker, and retired caregiver for the mentally and physically disabled. He is a person who taught me that we need to love our neighbor and then demonstrated it with his every action up to the present. Besides my father, a person of historical note who resonates with me is the German theologian and anti-nazi dissident, Dietrich Bonhoeffer. He once said, \"we are not to simply bandage the wounds of victims beneath the wheels of injustice, we are to drive a spoke into the wheel itself\". I am a peacemaker and that sentiment, to me, is what it means to be a peacemaker. A peacemaker does not merely try to keep things peaceful at the expense of a few, but rather brings order to agents of chaos to ensure future peace for everyone. What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official? Justice, Judgement, Dependability, Integrity, Decisiveness, Tact, Initiative, Enthusiasm, Bearing, Unselfishness, Courage, Knowledge, Loyalty, Endurance. These are the 14 leadership traits instilled in Marines, but these traits are not limited to leading our service members in uniform. They are ideals that a leader should use to measure their every action. What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder? I'm tenacious. I do not take \"no\" for an answer when it's a matter of right and wrong. One truth about my family is that Synsteliens can be a stubborn bunch when it comes to doing the right thing. That does not mean throwing an adult temper tantrum; it means keeping a firm hand and the pressure on until the job is done or the wrong has been righted. I've made some folks pretty mad in my days as a Marine and as a police officer, but when it's a matter of principle or a person's well-being, I do not sit down and take rejection easily. What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time? The first time I knew I was watching a world-changing event was on September 11th, 2001. I was 15 years old, barely staying awake for a high school biology lecture, when another teacher barged into the room and turned on the classroom TV. They said a plane crashed into one of the twin towers, and no one knew if it was an accident or not. I watched with a sick stomach as a second plane crashed and more Americans died on live television. It was shocking. Something that I carried with me years later when I went into the recruiter's office. Even at that age, I knew that the words \"never forget\" were political, but they were also more than a rallying cry; they were a guarantee. It was something that those of us who bore witness would truly never be able to forget. What was your very first job? How long did you have it? My first job was working construction with my family. I come from a family of skilled laborers who make difficult jobs look easy and I tried to learn a few things. I started getting paid by my dad when I was around 14 years old, and I labored on most weekends until I was 18 and out of the house. Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics? Yes, I believe that it can be very beneficial for a representative to have previous experience in public service. It can be akin to working your way up a company from the mail-room. You get a unique perspective on how the organization works and the far-reaching effects of politics and bureaucracy on both government workers and the Americans they serve. When you have experienced the painfully slow wheels of government, it can add a dimension of common sense to law-making. Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives? No. I think that with term limits imposed on a House seat, a term should be three years. Currently, incumbents must campaign every other year for their seat. While two-year terms may encourage representatives to return to their district more often to stay within the good graces of their constituents, it can keep them distracted from law-making and adequately serving those they are supposed to represent. What are your thoughts on term limits? I believe it is an absolute necessity to introduce term limits in Congress. We need to eliminate conflicts of interest from those who write our laws. Every time an incumbent takes money from a special interest group to campaign for re-election, it opens the door for that representative to care less about their constituents and more about the special interests of their sponsor. We need congressional reform that breaks the influence of special interest groups in Congress and holds representatives accountable for their actions and investments. It still baffles me that a member of Congress can legally invest in a business that holds federal contracts. People who shape the law should not be using it to get rich at the expense of their constituents.\nNote: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it."}, {"question": "Campaign website", "answer_html": "<p>Synstelien's campaign website stated the following:\n</p>\n<div style=\"height:400px;overflow:scroll;border:1px solid gray;margin:20px;padding:10px;\">\n<table data-nosnippet=\"\" style=\"border-collapse: collapse; border: none;background-color: transparent; auto; ;\">\n<tbody><tr>\n<td style=\"border:none; color:#B2B7F2;font-size:35px;font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: bold; text-align: left; padding: 10px 3px;\" valign=\"top\" width=\"20\">“\n</td>\n<td style=\"border: none; padding: 4px 10px;\" valign=\"top\">\n<p>Committee Representation\n</p><p>Our current representative lost her committee assignment. Congress fulfills most of its duties described in Article I of the US Constitution through committees, so our district does not have a voice at the table when major legislation is being drafted. Our needs are not being considered and our voice is not present to push back at bad policy when it is written. \n</p><p><br/>\nVeterans\n</p><p>Veterans have been suffering for years from toxic exposure and the VA's historic answer has been little more than a concerned shrug. Veterans who have health issues from exposure to toxic substances will be given care. This is regardless of the war they fought and whether they were exposed on US military bases, or while serving overseas. The VA has been recycling DoD data and muddying the waters in regard to decision-making. I'll work with military advocates and non-government professionals to get REAL data to help the VA make informed claim decisions. \n</p><p>Since 2018, the VA's claim inventory has increased from around 350,000 claims to over 587,000 claims last year (<i>Veteran’s Affairs FY2021 Agency Financial Report</i>). This is a staggering number and I will work with The VA to expedite their claim processing and get the help your parents, brothers, and sisters are still waiting for. Whether that means contextually presuming service-connection as a temporary means to provide care immediately, or instituting a means of summary provisional review to establish plausible service connection and give our veterans vouchers so they can receive local care and not <i>die</i> while waiting for full consideration.\n</p><p><br/>\nEconomy\n</p><p>The US economy has become a digital economy. Financial technology is a thriving sector that affects us all. Since 2015, more than 70% of US financial transactions go through the State of Georgia, earning us the nickname “Transaction Alley”. I will make sure that the people of Georgia continue to benefit from such a booming business and expand it to the 14th district. Putting pressure on government agencies like the FCC and the subsidized agents responsible for bringing broadband internet to rural areas will ensure that the most remote residents of our 14th district will have access to much of the same training and employment opportunities as those who live within Atlanta’s perimeter.\n</p><p><br/>\nEnergy\n</p><p>We need to reduce our reliance on foreign oil. As we put pressure on the Putin regime, the pain we feel at the pump can get even worse. We need to ensure that it doesn't cost a day's wage just to get to work. We have proved reserves of at least 38.5 billion barrels of oil. We need to utilize those reserves to make sure that foreign autocrats pay for their crimes, not the American people.\n</p><p><br/>\nTerm Limits\n</p><p>There's a difference between a public servant and a career politician. One treats an office with the respect of a special assignment, while the other sees their position as a well-funded office job with perks. We need to combat a culture of comfortable establishment and ineffective government leeches with reasonable term limits. Allow experience and wisdom to be fostered, remove the focus on pandering politics, and refocus on beneficial US policy.\n</p><p><br/>\nPolice\n</p><p>It is not easy to be a cop today. Police need to be funded, trained, and well equipped to deal with unorthodox issues like mental health. We need to prevent overcrowding our jails with the mentally ill. Identifying those with special needs and incentivizing mental health providers’ involvement in police work will help reduce the burden on departments that are short-handed and officers who are already overworked. Our law enforcement officers are not health providers and should not be given that liability and burden. \n</p><p>My office will support our law enforcement and first responders, demand a standard of high-quality performance with proper rewards for a dangerous job. I’m no stranger to bureaucracy and will ensure that measures are generated from data-based strategies that rely on subject matter experts, not bleeding-heart armchair spectators.\n</p><p><br/>\nGuns and Education\n</p><p>The American citizen has two weapons for their defense: firearms and education. We have a right to arm ourselves mentally and physically, thanks to our first and second amendments. Disinformation and misinformation are the most destructive weapons currently being used against us by enemies foreign and domestic. A single gun can kill a person and bring together a family. A lie that is believed can tear a family apart and convince them to kill each other. \n</p><p>Our fellow Americans and our children need to be literate with everyday media and technology to ensure that enemies of our constitution do not use ignorance and fear against us. There is an information war that is already in full swing. My office will do everything possible to ensure Americans are equipped to defend themselves.\n</p><p><br/>\nAbortion\n</p><p>Life is sacred, we must protect the unborn. We must also be cautious of authoritarian legislation that turns neighbor against neighbor and prevents medical professionals from preserving life. Pro-life means caring for the living.\n</p><p><br/>\nAccountability\n</p><p>Members of Congress buying and selling stock while making the rules is a conflict of interest. For instance, our current representative bought a considerable amount of stock in defense contractors before the United States made a decision to send military equipment overseas. Normal people go to jail for insider trading, for some members of Congress, it’s just another day on the job.\n</p><p>With inflation on the rise, we need to make sure the government is pragmatic in its spending. We have to make sure that the folks who have the most need are not saddled with the most burden. There are too many examples of big tech and publicly traded companies receiving multimillion-dollar subsidies and just eating them for lunch with little to no return on investment for the average taxpaying American citizens.<sup class=\"reference\" id=\"cite_ref-quotedisclaimer_4-0\"><a href=\"#cite_note-quotedisclaimer-4\">[4]</a></sup>\n</p>\n</td>\n<td style=\"border: none; color: #B2B7F2; font-size: 35px; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: bold; text-align: right; padding: 10px 1px;\" valign=\"bottom\" width=\"20\">”\n</td></tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"cquotecite\" colspan=\"3\" style=\"border: none; padding-right: 4%\"><cite style=\"font-style: normal;font-size: smaller; float: right;\">—Seth Syntelien's campaign website (2022)<sup class=\"reference\" id=\"cite_ref-5\"><a href=\"#cite_note-5\">[5]</a></sup></cite>\n</td></tr></tbody></table>\n</div>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-1548351761485-0\"><script>googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display(\"div-gpt-ad-1548351761485-0\"); });</script></div>", "answer_text": "Synstelien's campaign website stated the following:\n“ Committee Representation Our current representative lost her committee assignment. Congress fulfills most of its duties described in Article I of the US Constitution through committees, so our district does not have a voice at the table when major legislation is being drafted. Our needs are not being considered and our voice is not present to push back at bad policy when it is written. Veterans Veterans have been suffering for years from toxic exposure and the VA's historic answer has been little more than a concerned shrug. Veterans who have health issues from exposure to toxic substances will be given care. This is regardless of the war they fought and whether they were exposed on US military bases, or while serving overseas. The VA has been recycling DoD data and muddying the waters in regard to decision-making. I'll work with military advocates and non-government professionals to get REAL data to help the VA make informed claim decisions. Since 2018, the VA's claim inventory has increased from around 350,000 claims to over 587,000 claims last year ( Veteran’s Affairs FY2021 Agency Financial Report ). This is a staggering number and I will work with The VA to expedite their claim processing and get the help your parents, brothers, and sisters are still waiting for. Whether that means contextually presuming service-connection as a temporary means to provide care immediately, or instituting a means of summary provisional review to establish plausible service connection and give our veterans vouchers so they can receive local care and not die while waiting for full consideration. Economy The US economy has become a digital economy. Financial technology is a thriving sector that affects us all. Since 2015, more than 70% of US financial transactions go through the State of Georgia, earning us the nickname “Transaction Alley”. I will make sure that the people of Georgia continue to benefit from such a booming business and expand it to the 14th district. Putting pressure on government agencies like the FCC and the subsidized agents responsible for bringing broadband internet to rural areas will ensure that the most remote residents of our 14th district will have access to much of the same training and employment opportunities as those who live within Atlanta’s perimeter. Energy We need to reduce our reliance on foreign oil. As we put pressure on the Putin regime, the pain we feel at the pump can get even worse. We need to ensure that it doesn't cost a day's wage just to get to work. We have proved reserves of at least 38.5 billion barrels of oil. We need to utilize those reserves to make sure that foreign autocrats pay for their crimes, not the American people. Term Limits There's a difference between a public servant and a career politician. One treats an office with the respect of a special assignment, while the other sees their position as a well-funded office job with perks. We need to combat a culture of comfortable establishment and ineffective government leeches with reasonable term limits. Allow experience and wisdom to be fostered, remove the focus on pandering politics, and refocus on beneficial US policy. Police It is not easy to be a cop today. Police need to be funded, trained, and well equipped to deal with unorthodox issues like mental health. We need to prevent overcrowding our jails with the mentally ill. Identifying those with special needs and incentivizing mental health providers’ involvement in police work will help reduce the burden on departments that are short-handed and officers who are already overworked. Our law enforcement officers are not health providers and should not be given that liability and burden. My office will support our law enforcement and first responders, demand a standard of high-quality performance with proper rewards for a dangerous job. I’m no stranger to bureaucracy and will ensure that measures are generated from data-based strategies that rely on subject matter experts, not bleeding-heart armchair spectators. Guns and Education The American citizen has two weapons for their defense: firearms and education. We have a right to arm ourselves mentally and physically, thanks to our first and second amendments. Disinformation and misinformation are the most destructive weapons currently being used against us by enemies foreign and domestic. A single gun can kill a person and bring together a family. A lie that is believed can tear a family apart and convince them to kill each other. Our fellow Americans and our children need to be literate with everyday media and technology to ensure that enemies of our constitution do not use ignorance and fear against us. There is an information war that is already in full swing. My office will do everything possible to ensure Americans are equipped to defend themselves. Abortion Life is sacred, we must protect the unborn. We must also be cautious of authoritarian legislation that turns neighbor against neighbor and prevents medical professionals from preserving life. Pro-life means caring for the living. Accountability Members of Congress buying and selling stock while making the rules is a conflict of interest. For instance, our current representative bought a considerable amount of stock in defense contractors before the United States made a decision to send military equipment overseas. Normal people go to jail for insider trading, for some members of Congress, it’s just another day on the job. With inflation on the rise, we need to make sure the government is pragmatic in its spending. We have to make sure that the folks who have the most need are not saddled with the most burden. There are too many examples of big tech and publicly traded companies receiving multimillion-dollar subsidies and just eating them for lunch with little to no return on investment for the average taxpaying American citizens. [4] ” —Seth Syntelien's campaign website (2022) [5]"}]