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Roger Barris

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Roger Barris
Image of Roger Barris
Elections and appointments
Last election

November 6, 2018

Education

Bachelor's

Bowdoin College

Graduate

University of Michigan

Contact

Roger Barris (Libertarian Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Colorado's 2nd Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 6, 2018.

Biography

Barris received a bachelor's degree in economics from Bowdoin College in 1981 and an M.B.A. in finance from the University of Michigan in 1984. His professional experience includes working in corporate finance, trading, investments, and fund management. He also taught finance. His affiliations include Peakside Capital AG and Castleforge Partners Ltd.[1]

Elections

2018

See also: United States House of Representatives elections in Colorado, 2018

General election

General election for U.S. House Colorado District 2

Joe Neguse defeated Peter Yu, Nick Thomas, and Roger Barris in the general election for U.S. House Colorado District 2 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Joe Neguse
Joe Neguse (D)
 
60.3
 
259,608
Image of Peter Yu
Peter Yu (R)
 
33.6
 
144,901
Image of Nick Thomas
Nick Thomas (Independent)
 
3.8
 
16,356
Image of Roger Barris
Roger Barris (L)
 
2.3
 
9,749
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.0
 
151

Total votes: 430,765
(100.00% precincts reporting)
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Colorado District 2

Joe Neguse defeated Mark Williams in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Colorado District 2 on June 26, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Joe Neguse
Joe Neguse
 
65.7
 
76,829
Image of Mark Williams
Mark Williams
 
34.3
 
40,044

Total votes: 116,873
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Colorado District 2

Peter Yu advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House Colorado District 2 on June 26, 2018.

Candidate
Image of Peter Yu
Peter Yu

Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Campaign themes

2018

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's candidate surveys
Candidate Connection

Roger Barris participated in Ballotpedia's candidate survey on April 4, 2018. The survey questions appear in bold, and Roger Barris's responses follow below.[2]

What would be your top three priorities, if elected?

1) Ending our interventionist foreign and military policy

2) Fiscal prudence
3) Structural reform (ending the imperial presidency/administrative state, creating more federalism, restoring the supremacy of Congress)[3][4]

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? Why?

Ending our interventionist foreign and military policy, which is not only destructive, costly and counterproductive, but is also the key to achieving fiscal prudence since the political price of more guns is always more butterCite error: Invalid <ref> tag; invalid names, e.g. too many[4]

Ballotpedia also asked the candidate a series of optional questions. Roger Barris answered the following:

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I look up to the Founding Fathers, particularly Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. I admire them because they believed that the government which governs least, governs best, and they set out a framework for government designed to achieve this result - a framework that has been, unfortunately, corrupted. (This framework provided for a separation of powers and checks and balances -- not the imperial presidency and administrative state that we currently have. This framework provided for strong protections for the individual against a sometimes tyrannical majoritarianism. This framework provided for a distribution of government power to states and localities, so that these smaller entities could act as policy innovators and laboratories, so that these smaller entities could be held directly accountable to their neighbors, and so that - in the extreme case - people could ""vote with their feet"" and flee oppressive and incompetent governance.) And I admire them because they realized that people are not perfect - that they will make mistakes in their personal lives but then learn from them - and that people suddenly do not become all-knowing, all-seeing and incorruptible just because they are elected or appointed to public office.[4]
Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?
There are many. A good starting point is the book Free to Choose (and the associated TV series), done by Nobel Laureate Milton Friedman and Rose Friedman. A deeper study is The Constitution of Liberty by another Nobel Laureate, Friedrich Hayek. The political and economic philosophy of libertarianism (and its predecessors) is the most deeply researched and successful political and economic philosophy in the history of the world and has been responsible for far more human advancement than any other approach. This remains true to this day.[4]
What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?
A deep understanding of policy issues coupled with the profound humility to realize that people are best able to manage their own lives and should be given the freedom to do so. An absolute honesty and a commitment to principles which cannot be swayed by financial or political considerations. A strong ability to communicate and explain positions, including for their unintended consequences.[4]
What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?
Through my academics, independent study and my business career, I have a deep understanding of policy issues, including from the perspective of multiple countries. These experiences have also made me immune to what has been called the ""fatal conceit"" - the belief that people's lives can be intelligently and productively directed by an all-powerful government. I am financially independent and I have no desire to be a career politician, which make me honest and incorruptible. Finally, I have strong communication skills, both written and spoken, and the strong grasp needed to explain fully and convincingly.[4]
What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?
To judge all legislation and policy on the basis of the principles articulated in my campaign and on which I have been elected. And then to explain my decisions and demonstrate their congruence with these principles.[4]
What legacy would you like to leave?
A freer, more secure and more prosperous America and Colorado.[4]
What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?
The Vietnam War on television. I was probably about 5-6 years old.[4]
What was your very first job? How long did you have it?
Cutting lawns. For a summer.[4]
What happened on your most awkward date?
They have all been various degrees of awkward, at least the first ones.[4]
What is your favorite holiday? Why?
A holiday which explores a new part of the world through activities like hiking, cycling, motorcycling, kayaking, skiing, etc., and allows me to experience closely the people and culture that I am visiting.[4]
What is your favorite book? Why?
Boy, that's hard. Maybe the novellas Tonio Kroger and Death in Venice by Thomas Mann, for their portrait of the loneliness of a creative soul, and Love in the Time of Cholera by Garbriel Garcia Marquez for its sheer stylistic beauty. Touching the Void by Joe Simpson because of its story of absolute determination, and The Moral Animal by Robert Wright for its introduction to evolutionary psychology. But I also love books by Hillary Mantel, John Le Carre, E.M. Forster, Larry McMurtry, Tom Wolfe, Charles Bukowski, Cormac McCarthy, a lot of historical fiction, and - of course - a great deal of non-fiction also.[4]
If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?
Prometheus[4]
What is your favorite thing in your home or apartment? Why?
The view. Looking out over the mountains of Colorado.[4]
What was the last song that got stuck in your head?
The version of ""Jolene"" sung by Miley Cyrus and Dolly Parton. Anything by Springsteen or Dylan.[4]
What is something that has been a struggle in your life?
My weight[4]
What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?
It controls, in theory, the purse strings of our federal government. Which means that, in theory, it controls our federal government. Sadly, it has far too often ceded this control[4]
Do you believe that it’s beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?
SOME previous experience is beneficial but not absolutely necessary. A LIFETIME of experience, conversely, is incredibly detrimental.[4]
What do you perceive to be the United States’ greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?
Restoring opportunity and growth to our society. Bringing back the middle-class ""American Dream.""[4]
If you are not a current representative, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?
Ways and Means. Budget. Armed Services.[4]
Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives?
It is too short. Representatives spend too much time worrying about the next election and fundraising for it. The term should be lengthened but only in connection with term limits.[4]
What are your thoughts on term limits?
I am absolutely in favor of term limits since I believe that a class of professional politicians is an abomination and completely contrary to the principles on which this country was founded.[4]
What process do you favor for redistricting?
A non-partisan, independent commission, guided by rules like Polsby-Popper. An even more important reform, however, would be to introduce something like instant runoff voting, but this is a long discussion.[4]
If you are not currently a member of your party’s leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives, would you be interested in joining the leadership? If so, in what role?
Not applicable[4]
Is there a particular representative, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?
There are many aspects of Ron Paul that are admirable but I wouldn't want to ""model"" myself on anyone. Among current Representatives, Justin Amash from Michigan and Thomas Massie from Kentucky would be kindred souls.[4]
Both sitting representatives and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?
Almost any story of someone whose life, or the life of a loved one, has been destroyed by our insane and pointless foreign interventions.[4]

Bio submission

Barris answered the question, "What is your political philosophy?" on Ballotpedia's biographical information submission form. Below is his response:

As a Libertarian, I believe in the maximum of personal freedom and the minimum of government. I believe that we should strive for these goals through the mechanisms incorporated in our Constitution, being: an absolute protection of individual rights, a separation of powers (with Congress as the dominant branch of government), and the devolution of government action to the state and local level.[4]
—Roger Barris[1]

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. 1.0 1.1 Information submitted on Ballotpedia's biographical information submission form on May 4, 2018
  2. Note: The candidate's answers have been reproduced here verbatim without edits or corrections by Ballotpedia.
  3. Ballotpedia's candidate survey, "Roger Barris's responses," April 4, 2018
  4. 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 4.15 4.16 4.17 4.18 4.19 4.20 4.21 4.22 4.23 4.24 4.25 4.26 4.27 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.


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