In a state where the military is one of the biggest employers, Donovan sees the submarines made at Electric Boat, the engines at Pratt & Whitney and helicopters at Sikorsky as providing goods that protect the U.S. and deserve to be supported.
“Do I want to cut defense? Yes. Do I want to hurt Connecticut? No, but I think I have to dive in and see what is out there,” Donovan told the Brookfield Democratic Town Committee when asked about military costs.
“The president is engaged in an effort to reduce federal debt while maintaining national security and I am in tune with the overall goal of looking at spending while determining and maintaining our national security needs,” he said in a later discussion.
Donovan said he is concerned with Iran developing nuclear weapons and Israel’s safety and he would continue the pressure Obama is putting on them through sanctions, which he believes are working.
On taxes, the candidate said: “I’m on the Warren Buffet plan — the pay-your-fair-share plan” that would raise taxes on the highest earners who have benefited from the Bush tax cuts.
On the pushback to financial reforms: “Unregulated Wall Street almost destroyed our country. We have to protect against unfettered greed,” Donovan said.
The candidate said he would stop giving tax breaks to companies which subsidize the shift of jobs overseas and reward those who increase work in the U.S.
“I see government’s role in the private sector to provide that free highway for them to conduct commerce, pushing energy costs down, having a plan for affordable healthcare and providing education and transportation improvements so they can grow their jobs,” he said.
He said part of the contract is that businesses treat their employees decently.
Donovan said there is a small business in Meriden that stopped producing for a week when electricity was out because of Tropical Storm Irene.
