BORDERS * LANGUAGE * CULTURE

There is no meaningful, effective way to deal with our immigration problems without first securing our borders. On October 26, 2006 President Bush signed a bill authorizing the construction of a fence along the U.S.-Mexican border–a bill that had passed the Senate by a vote of 80 to 19. So we are well past the point where political correctness prevents debate over a border fence–the fence was approved four years ago and now needs to be built!

Regarding our Language and Culture, the lack of assimilation among many immigrants now threatens to divide us in a very destructive way. A great nation must be united by a common language, but once again politcal correctness is making efforts to strengthen our ability to communicate very difficult. It is time that we put aside these calculated political roadblocks and declare English as the official language of the U.S. And though people of all cultural and religious backgrounds are welcomed and respected in America, our
citizens, both native and foreign born, must recognize and embrace the exceptional qualities that make us uniquely American as a people. This must include a reversal in the current trend by the government and special interests to erode our religious freedom and deny our heritage as an essentially Christian nation.

ENERGY – CLIMATE – CAP & TRADE

Let President Obama’s own words make my point: “Under my plan [of "Cap & Trade"] electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket” (January, 2008 – San Francisco Chronicle); what more need be said? Implementation of this legislation will create massive new governmental regulation, kill jobs, and cause economic disaster; utilities for individual homes would increase about $1,200 a year, gas would rise to as much as $6.00 a gallon, and new taxes would add to the cost of literally every product and service that we use.

The current drive by the federal government to regulate carbon emissions is based on bogus science, much of which is based on speculation and flawed research, record-keeping and manipulation of data. We do, in fact, need to develop a wide array new alternative energy sources and become energy independent from unstable and often hostile foreign governments, but there are many common-sense, free-market solutions that will make this possible, without further destroying our national economy. Increased oil and clean coal production will allow us to put thousands of Americans back to work, while research and development in alternative energy moves forward. However, in addition to all of this, Congress must conduct a thorough and far-reaching examination of the role and the influence of the EPA, an agency which has acquired far too much regulatory power in recent years.

AUDIT THE FED

I am in total support of S. 604, given the opportunity I would have voted for the audit. Our Congressman co-sponsored the bill to make his constituents happy, but then voted “NO” when it came time to vote on the bill.

FAIR TAX – H.R. 25

I believe that the Fair Tax is the best plan for income tax reform, since it eliminates all federal taxation on businesses and employees, allowing working people to keep 100% of their earnings. The Fair Tax will eliminate the IRS and replace the present cumbersome tax code with a federal sales tax, a far more equitable plan that assures that everyone —including those who currently operate outside of the law—contribute to the system. Taxation under this plan is determined by the amount which an individual chooses to spend—- and not by confiscating an ever-increasing portion of what they earn. Thus I feel the Fair Tax is far more consistent with the all-important concept of individual liberty upon which our country is based.

HEALTH CARE -

I stand totally opposed to any form of government-controlled health care. Since we all agree that reform is needed, why not attack the real problems of the present system? An essential part of any effective plan is tort reform, which will limit the outrageous costs for liability insurance that doctors must bear; this will automatically bring down costs to the patient by almost 50%. Secondly,
we need portability laws that will allow us to purchase health insurance across state lines, which will set the free market into motion and significantly reduce costs, thanks to increased competition in the industry. Third, we must preserve the all-important relationship between doctor and patient by keeping government bureaucrats out of the process. Fourth, empower the consumer by allowing them to control payment through personal medical savings accounts.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION -

Is it any wonder that states such as California, New York, and Illinois are experiencing economic melt-down, considering the massive drain on their budgets caused by Illegal Immigration? The Federation for Immigration Reform estimates the cost of Illegal Immigration to Hoosier tax-payers for the year 2005 at $259 million! We don’t need blanket amnesty or unlimited immigration as favored by the Obama administration— we need our elected officials to support legal, law-abiding Americans who are forced to foot the bill for those who have broken our country’s immigration laws! I would first suggest that every illegal alien currently being housed in a U.S. prison be deported to their country of origin; the cost to American tax-payers to feed, clothe and house them is a major burden
to the U.S., as are the costs of the abuse to our education, medical and social service systems.

One simple but effective way to deal with this issue is to adopt the E-Verify system, which penalizes businesses which profit from illegal labor. And while Americans continue to welcome legal immigrants with open arms, illegal immigration continues to drain our state coffers dry, while congress refuses to act for fear of offending special interest groups. I will vigorously support
legislation to enforce our nation’s immigration laws and to secure our borders.

JOBS -

Job creation must be the #1 priority to pull us out of our failing economy. Every policy decision that comes out of the current administration seems to be specifically designed to halt economic growth in the private sector. It is impossible to tax and spend your way out of our problem. Secondly, as always seems to be the case in socialist countries, we are currently witnessing a huge expansion of the public sector (the government bureaucracy), while the private sector (businesses and industry) is being left to flounder. Small businesses create 80% of all jobs in the country, but they are steadily losing their ability to hire, while the administration continues to add thousands of high-paying government jobs—all of which must be paid for by the ever-shrinking tax base of the private sector!

John F. Kennedy (in 1962) and Ronald Reagan (in 1986) both understood that raising taxes and increasing spending would only damage the economy further. They both cut taxes across the board, which increased the amount of disposable income for every American. Both Kennedy and Reagan cut Corporate and Capital Gains rates that also stimulated economy. Bear in mind that success is duplicated— not reinvented.

BALANCED BUDGET –

I would like to see a Balanced Budget Amendment passed, as long as we spend the money generated by good fiscal policy and not raise taxes to achieve a balance budget.

MARRIAGE –

I believe that the institution of marriage, the building block upon which our entire civilization is based, should officially be defined as a relationship between one man and one woman.

NATIONAL SECURITY -

I believe that the current administration’s alarming policies regarding terrorism are placing American citizens at greatly increased risk; the government’s handling of the Christmas Daybomber, the Time’s Square bomber, the Fort Hood massacre, in addition to their politically-charged policy towards Gitmo have announced to the world that we are indeed vulnerable ill-equipped to deal with terrorist plots.

A strong national security assures us our precious freedoms and liberties, which countless Americans have died to preserve. This is why it is so important to win back Congress in 2010 and restore our nation’s level of security as prescribed by the Enumerated Poewers of our Constitution. Protection of our borders is again a vital part of our security.

TERM LIMITS -

I strongly support term limits: U.S. Senate – two terms (12 years) and U.S. House of Representatives – six terms (12 years). A seat in Congress should not provide a life-time job!