January 31, 2012
Issues
Why I am a candidate
I am running for Congress because this country is headed in the wrong direction: runaway spending, bailouts, takeovers and massive government growth and control.
We can’t borrow or spend our way back to prosperity and this certainly won’t create jobs—which is the number one concern for most of us in this country.
We are lectured by the elites in Washington that the financial crisis was largely a result of our ‘living beyond are means’; however, in the first three years of this administration the federal deficit increased three times from $500 billion to $1.5 trillion (each year) and this is only forecast to grow for the next 10 years. Meanwhile, the federal debt has increased by 50%. This represents a almost $50,000 around the neck of every man, woman and child in the country.
There is a conceit coming out of Washington that somehow they know better than we do.
The common American values of life, liberty and limited government are being trampled by those who ‘know better’. Liberals have faith in the government. I have faith in the people. Limited government and individual liberty made this country great, and these are principles we should continue to live by.
I plan to bring this practical common sense approach to Washington, D.C.--An approach that harnesses the creative power of the individual and not the government.
Jobs & the Economy Wall Street may have stabilized, however, the problems on Main Street continue. By the end of 2011, nearly 13 million people have lost their jobs and our unemployment rate is 8.5%.
Since January of 2007, Massachusetts unemployment has almost increased from 4.6% to 7.0%. Here in the District, we see Lawrence with unemployment rate of 18%, Lowell’s unemployment at 10% and Haverhill sitting at 9.5%.
The $787 billion stimulus package didn’t solve unemployment in this country. Jobs created via ‘pork-filled’ stimulus packages are not sustainable. The Whitehouse estimates that 3.5 million jobs were created or ‘saved’. If we use these numbers that means each job created or saved cost the taxpayers $225,000. What will happen to these jobs when the funding is gone? President Obama attempted another round of stimulus spending via is September 2011 Jobs Plan and in this past November Representative Tsongas proposed a 21st Century New Deal government hiring program with no mention of the cost to taxpayers or the number of jobs it would create. We are witnessing a ‘jobless recovery’ and this will be a drag on our economy for years to come. Washington DC jobs summits are great; however, we need jobs now. Small businesses are the engine of job creation in this country. But currently they are reluctant to hire. Why?
Because the current ‘uncertainly’ regarding future government policies is stifling job creation: healthcare, cap and trade, card check, repeal of the Bush tax cuts.
Those won’t be resolved soon so how do we overcome this?
I propose the following:
Lower the corp. tax rate from 35% to 25%.Impose a 1 year moratorium on the implementation of any new regulations.
HealthcareThe Healthcare Reform bill that passed Congress (Obamacare) has done nothing to lower the skyrocket cost of healthcare. One only needs to look at their premium and deductible increases over the past 2 years.
We have the best quality healthcare in the world. But it is also the most expensive. Why? The inefficiencies. Costs need to be lowered while quality maintained.
I propose the following:
Let’s permit individuals to purchase insurance across state lines. This will force insurance companies to compete for business via lower premiums.Businesses can deduct healthcare costs; let’s extend the same treatment to individuals.End state healthcare ‘mandates’, which increase the cost for tests that many will never needTort reform: $54 billion in savings over 10 years….Harry Reid dismissed this as a drop in the bucket…but what he neglected to talk about was the $ saved by ending the practice of ‘defensive’ medicine.
Spending & National Debt Our current fiscal policy is unsustainable.
Current levels of government spending cannot be financed at today’s level of taxation.
Eventually, we will find ourselves paying higher interest rates to attract such capital and the resulting mortgage on future national incomes will diminish our standard of living.
The government needs to encourage the longer-term goal of promoting economic growth through more adequate saving and investment. We can’t borrow our way to sustainable prosperity any more than the housing bubble could sustain itself on perpetually growing debt.
Whether or not you think new spending will stimulate the economy, the one undeniable truth is that this money has to come from somewhere, which means that it is borrowed or taxed from the private economy. The recent rate of spending all but guaranteeing huge future tax increases, and anyone who thinks only "the rich" will pay is living an illusion.
Energy IndependenceI believe that we should protect our environment from the harmful effects of pollution and that we should pursue opportunities for alternative sources of energy such as wind, solar, and nuclear power.
I do not believe that the government should ‘encourage’ the use of new technology via the use of punitive taxes on older, less efficient technology. I believe the free market should determine how and when these sources are brought to market, not the heavy hand of the government.
I believe that the clean energy sector could be the dynamic growth engine for our economy with the potential to create thousands of jobs. The growth of this industry will create a virtuous circle in which sustainable jobs are created, energy costs decline and our dependence on foreign energy sources diminished. The government can help facilitate such innovation via tax code changes, modified capital gains tax and increased investment tax credits.
However, we must continue to preserve our current supply of energy while we allow for these new technologies to emerge.
Second AmendmentI believe that citizens have the right to keep and bear arms.
Capital PunishmentI support the use of the death in cases where it is justified.
National SecurityCurrently, we find ourselves the target of terrorist groups throughout the world. We must fully fund our nation's military and ensure the men and women in uniform have the tools, training, and care they need and deserve.
TerrorismKilling Americans on US soil is no different than killing Americans in the field of battle. These enemy combatants do not deserve the protection of the United States Constitution. They should be held by the military and tried in military tribunals. Further, enemy combatants should be housed at military prisons on secure military installations and not in the public correctional facilities of our country.
ImmigrationRonald Reagan signed comprehensive immigration reform in 1986. Almost 3 million illegal immigrants were given a path to citizenship. The legislation failed and now more than 20 years later, we find ourselves with four times as many illegals immigrants in the country. The 1986 reform failed because we failed to secure our border and we failed to enforce the laws prohibiting the hiring of undocumented workers.
Before we make any attempt at additional reform we must enforce existing laws:
Secure our bordersRemove the magnets for illegal immigration: Impose strict penalties on any employers who hire undocumented workers; eliminate government entitlements for illegal immigrants.
I am running for Congress because this country is headed in the wrong direction: runaway spending, bailouts, takeovers and massive government growth and control.
We can’t borrow or spend our way back to prosperity and this certainly won’t create jobs—which is the number one concern for most of us in this country.
We are lectured by the elites in Washington that the financial crisis was largely a result of our ‘living beyond are means’; however, in the first three years of this administration the federal deficit increased three times from $500 billion to $1.5 trillion (each year) and this is only forecast to grow for the next 10 years. Meanwhile, the federal debt has increased by 50%. This represents a almost $50,000 around the neck of every man, woman and child in the country.
There is a conceit coming out of Washington that somehow they know better than we do.
The common American values of life, liberty and limited government are being trampled by those who ‘know better’. Liberals have faith in the government. I have faith in the people. Limited government and individual liberty made this country great, and these are principles we should continue to live by.
I plan to bring this practical common sense approach to Washington, D.C.--An approach that harnesses the creative power of the individual and not the government.
Jobs & the Economy Wall Street may have stabilized, however, the problems on Main Street continue. By the end of 2011, nearly 13 million people have lost their jobs and our unemployment rate is 8.5%.
Since January of 2007, Massachusetts unemployment has almost increased from 4.6% to 7.0%. Here in the District, we see Lawrence with unemployment rate of 18%, Lowell’s unemployment at 10% and Haverhill sitting at 9.5%.
The $787 billion stimulus package didn’t solve unemployment in this country. Jobs created via ‘pork-filled’ stimulus packages are not sustainable. The Whitehouse estimates that 3.5 million jobs were created or ‘saved’. If we use these numbers that means each job created or saved cost the taxpayers $225,000. What will happen to these jobs when the funding is gone? President Obama attempted another round of stimulus spending via is September 2011 Jobs Plan and in this past November Representative Tsongas proposed a 21st Century New Deal government hiring program with no mention of the cost to taxpayers or the number of jobs it would create. We are witnessing a ‘jobless recovery’ and this will be a drag on our economy for years to come. Washington DC jobs summits are great; however, we need jobs now. Small businesses are the engine of job creation in this country. But currently they are reluctant to hire. Why?
Because the current ‘uncertainly’ regarding future government policies is stifling job creation: healthcare, cap and trade, card check, repeal of the Bush tax cuts.
Those won’t be resolved soon so how do we overcome this?
I propose the following:
Lower the corp. tax rate from 35% to 25%.Impose a 1 year moratorium on the implementation of any new regulations.
HealthcareThe Healthcare Reform bill that passed Congress (Obamacare) has done nothing to lower the skyrocket cost of healthcare. One only needs to look at their premium and deductible increases over the past 2 years.
We have the best quality healthcare in the world. But it is also the most expensive. Why? The inefficiencies. Costs need to be lowered while quality maintained.
I propose the following:
Let’s permit individuals to purchase insurance across state lines. This will force insurance companies to compete for business via lower premiums.Businesses can deduct healthcare costs; let’s extend the same treatment to individuals.End state healthcare ‘mandates’, which increase the cost for tests that many will never needTort reform: $54 billion in savings over 10 years….Harry Reid dismissed this as a drop in the bucket…but what he neglected to talk about was the $ saved by ending the practice of ‘defensive’ medicine.
Spending & National Debt Our current fiscal policy is unsustainable.
Current levels of government spending cannot be financed at today’s level of taxation.
Eventually, we will find ourselves paying higher interest rates to attract such capital and the resulting mortgage on future national incomes will diminish our standard of living.
The government needs to encourage the longer-term goal of promoting economic growth through more adequate saving and investment. We can’t borrow our way to sustainable prosperity any more than the housing bubble could sustain itself on perpetually growing debt.
Whether or not you think new spending will stimulate the economy, the one undeniable truth is that this money has to come from somewhere, which means that it is borrowed or taxed from the private economy. The recent rate of spending all but guaranteeing huge future tax increases, and anyone who thinks only "the rich" will pay is living an illusion.
Energy IndependenceI believe that we should protect our environment from the harmful effects of pollution and that we should pursue opportunities for alternative sources of energy such as wind, solar, and nuclear power.
I do not believe that the government should ‘encourage’ the use of new technology via the use of punitive taxes on older, less efficient technology. I believe the free market should determine how and when these sources are brought to market, not the heavy hand of the government.
I believe that the clean energy sector could be the dynamic growth engine for our economy with the potential to create thousands of jobs. The growth of this industry will create a virtuous circle in which sustainable jobs are created, energy costs decline and our dependence on foreign energy sources diminished. The government can help facilitate such innovation via tax code changes, modified capital gains tax and increased investment tax credits.
However, we must continue to preserve our current supply of energy while we allow for these new technologies to emerge.
Second AmendmentI believe that citizens have the right to keep and bear arms.
Capital PunishmentI support the use of the death in cases where it is justified.
National SecurityCurrently, we find ourselves the target of terrorist groups throughout the world. We must fully fund our nation's military and ensure the men and women in uniform have the tools, training, and care they need and deserve.
TerrorismKilling Americans on US soil is no different than killing Americans in the field of battle. These enemy combatants do not deserve the protection of the United States Constitution. They should be held by the military and tried in military tribunals. Further, enemy combatants should be housed at military prisons on secure military installations and not in the public correctional facilities of our country.
ImmigrationRonald Reagan signed comprehensive immigration reform in 1986. Almost 3 million illegal immigrants were given a path to citizenship. The legislation failed and now more than 20 years later, we find ourselves with four times as many illegals immigrants in the country. The 1986 reform failed because we failed to secure our border and we failed to enforce the laws prohibiting the hiring of undocumented workers.
Before we make any attempt at additional reform we must enforce existing laws:
Secure our bordersRemove the magnets for illegal immigration: Impose strict penalties on any employers who hire undocumented workers; eliminate government entitlements for illegal immigrants.
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