On The Issues

CREDO: REFORMATION, NOT TRANSFORMATION

Conservatives are believers in the American Model of Freedom and Liberty. We believe it is our responsibility to remind our fellow citizens of the blessings of freedom and the responsibilities that stem from those blessings. As Ronald Reagan so succinctly said it:

“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.”

Conservatives believe that Government is established by the governed, to preserve protect and defend our freedom, nothing more. Government does not possess the ability to solve all your problems. Government should strive to ensure equality of opportunity, not outcomes. You have the right to pursue happiness, but no government can guarantee it to you. Limited government is therefore the preferred form, since government will only get in your way of achieving the outcomes you desire and hence your happiness. As individuals we will continue to have certain fears and concerns that may be reduced through certain social-safety-nets, but will never be eliminated.

We believe that we have an obligation to future generations to leave the country in as good or better condition than we found it. That means that we are stewards of everything from our environment, to our fiscal affairs, to our national security. We should not increase the debt, as a percentage of the economy, and leave it to future generations to correct through generational taxation.

In this light, as a true Conservative, I have developed some basic stances and beliefs that are outlined below. You need not agree or believe in everything that I do to be a friend and a fellow patriot. But my ideology is what brands me with the label Conservative. If you believe in an America where “we the people” could and should guide its destiny. Please join with me and allow me to represent your interests. I promise that I will never waiver from strict Conservative philosophies and I will always remember that I represent your interests. 

Following the Rules and Term Limits

1. For far too long Congress and Bureaucrats have exempted themselves from the rules that they prescribe for the “rest of us”. This MUST and WILL end. Congress must lead by example and be subjected to EVERY single item laid down for the citizenry with an earlier application date if possible. For example, if Congress passes Health Care they should have themselves and their families be subjected to the plan they outline for a period of time before they impose the plan on the general citizenry. If Congress are our “PUBLIC OFFICIALS” working for “THE PEOPLE AMERICAN PEOPLE” let’s treat them as such. Nothing more and nothing less!
2. The citizens of each state must consider the establishment of term limits for Congress, not to exceed twelve (12) years for any reason (two senate terms and six house terms). Your Representative should insist upon it and if the people of the state do not correct this by law they should promise to be bound by such regardless.

Health Care Insurance, Healthcare, and the Supply of Medical Professionals

1. Healthcare policies will be owned by the person covered regardless of who pays the premium and will be portable across State lines.
2. Health insurance carriers will be allowed to sell their policies across State lines.  
3. Healthcare policies once issued are non-cancellable for any reason other than the failure to pay the premium.
4. Health Insurance Carriers will be encouraged by tax and other policies to form high-risk pools for persons with pre-existing conditions to allow more affordable care for those individuals and to include members of the family in a group that will lower the risk exposure for the insurer since it will consist of a mixture of healthy and pre-existing persons. 
5. Tort Reform will be instituted for reasonable and prudent care under the facts and circumstances. Providers can still be sued for violation of the standards set and gross negligence.
6. Private insurers will be encouraged by tax and other policies to establish reasonably priced Catastrophic Health Plans (CHPs).
7. Tax advantaged Health Savings Account (HSAs) and Medical Savings Accounts (MSAs) will be increased and encouraged to be linked to Catastrophic coverage by private insurers.
8. Special educational incentives (loan forgiveness) will be provided to Medical personnel (Doctors, Nurses, Technicians and others) who provide their care in areas that are under-served and in areas where the demand for medical care is out-paced by demand.
9. Illegal aliens will specifically NOT be covered by Health Insurance that provides any tax benefit or other use of public funds.
10. Covered medical procedures will not include abortion for any policy that receives tax benefits or other use of public funds.
11. Medicare, Medicaid, Veterans, Chips and other government sponsored health care plans will be reviewed for ways to provide better quality care at lower prices. Persons receiving benefits will be incentivized by providing more coverage for their efforts at reducing costs and improving quality of health care delivered. 
12. Bulk buys of prescriptions from pharmaceutical companies by health care providers to reduce costs.

Restoration of the Constitution, Federalism and Regulation

1. Every piece of legislation considered by Congress must state exactly how it is either explicitly or implicitly permitted by the Constitution without reference previous law. If the legislation is found to be implicitly allowed under the constitution by a super-majority (two-thirds) vote of the legislators, then and only then will the legislation be considered. 
2. Establish a review of each and every law passed at the Federal level to ensure that the authority for such law be explicitly or implicitly permitted by the U.S. Constitution as originally passed by the founding fathers using language in effect at the time of enactment. Laws found not emanating from the constitution should be overturned and withdrawn.
3. Require that every Federal Regulation be challenged for its need, wording, impact on a free-society, its cost, and its ability to devalue private property. The goal of which would be to reduce by a factor of TEN the Regulations that deprive citizens of freedom, impose unnecessary costs, restrict commerce and deprive citizens and their creations (companies) of the free use and value of our property.

National Defense, Homeland Security, Veterans Affairs, the Boarder and Immigration   

1. Allow the U.S. Military to win the War on Terror in Iraq and Afghanistan by removing the restrictive rules of engagement, having the civilian administration define victory and allowing the Military to achieve it. After which the Military will be brought home.  
2. Support the CIA, FBI and State and Local Law Enforcement in keeping our nation safe by fully supporting the Patriot Act and wiretapping authority including computers, tough interrogation techniques, the renewing of the Guantanamo Bay detention facility, and increasing the ability to share intelligence between and among the members of law enforcement at all levels.  
3. Increase the rewards of those who serve in the Military, especially those who have partaken in combat and hostile situations, with a renewed GI Bill, improvements to Veterans Care and facilities, and ensuring that the offspring of those fallen never have to worry about funding their educational needs.
4. The completion and enhancement of vital border fencing. Provide the funding, support and personnel required by the Border Agents, State & Local Officials and Citizens on the Boarder to secure the Boarders. The lock down the boarders to ensure that illegal entrants are prevented from entering and if they enter significant fines, imprisonment, deportation and a lifetime ban on immigration by the individual and his family members discourage re-entry including persons who over-stay their Visa.
5. The ending of chain migration, the establishment of a law prohibiting establishing citizenship on law-breakers and the inability to grant amnesty to non-citizens who break our laws. Increasing penalties by a factor of ten paid by companies that employ illegal immigrants after the establishment of the e-verify system and improving the e-verify system to keep ahead of counterfeiters and other criminals. Increasing the penalty for creating and trafficking in counterfeit documents to discourage assistance.   

Taxes, the Budget, Free-Markets and Small Business

1. Initial Tax incentives will be instituted to spur the formation and development of new capital and to encourage entrepreneurship, research and development.
2. Taxes incentives include the re-establishment of the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) for purchasing tangible personal property for business purposes.
3. Other tax incentives will include re-establishing and increasing the Jobs Credit for the creation of new jobs or for restoring jobs recently cut with a special emphasis in areas that have been hard hit by the recession.
4. Capital gains tax rates will be lowered back to 15% and 5% depending on an individual’s tax bracket and will be indexed for inflation.
5. Earmarks will be made illegal by Congressional action and the establishment of a Constitutional Amendment against such practice and the establishment of a Balanced Budget Amendment must be passed.
6. Regulations that inhibit free-markets will be proposed to be suspended for a period of two years or until growth (GDP) exceeds 5% for one full year.
7. There will be a special low tax rate for earnings on small businesses under $250,000 of gross receipts and under $100,000 of net income.
8. There will be an increase in Research and Development Tax Credits for all businesses with a special emphasis on alternative energy sources as well as a General Business Credit for the refining, exploration and development of new technologies to find and exploit gas, oil, coal, shale, and nuclear energy sources. There will be a special credit for the production of Clean-Coal facilities.
9. Licenses and permits to build new nuclear power plants and gasoline and diesel refining will be fast-tracked and Federal and State regulations will be reduced to allow them to come on-line faster so long as they are completed in an environmentally-friendly manner.
10. Tax credits will be provided for the purchase of replacement and new energy efficient products.
11. The law allowing groups without traditional “standing” in legal cases will be over-turned. 

Foreign Policy and an Anti-Appeasement Stance

1. Continue the pre-Obama U.S. Policy on the non-appeasement of countries on the terrorist watch and support lists and those dictatorships including Iran, Syria, North Korea, Libya, Cuba and Venezuela.
2. Not to vote to commit U.S. troops to any areas unless and until VITAL American interests are challenged or if significant and long-standing Allies are threatened.

Education

1. The abolition of the Federal Education Department since it is a State’s right issue. 
2. Establish a Federal Council on Education Excellence and Competitiveness that:
3. a) Encourages the use of Vouchers and other instruments of Choice in local communities
   b) Encourages the use of testing for teachers to ensure that they stay on the cutting edge of their professions.
   
4. Establish the separation of teachers from political parties by having the IRS disallow the favorable tax treatment for any union that improperly supports political parties or candidates.

Miscellaneous

1. Unions will be subjected to Anti-Trust and other anti-competitive laws and rules as other businesses.
2. Judges to the Federal and Supreme Court should be originalists who recognize that their job is to interpret the Constitution, and NOT legislate from the bench

Social Security and Medicare

1. Social Security must be saved from Bankruptcy through the establishment of a “real trust fund” and allowing individuals control over their own accounts, a series of market reforms, increasing the age of future recipients now that people are living longer, allowing people to opt out of social security if other means of securing the future are assured, means testing (but allowing removal of the amount paid plus reasonable interest), and other recommendations from a special committee studying the problem so long as they are fair and market-based solutions. 

Medicare must be saved from Bankruptcy by the establishment of a “real trust fund” and allowing individuals control over their own accounts, a series of market reforms, increasing the age of future recipients now that people are living longer, allowing people to opt out of Medicare through personal health insurance, means testing (but allowing removal of the amount paid plus reasonable interest) into a health care account, bulk purchasing of prescription drugs and equipment for beneficiaries, and other recommendations from a special committee studying the problem so long as they are fair and market-based solutions.