It'll take something different than corporate welfare, borrowed handouts from China, and a government printing press on overdrive to fix the nation's troubled economy, according to 11th District Republican Congressional Candidate Carl Mumpower. "Washington helped get us into this mess," said Mumpower, "but with the right leadership, they can help get us out."

Mumpower does not believe that the upcoming economic "stimulus" package is in the best long-term interests of the nation, saying instead that government must live within its means and demonstrate the courage to face real problems head-on. "The stimulus package is more about winning votes with borrowed money than creating American jobs," said Mumpower. "It will have a minor effect - if any - on our $14 trillion economy."

Instead, Mumpower is proposing his own 10-Point Economic Recovery Plan, which calls on Washington to:

1. Pass a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution;

2. Prevent tax cuts from expiring and resist initiatives to raise Federal, State, and Local taxes;

3. Concentrate on resolving core problems (such as social security, health care, illegal immigration, and energy policy) as a means to support the future solvency of our nation and reestablish a measured faith in government;

4. Abate of some of the regulations that are forcing action by financial institutions involved in sub-prime lending and creating "fire sales" and "domino" market reactions;

5. Enforce Fair Trade Agreements with those nations who have a pattern of ignoring, abusing, or sidestepping the mutual requirements of these relationships;

6. Stop inflationary monetary policies which mask market accountability at the expense of the middle class, the value of the dollar, and our credibility in the world economy;

7. Move toward less regulation while enforcing existing regulations with greater thoroughness and consistency;

8. Provide tax and other incentives for domestic manufacturing, oil exploration, petroleum refinement, mining of strategic minerals, and personal savings;

9. Simplify the tax code through passage of a consumption (such as the FairTax) versus income tax;

10. End the federal government's "Community Welfare program" of hidden "earmarks" for special interests and pet projects.

"Many dangers lie ahead for our economy," said Mumpower. "The right answers will not be found by taking the easy way out - or by following Washington's typical pattern of more taxing, more borrowing, and more spending. If we share the solutions and opportunities fairly, America can recapture control over her destiny."

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