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I have a pledge to the people of the 11th District to do five things when I become your Congressman. I will match words with action and—
1) Fight waste and corruption persistently and enthusiastically wherever I can find it;
2)
Function as an independent Republican who upholds conservative
principles while not being obligated to special interests of the Party
power structure;
3)
Focus on constituent services. I believe that negotiating the hurdles
of Washington’s bureaucracy on behalf of those that one serves is among
the most important responsibilities of a Member of Congress;
4)
Protect the future of our children and grandchildren by doing my utmost
to resist deficit spending, reduce our national debt, and illuminate
hidden earmarks and other forms of Washington excess; and
5)
Pursue principles over party, power, personal gain, or popularity. I
will concentrate on doing the right thing and hold onto it until I am
successful … or find a better way.
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On containing government…
The best way to restrain government is not through criticism and complaint, but rather through an insistence on quality. What government undertakes it should be required to do well. When government makes a law, it should be required to enforce that law. Accountability forces maturity in people and government.
On campaigning…
When money leads the day, politicians lose their way. My foremost interest is in reaching the hearts and minds of the people of Western North Carolina – the money and their vote will be up to them. I am unwilling to participate in the pretense of being everything to everyone in order to be elected. I refuse to seduce, pander or dupe the voting public as a means to winning – to do so is an insult the vision of our founding fathers and the values upon which our culture rests.
On health coverage…
The key to improving our health care coverage crisis will not be found in putting Washington in charge of our health care. That makes government bigger and you and me smaller. Increasing efficiencies in the system and reducing the regulatory control and bureaucracy will be a start. Making government fully fund all programs and stop transferring true costs to the private sector is another step. If government must be involved, then let it be through tax credits that help citizens pay for their own health care coverage and retain control of their own health issues.
On Illegal immigration…
Those employers who sidestep our free market economy and hire illegal immigrants are funding the largest mass illegal migration in history. They are also making sure that wages are artificially suppressed for our own citizens trying to make a living. Our society's indifference to the tremendous physical and mental high school dropout rate originates partially in the reality that we do not need these young people as long as we can import a cheap unaccountable labor pool. If the jobs and money go away, so does the flood of illegal immigrants. We should illuminate and fine employers who hire illegals and ignore the handwringing of supporters and a corrupt Mexican government that is transferring their failures to our country. We should stop the leak in the boat before we start talking about fixing the motor.
A balanced budget...
The U.S. Government should not be supported in living beyond its means. That slippery slope leads to bad habits that become custom over time. Today we have a national debt of over 9 trillion dollars and at least half of that money is owed to other countries that are eating our lunch with unfair trade practices. Pursuing a balanced budget amendment will be one of my strongest priorities.
On Our Energy Dependence...
We
are mortgaging tomorrow and funding corrupt governments abroad with
our extreme energy dependence. Opening the doors to capturing the
resources within our borders, stimulating authentic alternative energy
sources, looking to France as a model for sound nuclear, and stopping special interest meddling are crucial to our energy future.
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