PHILOSOPHY
My overarching political philosophy stems from a belief that we, as individuals, families, and small businesses, are better equipped to govern our lives than politicians and bureaucrats in Washington. It is this belief in self-determination, American ingenuity and entrepreneurship that led America to become the most free and prosperous country in the history of the world.
From the founding of our nation, the American people have understood that freedom is not without costs and throughout history we have been willing to pay those costs. But the policies being advanced by our current political leadership under the guise of hope, change, and populism, raise serious questions as to what extent the current generation of political leadership is willing to pay these costs any longer.
These policies include bailouts and takeovers of private companies, the insertion of government into the intimate health care decisions of middle class families, the nationalization of student loans, the so-called ‘stimulus’ and ‘cash for clunkers’, the House-passed cap-and-trade bill that will force private businesses overseas and will increase utility costs for middle class families by an estimated 20%, and the financial reforms that, according to the Heritage Foundation, “represents the largest expansion of Washington’s role in the financial industry since the Great Depression.”
To be sure, I believe government is necessary for civilized society. I believe in good government that is limited by, and responsive to, the consent of the people. As President Ronald Reagan once said, we need our government “to stand by our side, not ride on our back.” This is the type of government our founders envisioned, and this is the type of government I am seeking to restore.
TOP PRIORITIES
Preserving the American Dream for Future Generations
Eastern Iowans of all political stripes face a serious economic threat to our way of life and the policies of President Obama, Nancy Pelosi, and Bruce Braley are making it worse. Since we sent Bruce Braley to Washington and gave one party control of Congress in 2006, the national debt has nearly doubled, unemployment has skyrocketed from 4.6% to 9.5%, and home ownership rates have sunk to the lowest levels in a decade with nearly 19 million homes sitting empty across America.
This threat is real and it is now. According to the Government Accountability Office, we face an “unsustainable growth in debt.” The Congressional Budget Office has also stated that our debt poses “significant economic risks.” Moody’s has warned that the Triple-A credit rating of the United States could be downgraded without changes in federal policy. In August 2010, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff concluded that the exploding national debt is the single biggest threat to U.S. national security. In other words, according to President Obama’s own top military advisor, the single biggest threat to U.S. national security isn’t terrorism, it isn’t Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, or North Korea, it’s the economic policies being advanced by this administration and our own elected representatives, including Bruce Braley who has cast his lot with Nancy Pelosi 98% of the time.
For decades, politicians of both political parties have borrowed money on the backs of our children to pay for programs they simply couldn’t afford. As a result, every new child who is born today now owes $43,000. But when we consider the fact that only 53% of the population pays federal income tax, this number nearly triples to over $120,000 per taxpayer.
We can either make responsible decisions and preserve the American way of life, or we can continue down our current path and bankrupt what historians could someday say was the greatest failed experiment in human history – the American dream.
This economic threat is the defining issue of our time and it’s time for us to say enough is enough. It’s time for us to send a message to Washington. It’s time for us to put a check and balance on this administration and Congress.
On November 2, voters will need to decide – Do we send the same politicians back to Washington and hope for different results, or do we turn the page and elect a new generation of political leaders who are willing to put principle before party and preserve the American Dream for future generations?
Ensuring Affordability and Quality of Health Care for Seniors and Middle Class Families
The health care system in the United States is not perfect, but it is one of the best systems in the world. As a husband, father, and small business owner, I understand firsthand the impact of rising health care premiums on individuals, families, and small businesses. This is one reason why, like most Eastern Iowans, I support health care reform, just not government-run health care reform.
The recently passed Obamacare is bad policy. Evidenced by the following chart, Obamacare will insert a massive government bureaucracy into the intimate health care decisions of seniors, mothers, and the rest of everyday Americans.
Despite it’s goal of expanding coverage, the Congressional Budget Office has since stated that 23 million Americans will continue to be uninsured under this new law. Obamacare includes major tax increases that will impact middle class families, it will limit consumer choice, it will smother small businesses with substantial costs and red-tape, and it will further exacerbate the shortage of doctors.
Most concerning of all, Obamacare pierces a fundamental principle underlying our limited, constitutional government. Through Obamacare, our own elected officials have employed the full powers of the federal government against individual citizens by ordering us to purchase health insurance from private companies against our will and directing the IRS to issue punitive fines to those of us who choose not to comply. In effect, the federal government is now claiming authority to direct citizens to purchase a private good or service from private companies. This is not the role of the federal government, and I support those states who are challenging this action and fighting for liberties guaranteed by the 10th Amendment and our Constitution.
Obamacare is not only bad policy, it was the product of a broken process and a series of broken promises. Democratic leadership promised that the health care bill would be crafted in an open and transparent manner. President Obama, himself, promised on no less than eight occasions that the health care negotiations would be broadcast on C-SPAN. They were not. Instead, the bill was brokered behind closed doors, outside the view of the American people, with special deals cut for key lawmakers.
Bruce Braley held a series of townhall meetings in August 2009 in which Eastern Iowans sent a clear message to Bruce Braley that we did not want Obamacare. He didn’t listen to us. Bruce Braley and the current political leadership shoved Obamacare down our throats. Eastern Iowans have not forgotten, and it is no wonder that a clear majority of Americans still want to repeal Obamacare months after it was enacted.
As in other areas of domestic policy, the current political leadership views government intervention as the solution, rather than the cause, of our current health care challenges. Federal policy has, for years, distorted the private marketplace and created a third-party payment system that inhibits the application of free market principles, i.e., supply and demand, on health care transactions. In fact, most of the time neither the consumer nor the provider even know the true cost of the transaction. To address the true underlying cause of increasing health care costs, I support a market-based solution that will, among other things, put patients and doctors at the center of the health care system, not government.
Protecting America from Foreign Enemies
As stated above, the single biggest threat to U.S. national security, according to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is the exploding national debt. But this is not our only threat. As someone who advised a senior policymaker on issues of national security in the aftermath of 9/11, I understand firsthand that foreign threats are real, they are constant, and they are evolving.
Traditional threats remain while terrorists continue seeking weapons of mass destruction, and nation states continue to build them. Our men and women remain deployed around the world hunting down these terrorists, eliminating safe havens, securing the world’s most dangerous weapons, and making us very proud. But those of us here at home cannot become complacent. These dangers remain real and potentially catastrophic.
My approach to U.S. national security is guided first and foremost by the Constitution, the American people, and the international security environment. Unlike WWII and most of the Cold War, we are living in a world of instantaneous global communications and transnational threats in an age of catastrophic weaponry. I believe in employing all instruments of national power to achieve our national security objectives. I am committed to ensuring that our troops, diplomats, and intelligence personnel, among others, have the tools they need to carry out their mission. I am also committed to ensuring that the strategy, structures, and processes of the United States Government are properly adapted to the modern international security environment. Most importantly, I will support and defend our troops and will make sure they’re taken care of when they come back home.
OTHER PRIORITIES
Agriculture: As the heartland of America, we need to continue to expand scientifically-supported opportunities in renewable energy, promote conservation of our farmland and continue to provide a food source for America and the world.
Education: As a father to two little girls, I understand the importance of education. I believe education starts with parents, teachers, and local communities. A one-size fits all approach to education from Washington politicians does not work. We need to let teachers to teach.
Cap-and-Trade: I oppose cap-and-trade and any energy tax legislation that will force jobs oversees.
Immigration & Border Security: I am all for legal immigration, just not illegal immigration. Our country was founded on immigration, but we are also a country of laws. Thousands of people wait in line, follow the rules and come to this country legally. We cannot reward illegal behavior and we need to secure our border first.
Pro-Family: I am pro-life and believe marriage is between a man and a woman.
Second Amendment: I am a staunch defender of the 2nd Amendment and the individual right to bear arms.
