Issues

National governments, in a way, are like a businesses, in that they sell “Quality of Life” as their product and compete with other countries for resources, citizens, and tax dollars.  To continue to stay in business in the highly competitive world marketplace, American businesses need to be allowed to produce a quality product which maintains a high quality of life for its employees.  Increasing taxes, regulations, and other mandates on our industries only makes competing with other countries, which are often more pro-business in their regulatory approach, difficult.  Suc

As noted in the section on The Mentality in Washington and America, the government needs to lead us from the current “Age of Entitlement” to an “Age of Empowerment.”  Legislation should seek to encourage Americans to better their lives and some of the “safety nets” in place against failure must be removed, if they only serve to allow welfare recipients to get too comfortable or complacent in their situations.

Does anything even need to be said here?  While parts of Europe are scaling back government or trying to find ways to do so, and even China is expanding free enterprise, American leadership is only finding ways to grow the government?  Although, it appears most people realize an overdeveloped government is not the answer to what ails America, they don’t realize the threat this causes to the overall integrity of the country.

Simplify, Simplify, Simplify.  Almost 17,000 pages make up the maze of tax code we now use. A fair and flat tax with one rate for all without the loopholes and deductions would serve all of us better.

Ronald Reagan said it best in the statement, "Our federal tax system is, in short, utterly impossible, utterly unjust and completely counterproductive…[it] reeks with injustice and is fundamentally un-American… it has earned a rebellion and it’s time we rebelled."

American parents have the right to expect that their children will receive an educational experience that allows them to compete in the global economy, excel at each level, have the ability and knowledge to advance their dreams, and to do so in a safe and productive environment.  Many educational options are currently available in our society such as homeschooling, and public, private, or charter schools. Far too few parents, however, have the option of school vouchers.

Trial lawyers have been exploiting our legal system and rewarding themselves for years.  They continue to be one of the strongest lobby groups and supporters of the left who turn “saving the downtrodden” into vast wealth for themselves.

Over $163 billion is paid out each year in damages and lawyers fees due to nuisance lawsuits.  This affects every industry and every family in America.  Every time we purchase a good or service, we are covering the costs  passed as  the result of these lawsuits against individuals and businesses.  Reform at the federal and state levels is required to reduce the number of frivolous lawsuits and excessive monies being paid out.

The health care debate continues to rage in Washington, but I do not believe this is the defining issue of our time. Instead, I believe it is largely the result of the entitlement mindset in Washington. The American health care system definitely needs adjustments to make it function more efficiently and be more affordable for the average citizen, but these issues are not what is being addressed in the legislation the current Congress is considering.

The current mentality in Washington and America is the number one issue facing us today.  We are in an Age of Entitlement, and if we don’t change soon, it will destroy everything this country has stood for in the past.  We need to move away from this entitlement mindset and towards an “Age of Empowerment.”  However, it is impossible to create within Americans, a sense of their own abilities with over reaching programs that focus too much on handouts, tax oppression, and government takeovers of the private sector.  Indeed, if we are to create an America of empowered

We must evolve our energy production and society to be as efficient and environmentally friendly as possible without compromising or destroying American industry and the economy, and placing unrealistic restrictions on future generations.

Government should promote and encourage the direction of change, not mandate change.  Though the direction must be towards more sustainable/clean energy produced here in America, no energy source should be off the table.  Incentives for innovation, research and development are what are necessary to make this change happen. Current government policies punish corporations that do not agree with many of the far left environmentalist groups and/or do not accomplish what the government wants.  This practice does not foster innovation, rather it impedes it.

Experience [has shown], that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny.     Thomas Jefferson

The federal government has expanded exponentially in recent decades, intruding into almost every aspect of our lives. The Founders never intended Washington D.C. to become Americans’ day care provider, holding our hands and protecting us all.  Government was never intended to meddle in every bit of our business and social lives, nor was it ever meant to make our health care decisions for us.  But it is exactly what has been happening in America because the citizenry, through complacency, has allowed the government to take over everything, including responsibility for their own lives.

Arizona’s constitution, Article 2, Section 26 clearly states that, “The right of the individual citizen to bear arms in defense of himself or the state shall not be impaired…”

The U.S. Constitution states: “The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed”

On Thursday, April 8, 2010, the Arizona House passed a concealed permit law that is now awaiting the governor’s signature. It is about time. As a gun owner I am a strong supporter of the 2nd amendment. The right to self-protection, which is guaranteed by the Constitution, goes back to the founding of America. It is a fundamental right that can only be taken away by the people themselves, not by federal or state governments.

Whether you believe we are in Iraq or Afghanistan for the right or wrong reasons is irrelevant at this time. Let’s leave that debate to the historians.  We are there, and we owe it to the people of those two countries, the taxpayers of the U.S., our troops, and our allies to complete our mission and leave those nations as strong, vibrant, leaders in the Middle East.  Walking out now amounts to leaving two ravaged nations in our wake and expecting others to come in to clean up our mess.

Border Security has to become a priority NOW.  Everyday this gets swept aside is another day American families are put at risk.  Most of the individuals that cross the border illegally come here for economic reasons, but the few who have other designs once on our soil, can harm us in unimaginable ways.