My Thoughts and Philosophy on . . .

Accountability/Responsibility

During my prior time in office I always liked keeping in touch with people, encouraging their involvement, and receiving their feedback. If elected, I will use this website to provide weekly reports on the activities of the legislature with an emphasis, once again, on people’s involvement.

Favorite quotes: "Our destruction, should it come at all, will be from another quarter. From the inattention of the people to the concerns of their government." - Daniel Webster

“Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democratic answer, but the right answer. Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past. Let us accept our own responsibility for the future. “ - John F. Kennedy

Openness in Government

Openness in government is imperative. In a sense, elected officials are employed by the people...hired through the voting process to represent and protect the rights of the people. Can you imagine telling your boss (bosses): “I don’t want you to know what I’m doing so I’m closing the door. Now, Go away and let me do my job.”?

Favorite Quote: “The liberties of a people never were, nor ever will be, secure, when the transactions of their rulers may be concealed from them”. - Patrick Henry

Taxes

From Thomas Jefferson to Ronald Reagan, concerns were raised about the ability of government to tax people on everything from their productivity to their leisure. The high cost of maintaining government is a constant source of debate amongst politicians.

It is hard to justify tax increases when so many people are having a difficult time managing to keep their homes, not to mention the high cost of fuel and food. We should be looking for ways to lower and in some cases eliminate taxes. Every time the government spends money on a new program or to expand an existing one, they’re writing a check on money that comes from the taxpayer’s earnings.

Favorite quote: "Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it." - Ronald Reagan

Education

The protection and education of children is a high priority. I don’t know anyone who wants children to grow up illiterate or unable to count change. Parents have both the responsibility and the right to make sure their children are protected and educated. That includes the right to choose where they educate their children.

Favorite quote: “The essence of teaching is to make learning contagious, to have one idea spark another.” - Marva Collins, black teacher who established a private school in the inner city ghetto area of Chicago, offering poor black students a classical education.

Free Society

The ability to buy and sell; to trade; to come and go without fear; to worship or not worship as one pleases and to speak freely; these are things that set us apart from oppressed countries.

We must be vigilent if we are to remain a free society. We must not let special interest  over rule the best interest of the people, restricting their rights through legislation and causing them loss of freedom.

Favorite quote: "When buying and selling are controlled by legislation, the first things to be bought and sold are legislators." - P. J. O'Rourke

Principles vs. Political Expediency

Be leery of public officials with too much ambition. The quest for position and power often leads to the compromise of principles, which leads to corruption. I would rather have my representative be more concerned about the rights and welfare of the people, than about how he will be perceived by his colleagues or the media.

Favorite Quote: “In matters of style, swim with the current; In matters of principle, stand like a rock.” - Thomas Jefferson

The Media

Favorite Quote: “I believe in equality for everyone, except reporters and photographers.” - Gandhi