State Sovereignty
I strongly believe in the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution
("The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the
States respectively, or to the people.") I am here to work and listen to what the people of this State need and I will stand up
for the rights of the people just as the people will stand up for themselves.
Boosting the Economy
Everything starts with JOBS. Thousands of Colorado jobs, especially manufacturing, have crept away from this state. Some went to
other states and some even overseas and meanwhile I have seen our current governor make changes in regulations in total disregard to
all and any oil and gas exploration making it more costly and very difficult to obtain the proper paper work to continue
drilling, although the type of drilling is very green by any standards. All in the name of the politically correct new energy
economy. What is that exactly? This and more legislation levied against the good people of Colorado needs to be brought to an
end. Oil and gas companies have shut down valuable operations and left the state and taken their high paying jobs with them. There
are many charts to show the effects that natural gas alone have on the economy of this state and the people trying to thrive
within. Coloradans on the Western Slope and all through the state will attest to this. Not only have families been rocked by the
sudden stop in drilling but businesses, hospitals, housing, and many other sectors of the economy have been hard hit as well.
We have all heard and seen that small business is struggling. The housing market fell apart along with many other industries and
services. As the unemployment rate keeps climbing in the US, each state is starting to have to work harder to keep the people in
each state working. This is a struggle that we all have been affected by, be it Western Slope or DJ basin, Trinidad to the Wyoming
line. As I said JOBS are everything and we need to focus on ways to bring back jobs to this state whether it is regulations or
other means.
Education
Education is of the utmost importance, not only to me but to all of our futures. Our kids are the next to inherit our world and I
feel that we need to take steps to make sure they are properly educated and ready for the world and the future that lies ahead of
them. I do not know all the answers nor will I ever say that I do, but I do know right from wrong and above all of the politics there
are ways to give our kids the cutting-edge education that they deserve and let them mold their futures through better choices than their
parents might have made. And together we all can find ways to make that happen. The schools belong to the community and the state
government needs not be too entrenched in governing the schools; that seems to cause waste and over-managed tyrannical situations. My
administration will streamline all government products and make the state government leaner and definitely cleaner. Together we can
do anything we put our minds and hands to.
Transportation
Transportation is the backbone of economic development. No one will dispute that there are roads and bridges in Colorado that need to be
replaced. The federal bailout funds coming to Colorado are more than enough to address approximately 50% of these projects
immediately. There was no need for FASTER legislation asking Colorado motor vehicle owners for $250 million per year in fees (ie, taxes,
but that is another issue) for more improvements. Now we see the state spending so-called stimulus money for road and bridge repair
on bike paths! Governor Ritter is backpedaling on the vehicle registration late fees and claiming he did not understand the impact it
would have on Colorado taxpayers. Trust me, he knew and so did the Democratic legislators who rammed it down all Coloradans' throats. ALL
Colorado taxpayers were victims of the democrat’s money grab during a time when they hold a blatant majority in our state legislature.
Health Care
This subject is even more challenging than education. The reality is we in the US spend much more than any other country per capita on
health care. The costs are running out of control and no one has created a solution. More people than ever are uninsured including
millions of children. This is not acceptable.
Immigration
Illegal immigration is a problem of all borders not just the southern one and it is a matter of national and state security. We must
secure our borders with reasonable and cost effective means to assure not one more illegal alien enters our country. If they are
caught they need to be deported as soon as possible and they must be prosecuted if a crime occurred and deported upon release from
jail or prison. This only addresses the recent arrivals. And for the existing aliens that have assimilated into our culture in most
cases and lead productive and valuable lives, we can continue to deal with them one at a time if they get arrested or we can finally
solve the problem with a compromise.
Because this is a national issue I am not sure we can solve it at a state level but I am sure
we can work on a solution that will benefit the people of our state. In the Age of Terrorism, to say that we cannot secure any one of
our borders is a dangerous sort of defeatism. I support appropriations
for the U.S.-Mexico border fence approved by Congress and the President. I do not support rewarding the act of illegal entry into this
country with citizenship, but I do support allowing those undocumented workers who are already in this country to continue to work and
thus help the American economy recover.
The First Amendment
I believe we should act in the spirit of the First Amendment, go back to free speech, and get away from political correctness. People
will be more apt to report suspicious behavior or acts without fear of being called racist. Free speech is one of the main reasons
we are the country we are today and we need not be held down by Government or have the Government tread on the freedoms that our
ancestors fought so hard for.
The Second Amendment
I support our right to carry and own firearms as stated in the Constitution and I will work for gun owners' rights.
The Death Penalty
I support it.
Thirty over Thirty Tax Plan
I support the elimination of both state and federal taxes on annual income below $30,000, and combined total state and federal taxes
of no more than 30% on annual income above $30,000 (e.g., under such a plan, a citizen of Colorado earning $31,000 annually would
pay $300 in state and federal income tax). Such a combined tax plan would simplify the tax code, eliminate the marriage penalty, and
eliminate the Alternative Minimum Tax.
Federal Term Limits
I believe that many of the problems in our Government today are a result of good people spending too much time doing one thing and
doing it away from their traditional roots. I support an amendment to the Constitution to limit US Representatives to four terms in
the House, and to limit US Senators to two terms in the Senate. While the imposition of term limits on US Congressmen by the States
was struck down by the US Supreme Court in 1995, I pledge, as Governor of Colorado, to appoint only Senators who in turn pledge to
limit themselves to two terms in office, should I be called upon to appoint a United States Senator on behalf of the People of Colorado.
A Bill to Limit the Amount of Pages in a Bill
I will champion a bill to limit the amount of pages in a bill presented in the Colorado legislature to no more than 20 pages. I feel
that if we can limit the amount of pages in a bill we will be able to cut down on excess spending. There will be no reason not to know
what you are signing or voting on.
|
