Issues

Issue : Employment

Simply stated, I believe the current administration has done much to stifle employment and fuel our current recession. While the “official” unemployment rate is set at slightly over 10%, that number is meaningless in Michigan. Even the casual observer can deduce that our own unemployment rate is closer to 20 or 25%. “Business” has become the boogeyman, with politicians bad-mouthing the very people that feed the Federal coffers. So what can government do to help business grow ?

I believe any viable candidate for public office should offer solutions instead of lip service. With that in mind, I think it’s high time the State of Michigan restored its reputation as the “Arsenal of Democracy“.

With firearms and ammunition sales reaching record numbers, manufacturing plants are running 24/7 at peak capacity to meet demand. Why are these manufacturers not being courted to come to Michigan ?

Michigan has the idled plants, the skilled trades, the engineers, the steel plants and raw materials, and all the infrastructure needed to produce the highest quality firearm products. What seems to be missing is a concerted effort to cut through red tape and make this great State an attractive option to gun makers. While our legislature has done much to attract the movie industry, this is of nominal benefit to the thousands of unemployed factory workers.

If elected officials in Lansing will assist this effort by restructuring this State’s arcane business tax and pass a comprehensive “sovereignty law” to help make Michigan competitive with other states, I will do my best to bring a major firearms maker to this State. These two components are key to creating these vital manufacturing jobs. I’ve already begun a dialogue with Michigan’s leadership on restructuring the State tax code, and am researching which companies might be interested in expanding operations into this State. A so-called “sovereignty law” would allow a Michigan firearms manufacturer to make & sell firearms to over 700,000 hunters and outdoor enthusiasts right here without Federal interference – if it is built in Michigan, sold to and utilized by a Michigander, there is no need for Commerce Department involvement. Period.

So why hasn’t anyone else stepped up to the challenge when the answers seem so painfully obvious. Simple – promoting firearms is not a “politically correct” topic. In the narrow minds of the uninformed, guns are an evil element of our society, to be regulated and controlled. I say the Second Amendment is to be lauded in a truly free society – an armed populace of voters is to be respected, not ridiculed. In my mind, employing trained factory workers in any manufacturing capacity is worthy of our best effort. Manufacturing jobs create taxpaying citizens, and spin out prosperity for ancillary businesses as a result.

To dismiss the concept of restoring the “Arsenal of Democracy” is to dismiss the value of one our State’s greatest assets – its workers. To let an opportunity to bring manufacturing jobs to Michigan slip by us in order to be politically correct is downright shameful.

Issue : Our Monetary System

“A wise and frugal government, which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned – this is the sum of good government.” (Thomas Jefferson)

Let’s ponder those words for a moment, shall we ? “A wise and frugal government”…… does anyone, anywhere believe that our current crop of professional politicians is either wise or frugal ? Would it be considered frugal to spend your own child’s wages before they’ve  even earned it, then just hand them an IOU for it ? Would it be considered a wise choice to pass laws that you haven’t even read and do not comprehend ?

“which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits”….. You mean to tell me that Thomas Jefferson didn’t believe government should meddle in corporate or business affairs ? But who will protect us from ourselves, from “Big Business” ? You must. It is not the proper role of government to manage private business. It is, however, regulated by our free market system. Innovation and service is rewarded with (gasp!) – wealth. Inferior goods and services are rendered null and void for lack of purchase. What a concept.

“shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned”…. Our Founding Fathers knew full well the proper role of government. I defy anyone to point to that part of the Constitution which states otherwise.

Our system of capitalism, which has served us so well for over 200 years, is under seige. Profiteers have hijacked the system by rigging the rules to benefit the few at the expense of the many. I support legislation to audit the Federal Reserve, for only then can we begin the process of dismantling it.

Instead of a disastrous “value added tax” such as imposed in Europe, I support a flat tax – a fixed rate set by the Federal government – with a caveat. There should be no exemptions to the flat tax for any commodity sold, and a set portion of all the proceeds from a fair tax shall be divided equally between paying down the deficit and purchasing gold and silver. Properly worded legislation that cannot be altered or abused is vital to this effort. Remember the social Security “lock box” fiasco ?

As a nation of consumers, Americans spend approximately 15 trillion dollars each year on goods and services. With a flat tax of just 10%, the Federal government would receive 1.5 trillion dollars annually into its coffers. Setting aside a modest portion of the flat tax will put us on the path toward some urgent goals – paying off the deficit, abolishing the privately-held Federal Reserve, and laying the foundation for a return to the gold standard.

Yeah, I know…. most folks eyes glaze over when you start talking about billions and trillions and gazillions of dollars in debt, so let me break it down in fairly simple terms for you. Congress is spending more money than several generations can make, and the Treasury is simply printing more money to meet the demands of Congress. To make matters worse, our currency has no basis in value – the “full faith and credit” of the U.S. Government….. gee, I wonder what THAT’s worth these days ?

Here’s a simple graphic (link) that illustrates just how big the national debt has become. Warning – looking at the National Debt Clock for extended periods may cause dizziness and/or nausea !

As if all that wasn’t enough to muck up the works, now we’ve got the Wall Street crowd playing around with taxpayer dollars like it’s their own private casino, aided and abetted by professional politicians that see fit to bend the rules to benefit their fattest cronies and campaign donors. And all the while, they pit the American people against the faceless, financial boogeyman of “Big Business” and “Big Oil” and so forth. It’s enough to make you ill, but what can one person do ?

Well, as we say in Detroit – I’m calling ‘em out. Specifically, I’m talking about Senator Debbie Stabenow. When I called her office to express my wishes on how he should vote on the “Cap & Trade” bill being considered in the Senate, I was politely informed that the Senator had “already made up her mind” on the issue. Apparently, the will of the people doesn’t count for much – she will vote along party lines regardless of the consequences to the voters – her employer. Basically, our government is giving us the bird and the shaft at the same time. Well, I just can’t take much more.

This is exactly why I am contemplating a run against Debbie Stabenow. I’m not giving up hope and I’ll give no quarter – I’m mad as hell and I intend to do something about it.

I hope you’ll join me. Get involved. Educate yourself on the Constitution and the Enumerated Powers. Channel your frustrations into finding a viable candidate you can believe in, and work to help them get elected. We can do this !