Issues

I believe in treating people with dignity and respect, even those with whom I disagree, but freedom of speech means NOBODY has the right to tell you what you can or cannot speak or believe.  This includes questioning the actions of government, the freedom to worship and live your life according to the tenets of your faith, the right to decide what your children are taught, and even so-called 'hate speech'.  Free speech does not always result in positive feelings for all, but the right to share those opinions, regardless of their popularity, must be protected.  If we fail, we will find ourselves stunting creativity, crushing independent thought, and both government and business will become more corrupt and less transparent. I may not agree with your opinion, but I will fight tooth and nail to protect your right to express it. 

The second amendment was not about hunting, or even personal protection.  It exists because the founders knew that a well-armed population would not so quickly succumb to the force of tyranny and that actions to restrict this right would serve as an alarm to the people.  I believe that every law-abiding citizen has the right to protect themselves, and I believe the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, should not be infringed. 

Life begins at conception.  Life, especially human life, is the rarest and most precious thing in the universe.  When we abort an unborn baby, we are ending a life.  When the ordinary thought of a highly cultivated people begin to regard 'having children' as a question of pro's and con's, the great turning point has come.

Medical mandates are unconstitutional and should be treated as such.  When left to their own devices human beings are inquisitive and surprisingly adept at identifying and mitigating risk.  It is part of what makes humanity so enduring.  I will never support any government action that mandates its citizens to undergo involuntary medical treatment or provide proof of medical treatment in order to live, work, or travel.

What makes a good school?  It's one to which students want to go and parents want to send them.  It provides instruction in a way that the teachers and students naturally enjoy.  It provides meaningful instruction in the core curricula of reading, writing, and math and cultivates interest in extra-curricular activities such as art, sports, and tech.  Good schools don't need to advertise, the proof is in the success of the student and people generally recognize a good thing and word will spread.  We have an obligation to every new generation to prepare them for the world they will one day inherit.  There is nothing wrong with teaching our children the reality and brutality of the history of mankind, or about biology and the mechanisms of procreation.  It is not the role of our schools, however, to choose a side or insert themselves in every sensitive cultural and political issue of the day.  We need to shift this debate away from "what agent of the state shall determine what kids learn?" and onto something that places the agency in the system where it belongs.  We don't want to tell teachers what to teach.  Education is a passion for most teachers and we want to encourage and reward creative approaches.  The least we ask is that they tell us what they are teaching and allow us to make an informed choice about whether it's what we want for our children. 

Stop by again for updates throughout the race.