I believe that most of the time government is not the solution to the problem, it is the problem.  While unemployment within parts of the 43rd district approach double-digits, Madison politicians believe that the government isn’t doing enough.  I argue that government is doing too much.

They are taxing too much.

They are regulating too much.

They are spending too much.

My governing philosophy if I am elected will be to reduce government’s role within the lives of its citizens. To read more about how I feel about the issues, click on the links below.

Where I Stand	Jobs & Economy	Taxes	Gov’t Spending
State Budget	Education	2nd Amendment	Principles & Values

Where I Stand

I’m not a career politician.  I spent 22 years in the military as a Non-Commissioned Officer where I was ordered to do the hardest thing to do, in both business and the military: turn the grand ideas from the “higher-ups” into real-life, achievable solutions.  I will use my years of experience in the military to turn the grand ideas some have into solutions that will work for Wisconsin.  The United States sent me to fight for you in Iraq, and I will continue to fight for you if I am sent to Madison.

To learn more about my experiences in the military, please visit the biography page.

Jobs & Economy

Last year, over 6,500 businesses left Wisconsin, we were ranked as the 8th worst business climate in the nation, and over 250,000 Wisconsinites were without work.  This is simply unacceptable.

I believe in three key principles to bring businesses and jobs back to Wisconsin.

1.  We need to streamline regulation.  All too often, the government butts in to a situation and inserts a regulation that is written and paid for by some special interest, whether it be Trial Lawyers or the ACLU.  The only entity they don’t consult with before the regulation is put into place is the business or industry it will affect.  Wisconsin has had enough of special interests coercing their radical agendas into laws and regulations.

I will stand up to special interests and fight for common-sense, streamlined regulation that will promote business growth and job creation.

2.  We need to end hidden and double taxes.  As if taxes on businesses aren’t high enough, over the past few years, Madison has tried to enact even more ways to tax business.  Whether it’s double-taxing a corporation with branches in multiple states, or taxing the value of business licenses in addition to the fees they already pay (such as a liquor license a bar or restaurant would hold), Madison just can’t have enough of your tax dollars.

I will fight to end hidden and double taxes and treat your your tax dollars as if they were my own.

3.  I think that we must listen closely to small business owners, who are the backbone of our economy.  As I mentioned above, Madison politicians enact regulations and laws that they label “reform” without ever consulting with the business or industry it affects.  While I believe that large corporations can take care of themselves without help, I do believe that small businesses and those who are self-employed deserve a clear and strong voice in Madison.

I will be a voice of reason and a defender of small businesses in Madison.

Taxes

My philosophy on taxes within Wisconsin is very simple.  Taxes are too high.

Jim Doyle and the other liberal politicians have been treating Wisconsin’s businesses as their very own bottomless pit of tax dollars.  They don’t understand that they are taxing businesses out of business.

Last budget cycle, my opponent voted for over $2 billion in new and increased taxes.  This is simply unacceptable.  The liberals in Madison and their billions in tax increases contributed to over 6,500 businesses closing their doors or leaving Wisconsin, kept us in the top 10 worst business climates, and increased unemployment to nearly 10%.

I will continually fight for lower taxes, and the elimination of double or hidden taxes.

Government Spending

Fighting higher taxes is only half of the battle, however.  Politicians from both parties are guilty of promising lower taxes without ever committing to reduce government spending.  The current legislature has ballooned government spending to unsustainable levels.

If I am sent to Madison, I pledge to you that I will continually fight for reduced government spending in addition to lower taxes.

State Budget

Wisconsin’s budget has been filled with accounting gimmicks and fund raids for the last two budgets.  The governor has routinely raided the transportation fund, and now the Zoo Interchange is all but falling down underneath the traffic.  The legislature took $200 million of non-tax dollars from the Patients’ Compensation Fund to fill in holes, and now a court is preparing to rule on the legality of that move, with the most likely outcome being that the state will be forced to repay the money.

Accounting gimmicks and raids of funds needs to stop.  If I am elected, I will push for open accounting of the state budget including the Checkbook Policy, where any citizen can look and see every expenditure by the government, and never raiding any fund to fill budget holes. I believe that the state spends enough, and if there’s a budget hole, it should be filled by reduced spending.

Education

I believe that better schools begin with parental empowerment and local control.  No big government, bureaucratic, ‘fix-it’ plan will ever work.  Parents and communities know what’s best for their schools.

At a state level, schools need healthy competition, clear academic standards, and rewards for outstanding performance.  I also believe in accelerated paths to attaining public teaching certifications for those with significant prior experience.

2nd Amendment Rights

While the 2nd Amendment remains much of a federal issue, especially as it pertains to Supreme Court decisions, I believe strongly in the rights it has bestowed upon the people.

As a former member of the military, I understand very well the lethal power of a gun and the responsibility that it requires. I also understand the purposes of a weapon for self-defense, hunting, and various sports. As such, I will continually fight to preserve your right to bear arms as guaranteed by the 2nd Amendment.

The state of Wisconsin has a proud tradition when it comes to gun rights, and I will continue to uphold that tradition if elected.

Principles and Values

I am a principled candidate committed to standing strong for the timeless values upon which our country was founded and standing stronger against the current politics-as-usual.

I believe that strong traditional marriages produce strong families, which in turn result in strong communities and a strong Wisconsin. Family structure is a major influence in poverty and inequality.

As a state legislator, I will analyze all bills for their impact on marriage and family. This includes legislation that places undue tax or fee burdens on families, making it harder for parents to provide for their families now and in the future. Research conclusively and repeatedly shows that children from intact families are more likely, among other characteristics, to do well in school, receive post-high school education, delay sexual activity, avoid substance abuse, maintain better health, and are less likely to be abused sexually or physically, get into trouble with the law, and experience poverty, than are children who are not living with their married mothers and fathers.

I believe human life is sacred and valuable and therefore must be protected from the moment of conception through natural death. Unborn babies are lives with potential, not potential life. Scientific research that destroys human life, including human embryonic stem cell research, should not be funded with taxpayer money.  Adult stem-cell research has a proven track record of treating or curing well over 70 diseases and illnesses and has no ethical issues. I believe organizations that provide counseling in favor of and refer for and perform abortions should not receive taxpayer money.

I respect the conscience rights of all health-care providers, including pharmacists and emergency-room personnel.  These professionals should not ever have to shed their First Amendment rights and their beliefs, or violate their conscience, in order to work in the health profession.

I support all efforts to teach young people that one of the very best decisions they can make is to remain sexually abstinent until they are married, thereby avoiding unintended pregnancies, sexually transmitted disease, and emotional turmoil such as depression.