issues

Education

Education is one of my top priorities. A quality education is the right of every American and is essential to preparing our children for lives of success and fulfillment; however, as a father and a businessman I am painfully aware of the shortcomings of our education system. In addition to the problems with our education system on a national scale, “Ohio ranks 47th in the nation in the share of elementary and secondary education spending that goes to instruction and ninth in the share that goes to administration…49 percent higher than the national average" (Brookings). Ohio can do better in education. If elected I will fight to ensure that:

Our schools teach students the skills necessary to succeed in a 21st century economy
The reformed Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) supports rather than punishes schools
Ohio expands the number of Early College High Schools

Helping Ohio Children Succeed in a 21st Century Economy

We are failing our children by focusing their education around testing and rote memorization of subject material. This does not prepare them for the world of work in the 21st century. I propose to secure more funding for education so we can refocus education in Ohio’s schools so that students learn to manage complex projects, learn to work collaboratively, and use computer technology.

Fair Federal Accountability Policies for Ohio’s Schools

Through No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Washington has unfairly enforced accountability on Ohio schools without providing adequate support. If elected I will fight to reform federal education policy so that Ohio teachers receive federal support for professional growth and are protected from unfair punishment.

Expand the Number of Early College High Schools

Early College High Schools (ECHS) allow students to test out of the last two years of high school so they can take classes at community colleges. I want to get Ohio back on track by encouraging the development of more Early College High Schools and other initiatives that help prepare Ohio students for fulfilling careers.

National Security

The single biggest threat to our national security and the security of the Western world is that posed by terrorist groups, cells, or even single “lone wolf” individuals operating throughout the world. Despite this reality, the Pentagon is spending close to a half a trillion dollars a year on a Cold War defense strategy that fails to properly address the threat of modern day terrorism. We must adopt both a short and long-term strategy to address terrorism, ensuring this threat is contained to the fullest extent possible. To redirect our national security policy I propose we do the following:

Cut the military budget in peacetime
Set a clear cut budget and strategy for wars
Close excess military bases abroad
Endorse a foreign policy of diplomacy over militancy

Less Excess in Military Spending

Osama Bin Laden’s strategy since 2004 has been to draw us into extended wars in an attempt to bankrupt us, and we are playing directly into his hands under our current national security strategy: The United States' defense budget makes up half of global defense spending. It is not military might that will win the “war on terror” but enlightened policies in concert with aggressive intelligence to facilitate the locking down of fissile material and protecting other vulnerable sites that can today be easily breached. In times of peace we could reduce our defense budget to match the combined military spending of the ten next largest military powers. This would be more than enough spending to pursue an aggressive defense strategy centering around counter-terrorism while freeing up more money to spend on domestic issues such as health care, jobs programs, and disaster relief. I will propose a bill that requires any military action approved by Congress to have a clear budget and strategy attached. This will ensure that we do not overextend our military and will force Congress and the President to plan military engagements in a more strategic and fiscally responsible manner.

Diplomacy over Militarism

Military operations that cause widespread “collateral damage” weaken our reputation abroad and make it easier for terrorists to gain recruits. Our diplomatic strategy should address the root causes of terrorism and fundamentalism: poverty, hopelessness, discrimination, and religious and political oppression which produce vulnerable people who are easily recruited by terrorists. America is not safe as long as there are large numbers of people are so miserable that they are willing to sacrifice their lives for a perceived “cause."

Like we did with the Marshall Plan in WWII, we can spend the money wisely to win hearts and minds abroad. People who have a job, access to education, and the hope for a better future are less likely to join terrorist organizations. Fostering development in failing states is not only the ethically right thing to do but it is also a lot cheaper than having to send in the troops down the road to clean house as in Afghanistan or “nation build” as in the case of Iraq. Investing in democracy and modernization abroad will help stabilize these failing states while ensuring they are not forever dependent on the U.S. for aid.

Critics of the our national security policies have pointed out that there are more people playing in military bands than officers in the Foreign Service. We have overly relied upon our military in our foreign policy. I will promote transferring funding from the Department of Defense to the State Department in order to provide a much needed boost to our diplomatic efforts.

Finally we can cut spending and spread goodwill abroad by closing excessive military bases in foreign countries. We maintain an excess number of military bases, many in ally nations that want them removed. Part of balancing our budget is trimming the fat, including unneeded military bases. Furthermore, removing unwanted military bases from allied nations will improve our standing among our allies.

Jobs

The Founding Fathers built strong American markets by protecting them with tariffs on foreign goods, but today American markets are defenseless because of our lax trade policy. We need to balance free markets with prudent rules. The government has a role to play in our economy and that role is to promote the national interest. Here is how we can reform our trade policy to protect the national interest:

Refocus U.S. trade policy serve the national interest
Abandon the WTO & abolish NAFTA
Tax the export of U.S. dollars
Cap the trade deficit
Increase funding for state of the art research

Stop Outsourcing American Jobs

The rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and agreements like NAFTA function to outsource jobs and exploit cheap labor in foreign countries, all in the name of profit. This means less investment at home and less jobs for Americans, all while exploiting foreign workers. We should start a new trade alliance that sets basic behavioral ground rules for participation that encourage job creation at home and curb labor abuses abroad. Too often companies that outsource jobs reap huge profits, dodge taxes, and bring nothing back home. We should reward companies that bring resources back home and punish those that undermine American interests. If elected I will support passage of the Patriot Corporations of America Act (H.R. 1874) which rewards companies for keeping jobs in America. It is also vitally important that we protect the value of our national currency. Many countries tax the export of their currency to encourage investment at home rather than abroad. Taxing the export of our currency will protect its value and encourage businesses to invest in the U.S. rather than abroad.

Reducing Debt while Encouraging Growth

If we are ever going to repay our national debt then we need to revitalize American industry. We must cap the U.S. trade deficit to encourage investment in American industry. This will help us restore our economic stability and strengthen our economic security by ensuring that we are not overly dependent on trade from foreign nations. Government funded research has led to the creation of technological marvels ranging from nuclear power to the Internet. I will ensure that our government invests in America’s future by investing in cutting edge research and development like the Third Frontier program that creates jobs and moves our nation forward.

Good Government

Whether people consider themselves Liberal or Conservative, we can all agree that we want a government we can trust, that does its job, and does not misinform us. One of my top priorities when you send me to Washington will be to work for:

Simple and Powerful Legislative Process Reforms
Open, Honest and Fair Elections
Real Campaign Finance Reform
Transparency and Accountability

Reforming the Legislative Process

I am a fan of the citizen politician; unfortunately, our government today is largely comprised of career politicians, special interest groups and political action committees. Here are the reforms I would propose:

All bills should be justified as Constitutional
Representatives must read and write the bills
Each bill can have only one subject

You would assume that these things already occur, but they do not. Each bill should cite chapter and verse where in the Constitution congress has the authority to enact the particular piece of legislation.

Representatives should write and read all bills. These functions are basic to the lawmaking process yet we often find that our Representatives do not read proposed legislation before voting on it. Furthermore, Representatives rarely write the bills they seek to enact. It is hard for me to envision our founding fathers outsourcing the Constitution to a lobbying group to write and then not reading it before signing their names to it.

Last, I strongly believe we need to limit legislation to one subject at a time for each bill. Allowing for multiple subjects allows legislators to stuff bills full of irrelevant earmarks and amendments. Restricting bills to one subject at a time will help produce better government that works for the people.

Electoral Reform

Possibly the single biggest opportunity to bring about positive change in America is to reform our approach to elections. People are jaded with elections because they do not trust their vote to be counted and feel that it is all driven by who has the most money anyway. Even worse is that when people vote for an independent candidate others call it a “wasted” vote. I will work to fix this perceived lack of integrity by:

Eliminating the concept of “wasted” votes
Give people proof that their vote was counted

As an independent candidate in 2008, I often heard voters tell me that I was the best candidate in the race but that they did not think an Independent could win and they did not want to waste their vote. I propose a model of single-winner voting along the lines of single transferable, Schulze method, approval, or ranked pairs voting. These methods allow voters to rank their preferred candidates so if their #1 candidate is not going to win then their votes go to their #2 candidate. In short, nobody’s vote will ever be “wasted.”

Finally, to give voters proof that their vote was counted I support passage of the Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act of 2009 (H.R.2894). This would guarantee voters a paper receipt confirming that their vote counted.

Real Campaign Finance Reform

Sadly, most members of Congress spend more time fundraising for re-election than they spend on representing the interests of their districts. I want to fix Congress by refocusing the role of representatives back to serving the people and away from the endless cycle of fundraising and campaigning.

Money in politics drowns out the voice of the people. To take the money out of politics I support the passage of the Fair Elections Now Act (H.R.1826) which establishes an option for candidates to seek public financing rather than rely on special interests. I would also vote for passage of multiple bills that would curb money in politics and support the passage of a Constitutional amendment that would ban special interest money in political campaigns. I want every voter to go to the polls knowing that special interests and career politicians do not run our elections.

Promoting Government Transparency

Americans have a civic duty to hold their government accountable and the government should not interfere with that process. I support passage of the Public Online Information Act of 2010 (H.R.4858) which will allow citizens to access government information available under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) online.

I believe the American people should have a chance to comment on any legislation that Congress is voting on and will fight to ensure that all bills are available online for public comment at least 72 hours before Congress votes on them. This protects us from half-baked bills (like the one that bailed out the banks) from being rushed through Congress.

Focus should be on The People not Insurance Companies

Like most Americans, I want to see our health care system reformed. We The People want to see sweeping changes that promote the national interest and put the citizen first while respecting our Constitution.

Now is the time for Congressional Democrats to act with courage and conviction to transform our current sick-care system into a modern, efficient and thoughtfully planned health care framework that works for families, seniors, and businesses.

An honest and straightforward approach is the best way to address any challenge and health care is no different. Congress should answer the following questions in the best interests of the people and our nation:

Is linking health care to employment in the people’s best interest?
Is our food supply; which is loaded with salt and sugar, genetically-modified, and chemically-treated, good for the people?
Are for-profit insurance companies better than mutual insurance companies from a consumer perspective?
Is prohibiting the re-importation of prescription drugs in the best interest of seniors and working families? (Or is it in the best interest of Drug companies?)
Is mandating that young people carry health insurance good for them? (Or is it a redistribution of wealth scheme to benefit insurance companies?)
Should consumers be denied coverage due to pre-existing conditions?
Should Representatives take money from insurance companies and pretend that it does not affect their votes?
Should Senators from certain states be given political favors in order to obtain their votes on bills?
Should there be no annual cost-of-living increase in Medicare benefits when health care costs are rising?
Should medical conditions cause families to go bankrupt?
Is forcing doctors to over test in order to limit the potential for legal repercussions in the best interests of doctors and patients?
Should millions of American children not have access to basic preventive health care?
Are for-profit hospitals in the best interest of the County and the People?
Is it fair that Americans who do not receive employer-sponsored health insurance not get equal tax treatment with those who do?
Should artificial state-line boundaries restrict consumer access to a free-market for insurance coverage that best meets their needs?

My answer to these questions is NO. This November, when I replace Jean Schmidt as your Representative, instead of bashing Democrats & Republicans with party rhetoric, I will work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to implement an honest and effective framework for health care in America that works for the People and is in our National Interest.

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