The #1 problem in politics today is the uneducated voter. I’m working hard to earn your vote by providing the most position-driven website in this race. Please check-out my platform and see if my positions mirror yours. If so, I would appreciate your support on May 22^nd. Thanks!

Here are a few highlights:

• I will be the #1 Constitutional-Conservative in Congress.

• Cut debt, spending, taxes & regulations by 40% in 4 years.

• Create Jobs by implementing a flat tax rate of 10% for individuals & corporations until we can develop a new equitable federal revenue structure.

• 90% energy independence by placing a 10-year moratorium on the EPA. Unleash energy entrepreneurs to produce proven energy solutions that work – coal, oil, natural gas & nuclear instead of unproven energy alternatives. The free market will solve our energy problems, not the federal government.

• Defund & dismantle unelected regulatory czars.

The federal government spends $3.8 trillion per year while tax receipts only total $2.2 trillion per year. According to the Office of Management and Budget, federal revenue has averaged $2.1 trillion per year over the last twelve years. We have a serious problem.

So what’s the solution? My platform will cut debt, taxes and regulations by 40% over four years to restore jobs, self-reliance and freedom. Over the next twelve weeks, I will be revealing a strategy called: R4 – Repeal, Reduce, Reform & Restore.  Let’s get started.

Updated: May 12, 2012 (REFORM section has been updated)

REPEAL

EPA’s Attack On the Coal Industry - America receives 52% of its electricity from coal. Currently, coal costs $.04 per kilowatt hour to produce as compared to wind and solar energy that costs $.22 per kilowatt hour. Here is an example of why unelected bureaucrats must be defunded and dismantled. The EPA recently implemented new coal emission standards that will make it impossible for any new coal plant to be built in the United States. The new rule requires coal-fired power plants to meet output-based standards of 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2) per megawatt-hour of electricity produced. The average coal plant emits 2,249 pounds of CO2 for each megawatt-hour of electricity produced. As a result of this new rule, the cost to operate a new plant will prohibit any new ones from being built. Good-bye coal. Good-bye cheap energy. Also, because of the EPA’s attack on coal, 59 coal plants have already closed. 11 of those plants are in Ohio. Yes, Americans work in these plants and they will lose their jobs as well as entire communities will be devastated. Over 2 million jobs will be lost over the next 8 years as the EPA continues its assault on coal. I believe the coal industry is our friend, not our enemy. The coal industry has reduced emissions by 90%, but clean air and clean water is not the goal of this administration. Their goal is to shutdown the coal industry. This is why I believe the unelected czars who write rules and regulations that are bankrupting America must be defunded and dismantled. I’ve proposed a 10-year moratorium on the EPA. It’s time for Congress to re-evaluate all EPA’s regulations and repeal those that cause more harm than good.

Patriot Act – In eighteen words, Ben Franklin captured the essence of liberty, “They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” In 57,471 words, the Patriot Act destroyed American liberties under the illusion of safety. I don’t believe the Patriot Act is patriotic. I’m for repealing this legislation. The Patriot Act was triggered by the horrific events of September 11, 2001 and became law on October 26, 2001. It expands surveillance, wiretapping, secret searches into financial and medical records, searching of our homes without our knowledge, computer surveillance, monitoring of books checked out of the library, lowers probable cause search warrant thresholds with National Security Letters (NSL). NSL are self-issued subpoenas issued by law enforcement agencies without any judicial oversight. The Patriot Act clearly violates the Fourth Amendment – freedom from unreasonable searches. Our Founding Fathers clearly understood the importance of safety. I recently stated at a candidate debate that our Founders included a Patriot Act and a Homeland Security provision in the U.S. Constitution. It’s called the Second Amendment.  “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” It is each individual Americans responsibility to protect ourselves, families, communities, state and country. As soon as Americans realize that big government’s security is just a false sense of security, the sooner our freedoms will return to each American.

Head Start Program – Head Start was founded in 1965 during America’s nightmare known as the Great Society. It currently spends $8 billion per year to help early childhood education programs for the poor. About 900,000 children are enrolled in the program. After spending $166 billion in taxpayer money, Head Start has failed to help disadvantaged children. That’s not my conclusion. That’s the conclusion of three reports produced by the federal government. The purpose of Head Start is to prepare children for kindergarten. So effective is Head Start? In 1985, Health & Human Services (HHS) found, “In the long run, cognitive and socio-emotional test scores of former Head Start students do not remain superior to those of disadvantaged children who did not attend Head Start.” That’s not good! In 2000, The GAO stated that there is no “conclusive evidence on whether children having school readiness skills stemmed from being in Head Start.” Now it gets worse! In 2010, HHS released it most extensive analysis of the Head Start Program. HHS study evaluated 112 measurements and found there was virtually no benefit to children who attended Head Start. So how has this program survived in Congress for forty-seven years? It’s because we sent politicians to Congress who were only concerned about programs that sounded good or felt good. They never cared if a federal program actually DID any good. Additionally, Head Start is unconstitutional as the federal government was not established to be a benevolent welfare state. I will fight to repeal Head Start and all ineffective programs that waste taxpayer money.

Obamacare – The federal government has no Constitutional right to mandate Americans to purchase a product or face financial harm. Obamacare’s 487,433 words are the centerpiece to this Administration’s fundamental transformation of America into a socialistic, third-world country. If Obamacare is not repealed, Americans’ freedoms will be lost forever.

Department of Education – Since 1965, spending on education has tripled while graduation rates and test results have flat-lined. A recent study found that only 12% of U.S. high school seniors scored “proficient” in U.S. history. In Kentucky, after spending $15 million per school day, only 16% of Kentucky’s high school graduates pass the “College Readiness Benchmarks.” Only 55 cents of every educational tax dollar is spent in Kentucky’s classrooms. This agency has turned into an anti-education agency and must be eliminated. It’s time for local control of education.

United Nations - The U.N. was established in 1945 with the following mission, “The United Nations was created more than 60 years ago to save succeeding generations from war, protect human rights, establish conditions for justice, and promote social progress and better standards of life. These fundamental objectives remain as critical as ever.” How effective has the U.N. been? Is the world safer today? No! The United States military has been involved in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria and Pakistan.

The political world is on fire and getting worse, not better. Their biennial budget has exploded from $2.49 billion to $5.42 billion in 2010/2011. The American taxpayers are forced to contribute 22% of the U.N.’s budget. America is broke. As a result, I believe the United States must repeal/suspend our membership in the United Nations for the next four years. At the end of that time, we will determine if we will reactivate our membership. That’s a savings of $4.76 billion. Since 1789, the United States has had a State Department whose budget has increased from $10.014 billion in 2008 to $16.389 billion in 2010, let’s go with that for now.

Withholding Tax Act of 1943 – In 1913, the states ratified the 16^th Amendment to again create a federal income tax and they decided to withhold the income tax before employees were even paid. Congress thought they had achieved a major victory in confiscating taxpayers’ money. The taxpayers became livid at the federal income tax withholding scheme. At the urging of Treasury Secretary William G. McAdoo, Congress repealed the federal income tax withholding scheme in 1917. “We the People” actually had a voice in 1917.

In the 1920s and 1930s, income taxes were paid on an annual basis and were due on March 15^th. unfortunately, taxpayers were “steered” to return to the federal income tax withholding strategy by President Franklin D. Roosevelt with the Withholding Tax Act of 1943. President Roosevelt used World War II as the patriotic battle cry to justify federal withholding. I would like to re-introduce this legislation as the Party Like It’s 1917 Act. Can you imagine how the public would react if they had to write an annual check to Congress for federal income taxes? The public would be outraged and would finally start asking, “Where is my money going?” I believe it’s time to Party Like It’s 1917.

REDUCE

Common Sense Foreign Aid Act - What is the purpose of foreign aid anyway? Foreign aid is used for military ($15 billion) and economic ($38 billion) aid to 182 or 95% of all countries. Why does the U.S. government confiscate money from U.S. taxpayers and then redistribute it globally? Isn’t foreign aid simply international welfare? All foreign aid must be measured against its value to protect Americ’s national defense. The founding fathers never intended the United States to be a global charity organization. I propose the Common Sense Foreign Aid Act where each foreign aid tax dollar must pass the following three provisions:

1.  Will this aid directly protect America’s national defense?

2.  Will this aid directly protect a vital and strategic interest?

3.  Congress must vote up or down on each countries foreign aid on a yearly basis to make sure America’s national interest is at stake.

I also propose that foreign aid be cut as follows:

Year One – Cut from $53 billion to $26 billion

Year Two – Cut from $26 billion to $13 billion

Year Three – Cut from $13 billion to $5 billion and Congress must maintain that level until the federal budget is balanced and they have reduced the federal debt by 10%.

I believe in national sovereignty. I do not like the trend of a “New World Order” where the United Nations and global interest dictate how U.S. tax dollars are spent. I recently saw a television commercial for the U.S. Navy that still bothers me. The U.S. Navy slogan displayed at the end of the commercial read, “A Global Force for Good.” Excuse me? That slogan must be changed to “Defending America’s Freedom Since 1798.”

Term Limits on Legislation – I would propose “The Two-Year Legislation Sunset Act”. No matter where I go, voters keep asking me about my position on term limits. I’m all for term limits, but I’m also for legislation term limits. I’m proposing “The Two-Year Legislation Sunset Act” where all legislation would automatically conclude after two years unless the sponsor of the legislation can convince Congress to reauthorize the legislation for another two years. This process will hold each sponsor accountable for the effectiveness of their bills. We all know from our own buying decisions where many marketing messages do not match the reality of a product or service. When a product fails to live up to our expectations, we return it or we decide to never buy that product or service again. Why shouldn’t we hold Congress to the same level of accountability? It’s time we eliminated ineffective legislation.

Corporate & Individual Taxes – I will pursue legislation to reduce corporate tax rates from the world’s highest (35%) to 10% over a four year period. Since executives and employees pay federal, state, local, sales, property and other taxes, it doesn’t make sense to punish those we are counting on to create jobs. We need to unleash America’s entrepreneurs to create jobs and stop punishing America’s dreamers.  President Reagan proved that when government cuts taxes, federal revenues increase. Reagan substantial tax reductions caused federal revenues to explode from $517.1 billion (1980) to $1.032 trillion in (1990). President George W. Bush’s tax cuts in 2001/2003 increased revenue from $1.7 trillion (2003) to $2.5 trillion in (2008). Government’s meddling in the free market with their micro-managing of the housing market and over-spending caused our recession. We need to make the Bush tax cuts permanent. I will pursue a simplistic approach to individual taxes. I favor a flat tax of 10%. I’m also reviewing the “Fair Tax” concept as well. Simplicity is needed.  

“Sunset” Regulations – In 2009, the Obama Administration published a record-breaking 160,000 pages of rules in the Code of Federal Regulations. Regulations are crippling America’s businesses. I would propose legislation that would require each regulation to be evaluated, after one year, to see if it passes the “3G Test.”  “The 3G Test” stands for – “Sounds Good, Feels Good, But Did It Do Good?” I will urge the U.S. House to adopt my ”Two-Year Legislation Sunset Act.” All legislation must be reviewed after two years to determine if it has accomplished its initial objective. If not, it must be repealed. Americans deserve accountability at the federal level. Legislative mistakes must be corrected quickly.

EPA & Their Regulatory Friends - Americans have been under assault by unelected-bureaucrats since the 1970s. A recent editorial in Investors Business Daily titled “Regulation without Representation,” illustrates this reality. They reported that “a new federal rule or regulation is published every two hours, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.” That equates to 4,380 new rules and regulations per year. What’s shocking is that Congress passes only about 9% of these new rules/regulations. The rest are “passed” by mysterious unelected-bureaucrats.

“We the People” are being governed by unknown regulators who we are unable to vote for or against. Article I, Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution states, “All legislative powers herein contained shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.” The Constitution does not authorize Congress to delegate its responsibility to out-of-control czars. This Constitutional violation must stop. The REINS Act attempted to address these regulatory agencies, but I believe it didn’t go far enough. Regulatory agencies must NOT be granted ANY power to create punishing regulations that will have ANY financial impact on Americans. I will fight to reduce and reform all regulatory agencies from rule/regulation machines into smaller advisory agencies. It’s Congress’s job to define the details of a new law, not invisible bureaucrats.

REFORM

(NEW) The U.S. Congress Accountability Pay Act. I’m a businessman who believes in pay for results. This Act would establish specific goals for Congress. Here are a few of my personal goals:

• Create a pro-business atmosphere where the unemployment rate drops to 5% or less (currently 8.1%)
• Reduce the U.S. debt by a minimum of $250 billion per year (currently U.S. debt increases by a trillion dollars per year.)
• Reduce yearly federal spending to 15% of Gross Domestic Product (Currently 24%)
• Reduce federal corporate and individual income taxes to a flat 10%. No American  should pay more than 10% of all of their income in federal taxes
• Return the United States to the #1 ranking in the Index of Economic Freedom (currently 10^th)
• The United States must improve our energy independence by 10% year per year.
• Eliminate 10 regulations for every new regulation passed by Congress. The financial impact of the eliminated regulations must be at least 10 times more than the new regulation.

So what happens if those goals are not met? Here is my financial model for members of Congress assuming they are reelected:

Starting salary $174,000 (current level), plus medical and pension benefits.

Defined goals achieved: Annual salary increases to $250,000 (Results matter!)

All defined goals not achieved after four-years in office: Annual salary and pension is reduced to zero. Hopefully, “We the People” will then vote them out of office.

Social Security, Medicare & Medicaid – It’s time to substantially reform Social Security, Medicare & Medicaid. The federal government’s currently spends $3.8 trillion per year while collecting tax receipts of only $2.2 trillion. In 2013, mandatory spending on Social Security ($820 billion), Medicare ($523 billion) and Medicaid ($283 billion – the federal portion) will total $1.626 trillion per year and represents 74% of the federal government’s yearly tax receipts. Massive benefits are coming due and these programs are going to  collapse under their own weight. We can wait for the inevitable to occur or Congress can take action now.

Marxism and Socialism (redistribution and centralized-planning) does not work. It never has. I believe it’s time for the federal government to exit the retirement plan business as well as the medical management business within the next ten years. I don’t believe in cutting Social Security benefits, needs-testing or manipulating the retirement age. The government made a deal with the American people and they must honor that deal. The people who acted in good faith should not be punished. The federal government created this problem and must bear the consequences of their actions. So what’s the solution? Please read my two Social Security articles listed under the “Categories” column for more details. America cannot reduce the federal debt or spending until these issues are reformed. This discussion must start now if we’re going to restore America’s solvency.

Department of Energy – I agree that America needs an energy policy, but our current model is beyond repair and must be reformed. The Department of Energy was created by the Carter Administration in 1977. Its mission was to reduce our dependency on foreign energy. It has failed. After spending $71 million PER day, America’s dependency on foreign oil has climbed from 30% to over 60% under its watch. Enough is enough! We must unleash oil drilling, coal, nuclear and all proven energy solutions. Energy independence is critical to our self-reliance as a nation. (On a side note, let’s take down those ugly George Orwell windmills. that are killing bats and migratory birds at an alarming rate.)

The green energy movement is a disaster. The Obama Administration has stolen nearly $500 million from taxpayers to train a new green industry. It has failed. Its goal was to create 79,854 jobs. After 17 months, it only created 8,035. The “big green extreme machine’s” failures are staggering: Solyndra – wasted $535 million in taxpayer money, Beacon Power – taxpayers on the hook for $43 million, Enert – filed for Chapter 11 after receiving $118 million in government loans and First Solar – received $3.1 billion in government loans, but their CEO has resigned and their stock tanked.

Obama’s energy policies are also killing jobs. This administration placed a moratorium on deepwater drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. His actions cost 19,000 American jobs. Once the moratorium was lifted, his administration slowed down the oil permit process. Over the past 5 years, the approval rate of deepwater drilling permits was 74%. In 2010, approval rates dropped to 52% and to 37% in 2011. Over the past 5 years, deepwater drilling approval permits took 61 days. In 2010, approvals took 67 days and 115 days in 2011. The U.S. House must stop this abuse.

The Legislation Clarity & Brevity Act” – During the ratification of the U.S. Constitution, Oliver Ellsworth said, “It is an excellency of this Constitution that it is expressed with brevity, and in the plain common language of mankind.” Congress needs to restore this philosophy. The number one job of every leader is to provide clarity. Confusion always leads to corruption and waste. Confusion also causes fear because the unknown is scarier than the known. The unknown terrifies businesses and intimidates them into taking less risk. Less risk means less growth, which means fewer jobs and less taxpaying citizens.

That’s why I would propose the Legislation Clarity & Brevity Act. Today, many in Congress fail to read bills because they’re so voluminous. Do you remember when former Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, stated this about Obamacare, “But we must pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it.” This clueless negligence on the part of Congress explains why we are $15.5 trillion in debt. Congress has lost the art of simplicity and clarity. Obamacare legislation is over 487,000 words.

The Dodd-Frank Financial bill is 365,000 words. “We the People” cannot stay engaged with the political process unless we read confusing legislation 24-hours a day. Clarity and brevity must make a comeback. Since the world’s greatest document, the U.S. Constitution, contains 4,502 words, I propose that new legislation be 4,502 words or less.

All legislation must also be written at an eighth-grade level. James Madison, the father of the U.S. Constitution, constantly wrote about clarity and brevity when it came to government. Madison warned: “It will be of little avail to the people that the laws are made by men of their own choice if the laws be so voluminous that they cannot be read, or so incoherent that they cannot be understood; if they be repealed or revised before they are promulgated, or undergo such incessant changes that no man who knows what the law is today can guess what it will be tomorrow. Law is defined to be a rule of action; but how can that be a rule which is little known, and less fixed?” Madison was brilliant. Congress needs to be brilliant again. 

RESTORE

The Educated Voter – I believe the #1 problem in American politics is the uneducated and unmotivated voter. Only 10.35% of registered voters in Kentucky voted in Kentucky’s Primary last year. Of those 10%, I believe the majority had no substance behind their selection as they were influenced by yard signs, bumper stickers, endorsements and political puppetmasters. The uneducated voters are destroying America.

Isn’t it our duty as Americans to be an educated voter? My vote is my responsibility. It’s my duty to treat it with honor and substance. I’m insulted when a candidate thinks a yard sign, a bumper sticker, endorsements or shaking my hand at a fish-fry is a substitute for substance. I demand candidates earn my vote based on the merit of their positions. This election should be all about the issues. This website is designed as an educational tool to help voters read my own words on the issues in order to help them become an educated voter.

U.S. Constitution – The secret weapon that America has always possessed is the U.S. Constitution. If you don’t possess a copy, please email me for a copy and study it. Our Founding Fathers were brilliant thinkers. I will carry it with me to Wahington D.C. and have it with me at all times.

Our Borders – Article 4, Section 4 of the U.S. Constitution states, “The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against Invasion; and on Application of the Legislature, or of the Executive (when the Legislature cannot be convened), against domestic violation.”

The federal government is clearly in violation of the U.S. Constitution. I call 15 million non-residents racing across our southern border an invasion. The U.S. House must lead and demand that the federal government fulfill its responsibility or pursue a Constitutional amendment to remove illegal immigration control from the federal government and permit states to protect their borders. Kentucky has over 50,000 illegal immigrants costing Kentucky taxpayers in excess of $300 million per year. I will fight to restore the integrity of our borders and find a solution to this dangerous nightmare.

Second Amendment – Without guns, America would not exist! Do you believe in the Second Amendment? “A well regulate Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” I believe America’s Founding Founders were crystal-clear in that government was not to “infringe” or “limit” or “restrict” the right to be arms. PERIOD! CASE CLOSED! I find it interesting that the Founding Founders didn’t put any disclaimers on the Second Amendment. They didn’t say, “…the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed unless federal, state or local legislators pass laws to restrict or limit this right.” They didn’t leave any room for legislators to make any exceptions at all. The Founding Fathers constantly spoke in defense of gun ownership freedom:

Thomas Jefferson – “No freeman shall ever be debarred the use of arms.”

Samuel Adams – “I ask, sir, what is the militia? It is the whole people. To disarm the people is the best and most effectual way to enslave them.”

John Adams – “The Constitution preserves the advantage of being armed which Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation, where the Government are afraid to trust their people with arms.”

For those who wish to change Americans right to bear arms, the process to ratify a new constitutional-amendment is defined in Article V. of the U.S. Constitution. If you don’t like the Second Amendment, you have a legal remedy to amend the Constitution. Without a constitutional-amendment, those who oppose the Second Amendment have no valid argument. I oppose any laws that will infringe on the rights of citizens to own guns.

Constitutional Powers to Congress – Article 1, Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution states, “All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.” The Constitution didn’t say, “All legislative Powers over a certain financial amount…” Congress already has all the powers they need. The REINS Act legitimizes the unelected-federal czars as having power to control our lives. Why has Congress decided to kneel before these czars and beg to have a voice on legislation over $100 million? The REINS Act illustrates that Congress is becoming irrelevant. Congress must stand up and reclaim their constitutional authority.

Next update: May 19th - Thanks for your interest.