General Election November 4th, 2008
HOME ABOUT REX THE ISSUES CONTACT / JOIN THE CAUSE TEN PRINCIPLES CONTRIBUTE
WAR ON TERROR I believe we will never see the day when America is not under threat of a terrorist attack either at home or abroad. A passive position will only get more Americans killed. We must take the fight to all those who threaten us. We must also convince our allies that the fight is not ours alone. United with the civilized nations of the world and resolute in our objective, we will be able check the advance and damage caused by the enemies of freedom. In an ideal world we could politically maneuver around these issues, but that is not reality nor will it ever be. I am resigned to fight for everything America stands for. If that fight happens to be in Iraq, then so be it. When and if Iraq is ever peaceful we must then be resolved to move to the next advance on Islamic extremism. Only under constant pressure will we ever subdue their hatred. We are in this for the long haul. It is the price for freedom! With that said, I do not believe the United States should be a nation builder outside of our ability to educate and inspire government reform. It is the responsibility of the people living within those nations to reform their governments. Let them attend our universities, teach them the principles of freedom and capitalism, support them as we can, but we can not do what they must do for their selves. When we have conquered the terrorists who use Iraq as their front against America, then we must pull back and let the Iraqis assume responsibility for their own nation. If this requires a civil war, well, we had to have one too! They need to learn to work together without the presence of the United States. IMMIGRATION There are between 12 and 20 million illegal immigrants in the United States today. Why should we expect them to keep our laws when their first act was to break them? First, we need to secure our border with Mexico. I support the building of the border fence. Second, the law needs enforced on anyone who hires an illegal alien. A system must be in place wherein employers can easily check the legal status of all their potential employees or could easily prove their legal status when required. We must demand that no illegal be given a job. If that means getting tough with employers, so be it. If there are no jobs, many of the illegal aliens will return home. I also support law which would prohibit all people who are not citizens or legal residents from all federal welfare. I would remove all mandatory requirements from hospitals and schools to serve these people, while recognizing the states’ rights to decide differently. There would be no federal funds or requirement to support illegal immigrants. For those who will not willingly return home, they must be deported. I support a program where foreign workers could apply for a one-time, renewable three-year visa if matched with an employer. Each worker would be required to have a BIO Card to track his or her ID and whereabouts. Immigration as well as all foreign affairs is a properly delegated responsibility of the Federal government. This is a priority issue. FAMILY I am adamantly against abortion at any stage of pregnancy with the exception of when the mother’s life is in danger. Adoption is the only responsible choice. I will do everything in my power to stop abortion. I also support a constitutional amendment establishing the sanctity of marriage as only between a husband and a wife. I pledge to do all I can to protect the family as America’s greatest asset. TAXES Presidents Coolidge, Kennedy, Reagan, and Bush have proven that cutting taxes stimulates the economy and increases revenue for essential government functions. The Democrats are committed to repealing the Bush Tax Cuts of 2001 and 2003, which are due to expire in 2010. It is a high priority for me that the Bush Tax Cuts remain permanent and the death tax is permanently repealed. Furthermore, I believe the federal tax system is in desperate need of major reform. I support a flat tax, which would not only simplify tax preparations, but would lower taxes even further. I have signed the Americans for Tax Reform pledge to oppose all tax increases. Furthermore, it is my pledge not only to oppose all tax increases, but to vigilantly work to reduce them to the absolute minimum required for a limited federal government. SPENDING The Constitution was founded on the principle of a limited federal government empowered to do only those things which the States could not do for their selves. Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution lists those things. The Tenth Amendment reserves to the States all powers not specifically delegated to the National. I pledge that I will work to return federal spending only as allowed by the Constitution and to eliminate the 8.4 trillion in American debt. The day is long overdue when our Representatives and Senators vote in compliance with the Constitution. SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE Social Security and Medicare will both be in the red within approximately ten years. The funds will then take in less then they spend until they are completely bankrupt. In the beginning of the program there were 16 workers per retiree. Now there are only 3. “Without reforms in the near-term, the dramatic increases in spending for these programs will ultimately require substantial tax increases, major benefit reductions, or massive and unsustainable amounts of borrowing.” MSR Office of Budget and Management. President Bush stated, "it is more likely that our children will see a UFO then a Social Security check." I believe all Americans should be able to opt out of Social Security and Medicare. I support personal accountability through private investment in Individual Retirement and Health Savings Accounts. I consider this to be a priority issue. I will work to assure first, the funds fulfill promised obligations to those who have paid in and second to create options for those who the funds promise a future, but can not guarantee one. ENERGY America can not rely on other nations for our energy, especially when the politics of world trade are so volatile. We must do everything we can to provide for our own energy needs. I support all forms of energy production as long as they are clean and safe. In particular, I believe we have overlooked the safety and efficacy of nuclear power and support the building of more nuclear power plants. I also support the principle that energy production is not a function of government. America will be energy independent, prices will be lower, quality and service will be greater, when it is turned over completely to private industry. GUN RIGHTS / SECOND AMENDMENT The right to protect ones self has probably saved more lives then all criminal laws combined. I will oppose all restrictive gun control laws. As crime and violence continue to escalate in America, the day may soon come when possession of guns will be the only thing that provides for our security. PUBLIC LANDS I support multiple land use of our public lands; recreation, grazing, logging, and mining. If we can’t own them, we at least ought to be able to use them. Our public lands are a vast supply of natural resources and can be used effectively to stimulate our economy while managing them in an environmentally friendly manner. I support select cutting of old growth and high density timber stands along with other scientifically proven effective ways to manage our forests. Our current “burn” policy needs to go up in flames, not our trees. I also support complete State control over the wolves in Idaho. Idahoans should be in charge of the kind of animals in their back yards.
Paid for by committee to elect Rex Rammell for U.S. Senate.