The Business Environment and Jobs
In the last 5 years, new government regulations (many without congressional approval…executive orders, agency directives, etc.) have restricted individual initiative and created barriers to employment and job creation. Millions of people remain unemployed, with virtually no hope of finding a good paying job. Others have simply stopped looking for jobs that don’t exist. Paul believes that by removing unnecessary job killing directives, the private sector can thrive, and in the process create millions of new jobs.
In the case of working Americans that have been impacted by the current economic environment, Paul believes that various forms of assistance should be provided; including help with job training, credits for educational expenses, partial support with relocation expenses, catastrophic health insurance, and access to unemployment insurance.
Immigrantion
Commentary: Legal Immigrants allowed in U.S. from 800,000 to 1,000,000 legal immigrants per Year. Unfortunately, hundreds of thousands also enter our Country “illegally” through porous Borders. Against Federal Law, many are often released into Communities, or directed to Sanctuary Cities by Officials of the Federal Government.
America Under Assault:
This Nation is facing significant increases in criminal activities in major cities, low Border Patrol morale, drug related activities, crowded prison facilities, pressure on local police, significant stress on local schools, higher local taxes, and exceptional social and financial costs to U.S. taxpayers.
The Solution (First Steps): Enforce Federal Laws, Close ALL Borders and Sanctuary Cities, Return Immigration Enforcement to States, Implement Strict Sanctions and Fines on Employers that Hire Illegals, Allow 15 Months for Illegals to Apply for Work Permits (or be Deported)…No Amnesty, No Citizenship! Finally, Immediately Deport ALL Illegal Aliens with Criminal Records.
The Rationale: America is a Country of Laws! No Political Official (regardless of Position, or Political Party), should be allowed to break the Law! This is especially true when Politicians try to overtly subvert the Electoral College process by hiding behind the guise of “compassion” to create new Voters in key Electoral College States.
The Consequences: If Illegal, or Unconstitutional activities are promoted, or sanctioned in any way (and guilt is proven beyond a reasonable doubt), then ANY Federal Official should be Censored, Removed from Office, be subject to Loss of Pension, Civil Fines, and be subject to Criminal Charges, if applicable.
Federal Income Taxes
One of the main detriments to U.S. competitiveness in the international marketplace is the corporate tax rate businesses pay in the United States, and on overseas revenues. Punitive tax policy puts U.S. companies at a significant disadvantage when compared to foreign businesses. For instance, a business in the United Kingdom, France, or Germany pay a much lower corporate tax rate on earnings than their domestic counterpart in the United States. The after-tax income advantage that foreign businesses enjoy ultimately impacts domestic exports, costs jobs, affects economic growth, and in some cases, creates a loss in shareholder value for domestic-based corporations.
Paul recommends that the federal tax rate that corporations pay in the U.S. be changed to 20 percent.
Individual Income taxes (federal, state, local) have now become such a burden that many Americans cannot save adequately for future educational expenses, retirement, or to purchase adequate health insurance. People at the lower end of the income scale find themselves with little disposable income, many living day-to-day. What is needed in the United States is tax law that is simple, predictable, easy to understand, and that will allow people to keep more of what they earn. To help accomplish that goal, Paul is in favor of a flat tax on earned income. By implementing a simple and predictable tax code, individuals and businesses will be able to a better job of planning and projecting financial needs in the future. The result should be a more vibrant job market and domestic economy.
Health Care
We have all seen the consequences of the Affordable Care Act or “Obamacare”—deliberate statements that have misled the public about the overall costs of the program (original estimate: $1 Trillion, current projected cost: $2 Trillion); a failed rollout of services and an insecure web site that denied service to applicants; low enrollment, huge cost overruns, and broken promises: “keep your doctor—keep your insurance company—family annual healthcare costs will be reduced by $2,500.00.” The Ultimate Insult: the government agency responsible for the rollout of “Obamacare” (The Department of Health and Human Services) could not initially tell taxpayers or Congress the demographic data (age) of individuals enrolled in the program, or even the number of participants that actually paid their healthcare premiums. In a purely partisan manner, the Democratic Party is attempting to take control over 1/6th of the U.S. economy. The country is now on a collision course with reality: this nation cannot afford the costs associated with the program, especially when only a fraction of the people that are without health insurance coverage have enrolled in the government mandated insurance exchanges. If States are eventually required to offset costs by expanding Medicare budgets, then many areas of the nation will simply find themselves overwhelmed by the new expense and a further deterioration of finances will occur, accelerating job losses and increasing taxes for all Americans.
Political Unity
The American public wants to see results, solutions to our problems, not “gridlock”. The more people that go to Washington to represent the “people”, rather than a political party, the better our elected representatives address the needs of the people. That’s what Paul Spain intends to do.
Government Bureaucracy
This nation faces a crisis in terms of federal government growth, with many functions duplicated throughout a vast maze of agencies that even federal employees find hard to navigate. Reducing the cost of government has simply not been implemented. Fraud and waste are rampant, threatening to put the nation’s financial security at risk. Federal pay, health benefits, and pension costs are out of control. There is no logical reason for the median income of a federal employee to be approximately 50% greater than the taxpayer that is paying his or her salary. There is also no logical explanation for Washington, D.C., and surrounding areas, which are heavily dominated by government enterprises, to have one of the highest medium incomes in the nation, while working class citizens that subsidize the federal government financially suffer from current economic policies. As a part of the solution to escalating federal employee and governmental costs, Paul believes that our federal government should consolidate redundant agencies, with special focus on regulatory organizations. Agencies that provide no real benefit to the country should simply be closed. Government spending should be frozen at current levels and employee counts should be reduced across the board.
2nd Amendment of the United States Constitution
I proudly stand behind the following quote from the U.S. Constitution.
“The right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.”
Education
One of the most important things that any citizen or government can help to provide is a quality education for all children. America is in need of a focused effort to bring our educational system up to par with the rest of the world. When compared to other nations, the U.S. is far down the list in terms of performance in math and science. We owe it to our children to reverse that trend, which means that a redoubling of efforts has to take place in our educational system. The challenge will not be easy, but with new technologies, enhanced teacher curriculums, greater involvement by parents, student accountability, and a longer school day, much progress can be made. Teachers that demonstrate a consistent history of improved student performance should be rewarded with a bonus, or merit pay salary increase.
Women’s Rights
Our nation continues to face challenges when it comes to equality in the workplace, promotions, equal pay for equal work, poverty, family, medical, and disability leave, and in providing solutions for childcare. Paul is and will continue to be an avid supporter of women’s rights in the United States, and in the global community.
Veteran Affairs
Our veteran military personnel are receiving sub-par and unacceptable access to services, sometimes as long as 6 months to 1 year at many Veteran Administration hospitals whose consequences have been deadly. Paul won’t stand another day for that if elected. But the greater question is: why was patient care not a priority in the first place? Our veterans deserve the highest level of care. Delays, patient waiting lists, and lack of access to private sector physicians should not be tolerated. VA facilities should be monitored on a regular basis for deficiencies. If deficiencies are found, corrective action should be immediate, including dismissal of responsible officials. Our Vets deserve much more and Paul intends to bring much needed solutions to this terrible and consequential situation.
The key concern: If the federal government cannot provide adequate access to medical care for approximately 9 million veterans, how can they possibly hope to meet the healthcare needs of 317 million Americans?
Paul will work to create jobs for Veterans. He’ll look to the TSA to create hiring plans for Veterans. Our Vets are better suited to protect us from terrorists who seek to harm us. They know our enemies better than most.
Senior Americans
Recently, it has come to light that food stamp recipients have received a 40% increase in payments since the current Democrat controlled administration took office in 2008, while retirees on social security have received only a small increase in payments, tied to a government-based inflation index that does not currently measure the true effects of inflation. Paul believes that government priorities have been mismanaged under the current administration and that seniors deserve better treatment. More attention should be placed on measuring the true factors that affect inflation, including food and energy costs. Currently, a new and more comprehensive index has been recommended, which if implemented, will include the cost of food and energy when computing inflation-based index statistics. If approved, the new Index will help seniors receive more accurate benefit payments.
The Environment
Global warming is a topic discussed by governments, news agencies, and individuals. There is no doubt that weather patterns are going through a cyclical change in parts of the world. The United States is currently experiencing drought conditions in many sections of the country. Cities located in the affected areas have implemented water restrictions.
The United States has enacted a series of environmental policies to curb pollution and green house gases. Paul believes that most Americans want to leave a better country for those that follow and through a cooperative and concerted effort between government and private citizens, that end can be achieved—without disrupting the economy, over-reacting to current conditions, or significantly increasing energy costs for the general public.
The Florida Everglades are a special example of a critical ecosystem that should be protected. Paul will promote the infusion of federal and private funds to help preserve and restore the Everglades to its past natural state.
National Defense and Support for Israel
The nation only has to look at the Vietnam and Iraqi wars to see what happens when political resolve in the area of foreign affairs becomes weak and accommodating to appease dictators, repressive regimes, and in some cases the international community. Paul believes that a strong national defense is the best policy to follow when it comes to protecting the interests of Americans at home and abroad. Defensive and offensive systems should be effective and without bureaucratic influences. The Constitution should be our guiding document when it comes to the defense of our nation, both from a physical, and financial perspective. Paul is a staunch defender of the military and believes that recent cuts in military personnel and expenditures should be restored to previous levels. Our national security can now be threatened in many ways, not just by physical aggression; but also by financial theft, security breaches, currency manipulations, and international economics. As Americans, we must defend the principles and intent of our constitution vigorously, or others will determine our future in ways that hamper the growth, vitality, and freedom we have all come to enjoy.
ISRAEL: No nation deserves our support and cooperation more than the State of Israel. They have been a staunch supporter of freedom and a shining light for democracy in the Middle East. Paul believes that the United States should stand firmly behind Israel to help ensure their success and longevity in an otherwise hostile part of the world. Our military expertise should be shared, our technology should be made available for purchase, and our political resolve should be unquestioned. In the event that Israel is invaded by outside forces and if asked by the Israeli government, U.S. military resources and financial aid should be provided as requested to help them defend their homeland. To do otherwise would be to ignore our democratic principles, and the national interests of the United States.
A Federal Government Without Restraint
Unauthorized spying on Americans by our federal government—reading personal e-mails, monitoring telephone calls, Internet usage, and using drones to track Americans on American soil—has become commonplace. Politically motivated and punitive actions taken by federal employees (such as denying tax-exempt status to worthy organizations) go unpunished in spite of their illegality. Paul is adamant in believing that our nation deserves a higher standard of behavior, accountability and transparency. If American citizens cannot believe in their government, or in their elected representatives, then our entire democratic system is undermined. If ordinary citizens allow governments to dictate how they will act, in what types of jobs they will work, if politicians are allowed to constantly mislead the public with false statements, or continue to use taxpayer-dollars to promote a political agenda, then we will all share the responsibility for what happens in the future.
In the end, the constitution will have been cast aside and our nation will have moved down the road towards socialism, and not a free and democratic society. Paul firmly believes that the American public cannot allow individuals in government, or political parties, to simply do as they wish to accomplish their political or social agenda. We must never forget that hundreds of thousands of people have given their lives in wars at home and overseas to protect freedom and self-government. To forget their sacrifice would be a travesty for all Americans, and lead to global disrespect for our nation.
