Issues

Whether as an engineer out in Las Vegas, a small business owner, 30 years as Hansen Refrigeration, or cattle rancher, Rock Cedar Ranch, 25 years with Jeanett selling beef to local area restaurants and customers, I have worked with my hands and used the knowledge I have gained over the years to solve whatever problems have arisen for both my family and my customers and will continue to do so in Washington, D.C. if elected.

As an EMT, I was taught that life ended when the heart ceased to beat, no matter the condition of the body or the environment it was in. If life is the opposite of death, then its definition must also be the opposite, that is life begins when the heart starts to beat, no matter the condition of the body or the environment which it is in. We must also be truthful about the entire eugenics movement, from its start by Democrats in their effort to remove the “weeds” from the garden of humanity to its role in the destruction of the family unit, especially among the minority community and the disastrous negative effects resulting from it.

Taxes & Budget

The government does not have a revenue problem, it has a spending problem. I support the continued effort to simplify and reduces taxes as a means to stimulate the economy. I am also a proponent of freezing any increases in spending and reducing the budget by one cent of every dollar every year for the next ten year as a means to eliminate waste, make government more efficient and reduce the debt.

Immigration

There are only two ways to enter the United States, lawfully or illegally, period. The wall must be built to control illegal immigration, drug and child trafficking. I support the President’s call for the end to the visa lottery system and chain migration; more officers to patrol the border and more judges to handle asylum claims and a permanent solution to the DACA problem which may include a very long path to citizenship once a list of requirements is met.

My family has been without health insurance for over 20 years, so I understand this problem inside and out as well as the solutions to it which include making health insurance companies play by the same rules as other types of insurance; making hospitals charge actual pricing for their service and doing it in a transparent way; simplifying regulations and reducing administrative costs; expansion and portability of health saving accounts; and people using health insurance for its intended purpose, that being protecting individuals from bankruptcy in the event of a major medical incident by providing low cost catastrophic policies. Yes, this means assuming more personal responsibility for our health which is something we need to do as diseases related to obesity are the number one cause death in America.

The Republican belief is that everyone, through the use of their education, skills and personal fortitude should have the opportunity to climb the social-economic ladder as far as they wish. Education is the key to this journey. Our educational system should not be a cookie-cutter design preparing everyone for the same road in life. It should take into consideration the individual talents of students and prepare them for the road that best suits them in life. We also need to stop just throwing money at failing school systems and look at alternatives solutions.

Security is the number one job of the government and peace is only achieved through strength. We must also take care of those who have sacrificed so that the rest of us may live in that security and peace.

Second Amendment

This is a real simple one for me; especially since I have a 23 year span of writings to back it up. The Second Amendment gives individuals citizens the right to purchase, own and use firearms to defend themselves, their family, their friends, their neighbors and America against anyone looking to do us harm. I have gone through back ground checks when both purchasing firearms from dealer and at gun shows. It is a simple process and I have nothing against them as long as the government is not retaining any records. Any other place or reason, they are unnecessary. Reciprocal concealed laws, stand your ground laws and trained armed teachers in schools, all great ideas.

Agriculture

Agriculture has and always will be a big part of Iowa’s economy. It has gone through many advancements, struggles, and changes over the last couple of centuries. Agriculture is now at a crossroads that will determine whether the number of people responsible for raising the world’s food continues to age and decline. As operations are consolidated into fewer hands, which is actually a nationally security issue; or whether we listen to the people and implement programs that assist in putting younger farmers back on the land. We must revitalize our rural communities. Everyone seems to agree that we need to address this problem, but then keeps pushing policies that only exasperate it. Here is a more in depth look at the problem and a different kind of solution to it.