Issues

Lincoln resolved that our "Government of the people, by the people and for the people, should not perish". Yet we have seen in the past year, a disregard "of the people" by many federal legislators. The government closest to the people is the most responsive to the people. It is very difficult for one person to influence the federal legislative process, but much easier to reach out to their local member on the Board of Supervisors or School Board. We need restore the constitutional limits on the Federal government, shifting government control from the federal to the state and as far as possible, from the state to local governments. This will maximize individual freedom and liberty, as well as lessen restrictive controls on the free market economy.

The Constitution is our road map to liberty. But we have gone far astray and need to study this timeless resource to get back on track. We have extensive writings from the founders; we do not need to guess their intent. The Bill of Rights needs to be defended and advanced as much today as in the first days of the republic when their necessity was under debate.

The first amendment is too often construed to protect people "from religion" rather than protect their right to religious expression. The recent Supreme Court decision rightly corrected the restraint on political speech. Political Speech, should not be restricted, especially prior to an election. Additionally, other recent Supreme Court decisions have helped to clarify the individual right to bear arms. We need to restore the balance of powers between the federal and state government as intended in The 10^th Amendment. I believe strongly in the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness and that the government' responsibility to secure these rights, includes protecting the rights of the unborn, and the rights of property owners.

Implicit in my allegiance to the Constitution is my commitment to the rule of law. We should enforce the laws we have; if we want to change the laws, we should do so through the legislative process defined in the federal and state constitutions, not through activist judicial decisions. The lack of enforcement of our federal immigration laws has led to endless repercussions effecting the economy, education, healthcare and public safety. If we need to change the laws to allow for more legal immigrants we should have that debate, rather than ignore our own laws. The consequence creates confusion among immigrants and citizens alike about which laws are expected to be followed and which laws can be ignored.

This philosophy forms the foundation for how Patricia will govern.

The formation of my political philosophy began 25 years ago when I first started my consulting business for the food industry. Early on, I had registered as lobbyist on Capitol Hill. I shortly chose to focus my efforts on the Executive branch of government rather than the legislative branch. I had a philosophical disconnect with trying to get Congress to micro-manage a program on my client's behalf - even though the interest and efforts were legitimate.