Values

Government Spending
We have tried spending our way out of debt.  Friends, this has not worked and cannot work in a sustainable way.  Frankly, we are robbing our children and that is not right!  It makes more sense to stop wasteful spending and quit pushing our debt off on to the next generation.  It is time for Washington to live within its means.

Thomas Jefferson made it simple in a letter he wrote to James Madison on Sept. 6, 1789: "Then I say, the earth belongs to each of these generations during its course, fully and in its own right. The second generation receives it clear of the debts and encumbrances of the first, the third of the second, and so on. For if the first could charge it with a debt, then the earth would belong to the dead and not to the living generation. Then, no generation can contract debts greater than may be paid during the course of its own existence."

Taxes
Excessive taxation is the same as oppression.  Citizens and businesses who generally reap the benefits of what they sow are most likely to reinvest.  Reinvestment breeds ingenuity and eventually jobs, which allows the cycle to continue.  This is what sets us apart as a country and as an economy, and I will fight to curb the burden of taxation in favor of free enterprise.

Jobs
[Read above first!]  When businesses fail, good people lose jobs.  I know how hard it is to grow a business while fighting red tape and government bureaucrats.  Simply put, it should be a fundamental function of our government to allow business growth without fear and with only the most reasonable oversight.  I will work to support the real engine of our economy — private enterprise.

Family Values
I carry the personal belief that life begins at conception and that marriage is between one man and one woman. I'm not interested in running for office to change God's definitions.  Liberal forces are working hard to redefine the game on these and other social issues, but my tendency is to keep it simple and support ideas that make sense to the common man.  For instance, I will concentrate on finding ways to help mothers in crisis find life-saving alternatives to abortion.

Energy
Achieving energy independence is a matter of national security and a key to growing our economy.  I will fight for increased energy production at home while encouraging common-sense renewable energy alternatives.  I will not support any increased energy taxes or President Obama’s proposed Cap and Trade legislation because taxation and rationing are not good answers.

Veterans
As a nation, we owe a debt of gratitude to our veterans — they defend our freedom!  Kurt and Dawn have many family members who have served in the military.  From grandfathers that served in WWII, to uncles that served in Korea and Vietnam. Dawn's father was awarded two purple hearts from the War in Vietnam.  Kurt believes that those who serve in the armed forces are today's heroes and that our veterans deserve the greatest of honor and respect.  It is because of people like them that our country is the great nation that it is. 

Second Amendment Rights
I enjoy my own right to own a gun and will defend the Second Amendment Rights of all Americans.

Immigration
Legal immigrants should be welcomed with open arms as they follow in the footsteps of our ancestors who came to America to start a better life.  But the fact is, illegal immigration is...illegal.  With the need for good jobs so great, our government should not allow illegals to continue underbidding American citizens in the labor market.  We should neither encourage nor tolerate illegal immigration to our country.  I support stricter border controls and oppose any blanket amnesty for illegal immigrants.