Life -- From conception until death, life is an "unalienable right" (Declaration of Independence) given by God to be protected at all costs. The personhood of the unborn is undeniable, as modern ultrasound methods have demonstrated. Being dependent on another human does not negate the humanity of the unborn, as there are many circumstances in which a human might become dependent on others. Those r
esponsible for destroying innocent life must be brought to justice. States must also be willing to adopt and enforce measures to ban state funding for abortions until Roe v. Moral dilemmas during certain medical crises may exist on rare occasions, but in those cases we must do our best with our human wisdom, ask God for guidance, and place the outcome in His hands. The constitution and the scripture are clear. The innocent are to be protected, not sacrificed for sake of convenience. "No person shall be...deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law." - 5th Amendment of the Constitution of the United States
Psa 106:37-38 "Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils, 38 And shed innocent blood, [even] the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood." Right to Keep and Bear Arms -- The founding fathers believed that it was the duty of all able- bodied men to protect their country from invasion and tyranny at home. This is the "well-regulated militia" found in the 2nd Amendment. While many today consider the word "regulated" a reference to government supervision, they were using the word in its classical sense -- use of fi****ms as a regular or (normal) part of life for the "militia" (those able to fight in defense of the nation.) The words "shall not be infringed" are particularly important, as pages of rules, regulations, and licensing requirements have been illegitimately placed between citizens and their right to keep and bear arms. I will seek to reverse this trend and restore the full level of freedom the founders intended. Education -- Since the initial passage of the ESEA in 1964, followed by the creation of the federal Department of Education in 1979, federal spending and supervision of local schools has expanded exponentially. Yet, for all the dollars spent, and layers of bureaucracy added, average student achievement has remained essentially flat since the federalization of education. In West Virginia, nine unelected political appointees set policies which the 55 elected county education boards are bound by law to follow. Most of these policies are merely copied from national policies set by the Secretary of Education, another unelected political appointee. This lack of accountability disenfranchises the citizens who want their votes to count in the way their local schools are managed. Instead, we receive programs of dubious merit such as No Child Left Behind and Common Core, and educators are given the impossible mandate to improve achievement while using questionable methods approved by those who have little to no educational experience. Moreover, the federal government has no constitutional authority over education, as it is left to the states by the 10th Amendment: "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people." Also, in our pursuit of achievement in narrow content areas, children are failing to learn the lessons of childhood which help them grow into happy, healthy adults. If they succeed in memorizing a greater number of facts, but fail to gain in wisdom and virtue, we fail our children altogether. Pro 3:13, 19 "Happy [is] the man [that] findeth wisdom, and the man [that] getteth understanding....The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens." Ultimately, education is supposed to be closely supervised by those in the community. It is worth remembering that in the days when America ascended to the forefront of the world stage, education was largely a local affair, conducted in small schools with blackboards and potbelly stoves. Education is a process which happens whenever there is both a willing teacher and a willing student. No amount of spending and blind mandates will change that fact. State and federal overreach must end if education is to become effective once again. Education must be returned to the people in the local states and communities. Economy and Worker's Rights -- Since the creation of the Federal Reserve in 1913, and the privatization of the money supply, worker's wages have consistently lost ground in real value. An unaccountable body in Washington, DC essentially determines the rate of economic growth, and we suffer the consequences without representation. In West Virginia, excessive taxation and regulation have driven out many businesses, while others barely survive. Large corporations expect tax breaks and perks to locate here, while small businesses are left to bear the full burden. Many who are fortunate enough to have employment work at multiple low wage jobs just to make ends meet. Others might have high level skills but face a decision of staying underemployed in their home state, or moving away to find better prospects. Often, they decide to leave for greener pastures, eroding our population and tax base. I believe that with sound economic policies in place, businesses will find that they can thrive in West Virginia. We must cut the total number and severity of regulations. Currently, certain fields maintain excessive barriers to entry. For example, a massage therapist must undergo 500 hours of training before becoming licensed to give massages. This unfairly stacks the deck toward older, established businesses, and hurts entrepreneurship. Additionally, those who work as part of a legally recognized labor union should enjoy the same rights to bargain collectively as large companies. Labor is a market, and numbers bring leverage in any market. This is why businesses often band together to negotiate better terms with suppliers and vendors, or to lobby for legislative changes for their benefit. Workers have every right to do the same. If a legal contract has been reached between a labor union and a company, legislature has no constitutional authority to breach or undermine that contract, even in justification of some perceived benefit. Contract law is the bedrock of an orderly society. People and businesses must have confidence in their government upholding the full force of their legal contracts with impartiality. Government isn't supposed to play favorites, but rather, protect the rights of all equally. "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." Lev 19:35 "Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in weight, or in measure." Energy and Environment -- In West Virginia, energy is inextricably linked with the economy and the environment. Wayne county residents have a long history of benefiting from the bounty that God has created for us. Whether logging, mining, or farming, many families have been supported by activities directly linked to the land. Families in Wayne County feel a closeness to the land that few from outside can fully appreciate. We know the importance of preserving our inheritance for future generations, just as we understand the blessings that can be reaped through good management of our resources. Yet, outsiders in Washington, D.C. and even Charleston want to issue edicts to satisfy the demands of the political class. Just within the last year, thousands of West Virginia miners have been laid off as a result, many of them within Wayne County. The War on Wayne County Workers has to end! As your delegate to Charleston, I will tell them exactly how badly we need to stand up to the elite in Washington, D.C. Coal production, forestry, and small farm agriculture are essential to the economic well-being of our county. I will fight to ensure that our concerns are hear loud and clear in legislature. As with education, energy and environmental issues are the purview of the states, not the federal government, as per the 10th Amendment: "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people." Ecc 1:4 "One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever. Ecc 5:9 "Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field."
