Immigration
We are a nation of immigrants. Our country has always welcomed people from every corner of the world. But we are also a nation of laws. It is because we are a nation of laws that so many people want to become Americans. They know that under the rule of law, they can have the opportunity to achieve prosperity without fear. When people come into the country without regard for our laws they jeopardize the foundations of the society they are hoping to join. If the problem of illegal immigration is not addressed and the flow of illegal immigrants is not stopped, we will no longer be the land of opportunity, the shining city on the hill. Illegal immigration must be brought under control through border security, tamper-proof identification documentation, immigrant labor law enforcement in the workplace, ceasing the release of deportable aliens, speeding up the process of deportation, and expediting the admission process for legal immigrants.
Fair Tax Legislation
Our tax structure is unfair and oppressive. The fact is that, while some Americans pay no taxes at all, most Americans pay too much in taxes. The fact is that more than 50% of every working person's income goes to pay taxes. We pay income taxes, Social Security taxes, sales taxes, real estate taxes, gasoline taxes, excise taxes on phone, cable and satellite TV, not to mention the hidden tax built into every product or service we consume - and this is only a partial list. Lower taxes serve a dual purpose: they keep more money in the pockets of the taxpayers and they keep the government focused on its truly important and legitimate functions. Lower taxes promote a smaller, less intrusive government.
There are several proposals being discussed to promote lower taxes. The first and most urgent one is to make the tax cuts passed in 2001 and 2003 permanent, in order to avoid a tax increase pending consideration of a broader reform. Further simplification by reducing the existing rates and eliminating tax brackets, as well as the Alternative Minimum Tax, should also be considered.
Second Amendment Rights
As a gun owner, I believe in the right to own and keep firearms, which is guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and a part of the tradition of freedom and empowerment that has made our country the greatest nation on earth. Whether for hunting, sport or personal protection, the right of our law-abiding citizens to have guns must be protected from unreasonable governmental restriction. I support the enactment of Federal legislation that protects firearms manufacturers from frivolous lawsuits stemming from the use of the guns by third party legal purchasers. I support keeping Federal lands open to hunters and the use of hunting for wildlife population management.