Two years ago when I ran for Congress I stated that I believed Washington was broken and in need of real reform. For the last two years, I’ve learned just how broken Washington really is. Sadly, when Americans think of Congress today, they think of divisive partisanship, big-spending bills filled with waste and fraud, and little accountability to the American people. Well I am one Congressman working to end this status quo and enact real change in Washington. I am running again because I want to continue to be an independent voice for south central Michigan and serve my constituents. Over the past two years I have stood up for my district whenever appropriate, and at different times bucked my own party, our President, and Democratic leaders like Speaker Nancy Pelosi. I’ve also held around 170 town hall meetings, coffee hours, and open office hours in an effort to be accessible and accountable to the residents of south-central Michigan. I want to be the most accessible representative in my district’s history.

Along with being accessible and accountable, I am working on big reforms that will bring economic change and opportunity back to Michigan.  Families are struggling with high energy prices, grocery costs going up, education becoming more expensive, and retirements at risk.  The last thing struggling families need is higher taxes.  In Michigan, we need more good-paying jobs and an economic climate where new jobs are readily available. While times are tough in Michigan, I know that we can come back.  But we need our state and federal government to give our hard-working people the chance to succeed.  Last year the Michigan legislature, led by my opponent, voted to raise business taxes which has driven jobs and opportunities out of our state. In order to create more jobs, we need a tax and regulatory structure that encourages companies to come to Michigan.  I have never voted for a tax increase and you have my word that I will not support any tax increases. Right now, tax relief passed by Congress is set to expire in 2011.  I have a very important bill, the Tax Increase Prevention Act, that would prevent a massive $680 billion tax increase on families and job providers. If this tax relief expires, my constituents will pay more taxes on marriage, childbirth, adoption, earning money, saving money, paying college loans and dying. Making this tax relief permanent would enable small business to create more good-paying jobs and bring more opportunity to the Michigan economy. Michigan’s economic turnaround depends on manufacturers innovating, growing and expanding.  I was once a union steel worker, and I know jobs like the one I had depend on manufacturers being able to hire more workers. Our American auto manufacturers spend $20 billion a year on research and development, and I am co-sponsoring the Investment in America Act to extend the research and development tax credit, so we can keep high-tech, high-paying jobs here in Michigan and encourage further investment.

We also need a new energy policy. I believe the answer to our current energy situation is simple: we need to break our dependence on foreign oil. America needs to become energy independent and turn to alternative energy sources like solar, wind, cellulosic ethanol, bio-diesel, hydrogen, and other clean alternatives, and in the short term, increase carbon-free nuclear power and clean-coal technology rather than increase our reliance on Middle East energy. We also need to encourage conservation, such as green buildings, and allow exploration in Alaska, the Outer Continental Shelf, and the Gulf of Mexico. I am pushing a bill, the No More Excuses Energy Act, that says let’s do all of the above, increase American energy production and invest in our alternative energy future.

A third priority for me is reforming our broken health care industry into a patient-centered health care system that gives patients direct control over their health care decisions. I know what it’s like to live without health insurance and make do with little income, as my family and I had no health insurance when I started working.  Health care run from Washington, D.C. by federal bureaucrats will not work and will lead to rationing and the end of consumer choice.  True solutions involve empowering individuals, families, and small businesses to purchase health care that meets their respective needs.  I have introduced the Making Health Care More Affordable Act to give consumers and patients more control and choices, make health care more affordable for small businesses and families, promote health information technology, and reduce overall costs and allow for portable health insurance.   My legislation will improve the quality of care for all Americans and empower Americans to take control of their own health care. Passing the Making Health Care More Affordable Act will provide necessary reform to our broken health care system and provide needed, high quality health coverage to more Americans.

These three issues form the foundation of my campaign, and I look forward to fair and honest debate on these and other issues over the next few weeks.

This entry was posted on Thursday, October 9th, 2008 at 5:06 pm and is filed under Politics, Campaign .