Issues

The United States is on the verge of a recession.  Unfair trade practices are sending American jobs overseas.  Massive corporate taxes are choking American industry and an unfair income tax system is taking more and more money from our citizens.  The only way to solve this problem is with substantial tax reform.  Ideas such as the Fair Tax, which I support, allow taxes to be spread more evenly, and thereby allowing you to keep more of your money and promoting economic growth. 

I am proud to have spent the last six years in the Georgia General Assembly fighting to cut state taxes.  During my time in the state house I have helped save Georgia tax payers more than $2 billion while creating one of the fastest growing economies in the country.  I have helped do this by supporting an increased child care tax credit, lowering gas taxes, giving senior citizens needed tax relief, supporting small business, extending the sales tax holidays, and exempting military income for periods of deployment from state income taxes.  This proven track record shows my commitment to fighting for low taxes and limited government.

Everyday thousands of immigrants break the law and illegally enter the United States.  These illegal aliens are never searched or documented, and are but a symptom of our dangerously insecure borders.  The first step in any immigration reform must be to correct this problem by securing our borders.  Once the borders have been secured then we can begin to close the loopholes that make it possible for illegal immigrants to avoid detection.

While the state of Georgia cannot secure the nation’s borders, we can take away the incentives that lead millions of immigrants to illegally enter the country.  If illegal immigrants cannot find economic opportunities then there will be no reason for them to cross the border.  In 2006 I supported Senate Bill 529, which made the strict changes necessary to turn illegal immigrants away.  In passing this measure we outlawed human smuggling, required that anyone arrested on a criminal charge provide proof of legal residency, and cracked down on businesses that hire illegal immigrants.  Because of legislation such as SB 529 Georgia now has the toughest illegal immigration laws in the country.

The erosion of traditional family values in America is unacceptable and harmful to our continued prosperity. We must strive to maintain a national culture that values life, protects the sanctity of marriage and keeps government from oppressing hard working families.  Because of this belief, I helped pass the Marriage Amendment of 2004.  This amendment to the constitution of Georgia defined marriage as the union between a man and woman.  I also cosponsored and fought for the Women’s Right to Know Act, which restricted abortions in Georgia to the limit allowed by federal law.  I have been a strong advocate for prolife legislation, am proud to have a proven history of fighting for conservative family values in the General Assembly, and will continue this record in Washington, DC.

Providing a strong national defense is a cornerstone of our Federal government.  The responsibility of supporting our soldiers should not end when they come home.  I believe that we should provide returning soldiers with every available opportunity and aid them in finding jobs that allow them to use their valuable skills.  We should not turn our backs on the veterans who face the ultimate sacrifice to protect our freedoms. This is why I fought to pass a bill which expanded the HERO Scholarship to help veterans attend college after serving our country.

Our country is fighting a war on terrorism, and our military is having problems keeping up with global technology advances.  In the midst of this, the Democratic majority is calling for cut and run tactics and a massive decrease of funding to all branches of the military.  We cannot allow this.  As the leader of the free word, we have come under attack by terrorist organizations determined to destroy everything we stand for.  It would be a mistake to apologize for our freedoms, abandon our allies, and deny our military the tools needed for victory.  For this reason, I believe we have no choice but to listen to our military leaders and give them what they need.

America’s children face more dangers than ever before.  Drugs, online predators, a failing education system, and increasing teen pregnancy are only a few of the problems our children face on a daily basis.  Strengthening parental rights, not the federal government, is the only way to curb this dangerous trend.  Fostering a stronger family unit is the key to keeping our children secure and preparing them for the future.  This is why I fought in the state legislature to help our children.  As a father and state representative, I was proud to pass legislation, such as HB 1059 in 2006 and HB 908 in 2008, that led to the toughest crack down on child predators in the country.  I also worked to pass SB 474, a bill cracking down on child pornography on the internet, a growing concern and area of sexual abuse of our children.

Our nation is facing serious problems in our healthcare system, which, if not dealt with effectively, will cripple the institutions and persons dedicated to serving our citizens.  As the nation’s demand for healthcare continues to dramatically increase, we find ourselves in the midst of a major doctor and nursing shortage.  Added to this situation is the fact that healthcare costs are skyrocketing as more and more Americans begin to find themselves without health insurance.  These problems have been ignored for too long and must be addressed now.

During my time in the Georgia General Assembly I fought to reduce costs for medical providers, which has reduced costs for healthcare recipients.  By fighting for tort reform, changes in our court system that prevent frivolous lawsuits against our healthcare professionals, I was able to help lower insurance costs for healthcare providers.  These savings were passed on to all Georgia patients.  I want to take that success and, with your help, broaden practical change to include not only Georgia, but the rest of the nation.

I believe the best way to bring positive change to our healthcare system is to increase the number of qualified doctors and nurses.  This is the only way to address the medical shortage facing Georgia, and most of the country.  This is why I was proud to help secure funds from the General Assembly for the expansion of the Medical College of Georgia in Athens and Augusta.

Property rights are a fundamental part of our society and economy.  People should not have to worry about the government forcing them out of their homes in order to build a new shopping center.  For this reason, I was happy to lead the fight for HB 1313, a constitutional amendment and bill that strengthened protections against improper seizure of private property.