.: Richard Cash For Congress :.

God. We must turn back to God. For a generation, we have been turning away from God, and the Christian foundations of our nation. We have allowed God to be driven from the public square, and we have rejected God's moral absolutes. We must turn back to God, and rebuild the foundations of faith and family, upon which our freedoms depend.

Term Limits and PAC Money. If we want to get different results out of Washington, we must change the way the game is played. I am taking a term limits pledge because I believe it is the most important thing that will restore government to the people. I am also taking a pledge concerning special interest money because I am committed to representing the people of the Third District, not special interests. The safest way to keep from falling under the influence of special interest groups is to reject their money. Please take a minute to read my pledge and why I believe we should demand nothing less from any candidate for Congress.

Unborn. We must establish justice by protecting the life of developing babies who are not yet born. The responsibility to establish justice is named in the preamble to the Constitution, and scientifically, there is no doubt that a human life begins at conception. In addition, our Declaration of Independence states, "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.... Life is the first right, and the first responsibility of government is to establish "liberty and justice for all."

Military. We must provide for the common defense. Our military is supposed to defend America and that should be its focus, therefore I support full funding for missile defense. Those who serve in the military should have our support and the very best equipment, and should not be sent into harm's way without a clear and compelling mission. Further, it is the responsibility of Congress to declare war, and this responsibility must not be abdicated to the Executive Branch.

Supreme Court. We must rein in the Supreme Court. For a generation, many members of the Supreme Court have usurped the authority of the Legislative Branch of government, by issuing rulings that have no basis in the Constitution, and thereby legislating from the bench. As a result, our three branches of government are out of balance. Congress must provide a check to the Supreme Court, in accord with Article 3, Section 2, of the Constitution, by removing from the Supreme Court appellate jurisdiction over cases which Congress believes are not the appropriate jurisdiction of the Supreme Court.

The Second Amendment. We must protect the Constitutional right to keep and bear arms. Whether it be for sporting purposes, food provision, or self-defense, this right must not be infringed by the Federal government or by the States.

Jobs. We must create a business-friendly environment in which entrepreneurs and small businesses can thrive. The personal initiative and hard work of everyday Americans will get the economy back on track, as long as government regulations, taxes, and mandates do not get in the way. It is free enterprise, not government stimulus packages, that make the economy grow.

Moral Absolutes. We must uphold the virtues of morality that are derived from the Bible. Abraham Lincoln stated, "The Bible is the best gift God has ever given to man . . . But for it we could not know right from wrong." Pre-marital sex, adultery, and homosexuality are all wrong because the Bible teaches these behaviors are immoral. Therefore, we should support laws and policies that promote Biblical morality, and reject those that do not.

Size of Federal Government. We must reduce the size and scope of the Federal Government. As citizens, we must stop looking to the Federal Government to solve all our problems and meet all our needs. Likewise, Congress must stop trying to buy votes by promising more entitlements, which inevitably leads to a mentality of dependence as well as a loss of freedom. The time is now to stop socialism and reverse the growth of the Federal Government.

Fiscal Responsibility. We must demand fiscal responsibility. There is no family, business, or organization that can continually spend more than it takes in without facing bankruptcy, yet we are told continually that the Federal Government is an exception. The fiscal policies of both parties must return to common sense reasoning that any educated American can understand; otherwise they are simply smoke and mirrors that lack believability.

Taxes and the IRS. We must have a simpler tax code that greatly reduces the scope and power of the IRS. I do not believe in progressive taxation or class warfare. When over 40% of all Americans no longer pay taxes, then they have no interest in government except what they can get out of it. This is leading to moral and economic ruin among the citizenry. We must have the courage to adopt a tax plan that is fair and simple.

Education. We must recognize that education is the responsibility primarily of parents. Students in the best schools with the best teachers will not achieve their potential without parents who actively participate in their children's education. Beyond the parental level, decisions about education should be made at the local and state level, not the federal level. The Constitution nowhere gives the Federal government the authority to set educational standards. We should direct any federal funds to go to the classrooms and teachers instead of the bureaucracies. We must also encourage school choice and support the rights of parents who choose private schooling or who educate their children at home.

Energy. We must reduce government regulations and interference in the energy industry. Our dependence on foreign oil is a national security issue and our energy policy should reflect the urgent need to do something about that. Alternative energy sources and conservation should be explored and promoted where they are economically feasible. However, as citizens, we must demand that the government stop hindering domestic oil production, nuclear power plants, and the development of coal and natural gas reserves.

Health Care. We must keep the government out of health care. Government by nature is inefficient and impersonal. Therefore, while we seek for ways to reform and improve health care, we must avoid the temptation to think that the government should pay for our health care and manage it. The government has a responsibility to reform and regulate health care, but it does not have a responsibility to own it.

Immigration. We must stop illegal immigration. We are a nation of laws, and the laws must be respected and followed. While debate and concern over immigration law is legitimate and welcome, amnesty for illegal immigrants is self-defeating. We must put forward policies that promote and reward legal, not illegal, immigration.

Environment. We must balance the goal of a cleaner environment with policies that are economically feasible and scientifically verifiable. Responsible stewardship of the earth is important in both principle and practice. However, policies such as Cap and Trade, that will have a crippling effect on the economy and negligible results, are neither feasible nor verifiable.

Bailouts. We must reject the idea that some companies are too big to be allowed to fail and must therefore be bailed out by the taxpayers. This idea undermines the principles of free enterprise capitalism, where risk and reward go hand in hand. By removing the risk of failure, bailouts will encourage irresponsibility and poor business practices, and that in itself is irresponsible.

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Richard Cash on the Issues