Taxes

The founding fathers of our country did not include any stipulations in our constitution regarding income taxes because they believed that no popularly elected official would be so corrupt as to take more than ten percent of someone's pay. Over the centuries it has become obvious that our leaders have strayed quite a long way from the ideals of our founders. Not only are our citizens taxed on the money they make, but they are taxed when the spend it, taxed when they save it and taxed when they inherit it from previous generations. The entire concept of taxation, as was considered fair by the Continental Congress, has been misused, abused and bastardized to the point where it more closely resembles that of King George whose polices incited our revolution.

It seems to me that the continual increase of taxes is being caused by a need to mask fundamental flaws in the way our budget is managed. There is no other entity in the world, outside of government, that can count on its ability to increase its income on demand without making any other changes. Our government is currently spending our money unwisely and raising taxes to generate more capital using threats against our public safety or our children's education to convince us to allow it.

If I'm elected to office I would consistently vote against any tax raises until our budget and our spending are thoroughly addressed. I would also make it a priority to obtain a position on budgeting and oversight committees.

Second Amendment

There were many states that refused to ratify the Constitution in its original form because they were concerned that these rights were not explicitly given to the people. They were able imagine a day when some of the rights they looked upon as inalienable and fundamental to maintain a happy, healthy life and country may be impinged upon or completely taken away by their government. In order to assuage their fears the first ten amendments were added. Each one of these rights is important and worth fighting for, but recently it seems that the government has been rallying their political troops to fight against some of them.

The First Amendment granting us the freedom of speech and the freedom of the press has always been one of the things of which we, as Americans, are most proud. It grants us the ability to voice our opinions and concerns about and to the government. We can proudly and safely say so if we think that things are being poorly managed or maintained. This amendment gives us the right to verbally defend the other nine.

The Second Amendment grants us the right to keep and bear arms. This amendment gives us the right to defend the other nine when the First Amendment is no longer sufficient. It also allows us to protect ourselves from any form of danger that might inhibit our pursuit of life, liberty and happiness.

Gay Marriage

In November of 2004 the first new amendment in almost one hundred years was adopted into the Ohio Constitution! It was initiated by the Family Research Council whose web site touts that it is a “Christian organization promoting the traditional family unit and the Judeo-Christian value system upon which it is built.”

The amendment is as follows:

15.11 - Marriage Amendment
Only a union between one man and one woman may be a marriage valid in or recognized by this state and its political subdivisions. This state and its political subdivisions shall not create or recognize a legal status for relationships of unmarried individuals that intends to approximate the design, qualities, significance or effect of marriage.

Regardless of what is said by the people who ratified this amendment it is based on an antiquated set of Judeo-Christian values. Such legislation, in itself, is unconstitutional and undermines the separation of Church and State and infringes on The People's freedom of (and from) religion. There is no purely political or social benefit to such a narrow view of what makes a marriage, there is only a religious dogma that is in the process of being eschewed by some religious institutions themselves!