Issues The constitutions of the United States and the State of Utah The first official act of a Utah State Senator or Representative is to swear an oath of fidelity to the Constitutions of the United States, and the State of Utah. It is an honor to serve and help protect those privileges and freedoms as your State Representative. While not all constitutional decisions are popular, it is because of these inspired documents that societies and governments recognize our God-given freedoms. Education as the foundation of our future Education is one of the most critical public policy issues facing the state legislature. Utah has unique challenges because: 1. We have the largest school-age population in the nation. 2. Nearly 70% Utah land is federally owned or controlled. Bottom Line: The feds don’t pay taxes, they collect them. Education makes up the majority of the Utah State budget. It has been said that if Utah wants higher teacher pay, updated textbooks, classroom computers, and arts and music back in its classrooms, we have a decision to make: spend more money, or spend money more wisely. I tend to reject that line of reasoning. Why not both? The primary driver in education funding, as in all state revenue streams, is economic development and prosperity. As we focus on the free market economy, we will be able to create an environment where our children have every advantage in the classroom as we decrease the economic burden on our citizens. Parents Matter - The number one predictor of success in the classroom has nothing to do with funding at all. Rather, it is: Parental Involvement and Commitment. There is no substitute to a parent committed, dedicated and personally invested in their child’s individual education success.
I strongly support investments in higher education, especially when those investments relate directly to the economic and business needs of the state. Finally, Go Wildcats!
The Second Amendment Why is #2 so special? Because it is at the heart of it all. What is more important than protecting life itself? One of my favorite bills so far was 2009’s HB 357 which I co-sponsored with Rep. Sandstrom, which strengthens everyone’s 2nd Amendment rights regardless of conceal-carry status. (And yes, you heard correctly. That was the randomly assigned bill number.) I currently hold the enthusiastic endorsement and an A+ legislative rating from the National Rifle Association, of which I am a lifetime member.
Family as the fundamental unit of society The health of our society is dependent on the health of our families. As we respect the sanctity of the family in law, we give families the best chance to succeed. Fathers, Mothers and marriage matter, because children matter. Let’s give them the best shot we can.
Limited Government “The function of government is not to grant rights, but to protect the unalienable, God-given rights of life, liberty, property, and the pursuit of happiness.” – Utah Republican Party Platform
Private Property I support the right to private property, and oppose any effort by government to interfere with the lawful use of that property without an overwhelming need for public use. Free markets Because business is best regulated by supply and demand, rather than artificial government controls.
Reduced Taxes wherever possible Because you spend your money better than any government ever could. Charity and Service as the hallmarks of a healthy society Government is NOT a charity. Charity by force, the taking from one man by force of law to give to another, may solve a short term need, but destroys any long-term benefit between them. In which case the intrinsic blessings of service: Gratitude, Inspiration, Mutual Understanding, Brotherly Kindness, indeed, true Charity are sacrificed if not forfeited completely. When what should be charity is converted into an entitlement program, the short-term needs may be met, but at a horrific long-term cost. America is the most generous country in the world, not because of her government, but because of her people. It has been said that: “America is great, because America is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America ceases to be great.” – attributed to Alexis de Tocqueville. As your Representative, I have and will continue to use the office to support “good” causes, and encourage others to do the same. As we each make a personal commitment, to serve where we can, to “lift where [we] stand”, we will be blessed to meet the needs in our communities.
Personal Responsibility as the basis for self-government Liberty alone, is not enough. A free and prosperous Utah requires personal responsibility from its people. Only by balancing Liberty with Responsibility can Freedom be sustained and preserved for those who will follow.
Illegal Immigration I am opposed to Illegal Immigration. Period. The lack of a coherent policy and the will to enforce it in Washington has left the states in a nearly impossible situation. The hard truth is: We can "chip away" at little pieces of the problem, but it can never be truly "solved" by Utah or any other state. Until we elect federal representatives committed to enforcing and improving our immigration laws, there will be no real answer the state can provide. For example, assuming we pass a bill similar to Arizona's SB 1070, (and I believe that we will) that bill still will not do anything to increase federal commitment to enforcement. We will identify arrest and detain more illegal immigrants, we will then contact ICE to notify them of our discovery, and they will still decline to come pick them up, unless they have committed a serious enough felony. As I said before, without a stronger committment from Washington, it will not have a significant effect. As your representative, I am uninterested in sound bites and angry belligerent rhetoric that so pollutes this debate. Rather, I am deeply interested in actual solutions, focused on enforcement and bound by the principles outlined above. | 