Summary of Policy Positions Previously Posted on My Campaign Website

Issues

We need to Be Not Afraid to tackle the tough issues. Some of the critical issues that need to be addressed, and my positions on them, are listed below. We must address these tough issues, otherwise your and my kids and grandkids will bear the burden. In good conscience, we cannot let that happen!

But, first let me set out how I approach issues. I follow the facts, sometimes to where I would rather not go, but go there I do if the facts are compelling.

Free Market Economics: Problems and Solutions, May 7, 2019. Capitalism has enabled more people to escape poverty than any other economic system. Socialism and communism have proven to be failures. But capitalism is not perfect and sometimes “market failures” require government action to maximize the public good.

Am I a Libertarian?, June 29, 2019. Protecting individual liberties is always a great place to start in considering any government policy.

I have pledged to uphold our U.S. Constitution. The checks and balances, separation of powers and limits to our federal government written into the U.S. Constitution have been eroded over time to the point that the Founding Fathers would barely recognize it today. For example, the Executive Branch has accumulated enormous powers barely unchecked by the Congress, which the Republicans did not like when President Obama issued Executive Orders and now the Democrats don’t like when President Trump issues EO’s. Congress must take back more of the oversight duties. When Ben Franklin was asked what kind of government was being formed, he replied, “A republic, if we can keep it.” We must not allow any further erosion of the limits of government and retain the rights to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”.

Thinking About Our Thinking: Is what you believe really true?, May 7, 2019. We have many cognitive biases. Awareness of these potential biases allows us to make better decisions.

Candidate Pledge of Civility, November 10, 2019. We can be steadfast in our principles and vigorous in our opposition to policies with which we do not agree, but we need not be uncivil in our discourse. We can disagree without being disagreeable. Being civil in strong disagreement is strength, not weakness. We all come from different backgrounds and experiences, so it is natural that we would have differences of opinion. Such differences of opinion can also an opportunity to learn. To support civil conversations on tough issues, I have moderated forums for Better Angels and National Issues Forums and led discussions for Global Minnesota.

Statement on Impeachment Vote in the U.S. House of Representatives. Unfortunately, my oath to defend the U.S. Constitution requires me to break ranks with the standard Republican line.

National Debt

The Looming National Debt Crisis - What are the Tradeoffs?, November 10, 2019. We have choices. Few are popular. But, “Not to decide is to decide”. I agree with President Trump that tax reform for our corporations was needed as addressed in the 2017 tax cuts, but they need to be either balanced with spending cuts or replaced with other revenue to avoid the explosion of the federal budget deficit in this and future fiscal years.

A Stark Warning about Our National Debt and Future Budget Deficits, October 29, 2019.

Playing Robin Hood Politics

Health Care Costs

Controlling Our Healthcare Costs, Part 1: The Structure and Players in the Industry,  

Controlling Our Healthcare Costs, Part 2: Reasons for Increases in Healthcare Costs,  

Controlling Our Healthcare Costs, Part 3: What are the Tradeoffs?: Possible Solutions for Rapidly Rising Healthcare Costs, December, 2019. Our current system is broken as costs rise inexorably. We have choices, but again, few are popular. Nonetheless, we must act to avoid crisis.

Reducing Prescription Drug Prices: Options and Tradeoffs, November 10, 2019. What tradeoffs are we willing to accept to have meaningful reductions in drug prices?

Are "March In Rights" the Answer to the High Cost of Insulin?, October 12, 2019. Perhaps in some cases, but never previously used because of high prices.

Is Health Care a Human Right?, July 15, 2019. I don’t like the idea of “rights” which are not accompanied by responsibilities. We all need to be more accountable for our results.

The Way Forward With Health Care, July 15, 2019.

Climate Change

The Full Truth About my Stance on Climate Change, October 1, 2019. That the climate is changing is acknowledged by most folks. What to do about it, if anything, is the question.

Skeptical about Climate Science? It is smart to be skeptical., October 1, 2019.

Our Changing Climate: Options to Consider, June 30, 2019.

Putting Human Faces to Climate Change and the Rotary “4 Way Test”, April 11, 2019.

Alternative Energy Costs Are Dropping Dramatically, Effectively Competing With Conventional Sources, July 21, 2019.

Thinking about adding solar panels to your home?, April 11, 2019.

Social Security

Very Good Article About Saving Social Security, May 5, 2019. Takeaway: The pending insolvency of Social Security can easily be solved if everyone would be willing to give just a little. The longer we wait, the bigger those “littles” will need to be making agreement even harder to be achieved.

Education

Possible Answer to the “College Affordability Crisis” January 1, 2020. Here is a way to make college more affordable for students and governments, and reduce frequency and severity of the "student debt crisis"

Immigration

Any meaningful immigration policy begins with secure borders! I agree with President Trump’s attempt to discourage people from even starting in the southern countries of Central America to come through Mexico to seek asylum in the U.S.

Immigration – Unsolvable Issue or a Political Football?, January 15, 2019. Takeaways from an Immigration Forum I moderated in January 2019.

National Security/Foreign Policy/ Trade Policy

It’s Time to Reconsider and Either Confirm or Modify the War Powers Act.  January 4, 2020. The killing of the Iranian General by drone strike renews the debate about the War Powers Act.

The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Undergos Needed Scrutiny, December 15, 2019.  The Department of Justice’s Inspector General Michael Horowitz’s Report on 2016 FBI Spying (“the IG report”) has raised new concerns about the tension between our privacy guaranteed under the Fourth Amendment and security.

We are in an Undeclared War, Whether We Like it or Not, October 29, 2019. Russia, China, Iran and N. Korea have meddled in our economy, our Internet and computer infrastructure and even elections. Cyber and space warfare is currently a reality.

I Agree with Trump Pushing Back Against China, December 29, 2019. Brig. Gen. Robert Spalding’s 2019 book, “Stealth War: How China Took Over While America’s Elite Slept” raises very serious concerns about China’s rise and its underlying intentions. In this blog post, I outline several actions Trump has taken to counter some of China's action, but are they enough?

Agreement with China on Tariffs Needed, November 10, 2019. I agree with President Trump that push back against China is needed. My hope is that agreement may be reached soon, as the negative impact of the tariffs imposed and/or threatened is hitting our farmers disproportionately.

Why Tour Eastern Europe?(Word Document, last revised January 1, 2019). The countries of Eastern and Central Europe have good reason to be concerned about Russian interference. This is why I organized and led Rotary tours through 8 countries in May 2019. See May 2020 Eastern European Rotary Tours Sponsored by the Prior Lake Rotary Club.

I believe in “American First, but not alone”, November 10, 2019. Our international agreements are still needed, but I agree with President Trump that foreign countries should pay a much greater share of the costs of defending their own countries. The NATO countries, S. Korea and Japan are on the top of the list.

Huge Federal Budget Deficits and Trade Deficits are Linked, November 10, 2019. Takeaway: If you want to reduce trade deficits, don’t run huge federal budget deficits. 

Infrastructure

Every four years, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) publishes The Infrastructure Report Card, which grades the current state of national infrastructure categories on a scale of A through F. its 2017 grade was D+, with only railroad infrastructure rating above the C level. Whether it be our roads, water ports, airports, water and sewer facilities, electrical transmission lines, Internet trunk lines, etc., our systems are either failing from old age or lack of maintenance, or demand has outgrown the existing capacity. The poor roads and the Flint lead in the waterlines problems I was intimately familiar with in Michigan are just examples of the greater nation-wide need.

ASCE estimates that if we don’t respond to this need, $3.4 trillion of GDP will be lost for our potential, which means dollars out of every taxpayers’ pockets even if the “no action” alternative is chosen. A national response is needed, and again, that will probably mean more money. Public Private Partnerships proposed by President Trump could partially meet this need, but PPP only works where there will be a future stream of income from the capital investment, such as water and sewer projects, bridges on which tolls may be collected. The tradeoffs are higher taxes or lost economic growth.