Jim McCormick, Independent, Congressional District 19
The Florida Whig Party has taken a preliminary vote to endorse Jim McCormick for the 19th Congressional District; the final vote will take place on Monday. The special election will take place on April 6, 2010. At this time we ask all voters in the 19th Congressional to read the following from Jim McCormick's website. Simply put, if you are tired of the same old thing in Washington, Jim McCormick offers common sense and independence. The Florida Whig Party can absolutely work with a man like this. Because this is a special election, the FWP encourages those who are able and willing to donate and volunteer from across the state and nation, to do so now so Mr. McCormick can mount an adequate GOTV (Get Out The Vote) Campaign and win this one for the regular man and woman who is fed up with the duopoly that has nearly destroyed this nation.
National Debt & Unfunded Liabilities
You hear a lot about Healthcare, TARP, the Stimulus Bill, Cap & Trade but almost nothing about our ever increasing National Debt. It took us decades to get to 5 billion but only a few years to double it. We are now looking to double our 12 TRILLION dollar National Debt in only 10 years… This has to be stopped and the brakes applied. I’ve long contended that we can no longer snip pieces of the budget away and maintain fiscal responsibility. With a Federal Budget deficit of over 1 TRILLION dollars it takes an axe to cut spending and get it under control. We need to cut hard at our budget to get it back to a reasonable number that we, as Americans, can afford. We need to use the power of the word NO and stop letting the federal government spend our children’s future into massive liability.
In “Change we can Trust”, where are the promises of “going line by line in the budget” and eliminating unnecessary spending? Where is the promise of removing lobbyists and special interest groups? In the vast arena of politics we hear about “fiscal responsibility” but how can we honestly believe it when our federal budget deficit is growing and Congress spends billions of our hard earned dollars on frivolous “bridges to nowhere?”
Regardless of your stance in Healthcare, Cap & Trade, Stimulus, Pork/Ear Marks, or the current wars, we simply cannot afford it. China has purchased a massive amount of our debt so that we can avoid inflation. The interest on those loans is staggering and increasing much like the mortgage on your home. The thought that communist China now owns a vast amount of our debt is a truly frightening thing. At some point they will stop financing our folly. At some point they will say NO and we will be forced to deal with our frivolous spending. Instead of waiting for China or other countries to tell us what we already know, why don’t we start now! We are not so deep in the hole that we cannot help each other out. We need to make serious, hard, choices and stop the belief that “somehow it will all work itself out”.
Congress has kicked this can down the road year after year. We cannot afford to wait any longer lest we burden our children and grandchildren with our current failures.
It’s time for an axe.
Illegal Immigration
America has long been considered the “melting pot” for the world’s immigrants. Our country is great because of our diverse number of cultures, religions and immigrants. Many of these people come to our country legally and submit themselves to the many requirements our country request, while others come across illegally. Is it the fault of the people coming here, seeking a better place to live or is it our massively flawed immigration system?
No one is saying this is a simple situation. No one is saying this can be fixed easily. However, among many problems with the system, one of the key issues is the problem of enforcement. This problem isn’t even being properly debated and while Congress attempts to be politically correct, they allow anyone to enter the country, including criminals and terrorists. America’s security is essential to our survival, so changes to our immigration system is mandatory. This issue leads to our country’s security. If we cannot keep out simple folks trying to get across our border, how can we keep out terrorists and Al Qaeda? This is a serious issue that needs to be addressed, sooner than later.
Here in District 19 we have so many businesses founded by legal immigrants that worked hard to get their citizenship and continue to work hard for their businesses. These folks are our neighbors, friends and fellow U.S. Citizens. We should realize how important they are to our community and how proud they are to have gone through the system properly and the benefits they obtained from it.
How many inquiries, Congressional hearings and court appearances would we have if we determined Al Qaeda came across the Mexican Border or worse yet, the Florida border…?
Energy Independence
There’s a poker term called “All In”. It means you are betting all your chips on your current hand. I believe that our government is going “All In” on Cap & Trade/Climate Change and it’s a bluff we simply can’t afford. We’re betting our economy and the prosperity of this country on a bet that we need to reduce carbon emissions. While I believe everyone wants to help do something for the environment, I don’t know how many want to cripple our economy to do it.
Barack Obama said that, “under his version of Cap & Trade, electricity bills would necessarily skyrocket.” I think it’s fairly safe to say that no one here in Florida wants to see their FPL bills double for the same amount of electricity. If it did double, could you afford your bill? If so, would that leave any money for your children and/or grandchildren? FPL and all other power companies would love and currently support Cap & Trade. They can pass on any penalties to the consumer, all the while adding to their ever increasing bottom line.
This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t harvest renewable sources of energy. We need to be independent of the Middle East, a section of the world that would gladly see our demise and has said as much. Even though recently discovered oil sources in the Gulf of Mexico may provide a hundred years of our nation’s consumption of oil, why not slowly build up our renewable sources? We would certainly mandate that all precautions be taken in any offshore drilling.
FAU has one of the country’s top sought programs called Subsea Engineering. This program teaches our students all about engineering ways to drill for oil in multiple locations, all from one platform. Let’s put our graduates to work here in our own Gulf of Mexico.
How about tax breaks for businesses and (further) tax breaks and special loans for individuals that purchase renewable systems? I looked into putting solar panels on my home but not only was it expensive, but you had to put all the money up front yourself and it would only generate about 1/3 the cost of the monthly electric bill. Many folks can’t afford putting up $45,000 in the hopes that they can get some money back for a system that won’t generate even half of what they use. We need to consider alternatives.
I contend that crippling our economy to “go green” is no more intelligent than assuming oil will last forever. This nation has some of the smartest minds in the world and I refuse to believe this is the only way to bring us to a renewable energy policy. We can offer tax breaks to businesses, individuals all the while promoting the technological advancement of these “green” technologies.
Economy/Jobs
South Florida is one of the hardest hit parts of Florida, let alone the United States regarding the economy. Prior years showed more people moving into our state than out of it but times have changed. Now we’re sadly looking at some of our neighbor’s houses in foreclosure while the banks get bailed out.
I have two condominiums threatened with foreclosure. I invested my money; all the while the government told me, like everyone else, that everything was “fundamentally sound”. I can personally say that the government has no business putting their hands in the private sector. Beginning with the CRA, government has tried to tell us that they know better how the private sector should work and that people who didn’t deserve loans should get them. Now I own property where many of my neighbors have declared bankruptcy, in one development over half are in foreclosure. Now I’m forced to assume the burden that so many others have shirked and I simply cannot afford it. It’s time that the government got out of housing and stopped telling the private sector how to do its job.
No one can name a single government program that has ever come in on budget, let alone under it. Now, why are we allowing the politicians to pass massive bills such as Healthcare or Cap & Trade and think that they will honestly come in on budget and that they will somehow generate jobs, not cost them?
Many in Washington tell us that “small business is the backbone of America” and that “small business is the job creator.” As a small business owner here in South Florida for almost 15 years, I can tell you the government has no interest in actually assisting these job creators. If they were serious they would have specified that those TARP and Stimulus Funds free up credit for those backbone businesses. We can still help small business by reducing government interference and taxes, as well as listening to them. Forcing them to do things like paid sick days and forced insurance only put them into unwinnable situations. Government has no business in telling our small businesses how they should be run.
Some folks feel that taxing the rich for everything is somehow the solution to the problem. The rich got there by taking risks and investing in ventures. They don’t have an unlimited amount of money, nor is it right to keep adding taxes on them simply because they are rich. Taxing them stifles investment and forces them into a scramble to white knuckle their cash. As it is, the rich already pay most of the tax burden. Here is where a flat tax would certainly make the most sense, as it could never be disputed that everyone pays their fair share.
Second Amendment & Ft. Hood
The second amendment to our Constitution gives us the right to bear arms. I am a member of the NRA and believe in the responsible use of firearms. I believe that even if we outlawed guns, only outlaws would have guns. Criminals will always be able to obtain firearms but they’re much less likely to break into a home that they know has firearms. I also believe that if you are caught using a gun to willingly commit any crime, you should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, particularly if that crime involves loss of life; No breaks.
The terrorist that committed that heinous act at Fort Hood, Texas called himself a “soldier of Allah” as he cried “God is great”, all the while taking the lives of our heroic men and women of the armed services. We must be ever vigilant, lest the light of freedom be extinguished while we sleep.
I believe in the advancement of “smart technology” to keep criminals from taking a gun from the legal owner, including our men and women in law enforcement, and using it on them or anyone else. America is the land of opportunity and invention; let’s make that technology come to fruition and make it cost effective enough for the average citizen.
ISRAEL
Israel is, and will continue to be, the democratic beacon of hope in a region that still believes in beheadings, vengeance killings, no women’s rights and no tolerance for others. Hamas and Hezbollah need to be called out to be the Iran sponsored terrorist organizations that they truly are. Although I believe that eventual peace can be obtained, it cannot be obtained through the attrition of Israel. It’s simple; Israel should not give up an inch of land. Israel has been very accommodating in giving up land for the prospect of peace. However, in each instance Israel has given up land only to find themselves in another future battle over the same issue.
America needs to stop interfering in Israel’s business. She’s a sovereign country and can make her own decisions. Although we don’t have the right to tell Israel what to do, we can certainly recommend but only as much as we would to any of our allies. We should stand ever ready to defend her, not stand idly by as Barack Obama has indicated. I believe he promised the Jews in our district, as he did the nation, that he would defend and support Israel. After his speech in Egypt, and his stance on the settlements, how would you say that’s working out?
The United States must help stop the anti-Semitic and cowardly attacks on Israel through mediating peaceful talks between both Israel and Palestine, all the while assisting in any defense Israel requests. How would we stand by Britain if they were being shelled from France or Germany? I think we know that answer.
The Palestinians must reject Hamas so long as it remains a cowardly terrorist organization, for peace will be short lived so long as groups like Hamas continue to progress their agenda of hate.
Healthcare
Our district is unique to many U.S. districts in that we have a high amount of folks over 65. We need to send someone to Washington that really understands this and won’t abandon them to help pull the party line.
Family Considerations
1) My father is an Osteopath (General Practice) and drives to his office in Miami every day. He could have moved to Boca Raton when our family moved but he didn’t like the idea of leaving his patients, many of whom were elderly. He has seen firsthand the fraud and waste in Medicare and Medicaid, including having checks stolen and cashed from his office mailbox. The government never even looked into the fraud because it was under $2500. This is the same administration that feels they can wave a magic wand and somehow make the fraud disappear and count it as “savings”.
2) My family is very close. My parents live two minutes by car from me in the home where I grew up. Every year we put up an enormous Christmas display and occasionally it’s even in the newspaper. Both my parents have Medicare and would like to retire but if this healthcare bill passes my father’s business will receive even less than it already does and retirement will be all that more unlikely. You can believe that I will always consider them when talking about healthcare and taking away 500 BILLION from Medicare is not a start but a recipe for disaster.
Portability & Purchasing across state lines
1) We absolutely need the ability of purchasing health insurance across state lines. This would significantly contribute to any lacks in healthcare and would give businesses the ability of purchasing lower cost insurance. This wouldn’t cost anything to the American people but could be a huge savings for businesses.
2) Along with this folks need the ability to take their insurance with them if they move. Right now insurance is locked into states so you could lose your insurance just by moving. This is another solution that wouldn’t cost us anything.
Insurance for Illegal immigrants
1) While no one would be so cold as to deny healing to someone in an emergency situation, we must not allow those that are here illegally to get the benefit of healthcare while we pay for it. If we do not address this, anyone from any country could come here and obtain healthcare services. This would strain our already fragile system to collapse.
Good enough for the Goose…
1) If Congress passes any healthcare system, they need to be prepared to use the same system for themselves and their staff. Right now Congress enjoys one of the best healthcare systems available, we pay for it and they want to tell us what’s best for our healthcare. Perhaps they would be more careful about passing this kind of law if they were subject to it themselves.
Frivolous Lawsuit (Tort) Reform
1) We cannot revamp our healthcare system without taking a long and serious look into reforming the problem of frivolous lawsuits. No one is saying that you shouldn’t be able to sue negligent physicians or establishments, but there should be stricter guidelines on legal actions that are considered frivolous. Insurance companies are often too ready to settle out of court for lawsuits they know are frivolous but because they know the costs to defend themselves are higher than the settlement costs, they often choose to settle out of court. In Texas, Tort Reform has reduced malpractice insurance premiums by as much as 50%! We must call on Congress to make stricter guidelines on these types of suits and establish hefty penalties for those that bring about a clearly frivolous suit.
2) Defensive medicine is when the doctor performs a test, procedure or referral because he’s afraid that if he didn’t do the test he may be sued for it. Physicians go to school, obtain a degree, perform residency and now we have lawyers and bureaucrats sitting back in offices telling the doctor what he or she should have done. Many times doctors are audited (after being paid) and the insurance company “reevaluates” the claim, having someone determine if all the charges were needed. Did they sit with the patient? Did they obtain a degree after medical school? Often it’s all an effort to save money for the insurance company. The doctor loses the money and the patient ultimately loses through higher fees or perhaps the doctor discontinues acceptance of that insurance company.
Social Security
As most of our District 19 folks are dependent on some form of Social Security, we need to impress the importance of fixing the Social Security deficit. Currently we are adding to a massive, 14 TRILLION dollar deficit for Social Security alone! This is one of the issues that ties back to Congress spending all our money. I will make it my priority to garner whatever support necessary to get Congress fiscally responsible.
Congress has kicked this can down the road along with other Unfunded Liabilities in the hopes that they don’t have to deal with it. Well unfortunately we cannot ignore this massive debt any longer and must deal with it in the here and now. We must fix this before our seniors are denied benefits; they deserve better.
Afghanistan & Extreme Islam
With Al-Qaida using Afghanistan as a stronghold, we were forced to invade the country to root out and eliminate the extremists. Since that time we have lost focus of the goal and been drawn into territory politics. Unlike Iraq, the Afghanistan government is heavily corrupt and unlikely to be a real ally. Many folks would say that we don’t need to be there but if we leave now, we will allow Al-Qaida and the Taliban to regain control of the country. At this point they are on the run hiding in countries like Pakistan and training in countries like Sudan and Yemen, while receiving funding and arms from Iran.
If we allow these other countries to harbor terrorists, they are no better than the terrorists themselves. We have a number of peaceful options at our disposal to pressure these countries to either hunt down the terrorists themselves or allow us to do so. Military options are, and should be, the options of last resort. Too often our politicians forget that any military option means ordering our dedicated men and women of the armed forces into harm’s way. Let’s always consider every option before committing our military but if we do commit them then we should go forward with a clear and concise plan. We should also never shackle our troops with rules of engagement that are politically motivated.
With regards to Islamist Extremists, we need to understand that these people are a splinter group of humanity with no regards, whatsoever, for their fellow human beings. Their views are so narrow minded and radically charged that they will not consider any views of human existence other than their own. They celebrate and cherish death while we choose life. We absolutely must understand that they will sacrifice anyone and anything to accomplish their radical goals. They do not care if others try to understand their way, only that their way will be the only way.
We cannot allow any organization, radical or otherwise, the chance to murder more of our citizens. We must secure our borders and use technology to our advantage, all the while maintaining a firm grip on our civil liberties. It was said on television that we must understand that we will be giving up certain civil liberties while flying on planes. To that I say absolutely not. Our liberties are not for the taking and giving at someone’s pleasure. They are ours from our creator and expressly outlined through the Constitution.
A real "citizen" campaign with children compared to the slick professional campaigns of the Democrat and Republican candidates. A regular man in Congress, go figure... Jim McCormick, a breath of fresh air in a city filled sky high with the stench of lies, greed, and special deals.
McCormick radio interview.
