Issues

•    Get government out of the way of job creators. Without a robust private sector to fund our public sector, we'll go bankrupt; the direction we're currently heading in. As a veteran of the private sector who has created hundreds of quality jobs, I know what it takes to be successful. I'll work to get Washington out of the way so small businesses can create jobs and economic prosperity for all Americans.  VIDEO 

•    Balance the Federal Budget and declare war on our debts and deficit.  I support a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

•    Career politicians are the biggest part of our national problem.  I support term limits and I will limit myself to two terms.  VIDEO

•    Repeal Obama Care and replace it with interstate insurance options and competition, small business healthcare pooling and real tort reform.

•    Repeal and replace our 67,000-page tax code.  Introduce a new code with focus on simplification, broadening the base, taxing the cash economy, encouraging international competitiveness and attracting capital to America, rather than scaring it away.  The average American must be able to understand and comply with the tax law without professional help. I am partial to the Fair Tax, the most studied and factually supported alternative tax code, but will consider any reform that moves us in the right direction.  VIDEO

•    Return the 10th Amendment to its rightful place of focus and prominence.  Encourage governors, state legislators, mayors and other state and local officials to hold a Conference of the States, in the spirit of Thomas Jefferson, to limit the size and power of the Federal Government and to commence returning power to the states, as our founding fathers envisioned.

•    Significantly limit international welfare and rapidly reduce spending America’s dwindling resources abroad.  VIDEO

•    American troops have been in Afghanistan for nearly ten years. While they have accomplished much good, it is long past time to re-evaluate the mission. This year alone, the war in Afghanistan will cost approximately $150 billion. It has already cost more than 1600 American lives. At a time when the US Government faces a debt crisis and American schools and roads are crumbling, we can no longer afford to borrow nearly 40 cents on the dollar to pay for schools and roads in Afghanistan. American troops should come home, and the sooner the better.

•    Stop looting the Social Security Trust Fund and stop treating it as part of the General Fund to be spent immediately. It is retirement savings, not revenue, and should be treated that way: saved, not spent. As your Senator, I will work tirelessly to change the unified budget practice that allows politicians to raid our senior's savings.

•    Rapidly address Medicare’s projected unfunded liability of $30+ Trillion and growing. Leverage hard facts and analysis from actuarial experts to reform Medicare.

•    Apply Generally Accepted Accounting Principles to the Federal government, just as the government applies them to American businesses.

•    Make every law applicable to members of Congress, just as they apply to ordinary citizens.

•    Enforce a plain English law standard. All laws should be written so that the average high school graduate can comprehend them.

•    Overhaul the TSA, making inter-state travel faster and easier for Americans. Treating our own innocent citizens like suspects diminishes our freedoms; the goal terrorism seeks to achieve.

•    Repeal Congressional pensions and exclusive healthcare plans and replace them with plans that are available to the rest of us. No special treatment for politicians; they work for us.

•    I believe energy independence is a national priority. I will work to develop a domestic energy plan that weans America off foreign oil within 10 years. I believe in exploring America’s own abundant natural resources through offshore drilling, ANWR, and beyond.

•    I believe in school choice. Every American family, regardless of income, deserves to give their children the best education and send them to the school of their choice - public or private.

•    I oppose Cap and Trade as it will exacerbate the financial burden on struggling U.S. companies.

•    I am in favor of preserving our Second Amendment rights as outlined in the Constitution.

•    I believe that values are lived, not legislated. If I were the father of an unborn child, I would urge my partner to NOT terminate the pregnancy under any circumstance. However, I respect and support a woman’s right to make this choice for herself and I support existing Rhode Island law on this issue.

 •    I will run my Senate office as a service center, including a hotline guaranteeing all constituents a call back and response within 2 business days.