For those who don't know, the Delaware Republican Party has reorganized following the redistricting after the census. The party structure has condensed in New Castle County from 5 regions down to 3 and so the old Newark Region has merged with the majority of the old Christiana/Millcreek region to form the new "Western New Castle Region". Last night, January 30th was the first meeting of the newly structured region and officers were elected. Dave Gilefski is the new Chairman, Ken James the new Vice Chairman and Robin Broomall is the new Treasurer. Future meetings were set on the last Monday of every month to accommodate a wide range of schedules. There were also many candidates at the event from U.S. Senate candidate Kevin Wade, Gubernatorial candidate Jeff Cragg, Lt. Gov. candidate Sher Valenzuela, Jim VanHoutten running for Insurance Commissioner, myself (running for State Senate in the 11th District) and a couple of candidates vying for County Executive. There were also a number of current elected officials at the event. Finally, there was a Presidential Straw Poll taken...and the winner is...Rick Santorum! Santorum's win came signals a shift in the thinking within Newark area Republicans. Previously the poll would have been dominated by Mitt Romney or Newt Gingrich but as we go into 2012, this is a clear sign that Newark area voters value conservative principles now more than ever. This was no eek out win either, here is the break down:
Rick Santorum - 21 - 43%
Mitt Romney - 15 - 31%
Newt Gingrich - 10 - 20%
Ron Paul - 2 - 4%
Congratulations to Rick Santorum for providing a message that Republican voters can appreciate. Congratulations to the new officers of the Western New Castle Region.
Good luck to all of the Republican candidates, especially those who come from the Western New Castle Region.
Our next meeting is on Monday, February 27th and we urge all area Republicans to attend.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Obama's SOTU as compared to Emperor Palpatine
Emperor Palpatine in italics
Barack Obama in Bold
Barack Obama in Bold
Citizens of the civilized galaxy, on this day we mark a transition. For a thousand years, the Republic stood as the crowning achievement of civilized beings. But there were those who would set us against one another, and we took arms to defend of way of life against the Sepratists. In doing so, we never suspected that the greatest threat came from within.
The greatest blow to confidence in our economy last year didn’t come from events beyond our control. It came from a debate in Washington over whether the United States would pay its bills or not. Who benefited from that fiasco?
I’ve talked tonight about the deficit of trust between Main Street and Wall Street. But the divide between this city and the rest of the country is at least as bad – and it seems to get worse every year.
The Jedi, and some within our own Senate, had conspired to create the shadow of Separatism using one of their own as the enemy's leader. They had hoped to grind the Republic into ruin. But the hatred in their hearts could not be hidden forever. As last, there came a day when our enemies showed their true natures.
The Jedi hoped to unleash their destructive power against the Republic by assassinating the head of government and assuming control of the clone army. But the aims of the would-be tyrants were valiantly opposed by those without elitist, dangerous powers. Our loyal clone troopers contained the insurrection within the Jedi Temple and quelled uprisings on a thousand worlds.
The remaining Jedi will be hunted down and defeated. Any collaborators will suffer the same fate. These have been trying times, but we have passed the test.
The attempt on my life has left me scarred and deformed, but I assure you my resolve has never been stronger. The war is over. The Sepratists have been defeated, and the Jedi rebellion has been foiled. We stand on the threshold of a new beginning.
We gather tonight knowing that this generation of heroes has made the United States safer and more respected around the world. For the first time in nine years, there are no Americans fighting in Iraq. For the first time in two decades, Osama bin Laden is not a threat to this country. Most of al Qaeda’s top lieutenants have been defeated. The Taliban’s momentum has been broken, and some troops in Afghanistan have begun to come home.
These achievements are a testament to the courage, selflessness, and teamwork of America’s Armed Forces. At a time when too many of our institutions have let us down, they exceed all expectations. They’re not consumed with personal ambition. They don’t obsess over their differences. They focus on the mission at hand. They work together.
In order to ensure the security and continuing stability, the Republic will be reorganized into the first Galactic Empire, for a safe and secure
society, which I assure you will last for 10,000 years. An Empire that will be continue to be ruled by this august body and a sovereign ruler chosen for life. An Empire ruled by the majority, ruled by a new constitution.
By bringing the entire galaxy under one law, one language, and the enlightened guidance of one individual, the corruption that plagued the Republic in its later years will never take root. Regional governors will eliminate the bureaucracy that allowed the Separatist movement to grow unchecked. A strong and growing military will ensure the rule of law.
The executive branch also needs to change. Too often, it’s inefficient, outdated and remote. That’s why I’ve asked this Congress to grant me the authority to consolidate the federal bureaucracy so that our Government is leaner, quicker, and more responsive to the needs of the American people.
Under the Empire's New Order, our most cherished beliefs will be safeguarded. We will defend our ideals by force of arms. We will give no ground to our enemies and we will stand together against attacks from with or without. Let the enemies of the Empire take heed: Those who challenge Imperial resolve will be crushed.
We have taken on a task that will be difficult, but the people of the Empire are ready for the challenge. Because of our efforts, the galaxy has traded war for peace and anarchy for stability. Billions of beings now look forward to a secure future. The Empire will grow as more planets feel the call, from the Rim to the wilds of unknown space.
And we will safeguard America’s own security against those who threaten our citizens, our friends, and our interests. Look at Iran. Through the power of our diplomacy, a world that was once divided about how to deal with Iran’s nuclear program now stands as one. The regime is more isolated than ever before; its leaders are faced with crippling sanctions, and as long as they shirk their responsibilities, this pressure will not relent. Let there be no doubt: America is determined to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, and I will take no options off the table to achieve that goal. But a peaceful resolution of this issue is still possible, and far better, and if Iran changes course and meets its obligations, it can rejoin the community of nations.
The renewal of American leadership can be felt across the globe. Our oldest alliances in Europe and Asia are stronger than ever. Our ties to the Americas are deeper. Our iron-clad commitment to Israel’s security has meant the closest military cooperation between our two countries in history. We’ve made it clear that America is a Pacific power, and a new beginning in Burma has lit a new hope. From the coalitions we’ve built to secure nuclear materials, to the missions we’ve led against hunger and disease; from the blows we’ve dealt to our enemies; to the enduring power of our moral example, America is back.
These achievements are a testament to the courage, selflessness, and teamwork of America’s Armed Forces. At a time when too many of our institutions have let us down, they exceed all expectations. They’re not consumed with personal ambition. They don’t obsess over their differences. They focus on the mission at hand. They work together.
In order to ensure the security and continuing stability, the Republic will be reorganized into the first Galactic Empire, for a safe and secure
society, which I assure you will last for 10,000 years. An Empire that will be continue to be ruled by this august body and a sovereign ruler chosen for life. An Empire ruled by the majority, ruled by a new constitution.
By bringing the entire galaxy under one law, one language, and the enlightened guidance of one individual, the corruption that plagued the Republic in its later years will never take root. Regional governors will eliminate the bureaucracy that allowed the Separatist movement to grow unchecked. A strong and growing military will ensure the rule of law.
The executive branch also needs to change. Too often, it’s inefficient, outdated and remote. That’s why I’ve asked this Congress to grant me the authority to consolidate the federal bureaucracy so that our Government is leaner, quicker, and more responsive to the needs of the American people.
Under the Empire's New Order, our most cherished beliefs will be safeguarded. We will defend our ideals by force of arms. We will give no ground to our enemies and we will stand together against attacks from with or without. Let the enemies of the Empire take heed: Those who challenge Imperial resolve will be crushed.
We have taken on a task that will be difficult, but the people of the Empire are ready for the challenge. Because of our efforts, the galaxy has traded war for peace and anarchy for stability. Billions of beings now look forward to a secure future. The Empire will grow as more planets feel the call, from the Rim to the wilds of unknown space.
And we will safeguard America’s own security against those who threaten our citizens, our friends, and our interests. Look at Iran. Through the power of our diplomacy, a world that was once divided about how to deal with Iran’s nuclear program now stands as one. The regime is more isolated than ever before; its leaders are faced with crippling sanctions, and as long as they shirk their responsibilities, this pressure will not relent. Let there be no doubt: America is determined to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, and I will take no options off the table to achieve that goal. But a peaceful resolution of this issue is still possible, and far better, and if Iran changes course and meets its obligations, it can rejoin the community of nations.
The renewal of American leadership can be felt across the globe. Our oldest alliances in Europe and Asia are stronger than ever. Our ties to the Americas are deeper. Our iron-clad commitment to Israel’s security has meant the closest military cooperation between our two countries in history. We’ve made it clear that America is a Pacific power, and a new beginning in Burma has lit a new hope. From the coalitions we’ve built to secure nuclear materials, to the missions we’ve led against hunger and disease; from the blows we’ve dealt to our enemies; to the enduring power of our moral example, America is back.
Imperial citizens must do their part. Join our grand star fleet. Become the eyes of the Empire by reportingsuspected insurrectionists. Travel to the corners of the galaxy to spread the principles of the New Order to barbarians. Build monuments and technical wonders that will speak of our glory for generations to come.
The clone troopers, and proudly wearing the name of Imperial stormtroopers, have tackled
the dangerous work of fighting our enemies on the front lines. Many have died in their devotion to the Empire. Imperial citizens would do well to remember their example.
Which brings me back to where I began. Those of us who’ve been sent here to serve can learn from the service of our troops. When you put on that uniform, it doesn’t matter if you’re black or white; Asian or Latino; conservative or liberal; rich or poor; gay or straight. When you’re marching into battle, you look out for the person next to you, or the mission fails. When you’re in the thick of the fight, you rise or fall as one unit, serving one Nation, leaving no one behind.
One of my proudest possessions is the flag that the SEAL Team took with them on the mission to get bin Laden. On it are each of their names. Some may be Democrats. Some may be Republicans. But that doesn’t matter. Just like it didn’t matter that day in the Situation Room, when I sat next to Bob Gates – a man who was George Bush’s defense secretary; and Hillary Clinton, a woman who ran against me for president.
All that mattered that day was the mission. No one thought about politics. No one thought about themselves. One of the young men involved in the raid later told me that he didn’t deserve credit for the mission. It only succeeded, he said, because every single member of that unit did their job – the pilot who landed the helicopter that spun out of control; the translator who kept others from entering the compound; the troops who separated the women and children from the fight; the SEALs who charged up the stairs. More than that, the mission only succeeded because every member of that unit trusted each other – because you can’t charge up those stairs, into darkness and danger, unless you know that there’s someone behind you, watching your back.
The New Order of peace has triumphed over the shadowy secrecy of shameful magicians. The direction of our course is clear. I will lead the Empire to glories beyond imagination.
We have been tested, but we have emerged stronger. We moved forward as one people - the Imperial citizens of the first Galactic Empire. We will prevail. Ten thousand years of peace begins today.
So it is with America. Each time I look at that flag, I’m reminded that our destiny is stitched together like those fifty stars and those thirteen stripes. No one built this country on their own. This Nation is great because we built it together. This Nation is great because we worked as a team. This Nation is great because we get each other’s backs. And if we hold fast to that truth, in this moment of trial, there is no challenge too great; no mission too hard. As long as we’re joined in common purpose, as long as we maintain our common resolve, our journey moves forward, our future is hopeful, and the state of our Union will always be strong.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Evan Queitsch promises to be a reform leader
Press Release
Evan Queitsch promises to be a reform leader
11th District Republican candidate promises
repeals, cuts and reforms
Newark, DE, January 21, 2012: In a speech before dozens of supporters and leaders of Delaware’s Senate Minority Caucus and the Republican Party of Delaware who braved a snow and ice storm to stand with him, Evan Queitsch formally announced his candidacy for the State Senate in the 11th District. In his speech to supporters, he promised to restore fiscal responsibility by shrinking government, promoting private sector job growth and cutting taxes. He also promised reforms in education including consolidating school districts, ending models that lead teachers to teach to tests and allowing student spending to follow the student wherever the parents choose. He promised a new and aggressive focus on job creation that means cutting taxes across the board, incentivizing the hiring of Delaware workers, targeting growth areas like Wilmington and Newark that have been hit hard by the economic downturn and reducing the harmful effects of regulations like Obamacare, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and the Renewable Portfolio Standards. Finally, Evan called for a more open and transparent government. He called for General Assembly and Committee Meetings to be streamed live and podcast on the internet to bring the government to the people. Evan promised to lead the effort himself by offering that if he could not find the money to make the stream and podcasts revenue neutral, he would pay the difference out of his own legislative salary. He promised to meet monthly with his constituents and to author the bill that would prohibit state employees from holding public office.
Evan also addressed Governor Markell’s State of the State speech and took the Governor to task for playing loose with his facts and for his plans to expand government intervention in education. He closed by saying, “I don’t desire the prestige, the recognition or the power of the office. I don’t yearn for the extra salary and I don’t need the constant badgering of the special interest groups. I want to serve the people of the 11th Senate District, my friends and neighbors who are currently so underserved in Dover. I want to bring reality back to Dover. See, unlike many of those who make our laws, I’ve lived the average life. I know what it’s like to lose your job and struggle and to wonder how you’re going to put food on the table. In 2011, I lost my job due to budget cuts. I found myself on the unemployment line. I know the feeling. I also know that we are blessed to live in a nation and in a state where opportunity exists even when it shouldn’t. We live in a nation where people are always dreaming and where those dreams give others a chance to grow and continue their dreams. I want to go to Dover to represent you, the everyday Delawarean who is the hero of this American story. The men and women who everyday make the extraordinary happen by doing what they do best, deserve someone representing them who believes in them. I’m running to serve, not to be served.”
-End-
Below is a transcript of Evan’s speech. The video will be posted on his campaign website www.evanqforde.com later this month.
I’d like to tell you a little bit about who I am and what I believe. I was born and raised in Delaware. I grew up in North Wilmington, I graduated from Mount Pleasant High School in 1998 and I joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 2000. My father was a superintendent for a major commercial construction company and he taught me the values of hard work, honesty and commitment to duty. My father and my grandfather were history buffs and they instilled within me a deep respect for the history and the foundations of America. My mother taught me the values of love and diligence. She taught me that no mountain was too high to climb and I suppose that’s why I chose such a tall one this time. I was stationed at Camp Lejeune North Carolina on 9/11 and I volunteered to deploy in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. I am proud of my military service and it taught me so much about life, about who I am and about whom I should be. I am married to a wonderful woman who moved with me into the 11th Senate District 5 years ago. We have 4 beautiful children ranging in age from 9 years old down to 17 months. We have attended Love of Christ Church in Bear for the last year and we strive every day to let our faith guide us to be more kind, generous, understanding and responsible.
Like many people, I have made mistake in my life but I work every day to make sure that I correct them, that I make fewer of them going forward and that I learn from them. Every day presents new challenges and it is through the strength of my family and my faith that I draw the ability to carry on. I believe that sometimes, we are simply SUPPOSED to do things whether we want to or not. George Washington is a perfect example. He was a reluctant servant. See, he had no desire to be the nation’s commanding General. In fact, he begged them to find someone else to do it. But when the call came to serve his country, and make no mistake, were a country long before we made it official, he served. After he had returned home and was prepared to be finished with public service, he was again called to unite the nation and again he did so reluctantly. The answer to the question, “Have I not yet done enough for my country?” was no, you have not. Until 2009 I was just a husband and a father. I went to work every weekday as a IT consultant, I came home to the family each night, I enjoyed sporting events and I only followed the news enough to be informed about what affected my life directly. In short, I was the average American who just wanted to go about my life and be left alone. 2009 changed that.
I became more informed and aware after the 2008 election about the direction of the country. Having grown up surrounded by history buffs, I knew that direction was not in keeping with our history and so I went back and I read and I studied the founders and their writings. I looked back across our history and found both good and bad but still I knew the direction we were heading in was wrong. I studied both George Washington on the good side and Andrew Jackson on the bad side. I joined other citizens in creating Founders Values, a group of concerned and educated citizens who seek to educate children and the electorate on the original principles of our Founders and on the foundational principles of our nation. We held town hall meetings, forums, debates, and brought in speakers from all over the country to discuss the issues of the day as well as those original founding principles.
It became clear that those of us who believe in the values of our founders had to be willing to stand for them and that our current group of legislators in Dover and Washington are out of touch. I looked at elected officials like Senator DeLuca who holds a job in the legislature AND in the executive branch at the Department of Labor, who has been the primary sponsor of much of the legislation that has led to so much of the economic troubles in Delaware and who simply does not believe in open and transparent government. Kevin Wade said at his announcement that if Senator Carper had done his job, he wouldn’t have been standing there and I submit that the same is true here. If Senator DeLuca had performed his job of representing the people of the 11th District, I would not be compelled to challenge him.
I realized that folks like that were corrupting our government and our state. I saw the massive growth of government and how that just didn’t jive with the way our nation was created, to be a land where the PEOPLE made things happen, not governments. I saw our education system falling apart and more than 30% of our children not graduating from public schools. I saw our state and our national finances going completely out of control. I knew that it was time to act.
So today, I announce my candidacy for the 11th State Senate District seat. It’s time to return this seat to the people and fix the problems Delaware faces. Here’s how we are going to do it:
1.) Restore Fiscal Responsibility
We’re going to reduce spending and limit the size of our government. We’re going to cut taxes and regulations to stimulate private sector growth and we’re going invest in companies that invest in Delaware.
2.) Fix Education
In this district alone we spend more than $15,000 per student per year and only 69% of them actually graduate. We’ll consolidate our school districts from 19 down to 4, one for each county and one for the city of Wilmington and we’ll localize our schools to put parents more in control. We’ve got to start teaching our kids HOW to think not WHAT to think and stop forcing our teachers to teach to tests. Finally, we have to institute a voucher system that will let the parents have full control over their child’s education. These things will reduce costs, improve results and bring teachers and parents together.
3.) Enable Job Creation
More than 30,000 Delawareans are out of work and if you spend any time talking to the people, you’ll find that those who are underemployed or chronically unemployed is more than double that number. We’ve got to cut taxes to spur growth in the private sector. We’ve got to cut corporate taxes, personal income taxes, gross receipts taxes, capital gains taxes and can we please abolish the death tax? We’re going to invest in companies that invest in Delaware. Delaware workers are among the best in the world and we saw that with Chrysler and GM whose plants were closed not because of the quality of the work but because of the fault of the company and union leaders to make sound business decisions. Unfortunately, open ended tax credits, especially in New Castle County often lead to as many workers coming from New Jersey, Maryland and Pennsylvania as from Delaware. That’s fine, companies should be allowed to hire whomever they want, but let’s incentivize Delaware companies to hire Delaware citizens. We’ll incentivize companies to use existing infrastructure and rebuild target growth areas like the College Square Shopping Center and the City of Wilmington where help is desperately needed. We’ve got to reduce regulations and that’s why I will work with my colleagues in the legislature to author, sponsor and promote a bill that will repeal the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and the Renewable Portfolio Standards that cost us millions of dollars with zero benefit to our state. Since we already meet the standards of the RGGI, we spend tens of millions of dollars on other states who fail to meet them. Finally, I’ll work with legislators like Representative Hudson to opt Delaware out of Obamacare. We have the right as a state to do that and I will make sure that we do.
4.) Demand Open Government and Transparency
Finally, we’ve got to have an open and transparent government. We have a small state but still our citizens cannot take off every Tuesday through Thursday to spend the day in Dover. We’ve got to podcast or stream the General Assembly and Committee meetings online to bring government to the people. In fact, being in Information Technology, I can tell you that the cost is minimal and if I can’t find someone to pay for this to make the cost neutral to the taxpayers, I will pay for it out of my own legislative salary. It’s that important. We also have to post simple text copies of legislation alongside the legal text bill. Simply, you shouldn’t have to be a lawyer to read the laws of the land. Also, unlike Senator DeLuca, I will not be an unaccountable legislator; I will hold meetings with my constituents every month. Finally, I will write the bill that prohibits state employees from holding public office and that prohibits those who receive state funding from serving on money committees.
Let me now turn to addressing a couple of things from Governor Markell’s State of the State Address. First, he said that legislators “worked together to confront the unsustainable long term costs of state employee pension and health plans, saving more than $480 million over the next 15 years.” That sounds impressive until you break it down and I did. Over 15 years, $480 million breaks down to $32 million per year on an annual budget of $4 Billion or more. Markell just a few sentences later ate up more than half of those savings with his $21.7 million Medicaid increase and if you include his $13 million bike trails, our state is back in the red by $3 million. I don’t believe that this administration or the Democrat leadership understand how to actually save money. He also said that he did not want to return to the schools that we had twenty years ago. Finally, something we agree on. Yet, while Governor Markell wants to tighten the government grip that strangles our education system and shuts out parents, I would like to return to the schools of 220 or 120 years ago when we were world leaders in education, when we produced the students that led the Industrial Revolution and the Roaring 20’s and when parents controlled nearly every aspect of their child’s education.
People ask me, “Why do you want to be Senator?” The answer is “I don’t.” Now, that’s not to say that I don’t want to win or replace Senator DeLuca. I certainly do and I’m here to win but I don’t desire the prestige, the recognition or the power of the office. I don’t yearn for the extra salary and I don’t need the constant badgering of the special interest groups. I want to serve the people of the 11th Senate District, my friends and neighbors who are currently so underserved in Dover. I want to bring reality back to Dover. See, unlike many of those who make our laws, I’ve lived the average life. I know what it’s like to lose your job and struggle and to wonder how you’re going to put food on the table. In 2011, I lost my job due to budget cuts. I found myself on the unemployment line. I know the feeling. I also know that we are blessed to live in a nation and in a state where opportunity exists even when it shouldn’t. We live in a nation where people are always dreaming and where those dreams give others a chance to grow and continue their dreams. I want to go to Dover to represent you, the everyday Delawarean who is the hero of this American story. The men and women who everyday make the extraordinary happen by doing what they do best, deserve someone representing them who believes in them. I’m running to serve, not to be served. I hope you’ll join me and I look forward to working with you to make Delaware better. God Bless all of you, God Bless Delaware and God Bless the United States of America.
Evan also addressed Governor Markell’s State of the State speech and took the Governor to task for playing loose with his facts and for his plans to expand government intervention in education. He closed by saying, “I don’t desire the prestige, the recognition or the power of the office. I don’t yearn for the extra salary and I don’t need the constant badgering of the special interest groups. I want to serve the people of the 11th Senate District, my friends and neighbors who are currently so underserved in Dover. I want to bring reality back to Dover. See, unlike many of those who make our laws, I’ve lived the average life. I know what it’s like to lose your job and struggle and to wonder how you’re going to put food on the table. In 2011, I lost my job due to budget cuts. I found myself on the unemployment line. I know the feeling. I also know that we are blessed to live in a nation and in a state where opportunity exists even when it shouldn’t. We live in a nation where people are always dreaming and where those dreams give others a chance to grow and continue their dreams. I want to go to Dover to represent you, the everyday Delawarean who is the hero of this American story. The men and women who everyday make the extraordinary happen by doing what they do best, deserve someone representing them who believes in them. I’m running to serve, not to be served.”
Below is a transcript of Evan’s speech. The video will be posted on his campaign website www.evanqforde.com later this month.
I’d like to tell you a little bit about who I am and what I believe. I was born and raised in Delaware. I grew up in North Wilmington, I graduated from Mount Pleasant High School in 1998 and I joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 2000. My father was a superintendent for a major commercial construction company and he taught me the values of hard work, honesty and commitment to duty. My father and my grandfather were history buffs and they instilled within me a deep respect for the history and the foundations of America. My mother taught me the values of love and diligence. She taught me that no mountain was too high to climb and I suppose that’s why I chose such a tall one this time. I was stationed at Camp Lejeune North Carolina on 9/11 and I volunteered to deploy in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. I am proud of my military service and it taught me so much about life, about who I am and about whom I should be. I am married to a wonderful woman who moved with me into the 11th Senate District 5 years ago. We have 4 beautiful children ranging in age from 9 years old down to 17 months. We have attended Love of Christ Church in Bear for the last year and we strive every day to let our faith guide us to be more kind, generous, understanding and responsible.
Like many people, I have made mistake in my life but I work every day to make sure that I correct them, that I make fewer of them going forward and that I learn from them. Every day presents new challenges and it is through the strength of my family and my faith that I draw the ability to carry on. I believe that sometimes, we are simply SUPPOSED to do things whether we want to or not. George Washington is a perfect example. He was a reluctant servant. See, he had no desire to be the nation’s commanding General. In fact, he begged them to find someone else to do it. But when the call came to serve his country, and make no mistake, were a country long before we made it official, he served. After he had returned home and was prepared to be finished with public service, he was again called to unite the nation and again he did so reluctantly. The answer to the question, “Have I not yet done enough for my country?” was no, you have not. Until 2009 I was just a husband and a father. I went to work every weekday as a IT consultant, I came home to the family each night, I enjoyed sporting events and I only followed the news enough to be informed about what affected my life directly. In short, I was the average American who just wanted to go about my life and be left alone. 2009 changed that.
I became more informed and aware after the 2008 election about the direction of the country. Having grown up surrounded by history buffs, I knew that direction was not in keeping with our history and so I went back and I read and I studied the founders and their writings. I looked back across our history and found both good and bad but still I knew the direction we were heading in was wrong. I studied both George Washington on the good side and Andrew Jackson on the bad side. I joined other citizens in creating Founders Values, a group of concerned and educated citizens who seek to educate children and the electorate on the original principles of our Founders and on the foundational principles of our nation. We held town hall meetings, forums, debates, and brought in speakers from all over the country to discuss the issues of the day as well as those original founding principles.
It became clear that those of us who believe in the values of our founders had to be willing to stand for them and that our current group of legislators in Dover and Washington are out of touch. I looked at elected officials like Senator DeLuca who holds a job in the legislature AND in the executive branch at the Department of Labor, who has been the primary sponsor of much of the legislation that has led to so much of the economic troubles in Delaware and who simply does not believe in open and transparent government. Kevin Wade said at his announcement that if Senator Carper had done his job, he wouldn’t have been standing there and I submit that the same is true here. If Senator DeLuca had performed his job of representing the people of the 11th District, I would not be compelled to challenge him.
I realized that folks like that were corrupting our government and our state. I saw the massive growth of government and how that just didn’t jive with the way our nation was created, to be a land where the PEOPLE made things happen, not governments. I saw our education system falling apart and more than 30% of our children not graduating from public schools. I saw our state and our national finances going completely out of control. I knew that it was time to act.
So today, I announce my candidacy for the 11th State Senate District seat. It’s time to return this seat to the people and fix the problems Delaware faces. Here’s how we are going to do it:
1.) Restore Fiscal Responsibility
We’re going to reduce spending and limit the size of our government. We’re going to cut taxes and regulations to stimulate private sector growth and we’re going invest in companies that invest in Delaware.
2.) Fix Education
In this district alone we spend more than $15,000 per student per year and only 69% of them actually graduate. We’ll consolidate our school districts from 19 down to 4, one for each county and one for the city of Wilmington and we’ll localize our schools to put parents more in control. We’ve got to start teaching our kids HOW to think not WHAT to think and stop forcing our teachers to teach to tests. Finally, we have to institute a voucher system that will let the parents have full control over their child’s education. These things will reduce costs, improve results and bring teachers and parents together.
3.) Enable Job Creation
More than 30,000 Delawareans are out of work and if you spend any time talking to the people, you’ll find that those who are underemployed or chronically unemployed is more than double that number. We’ve got to cut taxes to spur growth in the private sector. We’ve got to cut corporate taxes, personal income taxes, gross receipts taxes, capital gains taxes and can we please abolish the death tax? We’re going to invest in companies that invest in Delaware. Delaware workers are among the best in the world and we saw that with Chrysler and GM whose plants were closed not because of the quality of the work but because of the fault of the company and union leaders to make sound business decisions. Unfortunately, open ended tax credits, especially in New Castle County often lead to as many workers coming from New Jersey, Maryland and Pennsylvania as from Delaware. That’s fine, companies should be allowed to hire whomever they want, but let’s incentivize Delaware companies to hire Delaware citizens. We’ll incentivize companies to use existing infrastructure and rebuild target growth areas like the College Square Shopping Center and the City of Wilmington where help is desperately needed. We’ve got to reduce regulations and that’s why I will work with my colleagues in the legislature to author, sponsor and promote a bill that will repeal the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and the Renewable Portfolio Standards that cost us millions of dollars with zero benefit to our state. Since we already meet the standards of the RGGI, we spend tens of millions of dollars on other states who fail to meet them. Finally, I’ll work with legislators like Representative Hudson to opt Delaware out of Obamacare. We have the right as a state to do that and I will make sure that we do.
4.) Demand Open Government and Transparency
Finally, we’ve got to have an open and transparent government. We have a small state but still our citizens cannot take off every Tuesday through Thursday to spend the day in Dover. We’ve got to podcast or stream the General Assembly and Committee meetings online to bring government to the people. In fact, being in Information Technology, I can tell you that the cost is minimal and if I can’t find someone to pay for this to make the cost neutral to the taxpayers, I will pay for it out of my own legislative salary. It’s that important. We also have to post simple text copies of legislation alongside the legal text bill. Simply, you shouldn’t have to be a lawyer to read the laws of the land. Also, unlike Senator DeLuca, I will not be an unaccountable legislator; I will hold meetings with my constituents every month. Finally, I will write the bill that prohibits state employees from holding public office and that prohibits those who receive state funding from serving on money committees.
Let me now turn to addressing a couple of things from Governor Markell’s State of the State Address. First, he said that legislators “worked together to confront the unsustainable long term costs of state employee pension and health plans, saving more than $480 million over the next 15 years.” That sounds impressive until you break it down and I did. Over 15 years, $480 million breaks down to $32 million per year on an annual budget of $4 Billion or more. Markell just a few sentences later ate up more than half of those savings with his $21.7 million Medicaid increase and if you include his $13 million bike trails, our state is back in the red by $3 million. I don’t believe that this administration or the Democrat leadership understand how to actually save money. He also said that he did not want to return to the schools that we had twenty years ago. Finally, something we agree on. Yet, while Governor Markell wants to tighten the government grip that strangles our education system and shuts out parents, I would like to return to the schools of 220 or 120 years ago when we were world leaders in education, when we produced the students that led the Industrial Revolution and the Roaring 20’s and when parents controlled nearly every aspect of their child’s education.
People ask me, “Why do you want to be Senator?” The answer is “I don’t.” Now, that’s not to say that I don’t want to win or replace Senator DeLuca. I certainly do and I’m here to win but I don’t desire the prestige, the recognition or the power of the office. I don’t yearn for the extra salary and I don’t need the constant badgering of the special interest groups. I want to serve the people of the 11th Senate District, my friends and neighbors who are currently so underserved in Dover. I want to bring reality back to Dover. See, unlike many of those who make our laws, I’ve lived the average life. I know what it’s like to lose your job and struggle and to wonder how you’re going to put food on the table. In 2011, I lost my job due to budget cuts. I found myself on the unemployment line. I know the feeling. I also know that we are blessed to live in a nation and in a state where opportunity exists even when it shouldn’t. We live in a nation where people are always dreaming and where those dreams give others a chance to grow and continue their dreams. I want to go to Dover to represent you, the everyday Delawarean who is the hero of this American story. The men and women who everyday make the extraordinary happen by doing what they do best, deserve someone representing them who believes in them. I’m running to serve, not to be served. I hope you’ll join me and I look forward to working with you to make Delaware better. God Bless all of you, God Bless Delaware and God Bless the United States of America.
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