Leaving Behind 18 Years of Democratic Representation
This past weekend, Americans For Prosperity sponsored the “Defending the American Dream” Summit. Hearing Sarah Palin, the keynote speaker for Conservatism, was of course the highlight. It was a wonderful opportunity to be there, listen and participate in an event which is part of a broad effort to take back our country.
As I listened to the words that reflected conservative principles of limited government, fiscal responsibility, and above all, liberty, I couldn’t help but think how desperately we needed a return to this way of governing.
For 18 years, Bart Stupak represented Michigan’s 1st Congressional District. He was considered a conservative Democrat, and a reliable vote for 2nd Amendment and pro-life legislation. This notion repeatedly got Mr. Stupak elected in our heavily unionized and Democratic district. What we are seeing now is the fallout from nearly two decades of legislation that brought short-term fixes and stifled actual prosperity in the region. The Stimulus Bill, and continuing more recently to the final passage of the Health Care Bill, will cause an enormous expansion of government intrusion into our lives, take away our health care choices, ration care, and further place our government – our country – on the road to destroying any chance for economic prosperity for our nation and the future of our children and grandchildren. The Stimulus Bill did not create jobs; it only pumped money into failing financial entities, gave the Democrats a blank check for their wish list projects, and increased the size of the public sector – paid for by you and me.
Where are the jobs we were promised? Michigan has the highest unemployment rate of any state: one out of seven people in my district don’t have jobs. Washington spent money we didn’t have and now there is nothing to show for it. Now what? Well, enough is enough!
Both Lansing and Washington have over-regulated our economy to the point where it is holding us back instead of letting us be a free market, competitive force. Career politicians who use the system to further their own goals instead of the needs of the people has been the problem for decades. This isn’t about the career to me. In fact, I will be taking a pay cut just to become a Congressman. As a doctor, if I don’t try my very hardest to help someone in need, I fully expect to be called out on it and not hired again. I expect the same treatment in Washington. My conservative values will inform my votes and the people of the 1st District will come first. I will not let anyone compromise or corrupt me.
As I have been out on the road, meeting fellow citizens in my district, I hear the same demand from the people: stop Washington from spending borrowed money, stop Washington bailouts, stop takeovers, but most of all, tell Washington the people have had enough and want a return to our independent way of life. We want the freedom to choose our health care, to achieve or fail by our own hand and to share in the true American Dream. We want a return to our conservative principles and the Founding Fathers’ vision for this nation.
Enslaving our country to debt for generations is the last nail in the coffin that has already plagued so many of our cities and states. Only by returning to true conservatism and letting the people – not Washington – decide, will we be able to stop this.
I am one with all of those who love this country. I want to stop the harm Washington is doing.
Today, I launch my “Enough is Enough” tour. I call on the people of Michigan’s 1st Congressional District to join me. Together we can achieve our goals. And in November, we will remember this day, the day Michiganders of the 1st District said, “Enough is Enough!”
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