Issues
Below are Tim's stands on the issues facing the 6th District and America. If you want to learn more about Tim's position on an issue, click the "Read More" button below each issue. Feel free to contact the campaign any time to talk more about an issue.
Enough is enough. The leaders of Iraq have had a chance to reconcile and build a better country for their people; but, they have refused to do so. We must begin a responsible orderly withdrawal of our troops to let them know that we are serious, that their time is running out, and that they will not be supported in continuing their civil war over the dead bodies of American soldiers.
I'm an endorser of the Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq.
1. End U.S. Military Involvement in the Iraq civil war.
2. Use U.S. diplomatic power
3. Address humanitarian concerns
4. Restore our Constitution
5. Restore our military
6. Create a new, U.S.-centered energy policy
For too long too many have toiled too much for the financial gain of too few. Tax give-aways for the super-rich are unfair and un-American.
Rather than most of us catching a few ‘drops’ from ‘trickle down’ policies, how about unleashing the power of the vast American middle class and try some ‘bubble up’ economics for a change.
1. Balance the budget and prohibit runaway deficits.
2. End the war in Iraq and stop bleeding our money as well as our blood.
3. Eliminate tax loopholes for millionaires.
4. End the Bush tax giveaways for the super-rich.
5. Reduce taxes for working families.
6. Adopt a new Simple Fair-Share Tax system.
7. Make affordable quality healthcare accessible to all Americans.
8. Reform mortgage finance and help Americans save heir family homes
9. Bring immediate relief for increased energy costs.
10. Start a National Challenge Project: US Independence from Foreign Energy by 2020.
11. Provide small business tax credits and incentives to create new jobs.
12. End one-sided foreign trade deals.
13. Make higher education accessible and affordable for all.
Our federal debt is over $8.8 trillion. Let’s understand that number: it’s quickly approaching almost $30,000 for every American citizen, and over $100,000 for every American child. That’s the national debt we are leaving our children and grandchildren!
George Bush’s tax give-away to the wealthiest Americans (the top 1%) will cost the United States over $2.3 trillion by the end of 2009. Our current Republican congressman supports that policy 100%. That’s unfair, that’s un-American, that’s wrong!
1. End the “Trickle Down” Bush Tax Give-Aways for the Wealthiest 1%. Start “Bubble Up” Tax Breaks for the rest of America
2. Common Sense—A Balanced Federal Check Book
3. Trim Pork Barrel Spending
4. End Wasteful Spending
5. Transparency in Government
'No Child Left Behind' should not mean just preparing students for excellent scores on tests, but rather should mean preparing our children for excellence in life.
Education is a lifelong experience, a never-ending activity. A well-educated citizenry is the best investment and the most valuable asset of a thriving democracy.
Our federal government must commit to lifelong enrichment of all Americans from early childhood through college and on into the adult and senior years, including: support for HeadStart and childcare, fully funding and reforming ‘No Child Left Behind,’ English proficiency, every child earning a high school diploma, teacher development & support, college affordable for everyone, an educated society for a prosperous economy, lifelong educational opportunities, and senior volunteers for tutoring and mentoring.
It is our moral imperative to act as faithful stewards of the environment, protecting and preserving it for the benefit of all peoples and for all generations.
By utilizing renewable, sustainable, ecologically-sound resources, we should be totally independent of all foreign energy sources as soon as humanly possible, certainly no later than the year 2020.
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America should be protected by a military that is prepared and trained, equipped and vigilant, … and second to none; a military that is always ready … and a military that is rarely used.
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Quality affordable health care insurance, providing every American the same level of professional care as enjoyed by members of Congress, should be available to all Americans, including small businesses, the self-employed, and the unemployed.
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Seniors should live in dignity with affordable and accessible health care, including prescription drug benefits without a “donut hole;” they should be able to live without fear of losing their social security, their pensions, their very homes.
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Those who have given the fullest measure of devotion to America are those who have risked their lives in our defense, the men and women who now serve and have served in our armed forces. Therefore, no family of an active service member and no family of a veteran should live in poverty; and, no veteran should be homeless, or hungry, or uncared for.
The Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act, the new GI Bill, should be enacted immediately.
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We must invest in our young … they are America’s future: and, for any of them to inherit a world sharing in harmony, justice, and prosperity, they must all inherit such a world.
Every neglected or abused child is everybody’s child; every hungry or illiterate child is everybody’s child; every ill, injured, or disabled child is everybody’s child; and, everybody’s child should thrive, and prosper, and experience the fullness of life.
Young families should be able to raise their children in decent homes, with reasonable and secure mortgages, and the ability to save and invest for their futures.
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The Internet is the greatest technological boon for direct democracy since the invention of the printing press over 600 years ago. Ordinary citizens around the globe can give voice to their individual views, values, and vision as never before in the history of the world; and the performance of governmental leaders is subject to immediate, worldwide scrutiny. All this has come to pass because the Internet is open, transparent, and free...and that is how it must always remain.
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Many Americans are rightly disturbed by the apparent unfairness of our hopelessly complex, confusing, and inconsistent federal income tax code. Our current congressman promotes the Fair Tax — a 30% sales tax on every tangible and intangible purchased anywhere in the United States. His support of this tax reflects the frustration of many, but also illustrates his failure to lead the fight for practical, realistic, feasible reform of our tax system that really has a chance of success. The so-called "Fair Tax" would shift even more of the tax burden off the very wealthy onto the vast middle class and the poor, would devastate Florida’s largest industry—tourism, and would tax the spending by seniors of their tax-free social security and their retirement savings. And, it won't pass.
Instead, I propose a Simple Fair-Share Tax system. To begin, we should double the personal exemption, double the standard deduction, double the Roth IRA deduction, eliminate the "marriage penalty", and raise the AMT threshold (or eliminate the AMT completely). These specific practical steps are based on the existing tax system, they can be adopted at once and can be implemented without delay. They will bring immediate substantial tax cuts for middle class working individuals and families and will improve the quality of life and stimulate the economy.
Of course, we should reverse the Bush-Cheney tax give-aways to the 1% top earning super-rich; they neither asked for nor need this "welfare for the wealthy."
Compare the current congressman’s votes on issues of importance to the middle class with Tim’s positions.
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