Wednesday, April 21, 2010

MY PROMISES TO YOU

By now you know my background, leadership experience, and strength of character. Some of you are asking, quite rightly, what exactly will you DO for us in Congress? Great question. Ask every candidate and hold his feet to the fire until you get a clear answer.

For a start, I will tell you the pledges I have signed. These are my promises in writing. I want to work for you. I expect you to be vigilant and watch everything I do. First, we must stop bleeding money. With a national debt of $12 trillion and rising, the new Congress must make massive cuts in federal spending. This means - for a start -congressional pay cuts, no pork and it means no new taxes because we know Congress will spend everything we give it.

I will approach every bill and issue before me by asking these three questions:
1. Is it Constitutional?
2. Does it comport with CONSERVATIVE values?
3. Is it good for the people of the Third District and/or the country?

I will need a YES to all three questions before I support any measure. I am already committed to what follows. How many other candidates have made their agenda as clear? Politicians are advised to never be specific, because then they are accountable. I am a leader, and a citizen just like you. Hold me accountable.

TAXPAYER PROTECTION PLEDGE
I was the first candidate in the 3rd CD to sign the Taxpayer Protection Pledge created by the Americans for Tax Reform. I oppose any and all tax increases, period. This makes me the "No New Taxes" candidate. Check out the tax voting record of the other candidate.

CONGRESSIONAL REFORM ACT
I have signed the petition to support the Congressional Reform Act of 2010. The first order of business is to make sure this debacle never happens again and to do that we must get rid of career politicians. The bill suggests eight provisions including term limits and no pay raises. There are a few suggested provisions that aren't necessary (e.g., Congress already pays into Social Security) but I would amend the provision stating that Congress cannot vote itself a pay raise, and require that, in addition, Congress cut its salary 25% immediately. I will not serve more than three terms in Congress.
How many other candidates are willing to limit their term in office, in writing?

NO PORK BARREL/EARMARKS PLEDGE
If something is good for the 3rd CD I will use the committee process. I will NOT however, try to finagle earmarks into legislation, and I will fight every bill that gets loaded with pork. To that end I have signed the Citizens Against Government Waste No Pork Pledge and the Americans For Prosperity Colorado Earmark Pledge.
The self-centered pork-barrel approach to benefits for constituents has resulted in billions of dollars wasted. I won't do it. Career politicians will, because it is how they buy votes and favors.

REPEAL OBAMACARE AND REPLACE IT RESPONSIBLY
I have vowed to move to repeal the monstrous health care bill and replace it with responsible legislation that addresses legitimate health care reforms including: (1) reducing costs; (2) portability; (3) requirement that insurance companies cannot cancel insurance when an insured is sick; (4) removal of all barriers to insurance including pre-existing conditions; and (5) Health savings accounts.

Directly out of the Obama playbook, Salazar's latest newsletter refers to the health care bill as the "deficit reduction bill." How stupid does he think we are? Salazar, after helping to explode this deficit to $12 TRILLION and counting now says that reform costing billions will save billions. The whole thing has to go, and be replaced with intelligent measures.

The responsible health care reform act will not be crammed with pork and earmarks and will not mandate anything that is unconstitutional. Yes, Nancy Pelosi, and John Salazar, we are "serious" about the Constitution.

CONTRACT FOR THE AMERICAN DREAM
Finally, I am committed to the conservative principles outlined in Jason Chaffetz' Contract For the American Dream, which I have signed as well. These principles include:

1. Fiscal discipline
2. Limited government
3. Accountability
4. Strong national defense

If you haven't read his proposal, please take a minute to do so now. If your representatives are leaders with integrity rather than politicians trying to protect their "careers," we can move forward in the light of these immutable principles, bring America back from the brink of economic collapse, and never arrive at this dark doorstep again.

I hope this gives you some idea of the concrete steps I will take on your behalf in Congress. There are so many issues and so much work to be done but we have to stop the hemorrhaging of money first and we do this by ousting career politicians, pledging no new taxes, and promising to not engage in earmarking. Then we begin the process of cutting federal spending, starting with congressional salaries. We will continue to dig deep, on this path, guided by the Constitution and conservative principles.
Forward this message to everyone in your database and ask this question: Has your candidate made these pledges in writing? If not, chances are good he is a politician, not a public servant. Once again I'm asking Scott Tipton to debate me, any time, any place before May 21. I've made this request publicly, and dozens of folks have asked Scott personally. The question goes unanswered, as if it doesn't exist. That is a politician's way of dealing. That is exactly what John Salazar does. Yes or no Scott? Simple question. The last thing we need is another congressman who won't answer our questions.
My mission is to turn this train wreck around, to get the Third District thriving and back to work. My mission is to get the federal government out of our lives, to refuse to spend one more additional dollar or levy one more tax. My mission is to call the Republican Party on its inappropriate fundraising tactics, and the way it has lost its conservative roots. I will not give up, but I cannot do this alone. I need your contributions, prayers, volunteer efforts and support. As always, thank you and keep the faith.

Bob

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Bruce DuFresne

Tired of unresponsive "representatives" who do as they're told?

Governance is too important to leave in the hands of politicians. We need to hold our representatives feet to the fire. We must watch every bill, demand that they read it fully and listen to us. We must be relentless in our civic duty because we have been asleep too long.

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About Me

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Steamboat Springs, CO, United States
I'm a conservative Republican who ran for Congress in Colorado's Third Congressional District in 2010. Though I lost the primary I gained an amazing insight into how politics works, and I met hundreds of wonderful, concerned citizens. Let's stay engaged in the mission. Write to me at beawatchman@aol.com, and keep the faith.