David Harmer on the Issues
My Philosophy
We Americans have a decision to make. Will we allow ourselves to be subjected to bigger government, more regulation, higher taxes, and increasing debt? Or will we renew our commitment to preserving the personal and economic freedoms that have set our nation apart from all others?
Ronald Reagan said, "Government's first duty is to protect the people, not run their lives." I agree. My votes in Congress will promote individual liberty, not stifle it.
Economic Growth
There's no secret to economic growth. Reagan demonstrated that when we cut taxes and give people the freedom to enjoy the fruits of their own labor, then the American spirit of innovation and enterprise takes over. In Reagan's time and beyond, both here and throughout the world, that produced unprecedented job growth and prosperity.
In Congress, I will work to cut regulations, not increase them. And I will fight for lower taxes that spur innovation and business growth. American ingenuity, innovation, and entrepreneurship will lead us out of this recession if only we get the government out of the way.
Budget And Spending
Nancy Pelosi and Jerry McNerney apparently believe that our government must be big enough to solve everyone's problems. That thinking, reflected in an explosion of deficit spending, has resulted in a national debt of over $12 trillion.
My vision is exactly the opposite: I support limited government and unlimited opportunity. In Congress, I will work to balance the budget by controlling federal spending, not by raising taxes . I will fight to enact real budget reform that ties spending levels to actual revenues, forcing the government to live within its means. I will expose spending bills that are packed with wasteful projects. And I will oppose every attempt to divert taxpayer dollars to bail out failing businesses.
Illegal Immigration
Controlling our borders is essential to controlling our budget. I believe our federal government has been severely negligent in both.
In Congress, I will push for the completion of a border fence along our southern border, and I will fight to provide border patrol personnel the most modern technologies to aid in identifying tunnels and other illegal passageways. I will also be a strong advocate for full enforcement of our existing immigration laws so that illegal immigrants who are apprehended are deported immediately, rather than released back into our society as they so often are today.
Arizona recently passed a measure allowing state and local police to enforce federal immigration laws – basically stepping in where the federal government has failed. I fully support their right to enforce federal immigration laws, although I also believe it’s unfortunate that our federal government’s inaction has forced states like Arizona to take matters upon themselves.
Water
The neglect of California's water infrastructure has resulted in an economic crisis in our agriculture industry. I support prudent investment in new water storage and updated infrastructure. I also believe we must restore balance in our laws so that farms and families come first. I oppose the plan to build a Peripheral Canal, and I will fight to protect and preserve our Northern California water rights.
Healthcare
Milton Friedman once observed, "Many people want the government to protect the consumer. A much more urgent problem is to protect the consumer from the government." I oppose the government-controlled healthcare plan being pushed by President Obama, Speaker Pelosi, and congressional Democrats. Instead, I support reasonable reforms that expand freedom of choice. People should be free to choose the medical providers, health plans, and level of care that make sense for them. Physicians and surgeons should be free to care for their patients without being second-guessed by lawyers or bossed by bureaucrats.
National Security
As the brother of a Commander in the U.S. Navy, I have a first-hand appreciation of the sacrifices our men and women in uniform make every day to defend American interests and human freedom. They deserve our wholehearted and united respect and support -- as do the veterans who have served before them.
The current administration seems to consider terrorism a minor nuisance that can be dealt with as a matter of law enforcement or criminal justice. I consider terrorism an act of war. We should fight terrorists not with apologies and lawyers, but with drones and bombs. Rather than waiting for terrorists to strike us, I favor eradicating terrorism at its source.
Our country must present a unified front of resolve and toughness, without any hint of indecision. I oppose the closing of Guantanamo Bay and the relocation of those terrorists onto American soil.
Marriage
My wife and I both feel strongly that marriage should be reserved for a man and a woman, and that's why we gave our time, and our money, to support passage of Proposition 8.
Defending Our Constitution
I believe in American exceptionalism. Our founding fathers were exceptional statesmen, guided by exceptional wisdom, who crafted an exceptional Constitution. They correctly recognized that rights are given by God, not man, and that government exists to secure these rights. In Congress, I will defend our Constitution and rights it recognizes -- including the right to life and the right to keep and bear arms.
