Recommended Virginia issues for 2013.
Cut Taxes and Spending
Taxes are too high. That's because Virginia's state spending is too high. I want to reduce both.
I believe that our state government should be limited to protecting our rights. It should not act as our provider, supplying us with health care, education, and other benefits.
Recently, the Legislature and Governor passed a massive tax increase on Virginians. It was passed with the support of Republicans, Democrats, and Republican Governor Bob McDonnell. I oppose what they did.
Each year, Virginia state government spends billions on health care and education, and over a billion dollars on public safety. I want to cut spending on all of these things, as well as many other departments.
If elected:
I believe that our state government should be limited to protecting our rights. It should not act as our provider, supplying us with health care, education, and other benefits.
Recently, the Legislature and Governor passed a massive tax increase on Virginians. It was passed with the support of Republicans, Democrats, and Republican Governor Bob McDonnell. I oppose what they did.
Each year, Virginia state government spends billions on health care and education, and over a billion dollars on public safety. I want to cut spending on all of these things, as well as many other departments.
If elected:
- I will file a budget bill that cuts state spending immediately by 25% or more.
End the War on Drugs
Selling and using drugs may be personally unwise, but those activities don't violate anyone's rights. By establishing drug prohibition, our government has taken a modest problem and turned it into a huge problem. Now we have to deal with drug gangs and black markets, and taxpayers have to pay to keep thousands of people in jail. I want to end this nonsense.
If elected:
If elected:
- I would vote for a resolution like HJ 139, filed in 2012 by David Englin, which asks the governor to petition the federal government to decriminalize marijuana.
- I will file a bill to end prohibition of marijuana in Virginia.
Efficient transportation
Government involvement in transportation drives up costs, reduces choice, creates congestion, and provides opportunities for corruption.
In a free market, quality would improve, and competition would bring down prices. Customers and suppliers would determine how much of a particular transportation mode was offered, such as roads, trains, buses, taxis, bicycle lanes, and pedestrian access.
Many toll road schemes are presented as some kind of free-market solution, but usually they're not. What we have in Virginia are usually government-sanctioned monopolies granted to private operators. The government prohibits competition, and gives the private operator the right to monopoly pricing.
Since we're probably stuck with government-provided roads and mass transit in the short term, I would insist on cost-effective solutions:
In a free market, quality would improve, and competition would bring down prices. Customers and suppliers would determine how much of a particular transportation mode was offered, such as roads, trains, buses, taxis, bicycle lanes, and pedestrian access.
Many toll road schemes are presented as some kind of free-market solution, but usually they're not. What we have in Virginia are usually government-sanctioned monopolies granted to private operators. The government prohibits competition, and gives the private operator the right to monopoly pricing.
Since we're probably stuck with government-provided roads and mass transit in the short term, I would insist on cost-effective solutions:
- I'm wary of rail solutions when buses are more efficient.
- Mass transit needs to be more self-funding, and less subsidized by taxpayers.
- I oppose regulations that restrict the supply of taxis.
- I oppose restrictions against private buses and jitney services.
- I would not raise any taxes or fees to pay for transportation solutions. If more money is to be spent on transportation, I would get those funds by cutting spending on other programs.