Sharron Angle's Campaign Platform
As a
candidate for Congress from Nevada’s 2nd District, I have an
obligation to let my fellow citizens know exactly what I believe, how I
would represent them, and what I will fight for in Washington. As
a preface, my overall political philosophy is that government properly
exists only by the consent of the governed and must be restrained from
intruding into the freedoms of its citizens. In Congress, I will
consistently fight for smaller and more efficient government, a strong
national defense that protects our freedoms, and traditional values.
TAXATION - Limited taxation is necessary for government to perform
and administer essential public needs. However, the key is that the size
of government, and therefore the need for taxation, be limited. Today,
the federal government taxes and spends far too much. Nevada taxpayers
have to work until July 5th every year just to meet their tax
obligations. That’s wrong. Federal spending has grown by 40% in
just the last four years, excluding necessary spending increases on
defense and homeland security. That’s doubly wrong.
The best way to control an overbearing
government is to strictly control the amount of taxes imposed on the
people. That is why I support simplification of tax systems, and I
support tax reform that leads to a fairer, flatter tax system. I will
join other Congressional conservatives in voting to reduce personal
income tax rates, permanently cap the tax on capital gains, and
permanently eliminate the death tax and the Alternative Minimum Tax.
I support a freeze on non-defense domestic spending, and an end to the
outrageous and growing practice of adding wasteful pork barrel spending
projects onto legislation.
In Nevada, I have a long record to back up
this position. I am the sponsor of the Angle Property Tax Restraint
Initiative (Nevada’s Prop 13) which places a hard cap on property tax
increases that future Legislatures cannot undo. I am co-sponsor of
Tax and Spend Control for Nevada, which imposes a constitutional measure
to limit government spending. I am the only candidate in this
Congressional race who actively opposed Nevada’s record-breaking tax
increase in 2003, and I led the fight in the Legislature and in the
courts to stop that tax increase. As a member of the Assembly, I am
proud to not only have have voted against more than 100 attempts to
raise taxes and fees, but I have also consistently been the only vote in the Legislature against those unnecessary tax increases.
ENERGY POLICY - Rapid
increases in gas prices must be addressed with short-term efforts that
bring immediate relief, and long-term energy policy changes that reduce
America’s dependence on Middle East oil. In the Legislature, I led
efforts to reduce our state’s high gas tax, which is the second highest
in the nation. As a long-term policy, America must expand its own domestic energy
supplies, including the expansion of our oil refining capacity here in
Nevada. We must develop domestic oil sources so we are not dependent on
foreign countries for commodities that are essential for our economic
security.
NATIONAL SECURITY AND PUBLIC PROTECTION - The war on terror is
the central challenge of our time. I support a military force of
superior strength and readiness to deter all threats to our national
security or the safety and freedom of our citizens. We must equip
our military with the best possible weapons and intelligence. The United
Nations or foreign capitals must not be allowed to dictate the steps we
take to defend our national security, and I oppose placement of our
troops under any foreign command, including the United Nations.
We cannot abandon our current commitments
in the Middle East, as that would only embolden the terrorists and put
us at risk here at home. Only when the democratically elected government
in Iraq is stable can we remove American security forces. For the
stability of our future at home we can accept no outcome other than
victory.
BORDER SECURITY/ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION - We must secure our
borders and enforce the law. Everyday, thousands of people cross our
borders illegally and undetected. We don’t know their intentions and we
don’t have any means to track their activities. I support a much
heavier physical presence on our borders, including military assistance
to help the Border Patrol effectively do its job.
I oppose amnesty proposals, which send a
ruinous signal that breaking the law is acceptable in our country.
In the Legislature, I voted against the Millennium Scholarship because
it allows non-citizens to receive taxpayer subsidized college tuition. I
also authored legislation to safeguard our election process by requiring
identification for voting in Nevada. In Congress, I will fight to
make identification for voting a mandatory law throughout our country.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & GOVERNMENT REGULATION - A business-friendly
environment will help Nevada compete in a world market place. I
recognize that government regulation can be a major impediment to
productivity and to competition. We must rely more on market forces and
less on government. I have supported and defended the Nevada Right to
Work Law.
HEALTHCARE – We must reform our Medicare/Medicaid and Social Security
system or by 2050 every tax dollar will go into these programs.
Payments must be made on time and to doctors and hospitals.
Emergency rooms can no longer serve as primary care for the uninsured.
In the Legislature I introduced affordable insurance legislation that
removed costly mandates and created a basic health insurance policy with
the ability to add those benefits that are specific to each person.
I also introduced legislation that caps non-economic damages in all tort
actions. I will support similar efforts at the Federal for
Associational healthcare and tort reform that would lower the cost of
healthcare to businesses and individuals. Young workers must be
allowed to investigate personal retirement account options.
PRIVATE PROPERTY - I respect and defend
the rights of the individual to own property. I am leading the effort
for the Angle Property Tax Restraint Initiative, which places a hard cap
on property tax increases that future Legislatures could not undo, and I
am co-sponsoring an initiative that will protect property owners from
the potential abuses of eminent domain.
SELF-DEFENSE - I support the individual constitutionally protected right
of the people to keep and bear arms for security and defense of self,
family, property, as well as for other lawful purposes.
FAMILY VALUES - I recognize the traditional family as the foundation of
our society. Parents have the fundamental right and primary
responsibility to direct their children and to provide nurturing care,
discipline, and training in moral values. I worked to pass the
Constitutional Protection of Marriage Act in Nevada, which defines
marriage as between one man and one woman, and I support the Federal
Marriage Amendment to do the same.
PROTECTION OF LIFE - All human life is
precious, regardless of location, age, infirmity, or degree of
dependence. I am the only candidate in this race who holds the pro-life
position. In the Legislature, I have introduced and supported
life-protecting legislation.
EDUCATION - As a mother, grandmother, and former school teacher, I am
passionate about education. I support incentives that promote
competitive excellence, and the rights of parents to choose public,
private, or at-home education. Every child has the right to read and
reading should be taught using scientifically based reading research
emphasizing alphabetic principles (phonics)
