Our dependence on foreign energy sources is damaging this country in at least two ways. First, we send our money overseas, contributing to our trade deficit, which transfers our wealth to others. Second, we create global strategic interests that require us to maintain a credible global presence to ensure a steady supply against the threats [...]

Much of the public frustration today stems from a government that is out of touch with basic American values. I agree. So, I’ve listed below principles that should apply to any legislation or policy. These principles are focused on serving Americans responsibly. Please see if you agree.

All legislation must respect the Constitution, particularly the Bill [...]

A stable energy supply is critical for our economy and the OPEC oil cartel controls 60% of the oil traded internationally. A cartel is a trust set up to limit competition and gain a monopoly. So as much as I’m in favor of free markets, I’m also in favor of weakening OPEC’s influence on our [...]

Think for a moment, perhaps get an image in your mind, of a political campaign. Does it include campaign messages and candidate positioning, TV advertising and radio spots, and multi-million dollar budgets? Maybe there are big name supporters with special interests – PACs, corporations and parties.
Meanwhile, are the candidate’s agenda and positions unclear or, even [...]

My campaign is entering a new phase and I’m eager to tell you about it. For the past few months I’ve focused on meeting people within Oregon’s First Congressional District and hearing their views. That’s good as a start, but it won’t win any election.
So, the campaign is entering a building phase in which we’re [...]

Freedom of speech is vital to ensure our country navigates differing political views without bloodshed or revolution. Where speech fails there are events like Tiananmen Square and the post-election bloodshed in Iran. Meanwhile, the White House is seeking to influence free speech.
There are at least three current attempts. First, the White House has used confrontational [...]

Now, I am not a constitutional scholar, nor even a lawyer, so I may not have a polished understanding of our founding documents. But the Constitution is a fairly short document and I must have a working understanding of the role of Congress if I want to serve as your representative.
The Constitution contains considerable detail [...]

Environmental stewardship. Republicans should be leading the effort to conserve natural resources while enjoying them at a sustainable level today. People have the ability to influence the lifecycles of plants and animals so judgment must be used to protect a healthy balance. This basic idea should guide our environmental policies.
Too often, however, environmental protection actions [...]

Capitalism has gotten a bad reputation recently, and many people equate it with greed. Perhaps there is a grain of truth to the idea that motivation through self-interest looks a lot like greed. But self-interest also motivates us to get a drink when thirsty. The difference is that greed exists when self-interest becomes excessive.
Simply [...]

Transparency. This word gets used a lot today, but what does it mean in practice? More directly to the point, what benefit does a citizen derive from transparency?
“Sunlight is the best disinfectant,” is a well-known quote from U.S. Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis that refers to the benefit of transparency. In practice, [...]