Mr. Mulheren,
Thanks for your interest in my work, however I am unwilling to assist you. Since you say on your website that you listen to “the people” I thought I’d share my reasons why.
In your email you claim to be for less taxes yet your list of issues on your website consists almost exclusively of directing more money to government programs, either expanding existing ones or creating new ones.
I don’t see how you could lower taxes while increasing or keeping spending unchanged. But even if you could, that couldn’t last and is meaningless, in my opinion, without bringing our bloated and intrusive government under check.
You say you have a “vision for our community”. Frankly, as a public servant you are not entitled to a “vision,” unless it’s a plan for your own property and a plan that you will fund out of your own pocket. This community is just a group of individuals, our neighbors and myself. We are not your property and our money is not yours to spend.
I have a plan for my life, and I’m sure all the other voters, have their own goals and dreams. You can help us by not taking our money to impose your vision on us.
As to your specific issues, I disagree with them all. This means, if you’re elected, my money will be forcibly taken to support ideas and programs that I am utterly opposed to on principle. Here are some of the reasons I reject specific issues.
Education. You want to implement “changes” (you don’t say what) and promote neighborhood schools. I am for a phasing out of the government monopoly on schools and allowing a free market in education that will simultaneously lower taxes and dramatically improve the quality of education.
Social Programs. You would like to “reduce the amount of killings from domestic violence” and “create affordable housing.” How about fulfilling one of the proper functions of government and reducing all killings and crime? I don’t see why certain crimes should get special treatment. “Affordable Housing”? If you are a developer and that’s your vision, go forth and create, I wish you the best. I suspect you mean that you intend to take our money to fund the housing of others. You have no such right.
Improve the Community with parks, playgrounds and free internet access. If the free market isn’t providing something that’s usually because there’s no demand (or government regulations bar it or make providing it prohibitively expensive). Well the private fitness and recreational centers around this area are flourishing while the government funded HFFA is struggling, even with the subsidy we the people are forced to provide it. I’m betting that was someone’s vision too, apparently not a vision we the people share.
Equal Benefits for all Employees. I just have a question: Who are you to decide what benefits a company provides? And even if voters endorse such a position, America is not a democracy where the mob rules.
Improve Road Conditions. They are appalling aren’t they? Recently I spent a night in the ER after a cycling accident thanks to the atrocious condition of our roads. When there’s no competition, no accountability and no possibility of bankruptcy, why should they care?
I would dearly love to see a Republican who is truly an advocate for individual rights, limited government and capitalism. Should you read (or re-read) the Constitution and grasp that the function of government is to protect individual rights so that we may be free to pursue our own happiness (not be forced to provide someone else with theirs), and should you campaign on these fundamental and important issues, I would gladly design and build your campaign website for free. You’ll certainly have my vote.
Sincerely,
Nigel M. Duckworth
P.S. In case you do decide to reconsider your position, the following works (in addition to the original Constitution) are brief and provide an excellent explanation of the proper role of government, I highly recommend them.
- “The Nature of Government” in The Virtue of Selfishness by Ayn Rand
- The Law by Frederick Bastiat
