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Issues |
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Jon Barela wants to stop the wasteful spending spree in Washington and believes the rate of government expansion is out of control. Sometimes government is the problem and not the solution. It is time for our elected officials to be held accountable and to understand that sinking our nation further into debt only creates more problems, not solutions. Increasing taxes on hard-working New Mexicans is unfair. It is time for the government to control their spending and make cutbacks rather then increase taxes. One of the first steps Jon Barela took upon making his announcement to run for Congress was to sign the Americans for Tax Reform Taxpayer Protection Pledge and Jon intends to honor that pledge in Congress. Small businesses are the foundation of our economy and their hard work and innovation should be rewarded and not penalized. During these tough and uncertain economic times the last thing Congress needs to do is place more burden on individuals and small businesses. Allowing individuals and small businesses to keep more of their money will allow them the opportunity to invest and spend and improve the current economic downturn. Increased taxes will compel small businesses to reduce their workforce when our nation is already experiencing high rates of unemployment. Conversely, providing small businesses tax incentives will allow them to increase their workforce. We must continue to make sure that our national defense remains the strongest force in the world. The men and women who serve in our Armed Forces, the law enforcement and intelligence communities, who sacrifice so much in service to our nation, must always have the resources necessary to respond and meet any challenge that we are confronted with. It is critical that we make sure our borders are secure. EDUCATION/WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT A re-direction of educational resources and priorities are required to better prepare our students for job opportunities. In New Mexico, there is an educational crisis, especially with respect to Hispanic dropout rates and the growing achievement gap. Families and parents must be encouraged to engage in their childrens’ education. Programs such as “Learn and Earn”, which reward families and students for academic performance, show very impressive results. Using some Title I funds for such programs are in order. Other successful models include ENLACE’s “Walk and Knock” program. Jon Barela would also support a re-direction of resources for family centers and “Dean of Families” at certain schools. Barela has spent many years in the community working on behalf of educational programs. He knows what works and what does not. Jon Barela strongly opposes a government-run healthcare system. Improvements to our healthcare system can and should be made, but handing over control of our healthcare system to the government is not the solution. Jon agrees with those who think we should reward hard work and innovation. The government should provide tax incentives to both individuals and businesses that pay for their healthcare because their hard work is what keeps our nation strong. We can institute reforms such as requiring insurance companies to provide affordable health coverage to individuals with pre-existing conditions. Also small businesses and individuals should be allowed to pool together to purchase insurance across state lines to encourage competition in the healthcare industry. And any meaningful legislation on healthcare must include tort reform. These solutions help move our country forward and don’t add to our national debt. |
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