I was living in a trailer, working in a warehouse, and struggling to pay my bills. It was the late 1970s and millions of Americans were just as anxious as I was, living paycheck to paycheck in a world that seemed out of control.
Our economy was tanking, energy prices were soaring, the Soviet Union was causing chaos around the world, and American citizens were being taken hostage in the Middle East.
Sound familiar? It took major change in Washington, in the form of President Reagan and a change of leadership in the Senate, to pull our nation out of malaise in 1980. It will take another change of leadership in the Senate, followed by a new President, to bring order and optimism to America now.
Through strong leadership and a pro-growth, pro-jobs agenda, we can put Americans back to work, tame the deficit, and restore our strength abroad. That’s why I’m running for the United States Senate.
Our economy has sputtered along following the Great Recession. Younger generations are being burdened with a national debt so high that it threatens the long-term economic health of our nation. We are confronted with an emboldened Russia and face a new global terrorist threat in ISIS.
In the face of all these problems, politicians refuse to change direction or build bipartisan coalitions to meet our challenge. As North Carolina’s next U.S. Senator, I pledge to work every single day to fight for commonsense, bipartisan solutions to the problems we face.
Our first priority must be getting our nation’s economy back on track. The reason for America’s lack of competitiveness in a 21st century economy can be found in our antiquated tax and regulatory codes. We have the brightest innovators and entrepreneurs in the world, but they have been burdened with one of the highest tax rates in the world, and layers of red tape have cost us good-paying jobs.
The model for Washington can be found here in North Carolina. We’ve worked across party aisles to cut taxes and reduce regulation. The results have been dramatic, and people in North Carolina are going back to work. While the Senate is plagued by political gridlock in D.C., we’ve forged bipartisan solutions in Raleigh. We can do the same in Washington through comprehensive reform that reduces tax rates while eliminating loopholes and reducing regulation.
Strong national defense
We cannot forget that a strong economy is only possible with a strong national defense, and that requires having the resources and resolve needed to address emerging threats.
Congress must overturn indiscriminate defense cuts at a time our nation can least afford. President Obama’s former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta warned that sequestration would turn our military into a "paper tiger," while a study from George Mason University estimates that it will cost North Carolina more than 21,000 jobs.
Today, our biggest threat comes from ISIS, a barbaric terrorist group that has murdered Americans and innocent civilians in Iraq and Syria. As they continue build strength and seize territory, we cannot afford to show weakness. We must stand united in our resolve to completely destroy ISIS, and we must leave all options on the table in order to get the job done.
The challenges we face are daunting, but not unprecedented. History has shown that a positive vision and strong leadership can generate extraordinary opportunities and strengthen the security of our nation. Blind partisanship has failed but concerted action by the American people on Tuesday will succeed. This is a time for optimism. I hope you’ll join me as we take the first step in making America great again.
