John's Philosophy
Chances are, that up to now, you haven’t heard much about me. That’s because I’m not a politician. In fact, I’ve never been in politics nor have I ever run for political office.
For over 26 years I served our country, first as an enlisted man, then as a commissioned officer in the United States Navy. For the past 11 years, I’ve been a pilot with United Airlines. Most importantly, I’m a family man. I have a wonderful wife of twenty years, two young sons, and a beautiful adopted Korean-born daughter. Chances are, I’m pretty much just like you and most other Hawaii residents.
And as residents of Hawaii, we share the same basic values -- we work hard -- we treasure our families -- and we care deeply for our environment.
We also share the same basic conservative values of self-reliance, lower taxes, less government spending, and less government intrusion into our lives. We demand accountability from our elected officials, a smart and balanced approach to the environment, a realistic and sound energy policy, fair and just immigration, and strong national security.
But we have become increasingly disheartened and frustrated by the lack of representation we have received from the people we elected to serve us in Washington.
Our elected representatives have sacrificed our values far too long, and our objections haven’t been heard. We need a voice in Washington -- a voice who has but one special interest group -- the people of Hawaii.
That is why I’m running for Hawaii’s 2nd Congressional District.
Now it seems as if the presidential election is long past, yet we continually talk about the lack of progress that’s been made on our economy and other major issues. Unemployment is at record levels, and is still increasing. Our Hawaii families continue to lose their homes and small businesses at alarming rates. Things are not changing for the better and we still have along way to go until November of 2010.
There will be plenty of time for issues, for arguments, and for debates. I look forward to a spirited campaign with whomever my opponent in both the primary and general elections. But let me make one thing perfectly clear – you, the people of Hawaii will have a very definite choice.
You will have a choice between higher taxes and lower taxes. You will have a choice between more government intrusion into your lives, and less. You will have a choice between representatives on the one hand who operate with blatant disregard, indignation, and reckless abandon, acting only as if they are accountable to each other and their own special interests, and representatives on the other hand who are accountable only to you, the people. You will have a choice between a representative who has sacrificed your family’s safety and security and a representative who has literally fought, and will continue to fight with every fiber of his being to ensure a strong national defense, safe and secure borders, and a swift and sure response to any and all aggressors regardless of political expediency.
We will offer many fresh, new, bold ideas. Ideas that will immediately allow us to help President Obama find his way back toward the path to economic recovery he envisioned during the presidential campaign, but was forced to abandon by his selfish and irresponsible Congressional majority.
Specifically, we will immediately introduce tax reform legislation that will add an average of $4,700 to the take home pay of 40% of Hawaii families each year. By keeping this money in the islands and not sending it back to the mainland for special interests to do with as they see fit, our islands economy will realize an incredibly robust gain of between $5.6 billion and $9.5 billion the first year alone. It will also add between $260 million and $450 million in tax revenues to state and local budgets, once again, with money that would otherwise be leaving the islands.
We will immediately introduce legislation to stop the efforts of your current Congressional representatives to rob your hard-earned retirement with ill-fated plans of distributing it to those they feel deserve it more than you do.
We will work with President Obama to introduce an exciting and revolutionary national service and education initiative that will take Hawaii’s public education system from among the lowest rated in the nation to among the highest in just a few short years.
And we will immediately introduce legislation that will specifically prohibit illegal immigrants on the mainland from cutting in line in front of our Hawaii families who have been playing by the rules and waiting patiently for the greatest honor they will ever earn. Additionally, we will bring immigration quotas for our law-abiding Hawaii families to a level proportionate to immigrant groups on the mainland.
These can be exciting times for us here in Hawaii. We can and will be leading, inspiring, and empowering change on the Mainland, and not the other way around. I believe the people of Hawaii are ready for a new representative -- a true representative of the people who will work tirelessly every day to ensure Congress knows that Hawaii’s hopes and dreams, her values and principles, and her virtuous desiresare finally represented in Congress. The people of Hawaii have a voice. Please vote for me to be your voice in United States Congress.