A True Grass-Roots Campaign
I need your help. This is going to be a true grass-roots campaign. I will not create any political action committee (PAC) to collect a dime on my behalf. I will not endorse a single ad created on my behalf. I will not ask for, nor will I accept, any donations towards this campaign. I refuse to be beholden to anyone except the people of the United States of America.

Welcome to my 2024 campaign website
Not everything in this world is black & white. But this website is designed in black & white because I say what I mean and I mean what I say. I will not mince words and and I will not make statements or promises I cannot back up. I will be crystal clear about where I stand on all matters that matter. I will not tell one group in one part of this country one thing and another group elsewhere something different.

Let's Be Honest
First and foremost, I am liberal; not a registered Democrat, though. I recognize that many Republicans who live in rural areas don't see guns as toys, but as tools. And, even if they do have a gun they use to just shoot sh*t to pieces, it's fun.

I can also recognize that President Trump accomplished some good things during his term, like the elimination of mandatory prison sentences,and the re-write of NAFTA (the North American Free Trade Agreement) into the new USMCA (US-Mexico-Canada Agreement) which passed 89-10 (compared to NAFTA's 68-31).

I would, however, like to see more Conservatives like Henry Olson admit "Biden deserves props for his masterful Ukraine policy".

The Core Element of My Campaign
You've heard candidate after candidate claim D.C. is out of control. Partisan politics over the past 18+ years, it's really gone downhill.

Well, it could be the candidates themselves, as well as you & I, who can get Congress to work on behalf of the citizens with some simple technology.

Though I may not have a law degree - as most politicians possess - I have access to hundreds of "techies". And with those people, we will put together a watchdog website at WhiteHouse.gov so everyone can see who's behaving and who isn't. It's all about transparency!  (see the "CTO" sub-section below "Transparency" for more details)

Transparency
Rather than looking at my potential presidency as the CEO of the company, I will focus on being the CFO and the CTO:

As the "CFO", I will ensure that the US Gov't is not in the money making business, nor in the money spending/donation business, either. The monies we take in are for us to meet our obligations and with which to spend wisely. This means ensuring that Social Security is solvent, that Veterans are taken care of, that infrastructure development & repair are funded. This does not mean that we grow the amount of money in the pool from which handouts are given; we need to fix the problem and teach people how to earn the money they receive so they are less dependent on giveaways and more able to contribute to society & the economy in order that all who are capable are working.

As the "CTO", I will ensure that we have an up-to-date site (and possible smartphone app) so that everyone can look up what is going on in D.C. I envision a website where you can search for all of the current bills being proposed on the floors of Congress. You will be able to see who wrote & sponsored the bill, the exact language of the bill, a translation capability that converts the legalese into plain English, a synopsis of the intent of the bill, the pros & cons of passage, the riders (aka: "pork") attached to the bill and the intentions & ramifications of the added pork. Once you're all able to see the crap that Congress is attempting to pass off as legislation in plain English, you'll start thinking twice about re-electing them in the future.

Gun Safety
I do not want your guns! I want you to keep your guns, but I want you to take responsibility for them.

Look, the Second Amendment gives you the right to own guns. I'm not going to debate this anymore; the toothpaste is out of the tube. Can we just agree that if you're required to take a class & get a license to operate a car, motorcycle or truck that it's as important to follow suit when it comes to guns?  Can we agree that guns out in the middle of  the country is vastly different than when carried around in cities?

Gay Rights/Marriage
Gay marriage did not and will not undermine the sanctity of marriage. Divorce and adultery did that a long time ago.

This country was founded with the idea of a free land. Yet, there are those who would like to restrict the rights of others by passing a Constitutional law banning gay marriage. It's sad that there are people who so want the government to "stay out of their business", but are more than happy to push for laws that mind other people's business.  What happened to "live and let live"?

"Entitlements"
Access to Social Security is not an "entitlement" just because you are entitled to withdrawal from something into which you contributed. And, food stamps & welfare are government assistance, not government persistence!

I have said many times: If you HAVE children and THEN find yourself in monetary distress, I understand getting assistance in the form of WIC.

But, if you're receiving WIC and produce MORE children while you're currently struggling to support yourself and your current child[ren] ... come on now!
Again, please correct me if I'm wrong. But if you're seeking assistance, should you be adding to your existing burden of living expenses?
There are many people out there, like myself, who describe themselves as "socially liberal and fiscally conservative." That means that we are about lending a brother or sister a hand when they've fallen on hard times, but not about carrying the capable for their entire existence. Unemployment benefits are something into which those who work have paid; it's not an early retirement plan for the tired. We need to get people back to work and we need to break the cycle of generational welfare.

Birth Control & Abortion
Responsibility cannot be replaced. But, mistakes can & do happen. If you are opposed to the pill and/or abortion, don't use them; that is your absolute right. But, if others use or need them, leave them be. If your opposition to abortion is Bible-based, please see the section below about Freedom of Religion.

And, let's get away from these labels of "pro-choice" and "pro-life", please. I am not a fan of abortion, nor is anyone else. No one jumps for joy when she gets pregnant so she can now go have an abortion. It is a painful decision and an uncomfortable procedure. We can & have reduced the need for abortions with education and birth control. But, you'll never completely eliminate abortions, so focus your energies & compassion for the living.

Foreign Policy
If we were to cut ties to the rest of the World, it would adversely affect us horribly. World affairs ARE our business. But, World affairs are every country's business and we ALL must step up to do the right thing, because we all share this one and only planet for the remainder of human existence. The United States can lead and is willing to do so more times than not. But, we cannot go it alone time and time again.

Energy Policy - Oil, Ethanol, Thorium
I have a ton to say here, but I want to start off that Ethanol made from corn has got to stop, NOW! If you farm corn for Ethanol, you need to get ready for a change. Want to farm switchgrass? - that's fine. But, we're going to stop making fuel from our food source - the very action originally (before COVID) caused spikes in every food product.

Additionally, we must look at Thorium to replace Uranium. If you've not heard about Thorium, a great place to start reading is here. But, what you need to know is that it's a safer nuclear fuel that takes up less space when spent rods are disposed and, more importantly, the by-product cannot be used to create weapons-grade Plutonium! This technology could be used to quell the tensions in the Middle East where Iran has a right & need for nuclear energy without being a threat to Israel as a nuclear power.

I Support the 'Fair Tax'
I am sick of hearing that a 'fair tax' won't work. How do we know? Where has it been tried? Not here!

I don't know of anyone who claims to have the magic formula for the implementation of the 'fair tax', but the concept has considerable merit and I think a majority of people would like to see an attempt to get such a system in place and get rid of the ridiculous IRS tax system and all the crazy loopholes that go along with the IRS code.

Now part of the implementation of such a new tax plan requires a balanced & realistic budget; and I'll elaborate on that in another section of this page. But, if we can lock down on the runaway spending by the Federal Government, we can then attempt to implement the 'fair tax' and tweak it annually until we dial it in.

Freedom of & from Religion
I have absolutely no issue with your religious beliefs. However, I do not subscribe to any religion and, therefore, do not consider laws prescribed on the basis of the Bible to hold a lot of water with many people, like myself, who do not subscribe to Biblical teachings. This country was founded on the basis of freedom of/from religion and, therefore, must have common-sense, secular laws.

Understand that there is a difference between fact and faith. No one knows for a fact if there isn't or is "God." If you have faith, that's awesome, really. But, if you can argue that no scientist can prove there isn't a "God", the same can be said that the most faithful cannot prove there is a "God." Therefore, it is important that everyone maintain their Constitutional freedom to practice or not practice any religion.

I have said: "The story of Jesus is inspiring. The acts of man to get others to follow these teachings to their interpretation is abysmal
We are a country founded on being inclusive, not exclusive. We are a society who wants to inspire other countries to adopt democratic governance and freedoms similar to ours. We cannot achieve this when we make laws based upon religions to which not everyone subscribes.

Remember, there have been a lot of motions in local & state governments restricting future laws from ever being passed based upon Sharia [Islamic] Law. First and foremost, this is already protected by the 1st Amendment. But secondly and more importantly, again - back to the point above about being free and inclusive, we should make laws based on humane & decent behavior upon which everyone can agree, regardless of religious/non-religious affiliations.

"Do not do to others what you would not want done to you."

A Balanced & Sane Budget!
I have had enough of the tax & spend government! Many attribute this style of governing to the Left. But, rest assured, the Right is just as guilty. While the Left wants to tax us all for social spending, the Right wants our money just as badly for military expenditures.

When the Pentagon actually states that they do not want or need anymore hardware (e.g.: tanks), then no Congressman should spend another second, and our government should not spend another dime, on forcing the military to accept said hardware just because it's going to affect jobs in a Congressman's home district.

Additionally, when there are people who continue to wallow in their despair, the Left wants to just throw more money at the problem in the form of bandages rather than tools. In other words, you cannot give someone cash and expect they'll always spend it on training or classes that can teach them how to be self-sufficient. Time and again, cash-in-hand will alter a person's priorities - often times not for the best. We need programs to help people learn skills that will make them more viable to contribute to society and, therefore, earn a paycheck.

Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)
Labeling of GMOs is required in 64 countries around the World, but not here in the USA. That has to be the first change, no matter what! There are supposed studies that GMOs are safe and others that say they are not. According to this article,"Genetically modified foods have been linked to toxic and allergic reactions, sick, sterile, and dead livestock, and damage to virtually every organ studied in lab animals. The effects on humans of consuming these new combinations of proteins produced in GMOs are unknown and have not been studied." This is horribly unsettling.

There is a potential need for GMOs in places where pests have become immune to pesticides. But, there needs to be more studies by truly independent researchers who have nothing to gain or lose by such a study. In the meantime, again, labeling GMO products must become the minimum standard so that each and every consumer has the right to consume or avoid GMOs based on their personal preferences.

Legalization of Marijuana
The decriminalization of marijuana, at the very least, is long overdue. It's time we grow up. Speeding is illegal, but you don't go to jail for it; you get a speeding ticket. That is how decriminalization works.

Know this: marijuana is no more a risk than alcohol. In fact, it's less harmful and a lot of people need it for medical reasons, as well. Just legalize it and make money on the taxes (see: Colorado!)

We've got better things on which to spend money; education, for one.

Even More Coming ... Soon
I have a lot more to post, so please bear with me ... please post topics you'd like me to address where I stand, here!