Jobs & The Economy     Life                   Marriage & The Family       Local Government         

Education                    Infrastructure     States' Rights                   Public Assistance        

Gun Laws                    Right To Work     Veterans & The Military     Immigration              

JOBS & THE ECONOMY return to top

Jobs are Job #1. You heard it here first, and it’s as simple as that.

I've spent over two decades in business, running organizations both large and small, creating jobs and economic opportunity for Hoosiers from all walks of life. Economic success divides Hoosiers more than anything else, and that’s why I'm running for Governor.

Improving economic security will further unite the strong Hoosier spirit. If we can provide opportunities for people who want to work, we can break the cycle of dependency that’s crippling the nation. And while government can’t actually create jobs, we can take steps to improve the attractiveness of Indiana for corporations all over the world.

I support revision and expansion of the Economic Development for a Growing Economy (EDGE) tax credit, a refundable revenue-positive credit, to corporations and innovators both large and small, transferring to Indiana or already headquartered here, that create jobs and advancement opportunities for hard-working Hoosiers.

I also support changes to the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) to encourage proactive jobs development, not only in Indiana’s historically strong sectors of agriculture and manufacturing, but developing 21st Century industries as well.

Finally, I support changes in IEDC objectives to target and solicit job growth in not only entry-level positions, but mid- and decision-making level positions as well.

LIFE return to top

No higher duty exists than our duty to God and life. I am an ardent defender of life and liberty, as supported by our fundamental rights under the U.S. Constitution. I cannot imagine a circumstance in which abortion is an acceptable means of birth control. We must ensure that every man and woman have the appropriate economic and educational foundation to prevent unplanned pregnancies.

MARRIAGE & THE FAMILY return to top

Marriage is an institution of faith, and we should trust our organizations of faith to define and reinforce the role of marriage and our families. Who has better experience to deal with matters of the heart, your spiritual leader or a politician? Not the politician. Let’s re-establish faith in the promotion of marriage and our families.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT return to top

“That government is best which governs least,” attributed varyingly to Thomas Jefferson and Henry David Thoreau, summarizes my view on federal, state and local government. In the same way the federal government presents an increasing burden on American lives, so too can state government get in the way of effective local services. Any solution developed more than a level or two away from the citizen relies more on luck than knowledge to be right. We need to reduce the size of our federal and state government, and return control to the communities in which we live.

Understanding that Indiana is a diverse state, I oppose the mandatory consolidation of county and township services, favoring instead local decisions to streamline local government.

EDUCATION return to top

Public Education. Indiana has made great strides, teachers, administrators, and public officials alike, in promoting the interests of the child in our education debate. However, a one-size-fits-all approach of educational reform cannot possibly address the varying needs of the 92 different counties and 300+ school corporations in the state.

Less than half of my high school class went immediately to college when I graduated. Other school districts now see 90% percent or more of their students go on to higher learning.

We must be mindful of the differing needs and resources of our communities in determining the curriculum, pay and performance of our public schools, and allow local control over these decisions.

Colleges & Universities. Indiana receives the highest credentials for our institutions of higher learning, minting some 30,000+ accredited graduates in all disciplines every year. However, we do not do enough to enhance and profit from our investment in our graduates.

I recommend creation of the Public Research Investment, Management, and Employment (PRIME) tax credit, a refundable revenue-positive credit, to establish incentives for (a) investing in the commercial development of research from Indiana colleges and universities and (b) employing graduates of those institutions.

INFRASTRUCTURE return to top

Our roads and bridges, sewers and other public resources are in need of repair, and another county road somewhere in Indiana goes from asphalt to chip-and-seal or gravel every day. We must stop this or Indiana will be unable to make the short list for corporate investment and expansion very quickly.

I advocate creation of Project 500, a list of local infrastructure projects that will yield immediate benefits of economic development when completed. I propose to allocate roughly half of the current state surplus, $500 million, to communities around Indiana whose projects meet these criteria, so that they may complete the projects and accelerate job growth.

STATES’ RIGHTS return to top

In this era of clearly burdensome and overreaching federal regulation, the issue of states’ rights is of paramount importance. From Obamacare to the latest e-Verify bill, Congress has sought to curtail the states’ ability to make their own decisions, in direct violation of the U.S. Constitution—the e-Verify bill even goes so far as to require a permanent waiver of the 10th Amendment rights by any state that accepts federal assistance with the provisions of the legislation.

This must be stopped. I commit to not only stand firm against increasing federal encroachment, but also push back against unfunded mandates, regulations, and other federal activities that are reversing Hoosiers’ rights and fundamental liberty. I will maintain this fight until the federal government returns to those functions specifically enumerated in accordance with the U.S. Constitution.

PUBLIC ASSISTANCE return to top

Family & Social Services. From time to time, there are those in our communities who may need a helping hand. It is in our communities where such help must be provided, for unless you’re there, you can neither assess the need nor the progress of your efforts. Nowhere is this more evident than in the current Indiana Family & Social Services Administration budget, where some $19 billion in expenses is incurred, while only $12 billion is allocated from federal resources to accomplish the task—a $1,000 unfunded federal shortfall for every man, woman and child in Indiana!

I oppose the consolidation of social services under a central statewide or federal authority. Instead, I support the continued role of the township trustee in administering poor relief, and restricting state responsibility to auditing those activities.

Additionally, I support the establishment of drug testing for recipients of public assistance, and advocates for an increased role of our institutions of faith in the administration of aid.

Unemployment. Our unemployment system is broken, and employers are actually competing with unemployment benefits for available talent. This must be stopped.

Any Hoosier offered a job should not receive unemployment benefits if they refuse one. We recognize not all jobs may provide sufficient income to cover a family’s expenses, however, providing a job and making up this difference is far more beneficial than the current situation.

GUN LAWS return to top

The right to bear arms is a fundamental right guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. I believe that no action should be taken to abridge that right.

RIGHT TO WORK return to top

The freedom to assemble and freedom of speech are fundamental rights under the U.S. Constitution, giving rise to the right to unionize in the workplace. However, the right to liberty, also a fundamental right under the Constitution, limits the right to unionize, guaranteeing that no individual is obligated to join an organization they do not wish to, commonly referred to as the right to work.

I believe the right to unionize and right to work are compatible. In conversations across Indiana I have heard from union members and non-union workers alike, and both believe that unions must demonstrate their value to members to be viable. I support the right of Hoosiers to decide whether or not to join a union.

VETERANS & THE MILITARY return to top

Those who protect and defend the U.S. Constitution deserve our greatest respect. With one of the nation’s largest National Guard contingents and home to the Headquarters of The American Legion, Indiana leads the nation in our commitment to veterans and the military.

As a West Point graduate and helicopter pilot in the U.S. Army, I know what it means to be a veteran. I know the commitment, effort, and sacrifice it takes to serve in the military, and I know the solemn duty of leading troops.

I support the education, training, and family assistance of our soldiers on active duty, and the full scale of education, training, job assistance, and veterans benefits to those Hoosiers who have honorably served in the U.S. Armed Forces.

IMMIGRATION return to top

As a businessman and employer, I believe it is incumbent on every company to confirm the legal status of their workers. I also believe it is the federal government’s responsibility, under the duty of national defense, to process and handle undocumented individuals illegally residing in Indiana.

It is the obligation of the federal government to ensure border security and compliance with associated immigration laws. We must work with our congressional delegation and pressure Congress to allocate appropriate funding and infrastructure to manage illegal immigration for Indiana and all the states.