ISSUES
Border Security
Over the past 3 years of the Biden administration, our southern border has been wide open. As a result, our national and personal security is compromised. About 8-9 million illegals have entered the US and at least 300-400 are on the terrorist watch list. This is unacceptable. The drug cartels basically control the southern border. So, as a result we have a fentanyl crisis that has killed over 100,000 Americans, human and sex trafficking has reached NC and crime is increased. It will be my priority to close the southern border, build the border wall, give the border patrol the resources/technology they need and reinstate the policies that President Trump had in place that worked. We have good immigration policies, they just need to be enforced. My parents immigrated from Greece the “right way” so I can stand before you as the American Dream. We must secure our border as I agree that “a country without borders is not a country”.
Bidenomics/The Economy
As a result of the poor economic policies of Joe Biden, out of control spending by Democrats and the record inflation that has occurred, NC families are hurting. Excessive federal spending and high debt will slow economic growth. Our national debt has reached 34 Trillion dollars! Taxpayers work hard and deserve to keep more of their hard-earned money. Across the board we are paying 25-40% more for groceries, gas, utilities and every day needs since Biden took office. I will work to pass a Balanced Budget, get better control of entitlement spending and eliminate duplicate and wasteful spending across governmental agencies. We need to help families and businesses recover and prosper again.
Tied into the economy and our national security, we need to become energy independent. We need to stop selling from our Strategic Oil Reserves and replenish them instead. I will support the Keystone Pipeline and efforts to drill for more supplies. We also must stop buying oil from our enemies to make them rich and make us pay more for our auto gas and heating our homes. Our power grid needs to be updated and better supported to protect us from the vulnerability of possible cyber-attacks. We can easily achieve this goal.
Pro Life
The Unborn should be protected. A fetus is an innocent human being and it is morally wrong to kill a human being.
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Parental Rights - School Choice
The Radical Left is attacking parental rights to be involved with and guide their children’s education and upbringing. Parents should be empowered to be active participants in deciding their children’s curriculum as they know what is best for their children and their education. It is time we stopped the “indoctrination” that is happening in schools and instead educate our children to prepare them for life. Parents should also be overseeing their children’s upbringing instead of the school system.
We really do not need to be spending $82 Billion dollars a year on a national Department of Education that only contributes maybe 5-7% of the cost of schools in the states and instead tries to dictate indoctrination principles. I support School choice that is starting in NC and hopefully will work to educate children better.
Military Support - Foreign Policy
The cornerstone of good foreign policy is a strong military. Around the world, the United States of America has always stood for protecting freedom and has been known for having the strongest, best supplied and best trained military in the world. Under Joe Biden’s leadership we have seen decreased military funding, decreased recruitment and “woke” policies that have adversely affected our military. Biden’s weak foreign policy has affected our strength and leadership on the international stage. This has allowed our adversaries to become bolder and try to advance their initiatives. Four years ago, this would not have happened. We need to build up our military to get back to that standing on the world stage. I will demand that our military is adequately supported so they have the best training and resources available. This is a national security issue and is necessary to protect our freedom.
Back the Blue - Law Enforcement
We are seeing an increase in crime in NC and throughout the US. You cannot have law and order without law enforcement as they play an extremely positive and important role in maintaining our nation’s safety. We need to support Law Enforcement through proper funding for recruitment and training of our police officers along with providing them with adequate resources to perform their job and promote building positive police-community relations.
But we must also have a legal system that addresses criminal activities appropriately. Those who break the law should be prosecuted properly and given appropriate sentences including jail time as appropriate for their crime. This is necessary to deter future or repeat crimes.
Healthcare
I have served the 6th District as a plastic surgeon for 25 years. Prior to that time, I became involved with the advocacy aspects of Medicine as a medical student and have continued that involvement throughout my career. Through my experience in taking care of patients and involvement with medical societies such as the NC Medical Society, the American Medical Association and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons I have been educated on how we need to address problems with healthcare so we can better deliver healthcare to our patients. Having served on the Boards of Directors of each of these organizations has developed my leadership skills and expertise in this area.
Many of you are concerned with the viability of Medicare and I will work to ensure that Medicare will remain viable. The cost of insurance plans will be addressed and their executive bonuses curtailed because that is your money that they are collecting in premiums that go out as bonuses. Medications can be addressed by regulating Pharmacy benefit managers- if the same medication costs 50% less in Canada than the US, then it needs to be sold at the same price in the US. A lot needs to be done but it can be done over several years. Part of the problem is that we only have 15 physicians in the House of Representatives and we need more doctors in the House to educate the other members. So many healthcare issues are addressed at the national level and trickle down to the states. Together we can get this accomplished.
Transgender Athletes
The radical left’s war on women is clear with their view on transgender athletes. There are definite biologic and physical differences between males and females that gives males a competitive advantage in sports and makes a difference. A recent Gallup poll indicates that 69% of Americans say that transgender athletes should be allowed to compete only on sports teamsthat correspond with the sexes that they were assigned at birth- and I agree with that! Title IX was passed to protect Women’s sports. This is an assault on Title IX. Where are all the feminists and their organizations to speak out and defend the rights of women? I will speak out without hesitation and support our female athletes.