Response:

To help the populace understand the principles contained in the Declaration of Independence, the role of the Constitution and the responsibility of the citizens in defending and upholding these documents. Ultimately we need to put our faith back in God as the author of liberty and back in the public discourse. Right now our faith rests in government to solve problems and take care of us as individuals. As we remove God from our government we inevitably lose freedom. As it says in 2 Corinthians verse 3: where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

Response:

One of the effects of an incorrect understanding of the proper role of government is that we continually send our lawmakers to Washington to make new laws to supersede those we don't enforce. Lawmakers love rhetoric about what new laws they want to pass to solve the important issues of the day and people love to hear the rhetoric because it makes it sound like something will change. Ultimately the politicians pass new laws and the problems just seem to grow regardless of what is done. The federal government does have the constitutional authority to protect its borders (Article 4 Section 4) and we already have laws that make it illegal to enter our country without permission and that will deport individuals that do. It is because we have not enforced these laws in the first place that our current immigration problems exist. The federal government needs to start strictly enforcing the laws already on the books. The reason we don't enforce our current laws is that they do not allow for amnesty or any pathway to legal status, they simply enforce the law that requires legal immigration. Those that seek for amnesty or a pathway to legal status do so because it is seen as "humane." We don't expect the government to care for the families of those who break the law in areas other than immigration so why do we when it comes to immigration?

It is also important to point out that the federal government has no constitutional authority to interfere with states laws that enforce immigration laws. The states therefore should be allowed to secure their borders from illegal immigration and deal with those that have violated the laws in the manner they deem best without interference from the federal government.

Response:

As stated in the Declaration of Independence, governments are instituted among men to protect those unalienable rights endowed by our creator. Health care is not an unalienable right. Additionally the 10th amendment makes it very clear that the powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people. As such, the federal government has no constitutional authority granted to provide health care. Any health care reform by the federal government is unconstitutional and should be repealed immediately. Since the Constitution grants the federal government no authority to "fix" our health care "crisis," it should be left to the public or the states to do so.

Response:

As the government operates outside it's proper scope of protecting our unalienable rights endowed by our creator, it inevitably increases the size of our government and the number of programs intended to redistribute wealth to protect us from ourselves. This leads to 2 main outcomes. First, this will continually increase the overall funds required to operate our federal government. We have seen the size and powers of our government increase greatly since it's inception. Second, every time a dollar makes the trip through Washington to its intended destination, it can't do so without much if not most of the dollar being spent along the way. In other words, using government is a very inefficient means of solving a problem.

If we can restore our original republican form of government and only allow our federal government those powers granted it in the Constitution, it would greatly decrease the financial needs of our federal government and return billions of dollars annually to the citizens. It is then up to the people to decide how to use their own money. If the people are wise stewards over their funds, the economy will improve, if they are not, the economy will worsen.

Response:

The federal government has no constitutional authority to protect or promote land. US Constitution, Article 1, section 8: ... ?all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings.? The Constitution only allows for federal lands to be purchased with the consent of the state legislature, and even then only for military or government buildings. How does this explain that over half the land in Utah is federal land? In fact, 65 percent of the land west of Denver Colorado is owned by the federal government. These lands should be state owned, so the people of those states can do with those lands as they see fit. Any protection or promotion should begin and end at the local and state levels.

Response:

The federal government has no constitutional authority to promote of fund embryonic and adult stem cell research. The 10th amendment makes it very clear that the powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people. Nowhere are these powers, nor anything like them, delegated to the United States.

Response:

Yes. It was originally intended that we have no political parties. They were seen as disruptive to a republican form of government. It was feared that parties would lead us away from a republic and into a form of democracy. (See The Federalist Papers no. 10) This has proven to be true and, as foretold, we have slid into a democracy. The parties serve as gathering places for like minded ideas and now we see our politicians following party lines rather then the principles outlines in our founding documents. The ideal scenario would be if everyone running were independent, then they would have to be accountable for their own ideas and actions apart from any political party. It would also help to keep our representatives focused on their real purpose of protecting our rights and not perpetuating the parties' interests. The only way to restore our original republic would be to operate solely based on correct principles of freedom and outside specific party platforms.

Response:

The federal government has no Constitutional right to conduct nuclear testing other than for defense purposes and then only when it doesn't infringe on the life, liberty or pursuit of happiness of the US citizen.

Response:

All opinions should be based on the principles set forth in the Declaration of Independence and a correct understanding of the role of the Constitution as well as the powers delegated in the Constitution. When one understands the principles set forth in the Declaration of Independence it will lead to an understanding of the Constitution from the perspective of the Founding Fathers. This avoids the problems that arise from "modern" interpretations of the Constitution which allow the contents to be adapted to fit the desires of specific individuals or groups.

Response:

The most important qualification any elected official in our federal government should possess is a thorough understanding of the principles set forth in the Declaration of Independence and the role of the Constitution in establishing a limited and republican form of government. I understand these documents as they were originally intended — from the perspective of the founding fathers. I understand that as we adhere to these principles we will ensure "the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity," as we ignore them, misunderstand them or try and re-interpret them, we will continue the gradual loss of liberty that currently prevails. I understand that "Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed" to protect those "inalienable rights" "endowed by our creator," not solve our problems, redistribute the wealth, or protect us from ourselves. I understand that "We the people" means that the government shouldn't possess powers the individual doesn't possess. I understand that "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people." I understand that it is "In God we trust" not the government. These are my qualifications.