As a lifetime resident of Northeast Georgia and a small business owner, I recognize that we need responsible economic policies that protect businesses and attract new industries through lower taxes and smarter spending. Let’s make intelligent investments in our communities to ensure a good return and a future full of potential.

An important aspect of this is our responsibility to bring new industry to this district. A promising new industry is Alternative Energy. These companies will create jobs and seek innovative solutions and, in conjunction with our top-tier academic and research institutions, will secure our nation’s energy independence.

Iraq

We must move past the divisive politics of the past and work together to find a responsible solution. That solution must be founded on:

Our responsibility to our troops: We should begin a responsible reduction of troops in the quickest, safest way possible.

Our responsibility to the Iraqi people: Maintain a small force to provide security to the Iraqi government, train the Iraqi Army & Police force, and to provide logistical support to the Iraqi Army.

The Iraqi Government’s responsibility to its people: We must demand that the Iraqi Government & Army show steady and sustainable success in return for our protection and our support.

Veteran’s Issues

My family has a rich tradition of service to our country. My grandfather served in WWII and my uncle served in the Navy. I have two cousins that served on active duty with the Navy and Air Force and my brother recently retired from the Army as Sergeant Major with 24 years of service. After more than 25 years of military service, I know that it is time for congress to stand up and take action on these issues. We must recognize our responsibility to the brave men and women that have stood up for this country and we must honor their service with meaningful action. It’s time political rhetoric and pandering stopped. We must pass legislation that will aide in veteran transition to civilian life, ensure retirement benefits, and provide top-notch healthcare without excuses. I will work every day to ensure that congress is protecting those who are protecting us and those who have protected us throughout the history of this great country.

Healthcare

We need a reasonable solution to our healthcare crisis. First, we have a responsibility to our children by ensuring that no child in Georgia goes without healthcare. Next, we must focus on providing access to affordable healthcare for everyone. We must work with doctors, nurses, businesses, insurance companies, and our government to drive down costs and make preventative care more readily available.

Education

We are facing an unparalleled educational crisis in this nation. We have failed to live up to our responsibility to our children through faulty policies and wasteful misspending. The system needs responsible reform and that starts with reworking No Child Left Behind. Teachers should be able to teach their subjects and not teach to the test. There must be more local control over the classroom and we must repair the foundations of public education by focusing spending to serve all of our children.

Paid for by Bobby Saxon for Congress