1. Elect Republicans. It is also my first platform because it is so important. We need political balance in government.

2. Election integrity. We cannot disenfranchise voters, especially with a voter ID bill that may be subject to interpretation.

3. 22nd Amendment. A President is like a shooting star across the night sky. They are in the limelight for maybe eight years, then it is time to pass the torch along to someone else. On the other hand, members of Congress are like embers that can glow for decades. The 22nd Amendment is the law of the land. Let’s uphold it.

4. 2nd Amendment. The 2nd Amendment is something like the right to form a well-organized militia and to keep and bear arms. While most everyone focuses on the latter, forming a well-organized militia necessitates possessing a firearm. While one cannot form much of a militia with squirrel guns, having serious firepower comes with responsibility. Back in the olden days, out on the prairie, little boys did not grab Pa’s Winchester and slaughter the one-room schoolhouse. Is this epidemic of mass shootings a recent affliction? Every Western movie ever made reminds us that people weren’t always so nice, even in the good old days. But I support gun ownership and hope to see recent restrictions on gun ownership lifted when able.

5. Immigration: got to hand it to the President for finally ending the very loose Southern border where people waltzed across into America knowing they were skating the law. Others obeyed the process and went through the hoops to come here legally. We have to keep immigration legal going forward. It begs the question of what those who allowed unregulated immigration were thinking when criminals and terrorist types could infiltrate our country – makes no sense.

6. Abortion: This is a big one for me because I advocate that abortion should be safe and, therefore, legal. It is not at all for me personally, but making abortion illegal could harm the mother’s health. Note that I called her a mother because she became a mother the moment she became pregnant. While there is no easy answer here, at least we are not setting anyone up for injury or worse. In exchange for acceptance of legal abortion, doesn’t it seem fair to have the chance to try to intervene before the abortion and have the baby for adoption? Whenever I look into abortion, I see statistics that tell us that making abortion illegal only reduces the rate of abortion a bit. There could still be plenty of illegal abortions.

7. Military: We need our military to be able to fight the last great war with only a few minutes’ notice. They must be able to fight on 2 fronts as well. Think of a world without the dominance of the US military defending freedom, juxtaposed with the forces of authoritarianism. As your congressman, I would be concerned about the rank-and-file servicemen and women. I would be the one who is looking out for them.

8. Women’s sports: Our women fought long and hard for equal representation in athletic sports. To have a biological male compete against them is unfair to them. It goes like this: Guys, you beat a girl – a girl. Isn’t it much better to compete against a man and lose with honor, saying “good match” or “good race”? Biological males can stay out of the women’s locker rooms and restrooms. You do not see biological women clamoring to use the men’s locker room or the men’s room, do you?

9. Transgender youth: The decision to alter what a person was born with is so profound, and a one-way street. Having a sex change operation should be put aside until someone is really ready for it, not a possibly confused or unknowing youth. And the parents, who are the final say in their children, must be consulted and recognized as their children’s protectors.

10. Education: When I asked teachers about their challenges, they unanimously said that parents were either not sending their children to school with a mindset to learn or that parents were not caring about their children’s education. Let’s not blame the teachers; let’s support them. Doing this does not cost anything, and at least it is a good start. We need education for our kids, and we need all of our kids to pursue rigorous scholastic achievement, even encouraging all to go to university.

11. Healthcare: Costs are skyrocketing in healthcare. Some people want universal healthcare, paid for by the government. If the middle class wants single-payer, universal healthcare, then the middle class can pay for it. Soaking the rich will not work. It’s a complicated issue.

12. Housing: A lot has been said about affordable housing. Is it not an honorable goal to own one’s own home? Whatever can be said about government-subsidized housing, would someone really want to live in government-subsidized housing? What does work is having a healthy business environment where good jobs abound, and people can afford to buy homes. It’s complicated.

13. Minimum wage: The Federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. A basic lunch at McDonald’s costs $5 or more. How is the federal minimum wage an acceptable wage for those who cannot advance in the workforce? Whatever the answer, I favor being kind to all members of our workforce and helping them along, and I believe that capitalism is better on a sliding scale where everyone gets a chance at success.

14. Epstein files Disclosure: Congress passed a law directing disclosure of the files. The law should be complied with.

15. UFO/UAP disclosure: We all should welcome the directive by the President to make public the UFO/UAP/Alien files. It is taking a long time. If this is intended to be a military secret, then the people in charge of it ought to be court-martialed, because it’s just about the worst-kept secret ever. You, me, we all have a right to know.

16. Prosperity: This is an issue because so many elected officials fail to protect prosperity or else fail to track it with their eyes. America will be much better off with a robust business environment.

17. Taxation: Is there a Goldilocks zone of taxes? Not too much, not too little? We have to pay taxes, but we should get value for the money collected. Is it fair to follow a generally accepted taxing policy that is grudgingly accepted as fair to all? America pays a lower overall tax rate, but we pay a higher progressive tax rate on income.