The House is about to lose its most ardent constitutionalist. Congressman Ron Paul has said that, even if he fails to receive the GOP presidential nomination, he will not run again for a seat in the House of Representatives. But there is a possible replacement for Congressman Paul in the form of Thomas Massie, who is running for Congress in the Fourth District of Kentucky.
Massie, seen here with Senator Rand Paul, son of Congressman Ron Paul.
Massie is an engineer by training and only recently developed an interest in politics. Below are excerpts of Massie’s views on various issues that Richardcyoung.com readers will find interesting. To read more from Thomas Massie, you can visit his campaign website by clicking here.
Second Amendment
I will work vigorously to defend the rights of gun owners. The Right to Keep and Bear Arms is not principally about hunting or recreation. In fact, the Second Amendment to our Constitution is our Founding Fathers’ restatement of our natural God given right to defend life, liberty, and property.
I’m a decade-long concealed carry permit holder and Class III firearms collector. When I was twelve years old, my father bought me my first gun, an H&R .410 shotgun. In the course of hunting in the woods of Kentucky, he taught me the great responsibility that comes with ownership of a firearm. Now that I am a father of four, I enjoy teaching these same lessons to my children through hunting and target practice.
Debt
The federal government’s $15.36 trillion national debt now exceeds our nation’s Gross Domestic Product. This lunacy must stop. Private industries regularly balance their budgets by implementing real spending cuts. The federal government should hold itself to the same standard.
Congress has the power of the purse. I will encourage them to cut real spending by one-percent each year until the budget is balanced. This is commonly referred to as the “Penny Plan.” Cuts of one-percent per year is hardly austere and, if implemented soon, can balance the budget by 2019.
Food Freedom
I support the Food Freedom Act and oppose the federal Food Safety and Modernization Act. The Food Freedom Act declares that food grown and produced in state, when sold in state is beyond the authority of Congress and its constitutional power to regulate interstate commerce among the states. Individuals and farmers should continue to have access to non-genetically modified seed and the right to consume non-pasteurized products at their discretion. We don’t need federal food police on our farms or in our kitchens.
Foreign Aid
In extraordinary circumstances, it may be in our national interest to temporarily provide foreign aid to allies in need. One Bill, One Vote, One Country is an appropriate policy. Foreign aid provided to a specific country should be subject to an up-or-down vote on its own merits, not bundled in an aid bill for multiple countries. We should never provide foreign aid to countries hostile to us or our allies.
