Economy

I am not an economic expert (and I don't know of many politicians who are either) so I will not sit here and claim to have a perfect plan for economic growth. What I do know however is that there is an excess of money dumped into bureaucratic mismanagement, sham non-profits, and honestly into the pockets of politicians and their friends. I refuse to accept that the only way to balance our budget is to cut funding to programs that benefit the people while there are so many other places money can be saved, starting with corporate bailouts and government waste.

I will start by doing everything in my power as a member of congress to reduce the pay of members of congress and government officials. A person representing the people should not be motivated by the paycheck they receive but rather a commitment to providing for the future of the people they represent. I personally think a representative shouldn't receive a dollar more than the average income of the citizens they represent.

A chain is only as strong as it's weakest link, and a nation is only as wealthy as it's poorest citizen. Therefor it makes absolutely no sense to cut spending for the people who need it most before cutting it in every other possible place first. I will consult with economic experts and I will find every possible way to save government money without cutting the benefits so many people need.

Another thing I think is important is increasing our minimum wage. People with more money can spend more money, and what we need is more money circulating instead of remaining stagnant and unused in the bank accounts of our wealthiest minority. An increased minimum wage would also decrease government spending on benefits for the poor, since such a large number of those who receive benefits are employed but not earning enough to live on.