Issues

Three questions must be asked when discussing illegal immigration.  First, do we truly believe in obeying, honoring and sustaining the law?  Second, do we believe that mercy should be allowed to rob justice?  And lastly, does compassion mean we should throw out our laws and sovereignty?

My good friend, Chris Herrod, who serves with me in the House of Representatives puts it best.  He is married to an immigrant from the Ukraine, and his business partner is an immigrant from Kenya.  Chris asks, "do we believe in compassion for ALL people, or only those who can walk to the United States?"  His business partner has had family members murdered while trying to escape the war torn African country.  Chris continues, "being unable to obtain a passport or legal visa, they waited and were killed before our slow immigration process allowed them to come here.  There is greater suffering than anyone can imagine in other countries, people are standing in line to come to the United States legally, where is the compassion for them?"

It is a sad statement that when an American citizen stands up for their country's sovereignty they are labeled a xenophobe or a racist.  Nothing can be further from the truth.  When 6% of the worlds population (Mexico, and other South American Countries) receive over 80% of the benefit from illegal immigration something is dreadfully wrong.     

I do not believe that we can throw out the rule of law on this issue.  I strongly support laws which would restrict illegal immigration into our country.  The federal government has failed us, so now it is time for the states to step in and protect our sovereignty.   

Why am I a Republican? 

On January 22nd of this year (2008) the  Democratic Party celebrated the 35th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, which legalized "no reason" abortion in the United States.  Howard Dean, the highest ranking official in the Democrat party said, "As we mark the 35th anniversary of Roe v. Wade today, Democrats stand solidly in support of women and their right to make important life decisions about their health care.  Its critical that abortion remain a personal decision." 

In addition, the Utah Democratic Party states on their website, "Utah Democrats believe in a comprehensive approach that protects reproductive freedom."  This is the politically correct way to say "we support abortion," without actually saying "we support abortion."  The Salt Lake County Democrat Party is a little more open in their support of abortion by saying in their party platform "We believe in a comprehensive approach to reproductive issues that protects the right to choose."

As the Democrats celebrated Roe v. Wade, more than 3,700 abortions took place across the United States in one day alone.  In Utah we have just under 4000 abortions every year.   

We as a state should start putting pressure on the federal government and the supreme court to over turn Roe v. Wade.  Abortions should be reserved only for the extreme cases of rape, incest and where the life of the mother is at risk.  According to The Center for Bio-Ethical Reform: 1% of all abortions occur because of rape or incest, 6% of abortions occur because of potential health problems regarding either the mother or child, and 93% of all abortions occur for social reasons (i.e. the child is unwanted or inconvenient). 

Since the passage of Roe v. Wade over 50 million abortions have occurred in the United States... THIS is why I am Republican. 

This link is to a pro-life music video, it's both touching and in good taste:
Pro-Life Music Video

I will continue to be the champion on the hill fighting against child predators.  I was able to pass the most aggressive child predator laws in the history of the state.  Jessica's law passed this year, as I had promised during the 2006 campaign.

Other areas of concern to me are:

     ►The excessive appeals that criminals on death row receive.  I will work in the next two years to streamline the state's death penalty procedures.

     ►The increase in gang crime.  This year I passed what was referred to as "the drive-by shooting bill" which strengthens the law against gang members.  That was the first step in a multi-part process which will crack down on gang crime.

     ►It currently costs over $30,000 per year to house each individual inmate.  I am proposing a new law which would require the Department of Corrections to track the cost of education and medical care for each individual inmate.  Upon being released from prison, the inmate would be required to make monthly restitution until their tax-payer funded bills have been repaid.

     ►Increased neighborhood watch for Riverton, Herriman and South Jordan.  This is not something government should necessarily be involved in at the state level, but I can use my position to encourage volunteerism throughout our district.

Utah has some of the highest over-all tax burden in the country.  Families and businesses are being hurt by unusually high taxes.

I support:

     ►Reforming the property tax so families do not have to fear each year's property tax assessments.

     ►Tax cuts for citizens and small business.  I am the first Representative from our area in over a decade to support any significant tax cuts. Ronald Reagan proved that to stimulate the economy government must lower the tax burden.  I will never forget that its YOUR money, not mine.  

     ►I will NOT vote for a tax increase, period.  Government has enough money, what we lack sometimes however, is fiscal discipline.  During my first term I refused to vote for the so called "sales tax-shift" which increased sales tax for every citizen, but cut income taxes for relatively few.  While called a "tax shift" this shift was not completely revenue neutral nor was it equitable which is why I opposed it. I commit once again that in the next two years I will oppose any and all tax increases, as well as any tax shifts which are not revenue neutral or an over all tax decrease.  

View Wimmer's Tax Plan
 

I am a staunch advocate for a quality education for all children.  We need real reform in order to keep up with the demands of the world market.  I support the following:

     ►Increased technology in the classroom.

     ►More parental involvement and choice in their child's education.

     ►Merit pay:  Pay the best teachers the most. Good teachers should not have to leave Utah to make a living.

     ►Lower class sizes.

As a principle I support smaller school districts.  Studies find smaller districts to be more efficient and responsive to the people.  However, the way the Jordan School split was conducted was reckless,  irresponsible, and unfair.

I committed that I would work to protect the west side from a giant property tax increase, and I did just that.  In an unprecedented move for a new lawmaker, I was selected to serve on the equalization task force.  We were able to create a bill which brings millions of more dollars to the west side for school buildings. The bill passed the 2008 legislature, with me voting in support.

I am one of the most pro-gun-rights legislators in the state.  I stand firm that the 2nd amendment gives an individual right to bear arms.  This is why I have obtained an "A+" rating and have been endorsed by the NRA.

Ronald Reagan said,  "At times such as these, government is not the answer to our problems, government IS the problem."  At the time, he was referring to the over all economy of the country, but this could very well be applied to the health insurance problem. I call it a "health insurance problem" rather than a "healthcare" problem, because in reality few, if any, in this country are denied medical treatment if they need it.  A hospital is mandated by federal law to treat everyone regardless of ability to pay. 

My dear brother, Eric, died right before Christmas from a very aggressive form of cancer.  Eric was very healthy and at the time did not feel a need to have health insurance, so when the cancer struck he was in real trouble.  Was he turned away from being treated?  Was he thrown out into the streets to fend for himself?  Did he have to hitch a boat ride to Cuba to obtain cancer treatments, since America-haters, like film maker Michael Moore, think they have superior health care?  No my friends, he was treated as any one would have been; with the highest of care and dignity. 

We keep hearing those phrases again: national health care, universal health care, and socialized medicine. We're being told that government bureaucrats can take over our entire medical industry--which by the way is the best and most complex in the world--and make it better, sorry my friends, but there is no chance of that.  So what do we do about health insurance? I have been misquoted as saying that I do not believe that government should do anything about health care and this is wrong.  I believe that government should do something about the health insurance problem, and it all starts with reducing government regulation.

Government Regulation:

Health insurance reform begins with the government realizing that over regulation is killing the system.  We need to start by eliminating the cumbersome insurance regulations that drive costs up and providers out of the market.        

Trust the Markets:

If we trusted the market economies and changed our tax system so that the market could work more efficiently, give people more power to make their own decisions and open up the market, prices would go down.  That would help people who wish to buy health insurance.

Make Health Insurance Portable:

We made a mistake in our tax code many years ago which caused employers to provide health insurance for employees, rather than give the tax incentives to the holder of the insurance policy.  This left self employed, unemployed and others to fend for themselves.   We need to take steps to correct this so people are not so tied to their employment for insurance.  It would become portable so people could take their insurance with them from job to job or elsewhere. 

Medical Tort Reform:

Institute caps on non-economic and punitive damage awards to eliminate frivolous lawsuits.

End Illegal Immigration:

Millions of dollars are spent every year on illegal immigrants who are uninsured and go to the hospital for their basic health care needs.  By continuing to dismiss the rule of law in regards to immigration, we are bankrupting the health care system.