Responsible fiscal policy is a bedrock principle of the Republican Party and in the shadow of staggering national debt, Congress needs to be far more responsible. Our Congress has leveraged our grandchildren's future to pay for pork barrel projects today. I will work to return Congress to the days of controlled spending and conservative fiscal responsibility so that the value of the US Dollar is kept strong. Continued deficit spending has caused the international monetary markets to lose faith in the dollar, and that, more than any other single factor, is why the price of oil has skyrocketed over the past few months. Instead of blaming the big oil companies, Congress needs to look in the mirror and understand that they are the underlying cause of our current economic woes.

However, the private sector needs to accept blame as well for a severe lack of ethics in conducting its business in some major cases, such as the sub-prime mortgage crisis. We need to hold these CEOs accountable for ridiculously high salaries and bonuses even when their companies produce huge losses, and we need to get all CEOs to sign the Deontological Oath as prescribed by many graduate school of business. This oath states:

1. I will safeguard the interests of the enterprise's financial claimants and will strive to create endurable shareholder value.
   
2. I will utilize natural resources in an efficient, sustainable way, thus ensuring the rights of future generations to enjoy a clean and resourceful planet.
   
3. I will respect the rights and dignity of the individuals working for the enterprise, as well as the people that may be affected by its activities.
   
4. In meeting my commitments with my clients, suppliers and allies, I will engage in honest and transparent transactions, respecting their rights and standing up to my promises.
   
5. I will remember that I remain a member of society, and that, as a manager, advisor or entrepreneur, my actions may have great impact on the well-being of others. I will ensure that the operation of the enterprise contributes to the creation of wealth and progress for society at large. I will assume the responsibility for my acts in the execution of my duties and will respond to society for them.
   
6. If I do not violate this oath, may I enjoy life and art and personal success. May I be respected while I live and remembered with affection thereafter. May I always act so as to preserve the finest traditions of business and may I long experience the joy of helping improve the lives of my fellow human beings.

The first thing I learned in Econ 101 was that a business or institution must generate at least as much revenue as it spends. That has been reinforced through graduate business school where I earned my MBA, and in the succeeding 33 years of my career. Families cannot afford to operate at a continual deficit or they go bankrupt, and someone needs to show Congress that raiding the Social Security and highway funds cannot continue indefinitely without long term consequences. Eventually, the US government will go bankrupt as well if we don't start implementing a requirement for a balanced budget as our own state does.

As a Baby Boomer, I'm fully aware that the reality of our problems with Social Security and Health Care are becoming overwhelming and pressing. We need to fund Social Security and provide affordable health care to all Americans by enacting responsible legislation in the Congress, and that is my pledge to you.

As your Congressman, I will work tirelessly to balance the national budget. The underlying fundamental secret to reducing our high tax burden is to reduce the size of government. For the last 17 years I have been helping governments reduce the size of their government infrastructure, making it more efficient and increasing revenues. It isn't rocket science, it just takes a politician willing to stand up for what is right rather than what it takes to get re-elected.

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