Issue Position: Role of the Federal Government

Issue Position

Federalism is one of the core building blocks of our nation. It recognizes that effective self-government rests on a partnership between the national government in Washington and one that is closer to home, the states.

Today, we have a national government that has simply burst at the seams. Washington wants to decide everything when, in fact, it cannot. Whether it's building a bridge in Mesquite, telling our schools what to teach, or handing out mortgages to local homeowners, its one-size-fits all approach does not serve a country as diverse as the United States. State and local governments, once the mainstay of our country, have watched as their funding sources dry up while they become increasingly dependent upon financial handouts from Washington.

There is no greater proof of this mismatch than Obamacare. Weighing in at 2,400 pages, the bill is a poster child for all that is wrong with our system of government. It is a package designed to give something to everyone while leaving a critical factor--skyrocketing costs--untouched.

The states must regain critical decision-making responsibility and the requisite funding in key areas such as education, criminal justice, and healthcare. Washington departments must be reduced in size. For starters, let's start with and begin to downsize "the 3 E's": Education, Energy, and the Environment. The Federal government should pass an acceptable immigration reform plan and oversee the defense of our country. It should do so while reducing the annual deficit and drastically cutting our national debt.

At the same time, state governments should own up to their responsibilities. In Nevada, state government must seek ways to create jobs, work to solve the foreclosure problem, and act to improve the high school graduation rate. Moreover, Washington's bureaucracy is a poor substitute for local supervision of public lands and environmental controls. Its programs must be accomplished within the limits of a balanced budget, which seeks necessary revenues while trimming unneeded expenses.

In sum, what is clear is that our Constitutional decision-making process is broken. Washington has grown too large, and Nevada has been reduced to a glorified lobbyist. The first step in correcting this problem is to begin to disaggregate the power that is concentrated in Washington and to rebuild the States as important partners in government.

The solution rests at home--in Nevada--but the battle begins in Washington.

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