- Former state Assemblyman Howard Kaloogian announced his formal entry yesterday into the race to replace Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham in the 50th Congressional District.
click me, click me
It's a tough call. Kaloogian, Morrow, and Wyland are all great guys. I think at this point I'm leaning towards supporting Kaloogian.
Great to see a California Republican with some cojones. And a tax reformer to boot.
Kaloogian is a good, good man.
Roger Hedgecock aired his show outdoors at the Mt. Soledad Memorial Cross last year.
SoCalPol and I drove up and met Howard Kaloogian there, as well as several Protest Warriors.
Kaloogian's bright , personable, and sincere.
Why, pray tell, was CDunningham brought down?
If we assume that most pols are corrupt in one way or another, why was a genuine war hero brought down like this... Answer: Americans don't Need No Stinkin Heroes, especially Republican ones.... so says the Left...
Kaloogian's greatest asset is that he and Cunningham have been sworn enemies for years. When they cart Cunningham off to jail, it will definitely help him.
Wannabe candidate is on the RIGHT:
Pulled from Howard's 2004 U.S. Senate race website:
Immigration:
I oppose President Bush’s proposal because it amounts to amnesty on the installment plan. I think it compounds the problem by encouraging more people to attempt to enter our country. In the 1986 amnesty the promise was that this would solve the problem once and for all. It covered 3 million people, and since then our illegal immigration problem got worse - today it is estimated that there are up to 13 million illegal immigrants in this country. Clearly an amnesty solves nothing. Furthermore, it is unworkable. It only applies to those illegal immigrants who have jobs. And, it depends on voluntary compliance on the part of both the employer and the illegal immigrant. Finally, it is morally wrong. We are indeed a nation of immigrants and a country with the most generous system of immigration in the world. Millions of people have applied legally, gone through the process and become naturalized citizens. My family was among them. It is not right to allow others to “cut in line” ahead of those who are obeying our laws.
Federal Spending:
We need a Constitutional Amendment that controls spending. No matter which party is in charge, the pressure to spend is irresistible. It will only stop with a tough spending limit on discretionary spending, like the Gann limit in California, before it was destroyed. I believe that such a provision should also include a line-item veto for the President to line out excessive spending in congressional appropriation bills. Congress actually passed the line-item veto, but the courts invalidated it; a new version must be written that will pass court scrutiny. Controlling spending and encouraging a growing economy are the responsible ways to turn our budget deficit into a surplus again.
Tax Cuts:
I believe that tax cuts stimulate the economy, while tax increases slow the economy. Presidents Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush and even John F. Kennedy have already proven that trimming taxes leads to more jobs and more revenue. President Bush’s tax cuts should be made permanent. I oppose the Democrat plan to repeal the cuts because it will lead to a slowdown in economic growth and prosperity. In addition to keeping taxes low, we must create a tax system that is efficient, fair, simple and understandable. Currently, the federal tax code totals nearly 1,400 pages and the IRS regulations implementing it total more 6,400 pages. It is loaded with loopholes that special interest groups and the super wealthy use to get out of paying their fair share. It costs our economy more than $300 billion annually to comply with our income tax laws. Scrapping this system for a loophole-free flat tax will generate the greatest possible growth in our economy. That, in turn would bring in additional federal revenue and be a more fair tax system for everyone.
Right to Life:
I am pro-life and I believe that it is time our nation moved beyond debating the legal merits of “Roe vs. Wade,” moved beyond the politics of abortion, and instead honestly asked itself: “Don’t women today deserve something better than abortion?” The old left, personified by the no-longer-listening Barbara Boxer, vocally defends every aspect of this procedure without qualms or questions. I will start by discussing the needs of pregnant and parenting women, inviting the input of women who have chosen different pregnancy options including abortion, adoption, and motherhood, to engage leaders from higher education, healthcare, the business community and government. I am convinced that together we will begin to draw up a blueprint for positive, supportive, change.
National Defense:
We must: improve military readiness, equipment and pay and keep California military bases open. The recent military conflicts have clearly demonstrated that we need to keep a modernized military prepared to defend American interests. Congress has failed to invest sufficiently in high demand specialty areas. This includes special operations units, reconnaissance assets, units specializing in chemical and biological agents, Patriot anti-missile batteries, electronic warfare assets, and in-flight refueling aircraft. The United States also needs more sealift and airlift capability. We can increase our available military forces by 300,000 by freeing these soldiers from jobs that civilians could hold so that they can provide support to our “on the ground” troops. Military pay will have to be increased to be competitive with private sector jobs. Despite recent increases, military pay continues to lag, particularly in the low and middle ranks.
Marriage
I believe that marriage should be between a man and a woman only and I am opposed to the recognition of same sex marriages. Thirty-seven states, including California, have enacted Defense of Marriage statutes. Additionally, in 1996 the United States Congress resoundingly passed a federal Defense of Marriage Act, which was signed into law by President Clinton. Because there is a continued threat that acceptance of same sex marriages in any one of the fifty states may be the basis of the courts ruling that such marriages must be recognized in all states under the 14th Amendment, I believe that it is essential that our nation’s Constitution must be changed to specifically state that marriage is between a man and a woman.
Foreign Policy:
American foreign policy should be dictated by what is in our nation’s best interest and we must never ask for a permission slip from the United Nations or anyone else. The United States should base its foreign policy on demanding that all nations recognize the threat to peace presented by terrorism. We should insist other governments comply with our security measures such as placing air marshals on flights. And, we should tie our financial support of other nations to how well they support the position of the United States in the UN and elsewhere throughout the international community.
Environment:
First and foremost, all environmental policy must be based on sound, peer-reviewed science. If we do that, then we can accommodate the needs of the environment and the needs of creating jobs, housing and opportunity for our people. Many of our environmental regulations not only are based on unsound science, they are written from the perspective of the east coast, particularly those regulations dealing with air pollution and water quality. The environmental issues of the west are different than the east, and it is time that the expertise and concerns of the western states are respected by the federal government. Furthermore, it is time that our environmental regulations recognize the power of market forces in achieving our environmental goals. Providing market incentives is the fastest and most efficient method of improving the environment.
Second Amendment:
I believe that the Second Amendment to the Constitution of the United States guarantees the right of individual law-abiding Americans to own and use the firearms of their choice. I oppose any new restrictions on the right of citizens to possess firearms because there are enough new laws on the books. I believe that President Clinton’s flawed and unworkable 1994 gun ban legislation, which attempted to impose restrictions on some weapons, should be allowed to expire in 2004 as scheduled. The answer to gun violence in our country is to focus on the criminal use of firearms in the commission of a crime and enforce the laws that punish those criminals.
KALOOGIAN BUMP! (*disclosure: I work for Howard's campaign - but that disclosure is made with great pride).