25 Years Ago This Week

My friends,   

It seems like just a blink of an eye, but it was 25 years ago today that Ronald Reagan stood in front of the Brandenburg Gate in West Germany and demanded Mikhail Gorbachev tear down the Berlin Wall.  

It was a bold provocation in the face of unquestioned power and undeniable tyranny, and it was an absolutely conservative act.  No moderate nor liberal could fathom making such a bold demand at the time; only the conservative President, informed by faith, and adhering to the Constitution.  No other leader of recent times could have made such a demand with such credibility.  We knew where Ronald Reagan stood, and we knew the courage of his convictions.  It was the Season of the Conservative.  And, I believe, that season has come again.  

The wall did fall.  And with it, the Eastern Bloc, and the stranglehold of tyranny that Communism had upon the world.  Ronald Reagan led the way to a better, brighter future.  And we can do no less.  

Today, our problems seem bigger and more unmanageable than ever before.  But I promise you, my strength of conviction is no less strong.  We must have the will to tame the budget, level out the tax code, protect native industry, deal fairly with other countries on issues of trade, and get Washington out of our way, so that we can bring jobs back to the Commonwealth.  

In my profession as a Dentist, patients come to me in discomfort, or with some disfigurement, or sometimes with a loss of confidence and self-esteem.  In a matter of hours, I can diagnose and solve their problem and make their lives immediately better.  I find solutions, and I act on those solutions.  There are few professions that are more effective in solving problems than dentistry.  It’s gratifying to find solutions and to act.  

In Congress, I will do no less for us.   While the House and Senate are sometimes glorified debate societies, tinkering on the margins, without making the concrete fixes we need to move forward, I’m looking for solutions.  Congress’ desire to “do something” leads to gridlock, and erodes the confidence Americans have in Congress.  

That’s not how I work.  

Today, I will explain to you what I mean when I invoke the Season of the Conservative.  This phrase, to me, means both Republicans and “Reagan Democrats” coming together to enact solutions that we can afford, and we can embrace. 

Specifically:  

Pro Family: I believe that families can make decisions for themselves, and for their children.  The tax code and government agencies should not work against the family, but rather, be there to aid families as a last resort. Families should have personalized and portable health options, not government-mandated ones.  

Pro Business: Washington taxes, regulation, and policy on foreign trade put our native businesses of all sizes at a disadvantage.  We need to rein in job-killing regulation, set predictable tax policy, and make it cheaper for companies stay in America than go overseas or, worse yet, not hire at all.  

Pro Military: Our force strength is at its lowest since before World War II.  Our per capita GDP spending on the military is at historic lows.  I promise to re-invigorate our military and give them the tools they need to win 21st-century conflicts.  

Pro Life: I believe life begins at conception, and that we need to re-visit Roe v. Wade in order for the law to keep up with advances in modern medicine.  And end-of-life issues are equally important.  Healthcare and other dollars ought not dry up because Washington decides that you’ve lived long enough.  

In closing, I know what it means to pay taxes, fight with regulatory agencies, meet a payroll, and provide world-class service here in my dental practivce down in Fall River.  I’ve made payroll and helped my patients for over 20 years, through good times and bad.  I find solutions.  And as your Congressman, I will find solutions that work for the families of the 4th District, of the Commonwealth, and of America.  

The Season of the Conservative has begun again, and together, we will see a better tomorrow.