Issues

NATIONAL ISSUES

National Security:

As the Federal Government's number one priority, we need to fund our military to ensure soldiers are prepared for the task at hand. That does
not include throwing money away. The accounting practices and military contracts of the Department of Defense require scrutiny and oversight.

Balance the Budget:

It is absolutely necessary to balance the budget using spending cuts and without increasing taxes. Deficit spending continues to add to our national debt which will soon exceed 10 trillion dollars. If we cannot balance the budget, what hope do we have to address other financial challenges that our nation faces?

Medicare and Social Security:

Born, raised, and educated in the State of Montana, I'm the son of Don and Hazel Bushman, and one of twelve children born to them. I was a junior in high school when my father died of cancer. My mom, who was a stay-at-home mom at the time, still had eight children to care for ranging from seven to 17 years old. Social Security was instrumental to my family's welfare. My mom, who began working after my Dad was diagnosed and is still working today in her early seventies, showed amazing courage and fortitude; she is an inspiration to me, and there is no way I am going to deny her and other people like her, the benefits they have worked so hard for and so rightly deserve.

However, the Medicare and Social Security systems are in dire straits. Economist and accountants alike are predicting the bankruptcy of both Medicare and Social Security. Chairman of the Federal Reserve Ben Bernake testified that the right time to start working on the problem was ten years ago. Once again partisan politics has failed Montanans and Americans. Career politicians refuse to address these crucial issues. They are more worried about re-election losses than the long-term health of the country; they're sacrificing our future for their own political gain. As a 28-year member of the Senate Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over these issues, Max Baucus has failed to lead the United States Senate in addressing these challenges that are absolutely critical to our country's fiscal health and brought these programs to the brink of destruction. I will work tirelessly to make these programs viable and financially responsible.

Illegal Immigration:

One of the single biggest reasons for the record-low approval ratings of Congress is, no doubt, due to illegal immigration. Unregulated immigration puts undue strain on our health care, educational, and national security programs. Not to mention, it adds to the economic concerns that are already so prevalent in our country. Americans lack trust in their Congress because the Senate, the House and the President have failed to come together and resolve this crisis. Illegal immigration needs to be stopped immediately. This can be done by securing the border and creating deterrents for employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants. It is only after we have stopped the flow of illegal immigrants in this country that we can begin to deal with the existing illegal immigrant population and reform the illegal immigration process. As a U.S. Senator, I will join with other leaders in Washington, regardless of their political party, to craft a viable, long-term solution.

Energy Independence:

Achieving energy independence should become an immediate priority. As a country, we must reduce our dependency on foreign nations for energy resources.

 

 

MONTANA ISSUES

Statewide Projects:

As a state, we need to look at the fiscal challenges ahead and how it will affect Montana. Montana has many worthwhile projects that are funded with Federal dollars. Due to poor spending practices, these projects will soon have to compete with Social Security and Medicare for funding.

Natural Resources:

Utilizing our natural resources is the key to the state of Montana not feeling the pinch when the Federal Government is forced to tighten the belt. As the fourth largest state, Montana has abundant natural resources. With the largest coal reserves of any state and forests that are in need of management, Montana has the ability to benefit from our natural resources using sound stewardship.

Montana's Forests:

I am opposed to any additional wilderness area in Montana.  I do not believe removing humans from the equation will better the forests in our state. In the past years, Montana forest fires have destroyed millions of acres of forest.

Unmanaged forest have accumulated such high fuel loads that when started, these fires grow quickly into raging firestorms that cannot be extinguished. Millions of dollars are lost just trying to control parts of the fires. The result is millions lost in revenue from recreation, tourism, and natural resources not to mention the environmental fallout. Proper forest management is the key to maintaining a healthy forest that benefits the wildlife, the trees and plant life, recreation, the rural communities and the Federal Government.

 

 

Balance the Budget by Cutting Spending

National Security and Strong Defense

Stop Illegal Immigration

Support 2nd Amendment (Individual Gun Rights)

Pro-life