By Dan Cox
Republican Candidate
If you watched the Olympics like we did, you heard the Maya Angelou poem on commercial breaks, “We are more alike, my friend, than we are unalike.” That is true for Congressional District 8 as well, for in our diversity we are united and share similar desires and needs.
For instance, as parents who just returned from dropping our sophomore off at college, Valerie and I identify with every parent who believes their child can accomplish great things.
We all want the next generation to believe that they have a great purpose, to do good things in our country and world. We want them to hope, believe, dream, work hard and aspire to accomplish goals.
All this is our common interest, yet it is not guaranteed. Without freedom, the human condition goes dry.
That is why I am running to fill the open seat in Congress in Maryland's District 8 and I am asking for your vote.
Democrats, Independents and Republicans alike are tired of corruption by career politicians, and are joined alike in key issues this election. I am not a career politician but I have experience with each of those key issues that District 8 believes in.
First, our security is in peril and we must have a strong defense. From Iran to ISIS, we all agree we should not be afraid to go to the mall, airports or crowded venues in our own country. Approximately every 84 hours the Islamic State has attacked soft targets including San Bernadino, Orlando, Paris, Nice, Brussels and numerous other cities. The D.C. area is also targeted. In both undergrad and law school I received national-security training and have also defended human rights as a lawyer for the last decade. We must destroy ISIS and protect our families from infiltrating insurgents as testified to be a present threat by the FBI and CIA.
Second, I have pledged to make widening I-270, I-495, I-70 and other key commuter routes a matter of national security to ensure we not only protect our workers and commuters but keep us safe. The delays and plans of rain tax politicians like my opponent will crush us. We must widen our roads today and keep America working and happy. This is my priority!
Third, we need more jobs in this economy. Even if some politicians want to increase taxes like my opponent does, in Congress I can work to bypass and even overturn these bad local policies and enact sensible pro-jobs, low-tax incentives and good growth policies.
My plan is to grow jobs by protecting against rediculous regulatory burdens and by lowering the business and individual tax rates. This is estimated to bring five million jobs back.
Fourth, our healthcare insurance is diagnosed with heart failure and needs immediate surgery. Obamacare has not made healthcare affordable — we all agree on this point. I have proposed we repeal and replace the proposal with a free-market approach that allows for individual ownership of insurance policies, purchasing across state lines to increase the competition which will lower rates and deductibles, while protecting existing plans for people who want to keep them. We are smart enough to do this without creating government-run healthcare.
Fifth, we all agree in the rights of citizens to make their own choices and live with the knowledge that all are equal under the rule of law. The rule of law is the key to American freedom and our enjoyment of our great country. When the law is not followed, millions die of heroin overdoses, schools become overcrowded, apartment complexes blow up like what happened in Takoma Park/Silver Spring just this month even though dozens of complaints were filed, and violent criminals are released to harm our families. We can do better and we must. That's why I support Kate's Law to end “sanctuary” cities. It is essential that we secure our borders and protect all of us.
These are just five areas showing why I believe I will be elected as your Congressman on Nov. 8 with your support and vote. We are united and alike on these points. My office will be open to you and your family to help on these issues and others. Please believe with us and give me your confidence and vote this fall. Support our campaign at www.coxforcongress.org, or follow me on Twitter @dancox4congress. I look forward to representing you, my friend.