Jobs
As a small business owner, Marcus has a proven record of business management and has guided his company through the current recession.
Balance the budget by growing the economy, controlling spending, implementing reform and replacing or eliminating destructive regulations, programs and bureaucracies. We need to stop draining the economy of its economic life blood with ineffective, uncontrolled deficit spending. Read More
Fiscal Responsibility
Right now, forty cents of every dollar spent by the federal government is borrowed from future generations. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) says we are on an unsustainable path, and for the first time in our nation’s history the credit rating of the United States has been downgraded.
As a small business owner, Marcus Richmond understands how fiscal irresponsibility destroys businesses and opportunities. He believes in leadership by example and will support Senator Rubio’s plan to cut the White House and Congressional budgets by ten percent. He would take this plan one step further and apply the ten percent cut to all Congressional salaries. The savings would be used to reduce the deficit or pay down the debt. Members of Congress cannot expect the people to make sacrifices if they are unwilling to share the burden. Read More
Health Care
Government accelerated its intrusion into health care when Congress passed the HMO Act of 1973. This act contributed to the distortion of the market, resulting in higher costs, less coverage and more bureaucracy. Socialist medicine does not work, yet the President and the Democrat controlled congress responded with more government intrusion and bureaucracy by passing Obama-care, despite the many concerns of the people they supposedly represent. Read More
Medicare
I am opposed to raising the deductible for anyone currently receiving Medicare, and I oppose raising the Social Security retirement age for those nearing retirement. The promises we made to our seniors and those nearing retirement must be kept. However, unlike career politicians, I am unwilling to pander and play politics with Medicare and Social Security. Real measures must be implemented to reform and protect these programs for now and future generations. Read More
National Security
As a 20 year Marine Corps Officer, Marcus knows a strong defense and a strong economy are essential for national security.
Many national leaders will say that since Arkansas’ 4th District does not have a large defense industry it is easy for its representative to oppose defense spending in other districts. That is nonsense. Arkansas 4th Congressional Districts provides the most valuable and sacred part of our national defense and that is the men and women, sons and daughters who serve in our armed forces. It is these brave service members who are the Tip of America’s Spear and they must be the focus of every defense dollar allocated by congress. Read More
Term Limits
More than 95% of incumbent politicians win re-election, which is a higher percentage than the old Soviet Politburo. Congressmen make over $170,000.00 in salary, have health benefits worth approximately $15,000.00 and become fully vested in a lucrative pension plan within a few years. With each term, the career politician grows more distant from and less understanding of the plight of the ordinary citizen he is supposed to represent.
If the country is best served with presidential term limits, then the country will be best served with congressional term limits. Read More
Education
Over 50% of high school graduates who enter college must enroll in remedial courses before beginning studies in their selected discipline.
Many school children today have difficulty reading and writing or performing math problems without a calculator. Some have no idea about why the Revolutionary War was fought, or even who it was fought against. The cause of the Civil War is usually limited to a singular topic and fails to address all of the reasons for the conflict. This poor academic performance is occurring despite significant expenditures of money per child. Read More
Energy
Our economy depends on having a secure and affordable supply of fuel. We need to lower consumption and increase the supply of domestic energy.
Soaring energy prices are squeezing family budgets that are already tight from the failed policies of President Obama, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid. Washington has no real energy policy, other than the career politicians’ attempt to pass a cap-and-trade plan that would substantially raise energy costs and result in countless job losses. Read More
Taxes
Low taxes allow business owners to invest in their companies, pay their employees, and create new jobs.
We do not have a tax problem in this country. What we have is a spending problem. President Obama, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid tell us that they only want to raise taxes on the richest Americans, and everyone else will not be affected. Wrong! There is no such thing as taxing only the rich. Everyone will be affected. Fewer jobs will be created, and in the case of small businesses, increased costs will be passed on to the consumer. Furthermore, even if the rich are defined to include those earning $114,000.00 or more, taxing them at 100% would not close the budget gap. Read More
Religion
The Declaration of Independence declares that certain fundamental human rights are gifts from God and cannot be taken away by government. However, radical secular liberals are determined to remove “God” from all aspects of public life.
Do not use tax payer money to subsidize abortion. There are more important priorities for our limited tax dollars. Any health care employee who does not want to participate in an abortion procedure should have the right to decline, without fear of future prejudicial treatment. Read More
