Mike Sylvia for Congress

Draw down troops to force the Iraqis to stand for themselves.

The Patriot Act, Real ID, and warrantless spying on the American people are assaults on our civil liberties; this is a bad trend that must end.

Prohibition does not work.  It is time for a sensible drug policy.

As if the family farmer wasn't working hard enough to survive, Congress recently added to the burden with the National Animal Identification System (NAIS).  NAIS requires tracking for each animal, though large herds are allowed to be tracked as a lot.  Large corporations win, small farms lose, and people buying from small farms lose.

1. Spending on a war that was unnecessary
2. Wasted spending in the war on drugs

Politicians will give you a laundry list of promises knowing that when they take office, there is little chance of them being able to fulfill their commitment.  Then, they will lay out all the excuses of how they were blocked by the other party.  In the end, all they do is bring home a little pork for their constituents.  We are smart enough to know we paid for the pig in the first place.

Their mission in Congress is to get re-elected, they accomplish their goal by the process known as 'earmarking'.  Simply take a Bill, several hundred pages long, and add in a little pet project.  Don't worry, no one will see your 'bridge to nowhere' until long after the Bill has passed.  Come election time they can point to their bridge and tell you how wonderful they are.  This is not an honest process.  It must be stopped!

Jim Babka, of downsizeDC.org, has a great idea; have your members of Congress read the Bill before they vote for it.  It sounds a little crazy, but they don't read the bills they vote into law.  No, they are too busy and important to be bothered by such minutia.  Don't worry!  It's legal, they have rules in place to waive the reading of Bills.

Forcing Congress to write legislation that must be read, and is available for the public to read, will result in a much more transparent process.  I fully support the Read the Bills Act proposed by downsizeDC.org.  Be sure to ask all candidates if they will read the Bill before they make laws.