I am running to give a voice to the thousands of citizens who have had enough of the political class. It is critical that we, as a country, discuss and understand what really important -- the economic survival of Connecticut and our nation, the security and prosperity of our American principles and the hope that the decisions we make today will give our children and grandchildren a better place to live and raise a family. A year after voters thought they were getting “hope and change”, our nation faces an uncertain future. We’re mired in debt and partisan bickering; indecisive and less respected on the world stage; and heading toward government control of the banks, our auto industry and now -- healthcare.
Congress has lost sight of its purpose: serving the people. It seems now, more than ever, special interest groups, personal agendas and gridlock caused by career politicians are taking precedence over the real focus: working to get the United States back on track. Our state and country have lost confidence and we’re in the middle of economic turmoil. Connecticut needs a dedicated and focused congressman that will fight for interest of the people -- not the special interest groups. My objective is to bring a young, conservative, commonsense approach back to congress and the people.
The American people are tired of the “same old, same old”. This November will be a pivotal time in our country. It is vital that people make their voices heard in the voting booth. If we are going to get back on course, the first step comes in November. It’s what’s good for Connecticut and ultimately, what’s good for our country.
Economy
We need to determine how our tax structure and incentive programs can help foster business development and growth, rather than use taxpayer dollars to take over industries deemed “Too Big to Fail” by the government. It is imperative we talk to the small business owners for they are the ones who create jobs, promote entrepreneurship and fuel the economic engine of the United States.
For centuries, these are the people who have sacrificed, saved and created a way to leave a future for their families and for their country. The country’s in trouble because we spent too much. The United States has a spending problem, not a revenue problem.
What can we do? We can stimulate jobs by continuing the tax cuts instituted in 2002, but which expire at the end of the year. Important elements of these cuts include:
• A reduction of individual income tax rates;
• An increase in the child tax credit from $500 to $1,000;
• A phased-in reduction in estate taxes, and a one-year repeal in 2010; and
• Get “Main Street” banks to loan money to small business.
Jobs
At 9.8 percent, Connecticut’s unemployment rate is now at an all-time high, while nationally, 10.4 percent of the country is without work. When Congressman John Larson took office in 1999, unemployment was at an all-time low, but unemployment numbers have continually risen under his watch.
Long-term jobless -- people out of work more than six months -- was about 44 percent of all people unemployed in February 2010. A year earlier, that number was 24.6 percent. We need to support small businesses: they represent 99.7 percent of all employer firms and employ more than half of all private-sector firms. They have also generated 64 percent of net new jobs over the past 15 years.
Small businesses are the foundation and engine of the American economy. We must support small business and provide an environment to succeed in. When small businesses succeed, America succeeds.
Commercial banks, credit unions and other depository institutions are the largest lenders of debt capital to small businesses. They accounted for almost 65 percent of total traditional credit to small businesses.
Those same small businesses that drive the economy are trapped in a political quandary. The government’s $700 billion Wall Street bailout program, which purchased assets and equity from financial institutions to strengthen its financial sector, sapped the nation’s economic engine -- small business. The Democrats made sure a steady stream of money flowed to Wall Street, but they turned their backs on Main Street. Credit is very difficult for small business to obtain; we need to be proactive, not reactive. Governments don’t create jobs; however they can provide an environment for business to succeed via tax incentives to boost economic growth.
Healthcare
I pledge to develop coalitions to repeal the recently passed healthcare legislation. I will support legislation that does not fund the current healthcare law. We need to fix our healthcare system, but we need to start over with open dialogue which includes insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, doctors and lawyers for tort reform.
We do not need our healthcare taken over by government bureaucrats. We need to get serious on how we are going to fix Medicare. We cannot keep passing off the responsibilities to commissions or future generations. The healthcare bill promised cost cutting, but it will actually cost tax payers more before anyone sees any benefits. The hiring of 16,000 additional IRS agents to police this new mandate will add a nearly $5 billion burden to the nation’s taxpayers.
Lawmakers will propose a $20 billion fee on medical device manufactures – those who produce everything from tongue depressors to artificial hearts. The additional tax will slow innovation and increase the cost to the end user: the tax payer.
The bottom line: we need a government that works with us and for us, not the other way around and I promise to be a catalyst for a real transformation in this area.
Register to Vote
Paid For By Mark Zydanowicz For Congress
P.O. Box 270971 | West Hartford, CT 06127-0961
