In my youth, I always had a strong faith in those who were chosen to lead. I felt confident in the character of Pope John Paul II and Ronald Reagan, as well as Sparky Anderson managing the Cincinnati Reds’ “Big Red Machine.” And while my faith was occasionally tested by events like Watergate, there was always a general confidence that our leaders were good people trying to do the right thing.

But now, it’s no wonder Americans don’t trust their government anymore.

Today, we are facing serious breaches of the public trust, each uniquely disarming. The IRS is targeting Americans for their political views and the Department of Justice is labeling journalists as co-conspirators, simply for exercising their First Amendment rights.

These current scandals do not just challenge our right to a free press or a non-political tax code; they harm the very notion of our trust in government. These breaches in the public’s trust extend beyond the here and now: the IRS will never quite be trusted, journalists will have a heightened suspicion of the feds, and the public will second guess official narratives.

Every coin and every bill we use bears the phrase “In God We Trust.” Sadly, today our trust tends to stop there; I don’t recall hearing “In Government We Trust” very often.  We can never give up the constant vigilance required to safeguard our liberties and restore our trust in government. I will not give up on the goodness of the American citizen, and the possibility of responsibility and trust.

 
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First "Farm Only" Farm Bill in 50 Years

With this vote, we eliminate outdated farm policy dating back to 1949, eliminate the direct payment program, and provide farmers the certainty they need for the planting season. This is by no means a perfect bill, and I still support stronger market-oriented policies for certain commodity programs, including sugar. However, the opportunity to split this legislation after 50 years and vote on a farm only farm bill cannot be ignored. 

This bill provides responsible funding levels to meet our 21^st century energy, infrastructure, and nuclear needs. It reduces spending from last year by $2.9 billion, maintains the safety and readiness of our nuclear arsenal, protects the nation’s competitiveness in both infrastructure and research, and prioritizes Army Corps of Engineers projects to keep America’s waterways open.

To view my digital district photo albums, click any one of the pictures!