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- Transcript of WITF Open Access program - |
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I'm Ray Ondrusek, Libertarian candidate for the Pennsylvania General Assembly in the 102nd district. This year on Election Day, you have a clear choice between business as usual, and a powerful force for reform in Harrisburg. In the primary election, Lebanon County voters made their voices heard loud and clear that the power structure of the incumbency was going to end. Now, it is time to take the next step, and deny both major parties a majority in the Legislature. We can solve many problems if you can rise above the blind party loyalty which has enabled elected Republicans and Democrats to abandon their principles, and abandon their responsibility to you. Never forget the Pay Raise of 2005, and the ludicrous court rulings supporting the ballot access laws designed to keep competition from independent candidates to a minimum. By electing enough Independents to ensure that neither the Republicans nor Democrats have a majority, they will have to earn the support of independent legislators in order to pass any bill. With Independent oversight, it will be much harder to get bad legislation passed, leaving more time for the legislature to debate and pass needed reforms, and other worthwhile legislation. There are seven independent candidates for the State Senate, and including myself, 34 independent candidates in 32 districts for the State House - more than enough to end the tyranny of rule by one political party. I'm a computer software developer, and thirty two years of programming has given me substantial skills in solving complex problems. I'm willing to take those skills to Harrisburg, to develop practical and cost-effective solutions to the problems that face us. Pennsylvanians want, and deserve, a political system which respects them as unique individuals; as people who can take responsibility for themselves, who are compassionate, and who can and will solve their own problems. My agenda in the State Legislature is to Restore and Preserve the principles of Individual Liberty and Personal Responsibility - the cornerstone of a Free and Just Society - by working to achieve the following: to Eliminate the School District Property Tax and Reform the State Monopoly on Education - to Cut Taxes and Excessive State Spending - to Open the Legislative Process to Public Review - to Defend without compromise the Right to Keep and Bear Arms - to End Parole for Violent Criminals - to Get "Big Money" out of Elections - and to Reform Public Assistance and End "Corporate Welfare." To control spending, I will propose a Tax and Expenditure Limitation act, which will prevent state and school district spending from increasing faster than the increase in Pennsylvanians' earnings. With a renewed sense of Fiscal Responsibility, we can relieve you of the despised school district property tax. We should emulate the successful business models of private schools which deliver high quality education at a fraction of the cost of public schools. Business and Corporate taxes must be uniform throughout the state, and low enough to be a minor burden. "Corporate Welfare" must be ended. Imagine how much new business could be attracted to our state if we could honestly advertise: "Come to Pennsylvania - our business taxes are low, and we won't subsidize your competition with your tax revenue." In order to keep government honest, we must get big money out of our elections. We can see clearly that only those candidates with vast sums of money can speak loudly enough for all of the people to hear. The Judiciary must recognize that money is property, not speech. It must allow the Legislature to limit campaign contributions to come only from people, and to go only to those candidates whom each contributor is eligible to vote for. You can learn more about my positions on my web site - www.rayondrusek.org - and if you agree with my platform, please vote for me on November 7th. Take seriously your civic duty to learn about all of the candidates in each race. Most important, go to the polls and vote your conscience, not for a party label. The choice is YOURS - so please choose wisely. |