Eight in Oh-Eight - These are the eight most important issues we face in 2008.

Tie Education Funding to Competition and Accountability. A major result of the No Child Left Behind legislation has been the revelation that a number of schools systems are crippling and destroying our children's education. When the North Carolina school system only graduates 60% of entering freshman on time, it is clear the children are being cheated. The American people strongly support reforms designed to save the children. The first step would be to insist that federal funds only go to school systems which require teacher competency and accountability, which provide competition and which can prove they are educating the children. A clear choice between those who want to save the children and those who want to save the bureaucrats would mobilize the country in favor of dramatic education reform based on competition. This competition must take the form of Charter Schools, Home Schooling and Vouchers with control of their children's choices by the parents. 

Defend America from Islamo-fascism. Terrorism by Islamic radicals, called Islamo-fascists by many, is a real threat. Congress should hold hearings on their activities across the movement and across the world. Congress should move bills that strengthen our security from these terrorists with increased powers for surveillance and a series of other steps. The American people are prepared to believe we face extraordinary threats from a nuclear Iranian regime actively seeking to develop nuclear weapons and a Pakistan dictatorship which already has them. Actions in Iraq need to be recast in terms of their impact on Iran and Pakistan and their willingness to give nuclear weapons to the Islamo-fascists. A weak America in Iraq will be unable to stop Iran and Pakistan Islamo-fascist supporters. Stopping Iran and Pakistan is literally a matter of life and death. Congress should hold hearings on the scale of the Iranian and Pakistani threats, the statements of their key leaders and the requirements for action to control these dictatorships before they succeed in killing millions of Americans. Everything about Iraq should be debated within this larger and much more dangerous context. Make the fight against the Islamo-fascism movement a referendum for Elections.

Make English the Official Language. The House should pass a bill making English the official language of government, abolishing multilingual ballots and reaffirming that new citizens should be required to pass a test on American history in English.  Anyone (except tourists or foreign officials we decide to serve) who needs to deal with our government in any language other than English should pay the costs and provide the service themselves.  There is no right to burden our governments with the requirement that anyone can demand government talk to them in the language they choose.  The Rasmussen poll reported that support for English as the official language was 85%. The Zogby poll had it at 84%. Why do Republican leaders find it so hard to side with more than four out of every five Americans? How many liberal Democrats like our current representative could explain a series of votes against English to their constituents? Remember, at 85%, there are no anti-English congressional districts no matter what the elite media says.

Control the Courts.  Our courts are out of control and are subverting the concept of the "rule of law". Congress should take steps to preserve the right to say "one nation under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance, a right which is supported by 91% of all Americans. The American people feel deeply that our Declaration of Independence is correct in saying that each of us is endowed by our Creator with inalienable rights. Beginning with the Supreme Court's 1963 decision outlawing school prayer, the courts have waged a 43-year assault on the core values of American liberty. It is time to return to a balanced Constitutional system.

There is no Constitutional case for five lawyers' on the court being a floating majority for a permanent Constitutional Convention for the purpose of subverting the rule of law. Taking issues such as abortion and property rights out of the hands of legislatures has damaged our constitutional balance. The American people would rally to the elected branches' taking steps to rebalance the Constitution.

The House should pass a bill permanently overturning the federal district court decision outlawing the words "one nation under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance. The House should pass a second law blocking the Supreme Court from reviewing the constitutionality of the Pledge of Allegiance (a power of the Congress expressly granted in the Constitution). We must pressure the lawyers in the legislature to stop giving power to unelected judicial tyrants.

The American people are deeply opposed to local politicians' being able to seize a citizen's home or business. The Supreme Court's Kelo decision on eminent domain is one of the most unpopular in recent years and is also one of the most dangerous to freedom. Anyone who knows the history of local government corruption in America knows it will not be long before some corrupt developers engage some corrupt politicians and this power is exploited at the cost of most Americans. Members of the Black Caucus have been among the most vocal in pointing out that it is poor people who will be the most victimized so rich developers and greedy politicians can make the money off their homes and businesses. The House should pass a powerful bill returning the constitutional law to the pre-Kelo rules and blocking the Supreme Court from reviewing it.  This should become a model for further limits on the unconstitutional seizure of power by our courts.

Require Voter Identification. The American people overwhelmingly support (85% in one poll) having a voter ID card so we can be sure only legal citizens are voting. Passing a bill to require this in all federal elections would be a big step toward more honest elections. We are starting to hear citizens express rage at the number of illegal aliens and criminal felons who are arrogantly voting when they are not permitted.  Nothing will destroy our nation faster than the people reaching a point where they feel the right to vote is not protected for citizens. If illegals can vote and our voting process cannot be trusted, citizens will stop respecting government and will resort to the corruption that is typical in much of the rest of the world.  It is clearly starting to happen here in North Carolina.  This trend absolutely must be reversed.

Achieve Sustainable Energy Independence. The country is eager for a straightforward new energy strategy for national security, environmental and economic reasons. The combination of $3 gasoline, watching Iran, Venezuela, Saudi Arabia and Russia get more of our money, and concerns about the environment, come together to require real change.  Starting with a bill for renewable fuels, we should add supporting  clean nuclear power using new technologies that are safe and produce little waste, developing more clean coal solutions, investing in a conversion to a hydrogen economy, incentivizing conservation, providing tax credits so the auto industry can invest in the new technology and new manufacturing equipment needed to produce revolutionary new vehicles, creating the tax incentives to build the distribution system for biofuels, hybrids, and hydrogen, providing deeper tax incentives for radically better cars (imagine a substantial tax credit for cars exceeding 200 miles to the gallon of petroleum through a combination of  biodiesel, hybrid use of electricity and hydrogen), and a bill to create state flexibility in exploring off shore with a 50% split in revenue so state legislatures and governors would have an incentive to develop environmentally sound methods of exploration and production.

Control Spending. The House should pass new budget legislation to control spending, leading to a balanced budget in eight years.  We need special focus on give away programs liberals will fight to protect. Citizens must start punishing officials who contribute to waste by participating in "earmarks" and other forms of pork. Let the country see who is really committed to smaller government with lower taxes and who is committed to bigger government with higher taxes.   However being right on tax policy is not enough.  Cutting taxes while spending money in excess of tax receipts is simply passing the costs on to our children.  This generational warfare must end.  There needs to be a real focus on reducing waste and eliminating special interests payoffs.  In program after program there is more than enough money to do the job.  The problem is that government bureaucrats misdirect and waste so much that the spending does not accomplish the goal the people want.  Rather than fix the waste and corruption, more money is thrown at the goal.  In most cases this does not accomplish what is needed.   All three problems need to be addressed in a balanced effort. 

	Lower taxes.
	Less spending.
	Elimination of waste.

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