Gary Emineth: Why I Am Supporting Rick Becker For Governor

I am writing today to tell you why I am supporting Rick Becker in his quest for the endorsement as the Republican candidate for governor of ND.

He is serving his second term as a State Representative from my district. Very simply, I support Rick in the present field of candidates because he espouses a decidedly Conservative philosophy as a policy maker and I believe he would stand on his beliefs in an executive capacity.

Most of you know that I am a conservative in the sense that I believe in the importance of a well-articulated philosophy to guide an individual in the decisions that are made concerning the issues which concern the well-being of the people he represents.   Rick upholds the importance of the individual as a free and sovereign agent and the inalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

In a response to frequently asked questions, Rick is willing to declare his positions on several issues of interest to me.   One in particular is his view on life.  He believes there should be NO devaluation or discarding of human life at either end of the spectrum, whether the unborn or elderly.

[mks_pullquote align=”right” width=”300″ size=”24″ bg_color=”#ffffff” txt_color=”#000000″]In all, Rick is about limited  government and the individual’s responsibility and the Rule of law rather than the rule of “The government knows best”.[/mks_pullquote]

As for education, his belief in local control and the need for common sense rather than a Federally mandated curriculum like common core to insure that the future Generations of citizens are prepared to meet the demands of a competitive world market, is right in line with my view.

In all, Rick is about limited  government and the individual’s responsibility and the Rule of law rather than the rule of “The government knows best”.  His experience as a Professional and business owner enhances his qualification to execute the duties as Governor.

I would strongly encourage you to consider Rick Becker as your choice.

I recently asked Rick for his position on various topics – below are some of his positions – I suggest  you ask your candidate of choice their positions to see if they are indeed aligned with you and the GOP.

Q: Why is Rick Becker Running for Governor?

A: It’s not time for politics as usual. It’s time for insisting government exist to meet its limited constitutional obligations. Rick has seen how things work on the inside, and he knows that our state government must be more fiscally responsible, protect our liberties and better address our long term needs regardless of the booms and busts that may come. We’ve reached a critical point. State spending, which has been dramatically increasing, are now suddenly juxtaposed over the fact that we have dramatically lower revenue.

We’re at a crossroads where something has to be done. We can’t put our heads in the sand and keep going the way we’ve been going.

Q: Why should someone support Rick over the other candidates?

A: Rick has a vision for North Dakota. One that will lead to a stable prosperity now and for the next generations. On every issue affecting North Dakota, Rick has a solution that gives people the greatest degree of choice and liberty. One that keeps money in the taxpayers pockets and is best for North Dakota families.

Whether it’s elementary and high school education, property taxes, the oppressive regulations of the EPA,  higher education, civil liberties, property rights, or 2nd amendment issues, Rick has a clear understanding and a plan.

Q: What are the biggest differences between you and the other candidates?

A: The most obvious difference is that is a person with significant experience in the private sector, and that he holds very consistently hold conservative, free market
principles which should be the guiding force behind good governance. He has have made his positions on many issues clear.

Q: What is Ricks’s stance on abortion?

A: Rick believes a person’s life, and therefore their right to life, exists regardless of whether or not that person is in utero.

[mks_pullquote align=”left” width=”300″ size=”24″ bg_color=”#ffffff” txt_color=”#000000″]A: Rick believes a person’s life, and therefore their right to life, exists regardless of whether or not that person is in utero.[/mks_pullquote]

Q: What are Rick’s plans for primary and secondary education reform?

A: North Dakota spends more per pupil than the surrounding states but gets similar results. Rick wants to ensure that we are getting the best bang for our buck. He believes that the key is more local control. Let our school districts decide what’s proper for the children. Let parent involvement in school districts decide what’s proper for our children.

Q: What are his plans for higher education reform?

A: The Higher Ed system needs to be reigned in. The legislature needs to get control of tuition back (as intended). We need to pull back on the extraordinarily lopsided aspect to tuition reciprocity, which leaves ND taxpayers subsidizing Minnesota students. We need to hold the Chancellor, the SBHE, and the Presidents accountable. Lastly, we need to hold on hiring non-instruction higher education employees, and on spending money on brick and mortar, giving time to reassess what is actually necessary vs. just expanding the  Higher Ed behemoth.

Q: What will Rick do to stop Obamacare?

A: Rick is looking into what actions he can take regarding the ACA. He is an ardent opponent to the PPACA and did extensive research in an attempt to reverse the North Dakota Medical Association’s position on it.

Q: Where does Rick stand on the Syrian refugees?

A: Rick wants an immediate hold until we can be assured that the Syrian refugees can be adequately vetted. As far as the non-Syrian refugees that LSS is bringing to Fargo and Grand Forks, the state needs to regain control of the program, assess real direct and indirect costs, and involve the cities and counties in the decision of whether to continue, and to what degree.

Q: Where does Rick stand on Common Core?

A: In Education, we need common sense, not Common Core. Rick wants to get us out of Smarter Balanced Consortium which administers the Common Core standardized tests and get us on a direct course to local control.

Q: What is Rick’s stance on the 10th Amendment and Nullification?

A: The 10th amendment is critically important. It is also the most ignored. State sovereignty is the key to the success of the republic. Rick is a lifetime member of The Tenth Amendment Center and supports the concept of nullification, and would like to see it used.

Q: Where does Rick stand on the War on Drugs?

A: Families separated for victim-less crimes, prisons bursting at the seams, kids coerced into the dangerous world of being informants. Enough is enough! We need reform of marijuana laws, and new laws requiring safety and sensibility with Informant programs. Rick has begun drafting reform legislation that he will seek to have sponsored in the next legislative session.

Q: Does Rick support legalizing marijuana?

A: Rick would simply like to see marijuana offenses taken down to an infraction, which would levy up to a $1500 fine, not a prison sentence.

Q: What will Rick do to stop overreaching Federal regulations?<

A: Continue with impeding them using lawsuits, prevent any cooperation of enforcement of these regulations with state agencies, and work to a nullification style
process to neuter the regulations by use and understanding of the Anti-commandeering
Doctrine.

Q: Where does Rick stand on property taxes?

A: He believes in reforms with the end goal being that if someone owns a piece of property, they shouldn’t have to pay tax on it indefinitely. He would like to see a cap placed on valuation increases so the “stealth tax” of property value increases is limited to the level of inflation. He’d also like a cap placed on how much the local subdivision can increase property tax without requiring a vote in the general election.

[mks_pullquote align=”right” width=”300″ size=”24″ bg_color=”#ffffff” txt_color=”#000000″]A: The Federal government, through its bureaucratic arm of the EPA, has continually harassed North Dakota landowners.[/mks_pullquote]

Q: Where does Rick stand on opposing EPA regulations?

A: The Federal government, through its bureaucratic arm of the EPA, has continually harassed North Dakota landowners. Simply put, the EPA has no authority to come into North Dakota and tell a farmer or rancher that a puddle on their land should be regulated. When Rick is elected Governor, that will stop.

Q: What are Rick’s plans to cut the budget?

A: It’s difficult to be fiscally conservative when you’re flush and playing the role of Santa Claus. To be consistent with conservative thought is to tax only what is necessary for the government to function in its proper role. We have moved well beyond that point. It’s time for the state to take in less money. Rick wants to go back to the budget of 2011-2013
as a start and cut further from there.

Q: Where does Rick stand on the use of aerial drones by law enforcement?

A: Rick believes that under no circumstances, whatsoever, should aerial drones be used by law enforcement without due process.

Q: Where does Rick stand on taking money from the Federal government with strings attached?

A: All federal programs affecting North Dakota should be reviewed with a cost/benefit analysis. If we can do it better on a state level, we should. Rick sponsored legislation that was passed and signed by the governor to review all Federal dollars the state currently accepts.

A: Rick doesn’t believe we should waste away the legacy fund or increase taxes. He views it as an excuse to not make the hard choices about what to cut in the budget. We need someone who is going to stand up and say ‘no’ and that this bloated government can be decreased substantially.”

Q: What does Rick believe the legacy fund should be used for?

A: Rick would love to see the Legacy Fund used to bond out projects instead of borrowing money from an outside entity. We should be paying ourselves the interest instead of an outside entity. Rick would also like to see the fund used for pension reform by converting retirement plans for state employees and teachers from “defined benefit” plans to “defined contribution” plans. The fund can be used to keep current retirees and
employees “whole”.

Q: Does Rick support Constitutional carry?

A: Yes, absolutely he does.

Q: What is Rick’s position on the Fargo Diversion?

A: He needs to learn more about the issue, but he has significant concerns about government overreach and infringement of property rights.