The Issues

Restoring a Strong Economy

As a tax advocate and radio show host, I have been fighting against the increase of government and tax rates in the United States for over 20 years. In that time, I have witnessed the act of entitlement-spending force the United States to increase the debt ceiling 10 times. For the first time in my life, the gross debt is above the nation’s gross domestic product, and congress continues to debate over increasing the debt ceiling an additional time. The entitlement programs from the 1940s are causing our debt to rise at a catastrophic rate. If entitlement spending and the current administration’s regulations are allowed to continue, then our generation will give our kids less than what our parents gave to us.
Thomas Jefferson knew if the people ever figured out how to vote themselves money, and therefore favoring personal financial interests, they would. The entitlement programs were created not by the voter; however, those who had the responsibility to protect us from such evil acts created them. The blinding debt of our nation’s entitlement programs has caused us to be saddled with debt for generations to come. The debt prevents us from investing in our future and guaranteeing the prosperity of our children. The entitlement debts our country faces today are easy to over come. We can begin by asking Americans that have saved for retirement to opt out of social security and Medicare. This move alone will bring us within arms reach of a balanced budget. It will allow us to continue to honor the heritage and follow the constitution again.
Our debt, at over 100 percent of the GDP, has not only developed as a result of entitlement spending, but has been further aggrieved by the regulations and monetary policy of the current administration. Over the last three years our dependence on foreign oil and trade has increased during a time when Americans are desperate to work. The regulations imposed have cost the American economy over $5.8 billion annually. In 2011, federal agencies have cost the economy $6.5 billion. As little as half of this money could have gone to providing much needed jobs in the oil and natural gas industry, manufacturing, and technology fields. We need to advocate for energy independence, through simple legislation to allow the Keystone, XL Pipeline and Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline. Not only would energy independence create thousands of jobs, but would move the nation farther from dependence on the Middle Eastern oil, and inadvertently cause China to pay higher premiums, driving up their manufacturing costs. In effect, US will have a fighting chance against Chinese manufacturing.
America is currently in a state of instability when our President calls for tax increases on a growing basis, adding to our nation’s disunity among the people. This problem goes farther than causing gridlock on Capitol Hill, rather, it effects companies large and small to withhold profits. Recently, Apple announced almost 100 billion dollars on hand, and they are not alone, GE is rumored to have 97 billion dollars parked in overseas accounts alone. Corporations are consolidating funds in both foreign and domestic banks until they see a more favorable monetary policy.
Corporations whom withhold their profits in domestic and foreign banks are preventing the growth our economy needs. Unemployment for people under 30 is about 45 percent, the highest since after World War II. If congress were to pass legislation focused on growth, and not class envy, corporations would move investments back in the American economy. This is an adjustment equal almost to 1.6 trillion dollars, a tenth of our economy and a potential of 13 million jobs (one tenth of the workforce).
These simple policies would turn the country from a downward spiral, back to the exceptional nation we have all come to know and love.

RESTORING CONFIDENCE AND CREDIBILITY TO WASHINGTON AND THE 42ND DISTRICT

There was a time when the term “Reagan Republican” stood for credibility, service and accountability. This is no longer the case and these values must be restored.

In a January 2010 survey detailed in Rasmussen Reports, 71 percent of Americans have lost confidence in their government, locally as well as nationally. This concern was second only to the economy.  Read the Report

Phil has been a trusted personal and financial advisor for over 30 years and has proven himself to be a man of character and integrity. He has what it takes to restore confidence and credibility to Washington and the 42nd District.

REDUCE PERSONAL & BUSINESS TAXES AND CREATE LOCAL JOBS

As founder of IRS Problem Solvers, Phil knows first hand that local businesses and working families in our California communities bear the greatest tax burden in the nation. In the last two years, Republicans have repeatedly joined Democrats in Congress to support wasteful government spending programs, relying on the assets of foreign nations to bail out Wall Street banks, irresponsible borrowers, and powerful special interests. Our government’s tax-and-spend ideology is irresponsible and ineffective; the only way we can create jobs is to provide local businesses, large and small, with the incentives they need to innovate, invest, and hire new workers.

1. As a nation, it is imperative that we promote economic growth, local job creation, and long-term prosperity by cutting taxes, reducing government waste, and balancing the federal budget.

2. Economic stimulus through deficit spending does not create jobs; rather, it presents an additional tax on producers and working families, adds to the national debt, and increases the amount of interest we must pay in the future.

3. Phil does taxes everyday and sees hundreds of clients out of work.  Let us put America back to work. By cutting marginal tax rates to provide incentives for people to save and invest, business growth will take place naturally; however we will need to do more.  By creating more tax breaks for the average American we will see an increase in job growth.  By reducing the size of government and outsourcing to the private sector we will save even more money.  The current bailouts have done nothing to fuel the economy, if anything they caused even more harm.  TARP did not save American jobs, it rewarded bad polices of the big banks and created precedents which go against the free market on which our country has been built. 

NATIONAL SECURITY

The attack on America September 11, 2001 changed everything. There are terrorist groups around the world that want to destroy America.

Americans must be capable of proactively protecting the nation and it’s citizens. Our armed forces must be ready to act anywhere in the world where vital national interests are threatened. This can only be achieved by giving the military the resources it needs to keep us safe and maintain freedom.

Phil will work tirelessly to insure that America is kept safe and that our military always has the sufficient resources to protect America from our enemies. 

The most important function of the federal government is providing a national defense, including the security of our nation’s borders.  Our border is porous and offers little to no safe guards for our country’s defense.  Mexican Drug Cartels and illegal immigrants treat our border areas as play grounds and we are doing nothing to stop them.  As your Congressman, Phil has pledged to end this disregard for the safety of the American people.

We must continue to work with our allies across the world, building strong, strategic relationships that deter our enemies and reinforce our friends. We must also work to show our support for Israel.  America must continue to work toward a lasting peace in the Middle East region.  Phil also believes that we must oppose nuclear proliferation to Iran.

HEALTHCARE

There is little disagreement that the current health care system needs an overhaul. Today, health care costs continue to rise while people have fewer choices and are less secure that the coverage they have will be there tomorrow,
Phil believes that it is essential that America has a strong healthcare plan. He will work to address the challenges we face to insure that what is working will be kept, and work to improve what is not working well.  Phil strongly opposes the recent passage of Health Care Reform Act which will increase federal spending in the excess of $400 billion dollars in new taxes on employers and individuals and, as well, expands government control over personal healthcare decisions.

1. In order to increase individual choice and foster a competitive insurance market, we must break state monopolies on insurance regulation and allow individuals to purchase insurance across state lines. In California, the state’s insurance regulations act just like any other monopoly, forcing individuals to pay high prices for inferior services. Health insurance companies are best regulated through the freedom of individual choice, not government bureaucracy.

2. Currently, federal regulations and tax policies hurt the individual insurance market, and place an additional burden on American businesses by connecting health insurance to employment. Employer-based insurance simply hides the true cost of health insurance, and works against individuals’ opportunity to make rational decisions. Individuals who purchase their own insurance should be given the freedom to form pools with the same tax benefits allowed through employer coverage.

3. Less than twelve cents of every dollar spent on healthcare in the United States comes from individuals’ own pockets. Consumers will gain far more value from a system that places incentives on responsible consumption and the maintenance of their own personal health. If this arrangement sounds familiar, it should: the other 85% of the U.S. economy works this way.

SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE REFORM

Our current Social Security and Medicare system is broken. It is insolvent and underfunded by $100 trillion.  Our children are paying for our retirement.  We want our kids to secure their own future, and not be forced to take care of us, and our inability to plan.  We need to reform this system. When we allow the government to infringe upon our lives we experience first hand, the corruption and misguided policies that led to almost 13 trillion dollar deficit.  Currently, you pay over 12 percent in payroll taxes, Phil proposes to take 6.2 percent (half of the current taxes) and place that in a private investment account.  With a conservative return, the average person would have enough to retire at 65 plus it would fund Medicare. The best part is that you or your spouse would not lose income if either of you pass away.  The current system would still be available to those that choose to stay with it. 

Immigration

Being the son of an Italian immigrant, Phil knows the value immigrants play in our robust economy. For the America to grow and prosper, we need to develop a strong immigration policy which focuses on securing our border. Phil believes the second focus must begin with local law enforcement enforcing current federal law.
A multifaceted approach to border security will not only make America safer, but also save taxpayers more money during these difficult economic times. Securing the border first will put America in a better position to address train and enforce our immigration laws. While securing the border is not the only solution to illegal immigration, it will serve as a starting point to fix the broken immigration policies of past administrations.
The U.S. Constitution explicitly gives this responsibility to the federal government. Instead of providing leadership, President Obama is an antagonist and a panderer, suing states struggling with the burden of illegal immigration rather than supporting them, and promising things he has not and will not deliver. By properly training law enforcement to assist Federal officers in enforcing immigration law we will once again ensure safety and security as a right of the American people. Amnesty will only work against these goals.

ENVIRONMENT

God gave each of us the responsibility to care for the world. We must be responsible in how we take care of this planet while not putting ourselves at risk of drought or disease.  In the words of Ronald Reagan; there is an “absolute necessity of waging all-out war against the debauching of the environment… The bulldozer mentality of the past is a luxury we can no longer afford. Our roads and other public projects must be planned to prevent the destruction of scenic resources and to avoid needlessly upsetting the ecological balance.”  We have great natural resources and we must protect them but not at the cost of our livelihoods.  Cap and Trade will ruin our economy even further and set us on course for another great depression.

ENERGY

Energy independence must be a top priority of our country.  By using the resources we have at our disposal we can find energy independence.  America has substantial reserves of oil and natural gas, however current environmental policies prevent us from acquiring our own energy, making us dangerously dependent on other nations known for being involved in terrorism.  By working toward changing those policies and allowing the US to stop importing foreign oil, we will have more money pumped into our own economy.  Drilling in Anwar and off the west coast must be a top priority, until alternative fuel technologies can be made more available to the average consumer.

NUCLEAR

We must be responsible and start preparing for the future by building modern nuclear power plants.  More nuclear plants at home mean more Americans back to work. Nuclear power produces energy with total lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions equal to 20g of CO2 per kWh. This is less lifecycle emissions than solar or wind and 55 times less than coal, from which we get half of our electricity in America. 

The positions and policies stated here are just brief summaries of Phil Liberatore’s ideas and proposals for what he will be doing in Washington D.C. to restore confidence and accountability.

Phil’s Core Values

Belief in God: God is the center of my life and I believe that the Holy Scriptures are the guiding force of moral law as expressed by the Judeo-Christian faith.

Inalienable Rights: We are “One Nation Under God” and our “Rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness come directly from our Creator and cannot be granted or taken away by men

Traditional Values: The family unit is the basic building block of society. The family is sacred. “It is in the love of one’s family only that heartfelt happiness is known. By a law of our nature, we cannot be happy without the endearing connections of a family.” Thomas Jefferson.

Sanctity of Life: I believe in the Sanctity of Life, that the preborn child is a human being, deserving the full protection of the law.

Self Government: We must return to the beliefs and standards of morality which our Founding Fathers placed into the Constitution. Self Government begins with governing one’s self first, then family, community, state and lastly nation.

Right to Bear Arms: “Firearms are second only to the Constitution in importance; they are the peoples’ liberty’s teeth.” George Washington

Decentralize Government: Our Constitution says "We, the People, allow the government the following privileges and rights." Ronald Reagan. The intent of our Founding Fathers was to limit (Federal) government. A constitutional government will protect the blessings of liberty.

Lower Taxes: The Federal tax system is abusive to the American Dream, discouraging growth and investment.

Free Enterprise: “Free enterprise has done more to reduce poverty than all the government programs dreamed up by Democrats.” Ronald Reagan. The free market is the most efficient and the least costly system to deliver the highest goods and services at the lowest price to the consumer. We must eliminate the intrusive government intervention in the marketplace.

Freedom of Speech: It is not un-American to disagree with authority or to speak one’s opinion. “In a free and republican government, you cannot restrain the voice of the multitude; every man will speak as the thinks, or more properly without thinking.” George Washington