Delaware the First State

Delaware is in the unique position being the First State to ratify the Constitution. I believe that Delawareans are a special breed. I also believe that too many Delawareans have been lulled into a sense of false security by politicians who have been in office far too long. Our state has not held up to its greatness as defined by Richard Basset, Gunning Bedford Jr., Jacob Broom, John Dickinson, and George Read. It’s time our state got back to its First State roots.

Article I.           Delaware should be the First State in Energy Independence

Delaware’s nickname is “The First State” but we are not taking that role to heart. Delaware has been content to sit back and become the forgotten First State.

Section 1.01 Delaware should be first in Nuclear Power production

While Delaware has not been first in building Nuclear Power plants we can be first in utilizing Nuclear power to make our state energy independent. We can begin permitting and advances construction on a new AP1000 Nuclear Power facility. There are numerous areas along the Delaware River that would be good candidates for a nuclear plant. The addition of a nuclear power plant could potential replace fossil fuel fired plants. Not only would this strengthen our state’s energy grid, it would push us into possible net energy exporters to surrounding states. It would also create thousands of new high tech jobs in industries from construction to engineering.

Section 1.02 Delaware should be first in building new refineries

There has not been a new major refinery built in the United States in over 30 years. Delaware can be the First State to begin construction a new oil refinery in the US. A good site in my opinion for this refinery would be the long derelict US Steel location in Claymont. A new oil refinery would increase production of oil based fuels and contribute to the nation becoming energy independent. It would also help to stimulate Delaware’s economy by providing hundreds of jobs.

Section 1.03 Delaware should be first in offshore wind power production

Recent developments on a new offshore wind generation plant have all but assured that Delaware will finally be first in off shore wind power. We should embrace this technology and expand on it. It will create hundreds of high paying; high tech jobs and adds valuable clean energy to the Delaware power grid. We should encourage local wind power manufacturing business to locate themselves in Delaware by providing tax incentives.

Section 1.04 Delaware should be first in Solar Power

Delaware should harness the latest solar power technology by encouraging that the tallest buildings in our cities be built with, or have the newest solar panel technology installed. The state should give tax incentives and energy credits to those building owners who choose to place solar panels on their roofs.  Solar power provides valuable clean energy to our power grid and creates high tech; high paying jobs. We should also do encourage local solar panel manufacturing businesses to locate themselves in Delaware by providing tax incentives.

Section 1.05 Delaware should be first in new alternative energy sources

Delaware should work with leading energy researchers to pioneer alternative energy sources that can be uniquely harnessed in Delaware such as tidal power which is more predictable than wind and solar power and has the potential to provide much more power per installation. We should also encourage local tidal power generator manufacturers to locate themselves in Delaware by providing tax incentives.

Article II.        Delaware should be first in illegal immigration reform

As a matter of public safety, Delaware should declare to the country and the world that while we support and admire legal immigrants from all countries, that we will no longer tolerate illegal immigrants souring the idea of the American dream and destroying the reputations of their legal counterparts.

Section 2.01 State legislature should ensure that local law enforcement is able to work with federal agencies to locate and deport illegal immigrants.

Delaware legislators must pass laws that protect local law enforcement and allow them the freedom to contact federal agencies when an illegal immigrant is arrested. This protects our citizens from the violent crimes some illegal immigrants who enter gangs. State legislators should allow law enforcement to inquire about an immigrants citizenship status during any questioning including traffic stops, witness accounts and criminal investigations.

Section 2.02 State legislators should require employers to verify the citizenship of their employees.

Delaware legislators must make it a punishable offense for employers to hire illegal immigrants. Illegal immigrants are too often exploited by employers looking for cheap labor. Illegal immigrants are also often hired ahead of legal US citizens because they will work for much less pay.

Section 2.03 State legislators should remove state funding for illegal immigrants with regard to social programs

Delaware legislators must remove government funding for illegal immigrants who attempt to access social programs intended for low income legal citizens. Immigrants who have violated the law in order to gain entry to our country should not be permitted to take advantage of social programs funded by and intended to help our citizens. Our state should require proof of legal citizenship when a person applies for any social program including but not limited to welfare, state funded healthcare, food stamps or unemployment benefits. State officials must also be required to contact federal and local authorities in the event that they witness and illegal immigrant applying for any social program.

Section 2.04 State legislators should require that immigrants learn English in order to obtain citizenship.

It is imperative that we establish a common language to be used in transactions throughout the state. Requiring immigrants to learn English helps state officials, law enforcement and the immigrants by assimilating them into society. It also helps to break down a barrier that currently exists between mainstream citizens and immigrants. While our nation was founded on the concept of allowing immigrants to find freedom within our borders, it was also always the immigrant’s job to communicate in the common language of the country. 

Article III.    Delaware should be first in education.

Section 3.01 State legislators should develop an education voucher system.

Delaware should be the first state to allow parents to choose to send their children to charter, private or home schools without being unfairly taxed for the public school system. The easiest and fairest way to accomplish this is to allow parents to choose to receive a voucher that can be used to pay for education expenses. Currently private schools are only attended by children whose parents can afford to be taxed for public school dollars and still pay for the cost of private school tuition. 

Section 3.02 State legislators should take control of education standards within our state.

Delaware must control its own destiny when it comes to our children. The children and teachers in our public school must be held accountable to education standards that stand above federal standard. Education is the right and responsibility of each state and we must create standards to effectively manage the performance of our students, teachers and administrators and ensure that all of our children are given the best chance to succeed. 

Section 3.03 State legislators should work with local school districts to develop a pay structure for public school teachers that encourage positive results.

Delaware already has one of the highest average salaries for public school teachers but we can do more. We can work with our school districts to develop merit based incentives to drive better results from our educational system. We owe it to our children to provide them with the best possible chance to succeed and we need high quality educators performing at their best in order to do that.

Article IV.     Delaware should be first in budget reform.   

Section 4.01 State legislators should work together to turn our current budget deficit into a surplus.

As the first state Delaware should be a role model to other states in fiscal responsibility. State legislators must work together to ensure that our budget is balanced to pay off our current debt and begin to build a state surplus. Through increased revenues by encouraging new high tech business to locate here, as well new tax revenue from employment with these companies and new residents’, legislators will get a head start on this task. It will also require legislators to reduce spending in non critical areas. 

Article V.         Delaware should be first in law enforcement.

Section 5.01 State legislators should ensure that law enforcement officers are well compensated.

Delaware’s law enforcement officers from the State Police to corrections officers to probation and parole officers have not received a sufficient raise in over 3 years. Our corrections and probation/parole officers have been unfairly prejudiced against and have not received adequate compensation. Legislators must ensure that our law enforcement is given the tools to succeed including compensation.

Section 5.02 State legislators should ensure that law enforcement is protected against frivolous lawsuits/complaints. 

Delaware legislators must enact laws that protect our law enforcement officials from lawsuits/complaints from criminals looking for a loophole. While legitimate accusations and complaints must be dealt with to ensure our law enforcement officers are held to the highest standard, they should be shielded from unfounded baseless accusations that only delay verdicts and serve to tarnish the reputations of otherwise commendable officers.

Section 5.03 State legislators should enact immigration laws.

Delaware legislators must enact immigration laws that allow local law enforcement to adequately police our states immigrant population. They must be allowed to inquire about a person’s immigration status or citizenship at anytime. They also must be allowed to communicate the immigration status and citizenship of any person to federal immigration agencies.

Article VI.     Delaware should be first in political reform.

Section 6.01 State legislators should enact term limits.

There are many state and local legislators who have had their positions for decades. Delaware legislators must act to limit themselves to two consecutive terms in any single office. Our state cannot grow and cannot move forward if the same politics is played.

Section 6.02 State legislators should enact spending reform.

Delaware legislators must enact reform to eliminate pork barrel spending and earmarks. Legislators create fundamental conflicts of interest when they attach earmarks and special interest tabs to bills. Delaware has been undergoing budget shortfall after budget shortfall and yet our current legislative branch has continued to approve budget after budget. We have to get back to fiscal responsibility and spend our tax revenue wisely. 

Article VII. Delaware should be first in the Constitution.

Section 7.01 State legislators should enact laws that protect the Constitution of the United States of America.

Delaware was the first state to ratify the constitution in 1788. Delaware must stand up and ratify our Constitution again. I urge our lawmakers to obtain a copy of the Constitution and add their signatures to the document, then post it outside of the door to Legislative Hall in Dover to symbolize their agreement with the constitution. 

Section 7.02 State legislators should embrace the ideals and values of our founding fathers.

Delaware legislators must show their support for the ideals and values of the men and women who risked everything to build a great nation, arguably the greatest on Earth. Among those founding fathers were Delawareans who fought, toiled and ultimately died building a nation founded on “We the People”. As citizens of the great state of Delaware it is our duty to continue those traditions and to create a state that our founders would be proud of.

Section 7.03 State legislators should ensure that all American citizens are allowed to live the American dream.

Delaware legislators have a duty to their constituents to provide them with all the freedoms and rights given to them by our founders.   The Constitutional rights granted in our nation’s founding document must be upheld by our laws today. Delaware legislators must reaffirm their commitment to uphold these rights and ensure that all Delawareans are allowed to succeed if they work hard and harness the talents that they possess.

If you are within the 26th State House District or the 11th Senate District in Delaware, please take the time to visit the following website and indicate your support for my campaign to unseat decades long political representatives in the state government.

http://gopetition.com/online/20899.html