American Greatness

What has made the United States of America great is its Constitution and its rule of law. It is not the government of the United States, but it is the limit of government by the Constitution that provides for the freedom of the people to go and utilize their God-given talents to pursue their dreams. The Constitution and the rule of law are the foundations of our liberty. When they disregard these laws our representatives will soon become our rulers.

2nd Amendment

I believe the 2nd Amendment gives the right "to keep and bear arms" to every law-abiding adult citizen of the United States. Violent criminals are the only group not protected by this amendment. I believe more Americans should be trained in the proper usage of firearms. The 2nd Amendment was not established to protect hunting but was passed to protect the liberties of the states and citizens from the federal government.

Lack of Leadership in Washington

For too long, our representatives in Washington have disregarded the limitations that the Constitution places on the federal government. They create laws where there is no constitutional authority to do so, such as restrictive environmental regulation and education. Essentially, they are breaking the law they swore an oath to protect.

We must again establish the rule of law by returning to the Constitution as our foundation. To do this, we must elect leaders that will uphold their constitutional oaths to the American people. This journey will be difficult and could take years to complete.

This Election

But, we need to begin now. As President Lincoln said, “We the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts, not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution.” We must take action this election. But no matter what the outcome, we cannot be complacent as we were after the 1994 and 2000 elections.

We must have responsible representatives that will work to lift the burdens the federal government has placed upon the average American family and the states. We need leaders that will stop the bureaucrats in Washington from using power of regulation and tax money to control our lives. The states should not have to beg the federal government for the money that is rightfully theirs because it came from the state’s own citizens.

My Pledge as a Constitutional Conservative

While representing the people of Northeast Ohio, I pledge to uphold the Constitution of the United States of America by enacting legislation and reform that will protect the freedom of the American people and limit the power of the federal government. I will endeavor to protect the liberties of the American people. I pledge to begin working toward a federal government that will reestablish the rights of the people and the states as they are protected within the Constitution through the 10th Amendment.

C. Todd Sharkey