Over the summer, the Inflation Reduction Act became law. Should Coloradans support this law? Why or why not?
Yes! I think all Coloradans should support the Inflation Reduction Act. This act allows, for the first time in Medicare history, to negotiate prices for higher-cost drugs. This takes the stress and worry off many Coloradans backs. I see my constituents and their families’ medications as being a calculated risk to personal financial suffering, I don’t believe this is the way to thrive in today’s society.
What is something unique you bring to the Congress?
I will be the first Latino to serve our El Paso County constituents. There are approximately 124,000 self-identifying Hispanic Americans in my county and I want to be the voice to the unheard. I want to be the person that my county can look up to feel seen. I believe I represent all of El Paso County and having lived the last 40 years here. I know we can do this.
If your party holds the majority in your chamber next session, what should be its top priority?
The top priority of both my personal platform and my party is and always should be people’s reproductive justice. I believe fundamentally that black and brown communities are affected on a much higher level. The loss of this basic human right to access of healthcare should never be a fear of any of my constituents.
What, if any, action should Congress take on abortion?
Following up on my last question, I would like people to know this is the most important stance on my platform. I want to solidify personal access to basic healthcare rights, which include the right to have an abortion if a person so chooses.
The chambers may be split between Republican and Democrat control next session. Where do you see actionable, common ground with the opposing party?
At a human level, there should always be found respect, understanding, and collaboration. While our political parties and values may differ, we have an obligation to those we serve to look past those differences and act in their best interest.
What is the biggest threat facing the integrity of our elections?
By allowing people to call into question the sanctity of our safe and secure elections process, the trust in the system is eroded. The narrative cannot read that our most universal tradition is not safe, fair, or equitable. We as a nation must come together and unite. When we divide because your specific party or candidate did not win and cite unfair election process, we not only fail at our processes, but we also fail our brothers and sisters across the nation.
Over the summer, the Inflation Reduction Act became law. Should Coloradans support this law? Why or why not?
No. The Inflation Reduction Act does nothing to lessen inflation. To fund the green energy portion of this bill, the Inflation Reduction Act imposes price controls on drugs. This will reduce the ability of pharmaceutical companies to research and develop life-saving drugs in the future.
What is something unique you bring to the Congress?
My unique experience is the combination of having been a state and federal lawmaker, a former business and real estate lawyer, and being closely connected to Colorado Springs, a conservative, military, and tourism center of Colorado.
If your party holds the majority in your chamber next session, what should be its top priority?
My top priorities when in the majority will be to stop President Biden’s ruinous overspending and overborrowing, which have introduced the highest inflation in 40 years, and to stop his restrictive energy policies, which limit production of conventional fuel and thereby cause higher prices for families. Biden’s weak foreign policy, as seen in the failed retreat from Afghanistan, cozying up to Iran, and giving no advance deterrent to Putin invading Ukraine, must also be addressed, as well President Biden’s disastrous lack of control on our southern border.
What, if any, action should Congress take on abortion?
The Dobbs decision correctly sent abortion back to the states, but the federal government still needs to ensure that all people’s U.S. Constitutional civil rights are protected.
The chambers may be split between Republican and Democrat control next session. Where do you see actionable, common ground with the opposing party?
It is hoped that bipartisan agreement on strengthening our national defense will continue, including the bipartisan rejection of President Biden’s unacceptably low proposed military budgets in each of the last two years. Both parties hopefully will work together to stop the fentanyl epidemic, secure the southern border, and promote an “all of the above” energy production policy.
What is the biggest threat facing the integrity of our elections?
The biggest threat facing election integrity is that voters need to be better informed about the momentous decisions they make each and every time they vote.
Over the summer, the Inflation Reduction Act became law. Should Coloradans support this law? Why or why not?
In his Inaugural Address, President Ronald Reagan stated, “In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.” Currently, in terms of the Inflation Reduction Act, Reagan’s statement is very applicable. The Inflation Reduction Act, more accurately, is a collection of ideologically driven initiatives to grow the federal government and advance Socialist green energy policies based in pseudoscience. The Inflation Reduction Act does not consider the big picture of U.S. Economic Strength and Fiscal Responsibility to address the problem of inflation. The Inflation Reduction Act should be repealed.
What is something unique you bring to the Congress?
I am running on a pro-America, pro-Life, pro-family, pro-worker, limited government platform that includes: 1. American Sovereignty, 2. “Peace Through Strength” + “America First” worldview, 3. Devotion to and practical application of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights, 4. Freedom from Government overreach and intimidation against American Citizens, 5. States’ Rights and Federalism (Tenth Amendment), 6. Fiscal responsibility and accountability in Government.
Focusing on balanced and practical legislative priorities is paramount. I have formulated both short- and long-term goals if elected to Congress: “House Cleaning” (short-term goals) and “House Building” (long-term goals).
If your party holds the majority in your chamber next session, what should be its top priority?
Work to realign national priorities to more traditional and proven “Peace Through Strength, America First” policies such as U.S. energy independence, U.S. economic strength, election integrity, sealed U.S. sovereign borders, and superior U.S. military modalities arrayed as a deterrent against Communist Chinese and Russian aggression on the world stage.
What, if any, action should Congress take on abortion?
The Tenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution states “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.” That is the basis of Federalism, or “Sharing of Government Powers.” Therefore, following from that, the issue of abortion is now properly designated as a “State” issue, and the federal government should have no place in the process of legislating or enforcing abortion laws. Formulation and enforcement of abortion policy is not a power given to the federal government by the Constitution.
The chambers may be split between Republican and Democrat control next session. Where do you see actionable, common ground with the opposing party?
U.S. immigration policy and U.S. economic strength
What is the biggest threat facing the integrity of our elections?
The goal for election integrity is assuring the transparency, fairness, and validity of the end-to-end processes associated with conducting elections. Transparency means that all processes are clearly defined and open to examination (e.g. voting systems, electoral rolls). Fairness means that all socioeconomic groups of legal citizens registered to vote have equal access to the voting process (e.g. voter identification policies). Validity means that all processes are following election laws. The biggest threat facing the integrity of our elections is the current condition of our processes being simply dominated by political ideologies.
Brian Flanagan has not returned the questionnaire.
How candidate order was determined: A lot drawing was held at the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office on Aug. 3 to determine the general election ballot order for major and minor party candidates. Colorado law (1-5-404, C.R.S.) requires that candidates are ordered on the ballot in three tiers: major party candidates followed by minor party candidates followed by unaffiliated candidates. Within each tier, the candidates are ordered by a lot drawing with the exception of the office of Governor and Lt. Governor, which are ordered by the last name of the gubernatorial candidate.
