Our country is reeling from eight long years of a poor excuse for an energy policy that was designed solely for oil and energy companies. Now that the families of our nation are suffering each day because the price of a gallon of gas has tripled over the past few years, the Republican Party, my opponent included, want to give the oil companies yet another pass by allowing them to drill as much as they want, wherever they want for however long they want. This is not a true energy plan.

A true energy plan is comprehensive and includes wind power, hydroelectricity, clean coal, solar and oil. We must expand funding for alternative energy funding and research - a concept that my opponent voted against. We cannot and must not attempt to "drill our way out" of the mess the Bush administration has created. It has not worked in the past and will not work any better for the future.

It is an absolute travesty that 50 million Americans struggle without health care in the wealthiest nation in the world. What's worse is when our representative votes against improvements in access to health services for children and the poor. Unfortunately, these are both realities that we've experienced under the current leadership. I propose that health care for every American is more important than tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy.

It is time we had a representative who thinks about more than just how much money he can make when he helps pass legislation that benefits drug and insurance companies. As the leaders of the free world, it is an embarrassment that we are the only industrialized nation that does not offer health care for our citizens.

As a veteran of the United States Navy, and an active member of the American Legion, my dedication to the men and women in uniform is unyielding. The current service member is highly skilled, highly trained and highly ignored by this administration. The American people were duped into an ill-conceived war under false pretenses and the administration continues to over utilize a national guard system which was never intended to be used for sustained combat missions. Congress must insist that an exit strategy be planned and implemented immediately.

By the Bush Administration's own account, the nation will be forced to reinstate the draft system again should we continue to over-tax our National Guard with sustained combat. I am not a supporter of reinstating the draft for as history clearly shows us, the draft is merely for those of us who are not wealthy enough to buy our way out of active duty. We must not allow this ill-planned and ill-executed war to continue to destroy the brave men and women in our armed forces while simultaneously placing our nation at a heightened risk with a limited national guard.

It is not hard to figure out that outsourcing American jobs to third world countries is destroying our middle class. We must stop rewarding companies who send our jobs oversees with tax cuts and begin rewarding companies who invest in our nation's future.

As a member of a staunch union family, and a former union member myself, I understand first hand the need for a living wage as well as benefits and training programs. I will work tirelessly to fight for the rights of the working person. For far too long, the citizens of Kentucky have been victimized by the million dollar boy's club. It is time for change!

Where would you go if there was a national, state or local emergency? What would you do if severe weather hit your area? What if you lived in a mobile home or had no transportation to get to higher ground? These are serious issues that the Republican party has had 7 years to think about and plan around since the War on Terror began. When Hurricane Katrina hit the gulf coast, thousands of low income people were without a plan and were abandoned by the Bush administration. When tornadoes hit Kentucky and the south on February 5th, 2008 my family and I found ourselves in the same situation. A low income family, living in a mobile home park with nowhere to go. The people who died in those storms were largely like us, they knew they were in danger but they had no plan. WE NEED A NATIONAL EMERGENCY PLAN!

Every life in our nation is precious and deserves protection against the elements and terrorist threats; not just the lives of the Republican Party's rich donors deserve to have shelter in times of crisis. As your congressional representative, I will immediately begin work on a national emergency plan. Unlike the Republicans, who want you to be afraid, I do not believe that Fear Mongering is a plan, instead it is a tool for their re-election campaigns. I will be part of the solution - not another part of the problem!

Every day we see reports about how our veterans services have fallen into severe disrepair. The men and women who served this country deserve better. Our VA system needs a complete overhaul; from the GI Bill to health care to disability benefits, without a modernized system, we do those who served our country a grave disservice. Veterans deserve better.

If anyone understands the desire to attend college, but the heartbreaking reality of being unable to pay for the privilege, it is me.

Even with the Montgomery G.I. Bill, my family and I were strapped with tens of thousands of dollars in student loans, which we now struggle to pay in this recessed economy. We can do better for our students on every education level. We simply must create more educational opportunities in Kentucky's First District. This requires more than just talk, and I intend to push for real change.

The Budget Reconciliation Bill, signed by President Bush and passed by Congress, cut future spending for Medicare, Medicaid, Student Loans and even free and reduced lunches for poor children; all while giving a .3 Billion tax break to Oil Companies and affording a .7 billion slush fund to Pharmaceutical Companies (both of which Representative Ed Whitfield has personal financial investments and large campaign contributions). Corporate welfare for profitable companies who donate heavily to Congressmen is corrupt and scandalous. I will work diligently against the culture of corruption which permeates the political system.

Did you know that every 2 minutes in North America someone is sexually assaulted and every 15 seconds in the United State a woman is battered, usually by her intimate partner? Domestic violence is a serious and continuing problem in the United States and abroad. Only 2 states in the country allow victims of gender based violence to sue their perpetrators in civil court. Until the violence stops, we must be the voice for those who have yet to find theirs.

Kentucky has a rich tradition of hunting, and I support the Right to Bear Arms in a safe and responsible way.