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Ohio's 2012 Primary Election is March 6th, 2012
Bill Johnson (Republican)
| Photo |  |
|---|---|
| Running for | U.S. Congress, 6th District, Republican |
| City | Marietta, OH |
| Education | S.D. Lee High School, Columbus, MS - 1972 BS Computer & Information Science - Troy University, Troy, AL - 1979 MS Information & Computer Science - Georgia Tech, Atlanta, GA - 1984 |
| Employer | Member of Congress, US House of Representatives, Ohio 6th District, January 2011-Present. |
| Family | LeeAnn Johnson (Spouse)
Joshua Johnson Julie Mangiaracinia Jessica Lowery Nathan Johnson |
| Family in office? | No |
| Time in area | 6 years |
| Website | http://www.billjohnsonleads.com/ |
| Reasons for running | Washington is broken. I’ve seen it firsthand and it’s even worse than many people realize. While progress has been made, much hard work remains. I look forward to continuing as an effective voice and advocate for the people of Eastern and Southeastern Ohio. |
| Priorities | Job creation continues to be my top priority, and I’m actively working both in Eastern and Southeastern Ohio and in Washington to make that happen. The House of Representatives has sent nearly 30 job-creating bills to the Senate, but so far the Senate refuses to act.
Government spending is also among my top priorities, as it continues to be a very serious concern. I supported a balance budget amendment, and I opposed the President’s most recent request to increase the debt limit because we were promised solutions and spending cuts – neither of which happened. We cannot afford to give a blank check to a President who has increased the national debt higher and faster than any President previously. I fully support continuing to look for ways to repeal the President’s Health Care takeover law, and replace it with private sector, patient-centered solutions. I voted for such a repeal, because I believe the record consistently indicates that the President’s Health Care law will increase spending, puts bureaucrats in charge of making your medical decisions, will be a drain on our economy without offering effective solutions, and threatens to build even more massive debt for our children and grandchildren. I will also continue working hard to strengthen and protect Medicare for our seniors. It is critically important that those 55 and older have the peace of mind of knowing that Medicare will not change, in any way, for them - and that it will be fully funded. I will also continue fighting to ensure that Social Security will be there for our seniors as well. In fact, I’m supporting legislation called the Social Security Preservation Act that would stop Congress from raiding the Social Security Trust fund and spending those dollars on other, unrelated programs. |
| Qualifications | I’m a 26-year veteran of the US Air Force, former small business owner, and business executive who’s seen firsthand the impact of over burdensome government intrusion. With jobs and the economy as the #1 issue I hear about as I travel across Eastern and Southeastern Ohio, it’s important to have a Representative who’ll not only fight for policies that will lead to job creation, but understands that it’s business owners, not politicians or unelected bureaucrats in Washington, that create jobs. |
| Positions on the issues | Jobs & The Economy:
Our top priority must be creating jobs and fixing America’s economy. Our government is building a national debt at a rate we can’t afford – we’re leaving our children and grandchildren with a bill for which they shouldn’t be responsible. The first step is to balance the budget – legislation I’ve voted for and will continue to strongly support. Simultaneously, we must enact regulatory reform to get unelected bureaucrats off the backs of America’s small businesses and give them the certainty needed to grow, innovate, and compete; and, we must pursue tax reform to close loopholes, broaden the American tax base, and let all Americans keep more of their hard earned money. Then, as our economy grows, we must hold spending in line in order to bring down the national debt. Growing the economy requires dedication to traditional American economic values. We must remove federally imposed barriers so that small business owners can do what they do best – create jobs. We must innovate, as is our heritage, and compete in the global economy. We must create wealth, not redistribute it. And, we must reduce taxes. Today’s Federal tax code penalizes job creators and incentivizes the poor to subsist on entitlement programs. Reducing taxes at all levels of income will stimulate the economy both from the top down (allowing more investment in business and job creation) and from the bottom up (giving people more purchasing power). I co-sponsored a bill called the “Tax Code Elimination Act” which would sunset the current tax code and replace it with a fairer, simpler and flatter one with lower rates for all hard-working American taxpayers. National Security: National Security is of paramount importance. It ranks above all else in the roles and responsibilities of the federal government. The capture of Osama bin Laden was a long time coming, but it symbolizes progress made in the War on Terror. But, we must realize that the War on Terror is not one that will be won quickly or cheaply. Our adversaries, those who hate America and the freedoms we treasure, have demonstrated that they can bring the war to us, right here on America’s home soil. We must remain ever vigilant both here at home and overseas. Therefore, keeping Americans safe is one of my top priorities. That means depending on our military leaders, not political leaders, for strategy. It means that we must fight the war on terror without artificial measuring sticks. And, it means treating our enemies as enemies – not as Americans with constitutional rights. I wholeheartedly oppose the prosecution of terrorists in civilian courts. No country has ever spilled as much blood of its young men and women on foreign soil for the cause of freedom as has the United States. America’s military is a microcosm of our society at large, and the fact that America’s young people are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to protect our freedom and liberty is a testimony to the inalienable rights given to us by our Creator and articulated by our Founders. We must support our troops while they’re on active duty, and once they become veterans. That means honoring their commitment by compensating them with quality health care, educational opportunities, and the benefits they have earned. Energy: Eastern and Southeastern Ohio stands ready to play a central role in America’s energy future. We have a tremendous opportunity here in Ohio to create thousands of jobs and lead our nation on a path toward energy self-sufficiency with our Utica and Marcellus shale deposits. They are the largest in the world, and they hold massive amounts of natural gas and oil. I’m a leading voice in support of the environmentally responsible development of oil and natural gas. For too long, we’ve relied on unstable Middle Eastern nations for our energy. Those days must come to an end. I will also continue to play a leading role in standing up to the Obama Administration and its ‘War on Coal.’ Coal is a critical resource for Ohioans, providing 87 percent of our electricity and thousands of Ohio jobs. Earlier this year, I stood up against unelected bureaucrats who sought to kill Ohio coal jobs. My legislation will reverse a program that will lead to higher unemployment and higher electricity prices for hardworking Ohio families and small businesses; but, Senate Democrats and the Obama Administration refuse to support my legislation. l will continue the fight. In order to achieve energy self sufficiency, we must move full speed ahead on domestic oil and natural gas development and coal production, but we also must begin expanding our nuclear footprint and determine what role wind and solar power and other renewable technologies will play in that equation. America has significant energy resources, and we should begin using them. Gun Rights: Second Amendment gun rights are a fundamental right that should and must be protected. The U.S. Supreme Court has protected gun rights in recent rulings, but by a close, 5-4 vote. We must be unrelenting in our defense of law-abiding citizens to own guns. Furthermore, for Ohioans, we should protect concealed carry laws and expand state-to-state reciprocity. Pro-life: I am strongly pro-life, and I will continue to be a leader in the fight to prevent taxpayer dollars from being given to abortion providers, like Planned Parenthood. Health Care: We must move towards the goal of making health care affordable and available for all Americans. This can be done, all while ensuring that patients and doctors – not bureaucrats – are making health care decisions. Instead of “controlling and providing healthcare”, the federal government should be enacting policies that will stimulate competition and innovation through our existing free enterprise system. Steps in this direction include making insurance portable from job to job and state to state. It means tax incentives so Americans can create robust health savings accounts. And it means tort reform to reduce the cost of service by good doctors. |