Thirty-seven years ago the United States Supreme Court, in a display of judicial activism and constitutional revisionism at its worst, handed down the ruling in Roe v. Wade that made abortion, for any reason, legal. Since this decision, 52 million unborn children have had their lives taken from them, and the number grows each day.

Not only is it important for Roe v. Wade, and other rulings such as Planned Parenthood v. Casey, to be overturned, but it is also important that we work to discourage mothers from having abortions. I support the advocacy that crisis pregnancy centers are involved in which provides counseling to expectant mothers and provides options to them other than abortion. I support many different pieces of pro-life legislation, such as a mother who is considering an abortion being given the opportunity to have an ultrasound, that are helping lower the number of abortions taking place in this country.

The respect and value of human life, at all stages, is the defining difference between a civilized society and an uncivilized society. It is imperative that those of us who have a voice and a vote take a stand for the millions of unborn children who do not have a voice or a vote. While we are saddened by the law and precedent set by the court almost forty years ago, we take heart in the great work that has been done since then to stop abortion and stand for the sanctity of each and every human life. The work has been made possible by people like Norma McCorvey, who was the plaintiff in Roe v. Wade, but is now a part of the pro-life cause and supports making abortion illegal.

It will take Americans from all walks of life coming together to make sure this horrendous practice is no longer a commonality in or society. This is not simply a religious issue, this is a humanity issue. We can not sit idly by why the most liberal in this country allow children to have their lives taken from them. We must stand up for the voiceless and continue the work that has begun.

To learn more, please visit: www.chuckforcongress.com

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Today I signed the Club for Growth’s pledge “to sponsor and support legislation to repeal any federal health care takeover passed in 2010, and replace it with real reforms that lower health care costs without growing government.”

It is imperative that we stop the passage of a government takeover of health care. However, if this legislation does pass, we must repeal it when we take back Congress in November. So I am writing today to encourage you to sign the citizen pledge in order that your voice may be heard so we can fight this takeover together – and repeal the legislation if necessary.

We need true health care reform; this means allowing the purchase of health care insurance across state lines in order to create more competition within the market, permitting individual Americans to create Health Savings Accounts, and bringing about tort reform in order to lower medical costs. Please join with me and sign the pledge, because together we can win this fight.

To learn more, please go to: www.chuckforcongress.com
Follow me on Twitter: @chuck4congress

My campaign announced today that we have raised over $520,000, and had over $450,000 in the bank, as of the end of 2009.

I continue to be humbled by the support I am receiving from all across East Tennessee. Even though I started this race with virtually no name recognition and without ever having held political office, I’ve worked non stop these past few months to meet and talk with the people of the 3rd District and they are responding positively to my message of less government and lower taxes. I am honored by their overwhelming support of my campaign efforts both through volunteer hours and their hard earned dollars.

Chip Saltsman, my chief strategist and former campaign manager for Mike Huckabee, said, “This proves that Chuck has more than enough resources and backing to run and win this campaign. We are excited to see all of the support he is receiving from across the 3rd District, and look forward to a victory in November.”

Whether it is in Oak Ridge or in Chattanooga, voters know that I will go to Washington and put a stop to the out of control spending, and expansion of government, that has become so popular with a Democrat President and Democrat Congress. My campaign will continue to work hard to earn more support from across the District so that the principals of fiscal and moral responsibility will have a voice in Washington come this November.

To learn more, please visit: www.chuckforcongress.com
Follow me on Twitter: @chuck4congress

The President promised on 8 different occassions to have the health care negotiations broadcast on C-SPAN, and now that push has come to shove he isn’t actually interested in following through on those promises. Once again he has proven that he is only interested in talking about change. He just doesn’t get it.

We can’t count on the media to hold him accountable, and that is why I need your help in sending me to Congress so I can bring conservatism, true reform, and accountability to Washington.

For more information, please visit: www.chuckforcongress.com
Follow me on Twitter: @chuck4congress

Wishing you and your loved ones a very blessed Christmas. As we celebrate the birth of Jesus, let us also pray for peace around the world. I hope that you will take the time to contemplate the meaning of Christmas and to enjoy the day surrounded by family and loved ones. I know that you will take time to remember in your prayers those less fortunate than you and I ask that you take time to pray for our troops. May they stay safe on this holiday and return to their families in the near future.

Once again the liberal leadership in Washington has used the dark of night to continue the process of shoving health care “reform” down the throats of all Americans. On Saturday Harry Reid threw out his original 2,000 page bill and replaced it with an amendment numbering in the hundreds of pages, leaving other members of the Senate, and the American people, very little time to understand what is in the bill before this morning’s 1 a.m. vote. After having promised to be the most transparent administration and Congress, the liberals who are in charge in Washington continue to use the dark of night to insure a government takeover of health care. They just don’t get it.

What little we do know about this new amendment assures that there will be an abortion tax forced upon Americans who participate in a new Exchange program being created – and they have no say in the matter. This is utterly reprehensible. We have a responsibility to give a voice to the unborn and make sure their lives are protected. The federal government forcing Americans to pay a tax toward abortion is unconscionable.

We also know the bill which passed the House of Representatives, and many of the ideas being put forward by the liberal leadership in the Senate, will increase premiums and add to the already exploding deficit. None of these things bring about true reform in the health care system.

With the Senate having voted to end debate last night, the American people are almost assured a government takeover of health care. This will include higher taxes, more spending, and government support of abortion. This must be stopped. We cannot allow the liberal leadership in Washington to continue to use the cover of darkness as part of their plan to takeover one-seventh of the U.S. economy.

When I go to Congress, you can always count on me to vote “no” when it comes to a government takeover of health care, higher taxes, and spending money we don’t have.

To learn more about me, please visit: www.chuckforcongress.com

Follow me on twitter: @chuck4congress

The Chattanooga Times has decided that an income tax is best for the state Tennessee. I cannot disagree anymore vehemently, and I’m not certain why the Times would choose to open this debate again. When our state was facing a similar recession and budget shortfall almost a decade ago, the idea of a state income tax was rejected and has long been considered unconstitutional under the Tennessee constitution. The idea was a knee jerk reaction then just as it is now.

The logic of the argument of the Times is just another example of what has become all too common these days: if there’s a problem, let’s have the government throw more money at it to try and fix it. I believe that given time and opportunity and the freedom from the heavy hand of government, the free market has the capacity to fix any financial problems that come our way. I believe that government should learn to live within a budget, just like our families and small businesses must do, instead of raising or creating taxes when they want to spend more of our hard earned money. I believe in less government and more private ingenuity.

Most experts agree that TennCare has already proven to be a financial disaster for our state, yet the Times suggests that we create a new tax on the citizens of Tennessee and pump more money into what has become a financial sinkhole.  If anything, we need less government intervention in our health care system.

They also list a number of programs that will be in financial trouble once federal stimulus funds expire and, therefore, will need financial support from the state. When did it become the norm to expect the government to bail you out if you couldn’t make it on your own? The bigger problem is not programs that are going to run out of government funding but rather the ever growing number of programs that rely on government funding to exist. When a family of 4 hits hard times and has trouble making ends meet, they learn to make sacrifices – not sign up for a new credit card. Our government needs to watch and learn from the hard-working folks across our country and stop this mentality of “spend-our-way-to-prosperity.”

Tennessee is one of only a few states in the country with no income tax. This gives us an advantage over other states and allows us to have access to economic growth that they do not have.  Every year, many Californians “go Nevadan” as they move across state lines to Nevada, which has no income tax. In the last year, we have heard about many people in New York considering a move to Florida where no income tax exists and the “disappearance” of hundreds of affluent Maryland citizens that have fled the state to escape its income tax.

Tennessee’s economy has been fairly stable during this economic downturn due to our use of a sales tax and not an income tax.  An income tax is not a panacea to a state’s fiscal problems.  States with income taxes are having serious budget problems as well.  In fact, the states with the highest income taxes are having the biggest budget problems – New York, California and New Jersey to name a few.

Although the position of the Times is that the tax should be imposed on the rich, government seldom has the discipline to limit a tax’s reach. Inevitably, income taxes “creep” down to the middle class. This is either the result of not indexing the tax to inflation, or that, once a tax is in place, it is an easy way to raise funds for pet projects or fill holes in budgets rather than exercising fiscal discipline. People who work hard to create income are not rich; they are productive. Let’s reward such conduct – not punish it.

Being one of only nine states without an income tax has made Tennessee more attractive to companies looking to grow or relocate, and each of those opportunities has lead to tremendous economic growth for our state and has helped us ride out this economic storm much better than many other states. Let’s not debate this issue again: Tennessee does not need an (unconstitutional) income tax.

To learn more about me, please visit: www.chuckforcongress.com

Follow me on Twitter: @chuck4congress

Today brings another example of how spending in Washington is dangerously out of control. With the national debt approaching $12.135 trillion, and the Treasury Department having to use ‘extraordinary accounting tools’ to allow an extra $150 billion in debt so Social Security checks can continue to be issued and the federal government can keep its doors open, it is time our elected officials in Washington be held accountable. They just don’t get it.

They must be stopped from increasing the debt ceiling by another $290 billion – as is being proposed now – and instead must make cuts to the federal budget. When a family of 4 hits hard times, they learn to make sacrifices – not sign up for a new credit card. Our government needs to watch and learn from the hard-working folks across our country and stop this mentality of ‘spend-our-way-to-prosperity.’ The bailouts, the stimulus packages, the pork and pet projects, and the ever-increasing size of the federal government must be put to a stop.

When I am elected to represent the good people of Tennessee, I will vote for a balanced budget, and I will do everything in my power to make certain that the size and reach of the federal government decreases each year I am there. It’s time to bring common sense budget principles to the United States Congress.

To learn more about me, please visit: www.chuckforcongress.com

Follow me on Twitter: @chuck4congress

It is important we slow down this time of year and remember the true meaning of Christmas.

To learn more about me, please visit: www.chuckforcongress.com

Follow me on Twitter: @chuck4congress