Abel Maldonado, 24th Congressional District - KCOY Santa Maria, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo - News

Abel Maldonado, 24th Congressional District

Party/Affiliation: Republican
Current Job: Small Business/Farmer

Top 3 Priorities if Elected:

CREATING JOBS AND GROWING THE ECONOMY 

There is not priority more important than creating jobs and growing the economy.  That first begins with removing the barriers that Washington has built that prevents large and small businesses from succeeding and staying in America.  Since 2009, there have been 1603 new regulations that impact small businesses at a cost of $10,585 per employee.  Government doesn't create jobs, but it does stand in the way of job creators' ability to hire and grow.  The Chamber of Commerce and the National Federation of Independent Businesses have endorsed my campaign because I will go to Washington to be the voice of small businesses. If stopping the bleeding is the first step, the next one has to be making America a place that is good to do business in again.  We need to pass legislation like the Small Business Tax Cut Act that would reduce the taxes on small businesses by $45.9 billion over ten years.  We need to make it easier to do business in America or we'll keep losing jobs to China.

HOLDING WASHINGTON ACCOUNTABLE FOR HOW IT WASTES TAX PAYER MONEY 

There's an old saying that it's always easier to be careless with someone else's money.  Washington needs to be more transparent and accountable with taxpayer dollars.  Washington "invested" billions of dollars in multiple companies like Solyndra that ultimately went bankrupt.  That's money that could have been better spent investing in the economy and reducing our crippling national debt which has surpassed $16 trillion.  

PROTECT HEALTHCARE FOR SENIORS 

Finally, I want to go to Washington to ensure that the promises we have made to our seniors are kept and that current policies that harm the future of their care are reformed.  Medicare's Chief Actuary testified before Congress and warned that 7 million Medicare recipients will have to find different coverage.  The Department of Health and Human Services has reported that Medicare cuts could drive 15 percent of hospitals into the red "possibly jeopardizing" care for seniors.  All-the-while a 15-member, unelected and unaccountable Washington board will be appointed to make decisions about care that should stay between doctors and patients.  That is not right.