Ben Everidge

Social Services I strongly oppose and will fight any proposed cuts in Social Security and Medicare benefits that negatively impact today’s seniors as well as tomorrow’s. Social Services I also do not support and will not accept efforts to privatize Social Security or turn Medicare into a voucher system. Environment / Energy Climate change is real. It is a crisis for the world that America, in particular, cannot afford to ignore or deny any longer. We must develop new energy sources and technologies while improving our current technologies and energy sources. Our fragile environment must be protected and nurtured. Education Federal support to provide free or greatly reduced tuition assistance to community colleges and trade schools will ensure that American workers and their families can earn more. Earning more, in turn, will help reduce our annual deficits, reduce our national debt, and make America a more prosperous nation. Infrastructure / Transportation Our bridges, roads, rails, ports, and airports are falling apart before our eyes. Investment in infrastructure improvements and expansion must continue at an urgent pace. In doing so, we give Americans numerous opportunities to prosper from the resulting jobs. Taxes / Budget America cannot continue to live on borrowed money racking up trillions of dollars in debt with massive annual deficits approved by both major parties in Congress. Taxes / Budget The flat fair tax proposal I advocate could generate $1.46 trillion if there is a maximum 10% flat tax on individual income, with the average household income being approximately $74,500 and there being over 131 million households in America. This flat tax would take the burden off the middle class for generating income-related revenue, make the wealthy pay an equal percentage of their income, and assure that those under the federal poverty rate are paying $0 in taxes until they earn a higher income. Guns Strongly subscribe to our Second Amendment right to bear arms. Guns Commonsense solutions such as safe storage, closing gun show sales loopholes, providing greater mental health services, while simultaneously protecting our constitutional rights, will save lives. Abortion / Contraception I will fight to restore and preserve a woman’s health and reproductive rights nationally. Defense / Veterans I strongly support funding and expansion of and greater access to VA medical services throughout Florida for our Sunshine State veterans. Foreign Policy America has been in some difficult places overseas because we do not have a thoughtful and consistent foreign policy by which to govern our decisions when it comes to our allies as well as our enemies.