[upbeat music]
- I'd like to address seven issues
that should be of importance to the people
of the 6th Congressional District
over the next two years.
The first one is the southern border.
We've had over 10 million people
cross the southern border in the last four years,
skipping in line ahead of those people
who are trying to come here legally.
It should be pointed out we have over 3 million people
who've been legally sworn in as new citizens,
showing it's not that difficult of a thing to do.
Nevertheless, we should return to the Stay in Mexico policy
where we're not letting more people here,
and we should remove the people who came here illegally.
It sends the complete wrong message to just say,
"People can stay here if they came here illegally once,"
because other people will continue to come here.
It's also important to remember the current system allows people
to drown in the Rio Grande, drown in the Pacific Ocean,
dehydrate to death in the Arizona desert.
Next big issue is inflation,
which makes it so difficult to join the middle class.
First thing you do with inflation
is you make it easier to produce energy,
oil, natural gas in the United States.
This will reduce the cost of your heat bill,
reduce the cost to run your automobile,
but even more than that, it reduces the cost of food
because you're reducing the cost of fertilizer
and reducing the cost of plastics.
Allowing all these people
to come here as well drives down wages,
making it more difficult for other people
to join the middle class.
Next issue is diversity.
I think we've hired way too many diversity bureaucrats,
not only in universities, but in the government,
in the military, and in big business.
This divides people because you're educating people
to view themselves as a subgroup,
and we've gotta put an end to this.
We also should look at some of these big businesses
and see if they have been discriminating in reverse
because of their DEI bureaucrats.
Next issue is respect for the police.
I love to do ride-ons with the police.
It's been very difficult for them recently
because irresponsible politicians
push the myth that the police are racist.
We have to publicize studies showing
the police are not racist
with regard to things like traffic stops or anything else
and build back the respect for the police,
which will make it much easier for them
to maintain law and order.
Next big issue is overregulation by the government.
I'd like to look a little bit as how it affects a business
that I care a great deal about, and that is sheltered workshops.
These are places for people with different abilities
due to things like spina bifida or Down syndrome
work sometimes for less than minimum wage.
These facilities should be kept open
and not regulated out of existence.
Not only does it give these folks a chance
to show a little independence,
to be like their brothers and sisters
who are also going to work,
but it also allows for socialization,
which is so important for this group
that I think sometimes people are afraid
that they're only gonna get to know
their immediate family and their parents.
Instead, they make lifelong friends in these facilities.
Next issue is the transgenderism.
Again, we have irresponsible elected officials,
I think, encouraging people down this path.
People who have gender dysphoria,
studies show that the vast majority,
over 80% of the girls, over 95% of the guys,
eventually work their way out of this on their own
unless they're encouraged down this path
by allowing boys in the girls' locker room
or boys on the girls' sports team.
If we don't encourage this,
I think they're gonna bounce back and be just fine.
Final issue I'd like to touch upon,
I was very deeply concerned by statements
made by John Kerry and Hillary Clinton
implying that the First Amendment
is a problem for the government
and that somehow we have to restrict free speech
or approve free speech.
That's not true.
It's also concerning that Mark Zuckerberg apparently
was leaned on by the Biden administration.
So we should all respect the First Amendment.
Thank you for this opportunity.