Chat: Rob Wasinger is Aiming for Congress
Friday, June 12, 2009
Rob Wasinger responds to online reader questions about his run for Congress Thursday afternoon at the Gazette office.
Rob Wasinger of Cottonwood Falls is candidate for the Republican nomination to the U.S. House from Kansas’ 1st District. On Thursday, he participated in an online chat with Gazette readers. Here is a transcript of the chat:
Q If elected, what would be your focus in Congress?
A My focus would be prosperity for rural Kansas. That’s been the focus of my campaign and it was the focus of my career prior to running for Congress. We have an outstanding way of life in Kansas, particularly the rural parts. I don’t want to see it disappear; I want my kids to be able to have the experiences I had growing up. I’ve visited each county in the district and it’s a message that’s resonating everywhere I go.
Q Without looking, what does the Ninth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution cover?
A Good question. I like the challenge.
The Ninth Amendment is an important one. It says that any rights not covered in the Constitution does not necessarily mean the people do not enjoy those rights. In other words, just because the Constitution doesn’t specifically list certain rights, that does not mean we the people do not possess those rights. Thanks for the question.
Q The economic model the Bush administration used cut taxes, hoping for a trickle down to occur. To work properly, the model also required cutting expenses to meet income, which they never did. The economic model the current administration uses pumps money into the economy to get it moving. Once the economy is moving again, this model requires an increase in taxes to suck out the excess money in the economy to prevent inflation. Would you vote for an increase in taxes to prevent inflation and the suffering it causes?
A Thanks for the question. You show a good grasp of economic understanding.
I would not vote for any tax increases. Period. In fact, I was the first candidate in this race to sign a “No New Tax Pledge” (Taxpayer Protection Pledge by Americans for Tax Reform). It’s a promise to the people of the Big First: I will never vote to raise your taxes.
I think spending clearly needs to be controlled. In fact, we need to closely examine current government spending and start cutting it down to size. I think going forward, we need to cut both taxes and spending.
Q Why did you decide to set up your campaign headquarters in Cottonwood Falls? Do you have connections with this area? How has the community responded to you?
A In my previous job for Senator Brownback, I was fortunate to travel all over the state. It was the best part of my job and I got to know many different communities. One of those communities was Cottonwood Falls.
When my wife and I decided to move our family back to Kansas (we have nine kids, by the way), we decided on Cottonwood Falls because we felt at home right away.
Hays is my hometown. I am a fourth-generation Kansan and my parents still live there, along with one of my brothers.
Our reception in Cottonwood Falls has been outstanding! My kids love their school, classmates, and teachers. My wife and I have already met just about everyone in town, I think. We couldn’t be happier with our reception. Everyone’s welcomed us with open arms.
I am also hoping that Tom Brokaw stops by the area on his tour of U.S. Highway 50 to see all that we have going on here in Chase and Lyon counties.
Q Tell us about your background and why you think you are ready to represent Kansas in Washington.
A I’ve spent my entire career working for Kansas. I first worked for Gov. Bill Graves after graduating from college, and then for State Senate Majority Leader Jerry Moran in the Statehouse in Topeka. I left the Statehouse to work on Sam Brownback’s first U.S. Senate campaign in 1996 and then spent the next 12 years working for him. The last four years I served as his chief of staff.
As I previously mentioned, I got to travel the state extensively during this time. I met thousands of great Kansans and learned about local and national issues that effect them in their daily lives.
My dad served three tours of duty in Vietnam. He was called up for duty for both Desert Shield and Desert Storm. When duty calls, our family always answers. That’s how I was raised. I’ve been blessed to serve the state of Kansas for the past 15 years and I want to continue that service.
Q Since you have worked for both Jerry Moran and Sam Brownback, what campaign advice have they given you?
A Good question. Those guys are both great at what they do and they serve Kansans honorably. They’re both good people to learn from in this business because they’ve been so successful at representing our values.
I think the best advice I have been given is to work hard and just be myself. That’s probably good advice no matter what line of work you’re in.
Q If you get elected, what would be your priorities in Washington?
A My priorities in Washington will be to represent the views of those who sent me there.
Kansans have a healthy distrust of big government and so do I. I think our spending is out of control. I’ll work as hard as I can to rein that in, fight against excessive government regulations, and find ways to reduce the tax burden faced everyday by the hardworking people of this state.
Beyond trying to keep the government in its place and not grow any more intrusive, my main focus will be economic development for our rural areas. We need to get this right. People in rural Kansas aren’t looking for any handouts. They just want a fighting chance. They don’t want something for nothing. They are willing to work for it, and so am I.
Q How is the fundraising going? There are some blogs reporting that almost of your money has come from out of state.
A My fundraising’s going well. Thanks for asking. You can always visit www.robwasinger.com to help me out, if you’d like.
Some of my money has come from out of state, but nearly all of it will be spent in the state. I’ve recently had fundraisers in Palco, Hays and Great Bend, and we have several more scheduled. They were all great successes. I’m really pleased with the response I’ve received so far.
In addition to fundraising, my campaign organization across the district has grown better than expected. I have more than 20 people from the district on my steering committee. They come from all over the district and from varying industries (bankers, a Farm Bureau county president, Kansas Livestock Association members, small business owners, a teacher and many others).
When you travel to every county in the district like I have, you get to meet a lot of people. I’ve been pleased with how many have already donated their time and money to our efforts. I think it proves my message of rural prosperity and economic growth is resonating with people across the entire district.
Q You have traveled to the 69 counties. What are some common themes you heard from people?
A I have been to all 69 counties. In fact, I’ll be doing it again.
People are tired of big government and afraid their taxes will increase. These are very real fears. They are tired of borrowing money from our children and grandchildren to pay for government programs that are ineffective.
At the end of the day, people just want to live their lives in peace, have a good job, and pass something onto their children. That’s what I want and that’s what I will fight for in Washington.
Q Can anyone really make a difference in Washington? Does our political system with party politics prevent real change from happening?
A Yes, people can make a difference. There’s no doubt folks on the other side of the aisle made a difference with how active they were in the past few election cycles. The Republicans need to find their voice and get back to the basics of limited government, lower taxes and strong families. We also need to match the enthusiasm the Democrats had in 2006 and 2008. I want to be a part of the movement that brings this country back to the basics, like we did in 1994. It can, and will, happen again.
The ideas Democrats are trotting out are not new. They’ve been tried before and failed. They will fail again. Republicans have to be ready with workable answers to today’s pressing questions.
Q Hi Rob. Thank you for chatting. Can you tell us what your stance is on abortion. Are pro-lifers supporting you? I know you have nine kids so I assume you are, but am curious to know. Thank you.
A Thank you for the question. I am a pro-life candidate, and have a lot of support from the pro-life community, some of them have offered quotes and testimonials that we have on our Web site (www.robwasinger.com).
I was also the first candidate that Fred Thompson endorsed this election cycle, so I think my conservative message is resonating.
Our nine children are a real blessing. We have six boys and three girls. My family is always my first priority, I am a husband and father first. Raising good families is the most important thing that we can do. Thanks for the great question.
Comments
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Posted by LauraandEric (anonymous) on June 12, 2009 at 12:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Rob, thank you for taking the time to chat with us! Best of luck on the campaign trail. You sound like you would represent us well in Congress.
Posted by cyberspace (anonymous) on June 13, 2009 at 9:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Very little substance or specifics in answers to questions except the one on abortion. But, that is the modus operandi of Republicans running in this state. Just talk no taxes, no big government, support the vague concept of family values and oppose abortion and you will get elected in this state. No need to bring in new ideas that will actually help solve some of the serious problems we face. Simple-minded voters don't need more information.
Come on, Rob, give us some specifics and how you plan to do these things!
Posted by alfalfa (anonymous) on June 14, 2009 at 9:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It is hard for me to imagine someone who has been in DC working in politics for the last decade or so can possibly identify with someone in the private sector in Kansas. I can't believe he can represent me, or understand any of the challenges faced out in the country day to day. Perhaps he should have explained how or why we need another insider back in DC. I would like to see him go into business for the next 10 years in the community he chose to live in, THEN run for election.
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