Troy Stouffer, contributor to this blog, announces he is running to be the next Representative from Maryland’s 2^nd Congressional District.

I have watched the political process over the past year and become increasingly dismayed.  Our elected representatives in Washington D.C. have shown that they care more about their political power than they do about fulfilling their Constitutionally mandated duties.  They have ignored our requests to end the bailouts, not pass the Cap and Trade bill that will hamstring our economy, and actually reform Health Care instead of passing a bill that will destroy it.

I contacted my Representative, Dutch Ruppersberger, about the Health Care Reform bill and his response reeked of arrogance.  He explained that it was one of the hardest decisions that he has had to make in his political career, but the urgency of the matter demanded that he support it.  It simply cannot be urgent if the benefits are not implemented for three years.

Dutch Ruppersberger has fashioned an image of himself as a moderate Democrat, but the truth of the matter is that since he has been in Congress, his voting record is that of someone who votes 98% of the time along Democrat Party lines.  He has shown a consistent pattern of ignoring his constituents in favor of furthering his political career and power.  The time has come for his employer, the citizens of Maryland’s 2^nd Congressional District, to give him his walking papers.  It is time for Mr. Ruppersberger to return to the private sector and become reacquainted with the real world.

After much thought, speculation, and prayer, I have decided to run for the United States House of Representatives in Maryland’s 2^nd Congressional District.  I believe that the government is not the answer to all of our problems, but more often than not an obstacle to the American people.  The American people have the ability to turn our economy around if the federal government would just get out of the way.  We need to cut the corporate business tax to allow businesses to expand and grow.  We need to make the tax cuts of 2001 and 2003 permanent.  As it stands now, at the end of the year all of our taxes will go up.  We need to actually reform health care, starting with tort reform to end these frivolous lawsuits that are a major force in driving up health care costs.  There are ways to reform health care without the inefficient federal bureaucracy taking it over.  We need common sense solutions to our country’s problems, not career politicians looking to further their political careers.

This will be a long, hard journey.  We are taking on a career politician, with a lot more money, name recognition, and political connections, but I believe that God can do something miraculous and great.  This will have to be a grassroots campaign.  If you live in Maryland’s 2^nd Congressional District, I am asking for your help and your vote.  For everyone else I need your assistance as well.  I need you to help get the word out about our quest to send the career politicians home.  As with any political campaign, it takes money.  If you can help with any size donation, it would go a long way to changing our country.  My name is Troy Stouffer and I am running to be the next Representative from Maryland’s 2^nd Congressional District.