The joy in what I believe

A short review of my core beliefs:

• I believe in Jesus Christ, in my need to make a positive, prosocial impact, and life after death in heaven.

• I believe in the science and sanctity of life, from conception to natural death.

• I believe in the American Dream, the importance of faith and family, and the need for personal responsibility.

• I believe in the empowerment of people, in free markets, capitalism and informed choice.

• I believe that I am responsible for my family's education and health and that the government is responsible for promoting the general welfare.

• I believe that to promote the general welfare, we need public (i.e., taxpayer) funding of school choice and medical care insurance.

• I believe in both asking permission and seeking forgiveness.

• I believe that human ingenuity and the spirit of growth and prosperity can overcome the challenges of and threats from nature, sustaining prosperity while sustaining nature for future generations.

• I believe that life on earth -- income, wealth, health, knowledge and education -- has improved uniquely and remarkably well, for billions of lives, over the past 200 years.

• I believe that Covid has accompanied rather than unilaterally caused the death of millions of the fragile, the unhealthy, the elderly and the immune-challenged.

• I believe that climate changes, as does the weather.

• I believe in taxing income and poor consumption choices (i.e., sin taxes), while creating, preserving and NOT taxing wealth.

• I believe the government should ensure negative rights -- things that can't be taken away from us -- and much less show on positive rights -- benefits the government provides with taxpayer dollars.

• I believe that poverty is the natural state of man. Every person is born poor and dies poor. Everything you have at birth comes from others; everything you have at left is left to others.

• I believe that countries have the right and need to preserve their borders.

• I believe that the "immigration crisis" must be solved by fixing problems in home countries rather than by moving people to other countries.