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Fundamental Rights
Brad Sherman stands in full agreement with the founders, as stated in the Declaration of Independence, that rights come from God, not government, and the purpose of government is to protect those rights. Among these unalienable rights are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Pursuit of Happiness
Happiness, in this context, refers to enjoying one’s personal property. Government must protect the right of every person to enjoy the fruit of their own creativity, labor and inheritance. Notice that this right is not a right to happiness or property, but the right to pursue it. Brad will work for the kind of government that protects the right of all citizens to work toward this happiness.
Liberty
Pursuing happiness becomes difficult or impossible if the right to liberty is not protected. Civil liberty is protection from the arbitrary will of others. This protection is secured by laws that prevent people from injuring or controlling others. Therefore, laws that restrain those who would do harm to others are essential for civil liberty. Excessive taxation and the creeping danger of bigger and bigger government bureaucracy is also a threat to liberty. Brad will fight those who seek to utilize laws and government in Iowa in ways that disregard the property and liberty of others.
Life
The most fundamental right of all is the right to life. Without life, the right to liberty and the pursuit of happiness, or any other right, becomes irrelevant. The disregard for human life we see in our world is disturbing. We have made progress in the battle to protect the life of the unborn and we must continue that fight. On the other end of life’s spectrum, we are seeing an increasing disregard for the lives of the elderly. With several states legalizing medically assisted suicide, euthanasia is just a short slide down the slippery slope. Brad Sherman believes every person has intrinsic value because they are created in the image of God, and he will not waver in the fight to protect life.
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Economy
Brad believes that the driving force for a successful economy is the ingenuity, creativity, and hard work of the people of Iowa. There are many things the government can do to encourage economic growth, but a few general principles are essential:
- Protect life, liberty and property;
- Facilitate a sound monetary system for the equitable exchange of goods and services;
- Encourage personal responsibility;
- Scrap unnecessary regulations that discourage business growth and smother productivity;
- Create a level playing field for all Iowa businesses;
- And then, stay out of the way!
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Eminent Domain
Brad is staunchly opposed to the use of Eminent Domain for private gain. Eminent Domain should only be used for necessary public projects or infrastructure for common carriers – and then only when all other options are exhausted. Private property is a fundamental principle that must be sacred in Iowa.
Eminent Domain is a dangerous creature which must be confined under constant guard behind high walls with iron gates. When it is allowed outside those walls, it must be restrained by heavy chains of specific purpose and then immediately returned to its confinement. Eminent Domain is a cousin of socialistic tyranny and, if allowed to roam free, it will become a devouring beast that consumes our personal rights and liberty.
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Medical Freedom
When COVID first hit, most of us were blindsided and did not understand what was happening. Under the fog of fear, emergency powers were used to impose unconstitutional shutdowns which resulted in harm to many businesses and families. The long-established concept of developing “best practice” from the experience and evidence gathered by our great doctors and nurses was ignored and we saw a top-down one-size-fits-all protocol forced on medical professionals, not only across the state of Iowa, but around the world! Right here in Iowa, doctors and medical professionals who dared to question these protocols were threatened with the loss of their jobs and even their medical licenses.
Now, the shocking truth of the pandemic is being revealed, and we are seeing how quickly tyranny can come upon us under the guise of doing good. It must not happen again. Brad Sherman will sign legislation to reduce emergency powers and will work to dismantle the bureaucratic swamp that was responsible for the iron hand of tyranny we saw from the medical establishment during COVID.
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Mental Health
Having counseled hundreds of people dealing with difficulties, including mental health issues, Brad Sherman understands the urgent need to help those dealing with depression and anxiety. Sometimes, a simple message of hope and encouragement from a caring person can make a huge difference. We also have many great institutions and organizations that offer professional help. These deserve immediate support to expand services and resources for those in need.
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Education
Education is a big topic, but one important aspect of education is its impact on freedom. Surveys have indicated that most people in Iowa believe their freedoms have been decreasing. Many Iowans also feel our schools have become indoctrination centers for a left-wing agenda. Brad understands that, over the long term, this agenda has directly affected us and the freedoms we hold dear.
The History – Freedom Connection
George Mason, who is seen as the father of the Bill of Rights, said, “If free people do not examine their liberties and how they were obtained, they risk losing these rights.” Based on Mason’s statement, one might deduce that our freedoms are decreasing because we have failed to properly educate upcoming generations regarding our history and the principles that produce a free society. As a result of this failure, we have a significant portion of our population who are not enlightened enough to protect our freedoms, and we have seen government leaders who routinely abuse our constitutional liberties without repercussion.
What is the remedy?
Thomas Jefferson spoke to this saying, “I know of no safe depositor of the ultimate powers of society but the people themselves; and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them, but to inform their discretion by education. This is the true corrective of the abuses of constitutional power.” According to Jefferson, educating people is the remedy for the abuses of the constitution. Only an informed electorate will hold politicians accountable. If liberty is to endure, we must restore the constitutional, moral, and religious foundations held by our founders and use a curriculum in our schools that reflects these principles.
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Constitutional Adherence
Brad Sherman believes we must adhere to the timeless principles found in the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, and the Constitution of the State of Iowa. These documents contain the principles upon which our republic was founded, which are the principles that will sustain us and preserve our rights.
Brad understands that it was the states that created the federal government, not the federal government the states, and the Constitution is intended to limit federal authority to specific powers. Everything not delegated to the federal government by the Constitution belongs to the states or the people. He will fight to restore constitutional state sovereignty, which is the proper way to deal with federal overreach.