Union Leader: Guinta- All this spending has to stop

Guinta: All This Spending Has to Stop

By BETH LAMONTANGE HALL
New Hampshire Union Leader

MANCHESTER – In the 18 months former Manchester Mayor Frank Guinta has been running for the 1st Congressional District Republican nomination, the political climate has shifted in conservatives' favor.

But Guinta said he isn't running his campaign based on what's floating in the political wind.

"I've never looked at what does the polling say or can you win given the environment," said Guinta. "Every race I've ever run, going back to my first state representative race (I've been a) Republican in a Democrat ward. Same thing with alderman. Same thing with mayor. A Republican in a Democrat city."

Throughout his interview at the New Hampshire Union Leader yesterday afternoon, Guinta stayed focused on core conservative values.

"I believe in limited government. I believe in individual rights and freedoms and I think all of those positions and philosophies are under attack right now," he said.

Guinta said his top priority, if elected, would be to balance the national budget. He would push for an audit of every government agency, looking for efficiencies and places to cut waste.

Guinta would also support eliminating the U.S. Departments of Education and Energy.

"These two departments, that were created in and around the same time, I don't think we have met the goals or objectives of either one of those departments," said Guinta.

The former two-term mayor also pledged he would not submit any earmarks for the district.

"When I say you've got to be a good steward of other people's money, that means you've got to make tough decisions everywhere," said Guinta. "Being a member of congress today shouldn't be about bringing money back to your community or your state or your district. It needs to be about how do we get our economy back on track, how do we put ourselves in financial and fiscal control again.

"That means all of this spending has to stop," he said. "We've got to reform and reshape what Congress is there for in the first place."

Guinta has focused much of his campaign on touting his mayoral record of cutting spending, reducing taxes and working to pass the Manchester tax cap, despite criticism.

"You're going to need people, the country is going to need someone to stand up and make those tough decisions. That's what separates me from everybody else," said Guinta. "I've been there. I've been tested. I've stood up to that criticism ... I stood up to it and I didn't crumble."

Guinta is so in favor of the tax cap concept, he would support implementing one on the national level, based on a percentage of the consumer price index.

When it comes to trimming the budget, all areas of spending should be on the table, he said, including entitlement programs and the defense department.

"Trying to be efficient in spending for defense doesn't mean that you're not for the defense of the country," said Guinta.

When it comes to reforming Social Security and other programs, he would consider creating personal accounts and increasing the retirement age.

"Everything has to be on the table," said Guinta. Everything, that is, except tax increases.

"I will not raise taxes in order to balance this budget. I think people are taxed too much already," he said. "We have to stop relying on tax hikes to justify bad decisions about spending or poor management of taxpayers' money."

On immigration policy Guinta said America must first secure the borders, then concentrate on deporting illegal immigrants. Amnesty is not an option, he said. Guinta would also take a hard line on illegal immigrants with American-born children.

"If the parents go, the kids are going to have to go with their parents," he said. "The responsibility of a parent at that point is to keep their family intact. If you're breaking the law and you are deported, you bring your family back to your home country."

On Afghanistan, Guinta said America has to win to ensure national security, but winning could be measured by how much America is able to reduce the number of terrorists.

"I think we have to be extremely vigilant and proactive in ensuring those individuals are not here in this country planning attacks, planning bombings, planning killings," Guinta said.

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