Bring West Michigan Values to Washington

Our nation faces tremendous challenges. These are difficult times. Making matters worse, Washington is broken. Too many politicians in Congress are more interested in simply following their party leaders and scoring political points than solving the major problems we face. Lock-step partisanship isn’t working for West Michigan.

Pat Miles is running for Congress to offer a new approach, a practical approach, a West Michigan approach, not more of the same.

Growing up in Grand Rapids, Pat Miles learned the importance of listening and of working with others to solve problems and get things done. He was taught to stand up for what is right, but also to respect other people and their viewpoint. If Pat Miles is elected to Congress he will always put our nation and West Michigan ahead of partisanship and will work with anyone -- regardless of party or ideology -- to get results. In these challenging times we must use the best ideas from both parties to get the best policies and results.

In Congress Pat Miles will focus on solving what he believes are our most urgent issues:

We need to get our economy moving again. With all the political rhetoric around the abuses of big corporations and banks, we’ve forgotten that it is small businesses that drive our economy, small businesses are where innovations happen and where jobs are created. Having worked with West Michigan businesses for the past two decades, Pat Miles hasn’t forgotten. We need to get our workers back on the job, and to do that we need to support small businesses.

We need to bring back the hope of the American Dream through Education. For too many families today, the American Dream is out of reach. Pat’s parents put themselves through college and each earned a master’s degree. His dad worked at Steelcase and his mom was an elementary school teacher in the Grand Rapids Public Schools. With hard work and their support, he was able to reach his potential. Pat knows that too many kids don’t have that chance. That needs to change – not just because it is wrong, but also it ultimately costs all of us in the long run. We need a new commitment to education, beginning with early childhood through lifelong learning and training. That’s the only way to put our values to work and protect the American Dream for generations to come.

We need a responsible government, a government people can trust. Trust in government starts with it acting like the West Michigan working families and small businesses Pat knows – living within its means. We must make sure we can afford the programs we want. It sends the wrong message to citizens when our government year after year continues to spend more than it brings in. Worse, that is simply irresponsible. That lack of fiscal responsibility over the past 10 years, the attitude of “we’ll pay for it later,” is a big part of what started the economic crisis and the financial meltdown. Government has to show it can be fiscally responsible again.

A Focus on Creating Jobs & Fixing the Economy
Pat Miles thinks the number one job of Congress right now is getting Americans back to work. That effort must include supporting the small businesses that are the lifeblood of the economy, economic growth, and innovation.

Small businesses generated 64% of the net new job growth over the past 15 years. They produce 13 times more patents per employee than larger companies.

We must work together to:

• Lower small business taxes and increase their access to capital so they can create jobs. 
• Allow companies which purchase American-made equipment or machinery to accelerate their depreciation expense to receive larger tax deductions and a faster return on their investment. 
• Work to institute a temporary payroll tax holiday for small businesses to encourage companies to hire more workers, and to get money back into workers' pockets.
• Expand research and development tax credits to spur innovation.
• Support new technologies and invest in the conversion to a clean energy economy to ensure the next generation of breakthroughs and manufacturing in this growing industry happens here in West Michigan (and reduces U.S. dependence on foreign oil).
• End tax breaks for big corporations when they ship American jobs overseas.
• Insist on fair and reciprocal trade agreements since West Michigan workers and products can compete with any in the world when there is a level playing field.

A Focus on Education from Early Childhood to Adulthood
Pat Miles believes that education is the key to ensuring that all Americans have the opportunity to achieve their full potential and attain the American Dream. Today, for more and more families, a good education -- especially at the college level -- is slipping out of reach.

We need to invest in education and support the programs we know work. We must make sure every American has the chance to fulfill his or her potential.

We must work together to:

• Fund all Federal mandates for excellence and performance.
• Support early childhood development programs.
• Support the direct and proven benefit of smaller class sizes.
• Make college more affordable through larger Pell Grants and lower cost student loans.
• Support job training and lifelong learning programs.
• Help veterans receive necessary job training and college education opportunities.

A Focus on Reducing the Deficit and Increasing Fiscal Responsibility
Our West Michigan families and businesses are expected to spend within their means, but Federal government spending has been out of control. Running budget deficits year after year sends the wrong message to our citizens.

More importantly, our nation’s debt threatens our economic future, and puts us more at risk.

We must work together to:

• Adhere to “pay as you go” principles that ensure fiscal responsibility.
• Support a Presidential line item veto, so we can cut waste and pork from bloated Congressional budgets.
• Hold Congress accountable for its budgets and force politicians to put their money where their mouths are by instituting a five percent Congressional pay cut each year the Federal budget is not balanced.

If you share these beliefs, join Team Miles today!