Christian Fong for Governor

The Budget Crisis

The Governor’s decision to borrow his way through a budget crisis, choosing generational debt over fiscal restraint, is misguided.  I would balance the budget, and would veto any bill that spent one cent over the 99% spending limits, or raided reserves to get there.

I am a businessman. I have made tough decisions to make payroll and stay profitable, while the “experienced” political leaders spend, grow the reach of the state and expect hard-working Iowans to shoulder the yoke of not just big government, but bad government.  It must end.

Bloated Cost of Government

The cost of state government is growing at an out-of-control pace.  I will shrink the size of government by 5% in my first year.  On day one, I will sign an executive order ending the spending of taxpayer dollars to fund lobbyists.  Those lobbyists come back and ask for even more taxpayer money!  That cycle must come to an end.

I will stop outsourcing the job of negotiating with government employee unions.  As Governor, I will lead the negotiation of future contracts and stop the outsourcing of negotiations with government employees.  I will require them to partner with me to streamline government and make it accountable, transparent and accessible.

Life

On the issue of life, I am clear.  I am pro-life.  As Governor, I will defend human life from conception.

Support of Traditional Marriage

When the Supreme Court overturned Iowa’s definition of marriage as between one man and one woman, I dropped what I was doing and immediately published where I stood.  It took Governor Culver four days to decide to flip-flop and play politics on the issue of marriage.

My position reflects the values of most Iowans: I believe Iowans should be able to vote on a constitutional amendment on marriage.  It is an amendment I will personally support.

Right to Work

I support Iowa’s Right to Work law.  I will resist any repeal.  I will protect the rights of workers to decide for themselves whether they want to join a union.  Iowa’s Right to Work law leads to better wages, more jobs, and better opportunities for Iowa workers.

Celebrating the Iowa Family

Iowa is made strong when its families are strong.  I will declare my first year in office the Year of the Iowa Family, and I will get out to all 99 counties to meet and celebrate the sort of hard-working Iowa families that make us strong.  Imagine leaders that actually get out, actually talk to Iowans week after week, not just during campaign season!

Sliding Standards in Education

The Des Moines Register reported that our high school drop-out rates are rising, even as our expectations drop for our education system.  Did you know that our standards are so low that an elementary teacher could miss every math question on the Praxis certification exam, and still be considered qualified to teach our kids?  I will raise these standards because I believe every Iowan, rural or urban, whether public, private or home-educated, should have a world-class education.

Disaster Recovery

I led the grassroots efforts to rebuild homes, get businesses back on their feet and keep my community focused on the priorities of its citizens.  My wife and I even took a flood family into our home for eight months.  All the while Governor Culver deliberated, delayed and betrayed the trust of my community by making the flood an excuse to grow government, build bureaucracy and play the blame game - rather than empowering people and solving problems.

I am concerned when the Governor spends more on the bureaucracy of flood management than saving thousands of jobs in the flooded small businesses.  I have demonstrated, through true community leadership, with the support of the community we can do better.