My name is Charlie Gaddis. I want to represent you in the 13th Ohio Congressional District.
For those of you who do not know where the 13th congressional district is and if you even live in it, that is understandable. The statehouse finished drawing the lines just before Thanksgiving. Currently, the 13th district consists of all of Medina County, most of Summit County, and a few cities in Cuyahoga County (Westlake, North Olmsted, Berea, Strongsville, North Royalton, and Brecksville). To find the most up to date redistricting map, please visit https://davesredistricting.org/maps#state::OH
I was born and raised in the 13th district (no, this is not about the Hunger Games). I am an Eagle Scout from Sharon Troop 511. I graduated from Highland High School. I married my college sweetheart from Wittenberg University. I am a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Managerial Accountant, and have a Masters in Business Administration. I have three children; my two girls are grown and out of the house, and my son currently attends Arch-Bishop Hoban Highschool.
I have a nice life. However, none of this is a reason you trust me to represent you.
Far too often, politicians expect our support merely to do to their party. I am a Democrat. I am a Republican. Of course, you need to pick a party in our two-party system. So I will be running in the Republican Party as a "Classic" Liberal. Words change meaning over time. In 1776, every American was a Liberal, as in "Liberty." As a result, I will lay out how I plan to represent you in the next couple of weeks. Some of my positions are as follows:
Taxation – move away from taxing productivity, hidden taxes, and favoring foreign competitors. I am for every citizen receiving 100% of what they earn and a fair tax system.
Healthcare – should be affordable and a "personal" responsibility. It does not need to be socialized. It is not the employer or state's responsibility, and it should not be expensive.
Retirement – Social Security is doomed. What started as a solid government program has become an overpriced entitlement through neglect. There is a way back.
Fiscal Responsibility – In the time of trillion-dollar spending sprees and a $30 trillion deficit, fiscal responsibility seems like an ancient principle. The problem is how we budget, all or nothing—no room for robust debate. There is a better and more logical approach.
Immigration – The US cannot be an unwitting partner in human trafficking. Illegal immigration cannot continue; the physical wall enhanced by a robust virtual wall should be able to nearly eliminate illegal immigration. In terms of legal immigration, states should be able to set their sponsorship level. Sponsored immigrants would work with their state sponsor to obtain citizenship.
Education – Most of us are fortunate to have access to good schools, but there is no reason to be stuck in the educational monopoly if you were in a poor system. There are so many options on how to teach children. Give parents a choice where to spend their educational dollar.
I will try to inform you of my approach to solving these and other challenges in the weeks to come. Try not to miss an edition of your paper. If you miss an edition, please check your archives or visit my blog at CharlieGaddis.com. Also, if you would like me to address your organization, please email me at CharlieGaddisForCongress@gmail.com , and I would be glad to pitch “Why Me?” to your group in person.
Hopefully, I will be able to earn your trust. You may not agree with me on all my positions, but hopefully, I will earn your trust that I will make a thoughtful principled representative.