Matt Manweller presents platform

GUEST EDITORIAL

I am running for the Washington State Legislature because I believe we need to shrink government, grow jobs, and unleash the potential of Washington.

I am running for the Washington State Legislature because I believe we need to shrink government, grow jobs, and unleash the potential of Washington.

The people of Washington are hard working and creative. They are simply overburdened by excessive regulations, burdensome taxes and an overly intrusive government. We can unleash the entrepreneurial spirit of

Washington by getting government out of our way.

I have the education, experience, and understanding of public policy that will make me an effective advocate on behalf of the citizens of Grant County. The same cannot be said of my opponent.

Time after time, Mr. Selmann has exhibited an ignorance of public policy that is simply alarming. When he addressed the Realtor's Association, he indicated Washington State should take back its water rights from the federal government. What rights would those be Mr. Selmann? At the Warden

Development Council, he admitted he did not know what the E-Verify Program was. Are there any farmers or orchardists who want someone who doesn't know what E-Verify is to be their Representative? At the Big Bend Community College forum he noted he wasn't an educator instead announcing "I have to work for a living." Is this the advocate Grant County teachers want in Olympia?

At the same time, Mr. Selmann has continually shown he is out of step with Grant County values. He has publicly and repeatedly endorsed gay marriage and abortion. He is, of course, welcome to his private opinions on those sensitive issues. But, do we want him casting votes for us while having those values? I for one will always defend traditional marriage and fight to protect the unborn.

At our numerous debates, Mr. Selmann has been an unequivocal supporter of

President Obama and an advocate for ObamaCare. Mr. Selmann shows us an ideology that sees government as the solution to most of our problems and more spending as a way to grow the economy. I have a different view. I believe government should be smaller, less intrusive and less expensive.

As we all cast our votes in the next week, it is important to remember that values matter. I offer a vision that seeks solutions in the private sector, respects property rights, encourages innovation and rewards hard work. These are the founding values of this country. They are the values that made us the most prosperous, successful and free country in the world. I believe these are the values we should rediscover.