HomeFeaturesFeatures › Vernon B. Parker discusses his run for Congress.
 
 
 

Get to know the Valley’s Vernon B. Parker as he discusses his run for Congress.

0512AFM-VERNON-B-PARKER

 

Why have you decided to run for Congress?
I am sick and tired of the Democrats vs. Republicans game. Whatever happened to the American people? I am a Republican, and will stand by sound conservative principles. I will, however, never put party politics ahead of the American people.

This country has been beyond good to me. My grandmother raised me in a severely underprivileged area, surrounded by drugs, gangs and violence. She taught me the valuable lesson that if I worked hard and believed in myself, I could change the world. Before she passed, she was so proud that I graduated from Georgetown Law, served as a Special Assistant to the President to George H. W. Bush in the White House, was confirmed by the United States Senate as an Assistant Secretary of Agriculture, and served as Mayor of Paradise Valley. I promise to work to insure that every American, regardless of color, gender or socioeconomic status, can have that dream.

What will be your priority?
We must rein in runaway spending in Washington, and I will begin by repealing Obamacare. If Obamacare is implemented, it will bankrupt our country and harm large and small businesses. History has proven that once a government program is enacted, it will spiral out of control. In 1965, Medicare was projected to cost $12 billion in 1990. In 1990, the actual cost was $110 billion.

Two years ago, President Obama sold his health care measure to his fellow Democrats as a necessary program to control health care costs. He told the American people it would cost $892 billion over 10 years. Two weeks ago, the Congressional Budget Office, a non-partisan organization, projected that it would actually cost $1.72 trillion, and the program has not been enacted! This bill de-incentives small business to grow by requiring a mandatory participation provision of small businesses that employ 50 or more people. Also, large businesses will be more willing to pay the penalty in lieu of the actual premium for employees, because it will be cheaper, shifting the burden back to the taxpayers.

I know firsthand that we need health care reform. My wife had third stage breast cancer. The premiums were so high, because of her preexisting condition, we had to opt for catastrophic coverage. The bottom line is that the government is not the best provider of health care. The private sector should be given the proper incentives to address health care. Outside of national security, history reminds us that there are few things that our government can do more efficiently than the private sector.

What do you do for fun?
I love cooking, cycling, gardening and traveling.

What kind of music do you listen to?
Johnny Cash, George Strait, Mumford & Sons, Marvin Gaye, Journey, Tom Petty and most 70’s music. 

TO LEARN MORE
Visit www.vernonparker.com.