IamA Republican challenging John Boehner in the May Primary AMA!

I am wearing down.
I really appreciate how thoughtful and nice everyone was. I hope I answered your questions fully. If you desire I can try to do this again in a week or two. Apologies for bailing but it's been a long day.

I will try to revisit this tomorrow and answer any questions remaining.

What is your veiw on gay rights?

I'm not in favor of gay marriage as a legal term. I am in favor of civil unions and associated rights. I don't think we should deny a gay couple who have been together fifty years visitation rights in a hospital or rights a spouse might enjoy on death. I do not believe in special rights. I don't believe a baker who is against gay marriage should be forced to bake a cake for a gay wedding. I believe this is simply being provocative for the sake of being provocative. I'm sure there are many bakers, photographers who would love to have the business, it is not right to force someone into a position they disagree with on religious grounds.

I don't believe a baker who is against gay marriage should be forced to bake a cake for a gay wedding.

Would it ever actually be the case that they would?

Also:Do you believe a baker that doesn't believe in interracial marriage should have to the right to refuse to bake a cake for an interracial couple?

Well, I guess I hadn't thought of it that way. That's actually a good question because obviously I wouldn't support that at all. Can I be the first politician ever to say, I don't know? You know there thing is, we all just need to be nicer to each other. That would go along way towards fixing this country. Sorry, it's the best response I can give right now.

Do you believe that there is anything wrong with Gerrymandering and do you see it as healthy for the american democratic system?

I thought it was awful when the Democrats did it. I guess because now that I'm a "politician" I'm supposed to say it's good, but it isn't.

He's held that seat since 91. What makes you think you are going to take it? And specifically as someone who has never run before, what experiences do you have which prepare you for a seat in congress?

A recent poll in the district indicated that 50% want him challenged in the primary. I think many are becoming weary of politicians who get elected and stay in Washington D.C. for life. My experience running a business for 20 years will help. My hobby of reading/studying history for the last 25 years will help much more. There is no intellectual debate he can throw at me that I cannot respond with sound historical context. I believe voters are smarter than they are given credit for.

Thanks for your reply. Best of luck to you; I'd love to see him unseated.

Thank you. I really appreciate it.

What is your take on the recent initiatives by states to either legalize or decriminalize marijuana? How do you think these changes in policy and law will impact your party in the future?

I think the states should have the right to do so. And I also think they probably should. Legalization of marijuana is not going to do damage to this country. Young people can have their lives ruined over a few flakes of marijuana in their cars. We also spend billions of dollars fighting this and so far it doesn't appear to be having any affect at all.

That said I personally don't use it.

Where do your views lie with the EPA and other environmental issues?

EPA has become a bloated bureaucracy. I believe they employ more lawyers than they do scientists. Thousands of kids have environmental science degrees and can't get a job. Makes no sense.

What is your stance on Obamacare? If you could have voted on the CR in the House, would you have been yea or nay?

I'm a small business owner and I see what it is doing to my business. I'm fundamentally against it. I think the GOP hasn't done a great job of explaining the reasons the bill is so potentially destructive to the economy. If you're going to increase the demand you must necessarily increase the supply to have any hope of decreasing or maintaining the price level. This is axiomatic, and it was not done.

What is your stance on gun control: more, less, or keep the status quo? Also, will you sign that Norquist pledge that many Congressional Republicans have signed when first joining Congress?

Gun control is an argument for the 1800s. I find most of the progressive arguments to be patently ridiculous. It's not just the 3d printers either. Any experienced machinist could make you a working semi-automatic rifle with a milling machine and a block of metal.

There are 300 million guns in this nation. How in the world could you possibly get rid of even a few million? I also find it logically inconsistent that Democrats claim we cannot possibly find a few million people who entered the nation illegally, but we can somehow find millions and millions of guns.

The shootings at Sandy Hook are more than horrific. But using them for political points about something that has zero chance of effecting any change is beyond the pale.

Do you believe in the separation of church and state?

Yes but it must be honest. The Constitution is clear on this. I believe it was Vermont (may be wrong but an east cost state) had an official religion until 1870.

Now I'm not for Ohio establishing an official church but it is important to know why the law was written the way it was. Even in 1780 the United States was a big country. By giving states latitude on social issues it prevents us from becoming divided. It may not be pleasant if you're in California and you are socially conservative. But it is no more comfortable for those who are socially liberal to live in a more conservative state. Freedom of mobility should attract like minded people and prevent divisive wars.

What made you choose the Republican party instead of running with a third party or as an independent?

I'm generally an old fashioned Republican. I have some Libertarian leanings, but I'm not in favor of getting rid of food stamps. Just some common sense reform would be nice. I'm also in favor of strengthening Social Security and Medicare. Obamacare will not do that.

Why should someone vote for a candidate with no experience in politics?

Because they have no experience in politics. I am completely serious. In a representative democracy the elected must necessarily be close to the people. There are far too many career politicians.

Do you think you can take him?

It's not going to be easy. He has been in office for 23 years and has a sizable war chest. But I think if I can get 1000 or so people to donate $25 to $50 I can make it close.

If you arm-wrestled him, who do you think would win?

I would.

Any prior political experience? I hope you're not a career politician, we need fresh new faces.

I ran for student council in high school :). But that was a long time ago. No, no real political experience.

Do you consider yourself a Libertarian Republican or just a plain old Republican?

Is Eisenhower Republican an option?

Do you expect or have you experienced any pressure from the GOP to stay away from Boehner? I would think that having their speaker go through a primary process or worse lose his seat to another republican could be seen as something of a black eye for the party.

Also, do you support/would you support continuing to spend House time on meaningless votes to repeal the ACA?

Thank you

I haven't had any pressure yet. I intend to keep this campaign focused on issues. I honestly think that the GOP is moving to a more fiscally conservative party with a healthy dose of Libertarianism. I think some of the GOP leadership or going to hurt guys like John Kasich, and others. I don't think the house is wasting its time. I believe the ACA as currently derived is a disastrous piece of legislation. It is poorly premised, poorly conceived and will do the greatest amount of damage to the youth of this nation. You can't ask recent high school or college grads to carry the burden of the load. They've got enough on their plates trying to find a job and pay back student loans.

I disagree. Although, I don't think that the ACA is a perfect piece of legislation, it's also SOMETHING. I keep hearing "repeal and replace" but all I've seen is the repeal part and then let the system go back to axing people for pre-existing conditions and capping benefits among many other injustices that our healthcare industry has foisted on us. The point has been made that House republicans don't like the ACA, that was perfectly clear with the first 10 or so repeal votes, letting it go into the 40s is just pouting about it, and I think the endless grandstanding about is shameful. There are better ways to have the conversation about how to fix the healthcare situation than constantly wasting House time on purely symbolic votes.

Good luck on your campaign and thank you for your response.

Thank you. I appreciate yours as well.

Here lad you'd need to put your name in the title if you want people to know who you are...

Yeah, I thought about that after the fact.

What's your take on the NSA spying? Yay or nay?

nay. I think it's a clear violation of the constitution. Beyond that I think it's probably a waste of money. It's almost impossible to do predictive analysis on terabytes of data. What they end up with is pattern matching. They would probably catch anyone searching terms related to the Boston marathon bombing, but it's not possible to parse that much data for an emerging pattern. This not only wastes money I believe it gives us a false sense of security.

Ohio has been talking about redoing their electoral vote count for the presidential elections such that instead of the state counting as a whole, they'd split it up into districts.

Do you support this decision? Why do you think that this is even on the table?

I'm generally opposed to that but I must be honest it isn't something I've looked into with much vigor. It appears to me this is always favored by the side that lost the last election.

With a country so fundamentally worried about social as opposed to fiscal issues, how will you bridge the gap? How do you make someone who wants to help people, realize that the Affordable Care Act is bad. Or someone that believes in abortion, that maybe tax payer funding isn't the best option?

Fiscal issues are the bigger concern, but monetary policy is the biggest threat facing the nation. If you are a single issue voter and that issue is marijuana legalization, gay marriage or abortion it won't really matter if the currency collapses. In the last two thousand years no nation has successfully monetized its debt, all debts are reckoned. On the other hand nations with sound currencies tend to survive even the toughest economies.

We need to have a frank and honest debate about the real state of our union. It need not be personal or vitriolic, but it must be honest if we are to come out the other side of this thing with a nation that offers hope to our youth.

Considering the amount of projects / funds Boehner can bring to your district based on his ranking in the party, how do you think you can better support the people as a Freshman congressman?

He doesn't do earmarks. It's funny but this is the issue I'm getting some support on. He supports earmarks for other districts, but not his own. This is actually I think part of his disengagement with the district.

What is your view of late term abortion?

I'm against late term abortion.

What about in the case of rape?

Also more proof? Maybe a picture because anyone can link to that site.

I believe in God, I'll start with that. But I can't pretend to know the mind of a God smart enough to create this universe and put me in it. By nature I'm not a judgemental person. I believe that abortion should be an option for someone who is raped. I don't claim to know whether it's right or wrong. I just know I wouldn't want my daughter or granddaughter to have to go through with that.

But if it only available to rape victims won't that lead to more false rape accusations because it is the only was she can get an abortion?

That is of course a possibility. But I believe firmly that the risk of that outweighs the horror of a 13 year old girl forced to go through a pregnancy and lose a baby because she was raped. Sometimes in life there are no easy answers.

No question - just advice. Make sure you start working on a really good bootstraps story.

Constituents love bootstraps (especially Boehner's).

Funny, we actually have very similar stories. I was raised by a single mother. She worked hard her entire life and graduated from college after all of her children were grown and gone.

Eric,

1) What is your strategy for reaching GOP primary voters in your district? Summarize your pitch to them when you knock on their door.

2) What are your thoughts on crony capitalism and corporate welfare (bailouts, guaranteed loans, subsidies, etc.)?

thanks and good luck with the race

1. I'm going to have to get out there and meet with them until I can raise enough money for radio/tv etc.
2. Crony capitalism and corporate welfare would almost be welcome to replace the current plutocracy. I believe in free-market capitalism. And I mean that in the historic sense. We the people are the free-market. We decide what to buy, how much to pay for it, and who goes bankrupt by the use of our money.

Whats your opinion on the partisan standstill we've reached in congress and how to find some sort of middle ground?

That's an excellent question. We've been here before and when you look at the big picture it becomes clear why this happens. The GOP holds only the House. Democrats hold the Senate and Presidency. People complain about using the debt limit as a tool. The reality is when you only hold the house you don't have a lot of tools in your toolbox. That's actually the reason Obama said he won't negotiate. He holds the Senate and the veto pen and knows he ultimately doesn't have to negotiate.

Do you ever laugh because his name is looks like "boner?" Also, could action potentially be taken against the Obama administration for spying on people like they claim they have?

I think it would only be actionable if Obama overrode a court decision not too, or ordered someone to outside of the established rules.