BUDGET & SPENDING

FreedomWorks supports efforts to slash government spending wherever possible and to balance the federal budget as soon as we can. Any President of the United States should vow to get this under control and to veto any budget or spending bill that includes billions of unconstitutional spending projects.

CIVIL LIBERTIES

The Fourth Amendment is a cornerstone of our republic. As technology progresses and increasingly sensitive information is stored online, it is vital that our Chief Executive uphold his or her oath to defend the Constitution by rejecting warrantless spying on American citizens.

TAXES

The American people should be allowed to keep as much of their hard-earned money as possible. Lowering taxes gives Americans more financial flexibility as well as spurring investment and innovation in the U.S. economy. It is vital that anyone seeking to become President understands this reality.

AGRICULTURE

Agricultural subsidies are growing increasingly out of hand. These wasteful subsidies distort our market, balloon the debt, and actually cause harm to small farmers across the country. It is vital that everyone running for president  would veto such cronyism. 

FOREIGN POLICY

Article I of the Constitution clearly vests war powers to the legislative branch. All politicians seeking to be Commander in Chief must recognize this proper balance of power, understand the fiscal implications of endless war, and be more willing to engage in diplomacy than acts of aggression.

TRADE

Free trade is key to economic success and economic growth in the United States. The President should seek to slash tariffs and other barriers to trade, or at least resist being the one to unilaterally impose them. This creates lower prices for consumers, more jobs, and higher wages.

HEALTHCARE

The Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) has been an unmitigated disaster. Thankfully, the individual mandate was repealed, but there is still much work left to be done to bring the American healthcare system in line with the free market. Presidential candidates must avoid heavy-handed government solutions to our healthcare woes.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM

Our criminal justice system should not serve merely as a vehicle to punish criminal offenders, but to also provide them the tools to successfully re-enter society. We need presidential candidates who will not seek to criminalize more American citizens.

WELFARE & ENTITLEMENTS

Entitlement spending is the largest driving force in the rapid growth of our national debt. Any potential president needs to be willing to get this under control in order to promote fiscal sustainability for our nation. He or she must also ensure our welfare system incentivizes work and not idleness.

TECH & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

The reason the internet has been able to thrive is the light-touch regulatory approach our government has taken towards it. It has been allowed to grow and thrive without unnecessary government red tape stifling its growth. Any departure from this approach is wrong-headed and a threat to our economy.

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT

While striving to take better care of our environment is a worthy goal, it should not be used as a guise for the federal government to meddle in the affairs of private industry. Any potential president should resist fatalistic approaches to environmental regulation that would stifle our economy.

EDUCATION

With regard to higher education, lawmakers should recognize that a 4-year college degree as defined by the federal government is not the most feasible education path for all Americans. Free college proposals of any stripe are ineffective and unhelpful.

IMMIGRATION

Anyone seeking to be our nation’s president needs to commit to securing our borders and then implementing a merit-based immigration system that allows the best and brightest to come to America and contribute to our economy without draining our resources.