Lorie R. Friend, RN, On The Issues

We have a very serious problem with inflation, inflation, and more inflation. Our extreme deficit spending, and loose money supply policies are the primary cause of high inflation and threaten our economy, the dollar's position as the worlds reserve currency, our standard of living, and ultimately our defense. We must become fiscally sound again before it is too late.

We need to become energy independent again. Expensive energy drives inflation higher and dependence on foreign nations makes us vulnerable.

We continue to have supply shortages of necessities, including the very real potential for extreme shortages of food, medicine, manufactured goods, energy, ... etc. We need to make our necessities here.

We must secure our borders. While legal immigration can be beneficial for America, the current open border policy is dangerous and detrimental to our national security. Our border is open to our foreign adversaries. terrorists, and criminal cartels.

Our foreign policy is a hot mess. We must support our allies in the Middle East, specifically Israel. We need to account for the billions of dollars being sent to Ukraine and get our allies in Europe to pony up their fair share. We need to sanction and hold Iran to account for fomenting terrorism.

At home, we see a dramatic rise in crime, especially violent crime in our cities; and a proverbial flood of fentanyl that is killing our people, especially the young. We must prosecute violent offenders here and stand up to China for facilitating the flow of fentanyl.

Freedom of speech, under the First Amendment, is a fundamental cornerstone of our democratic republic The Federal Government's censorship of political speech through big tech is nothing short of an existential threat to our nation. We must preserve it.

Medical freedom, the right of patients to make medical decisions with their own doctors free from governmental mandates is threatened. The failed and oppressive leadership and bad public policies regarding the COVID pandemic caused tremendous harm to us as a people, and I fear it will happen again. I will oppose future medical mandates.

The rights of parents regarding the education of their children are wrongfully being suppressed by Federal, State, and Local Governments. Many of our education institutions are being used to indoctrinate young people with radical hard left ideology.  This must stop.

The radical left of the democratic party has politically weaponized law enforcement against anyone that threatens their political power. We need voter ID and in person voting to secure the sanctity of our elections. While term limits are ultimately a constitutional issue, I do support them.

The 2nd Amendment preserves our natural right to self defense, I will defend it.