Ed Krause

Candidate for U.S. House

District 11

Why I am running

Our Founding Fathers envisioned America as a land of opportunity, freedom, and liberty with a limited central government.  They had endured a tyrannical power that taxed and regulated their colonies to the point of strangulation.  Today we face similar circumstances with an assault on our Constitution.  No where in this document is the authority for bailouts of private companies, Federal control of health care decisions, or cash for clunkers.  I am pro life.  All citizens except felons have the absolute right to bear arms.  There is severe economic pain in this Country, especially in the 11th Congressional District.  The prescription for recovery is a strict governmental policy to encourage the growth of small business and other private companies to generate jobs.  These organizations are the engines that have driven our economy since the birth of our nation.  In most instances the Federal government needs to get out of the way.  President Obama and House Speaker Pelosi have ignored these principles.  We require a Congressman who will consistently and openly stand up to them.

Why me

1. For the past 35 years I have operated a business in Asheville that has met a payroll every month.  I have dealt with a host of staff problems and the pressure of many different deadlines at one time.  As a lawyer, I come into contact with people every day who have been laid off, disabled, underemployed or have lost their homes.  My law practice has helped thousands of clients with a wide variety of circumstances throughout the District.  I have assisted entrepreneurs to form all types of business entities, to finance them and to restructure their organizations.  Our Federal representative must be a problem solver.

2. When residing in Madison County, I was twice elected to the Board of Education from 1991 through 1996.  In that position I made tough decisions, many times being the only person to tackle nepotism in the schools.  I have also been involved in budgets of millions of dollars and voted on controversial capital improvement projects.  For five years, I dealt with upset parents concerning their children.  I can take the heat of service in Congress.

3. I understand our culture and values.  These are woven in my three novels, all set in a fictitious small town in a rural county in the Southern Appalachian Mountains.  The first two, Our Kinfolks and Our Next of Kin, are available in all public libraries in the District.  The third, Our Kindred Spirits, is in manuscript form ready for publication; upon request, I can e-mail a copy to you.  They reveal my faith, my beliefs, and some of the mistakes made in my life.  These books are imprinted on my brain and I will not be polluted by the politics of Washington, D.C.

4. I am the only Republican candidate to serve two terms on a local elected board.  Also I am the only person in the race to own and operate a business in Buncombe County, the largest in the district.  One must do well there to beat Heath Shuler.

Biography

Presently my wife and I live in the Pleasant Gardens community near Marion in McDowell County with our 16 year old adopted son and a Russian exchange student.  I have five other children ranging in ages from 29 to 40 (two natural and three step children); all of my four grandchildren live in Western North Carolina.  I earned a Civil Engineering Degree from Tufts University in 1969, and graduated from Georgetown University Law Center in 1973.  My military service was in the NC Army National Guard, 211MP Co in Asheville.  My adult life has been devoted to many community organizations such as Boy Scouts in the Daniel Boone Council, Asheville Lions Club, Madison County Rotary Club, Madison County Habitat for Humanity, McDowell Mission Ministries, McDowell Trails Association and Pisgah Legal Services.  My leisure time is spent on model railroading, working out at the gym, hiking with my children or watching movies with my wife.  In 1992, I married Jean Nodine, formally of Mills River in Henderson County.  She taught at Etowah Elementary School and worked part-time at the Henderson County Public Library.  My wife is now the Library Director for McDowell County.  I have been a strong Republican all my life and have been active in party leadership.  However, my decisions will be based on what is good for America and this District.  I am 62 years old and do not plan to make Congress a career; three terms would be my absolute limit.

Goals

My Goals in Congress would be:

1. Revive our economy by reducing taxes so that individuals and corporations can have more capital to spend and invest to increase jobs.  There needs to be immediate meaningful tax reform to make it business friendly (Investment Tax Credits and repeal of Capital Gains Tax).  My long range goal would be to replace the income tax with the Fair Tax.  Throwing stimulus money around to people such as ACORN will not accomplish anything.  The national debt must be dealt with by controlling Federal spending.  (Eliminate Federal Reserve, IRS with the Fair Tax, the Departments of Education and Energy, replace Homeland Security with existing agencies such as the FBI, US Marshall and the Military).  My top priority would be to recruit industry for this area and schedule industry summits in WNC.  We are blessed to have a good labor force, beautiful surroundings and a pleasant climate.  I would revisit NAFTA and insist on a level playing field for any trade agreements.

2. Strive for energy independence from foreign sources.  Off shore drilling, nuclear energy, and conservation efforts must be expanded.  Rail service is the most energy efficient means of transportation and needs to be promoted to reduce traffic on our highways.  Folks, sooner or later the gas tank will be empty.

3. Strengthen and support our military and intelligence organizations so that the Country will be safe from terrorism and foreign aggression.  Secure borders are essential for national security.  Nonetheless, America should be the shining city on a hill to the rest of the world as Ronald Reagan said.

4. Increase competition among doctors, hospitals and insurance companies so that health care costs can be reduced. Legislation should be passed to allow people to purchase insurance from out of state sources. I am not in favor of further governmental control of health care.

My Heroes

I believe you can tell a lot from someone by who they look up to as their heroes.  My favorite hero in American history is Abraham Lincoln.  As a small town lawyer, Congressman and President, he could relate to the common man and solve difficult problems.  The circumstances then were far worse than today.  He was accessible to the people, whether debating his opponent Douglas, greeting ordinary citizens at the White House or responding to the wives of slain or injured Union soldiers.  Despite the turmoil of the Civil War swirling around him and his intense personal problems such as losing his son to fever and a deranged wife, Lincoln remained an optimist.  He inspired a Nation to right the wrongs of slavery and yet exhibited compassion to those who hated him.  His ability to bring people together is artfully portrayed in the book A Team of Rivals, by Doris Kearns Goodwin.  Since I memorized his masterful Gettysburg address in grade school, I have admired him.  When Heath Shuler refused to stand face to face with the people in town hall meetings involving important issues in the summer recess, it was time to act and follow my hero.  Heroes from my lifetime include Barry Goldwater, Ronald Reagan, and Sarah Palin. We should heed the principles of our Founding Fathers, Lincoln, and Reagan.  They did not babble empty promises of HOPE and CHANGE.  Our Country needs a revolution at the ballot box.