Thomas Lynch

Strongly Agree

Abortion should be illegal with exemptions for the health of the mother, rape, and incest.

Strongly Disagree

Assisted Suicide and the like bring a very slippery slope to legalizing murder. the law should always be on the side of life.

Abortion should be illegal with exemptions for the health of the mother, rape, and incest

Strongly Disagree

As a country we need to focus on small business. tax credits, tax cuts, and a flat tax to end the confusion in the working class and the manipulation in the elite class. They call it redistribution, but it is stealing under any other definition. While I will agree our anti-trust laws have fallen a little short, this is still a free country and playing Robinhood through the greedy hands of the government is never the answer.

Strongly Agree

Abolish, Consolidate, and Audit. we need fiscal responsibility. e need to abolish the Dept of Ed, the TSA, and im sure many other organizations. The CIA, FBI, DEA, ICE, ATF, US Marshals etc can and should all be one agency with many departments. Our government agencies already don't communicate well with over bloated Admin. The same should be done with our food safety agencies, environmental agencies, and public health agencies. We need to audit the FED as well as every other agency.

We need a simple flat tax across the board. No loopholes, no complicated code, just a flat tax. Under a Flat tax system it would be easy to force the government to send the bill instead of guessing and paying CPAs to do your taxes for you. Speaking of unnecessary complications, under a flat tax we will see a dramatic reduction in the need for the IRS. Instead of giving the IRS a record increase in funding we could accomplish a record cut in funding for services no longer needed. Currently, the Rich take advantage of the complicated tax code making sure to pay the minimum amount and in some cases none at all. I don't fault anyone for taking full advantage of the system. I would if I could. that does not mean we should take the money from the rich and give to the government. it means we need to fix the system. I believe a flat tax does exactly that while maintaining that everyone pays the same rate. A bonus is those that abused the former system will not be able to in a strict flat tax system. Until that happens we have a flawed tax code. Under the current system, we need more tax credits and tax breaks for small businesses.

Strongly Agree

Over the last 2 years we have seen first hand the overreach of the government infringing on religious liberty to the point of arrest. This is unacceptable and those responsible must be held accountable. Religious liberty has the highest level of protection under the law in the bill of rights. Any pubic official that sought to or accomplished shutting down places of worship should be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.

Strongly Disagree

This nation is based on individual liberty. If you are denied services, you can rest assured that the free market will provide for you another option. If a individual or business wants to refuse service, that is their right. The reason for the refusal is irrelevant.

They should be completely separate. Over the last 2 years we have seen first hand the overreach of the government infringing on religious liberty to the point of arrest. This is unacceptable and those responsible must be held accountable. Religious liberty has the highest level of protection under the law in the bill of rights. Any pubic official that sought to or accomplished shutting down places of worship should be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. The Church is given power under the bill of rights to operate as it sees fit completely separate from the State. Some think the separation of Church and State hinders the Church. I disagree. It is the separation that gives the Church its power among the rules of man. During the Covid Pandemic the State made rules forcing Churches to abide. I believe the Separation of Church and State gave the Church the power to reject such rules.

There are zero circumstances in a free country where someone should be allowed to force a vaccination on someone. How can we say we live in a free country and then force someone to stick a needle in their arm? To me, you can't.

If Obamacare proved anything it was that the government can't make healthcare cheaper. With every effort meddled by our government prices have gone up. Its time to let the system work for itself. I support price transparency I support implementing good business practices like barring price gouging. I oppose all forms of socialist healthcare programs. A free market healthcare system with price transparency is a good start to lowering prices and keeping the medical innovations we benefit from in this country. In a perfect world i would say all tax-payer funded healthcare should be abolished in all forms. That said, there will always be those less fortunate that need help. I fully support helping them within reason. We need strict guidelines and people to follow up with the expenditures. Adding price transparency helps keep costs reasonable for people and the government under limited use.

The United States has become too involved in others' policies and should remain focused on issues regarding our own sovereignty unless in imminent danger. We need to take care of issues at home. We have starving children, homeless veterans, and an economic crisis the democrats think we can spend our way out of. I fully support helping those less fortunate but as a firefighter I was taught if I get hurt in a fire, I can't help anyone. The same applies here. If we don't get our issues under control, there will be no help for the less fortunate around the world. We need fair, reciprocal trade partnerships. We need the same in defense partnerships. And we need limited Foreign aid that has strict guidelines that our nation can follow up on. Again, transparency is key. We need to stop working so fondly with our enemies. Iran, Russia, China. We help them to our own detriment. We do not need a war with Russia. We just need to walk away from them and walk away from those that do Business with them. The same should apply to China and Iran as well. Russia has invaded a sovereign nation, China has concentration camps for ethnic minorities, and Iran still chants death to America as its proxies continue to attempt to weaken us. For these reasons and many more we should distance ourselves from these types of regimes. We need to focus on America First policies.

Strongly Disagree

I support Israel. I support the United States of America first. Currently we have a lot of issues in our own nation that need addressed. Once our nation is back on the winning tract, we can look into more ways to support democracy abroad. America First policies lead in my mind for viable options that will stabilize the region

Strongly Agree

We need to stop working so fondly with our enemies. Iran, Russia, China. We help them to our own detriment. We do not need a war with Russia. We just need to walk away from them and walk away from those that do Business with them. The same should apply to China and Iran as well. Russia has invaded a sovereign nation, China has concentration camps for ethnic minorities, and Iran still chants death to America as its proxies continue to attempt to weaken us.

Currently, we should secure our own borders. Protect our own nation. Freedom can not be outsourced. If a nation wants to be free of Terrorist regimes, it must fight. We can send aid to help them fight but the fight must be won by those with a vested interest in the outcome. If the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan taught us anything, it should be that we can not win a war for someone else.

Strongly Agree

The Trump Administration proved a strong secure border not only deters illegal immigration but it catches a lot more of it. the Trump Era policies need to return and one of the most important places to start is the southern border.

Strongly Disagree

I disagree with the policies of a sanctuary city but their creation set forth an important precedent in my eyes. Here in illinois, we have a few sanctuary cities and counties of our own that I definitely agree with. Effingham County is a Second Amendment Sanctuary County. full support here. lets go further and ask yourself if you would support a Pro-Life Sanctuary City? To me, sanctuary cities allow a bypass of higher levels of government allowing a local municipality to run as it sees fit.

We should have a merit based immigration policy. If you qualify under such a policy and have no criminal background or prior deportation you should be allowed to gain citizenship. We should end all lottery programs. Overstayed Visas should hold a large punishment including permanent deportation. i think we would be able to allow anyone in the country under certain circumstances. 1. Citizens are the sole benefactors of taxpayer funds. This means those visiting our nation will not be able to benefit from any welfare programs. They will not be able to send their children to public schools or private schools that receive government funding. 2. Immigrants visiting our nation will be requried to prepay at the border for health insurance while in country. Without it hospitals will be allowed to refuse services or pay for it themselves as no government funds meant for US citizens healthcare will be used on visiting Immigrants. 3. One strike rule. Outside minor traffic citations and the like. If you are found to be a visiting Immigrant that broke the law, you will be immediately deported at your cost and Barred from reentry. I believe this is the closest I can come to Open Borders and I am sure there's plenty of corners that need sanded down to make this palatable. My biggest point here is that who and how our immigration system serves and works are conversations that need to happen. we must stop the current unending argument. There is a better way. We just have to find it.

Strongly Disagree

There should be no protected classes in a free and equal society.

Strongly Disagree

We must Abolish the use of CRT in our classrooms. It is Marxist propaganda and meant to manipulate the mind.

I am a highly service oriented person. From my youth in the FFA to my service as a Military Police Officer in the Army, to my current Job in food safety I gain my purpose from serving others. I am a Christian, not a strong Christian as me and the Lord have had our arguments over the years after my service in Iraq. But I feel im working my way back to a place I would be comfortable calling myself a strong Christian. I believe in the power of the Nuclear family. The statistics speak for themselves. The absence of a father in the home can have detrimental effects on the future of a child. I truely believe this is the greatest country on the planet. I took an oath for my military service and i can honestly say there is nothing that means more to me than that oath to protect this nation. it is the exact reason I am running right now.

Strongly Disagree

Photo Voter ID is essential to maintaining that our elections are secure and that fraud isn't happening on a mass scale.

First I would say we need to go back to paper ballots. The electronic machines are not secure enough for our nations election integrity. there have been multiple testimonies on the ability and the ease of which someone could hack into the systems. Paper ballots ensure these issues do not arise and secure that our elections are safe. We need strict absentee voting laws. I have voted Absentee before when I was in the Army stationed in Ft. Drum. There is little wrong with absentee voting. but the option should be limited to specific reasons and should not be extended to anyone. There are too many issues with vote by mail systems. On a rare as needed basis, these issues don't cause any concern. We must institute Voter ID. With sanctuary cities now allowing noncitizens to vote in local elections we need to protect our federal elections from this. Voter ID does nothing by verify the identify of the individual voting. we require an ID to buy Tabaco products, alcohol, enter a courthouse, buy medicine, drive, and even a lot of private businesses require employees to carry an employee ID. It is necessary for security and the only valid reason for being opposed is fraud.

Strongly Disagree

Race and Racism is being used in this country by a nefarious group to spread discord and animosity towards one side or the other. We need to move past it and stop engaging with the ridiculous idea that the country is systematically racist. These talking points come from nothing, can not be backed up, and only serve to divide this great nation. Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? No, but those pushing that it is definitely are.

Choose not to answer

Stricter environmental laws and regulations cost too many jobs and hurt the economy. They also hurt the people and don't justify themselves. We have the cleanest energy production in the world. Energy production outside the United States is bad for the environment. We should be the number one producer of Oil and Natural gas while they are the leading energy demands for the world. We should definitely move towards renewable energy but not at the detriment of fossil fuels while the rest of the world still uses it and our enemies are producing it.

Conservative

I Consider myself a Constitutionalist. The Government should be small and individual freedom should be vast.

I have done no interviews or media reports at this time.

I want to clarify this question. No, I have never been penalized for any sexual misconduct in the courts, my job, or my personal life. Three months prior to my deployment to Iraq and three months after turning 21 I was charged with a DUI in the state of New York. I believe it is Expunged from my record currently but transparency is a key cornerstone to my campaign and my goals for Washington. I was young and honestly scared for my first deployment. That is not an excuse for my actions but it definitely was my frame of mind at the time.

I am Thomas Lynch, your candidate for the 2nd congressional District in Illinois. I was born and raised in a town of 800 people, Cissna Park, IL. I was very active in FFA and was on the State FFA officer team in 2005-06. It was here that I gained a passion for Community service. Now I serve as a member of the FFA Alumni helping fund programs and scholarships to high school seniors looking to further their education. I also serve in my local American Legion where I Chair the Food stand committee for old settlers, the longest continuous running community event in Illinois. I served as an EMT and Firefighter in the Cissna Park Fire Department. My life is service and I wouldn't have it any other way. After a short time in college, I decided to join the Army as a Military Police Officer. After 3 years of service, one tour to Iraq, and a knee injury that lead to my honorable discharge I rejoined the civilian ranks working with behavioral issues in young men 12-18 years old. Soon after my time in the Army ended I joined a brother who deployed with me to attend school at Wyotech in Pennsylvania. I had built a hobby restoring classic cars and it was moving towards being a legitimate business. I decided to stay in Pennsylvania after I graduated. It was here that I started paying closer attention to what my government was doing. President Obama was re-elected in 2012 soon after the business became my sole income. His day one policies to end natural gas and oil drilling destroyed the local economy in my area. People who were making $40/hr working minimum 80hrs/wk yesterday, were selling everything they owned today. It was tragic. I received phone call after phone call from clients telling me to stop all work, total the bill, and almost always offered to sell me the car. Sadly for all of us, I wasn't in any position to buy anything. As my clients lost their jobs, I lost my income. Things went from bad to worse when the shop officially closed. I was living in a garage with no water, no heat, and sleeping on a curb find couch. I had found my rock bottom not because of bad choices I made, but because of policy from the federal government. It pains me to think that someone is living my previous hell right now. The situation today is almost identical, I now clearly understand how one man can affect many with just the stroke of a pen. It was at this point in my life that I started paying attention to what the politicians around me were doing. I'll admit, I didn't care much before. At least not until it affected me personally. I wish I could say different but that's the reality. I know plenty of people that had the same sentiment over the last 2 years. So I started reading the Constitution, the federalist papers. I started studying policy positions and forming my belief structure. That was 10 years ago. And today I know where I stand. I want a second amendment that is not infringed upon. I want freedom of speech that isn't stifled by private companies with monopoly power over information. I want to see government officials behind bars when it is found they broke the law. I want a balanced fiscal policy. I want lower taxes. I want a secure immigration policy that works. But most importantly I want freedom, a transparent government, and one held accountable for its actions. I now work for the Illinois Department of Agriculture as a Meat and Poultry inspector where I pride myself on my mission to help individual businesses operate in a sanitary and common sense way despite the government's insistence that all business owners are the bad guy. In May of 2020 after 2 weeks to flatten the curve turned to just 1 more month turned into unconstitutional authoritarianism I stood up and held a modest protest in Springfield. Soon after, I linked up with the Reopen Illinois crew and continued organizing protests there. I then focused my attention on my local community. I was elected to my county board in 2020 and have fought for an end to the mandates and to change our meeting times so more of the public could participate in our local government. I went to every school board meeting in the 2021-2022 school year. I pleaded with facts and legal rulings for them to change their policies and fight with so many other schools. With every court case won I had more ammo to bring to the meetings. I continued not because I thought I would win. I honestly didn't think I would. But it was the right thing to do. Someone had to stand up for the next generation. I don't have any children but those kids will run this country when I'm too old to. That point kept me fighting as our schools were teaching our youth to back down and take it regardless of the authority and with no consideration for the adverse effects we see today. I say all this to put it all on the table. This is who I am. This is what I've done. I'm an American Patriot who is sick of the government cutting off the hands and feet of the people and calling it progress.

Neutral

Qualified Immunity is an important protection for our law enforcement. That said, it is also abused. Something in the middle needs to be fleshed out. A discussion needs to be had to bridge the gap between protecting the police and not protecting its citizens. I am not sure what the answer is but i will be discussing it with anyone who wants to.

Strongly Disagree

Our police need more training. That doesn't translate to defunding the police in my mind. I believe moving our municipality police to Sheriffs is a fair compromise that has benefits for the right and the left. . Required to live in district and voted by the people. Separating the city politicians from the police while giving the police directly to the people. Now this is my own idea and I'm sure there's plenty of edges that need rounded, but I'm excited for those conversations.

The existence of a gun is not a public safety threat regardless if it is a 9mm pistol or a fully automatic open bolt firing SAW 249. The operator is the only variable that inhibits or supports public safety.

Strongly Disagree

The manufacturer did nothing wrong. this is an egregious overreach by the legislature to push their own ideologies and again, force the people through power, to do as they say or suffer the consequences. The entire debate about this is one of the many reasons I am running for Congress. The power belongs to the people.