Fox Valley businessman works to unseat Kagen; Republican running to unseat incumbent in Wisconsin’s 8th Congressional District
The Lakeland Times December 31 2009
Fox Valley businessman works to unseat Kagen; Republican running to unseat incumbent in Wisconsin’s 8th Congressional District
By Joe Van DeLarrschot of the Lakeland Times
Reid Ribble decided last July that the time had come for him to stop complaining about how our federal government is being run and instead try to do something about it. “My son and I were talking and he heard me complaining about our government and he said, kind of tongue-in-cheek ‘instead of complaining about it, why don’t you run for office,’” Ribble said. Ribble said he began thinking seriously about what his son had suggested. “It was keeping me awake at night sometimes and after some talk with my family and others I decided to run. I filed my candidacy with the Federal Election Board on July 4.”
And since that time the Fox Valley businessman has been campaigning and visiting all four corners of the 8th Congressional District in his effort to defeat incumbent Democrat Steve Kagen. Ribble paid a visit to the offices of The Lakeland Times Monday while on his tour of the 8th Congressional District. He said his business background – 35 year in the roofing business 00 allows him to bring practical economic experience to his campaign and to a seat in the US House of Representatives.
Ribble puts his position simply – he wants a smaller and much more efficient government, fewer regulations to allow small businesses to grow jobs and a health plan for Americans that cuts the costs of medical care instead of just replacing it with a costly US Government bureaucracy. “This government just spends, spends, spends,” Ribble said. “You can’t spend your way out of a recession and with the spending spree this government has been bent on our children and our children’s children will be paying for the mistakes we are making today.” Ribble said the government’s current spending spree is only going to make the future of this country even more difficult for those who follow in America’s future. He said all Americans must admit that the “government is too big.” “Too many Americans are now living in fear of what the future holds. That’s not how it should be. They should be looking forward to the future.”
Ribble also said he is against the proposed national health care plan as it’s now been passed in Congress. He calls it “a jobs killer.” “They (the Obama Administration) want to penalize small businesses and force them to offer medical insurance. That makes it difficult for small businesses to make enough money to stay in business. They should be working to promote health insurance that employees can buy, ot through their company, but on their own so they can take it wherever they go for ajob. That’s what makes sense, not forcing companies to offer the insurance. Make it so the employees can take it where ever they go.” Ribble said the current health care proposals “won’t do anything to reform health care.” Ribble said he cares deeply that Congress and President Obama continue to spend money that they do not have. “I care deeply that my grandchildren will be forced to pay for benefits to recipients who will have long since passed on,” Ribble said. “I care about the impact of unnecessary government regulations that have driven up the costs for businesses and consequently to consumers. I also care that Congress routinely disregards the US Constitution when promulgating laws.” Ribble said many in Congress wrongfully believe they can cure all the nation’s ills by merely raising the taxes on the wealthy. “I believe the real solutions are more complicated. In this campaign I plan on offering salutation and a plan to balance the federal budget, to reduce the size of government and to restore the Constitution to its rightful place. We must do better.” Ribble said the nation’s budget problems are now the problems of the current administration. “You can’t borrow your way out of debt,” Ribble said. “The administration must now admit that this is their budget and their problems. Just borrowing more money and spending it is just throwing money at the problem without it being the real solution.” Ribble also said too much of the Obama Administration’s economic stimulus was directed to places that did not provide stimulus.
Including Ribble there are now eight declared Republican candidates for the 8th District seat. They are Door County Board supervisor Marc Savard; How physician Marc Trager; Brown County Board supervisor Andy Williams; former state Rep. Terri McCormick of Greenville; Kerry Thomas of Sayner and state Rep Roger Roth who is a relative of former 8th District Congressman Toby Roth. Roth was also a Republican.
