Voters deserve clarity — not slogans.

Below are direct answers to the most common questions I receive, organized by issue. I believe leadership requires transparency. Whether you agree with every position or not, you will always know where I stand and why.

1. Is the U.S. still a functioning democratic republic?
   Yes — but it is severely weakened by corporate money and party control. Our institutions still exist, but they are increasingly disconnected from everyday citizens.
    
2. Should Citizens United be overturned?
   Yes. Corporations are not people, and unlimited corporate spending distorts democracy.
    
3. Should PACs and Super PACs be eliminated?
   Yes. Political campaigns should be funded by citizens — not dark money or billionaires.
    
4. Should campaigns be publicly financed?
   Yes, or funded exclusively by individual citizens. Democracy should not be an arms race for the wealthy.
    
5. Should corporations be banned from donating to campaigns?
   Yes. Corporate political funding creates policy loyalty to shareholders instead of voters.
    
6. Should Congress have term limits?
   Yes. Public service should not become a lifetime career insulated from consequences.
    
7. Should there be age limits in Congress?
   Rather than strict age limits, we should consider cognitive fitness transparency. Voters deserve confidence in leadership capacity.
    
8. Should ranked-choice voting be adopted?
   Yes. It encourages coalition-building and reduces extreme partisan incentives.
    
9. Should independent candidates have easier ballot access?
   Yes. Voters deserve real choices beyond the two-party system.
    
10. Should Congress be barred from stock trading?
    Absolutely. Lawmakers should not profit from insider knowledge.
     

1. Is domestic surveillance excessive?
   Yes. National security must never become an excuse for permanent mass surveillance.
    
2. Should the Patriot Act be repealed?
   Yes. It expanded government power at the expense of constitutional protections.
    
3. Should Homeland Security be restructured?
   Yes. Post-9/11 expansions created bureaucratic overreach that needs serious reform and strict constitutional guardrails.
    
4. Should ICE be dismantled and rebuilt?
   Yes. Immigration enforcement must operate under strict constitutional standards and due process.
    
5. Is due process non-negotiable?
   Yes. Without due process, constitutional rights become meaningless.
    
6. Should civil asset forfeiture without conviction end?
   Yes. The government should not seize property without proving wrongdoing in court.
    
7. Should qualified immunity be reformed?
   Yes. Accountability strengthens trust between citizens and law enforcement.
    
8. Should whistleblower protections be strengthened?
   Yes. Transparency protects democracy.
    
9. Should journalists be protected from political prosecution?
   Yes. A free press is essential to a functioning republic.
    
10. Should government transparency laws be strengthened?
    Yes. Citizens have a right to know how decisions are made.
     

1. Should the border be secured?
   Yes. A nation has the right to secure its borders — but enforcement must be lawful, humane, and constitutional.
    
2. Do you support mass deportations?
   No. Enforcement should prioritize violent offenders, not families or long-time contributors in communities like Dalton & Rome.
    
3. Should asylum processing be modernized?
   Yes. Faster processing protects both border integrity and human dignity.
    
4. Should there be a path to legal status for long-term undocumented residents?
   Yes. Individuals who work, pay taxes, and contribute deserve a lawful process.
    
5. Should Dreamers be permanently protected?
   Yes. Young people raised here should not live in fear of deportation.
    
6. Should immigration courts be expanded?
   Yes. Backlogs undermine both enforcement and fairness.
    
7. Should private immigration detention centers be banned?
   Yes. Profit incentives should never drive detention policy.
    
8. Should family separation policies return?
   No. Family unity should not be used as a political weapon.
    
9. Should immigration enforcement focus on violent crime?
   Yes. Public safety must be the priority.
    
10. Should Congress update outdated immigration quotas?
    Yes. Our system must reflect modern economic and humanitarian realities.
     

1. Should Congress reclaim full war powers authority?
   Yes. The Constitution clearly places war powers with Congress, not unilateral executive action.
    
2. Do you support regime change wars?
   No. Decades of intervention have cost lives and destabilized regions.
    
3. Should U.S. military aid be conditional on human rights compliance?
   Yes. American resources should align with international law and civilian protection.
    
4. What is your stance on Gaza and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?
   I support civilian protection, immediate humanitarian relief, and diplomatic pathways toward sustainable peace that respects human rights on both sides.
    
5. Should the U.S. reduce overseas military bases?
   Yes, strategically. Smart reductions lower costs and reduce global tension without compromising national security.
    
6. Should defense spending be audited?
   Absolutely. The Pentagon should pass a full audit before requesting additional funding.
    
7. Should NATO commitments continue?
   Yes, but allies must share responsibilities equitably.
    
8. Should diplomacy be prioritized over military escalation?
   Yes. Diplomacy prevents war — war should always be the last resort.
    
9. Should Congress debate military strikes before action?
   Yes. Transparency strengthens legitimacy.
    
10. Should the U.S. avoid proxy wars?
    Yes. Escalation without accountability risks broader conflict.
     

1. Do billionaires have too much influence in politics?
   Yes. Extreme wealth concentration distorts democracy and policymaking.
    
2. Should monopolies be broken up under antitrust law?
   Yes. Concentrated corporate power harms small businesses, including many here in Georgia’s 14th District.
    
3. Should Wall Street face stronger regulation?
   Yes. The 2008 crisis proved what happens when financial institutions operate without accountability.
    
4. Should stock buybacks be restricted?
   Yes. Companies should invest in workers and innovation, not short-term stock inflation.
    
5. Should the federal minimum wage increase?
   Yes, adjusted for regional cost of living. Working families in Northwest Georgia deserve economic dignity.
    
6. Should small businesses receive tax relief?
   Yes. Local entrepreneurs in Rome, Dalton, and Acworth drive real economic growth.
    
7. Should corporate subsidies be reduced?
   Yes. Government should not favor multinational corporations over local businesses.
    
8. Should tax loopholes benefiting the ultra-wealthy be closed?
   Yes. Fair taxation strengthens public investment without overburdening working families.
    
9. Should AI-driven job displacement be addressed proactively?
   Yes. Congress must prepare workers for technological transition before jobs disappear.
    
10. Should private equity acquisitions of residential housing be regulated?
    Yes. Wall Street should not outbid families trying to buy homes in communities like Acworth or Cedartown.
     

1. Is healthcare a human right?
   Yes. No family in Georgia’s 14th District should face bankruptcy because they got sick.
    
2. Should Medicare negotiate drug prices?
   Yes. Taxpayers should not subsidize pharmaceutical price gouging.
    
3. Should medical bankruptcy be eliminated?
   Yes. Illness should not destroy a family’s financial future.
    
4. Should hospital price transparency be mandatory?
   Yes. Patients deserve to know costs upfront.
    
5. Should mental health funding increase?
   Yes. Rural communities across Northwest Georgia need stronger mental health access.
    
6. Should rural hospitals receive federal stabilization support?
   Yes. When rural hospitals close, entire communities suffer.
    
7. Should insulin and essential drug price caps remain?
   Yes. Lifesaving medication should not be treated like a luxury product.
    
8. Should pharmaceutical lobbying be restricted?
   Yes. Drug companies should not write the laws that regulate them.
    
9. Should preventative care be emphasized nationally?
   Yes. Prevention reduces long-term costs and improves quality of life.
    
10. Should veterans’ healthcare be strengthened?
    Absolutely. Those who served deserve timely, high-quality care.
     

1. Should PFAS “forever chemicals” contamination be aggressively addressed?
   Yes. Communities like Dalton and Rome deserve clean water and clean land.
    
2. Should renewable energy expand rapidly?
   Yes. Solar, storage, and next-generation energy create jobs and reduce dependency.
    
3. Should fusion and advanced nuclear research be funded?
   Yes. Safe next-generation energy is a strategic advantage.
    
4. Should fossil fuel subsidies be phased out?
   Yes. Markets should not be artificially tilted toward legacy fuels.
    
5. Should citizens have the right to harvest rainwater and use solar freely?
   Yes. Individuals should have the freedom to pursue sustainable living.
    
6. Should land conservation increase in Northwest Georgia?
   Yes. Protecting mountains, farmland, and waterways preserves long-term economic value.
    
7. Should climate adaptation funding increase?
   Yes. Flooding, storms, and infrastructure stress are real risks.
    
8. Should regenerative agriculture receive federal support?
   Yes. Supporting farmers in Polk, Chattooga, and Walker counties strengthens soil and food security.
    
9. Should water infrastructure be modernized?
   Yes. Aging systems threaten public health and economic stability.
    
10. Should public lands remain public?
    Yes. They belong to the American people.
     

1. Do you support the Second Amendment?
   Yes. Constitutional rights must be respected.
    
2. Do you support universal background checks?
   Yes. Responsible ownership includes responsible safeguards.
    
3. Do you support red flag laws with strong due process protections?
   Yes. Public safety and civil liberties must both be protected.
    
4. Do you support a full federal assault weapons ban?
   No. Policy should focus on enforcement, safety, and accountability rather than broad bans.
    
5. Should gun trafficking enforcement increase?
   Yes. Criminal networks should be the focus of enforcement.
    
6. Should safe storage education be encouraged?
   Yes. Prevention reduces tragedy.
    
7. Should mental health intervention be prioritized in gun violence prevention?
   Yes. Early intervention addresses root causes.
    

1. Should artificial intelligence be federally regulated?
   Yes. Innovation must not outpace accountability.
    
2. Should biometric and facial recognition surveillance be restricted?
   Yes. Privacy rights must be preserved.
    
3. Should Americans have stronger data privacy protections?
   Yes. Citizens should control their own data.
    
4. Should cryptocurrency markets be regulated for security?
   Yes. Fraud and instability harm everyday investors.
    
5. Should quantum cybersecurity preparation begin now?
   Yes. Waiting would risk national infrastructure vulnerability.
    
6. Should physical cash remain legal tender?
   Yes. Eliminating cash would undermine privacy and economic access.
    
7. Should social media monopolies face antitrust enforcement?
   Yes. Digital platforms should not dominate public discourse without accountability.
    
8. Should deepfake and AI election interference laws be strengthened?
   Yes. Election integrity must adapt to emerging technologies.
    

1. Should public education receive stronger federal support?
   Yes. Strong schools strengthen communities like Dalton, Rome, LaFayette, and Ringgold.
    
2. Should teacher pay increase?
   Yes. Competitive compensation attracts and retains quality educators.
    
3. Should student loan reform occur?
   Yes. Higher education should not trap graduates in decades of debt.
    
4. Should vocational and technical education expand?
   Yes. Skilled trades are essential to regional economic growth.
    
5. Should curriculum decisions remain largely local?
   Yes, within constitutional and civil rights standards.
    

1. Should farmers receive protection from unfair corporate consolidation?
   Yes. Family farms must not be squeezed out by monopolies.
    
2. Should rural broadband expansion continue?
   Yes. High-speed internet is modern infrastructure.
    
3. Should transportation infrastructure in GA-14 be modernized?
   Yes. Roads, bridges, and logistics corridors drive economic opportunity.
    
4. Should domestic manufacturing be strengthened?
   Yes. Strategic reshoring increases economic resilience.
    
5. Should disaster preparedness funding increase?
   Yes. Preparedness reduces long-term costs and saves lives.
    

1. Should federal voter ID be developed collaboratively with states?
   Yes. A secure, modern system can protect both access and integrity.
    
2. Should early voting remain widely available?
   Yes. Access strengthens participation.
    
3. Should election security receive federal coordination?
   Yes. Secure elections protect democracy itself.
    
4. Should independent redistricting commissions replace partisan gerrymandering?
   Yes. Voters should choose representatives — not the other way around.
    
5. Should constitutional rights remain the guiding principle of every policy decision?
   Yes — always. The Constitution is not a suggestion; it is the foundation of this republic.
    

This FAQ reflects my commitment to constitutional principles, civil liberties, economic fairness, and responsible reform. Whether you agree with every position or not, I believe you deserve to know exactly where I stand.

Georgia’s 14th District deserves leadership that is independent, transparent, and accountable to people — not parties, corporations, or political machines.

If you have additional questions, I welcome them. Democracy works best when citizens engage directly.

— Rob “Rush” Ruszkowski