Somerset man enters U.S. Rep. race as write-in

Talk about it

He admits he doesn't have much of a chance, but Somerset resident Douglas Devan has entered the U.S. House of Representative's race in Wisconsin's District 3 at the 11th hour. On Wednesday he declared that he was a write-in candidate for the seat currently held by U.S Rep. Ron Kind (D).

"Obviously it is quite a long shot," he said. "However, a similar long shot was the successful write-in candidacy of Ohio Congressman Charlie Wilson in 2006."

Devan, a retired surgeon, has lived in Somerset about 12 years.

"I decided to run because I am tired of voting for the lesser of two evils, as has been said by political pundits," he said. "The type of bills sponsored and passed by Congress, and the current incumbent, Kind, cannot persist if we believe in the supremacy of states rights, and in the Constitution of the United States."

Devan added that the Republican candidate, Dan Kapanke, refuses to back "constitutional conservative" ideals that Devan said he will stand for, thus prompting him to run himself.

"I believe people want the freedoms guaranteed to its citizens, the people want the state of Wisconsin to make its own decisions, and a limited federal government enumerated by Article 1 of the U.S. Constitution," he said.

"The people of Wisconsin will know my positions and if I do not live up to them, I expect them to shove a copy of my written platform in my face and remove me from office at the next election," he said.

Devan said his platform is as follows:

• Decrease the size of government by bringing back state’s rights to control their own destiny on issues currently dominated by the federal government.

• Author/support legislation to eliminate the Federal Department of Education.

• Author/support legislation to eliminate the Federal Environmental Protection Agency.

• Decrease the massive and non-sustainable spending by Congress.

• Taxes: Eliminate all withholding taxes. At the end of each month write a check to the government that would have been deducted from your paycheck for that month (including Social Security). "No matter what your income bracket, I believe you were paying too much in taxes to 'Uncle Sam.' If not, I suspect you aren’t paying taxes or getting a handout."

• Make Social Security and option. If you opt in, let the federal government continue to deduct if from your wages. If you opt out, you keep that money you would pay. "Do with it as you will," he said. "If you opt out, your employer gets to keep that share of SS to reinvest, or do with it as he/she pleases."

• Require Congress to restore the $2 trillion it has taken for the Social Security Trust Fund by paying it back over 10 years from all monies that are being used on non-constitutionally-funded programs.

• Eliminate all government corporate subsidies. "A business should have the opportunity succeed or fail on its own," he said. "This money would be required to be returned only to those paying taxes in proportion as to what your current tax rate is." Devan said he would eliminate the ethanol subsidy, which is "a totally inefficient source of fuel." He would also seek to eliminate the auto industry cafe standards requirements that drive up the cost of manufacturing and the sale of autos to the consumer.

• Allow oil drilling to occur where it is located and where it can most efficiently be obtained. "We don’t need the EPA for this," he said. "We already have enough screwed up laws that need changing."

• Any legislation proposed must have a “tag” stating where in the U.S. Constitution it is allowed.

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