Candidate for U.S. House District 2 in NC, GOP’s Alan Swain, answers our questions

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Name: Alan Swain

Political party: Republican

Age as of March 5, 2024: 69

Campaign website: www.swainforcongress.com

Current occupation: U.S. Army (retired)

Professional experience: U.S. Army (retired) Colonel; successful small business owner; commanded soldiers at many levels; served two tours at the Pentagon on the U.S. Army Staff and the Joint Chiefs of Staff; served as the Executive Officer to the White House Drug Czar.

Education: Bachelor’s degree; multiple master’s degrees; U.S. Army War College; Jennings Randolph Fellow

What offices have you run for or held before? Have you had any other notable government or civic involvement? 2020 2nd Congressional District nominee; Chairman, Wake County Republican Party; Chairman, NCGOP 2nd District.

What is the issue that you see as most relevant to constituents in your district, and what will you do to address it?

Inflation, economy, national debt. For three years Americans have been suffering from 18-plus-percent inflation. The cost of groceries, energy, housing and fuel are not sustainable.

I commit to a balanced budget; zero-based budgeting; cut federal spending; no more continuing resolutions (CR); stop Democrat tax hikes; make permanent the 2017 individual tax rates; halt federal taxing of Social Security entitlements; regain energy independence/dominance; and halt BIDENOMICS. Like Mr. Biden, I too support MAGAnomics.

Is there an issue on which you disagree with your party? What is your position on that issue?

Term limits for Congress. If we can limit a president to two full terms, we should also limit members of Congress. Congress has become a group of career politicians who do not adequately represent their constituents. I support three to five terms in the U.S. House and two U.S. Senate terms. It’s time to return to the vision of our Founding Fathers to go to Washington, represent one’s constituents and then return to one’s state and earn a personal pension. I advocate for the “citizen-statesman” for Congress.

What is the government doing, if anything, that you see as a waste of taxpayer money?

The Biden administration forgiveness of $4.9 billion in student debt relief after the U.S. Supreme Court halted his efforts in 2022. Power of the purse lies solely with Congress. There is no such thing as student debt relief. This debt is added to the nation’s debt and thus this student debt is passed on to the American taxpayer. This is not right and Biden needs to be held accountable for this waste to all Americans.

Should spending increases trigger automatic increases to the U.S. debt limit so that political gridlock does not cause the country to default on its debts?

No. The reckless spending for the last 22 years has added $28 trillion to our national debt. We are funding our government on a CR, same as the 2022 omnibus budget which was $2 trillion more than our $4 trillion in tax receipts and added $2 trillion more to our debt.

It cost $659 billion to just service our debt in 2023. This proves Congress is not able to curb their spending of American taxpayer money. I advocate for no CRs, regular order (12 separate appropriation bills); balanced budget and reducing federal government jobs.

What federal legislation, if any, would you support on abortion?

I fully support the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on Dobbs. Abortion is a personal issue. Each of the 50 states should determine their own abortion laws. Dobbs brings the United States in line with most European nations.

I would support federal legislation efforts to gain consensus on late-term abortions and fully support increasing funding to encourage adoptions; making contraception more readily available; and to save as many babies and mothers as possible. Let’s stop the judgment and save lives.

What changes in U.S. immigration enforcement and restrictions would you support?

U.S. immigration allows 1.1 million to emigrate annually. Allowing 8.5 million undocumented to enter over the last three years is not acceptable.

Failure to secure our national borders is a national security failure by Mr. Biden. I will work to build a physical and technology wall; restore “Remain in Mexico” policy, end sanctuary city funding; halt catch and release and change to catch and deport; increase U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents; increase immigration judges (three year backlog is unacceptable); and work for immigration reform.

What legislation would you support to make Americans safer from mass shootings and other violent crime?

Criminals must be held accountable. The judicial system must enforce current laws. Allowing repeat violent offenders’ release on no cash bail is a detriment to the rule of law. I support universal background checks. We must increase training and gun safety and monitor firearm access to youth and individuals at risk of harming themselves and others.

I support increasing mental health institutions to perform needed evaluations. Comprehensive health systems are needed to identify individuals of concern.