Tony Zirkle for Congress

Visitor #46522

NWI Times Q & As

Name: Tony Zirkle

Age:

Occupation: Attorney and Owner, Law Office of Tony Zirkle

Family members:

Political and community experience: Indiana State President, Future Business Leaders of America, 1987-88; Campaign Manager to the elected National President, 1988; United States. Naval Academy Class President, 1989-90; IN House of Representatives Dist. 8 Republican Candidate, 2000; St. Joseph Co. Republican Primary Candidate, 2002

Why are you seeking office? Please limit your answer to 100 words or less.

Our nation is on a dangerous path economically with a 7 trillion debt, politically by alienating other nations, and socially by failing to change 1. 100,000 child porn Web sites, 2. 50% divorce rate, 3. 2,200,000 prisoners which has tripled since 1975, 4. 3,000,000 teens each year and 50% of our youth who acquire an STD by 25. With these statistics, is it surprising that North Korea has called us moral lepers and Iran deems us the great Satan? We need to clean up our own house. With the best education, training, experience, and more importantly, the best ideas in this race, I feel compelled to run.

What do you see as the most important issues facing an office holder? 100 words or less.

Good jobs, affordable health care and national security. My platform includes a Civil Service Academy to develop fuel-efficient vehicles, and my goal it to reduce premiums to about $3,000 per year for a family plan. This district is in the heart of the Chicago-Detroit drug trade corridor, which I learned as a former drug prosecutor in Elkhart, St. Joseph and Lake Counties. National security is connected to economic strength and drugs drain this immensely, since drugs lead to about ½ of all crime. We should focus on the underlying causes such as mental illness and marital breakdown caused by porn-prostitution.

If you could say one thing to voters, what would it be?

President Eisenhower warned us that we have three imperatives for national strength if we are to maintain peace: the military, economic, and moral/social imperatives. As the only veteran in this race, I have a distinct advantage and perspective. With two economic degrees in business economics and international economics, I understand many of the issues. Finally, while we are competing for hearts and minds around the world, we must remember that what we say and how we act at home speaks far louder than what we merely say abroad. Please visit my Web site, www.TonyZirkle.com and contact me with any questions.

For reporting purposes, please indicate at what phone number we can contact you on election night.

(317) 658-0107 Cell phone.

Your presence is welcome.

It's the Kids, Smartie Campaign Committee