The Issues
With the right leadership in Washington, West Virginia can enjoy better:
Healthcare
Tax reform
Federal budget management
High-speed internet and cellphone coverage
Immigration reform
Solutions to reverse climate change
Student debt solutions
Job opportunities
Solutions to the opioid crisis
Campaign finance reform and transparency
Online privacy
Term limits for the House and Senate
I believe in…
Healthcare Reform
People shouldn’t have to choose between going to the doctor or paying the rent. The United States is one of the wealthiest countries in the world, yet most of us are only one major accident or illness away from financial ruin. We need to control escalating costs by capping prices of medical procedures, prescriptions, and malpractice insurance.
Reversing Climate Change
Let’s keep West Virginia wild and wonderful forever. 2023 was the hottest year on record. It’s time to stop debating the obvious and come together to fix the problem. We did it in the 1940s when fascism threatened democracy and our country emerged as the strongest and richest nation in the world. We need to show that kind of global leadership again for ourselves and our children.
Pro-Choice
Mountaineers should always be free to choose. West Virginians are fiercely independent. We want to be left alone to live our lives as we see fit. Why should politicians dictate what we can and cannot do with our bodies? This includes women’s health issues and end of life decisions for the terminally ill. These are choices we should be allowed to make free from government interference.
A Balanced Budget
On time, every time or Congress doesn’t get paid. The Constitution makes Congress responsible for managing the country’s finances, but it constantly fails. The last budget passed on time was in 1997. The last balanced budget was in 2001. I propose members of Congress be required to forfeit their pay when they don’t do their job. It’s time our elected officials lived by the same rules the rest of us do.
Ending Partisan Politics
Congress needs to work together to serve the people. Being an obstructionist doesn’t get the job done. Brinksmanship with the country’s finances is irresponsible. If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem. There’s way too much power in the Speakership. It’s time to bring back floor amendments and get Congress back to work.
Tax Reform
No loopholes for the rich at the expense of working folks. The graduated income tax system is broken beyond repair. We all need to pay the same tax rate, whether it’s for money earned at a job or from investments. If we do this without exception, the tax burden will be dramatically reduced for all of us.
High-speed Internet and Cell Coverage
Let’s make West Virginia competitive in jobs and education. An important key to that is increasing internet and cell coverage. But our beautiful geography makes building that infrastructure expensive. If we’d counted on for-profit corporations to bring electricity to the back country in the 1900s, some of us would still be living in the dark. That’s why government and private industry must partner, just like they did to bring light to the deepest holler.
Campaign Finance Reform
Stop the selling of politicians to the highest bidder. Running for office in our current system requires big money. This forces even the most well-meaning candidates to put all their time into fundraising. It also gives special interest groups unfair influence. Citizens United was a bad ruling because it gave corporations the same rights as citizens and defined money as free speech. It’s time to reverse that ruling.
Reversing Globalization
Stop corporations from selling our personal data. Anyone who uses a computer or cell phone leaves a digital trail online. It includes our demographics, buying habits, and personal data. This information is valuable and it’s being sold, but we don’t see any of the money. Instead, our personal data is used to deliver targeted news, encourage us to buy products, and even send us dangerous misinformation. Corporations must be regulated and forced to respect our privacy.
Digital Privacy
Bring jobs home to the hollers and hills and stop putting money into the pockets of multinational corporations. West Virginia’s biggest export has always been its wealth. First, it was timber being shipped out to build the cities. Then, it was coal to fuel the nation. Now, it’s our talented citizens leaving for better opportunities. We must reverse this by bringing tech, manufacturing, and service jobs into our state.
Reducing Poverty and Homelessness
West Virginians take care of their neighbors. A wealthy nation like ours shouldn’t have citizens suffering in poverty. The Veterans Administration has the resources it needs to end veteran homelessness, but vets can’t connect with those services. I hear small business owners say they can’t find workers and I hear people the next town over say they can’t find work. We need to bring people and opportunities together. That’s what responsible government does
Steven On…
How To Solve Problems
Q&A with Steven Wendelin
Why are you running for Congress instead of enjoying your retirement from the Navy?
Because, like pretty much everyone else, I’m incredibly frustrated by the House and Senate’s inability to function rationally and to fulfill their Constitutional duties in an effective and responsible way. Rather than just complaining about it, I want to be part of the solution and I’m at a time in my life where I think I can really help.
What do you think is the #1 problem in Washington?
MONEY! There’s way too much money in our political process. Money buys influence. American plutocrats and special interests wield way too much influence. Until we can get the soft and dark money out of our political process we can’t fix ANYTHING. Each of us has guaranteed freedom of speech and each of us gets one vote. Giant corporations, oligarchs, foreign actors, and special interest groups should not be allowed to bulldoze their way over individual citizens by purchasing undue influence.
What would your priorities be if we elect you?
We need to balance our budget. Not just once in a generation, but every year. How do we do that? Simple. Decrease what we spend and increase our revenue. We do that by eliminating waste, corporate welfare, AND ensuring that EVERYONE pays their fair share. This can only be done by completely overhauling our tax system. We must make it the law of the land that we can’t spend more than we take in unless we are in a declared war or are facing a national crisis that threatens our continued existence.
Where do you stand on the political spectrum?
For years I’ve described myself as a “Rabid Moderate.” What that means is I believe that most of us exist in the middle 80% between the far-right and the far-left. If we filter out the noise coming from the 10% on either extreme we will find that we can agree on most issues. As for the polarizing issues, I have faith in the middle 80% that we can find honest and workable compromises.
I’m also a Reformer. We have more than enough laws on the books. We need to close the loopholes and enforce the existing laws. Our tax code is broken. Our immigration laws are broken. Our campaign finance laws allow millions of dollars to flood elections without accountability or transparency. The fix isn’t hard. We simply need like-minded individuals on both sides of the aisle to come together, roll up their sleeves, and get the job done.
What are some of your other concerns?
I’m concerned about digital privacy. The founding fathers could not have anticipated the Information Age, but if they had, I believe that the Right to Privacy would have made it into the Bill of Rights. I’m less concerned about digital privacy with regard to the Government. We actually have pretty strong laws about that (although the Patriot Act needs to be revisited). What I’m talking about is the fact that our digital presences are being harvested, then bought and sold by private corporations and used to manipulate all aspects of our lives, from the shampoo we buy to the people we vote for.