Name: Richard Burr
Hometown: Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Occupation: United States Senator from the State of North Carolina
Previous Jobs: Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, representing North Carolina’s Fifth District; Sales Manager, Carswell Distributing Company
Individual(s) who inspired me as a child: My father has had the most influence in my life, both in my childhood and now. Serving as a pastor is one of the highest callings a person can have in life, and the positive impact he has had on so many lives continues to serve as a source of inspiration for me.
Historical figure(s) I would most like to meet: One of my favorite historical figures is Teddy Roosevelt. His personal story as well as his presidency showed that he was a man of action, which I admire. He tackled the tough issues of his time including helping to mediate the Russo-Japanese War, stopping a potential disaster by helping resolve a coal strike, as well as his efforts to construct the Panama Canal, which was arguably one of the more important achievements for American growth in the last century. He also loved the outdoors and worked to conserve our land so future generations could enjoy it.
Issue facing America that no one is talking about: Education is one of the most important issues facing our country, in particular, the graduation rate for our nation’s high schools which is abysmally low. In a competitive global marketplace, it is imperative that our children be given the tools they need to succeed, and the first step is for every child to have a high school diploma. If someone doesn’t graduate from high school, they’ll be able to fill out an application, but they won’t be invited in for an interview.
What the GOP must do to reclaim its congressional majority: For the GOP to be competitive nationally, we must offer up our vision for America that offers solutions to the myriad of problems we’re facing. It’s not enough to be the opposition; we must have solutions that are based on our conservative principles. From the current financial crisis to the looming crisis of an unsustainable entitlement program, from health care to education, the country is facing some very tough challenges in the coming months and years, and we must offer viable alternatives based on the strength of the free market and the power that the American taxpayer knows best on how to spend their money, not the federal government.