Austen Schwend
Republican
Positions
About Austin Schwend
Austen Schwend is a fresh conservative who wants to revive the spirit of the founding fathers. He is a husband, father, engineer, business owner, and farmer. He and his wife Hana have 3 young children under the age of 7. Austen owns and runs an engineering/manufacturing business doing contract engineering, waterjet cutting, welding and fabrication. In his lifetime, he has also worked as a mechanic, waiter, cook, Blacksburg Transit bus driver, electrician, ditch digger, R&D engineer, quality engineer, and project manager.
Taxation
Taxation is completely out of control. Government uses a "divide and conquer" strategy with taxation. They nickel and dime you in ways that have little to no transparency. In the end, you have no idea how much you pay or for what. Additionally, hidden taxes are added in the forms of regulations, safety requirements, inflation, etc. Taxation is also used to control you and your vote in favor of establishment candidates.
Urban Areas Controlling Rural Ones
Several states would be freedom loving states if it weren't for one major population center. Virginia is teetering on this knife's edge of becoming a blue state. The federally funded powerhouse of Northern Virginia and much of the populated east coast of VA uses their population and resources to try to control our district. While I want them to govern themselves locally however they wish, I am not okay with them telling us how to live.
Gun Rights
You won't find a stronger supporter of Gun Rights. It is my belief that the 2nd Amendment protects more than just firearms. The core purpose of the 2nd Amendment is to make it so the people can stand up as the final check to tyranny and confidently declare that the "consent of the governed" has been revoked.
