Q&A: Texas primary Republican candidates for US Senate

I had a great career. I started out in the oil field. From there I went into the Navy and learned I was good with technology. I eventually ended up learning how to program computers which led to me never going a day without work from 1976 to 2003. Since 2003, I have struggled to work a few months per year. And I was totally unemployed from August 2010 to February 2016. During this period I learned that this was happening because when we send our jobs to other countries, this decreases the amount of jobs available here in our country. And when we import non-immigrant guest workers to take the remaining jobs, this also decreases the amount of jobs available here in our country. Which is totally destroying our families here in America. Some will be lucky, and they may even have a great career for all of their lives. Some will be lucky, and eventually be forced out when they are around 50 years of age If we care about our communities, and our people, this is wrong for the future of our country. So I decided to try and change it.

I believe the Republican Party is heading in the wrong direction. The phrase “Country Over Party” used to be a positive phrase. Now, uttering that phrase somehow means you’re not a true Republican. Why? Because I love my country more than my ideology? It’s time for true America-loving conservatives to revolt.

The National debt is north of $23 trillion, and most (not politicians) fail to understand that this is insurmountable & unsustainable. It’s a giant machine running in Washington that has been out of control in spending and borrowing for 18 plus years. It is part of the DC culture, and it will take a “shock” to the system to change behavior. I intend to do just that. I want to raise teachers’ pay in Texas and honor them like soldiers. Texas teachers are paid an “average annual salary” of $53,675. I want to raise this across the board by $8,000. This would put Texas teachers slightly above the “national average” of roughly $60,145. The Texas state public school system costs Texans roughly $22 billion annually. In subsequent years, I propose increasing teacher average annual salaries by the inflation rate plus one percent, not to exceed 4.6%. I support Term-Limits for the Senate, House, and increasing the presidential term to six years rather than four not to exceed two terms. I support student loan reform. This includes the wasteful bureaucracy at the Department of Education. I would abolish the Department of Education and transfer all education matters to the state level. I support not using college kids as a profit center for the federal government. I want our government focused on students, teachers, and parents rather than gouging them with arduous student loan terms. The student loan program is an abject failure. I will change this for college-bound Texas kids and their parents.

The late Bob Hall. Email me at vbiersch@gmail.com and I will send you a couple of PDF’s he developed when he was running to be the president of our United States.

Abraham Lincoln. He took unpopular positions and kept the states united at all costs. He understood that One America United was stronger than a divided America. Unfortunately, we [are] slipping back into divisiveness.

President Ronald Reagan. He promoted and succeeded at restoring prosperity at home, with the goal of achieving “peace through strength” abroad.

I voted for Obama. I voted because he said he would help me to get back to work. He never did.

The first time I voted, I was motivated out of concern of where we were headed as a country. The same thing that motivated me to vote is now motivating me to run for office.

My first vote was President Reagan. Motivation was a sense of duty, and I was intellectually curious about politics and President Reagan.

While they may not realize it now, at some point in their lives, they are going to have families depending on them. I want to see that they can provide for their family.

Education is a matter of national security. One of the key legislative proposals is to offer comprehensive public education: Pre-K to Ph.D. Getting an education should not be priced like a luxury item. It’s something we need to come together as a society to support and finance. Under my proposal, no one will suffer from the stress of student loan repayment ever again. And for those already with student loan debt, this can be accomplished in a capitalist way: full unlimited tax credit dollar-for-dollar for student loan repayment for both principal and interest. In effect, you can generate income tax-free until your student loans are fully paid off.

First, millennials are the future of Texas. I would encourage all students to exercise their right to vote for the candidate of their choice. A good reason to vote for Mark Yancey is if you have real conservative bonafides and are inspired to see the importance of civic action and public service. And if you believe in self-reliance. Using the words from John F. Kennedy’s inaugural speech in 1961 – “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”

I could use your help, and support, as I am the underdog and nobody other than me is even talking about these things.

Another key legislative proposal is the utilization of government-sponsored entities (GSEs) to mass manufacture wind turbines and solar panels as well as public works projects to build thousands of hydroelectric dams with the goal of making America both energy independent and 100% renewable-based. This will create tens of thousands of manufacturing jobs, construction jobs, maintenance jobs, and boost the national economy. Our foreign policy is in disarray. We should not be parroting the propaganda of Vladimir Putin. It’s time for us to recognize that Ukraine has closer cultural and economic ties to the Russian Federation. We should back off Ukraine and Belarus. However, we need to strengthen our military presence in Eastern Europe by shifting military assets from Germany to Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Moldova until Russia agrees to non-intervention terms in exchange for economic interests. We need to treat Russian like an ally instead of a hostile adversary, but Russia needs to do the same with NATO. Both sides still have post-WWII mentalities. Russia thinks NATO is a threat. NATO treats Russia like a threat. This is causing both sides to make bad decisions. Fresh thinking is needed, and that’s one of the many reasons I’m running for U.S. Senate.

Mark Yancey, a longtime Dallas resident, is a veteran of the financial services industry. He has helped build four successful investment management firms, which in turn, created hundreds of well-paying jobs. The four firms combined managed north of $100 billion in assets for institutions and sovereign wealth funds. Mark is currently the chairman and CEO of Attacca International, an independent, privately held mergers and acquisitions firm based in Dallas, Texas. Attacca is specifically focused in the financial services space. Mark lives in north Dallas with his wife of 33 years, and two beautiful daughters, the youngest completing her senior year at West Point. His family includes three (yes, three) English golden retrievers. Mark currently serves on the board of Emily’s Place in Plano, Texas. He also serves on the executive committee of Boots of the Court, a 501(c)(3) benefitting our military, and he is active with the Ronald McDonald House of Dallas. Mark earned his bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Oklahoma and attended executive classes at Harvard University for advanced course study in mergers and acquisitions. Please visit my website at www.voteformark.com.