By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
Recently, Tom Vigneulle spoke to the Republican Women of Trussville about his candidacy for Alabama’s Sixth Congressional District.
Vigneulle said, “I would like to thank you. I am Tom Vigneulle. I have never run for any political office ever before. The economic engine of American is small business and what is going on in Washington, DC is killing small business.”
Vigneulle said he is the owner of Royal Mattress Manufacturing in Pelham: “In 2007 Uncle Sam decided to tell us how to build mattresses. Costs went up and the number of mattress factories dropped, because the Federal government is regulating them out of the business.”
Vigneulle said, “I have four values: Respect for the Constitution, Respect for life, I believe in limited government, and I believe in individual liberty.” Mr. Vigneulle said that he wants to bring regulations back under the Constitution.
He said that one of the first things he will do in Congress is to present in the form of a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives that any regulatory board or agency has to pass new regulations through the House and the Senate and then on to the President. Congress has abdicated its law making powers to federal regulatory agencies resulting in an ever expanding regulatory burden that is killing small business and strangling the economy.
Vigneulle said, “I want to eliminate the IRS.” Vigneulle favors replacing all the various payroll taxes, the death tax, corporate income taxes, and all the various embedded taxes on manufacturers and businesses with one national consumption tax of 23 percent. It would be revenue neutral, but by eliminating the I.R.S. and the cost of compliance in the existing tax code, Vigneulle believes that it would spur economic growth by getting rid of the existing 73,000 page tax code which lets Congressmen in Washington pick winners and losers.
Vigneulle said, “We have got to fix the Federal Reserve. There ought to be 100 cents in a dollar.” Vigneulle said that the Federal Reserve should be focused solely on protecting the value of the dollar. “They should not be controlling inflation. The American enterprise system will do that.” Vigneulle also said that he supports term limits on Congress.
Vigneulle promised to represent District Six voters with integrity and respect and promised that he will never embarrass them.
The Republican Women of Trussville meet regularly to discuss issues and to hear from candidates and elected officials.
The May candidate forum and dinner meeting was held at the Greyson Valley Country Club.
Tom Vigneulle is running in a crowded District Six field that includes, State Representative Paul DeMarco (R) from Homewood, prominent Harbert Executive Will Brooke, State Senator Scott Beason (R) from Gardendale, retired attorney Rob Shattuck, Alabama Policy Institute co-founder and longtime President Gary Palmer, and Indian Springs orthopedist Dr. Chad Mathis.
Longtime Sixth Congressional District incumbent Spencer Bachus (R) from Vestavia is not seeking re-election.
