About Mike CovertCONSERVATIVE FOR SOUTH CAROLINAMike Covert for CongressMC4C_97153a76-e19e-11e9-917a-3e9f5ce018e1Mike CovertThe Low Country has been home for Mike Covert for more than twenty years. Mike is the oldest of two brothers growing up in a modest home where work ethic was instilled as the highest priority. His father was a teacher and a coach, giving Mike the understanding and importance of education and leadership. Through his relationship with his father, he grew to understand the importance that our educators have on our country and it is a passionate subject for Mike as a father and grandfather. Mike’s mother created the home and taught Mike the lessons of patience and compassion, having a lasting effect on Mike today. Beaufort County Rescue SquadAs a 15-year-old, Mike began his service to his community volunteering with the County Rescue Squad (This is before we called it EMS). At age 17 he first performed CPR in the field and just before his 18th birthday, he delivered his first baby.SafewayHis first job was at a Safeway and he has loved work ever since.Covert AireIn 1984 during High School, Mike entered the HVAC business. Often, he would do half days at school and work the other half to pursue his career. In 2007, Mike became an entrepreneur, taking a risk and starting Covert Aire. Under Mike’s leadership, Covert Aire was the preferred HVAC company throughout the Low Country, expanding to offices in Savannah, GA. Under his leadership, Covert Aire created two programs to assist the community, Operation “Heat Up” & “Cool Down”. They did this with the local radio and selected different candidates through an application process. The program did over $10,000 in labor and parts. This is not including the dozens of free work and food drives he did for those in the community. The children’s park in Bluffton is now named after Covert Aire because he donated funds to have the park commissioned. Since Mike started his work with helping the community Covert Aire gave more than 2.75 Million dollars to the community through various means of production and donations.R.S. AndrewsAfter creating hundreds of jobs and fulfilling his dream of entrepreneurship, Mike sold Covert Aire to R.S. Andrews in 2019 just before considering his bid for Congress. Covert Aire still operates today as part of the R.S. Andrews family.Rotary ClubMike has held a plethora of titles in his community continuing his public service that began in his teenage years. As a businessman, he joined the Rotary Club and became the President in 2009 and 2010.Beaufort County Capital Improvement CommissionHe served as a member of the Beaufort County Capital Improvement Commission in 2014.School Improvement CouncilMike also was Chairman of the School Improvement Council in 2016. Beaufort County CouncilToday he sits on the County Council and has a fervent passion for improving his community.Theresa CovertMike is happily married to his wife Theresa and they have a large blended family of 4 girls, 7 grandchildren and #8 on the way, and their two dogs; Carolina and Beaux. Mike and Theresa re-met at their 20th High School reunion and are building a house in Beaufort County, where they currently live. Coastal Conservation AssociationAs a member of the Coastal Conservation Association Mike considers the great outdoors something to be cherished and enjoyed.NRAAs a life long member of the NRA and GOA, he enjoys going to the range and showing off his gun collection to close friends and family. GOALow CountryHowever, his most exercised hobby is philanthropy. Aside from his public service and volunteering, since becoming a businessman, he has devoted most of his extra time and money to make the Low Country a better place. BelizeHe has done 2 earnest medical mission trips to Belize. He was stationed at the border of Guatemala and Belize assisting in giving the native people health care that they would not have otherwise received._97153b0c-e19e-11e9-917a-3e9f5ce018e1To serve as a conservative voice for the 1st Congressional district of South Carolina_97153b7a-e19e-11e9-917a-3e9f5ce018e12ND AMENDMENT & GUN CONTROLProtect our 2nd Amendment right._97153c42-e19e-11e9-917a-3e9f5ce018e11I am passionate about our 2nd Amendment right to bear arms. I believe the 2nd Amendment of the US Constitution protects individual gun ownership. Gun control laws infringe on the right to self-defense and deny people a sense of safety. Gun control laws DO NOT deter crime, gun ownership deters crime. Gun control laws will NOT prevent criminals from obtaining guns or breaking laws. The best example of this is Chicago—In Chicago gun stores are banned, shooting ranges are banned, assault weapons are banned and high capacity magazines are banned—yet, Chicago LEADS THIS COUNTRY in deaths by illegally acquired guns._97153ca6-e19e-11e9-917a-3e9f5ce018e1HEALTHCAREFix healthcare._97153d00-e19e-11e9-917a-3e9f5ce018e12Healthcare can be fixed but it must be done correctly, not just expeditiously. ObamacareRepeal and remove the ACA. _97153d64-e19e-11e9-917a-3e9f5ce018e12.1I support fully repealing and removing the ACA “Obamacare” entirely.InsuranceOpen the free market world of healthcare insurance. _71589c84-e21f-11e9-8898-5acbb12910392.2I support opening the free market world of healthcare insurance across all state lines with no boundaries to allow competition to work. When allowed to happen, this competition based scenario will create tons of new jobs and make providers provide better service and keep costs as low as possible.Prescription DrugsReduce the cost of prescription drugs._71589d88-e21f-11e9-8898-5acbb12910392.3Prescription drug prices are SO high because of government over-regulation. Currently, drug manufacturers have only seven years of non-compete from generic brands, which starts when they apply for use of the drug. After seven years generic drug production can begin which severely hurts the original manufacturer and causes them to charge exorbitant prices in the first seven years to make up for future losses.Decision MakingPlace medical decisions in the hands of doctors, families, and patients._71589df6-e21f-11e9-8898-5acbb12910392.4DoctorsFamiliesPatientsI believe in health care that places medical decisions in the hands of doctors, families, and patients, not in the hands of the Federal Government.TAXESLower taxes._97153ea4-e19e-11e9-917a-3e9f5ce018e13Our income tax system is known as the longest running form of thievery to the American people. I know it is time to fix this system. I believe people in the great state of South Carolina and every other state in the nation would agree with me that hardworking families know best how to spend their own money and that more of it should remain in their own pockets. Lower taxes result in a healthier economy across the board promoting new business starts and entrepreneurship, new and expanded jobs and a much healthier dollar across the globe.New TaxesOppose all new taxes._97153fb2-e19e-11e9-917a-3e9f5ce018e13.1I do not support ANY net new taxes. If a tax is “needed” there must be the removal of equal to or greater than in taxes somewhere else. I am not running for Congress to make the Washington DC tax and spend system efficient or streamlined; I am running for Congress to end excessive taxation, excessive spending and cut the size of our Federal Government.ProgramsReview all Federal programs._71589e50-e21f-11e9-8898-5acbb12910393.2All Federal programs must be evaluated and excessive/wasteful spending cut. I created a $1.7 TRILLION document set of tax CUTS to the Federal Government (over an 8-10 year period) and did not touch the Military, Medicare or Medicaid programs.SpendingCut excessive and wasteful spending._71589ec8-e21f-11e9-8898-5acbb12910393.3EDUCATIONLook for new and innovative ways to meet the educational needs of our children._9715403e-e19e-11e9-917a-3e9f5ce018e14As a Nation, we must continue to look for new and innovative ways to meet the educational needs of our children.ControlReturn control for education of our children to the state and local levels._971540b6-e19e-11e9-917a-3e9f5ce018e14.1ChildrenStatesLocalitiesDepartment of EducationThe Federal Department of Education, generally speaking, is an enormous money machine and needs to be contained.I believe the education of our children is best when controlled at the state and local levels. One size does not work for all.Parental ChoiceGive parents the right to choose what kind of education their child should receive._71589f2c-e21f-11e9-8898-5acbb12910394.2ParentsPublic SchoolsCharter SchoolsPrivate SchoolsHome SchoolsI support programs that give parents the right to choose what kind of education their child should receive be it public education, charter schools, private schools or even home schools.MILITARYProtect nation with the most powerful, strong and healthy military in the world._97154124-e19e-11e9-917a-3e9f5ce018e15I believe our nation should be protected by the most powerful, strong and healthy military in the world. I am committed to voting for a very strong national defense. The best offense can be argued to be the best defense.TechnologiesInvest in new technologies for our military and defense systems._9715419c-e19e-11e9-917a-3e9f5ce018e15.1I believe in continuing our investments in newer technologies for our military and defense systems to include space type programs.BRACOppose base realignment and closure._71589f9a-e21f-11e9-8898-5acbb12910395.2I am firmly against the BRAC, Base Realignment and Closure, as the military is vital to towns and counties across this country. Right here in South Carolina, we proudly have many military bases and institutions where we make soldiers, we make Marines, we fly the F18, F35, F16 and more and where we care for those injured while serving our country. Every branch of the military is represented right here in South Carolina and I will vote to continue that.TerrorismContinue to fight international terrorism through the use of new technologies._7158a01c-e21f-11e9-8898-5acbb12910395.3I believe in continuing our fight against international terrorism and through the use of new technologies, we can eradicate those threats to the USA, before they come to fruition.Middle East & AsiaComplete the jobs we started in the Middle East and Asia and bring our troops home only when the job is finished. _7158a094-e21f-11e9-8898-5acbb12910395.4I believe in completing the jobs we have started in the Middle East and Asia and bring our troops home only when the job is finished. While I do not believe we are to be the world’s police force, our strong defense should be a sign of power and that we can react on any given notice anywhere on this planet. AlliesEnsure that our allies pay their fair share of the cost of our military equipment and power._7158a10c-e21f-11e9-8898-5acbb12910395.5I believe that American military equipment and machines are the best in the world and our Allies want to use that technology. In the same breath, however, this technology and power should not be free and will not be free when I am in Congress.SOCIAL SECURITYPhase-out of traditional Social Security and move immediate entrants onto a market-driven program._97154214-e19e-11e9-917a-3e9f5ce018e16The United States must phase-out of traditional Social Security and move immediate entrants onto a market-driven program. Employees would be able to create their own private accounts, which would allow for up to 10% payroll deduction from their paycheck to be invested in this account. This account would be theirs..forever, following from job to job. This system would be built on a sliding scale of entrants now versus those who have been paying for Social Security and are retiring now. This reverse dual scale, would eventually even itself out after the LAST person who retired passes away AND the first person(s) on the new plan start their retirement. This plan makes social security solvent. Period._9715428c-e19e-11e9-917a-3e9f5ce018e1ILLEGAL IMMIGRATIONOppose illegal immigration and amnesty programs._97154318-e19e-11e9-917a-3e9f5ce018e17I am vehemently against illegal immigration and amnesty programs. Immigration is one of the basic principles that made America the “great melting pot”. However, that immigration must be legal and documented. Illegal Immigration is just that—it is illegal.Southern BorderSupport a full wall or barrier along our southern border._9715439a-e19e-11e9-917a-3e9f5ce018e17.1I support a full wall or barrier along our southern border. Along with this full border physical presence, I support investing in the latest technology including AI as both offensive and defensive measures.Border Patrol AgenciesFund and staff the Border Patrol Agencies at the proper levels._9715441c-e19e-11e9-917a-3e9f5ce018e17.2Border Patrol AgenciesI believe in funding the Border Patrol Agencies in the proper manner and staff at the proper levels. Again, all of this is to protect the sovereignty of this country._971544a8-e19e-11e9-917a-3e9f5ce018e1The southern border of the USA is the main entry point for massive amounts of illegal narcotics as well as human trafficking, sex trafficking, and even slavery. A secured border will drastically slow these horrific crimes to all including precious, defenseless children. The United States has seen an increasing problem with opioid abuse in all corners of this land. The overwhelming majority of illegal drugs come across the very porous border to our south. Fentanyl and Car-Fentanyl are pouring across the border being smuggled from China to Mexico and into the US.2019-09-28https://mikecovertforcongress.com/OwenAmburOwen.Ambur@verizon.net