Republican Chad Young’s congressional campaign is based on his idea of being a “patriot,” abolishing “anything big” — including multiple federal agencies — and completely eliminating taxes.
Young is the founder of the Life Skills Programs — a nonprofit for troubled youths — in his hometown of Rogers, Arkansas, with a second location in Pratt. Young has lived in Lawrence on and off for two years and is seeking the GOP nomination in a crowded 2nd District race.
Young defines a patriot as a constitutionalist who supports freedom of the people, regardless of gender, sexuality, or race.
“I think it’s very important to have different perspectives and look at how we can grow as a nation,” Young said. “We don’t know one another.”
One perspective he won’t accept is that of a “tyrant.” Young believes that “very few of the politicians we have in place are not tyrants,” citing those who would turn against the Second and Fourth amendments as examples. He idolizes the unity brought to America by former Presidents John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan, as well as civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.
“Our government has become the people’s enemy,” Young said. “We have to stop that.”
How? According to Young, mainly by abolishing things.
“We need to abolish things like the IRS, abolish the Federal Reserve, abolish the FBI, abolish the CIA,” Young said. “Those are not peaceful ways for the people. Those are the enemies of the people.
He wants to get rid of taxes, completely. Young said we would fund things like roads the same way we did 100 years ago — we would just “do it.”
“We’re strengthening the people by letting them become thinkers of themselves,” Young said. “Critical thinking is the No. 1 way to free us from the slavery the government has put us in.”
Next on his list of things to abolish is the education system. Young wants to redirect our education from what Young views as Standard Oil founder John D. Rockefeller’s idea. Rockefeller supported vocational school and higher education, something critics like Young say is molding a workforce that serves the interests of the rich. Young also blames “destroyed big pharma” on Rockefeller.
“I want you to be free and not have to take these drugs they’re forcing on you,” Young said. “There’s natural drugs out there that actually work.”
He also wants to get rid of big government: “Anything big. Get rid of.”
There are some things he doesn’t want to abolish — like Jesus.
“Jesus needs to be brought first of all to the foundation of America,” Young said.
He also wants to establish term limits and lower the age requirements to run for Congress. Under the Constitution, candidates must be 25 years old to serve in the U.S. House or 30 for the U.S. Senate.
“I think younger people ought to start getting in Congress,” Young said.
Young is passionate about sentencing sex crime perpetrators to life in prison. This is a passion that transcends politics for Young, which is why he started the Life Skills Program. Young works with others to teach boxing and provide direction to the kids who participate in the program.
Young said he had a challenging childhood that resulted in aggressive behavior. But with the guidance of a boxing coach, he said, he learned to manage and control his aggression.
“I can really give them direction and what they need, because I was one of those children,” Young said. “I was battered, beaten, severely molested, raped. I don’t know what you want to call that, but almost demonic. But growing up, you know, through my teens I was very standoffish because of what happened was likely that I became a little bit violent.”
Young is running against four other Republicans in the primaries — former Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt, former congressional aide Jeff Kahrs, cattleman Shawn Tiffany, and Topeka resident Michael Ogle. Kahrs, Tiffany and Ogle didn’t respond to a request to comment for this story.
“Kansans know that Derek Schmidt has always stood tall for our conservative values,” Schmidt’s campaign team said in a statement to Kansas Reflector. “He’ll be a conservative leader we can be proud of in Congress.”
This is Young’s first run for public office, but he said it won’t be his last.
“I’ll run again,” he said, “and again, and again, and again. Till it’s done.”
Kansas Reflector is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Kansas Reflector maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Sherman Smith for questions: info@kansasreflector.com. Follow Kansas Reflector on Facebook and Twitter.
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Mackenzie Clark/Lawrence Times
