Aaron Bashir is running for Congress focusing on what he labels as common-sense solutions to issues such as failing schools, high inflation, crime and the southern border.
Bashir, a Republican, is challenging U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-2nd dist.) in a rematch of their 2022 race.
The challenger points to standardized test scores in the School District of Philadelphia that are lower than districts in other parts of the state.
“We are graduating children who cannot read or write or comprehend,” he said.
Bashir sees a lack of discipline and accountability in Philadelphia public schools. He wants to strengthen the nuclear family; supports the teaching of ethical responsibility, anger management, conflict resolution and respect for authority and others; and wants to discourage young people being taught victimization.
The candidate is calling for the Ten Commandments to be taught in schools so children know, “There’s a God who’s watching them all the time.”
“We’ve got to have purpose in life, a sense of direction,” he said.
Bashir noted that gasoline prices were way lower when Donald Trump was president than under Joe Biden. He faults Biden for signing an executive order on his first day in office to revoke a permit for the Keystone XL Pipeline. He wants to increase energy production in the country to add jobs.
“We have to make America energy independent,” he said.
On crime, Bashir wants to imprison criminals and rehabilitate them so they can get a job upon release, making them less likely to commit more crimes.
In general, he wants to spend less money on funding to other countries. Instead, he wants to use that money for senior citizens, veterans and the homeless.
On the border, he argues that people would not allow someone to walk into their homes, so why should the U.S. allow millions of illegal immigrants in the country, many of them young, single men who have not been vetted and who come from countries where they are taught to hate America. Moreover, he believes the influx of illegals takes jobs from Americans.
“Let’s shut down the border,” he said.
Bashir is staunchly pro-life. Abortion was legal nationwide from 1973 to 2022, with states now setting policy.
“Sixty-five million children have been sacrificed,” he said. ••