Lee Dilworth says many Mississippians have skills that aren't being used properly, and he wants to change that.
Dilworth, a Reform Party candidate from Jackson, is running for the 2nd Congressional District seat now held by Bennie Thompson. Clinton LeSueur of Greenville is also running as a Republican.
Dilworth said there must be a re-examination of whether Mississippi's federal money is being used effectively.
He said Thompson has done some good, bringing the state money for things such as highways. However, he said, "I don't think he's spent enough time on individuals. I think individuals are our resource."
In order to deal with the exodus of industry into foreign countries, Dilworth said, the nation's leaders should revisit the North American Free Trade Agreement and give industries more incentive to keep jobs in the United States.
In addition, many bricklayers, carpenters, mechanics and others with similar skills are out of work, and there should be more opportunities for them, Dilworth said.
There also should be money available to help them find jobs and develop skills, he said. If money is not available for this, he would write a bill to secure the financial resources, he said.
Education is a priority for Dilworth. Early in high school, students should have tutorial programs available so they can be aware of their vocational options and develop skills, he said.
Over the long term, he would like to see to it that every citizen in the district has a high school diploma or the equivalent, and that young people go on to college, the work force, the military or a training program.
In the area of farming, Dilworth said he would like to see the government use Mississippi State University and the Department of Agriculture to study what crops the state can grow that would best help bring jobs in.
Dilworth also would like for the government to work with drug companies and insurers to lower drug costs.
In addition, Dilworth has called for stiffer penalties for gun-related offenses. He would like to institute mandatory penalties for those who use deadly weapons to coerce others - 100 years in prison if there is a death, and 50 years in prison if there is not.
Dilworth, 59, has worked as a book distributor for Dr. James Meredith and has collaborated with Meredith on literacy campaigns. He also worked in West Point with an experimental catfish farming program.
