Robert Moesinger

Robert Moesinger earned a high school diploma from Ogden High School. He earned a graduate degree from the University of Utah in 2018. His career experience includes working as a systems engineer.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

My name is Robert Moesinger.

I'm not a politician--I'm an automation engineer. My job is to study manufacturing systems and interview production personnel, analyze data, and correct flaws in the system so we can achieve better results. It is vital to understand that improving outcomes depends on improving the system, both in manufacturing and politics. If a manufacturing process or electoral system rewards bad choices, lecturing people to behave differently won't make improvements stick.

I’m a normal (nerdy) Utah dad: I adore playing board games with my family, playing Ultimate Frisbee on Saturdays, and reading Brandon Sanderson with my kids. My family inspires me to pursue excellence, and this obligation comes with a solemn responsibility to leave a better world for the next generation. For too long, we have procrastinated addressing important problems facing our country, and I am terrified that if nothing changes, they’ll inherit a country in crisis due to our poor choices.

My faith is the foundation of my moral framework. Organized worship is critical for me, because it develops the fabric of community, creates opportunities to volunteer and serve others, and teaches me the empathy to esteem my neighbor as myself. The gospel encourages us to look outwards to help one another, and to look inwards for ways to constantly improve.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

An election that sends a Republican or Democrat to their respective Washington trench fortifies the dominance and dysfunction of the two parties.

Regardless of the quality of the candidate--and in our district, we really do have principled and honest candidates running--the core problem in American politics is a two-party system that creates bad incentives for our representatives.

True multi-party democracy will unlock the innovation and effectiveness in government that we desperately need. Healthy competition and productive disagreement will give voters more choices, representatives more independence, and Congress more room to solve problems.The system matters. Core problems ranging from voter disengagement, complacent career politicians, overwhelming lobbying dollars, Congressional ineffectiveness, and ever-expanding Presidential power are all aggravated by the perpetual battle between our two major political parties.

Although there are many worthy reforms, the fastest way to establish multi-party democracy is through ranked choice voting in multi-member districts for elections to the U.S House. This is the legislation that I will pursue.

After that, I will go home. If we can pass this law and break the two-party dominance, I have great faith in our institutions to begin running effectively once again. Career politicians are on our list of problems, and I won’t become one.America should be the world's most compelling demonstration that free people can govern themselves. When Congress cannot seriously address problems that persist from one administration to the next, we diminish that example.

In addition to the large-scale reform that I propose, I will work to represent Utahns and Utah values while in office. This includes priorities that are distinctly ours: housing that working families can actually afford, careful management of federal land, and investment in Hill AFB. Utah's perspective should compete alongside the different interests and priorities of every other part of the country. That pluralism is at the heart of our republic.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

My passion as a candidate is to reform our Congressional elections. We need elections to incentivize politicians to behave in the way that we–as constituents–want them to. The healthy competition that comes from more than just us-versus-them rhetoric is critical to reclaim our democratic greatness.

I think the other problems we face, from overwhelming federal debt to academic slippage to a huge incarcerated population to inadequate immigration policy, all require a better political foundation to be fixed. The Founders explained that our Constitutional checks and balances rely on a diversity of competing interests to function properly, and our current dysfunction is proving them right.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I look up to the Framers, like Madison and Hamilton, who engineered our Constitution with the philosophy that political institutions are systems whose incentives matter. Modern scholars such as Lee Drutman and Steven Levitsky continue that tradition by asking how institutions shape political behavior and how democracies remain healthy. I admire their willingness to reason carefully about government rather than treating inherited political arrangements as infallible.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

An elected official must honor the Constitution, faithfully represent their constituents, and dignify the office they hold. This can look differently for different people, but these are the obligations to which a good elected official should be accountable.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

The day-to-day responsibilities of a Congressional representative revolve largely around team management. Writing and passing laws is not done by a single person, and inspiring a team of excellent individuals to serve the American people effectively is a representative’s core responsibility.

What legacy would you like to leave?

This question is easy: my goal is to leave a legacy of successfully reforming our electoral system and creating a healthier political discourse in our country.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My very first real job was landscaping. I worked twice a week mowing lawns, weeding, trimming hedges, and cleaning yard waste during summer vacation when I was roughly 12 years old.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

I've been extraordinarily fortunate in life, and I don't want to manufacture adversity that I haven't experienced. Parenthood, however, has challenged me more than anything else. The stakes are never higher than wanting to do the best for your children, and the trap of complacency is never more sinister than just coasting in their upbringing. However, nothing is more rewarding than knowing that you’re making a positive difference for the people you love.

What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?

The House is meant to be the firebrand of our government. The Constitution gives the legislative branch formidable authority—including the power of the purse—while giving House members unusually short terms so they remain responsive to changing public sentiment. In this way, the rapid turnover of members of the House is meant to generate innovative ideas that can be cooled down and considered by the Senate. This relationship is a masterclass of a well-designed system.

What do you perceive to be the United States' greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

The decisions we make in the next decade will determine whether America continues leading the democratic world or retreats from the promise of self-government it has spent nearly 250 years trying to fulfill. At the root of our problems–voter disengagement, crumbling faith in our institutions, and a government that serves the highest bidder–is the dysfunction of our two-party system. Our greatest challenge is to break free of these stale paradigms and restore our Republic to the vision of the Founders.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Compromise is both necessary and desirable. We must recognize that our political opponents are just as American as we are. While we hold fiercely to our principles, respecting that others have legitimate values is part of living together in the same country.

What was the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember?

The first, most significant historical event that I remember was the terrorist attack on September 11th, when I was in third grade.