The three questions I am most frequently asked when out campaigning are: “Why are you running, why are you running as an Independent, and why should I vote for you?”

Why I am running:

Since most people hold the Congress in very low esteem, they wonder about the character of anyone wanting the job.  But the answer is pretty simple…I’m really afraid for the future of my children.  When I grew up, in the fifties, it was assumed that our country would always be strong and healthy, and respected around the world.  My generation has squandered the opportunities bequeathed us by our parents and now my children certainly can no longer assume a better future. 

I have prepared a chart we are calling “EXHIBIT 1,” which compares the state of our nation 10 years ago to what it is today.  It paints a remarkable picture of the failure of our Political Class, and it is clear to me that, if my children are to have any hope of attaining some measure of security and satisfaction, we must replace those who have betrayed our trust and performed so poorly.  As EXHIBIT 1 shows, this monumental failure has occurred while both Republicans and Democrats have been in charge.  This is not surprising; the Professional Politicians of both parties are concerned less about understanding and meeting the challenges we face than they are with collecting money from special interests to perpetuate their hold on power. That both offends me and threatens my well-being and that of my children.  That’s why I’m running.

Why I am running as an Independent:

The majority of voters are registered as “un-enrolled,” that is, not associated with any organized political party, and consider themselves “independents.”  I frequently hear people say, “I vote for the person, not the Party.”  The only elected office I’ve held, City Councilor-at-large in Beverly, was non-partisan. 

During a period of about 10 years, I was registered as a Democrat and ran as a Democrat of the 9^th District seat in the 2006 Democratic Primary.  I made this commitment primarily because I was so alarmed at the domination of the Republican Party by the Neo-conservatives or “Neocons.”  This is, of course, a misnomer, because there is little about that faction of the Republican Party which is truly conservative.  It is, in fact, radical.  It still controls the Republican agenda.

But, by the time of the presidential campaign of 2008, it had become clear to me that I could no longer call myself a Democrat.  By that time, the Democrats had controlled Congress for 2 years.  Nothing meaningful had been accomplished.  I could see we were headed for financial collapse with the Democrats doing nothing about it (I converted all my investments to Treasury Bills in March of 2008).  As we headed into the summer, Obama was becoming the “front-runner,” and the positions he was taking demonstrated that he was clearly being co-opted by the power lobbies (AIPAC, Military/Industrial Complex, etc.), representing their best hope for maximum preservation of the status quo in the face of growing insistence by the people for fundamental change.  They realized that Obama could put the face of change on staying the course and preserving their privilege and control.  I became an Independent.

Why vote for me?

Our website should address most of the principle and policy issues about which you are interested.  If not, there are a number of convenient mechanisms for making an inquiry or expressing your point of view. I encourage you to contact us with any questions or comments.  I am learning something everyday from people with whom I have contact campaigning and, on occasion, I have changed my view because of something learned from people on the street. 

But beyond principles and policies, there is an important distinction between me and the other candidates in this race which I hope will convince you that I am best qualified to serve you and, therefore, deserve your vote.

I am the only candidate with technical and business experience.  This is important because most of the priority challenges we’re facing involve technical and business issues.  Jobs, energy, environment, trade, infrastructure, and national security, and related fields, all involve technical and business issues.  I know what questions to ask, where to go to get answers, can best evaluate the data, and will have the best instincts for what will work and what won’t.  Whether drafting legislation to provide responses to our challenges or simply voting on legislation drafted by others, I am equipped to approach my work from an informed and independent position.

Like voters all around the country this year, voters of the 9^th District should ask themselves one simple question as we approach the November Election:  Why send back those who broke it, to fix it?