I was asked by a person after a recent campaign event, if I were at a gathering which included some low key "Rockefeller" type Republicans, what two main points would I make to convince them to vote for me this Fall?
It got me thinking, and when I get to thinking, I often wind up here, so here I go again.
We live in a time in our history that I would say is most characterized by division and anger. We are divided by hate and fear and those two things are used against us. It's bad enough that Republicans and Democrats can't even talk to each other. But what's worse is that Republicans hate Republicans and Democrats hate Democrats.
I know good people who have been driven from the Republican Party because they aren't conservative enough, and we all see that happening in the Democratic Party as well on the other end. Shoot, I'm as bad as anyone. When I work up a good lather of righteous indignation, I sometimes don't want to listen to anyone who disagrees with me. And that's just plain wrong!
There used to be a time when Republicans and Democrats could disagree on many issues, agree on some, but still respect each other and work together for the common good. We MUST get back to being that kind of Country again. We just can't afford to continue demonizing each other any more. We have to work for solutions to the problems facing us, and that means compromise and effort from both sides.
I want to provide the leadership that makes that happen. My opponent, Tom Tancredo, has shown over and over again that he won't even work with his own party, much less Democrats, to find solutions. He is out campaigning against other Republicans who don't agree with him on how to solve immigration. That's no way to make America stronger.
I want to help serious Democrats AND Republicans find ways to work together to solve our problems. I want to get our fiscal house in order and stop running up debt our children will have to pay. I want to get back to a foreign policy that isn't based on America being the World's police force and isn't based on nation building. I want to get back to State and Local control of things like schools. I want quality affordable health care for every man, woman, and child in America. I want to make sure our tax dollars are spent wisely. I want the best schools and the best educated kids in the world! I want everyone to have a realistic shot at the American Dream.
At the same time, I want complete equality for ALL people in this Country!
Our futures should be decided by how hard we work and our integrity, not by where we are born or if our parents have money or the color of our skin or whether we are male or female or our sexual orientation!
Now where did I go wrong in all of that? I'm amazed sometimes to be taken to task by people in my own party because I'm not "progressive" enough. And frankly, I get discouraged sometimes by people in the other party who won't even listen to what I have to say before they pass judgment on me.
How is it that we are so divided in this Country and yet we all start from the same places? We all want better for our kids than what we had, don't we? We all want a strong secure America and the opportunity to make a decent living, don't we? Deep down in our hearts don't we all agree with the Declaration of Independence?
So how do we find common ground and go about making America better and stronger?
That's my mission, not as a candidate, but as an American, and as a human being.
I don't know what will happen in my race in November, but I know I'm going to find a way to make a difference, a way to make peoples' lives better. If I win this race, it will take care of itself. If I don't, I can't honestly say right now what my next step will be.
But I'm going to change my world, one way or the other! Won't you join me?
Have a great Labor Day and give thanks to those who came before you who made it possible!
Bill Winter
http://winterforcongress.com/