I am running for Congress because I am outraged. It angers me that our current Congress has cut deeply into programs that serve citizens that are the least able to stand up for themselves or speak out on their own behalf.
Our legislators fully intend to continue to cut programs for everyday, hardworking Kansans while granting favor to mostly out-of-state corporations. If these legislators remain in Congress, there will just be more of the same.
Most Kansans have seen very little increase in personal income - while at the same time paying more for ordinary goods and services. Many thousands of Kansas have inadequate health care, or no health care at all. Those with health insurance know how unaffordable it has become. Prices of essentials like home heating, groceries, tuition, equipment, and gasoline continue to rise.
Our legislators fully intend to continue to cut programs for everyday, hardworking Kansans while granting favor to mostly out-of-state corporations. If these legislators remain in Congress, there will just be more of the same.
We have all been impacted by the soaring energy prices that make driving to work overly expensive and farming practically impossible. We have endured beef embargos from Japan and South Korea, costing the United States an estimated 3.8 billion dollars a year.
At the same time, some of our farm programs have been cut, even though the large farming corporations continue to benefit greatly from these programs. We have watched interest rates climb steadily over the past five years.
Our current leaders have contributed to most of these problems. They have failed to offer fair, competent, or concrete solutions to address the real issues of our great heartland.
Most Americans and Kansans agree that we need to remove these professional politicians from our Congress and restore America's government "for the people", as our founding fathers intended. Most believe it is time to elect citizens to Congress who will put the concerns of ordinary people first - above all else.
I am different from the current representative for my district. I am better.
Some of Jerry Moran's supporters have said that he has shown bipartisan cooperation since he was elected 10 years ago. It's simply not true. He keeps his mouth shut in public which makes him appear as though he is non-partisan, yet, he in not bipartisan. He votes for such things as cutbacks to Medicare, cutbacks to veterans benefits, lowered funding to education. His Republican co-conspirators know they can always count on him for taking actions that hurt working families.
According to Congressional Records, Moran has voted party line 91 percent of the time. Moran being a Republican, a person would expect him to vote party line most of the time, but I think it is misleading to call someone bipartisan if their voting record indicates such a one sided voting pattern.
According to www.opensecrets.org, Moran has over fifty thousand dollars invested in Exxon Mobil, tens of thousand dollars invested in oil drilling including Halliburton and Transocean Sedco Forex. Moran has made a bundle of money on the stock market and has received thousand's of dollars for his campaign fund from these companies. This sounds pretty opportunistic to me.
Moran tries to convince citizens of the First District of Kansas that he has served the "Big First" well as a member of the house Agriculture, Veterans Affairs, Transportation and Infrastructure committees. I beg to differ. Moran voted to cut nearly $3 billion from Commodity Research, Rural Development and Conservation Programs. He voted to cut Farm Service Agency Offices, from 2,351 to 1638. Moran voted against increasing Farmer's Market Promotion Program by $6 million. He also voted against directing $1.9 billion to Family Farms and Conservation. This bill would have allowed government agriculture subsidies to be directed towards family farmers not just corporate farms.
On Veteran's, Moran voted for a $13.5 billion cut that funded veteran's health care. He voted to cut military retirement and disability programs by $56 billion and veterans' benefits by $45 billion. Moran received a 0 percent rating from the special interest group, Veterans with Disabilities.
Finally, regarding the lack of moisture and rainfall for our farmers. Moran tries to act as if he is lookin out for our farmers. But, he isn't. He trades away their rights in order to support his Republican colleagues. Moran voted for the Bill that got a bridge built in Alaska (bridge to nowhere) but Moran can't get drought relief for our farmers. As mentioned previously, he voted to cut agriculture research. I believe that more genetic research is necessary for engineered crops that do not require as much water, especially for corn.
Moran is not a moderate
Moran is anything but a moderate. His voting record reflects that he is a conservative. What should disturb many of his constituents is according to www.congress.org he is ranked number 227 in the House of Representatives in their power ranking. Since the last power ranking he has dropped 56 positions and if the Democrats win the house he will drop another 155 positions, he will be the 382nd most powerful Representative. The web site also states that Moran has a 0% rating as far as influence in the House. This is after he has served ten years as our Representative.
I am outraged.
I am running for Congress because I am outraged. It angers me that our current Congress has cut deeply into programs that serve citizens that are the least able to stand up for themselves or speak out on their own behalf.
Medicare now provides health insurance to virtually every American over 65 and millions of younger people with disabilities. Under a Democratic Administration, the life of the Medicare Trust Fund was extended by 25 years. But recent congressional policies and this uncertain economy have undermined the strong progress made in decades past. This year, the life of the Medicare Trust Fund actually was shortened by four years. And Medicare is currently projected to become insolvent in the middle of the retirement of the baby boom generation if things remain the same.
We can and will do this together. The very day that I am elected to Congress, I will begin immediately working tirelessly and relentlessly on the behalf of ordinary American citizens, especially everyday citizens in Kansas. I will return the "people's house" back to the people.
Friends, I need your help. Together, we can bring America back - and restore its heart.
More details about my 10-Point Plan to Restore America.
Thank you.
John Doll, Democrat for Congress (Kansas First District)
To give our government back to its rightful owners, the people, where it belongs.