"Some men change their party for the sake of their principles; others their principles for the sake of their party." ~Winston Churchill
Three years ago today on July 21, 2005, the spokesperson of my opponent Robin Hayes told the Winston-Salem Journal,"Congressman Hayes is extremely pleased to create a fair and level playing field, but it still does not change the fact that CAFTA is not a good deal for 8th District businesses."
The week before on July 14, 2005, the Associated Press reported Hayes insisted he would vote against CAFTA: "I know there is no way I could vote for CAFTA." That same day in 2005, the Raleigh News and Observer reported Hayes said, "What does CAFTA sound like? NAFTA. It's not in the best interests of a core constituency I represent."
Despite recognizing in advance that the CAFTA deal was contrary to the interests of his constituents, Hayes broke his promise and supported the measure anyway. Hayes had then actually cast the deciding vote both in favor of the Central American Free Trade Agreement and Fast Track Trade Authority for President George W. Bush after saying he wouldn't support either of the trade deals.
What Hayes' office described as "a fair and level playing field" has proved to be anything but as unemployment in the district, energy prices across the nation and America's trade deficits around the globe have skyrocketed. Our district alone has lost 62,000 jobs since Robin Hayes took office, including over a thousand in my own small community of 1,700.
Unlike Robin Hayes, I believe in saying what you mean and doing what you say. Just imagine America today had Robin Hayes done what he said.
Imagine America today if Robin Hayes had meant it in 2001 when he vowed to vote against Fast Track Trade Authority for President George Bush. Imagine America today if Robin Hayes had meant it in 2005 when he vowed to vote against sending our jobs out of the country. Imagine America today if Robin Hayes had meant it in 2006 when he vowed "Most troops will be home by 2008," or when he insisted "The economy around the country is very, very strong. Growth continues." Imagine America today if for the past ten years Robin Hayes had been committed to energy independence instead of just his oil interests.
I not only imagine an America where our leaders' actions match their words, I BELIEVE in that America, and am committed to bringing that kind of integrity back to Washington and North Carolina's 8th District seat. I hope you'll stand with me.
Please recommend this diary, repost this video, volunteer, donate and get the T-shirt to help put our campaign for an America we can believe in over the finish line in November.