Why I am Running...
"Why are you running?" That's the question that every candidate fields more than any other. It is also a question that can lead to some very telling information. My answer is pretty simple.
Like you, I have had enough. I've had enough of the partisan bickering. I've had enough of our elected officials ignoring the people. And I've had enough of politicians that care more about their re-election than they do about the people they represent. I'm not sure what happens to folks when they get to Madison, but they seem to forget that they were put there to represent our views and our interests, not their own.
One doesn't need to look far to see examples of our state legislature running wild. In just the last year while in the middle of a deep recession, the state legislature has voted to raise taxes on our families and our businesses by over $3 billion. They have also voted for new insurance mandates that will cost the average consumer an extra 30-40% on their auto insurance bills.
And if that weren't enough, they also tried to pass a Global Warming bill that would have dramatically increased utility rates, putting a burden on family budgets as well as making it even tougher for Wisconsin businesses to compete. It is estimated that if that bill had passed, Wisconsin would have lost 43,000 jobs.
I say enough already. This is the time for all of us to stand shoulder-to-shoulder and let our elected officials know that we won't put up with it any longer. We won't stand for the rising taxes. We won't stand for the increases in state government while our families are tightening their belts. We will no longer tolerate the Enron-style accounting in Madison that has led to almost a $3 billion deficit. The time for us to take back our government is now!
But we need to do this together. Democrats, Independents, and Republicans alike need to come together for the common cause of bringing fiscal sanity back to Wisconsin. It will no doubt be a tough road ahead. There are many out there that are happy with the status quo. They believe that government is the answer to all of our problems. I tend to believe that more often than not, government is the problem.
As I go around knocking on doors, attending community events, and speaking to the people of the 5th District, I want to make one thing clear: I am not only asking for your vote, but I am also asking for your trust. Wisconsin has a wonderful story to tell. We have hard working people, and families that are the lifeblood of our communities. The only thing standing in the way of our success in Wisconsin is our state government. I want to change that, and I hope that you will help me.
Jim
