The challenge of positive political campaigns

​The Challenge of positive political campaigns
 
I just received an email letter from someone I respect who is running for a political position.  I think he would serve the citizens he is representing fairly and honorably.  I will make a small donation consistent with my budget and I will include a copy of this paper challenging him to only campaign in a positive manner.  What I mean by a positive manner is to say what he is campaigning for and not what he is campaigning against.   The email letter I received says of his opponent: “X(I will not repeat the name) has never met a Political Action Committee he didn’t like.  Seventy-five percent (75%) of his funding has come from Political Action Committees in this election. Think about that for a moment.  Special interests outweigh the average citizen by 3-to-1.” While this statement may be true, I do not think that another negative political campaign is going to serve any of us.
 
I would like to challenge all the candidates and all of us citizens who work to elect those who will represent us at the local, state and federal level to offer positive solutions to the serious issues which affect all of us. Although the author of the letter I received implies he will only accept contributions from citizens who do not represent special interest, he does not say that.
 
What I want to hear from all political candidates is very clear positive solutions starting with how money is to be raised and spent on political campaigns.  I would also like to see candidates publicly commit to very specific positive policies.   For example  I want candidates to promise:
 

• I will only take campaign contributions  which come directly from private citizens who do not represent special interests.
• I will work to draft legislation which will model non-violent solutions to our local, state, national and international issues.
• I will  work to decriminalize drug use and provide money for quality treatment programs.
• I will draft legislation to ensure that we quit incarcerating people because we are angry at them and not because they are a danger.
• I will draft legislation to appoint health care people who work in the trenches to make recommendations about policies to reduce  and treat addiction as well as lower all heath care costs.
•  I will draft legislation to study whether we are spending more money on Medicare and Medicaid oversight  and paperwork than we would incur by treating professional health care providers and care givers as our trusted representatives. My guess is that we will find that we would save money and there would be less fraud.
• I will draft legislation which would support the rights of those who choose and need to hunt to provide food for their families and community to be able to purchase safe, hunting guns. I will further propose legislation stipulating assault type weapons will mot be manufactured or sold for private use.

 
I could continue to list positive suggestions, but my point is that, as a citizen, who cares about my fellow citizens and who knows he does not have the answers I want all candidates to offer positive solutions and serious sit down, mutually respectful work sessions where they strive to put aside personal wants and explore what can be done which honors the rights and needs of all of us.  I want elected representatives  to model to the high school students across the nation, including those at Parkland, that we can  commit to taking care of each other; that we can together find non-violent solutions which are not driven by special interest, temporary profits or the personal egos of any of us.
 
 
Written February 22, 2018