A Tired Candidate - All Quiet on the Media Front
No, no one asked me to run for Congress. I didn’t form a focus group, or an exploratory committee. I decided that I’d had enough, and so I put the process in motion.
But you’d think that would be news. An interesting story. A comment on our times that the only person willing to run as a Democrat against Patrick Kennedy was an unknown.
And I got a few mentions on that. A sentence here. An article there.
And then silence.
Evidently, today, the only thing that matters is money. Money money money.
Not entirely true, I suppose. I have neglected the volunteer side of my campaign. I can give a list of excuses -- from too much work to do to too much family to take care of to too much laziness. Many people have said, “You know, you really ought to do XYZ.” But when it comes down to actually doing XY and Z, they leave it to me.
Fine.
Here’s what I’ve done.
I’ve assembled a platform. I’ve developed some ideas. I’ve put forth proposals, and I’ve listened to constituents.
I’ve issued press releases, and been on the radio. My press conference wasn’t the least successful one I’ve ever seen. One radio station, one radio network, one television station, and one newspaper reporter. A few of my supporters. 30 seconds on tv, and a few minutes on the radio. I’m still waiting for the newspaper article to come out. (Read the text of the speech)
The silence has been deafening. I have a slot on my voice mail for “Mark Binder For Congress.” No one leaves a message. I’ve got an egroup on the web site. No one signed up.
And how could they. They read the papers for their information. The Providence Phoenix said, “You got a mention in Phillipe and Jorge. We might do something about the campaign later.”
This is the supposedly alternative newspaper. The other newspapers -- RI Jewish Herald, Motif (arts) haven’t returned my calls.
I’m tempted to say to heck with it. Enough is enough.
Patrick Kennedy started with $1.5 million in the bank. I didn’t bother to try and beat that.
What I thought I’d do is to present a thoughtful platform -- some conservative ideas (peace and education) and some liberal ideas (eliminate fossil fuels by 2020).
And I have.
If nominated, I will make alliances with the RI Democratic party and work to defeat Rodgers in November. I will raise funds and shake as many hands as it takes. If elected, I will go to Washington and do my homework. I will read legislation before I vote on it. I will listen to my constituents and try to answer their questions and help solve their problems.
But before that can happen, I have a question for you.
Do you think I’d be a better legislator, a better congressman than Patrick Kennedy? I’m not in it for the money, or for the power. I want to help make peace for my children, to improve their chances of growing up in a world that is as wonderful as the one we live in. And that doesn’t mean fighting a war on terror. That means finding alternatives to oil so that we don’t have to give the terrorists reasons to fight us. It means improving education for the poorest in this country. It means revitalizing our cities, and creating new industries to replace the ones that are going oversease.
It also means overhauling our political system. How can we possibly think that the system works when a congress is asked to vote on a budget thousands of pages long that no one (repeat NO ONE) has read?
I don’t have all the answers. I have a conscience and a commitment to improving our world.
Maybe that’s not enough. Maybe I need to lie in my web log and pretend it’s all fine. Maybe I need to suck up to special interest groups and beg for money from the rich and poor alike so that I can promise to give them something in return.
If that’s the case, then don’t vote for me. Vote for my opponent.
If you are going to vote for me, and I hope you will, then I ask you to tell 10 of your friends to vote for me as well. Refer them to the web log or the web site markbinderforcongress.com. Set up a meeting for me with your organization.
If you’re an independent, go to the polls, cast your ballot and disaffiliate.
Spread the word through email and telephone to vote for Mark Binder on September 14.
posted by Mark Binder @ 1:39 PM
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