Candidate for
Board Member; Southwestern Community College District; Seat 2

My political beliefs are centered upon one firm foundation: that the United States represents the best, not only of what the world has to offer, but of what the world has, except for Eden, EVER offered. Our Founders had the experience, knowledge, wisdom and political skill to bequeath us a form of government that allows both individuals and institutions to develop to their utmost capacity. Does this mean we can't do any better? NO! It means we MUST do better because we not only have the framework, but the obligation, to do so.

In making our country a better place we must first realize that it's OUR country. New Age and Utopian philosophies aside, we do not yet live in a world unified either by language, moral standards or purpose. The reality, now and during our lifetimes, is that the United States leads the world in economic, military and moral might. It is no crime or failure that other nations lag behind, unless by corruption or other misdeeds their leaders chose to leave them there. We have the most tolerant society ever seen on this planet, the strongest and the most advanced in all areas of commerce. As Americans, we are charged with the obligation of maintaining our superiority in these areas, not surrendering it to others less equipped or less nobly motivated.

Because of this, we as Americans must accept the responsibility for keeping our nation great. Merely accepting responsibility is not enough, though; we have to actively work at it! We do so by becoming involved in the daily workings of our society, whether through seeking elected office, as I do here, or in any one of the other ways in which we conduct ourselves as responsible citizens. In short, we stay informed, in order to make informed choices about the direction in which our country will go.

We also stay involved and do so at all levels. We stay involved by keeping abreast of the important and wide-ranging issues affecting all of us to the local concerns impacting our daily lives. We speak out on issues, remembering to address the issues, not those who espouse them, yet do not curb rational debate for fear of offending others' sensibilities. We vote in elections and urge everyone to do so by our personal conduct as well. We try to set an example, because we recognize that our values are exemplary. We appreciate what we've achieved in this country and hold it up for other nations to emulate as much as we seek to protect and improve it ourselves.

There's a common thread here: responsibility, on both the personal and corporate level, and not just in the business sense, although that is certainly a part of it. We have responsibilities as individuals to conduct ourselves as befits the citizens of the greatest nation on earth, and we have a group responsibility to ensure that we maintain that position as a unified nation, not a collection of diverse, competing special interests. We have a responsibility as a nation of business people to ensure that we produce the best products and services as efficiently as possible, and not just because it leads to higher profits, but because that too sets an example for others, and then again us, to profit from. We have a responsibility to maintain a strong defense because we have important values and institutions worth defending.

The strongest fiber in this common thread is our educational lifeline, the ultimate foundation for our future. Without educated citizens who both understand and know how to approach and resolve the social issues that will always confront us, we lack the means of meeting our challenges and enjoying our successes. By providing Southwestern's students, faculty and larger community with a solid foundation for producing future leaders we best demonstrate our commitment to our shared responsibilities as much as we do our caring for our sons, daughters and neighbors. Through your support, I ask to be entrusted with carrying your commitment onto Southwestern's Board of Trustees and putting it into action for our mutual benefit.

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