Why & how Cheryl Ede will be the Congresswoman who gets things done!

By Cheryl (Martin) Ede

CHeryl Ede's May 21, 2008 speech delivered to the Rancho North Coastal Democratic Club

One war, Vietnam, and our national tragedies, with the assassinations of President Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Robert Kennedy, diverted my career path to a more introspective one. I earned my doctorate in counseling psychology before moving to San Diego in 1975, where I soon found my home in Pacific Beach. Another war, Iraq, brought me right back to my original path.

1988 was my lucky year--I met Terry Ede. Terry was retired from a 22-year career as a naval officer. He flew A4's and A7's, and has 703 carrier landings, and acknowledgement of his heroic action in combat in Vietnam on a plaque at the Soledad War Memorial. He doesn't like me to talk about him, but he is too central in my life and the reason I am here. I am convinced when the person we love, loves us right back, it helps us reach the potential we have inside. I wouldn't be here without him; he may not be here without a landing signal officer who told him, on his 7th attempt to land on the carrier when it was raining so hard Terry couldn't see the ship. Terry did hear the LSO say: "I hear you; I see you; hard down and to the left." In war time, they take chances; they don't take such chances in preparedness exercises. Terry lost a lot of friends and fellow pilots during Vietnam. Mike Lumpkin has lost even more of his friends and men who served under him in the Iraq War.

I want the genius of our scientists and engineers put to work on renewable energy technology. Our economy will be reinvigorated; we can get off oil--and get off wars that result in the deaths of thousands of young Americans--over 4,000 killed in Iraq, along with countless Iraqi civilians. We'll not only save lives; we'll save taxpayer dollars needed in so many places--we could fund stem cell and breast cancer research; we could have sufficient funds to have a top-notch public education system, where people from all walks of life choose to send their children, as they once did. When I retire in June (so I can devote full time to defeating Bilbray), I will have over 25 years of service in public education--I know the problems our children and families face, including that everyone needs health care.

We did not need a president who only wants to hear what he wants to hear. Denial is the first stage of the grieving process. The second stage is anger, then bargaining, depression and acceptance. General Petraus exemplifies the acceptance stage. March 2007: "There is no military solution for a problem like that in Iraq."

Psychologists must deal with the good, the bad, and the ugly. When a Mission Bay High School junior told me about losing her parents--she was 7, her sister was 5, when their mother killed their father. I could not say: "Don't tell me, I don't want to hear about the blood on the wall!" I also am not in denial about the Iraq War; neither is

We must take immediate steps to withdraw our troops and support our fighting men and women by bringing them home as soon as possible--not in some unknown time in the distant future. And, we must take care of them when they return. Many are committing suicide because they are not getting the mental health treatment they need!

But let me be clear that this does not mean we should abandon the Iraqi people. We have been instrumental in bringing this catastrophe upon them and we have an obligation to continue to help them improve their living conditions. This could best be done by turning to diplomatic efforts to involve their neighboring countries and the European community in creating peace and stability in the region, not through the continuation of this ill-advised war.

The whole world did not need a U.S. president, during most of his presidency, to be in denial about global warming. It is time we won the hearts and minds of people by joining the international community to save our planet. We must go all-out for renewable energy; and that translates locally into stopping the Sunrise Powerlink and catapulting our local renewable energy industry forward! We're not going to leave our children and grandchildren a country drowning in debt and rising sea levels.

I'm the only Democrat in the 50th who values competition in primary races. It makes us better candidates, creates interest among voters; all of us get smarter as we debate the issues--as it should be in a democratic republic! It is why you are members of this club and here today!

You can bet I'll champion the public financing of elections. If any of you want to run for office, I don't want anyone badgering you to drop out of a primary to make way...for the man...with the money... Now, I am part Irish, and those are fighting words. Maybe it is time to hold up a giant mirror before all of us, and, as my brother-in-law was fond of saying to his wife, "Look into the mirror to find the source of the problem." Maybe we need to look at how we choose people from the ground up.

In the presidential race, Clinton and Obama--even though each is trying to be the favored one--they say their values and positions are very close, but far from McCain's and the Republicans.

This cannot be said of the 50th district congressional race. I am the only Democrat in the 50th who agrees with the Democratic Party regarding a pathway to citizenship for immigrants contributing to our country. My opponent's position--so send everyone back and have them get in line--is like Bilbray's position. It is even further to the right than President Bush's and John McCain's.

I want a Democrat to represent us.

I am the only Democratic candidate in the 50th who agrees with affirmative action, with defined benefit pension plans--teacher retirement--many of us make long-term commitments to our communities and employers. The California State Teachers' Retirement System is one of the best. I am also the only Democratic candidate in the 50th who is concerned about media consolidation. We are not getting the full story on the surge from mainstream media. The Internet does not make media consolidation a non-issue.

I am endorsed by the Progressive Democrats of America and the San Diego Democratic Women's Club, and Jeeni Criscenzo of the North County Coalition of Peace and Justice, by the La Jolla Democratic Club, and by a lot of friends, colleagues and new acquaintances.

I got a vote of confidence from Logan Jenkins in his April 28 Union-Tribune column. He predicted an upset in the 50th , describing me as the "progressive Democrat, running an earnest grassroots campaign--that is true, I call it campaign by the grapevine and ask everyone to forward my name and web site to others; Jenkins also quote the first sentence on my web site: "The U.S. can be a more positive force in the world."

I told Mr. Jenkins I look forward to the day members of Congress are chosen for the content of their character, not the size of their war chests. I'm proceeding as if it is possible, because it is, primarily because of our big and little d democratic values. Eighty-one percent of Americans think our country is headed in the wrong direction. We have had enough!

The DNC has targeted the 50th district, too; they will support the winner of the primary. Contrary to what you may have heard or may have seen, Howard Dean endorses no primary candidate. I look forward to having my picture taken with Howard Dean as the winner of the Democratic primary on June 3.

In1980, I ran the Boston Marathon in 3 hours, 9 minutes and 36 seconds. Running a successful marathon requires discipline, dedication, determination; endurance, stamina, strength, and speed all come together on race day. That is how I will overtake Bilbray in November!

I can't sleep at night, worrying about all of this. I'm going to be the Congresswoman who gets things done! I want to go to Washington, D.C. so I can get a good night's sleep!