Opinion

An open call to Congress: Tighten up

Bob Charles Contributor
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I’m Bob Charles. I am a third generation Arizonan, a family man, a regular American and I am deeply concerned about the fate of my country and my state. Over the past year, I have watched as President Obama and Congressional Democrats have attempted to spend our country into bankruptcy and then some, indebting generations of financial responsibility on future Americans. Driving through most neighborhoods in Arizona, I see more “for sale” signs than cars in driveways. Local business offices are abandoned as casualties of “stimulus” plans aimed to bolster already bloated and poorly managed Big Business. We were promised that our tax dollars would halt the financial crisis and bring jobs back to our families. Yet, a year after the stimulus bill, nearly 10 percent of Arizona’s population is out of work. Our economy is in shambles and Washington’s answer is to tax us, and spend our money without restraint or accountability.

Arizona needs jobs; we need economic recovery; we need deficit reduction; we need a government that listens to us. Interestingly, President Obama, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid aren’t spending their time solving these pressing issues. No—instead they are spending their legislative time working to impose a government-run health care system on our country and our state—a health care system that would dramatically increase tax burdens on small businesses, on you, on me and drive our economy into a state of even greater disrepair and despair. Washington believes they know what is best for our families, they know what doctors we should be seeing and they know how we should be spending our money.

To add insult to injury, Washington simply refuses to listen to us, the American people. We have loudly and overwhelmingly said no to health care, just like we said no to financial bailout and waste. Still, 246 House Democrats, 57 Senate Democrats—and even more disappointing, three Republicans—voted against the American family and supported the stimulus. Now, we are on the precipice of another failure of leadership: the passage of government-run health care. We are truly in a crisis of leadership. We are getting the change we were promised, but we are changing for the worst.

To the 246 Democrats who voted for Obama’s stimulus package in the House: You have failed America and you have failed my community.

To the 57 Democrats and three Republicans that voted for Obama’s stimulus package in the Senate: You have failed America.

To the Obama administration that is attempting to ram a health care overhaul through at any cost: You are failing in your duty to America.

With so many issues facing our country, I am angered by the Democrats continued focus on matters irrelevant to our economy. Washington has become a septic tank of legislation with the same economic benefit as sewage. The system is broken. I can no longer sit idly by and wait for Washington to figure this out. I have therefore decided that it is necessary for me to declare my candidacy for the 3rd Congressional District of Arizona.

America needs a new style of representatives who will fight to decrease the size of government and increase the support for small businesses. A style that is an American first, and a party affiliation second. We need representatives who are concerned with the long-term success of our country and state. I believe, with your support, I can be that representative.

I will be campaigning in the 3rd District, but make no mistake: I am on a warpath to take out every politician that is endangering Arizona and America. I’m talking to you Raul Grijalva and Ed Pastor. As for you mislabeled “Conservative-Republican” politicians, it’s not enough to call yourself Republican anymore. If I need to choose between a letter in the alphabet and my family’s well-being, my friend’s job, my neighbor’s education, or my country’s future…I’m going to ignore that uppercase R next to your name because nothing is fiscally conservative about “too big to fail”. I will do everything in my power to bring a return to conservatism and restore this country to what our Founders intended it to be.

I will start by making an open call to debate any politician who voted for either bailout, TARP, or Obama’s health care plan (please accept my offer Speaker Pelosi and Leader Reid). Anytime, anywhere, let’s make this a public event so the people can get their money’s worth when I dismantle you and any chance of you having a political future…though you’re doing a good job of that yourself. I’m Bob Charles, I’m running for congress to represent you, and I demand a refund.

Bob Charles is running for the U.S. House of Representatives in the 3rd Congressional District of Arizona. His Web site is bobcharles2010.com.