TheEmeraldQuill receives Karita Hummer's Silver Pen Award

TheEmeraldQuill receives Karita Hummer's Silver Pen Award for this piece.


Letter to Mr. Edwards

Cross-posted from John Edwards 08



user icon TheEmeraldQuill in Diaries Feed of TheEmeraldQuill's Diary
1/14/2008 at 6:41 PM EST

I've just sent a letter of encouragement to Mr. Edwards. My concern is that not placing first in a very, very small portion of states at so early a stage could lead people in upcoming states to conclude that he can't win... when in fact, he's the most likely candidate to win in November. I want people to realize that we can't allow such an important issue to be determined by so few results at this time.

I also want to caution people not to get caught up in "first"-itis. While I think it would be great to have our first female or African American president, I think it would be far greater to have the RIGHT person in the job -- and at this time, I don't feel that either a woman or an African American candidate happens to be the right person.

I've posted the entire letter if anyone cares to continue reading my rambling...

Mr. Edwards,

I apologize if this note becomes lengthy, as I am aware that this is the time when you have the least amount of time available. Like many Americans, I feel like a lot needs to be said right now that isn't being said, and that I'm not hearing. I think you're the best man to say them, and the man that needs to say them, so it is my hope to impress a few things on you if you can bear with me for a few lines.

In my life of 42 years, I've found that at time of presidential elections, all of the candidates seem to fall into the trap of having the "big issues" defined for them. In recent presidential elections, I recall things like gay marriage and abortion becoming forefront issues. To me, these are more intensely personal issues to be addressed on a more personal level, and should not be part of a major election. Yes, they can be big issues -- but in truth, issues like that only affect a small percentage of Americans. I am not saying that Americans affected by such issues are not important as well... What I'm trying to say is that there are SO MANY issues that affect SO MANY Americans, that I'd like to see a candidate step aside from falling into that trap and address more mundane issues, perhaps less exciting issues, but issues that affect more people on a more regular basis than these hot button issues. It looks to me like you are the closest candidate to doing that as far as I can recall. But you need to be louder -- I don't think people are getting the message, and maybe it's partly because the message isn't coming out as clear as it needs to be.

Big issues of discussion in the current campaign seem to be Iraq, health insurance, and overall (but somewhat ambiguous) "change." I agree these are important issues, of course. But where is the voice that specifically says it wants to fix the things that affect me -- and the majority of Americans -- almost every day? Where is the voice that tells us that this is what the candidate wants to do, to improve as much of the lives of as many people as possible? It will have to be a dynamic voice, because it will need to refer to things so mundane that they will be hard to get noticed amid the defined (by the media?) "big issues."

You know what I want more than anything from our next president? Lower gas prices and/or a definitive move toward alternative fuel. My health insurance doesn't come into play every day of my life, but paying for gas to get to work so I can pay for everything else does. And the current administration has done nothing to protect all of us individuals out there from what is so obviously blatant price gouging. I'd be okay with seeing the price of gas make a significant drop; I'd be better with seeing a firm commitment to work with American auto manufacturers to get us completely into alternative fuel sources that will be less expensive and more environmentally friendly. And it has to be done without harming the auto industry, so it has to be done with their cooperation. But they have to be made to cooperate. It's an old saying, but you can catch more bees with honey... We have to find a way to incentivize the auto industry to go that way. Tax breaks for them for R&D in that area? And even more for every car or line of cars that they produce in that direction? They need to be brought together and unified on finding the best direction to move forward, and on moving in that direction. No easy task, but keeping America moving has got to be a much bigger issue than it is. Most Americans drive a car at some point, don't they? That's an issue that affect SO MANY more Americans than some of the "bigger" issues... I want to see a candidate tackle an issue like that. Something for virtually ALL of us, not just a few, or a certain segment.

Most people are easily misled by so many things, distracted by other things, and unaware of most things they should be paying attention to. I'm sure this makes it very hard to get elected for the right reasons. I don't think many people in this country take the time to think about our Constitution, much less ever read it, and even less seriously consider it and what it means and what it was meant for and meant to do. The core problem is that more and more people in this country are getting less and less of a quality education. Not that a quality education isn't available, but that most of the best quality education that is available is unaffordable to far too many people. Education isn't like cars; the best of it should be available to everyone, regardless of financial means. A very sharp change needs to be made to ensure that everyone who wants to be educated can be educated. And the other part of the education problem is this: we have become too lenient in our expectations, both from educators and from students. Too many people are being allowed to "pass" without being qualified to do so. This is a tragedy to the very fiber of our nation... it sends the message that it's okay to get by with being substandard. This country didn't become the greatest nation on Earth with that kind of mentality! Yet I find it prevalent across the board in today's world. And it has to be stopped. It has to start at the education level. The solution isn't to assign more homework, either - though I've seen that increase in high schools considered to be better. I'd like to see a major, national emphasis on researching and improving education in America. To me, this is the highest priority we should have, because our education is the basis for everything we do with our lives, and everything we do with our lives is what makes America. If we settle for less than we should at that level, it just flows out into our society, and perpetuates the mentality of "settling" rather that striving for our best, and to become better. We need to start each generation off with the drive to improve, and we need to get them enthusiastic about it. And we need that to be immediate in order to get our nation back to where it needs to be as a world leader, and in icon of the best that our world can be.

One of the most promising things I've noticed in your plans is the idea of a Citizen Congress. For quite some time, I've been saying to people I know that one of the biggest problems we face in governing this country is the gap between the representatives and the represented. When the Constitution was written and the government structure was developed, the founders intended for there to be a congressional representative for about every 10, 20, 30,000 people. (The actual number escapes me at the moment.) This number of people represented by one congressman was raised, I believe in the 1960s. But here is where I see the biggest contributing problem to voter apathy, and a government dangerously out of touch with its constituents. Today, an individual can be elected to the House of Representatives and be assured of working in near anonymity of his or her own constituency! Ask almost any American who their congressional representative is, and I'm sure that you'll find almost 100% cannot tell you. Does this not mean that it is exponentially easier for representatives to act NOT in the best or desired interests of their constituents, but perhaps in their own interests, or those of lobbyists or other non-constituent influencers? As a congressman, you have virtually no recognition by your constituents, and therefore no fear of repercussions and no need for shame if you choose to act contrary to what your people would want most of you. Not only that, but this anonymity is a strong deterrent to voter involvement, and discourages citizen participation. However, if I feel more connected to my representative, then I feel more represented. More as if I am part of the government of my country. And that is how the founders meant for us to feel. But the vast majority of Americans today feel completely unrepresented in the national government, and completely unheard. And they're right, at least to some degree. I realize that the numbers of representatives would swell to (possibly) unmanageable proportions if we were to restore the ratio of representatives-to-citizens that originally existed. But I believe it is an imperative of crisis level that we get back to where Americans feel in touch with their representatives. Your Citizen Congress idea... well, in truth, that's what the Congress is SUPPOSED to be. We just need more representation. More personal to smaller sized groupings. And the effort has to made by ALL in congress to be visible to their constituents. In fact, it needs to be an enforced rule that congressmen make a point of not only informing their constituents, but seeking the input of their constituents. (On a related note, I often wonder if each state shouldn't have three senators, rather than two. Not sure about this, but if the two senators from any state vote the opposite way on any issue, does that not in effect wind up nullifying the input of that state in the senate? At least with a third senator from each state, there will be a tie breaker that assures each state of having had some input into every issue, rather than the possibility of being cancelled out altogether... It can't be too much to ask to add one Senator to every state, can it?)

Mr. Edwards, I make my living as a writer. And while this message may not be the best representation of my finest work, I know I can put together some very influential writing. I intend to do so, in fact. I'd like to do it on your behalf. But if these few things I have discussed sound like solid reasoning, or at least coming from the right place, then maybe this message accurately represents me and what I stand for. I send this message to you because I have the feeling that you and I have similar ideas about what needs to be done, and possibly even similar feelings about the sad state of affairs. And, hopefully, similar optimism that these things CAN be fixed, if only with the Herculean effort that will be required to do so. But that must be done.

A couple of weeks ago, I awoke from a dream. In that dream, John Edwards had made a major victory of some kind. And it was a good thing. I don't doubt you've had, and have, a similar dream. I don't think that the scant results of the first very few states should determine the nominee to run for president in November. I'd like to think that each state will not irrationally assume that, because a candidate has won in a previous state, the other candidates cannot win. I want each state to realize this, and I want each state to understand that the best man for the job still needs to be picked, and it's far too early to decide that the best man for the job has already been determined. I think it would be great to have the first woman president, or the first African American president. But I think it would be MORE great to have the RIGHT president, and in this case, I just don't think that a woman or an African American happens to be the right person for the job. And what this nation needs right now more than anything is the RIGHT person for the job. Please make sure you tell people this, because I think it is far too easy to get caught up in the excitement of a potential "first" and lose sight of what really matters... the details. And a plan to improve the day-to-day life for ALL Americans, regardless of color, sex, financial status, or any other divider. We're not called the UNITED States for nothing... If there's one thing we SHOULD be uniting on, it's the idea that every individual's day-to-day life is the big issue here, no matter how unexciting that may seem.

Make them listen, Make them hear you. Find a way. This is what you will have to do to get elected, and what you will have to do in office. Just don't give up.