David Koller

• People over Politics : Special interest groups have purchased the people who are elected to represent us. Until our leaders actually start to represent their constituents and not just vote only along party lines, many of the issues that are important to you and your future are ignored. Many politicians sell themselves to the highest bidder without ever considering if what they are doing is right for the American people. That is not me. I want all Americans to be heard and know that their vote matters. As your Congressman I will fight to overturn Citizen’s United. Corporations are not people and money is not speech!

• Seniors and Veterans: We are morally obligated, as a nation, to care for our citizens who have worked hard and helped build our nation. We are safe because of them. We prosper because of them. I will fight to stop the privatization of the VA, social security and Medicare. Our veterans and seniors are not for sale. This is the promise we made and this is the promise we need to keep.

• Equality of Opportunity: Our nation was founded upon the idea of opportunity for all. As your representative it is my goal to protect your rights and to ensure equal opportunity for all Americans. In America today, there are still those that are not granted the same opportunities as others. This is unacceptable. I will work in Washington to make sure that everyone has the same chance to succeed and build their future.

• Increasing the Living Wage: It is imperative to insure that everyone who works a full-time job earns enough to maintain a reasonable standard of living. Corporations have created an environment where they purposely underpay their employees and rely on the government to provide for employees’ basic needs. Increasing the minimum wage would decrease the dependency on food stamps, public housing and other programs for many struggling workers. I will support that increase and support legislation that benefits employed Americans.

• Rebuilding our Infrastructure : A thriving infrastructure creates a strong and successful nation, provides secure jobs for generations of Americans and creates a robust economy. Infrastructure bills are being pushed to the side and that must stop. As your Congressman, my goal is to reach compromises that will get the work started. We can’t wait any longer.

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• Creating Jobs and a Strong Economy: "Over the past couple of years the economy has slowly begun to recover but one area that is lagging behind, is the creation of good jobs. Creating these jobs is imperative to building a strong, robust economy capable of supporting a thriving middle class. We are stifling our economic growth by continuing to ship our jobs overseas, not pay fair wages and replacing full-time workers with part-time workers."

• Supporting Our Senior Citizens: "Our government needs to protect our seniors and make sure that programs such as, Social Security and Medicare are not at risk of a reduction of benefits and services. Homelessness among the elderly must be addressed and services provided to those in need. Affordable housing for the elderly is one way that we can help. Taking away money from programs provide for our older population is not the right thing to do."

• Supporting Our Veterans : "Since the Bush administration the number of Vets needing support from the VA has increased dramatically. At the same time our government representatives have gouged deep holes in the Veteran’s Administration Services. Veterans are dying while they wait for medical care. Due to staffing cuts and a lack of resources our Veterans are being abused by the system."

• Supporting Women’s Rights: "I can tell you that this is an issue that I feel strongly about. I believe in a woman’s right to choose. I am not telling you this to earn the female vote, I am telling you this because I do not think that restricting access to birth control and denying women control of their bodies is a benefit to society. I have a very hard time understanding the reasoning behind laws that deny women the right to terminate a pregnancy that was created through rape or incest."

• Strengthening Public Education: "I find it appalling that teachers obtain a college degree and dedicate their lives to teaching our future generations, and then we fail them by not paying them fairly. When I hear that students don’t have access to books, tools and resources that they need to do the work that is expected of them I get frustrated and angry."

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