A Fresh Start: Agenda for the Next Congress
Speech by Joel Pollak
Republican Nominee for U.S. Congress
Ninth District of Illinois
“A Fresh Start: Agenda for the Next Congress”
September 1, 2010
There is no such thing as a “safe seat.” Not in the Ninth Congressional District. Not anywhere in America. Not anymore. Not when thousands of your constituents have lost their jobs, and you tell them the stimulus worked. Not when the national debt is spiraling out of control, and you say the answer is more federal spending. Not when the State of Israel is in danger, and you align with those who rush to criticize it and to appease Iran.
A year ago today, I decided to announce that I would challenge Jan Schakowsky for the privilege of representing the people of the Ninth District. I did so because I believe that a Member of Congress should represent the people to Washington, not Washington to the people. That is an idea that resonates from Evanston to Des Plaines, from Glenview to Lakeview. It is the core principle of our democracy and the foundation of our republic.
Over four hundred people have gathered here today–Republicans and Democrats. That is a resounding vote of no confidence in our present representative. It is also a vote for a fresh start–a return to the basics that built this country. Honesty. Responsibility. And most of all, freedom. That freedom is now threatened by a government that is growing beyond our capacity to afford it, beyond its capacity to function. This is our last chance.
We are lucky. We have a unique window of opportunity. We can make the reforms we need while our government can still borrow at low interest rates. That won’t last forever. If we wait another two years, if we continue to tolerate high unemployment, high deficits, and high taxes, we may not be able to undo the damage. Our security will decay as our economy declines. Our political freedom, as well as our economic freedom, are at risk.
I grew up in the Ninth District. I live there today. And I love it! I am proud of its diversity. I am proud of its business community. I am proud of its schools and universities. It hurts to walk down Dempster Street and see the empty storefronts. It hurts to see the vacant homes, the abandoned dreams. It hurts to know how many people today live in fear of violent crime. And the decisions being made in Washington are making things worse.
I want my children to grow up with the same opportunities I had–and better. I want them to enjoy the same outstanding schools, the same public libraries, the same nurturing communities. To provide those things, we need revenue. And to obtain that revenue, we need jobs. Our institutions are only as strong as our economy. And our economy is only as strong as each individual man and woman. That is why our freedom is so important.
My family is an immigrant family. My parents came here from South Africa after I was born because they did not want to raise children in a country that denied basic rights to the majority of its people. I grew up with left-wing views, believing in the necessity of strong government intervention. It was only when I experienced my native land as an American that I saw how big government destroys the hopes of many it seeks to help.
The people of the Ninth District come from all over the world. It is frightening, for many of us, to see the United States adopt the same failed ideas that our families sought to escape. In the twelve years that my opponent has been in office, we have seen jobs disappear from our District and the Chicago area. We know we can do better. We must. And the only way to do so is to vote Jan Schakowsky out, and to vote for a fresh start!
Each and every one of you here today has made a tremendous difference. I would like to thank several people in particular: our chair and host, Mr. Judd Malkin, whose vision made today’s luncheon possible. Our co-chairs and host committee, who reached out to friends and colleagues and built this amazing audience. Our finance committee, and its chair, Rick Woldenberg, who will continue the great work we have begun here today.
I also would like to thank our Mistress of Ceremonies, Leah Reicin, for her eloquence and enthusiasm. Thank you to Magaly Cordero, who led us so beautifully in the national anthem, and who has been a close friend of our family for many years. Thank you also to Rev. Isaac Hayes, who has been an inspiration on the campaign trail. And thank you to the campaign staff and volunteers who worked so hard to make this event a success.
A special tribute belongs to my wife, Julia, who worked tirelessly to ensure every small detail of today’s program was in its place. Thank you to Bill Bennett, who understood the potential of this event and this campaign. And most of all, thank you to our special guest, Rep. Paul Ryan. What powerful insight, what awesome courage he has shown in facing up to our most daunting challenges, against tall odds and hostile opposition.
I am deeply honored and humbled by Paul Ryan’s endorsement, and by the sacrifices he has made to be with us today. It is a sign of his confidence in our campaign, and it is also a sign of his commitment to new leadership. At a time when America is suffering an urgent crisis of leadership, Paul Ryan has stepped forward with courage and conviction. There is no other Republican leader I would rather bring to our city and our district.
Paul Ryan stands for the power of ideas. He did not wait for the Republican Party to tell him what policies to embrace. He developed a new plan, the “Roadmap For America’s Future,” based on his deep understanding of our federal budget and our economy. It is more than just the start of a debate. I believe it is the substance of the solution. I will be proud to add my name to the list of co-sponsors when I join Paul Ryan in Washington.
The Roadmap addresses our nation’s greatest financial challenge: the steep climb in federal spending. The Roadmap changes the way that we fund Medicare and Social Security, so we can preserve these programs without dragging down our budget. It also provides universal access to affordable health insurance by helping patients take control. It simplifies our tax code, and it revamps America’s job training programs.
My opponent has led the effort to demonize the Roadmap. She is trying to scare seniors by telling them it will destroy Medicare and Social Security. The truth is that if we do nothing, or just raise taxes, as she wants to do, these programs will collapse and take our economy with them. We have given each person here today a summary of the Roadmap. I invite you to read it, and the full version online, and decide for yourselves.
Regardless, my opponent and her allies on the far left–some of whom have gathered outside–have lost all credibility. How dare she claim to speak for seniors, when she just voted to cut half a trillion dollars from Medicare? How dare she claim to speak for the poor, when she just cut food stamps by $12 billion? How dare she claim to speak for minorities, when she just cut Opportunity Scholarships for children in Washington, DC?
We need representatives in Congress who will debate in good faith. We need leaders who will weigh the ideas of both sides on their merits. We need more people like Paul Ryan. I will follow the example he has set. The 112th Congress will confront a unique political challenge. For most of our history, the size and scope of the federal government have grown. It is politically easier to grow it than to shrink it. But now we must restrain it.
That means we need representatives who are prepared to stand for limited government and greater freedom. And we also need representatives who are prepared to listen to each other, because everyone is going to have to make compromises. The good news is that the American people are behind us. In Europe today, people are rioting to protest against budget cuts. In America, people are marching peacefully in favor of budget cuts.
That means we have a chance to get it right. And the first step is to restore the trust that must exist between members of Congress and their constituents.Today I am proud to release my “Pledge to the People of the Ninth District.” I compiled it over the past two months, as I visited every community in the district to meet with residents and listen to their ideas. I did not wait for my party to tell me what to run on. I asked the people.
The policies in the Pledge will be my priorities in my first term. Each of these is a small, achievable step on the way to higher goals: creating jobs, restraining federal spending, replacing ObamaCare, guarding our nation and our allies, protecting our environment, and providing educational opportunity for all. In addition, I want to lead the fight against corruption by changing and strengthening the rules of the House ethics committee.
I know what it takes to struggle against entrenched interests. My father is a transplant surgeon who fought to end corruption in the organ allocation system at the University of Illinois. He was told to practice medicine “the Chicago way.” He refused to betray his oath. I saw the toll that took on our family. I can only imagine the toll it took on families whose loved ones did not receive the organs they needed. But he fought. And he won.
I know what business owners and job seekers are going through. I’ve been helping small business owners for many years–from the website I set up for a woman running a bed and breakfast from her shack in a black township in South Africa, to the legal advice I gave my little brother, who lost his job in 2008 but just opened a new restaurant. The Ninth District urgently needs a voice for jobs and for small business. I will be that voice.
When I stood up at Harvard and challenged Rep. Barney Frank about his role in the financial crisis, I had no idea that one question would lead to this great campaign. But that question resonated with people across America, and back home in Skokie. People are tired of being told they must accept what politicians give them. We are standing up for the principle of representative government and the ethic of true public service.
When I began my campaign a year ago, many wondered whether I had a chance. But a few people believed. And a few more. And many more. Thanks to you, this campaign has grown from a question to an answer. Thanks to you, the people of the Ninth District of Illinois finally have a real choice. And thanks to you, we are going to build, and grow, and win on November 2nd! Thank you all! God bless you, and God bless America.
