In January of this year, I decided to run for the United States House of Representatives in Ohio's 12th Congressional District. I made this decision because I felt, as Woodrow Wilson wrote in 1912, "for a long time this country of ours has lacked one of the institutions which freemen have always and everywhere held fundamental. For a long time there has been no sufficient counsel among the people." Woodrow Wilson was referring to the fact that corporations and special interests had hijacked the United States House of Representatives and started to pass legislation that favored them at the expense of the people. The House of Representatives, the institution reserved by our founding ancestors to give the citizens of this country a voice in government, Wilson wrote, "has become an institution that does its work in the privacy of committee rooms." As a result, "the unholy alliance of bosses and Big Business have been able to assume to govern for us."
Unfortunately, since 1912, little has changed in the way the House of Representatives operates in this country. It is still dominated by backroom deals, legislation that favors corporations over people, and an unholy alliance of businesses and politicians. The only difference is that credit card, pharmaceutical, and oil companies have replaced the trusts of the early 20th Century. For years, the part of the federal government reserved for the people, the House of Representatives, has been hijacked by special interests. Unless we stand up and reclaim our counsel, reclaim our Constitutional right to govern ourselves, all that will change are the issues the royalists use to benefit Big Business at the expense of the people.
I became a candidate in order to reclaim my voice in government and fight for the people of Ohio's 12th District, who deserve to be represented by someone who shares their hopes, dreams, and values. They deserve better than Pat Tiberi, who only shares whatever values will line his own pockets and the pockets of corporations, Jack Abrahmoff, Bob Ney, and Tom Delay. In short, the citizens of Ohio's 12th deserve the representation of someone who will counsel with them and truly represent their values and issues on the floor of the United States House of Representatives.
Fortunately, for the citizens of Ohio's 12th Congressional District, they have such a candidate. Yesterday, it was my great honor to withdrawal from the primary and endorse former Congressman Robert Shamansky. Bob served from 1981-1983 and was a true representative of the people. In his two years in office, he sponsored legislation to create fuel-efficient cars, make social security solvent for generations, and create a United States Academy of Peace and Conflict Resolution. Further, as testament to his character, he cosponsored the legislation that created the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. In addition, he cosponsored a resolution in 1981 that expressed the sense of Congress that the United States should not invite delegations from South Africa until the end of apartheid.
Former Congressman Shamansky's record speaks for itself. He was a true representative of the people. He went to Congress and supported legislation that was good for the people of this country, not legislation that was good for him and his friends' bottom line. In his two years, he fought for the environment, retirement security, civil rights, and national security.
However, perhaps his biggest fight was against the tobacco lobby. A Congressman looking out for only his best interest would have looked the other way and taken tobacco's money, as the tobacco industry took millions in taxes, or subsidies as some call them, from the citizens. Bob though stood up for the people and made tobacco lobbyists answer on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives why they felt entitled to the people's money. While Bob ultimately lost his fight against tobacco and his Congressional seat, he demonstrated the courage and resolve of a true leader, a true representative of the citizens.
I am proud to have the opportunity to endorse and vote for Robert Shamansky. For those on here who have responded to my posts, I urge you to support Bob with all of your energy. It is time that we reclaim our voice in government and return the United States House of Representatives back to the citizens of this great country. Visit www.shamanskyforcongress.com to find out how you can help Bob in this election. I am not going anywhere, I will continue to fight, and trust me, as long as there are Republicans, there will be fight in me.
Take care,
John Swords
Former Candidate for Congress