Something in America is not right.
You hear it in the fear and anger that spew from social media and from talking heads on radio and cable TV; see it in the deterioration of schools, roads and environmental infrastructure; feel it in the plight of millions who are shunted away from the American Dream because of poverty, poor education, gender or the color of their skin.
Something is not right.
Too many of us have stood by in denial or despair. As these problems seemed to draw closer and solutions more distant, we became distracted and divided by the voices of polarization and negativity.
Distracted and divided, but not defeated. The time has come to take what is wrong, and make it right.
I announced in April that I am running for the Michigan Legislature, (House of Representatives, District 101, representing Benzie, Leelanau, Manistee and Mason counties) with a promise to do my part to restore trust in government and bring people together to face our daunting problems.
I said then, and continue to believe, that our response has to emerge from a simple principle: Our purpose here is to protect and care for one another and for the earth. The best of our individual actions and government policies should flow from that purpose
Every generation must overcome unique challenges. Ours include:
– An economy that efficiently creates goods and services, but distributes the benefits unfairly to the very top
– Public facilities – schools, roads and water systems – that have been allowed to decline through lack of resources
– Social policy that too often neglects basic human needs such as decent housing, health care and nutritious food.
– A slowly dawning realization that for too long we have treated the Earth as a sink for our waste
– A critical need to take multiple actions that address climate change
There is no simple formula that will result in making all this right.
Instead, we should expect years of work, while adhering to our principles and listening to those who see the issues through different eyes.
We don’t today know the solution to every challenge we face. What we do know, is that now is the time to join together in an honest search for those solutions.
– Edward Hoogterp, 5-29-2018