The Conversations Must Begin Anew

My Fellow Illinoisans!

We are fortunate to be represented in the United States Senate by Dick Durban and (soon) Barack Obama -- two men of great character who have and will bring pride to our great State. As a citizen, I am relieved that these men will speak for Illinois because I believe that they will be able to inject some bit of reasonableness to our nation's political discourse.

This election season has confirmed for me that the level of unreasonableness has reached epic proportions, and that it is the ideological extremists that are either making the policy or the ones that policy decisions are being catered to.

We, the people, deserve better! The time has come to throw out the tired rhetoric and the gross oversimplifications that embody the political labels that frame the political landscape. We must come together, as Illinoisans, as Americans, and start from the beginning and in honest, frank terms ask each other "What kind of world do we want our children to live in?" and how can we make the promise of America, the Dream of America, real for our children & our children's children.

It is no small task that I am suggesting. I'm asking us to look beyond the words that are used and ask ourselves & each other what it all really means and how can we make it better. It is in our best interests to do this now, before the extremists hi-jack both political parties and leave us no options short of armaggedon or an America that is compromised beyond recognition. We must move away from accepting the pre-packaged "solutions" to our problems, and instead embrace the process developing our own answers. This is a conversation that we must start today. One that we must take door-to-door from every foothill to every living-room, from every quickie mart to shopping mall, from every church parking lot to every tailgater. Yes, from every sea to shining sea.

With all this in mind, I hereby announce my "candidacy" for the US Senate representing the great state of Illinois in the year 20??.

Thank you.