Project: First Week

When I am elected to serve District 2 as your representative in Congress, there are many goals I would like to accomplish.  Most of these objectives will take time to accomplish, but I have developed an agenda I call "Project: First Week" to begin putting together much-needed communication programs to keep the constituents here in District 2 both involved and engaged.

I want voters to have more say in how government is run.  The biggest complaint against the incumbent, Allen Boyd, is his unwillingness to take into account the will of his constituents.  If your representative doesn't listen to you, you have no true representation.

In order to let my constituents know how I am voting, and give everyone a chance to voice their opinions, I intend to implement the following:

  1. Set Up Sub-Districts and Monthly Town Halls: I will break District 2 into at least four Sub-Districts, with the centers being Perry, Tallahassee, Blountstown, and Panama City.  There will be monthly Town Hall Meetings in each Sub-District, and three (3) part-time staff members located in each Sub-District who will organize the monthly Town Hall Meeting the day before, host the meeting the day of, and be available for voter contact the day after.  Anyone who wishes to attend the meeting can participate and vote on the issues at hand.  I would also like to make it possible for voters unable to attend the meetings (due to work schedules or disabilities) to access it live online, and submit their votes there as well.
  2. Make District 2's Website Voter-Friendly:
    • District 2's Congressional website will finally be updated to reflect the current major bills being discussed in Congress.  There will be a summary of these bills to give readers an overview, and also a hyperlink to the exact text of the bill for those who wish to read it in its entirety.  Beneath the summary, I will inform the voters if it is Constitutional, of my stance on the bill, and why I hold this position.  However, if the majority of my voting constituents disagree with my position, I will honor the will of the majority and change my position, as long as it is Constitutional.
    • I will also post on the website, for your review, my first piece of proposed legislation; I want to begin to place some controls on Congress and start to correct identified problems.
    • My website will keep the voters up-to-date on any information that they need to make informed decisions, by offering frequent legislative updates.  It will contain highlights of legislation that has passed Congress and been signed into law, legislation that has been proposed, ideas for potential legislation and my feelings about its effects on District 2.
    • Finally, the website will contain a monthly survey so I can constantly gauge where my constituents stand on the issues, and on their approval (or disapproval) of my efforts as their representative.  The answers received will be used to help me to better represent you.
  3. Include and Involve Those Without Computer Access: A mail-out program will be set up for those who do not have computer access.  The mail-out would contain all of the information from the Congressional website, and these voters would also have an opportunity to respond with their opinions.

In addition to this main focus of keeping you informed and engaged, I would like to continue reminding those in District 2 that the average person (you included) can and should run for office.  Congress is not a place for an individual to make his or her career, but a place to serve those in their District, then return home.

Throughout my term in Congress, I intend to release press releases to alert the public to legislation that is being pushed through “under the cover of darkness.”  Congress has picked up this bad habit, so as to expedite passage of special interest legislation and to eliminate the public outcry of constituents that were not aware of these tactics.

The government should be more transparent, and by truly representing you, and standing for what is right by the American people, I hope to make it so.  I ask for your vote, so we can take this step in the right direction.