August 1, 2004: Headlines: COS - El Salvador: Speaking Out: Protest: Taxes: Politics: Election2004 - Kefalas: Mountain Bullhorn: The Bread-and-Butter Issues by El Salvador RPCV John Kefalas

Peace Corps Online: Directory: El Salvador: Special Report: El Salvador RPCV and Political Activist John Kefalas: August 1, 2004: Headlines: COS - El Salvador: Speaking Out: Protest: Taxes: Politics: Election2004 - Kefalas: Mountain Bullhorn: The Bread-and-Butter Issues by El Salvador RPCV John Kefalas

By Admin1 (admin) (pool-151-196-239-147.balt.east.verizon.net - 151.196.239.147) on Wednesday, August 18, 2004 - 3:03 pm: Edit Post

The Bread-and-Butter Issues by El Salvador RPCV John Kefalas

The Bread-and-Butter Issues by El Salvador RPCV John Kefalas

The Bread-and-Butter Issues by El Salvador RPCV John Kefalas

The Bread-and-Butter Issues
by John Kefalas

At the May 1 Democratic County Assembly, I secured 65 percent of the delegate votes for Colorado House District 52 and believe this qualifies me as the Democratic front-runner at this time. Kudos to my campaign team for this success and to the party officials and volunteers who organized the assembly. The event was energizing, and it felt good to be part of a growing people’s movement taking back our democracy.

Looking ahead to the election, I believe the key to winning is to keep on as we have begun—that is, stay focused on people and the bread-and-butter issues that matter to them, and make this a campaign that builds relationships, trust and active participation.

We can win this election by inspiring ordinary folks with a vision of government that serves the common good and by modeling the politics of inclusion and common sense. There is no doubt in my mind that this year’s election marks a defining moment in our history, and we Democrats and progressives must be the ones to define it by offering a bold new vision for our future.

As your citizen legislator, I’m ready to present this vision. With my experience, skills, integrity and leadership, I’m eager to stimulate the necessary dialogue that can move us forward. I’m also qualified to carry the banner of cooperation, communication and community—my three C’s—in order to win back the state legislature and honestly represent ordinary interests. It’s time to level the playing field for a better community and a better Colorado.

In my first term as the next HD-52 State Representative, the top five issues I will focus on are jobs, health care, education, housing and the environment. I will introduce, endorse and pass legislation that addresses these issues and will do so in a nonpartisan manner and with public-private backing. This is how you get things done at the State Capitol.

Of course, these five issues are connected. In order to create and keep well-paying jobs, revitalize our Fort Collins community and position Colorado’s economy beyond the next election cycle, we need to rebuild our state’s infrastructure, protect our environment and become world-class leaders for sustainable economic development. Access to healthcare, education and housing are critical to this the formula.

Nonetheless, we must first reform our state’s tax and fiscal policies, including TABOR, to ensure that we have the public resources to invest in our common good and provide tax fairness to working families and small businesses. By investing our public resources in fiscally sound ways, we can work with the business community to leverage the essential capital and advance innovative ways to implement this vision.

Then we can fully develop the idea of natural capitalism, where we use solar and other renewable-energy capital to create new industries and technologies that provide goods and services to meet our current and future needs. This next industrial revolution will reinforce small businesses, community-based enterprise and socially responsible corporations. Central to this new and bold vision is the protection of our social safety net to help the “least among us” and make opportunities available to everyone in our society.

In future communications, I’ll address the other issues listed above and provide more details. In the meantime, please note that I will officially kick off my “working together, we can do better” listening campaign within the next couple of weeks. Watch for upcoming notices, and please accept my invitation to join our people’s campaign by visiting my website at www.KefalasForColorado.org.

• • • • •
John Kefalas is running for House District 52.





When this story was prepared, this was the front page of PCOL magazine:

This Month's Issue: August 2004 This Month's Issue: August 2004
Teresa Heinz Kerry celebrates the Peace Corps Volunteer as one of the best faces America has ever projected in a speech to the Democratic Convention. The National Review disagreed and said that Heinz's celebration of the PCV was "truly offensive." What's your opinion and who can come up with the funniest caption for our Current Events Funny?

Exclusive: Director Vasquez speaks out in an op-ed published exclusively on the web by Peace Corps Online saying the Dayton Daily News' portrayal of Peace Corps "doesn't jibe with facts."

In other news, the NPCA makes the case for improving governance and explains the challenges facing the organization, RPCV Bob Shaconis says Peace Corps has been a "sacred cow", RPCV Shaun McNally picks up support for his Aug 10 primary and has a plan to win in Connecticut, and the movie "Open Water" based on the negligent deaths of two RPCVs in Australia opens August 6. Op-ed's by RPCVs: Cops of the World is not a good goal and Peace Corps must emphasize community development.





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Story Source: Mountain Bullhorn

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - El Salvador; Speaking Out; Protest; Taxes; Politics; Election2004 - Kefalas

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