Brooks4Congress2012

I am running for the US Congress because I feel I am the best qualified to serve in this role as part of my civic responsibility as a citizen of the US. I spent most of my working life in the service of my country as an officer in the United States Navy.

I am stepping forward as a candidate for Congress because, “If it is to be, it’s up to me.” I also believe, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” - Edmund Burke.

We Have Lost the Spirit of Participation in our Democracy 

I believe we have lost our way in America because we have lost the spirit of participation in our democracy and have outsourced virtually everything in our country - including our values. Nothing has been asked of us, except to “go shopping.” We abdicate to others the jobs of fighting our wars, paying our taxes, controlling our government and caring for the least fortunate among us.

We look inward to our own self-interest, instead of outward, to the best interests of us all. We have abdicated the role of “we, the people” in our government, to “we, the special interests, lobbyists, and the wealthy.” 


We Have Abdicated Our Civic Responsibilities to Those Who Finance Re-election Campaigns 

Money in politics is a systemic corruption in our republican form of government. Benjamin Franklin, after signing the Constitution in 1789, was confronted by a woman outside the hall who asked, “What kind of government do we have?” 
“A Republic, Madam, if you can keep it,” was Franklin’s reply. In order to keep this republic, we must return to “one person, one vote” rather than “one dollar, one vote.”


I am an INDEPEDENT 

I am running as an INDEPENDENT because both Democrats and Republicans bow before the god of campaign contributions. The average congressman spends 75% of his/her time raising money for re-election, and whatever scraps of time remain, grudgingly represents his/her constituents. My incumbent opponent in this election is A PARTICIPANT in the scramble for campaign contributions that created our current dysfunctional government. He is a career politician who depends upon PACs and special interests for almost 70% of his campaign contributions. He consults you, the voter, ONLY when he wants to be re-elected. 

I am NOT a career politician. I will NOT accept any campaign contributions from PACs, special interests, the wealthy or corporations. My candidacy is an opportunity for you, the voters of the 8th Congressional District, to return to the truly representative government envisioned by our Founding Fathers. The alternative is to continue down the road of dysfunctional, corrupt government. 

With a “critical mass” of INDEPENDENTS in Congress who pledge to accept no campaign contributions and serve only 1 term, “we, the people” can break the hold of moneyed interests and lobbyists. But it is up to you, the voters of the 8th Congressional District to show the way. 

If you elect me to Congress, you will make US political history.