Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Ed Martin Announces!

Here's the press release:
Ed Martin Considers Run for Congress to Serve
Missouri’s 3rd District

(St. Louis, Mo.) July 29, 2009 – Ed Martin, a resident and business owner in south St. Louis, today announced he is considering running for Congress to serve the people of Missouri's 3rd Congressional District. Martin has formed an exploratory committee to consider running for the District which encompasses Jefferson and Ste. Genevieve counties, south St. Louis, and parts of west and south St. Louis County. Martin formed the committee after receiving encouragement from friends, neighbors and people across the district to consider running against Congressman Russ Carnahan (D), whose is expected to seek a fourth term in November, 2010.

“The people of the 3rd District are a critical economic engine for America,” said Martin. “These workers and families want leaders who will stand up for them for jobs, lower taxes, less spending and a government that lives within its means. What has become clear is that Congressman Carnahan is not listening to – or speaking for – the people he promised to represent. Examples include his voting record for the so-called ‘stimulus’ bill, for a massive national energy tax, and his public advocacy - in lockstep with Speaker Nancy Pelosi - for a disastrous government takeover of health care which will lead to rationing and endanger Medicare. I have always stood up for what I believe in and I'm considering running for Congress to make a difference by standing up for our neighbors and fellow citizens in the district,” said Martin.

Dave McArthur, Vice President of McArthur’s Bakery in south St. Louis County, is among those asking Martin to run for Congress after Carnahan voted for the controversial “Cap-and-Trade” national energy tax, which McArthur has publicly stated would force him and other businesses to go out of business. “We need someone who will stand up for our interests and not simply parrot the lines offered by Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the national Democrats,” said McArthur. “With SaveAB.com and his other work in service to our community, Ed has shown he will step up and lead. We need Ed in Congress and I’m doing everything I can to gather support – from fellow business owners, colleagues, friends and family – for Ed.”

Dave’s brother, Randy McArthur, will serve as treasurer for the committee. Randy, an active community leader and job creator who is CEO and President of McArthur’s Bakery, was recently appointed to serve on the Missouri Community Service Commission by Governor Jay Nixon. Mary Beth Wolf, managing supervisor at Fleischman-Hillard and 3rd Congressional District representative on the Missouri Coordinating Board for Higher Education, will serve as deputy treasurer.

Martin has been meeting informally with 3rd District voters for several months. The sessions, called “Ask Ed Anything,” have given Martin a clear view of what voters want from their representative. “I’m talking to people, but more importantly, I’m listening,” said Martin. “Public service is about giving a voice to the people you represent.”

For more information about Ed’s background and his committee, “Ed Martin for Congress,” visit EdMartinforCongress.com.

Paid for by Ed Martin for Congress
Randy McArthur, Treasurer
I have video of Ed speaking with Randy about Russ Carnahan's vote in support of cap and tax. You'll also find video of Randy at the July 4th Tea Party and of David McArthur at that link. The sign video is in an earlier post. Here's video of Ed speaking at the Tax Day Tea Party:



And here's Ed speaking at the July 4th Tea Party:





I have an interview with Ed from the Conservative Heartland Leadership Conference that his American Issues Project hosted:

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Excellent! But let's hold Ed's feet to the fire and demand that he make a detailed list/agenda for his term of public service, so voters can have some criteria for a) deciding what his platform is, and b) judging how well he's done his job when he runs for reelection in the 2012 conservative majority Congress. YEE HAW!

Middle Class Joe said...

Now if we could just get someone to run against Lacy Clay. This man is about as useless as Russ Carnahan.
I emailed him asking for his views on cap and trade and health care and he nor his staff did not even bother to respond.

dsm said...

@Anonymous: When he runs for re-election? Why would I want that? Note the title of my blog: "Reboot Congress" and read my first post where I argue against consecutive legislative terms.

I want citizen legislators, not one more person on the public dole for the rest of their life. I'm optimistic about Ed. He's got a lot to offer and I love the McArthur's tie-in, but I'm not going to kick a foundational principal to the curb for him.

Anonymous said...

"first post where I argue against consecutive legislative terms"
________

It's a beautiful idea with a noble goal - but simply not practical. 2 years is just not enough time for a new legislator to get up to speed, build a staff and get anything worthy accomplished (perhaps that's a selling point itself) -- the problem is that we'll end up with entrenched staff connected to a Cong. district office passed along from elected to the next (at least within the same party) - and staff are as much a part of functioning representation - perhaps more- than the representative themselves. Not to mention that the power vacuum in the house (with zero seniority among reps) - ends up ceding power to the the Senate - or worse, the bureaucrats.

Let's give them two terms, then make them take a break before they run again.

dsm said...

@Anonymous: That is a selling point to me.

The staff will be no more entrenched than they currently are and very likely less so. A new legislator would be aware of this danger and avoid it by hiring new people. Yes, there's a need to retain some expertise, but I think most office staff would be replaced.

There wouldn't be zero seniority. Since my recommended implementation is via the states and some states will act more promptly than others, I expect the transition to be gradual.

Don't get me started on bureaucrats.

Here are some advantages of eliminating consecutive legislative service:

1) Losers of a primary have an incentive to support the winner since they'll likely be vying for his position in a couple years and, therefore, his blessing.
2) Once elected the politician expects to return to their district instead of Washington, so they'll be less interested in serving Washington (consolidating power) and more inclined to serve their district.
3) Once elected the politician has no need to collect donations for a campaign.
4) Nor do they have any need to campaign while on our dime. They may do it for a favored candidate, but that might be a turn-off to voters since the new expectation is that there's no campaigning while serving.
5) They'll get to live like a regular member of their district's community, re familiarizing themselves with that community, but, more importantly, re-acquainting themselves with common humility.
6) Politicians will not be unassailable in a consecutive primary (since they wont be in it). This means that it will be easier to get rid of the tainted ones and it will take a national spotlight off of them (usually) so that they can clear their name out of office if possible.
7) It grows the bench. It gets more people involved in government.

Must be more, but I'm tired....

Anonymous said...

That is GREAT news!!! Middle Class Joe your are exactly right we also need someone GREAT to run against Laaaccccy Claaay too!!

Mrs. P