You Do Have a Choice in the Upcoming 8th District Congressional Race

If you listen to the media and the news, you will hear that you do not have a choice in the upcoming election for the 8th Congressional district.  This is entirely
untrue.  You do have a choice, and that choice is Alan Bellone.

I have lived in Brooklyn all my life.  I have had the luxury of doing business in
all areas of our expansive district; from Manhattan Beach to Howard Beach, from
Bed-Stuy to Canarsie, from Starrett City to Clinton Hill.  I have worked with people in almost every area within the district.  I have watched areas go through good times and bad. Recently, I have noticed more difficult times for business owners and home owners.  It’s time for a change for the better.

I worked in the corporate world for 20 years before venturing into my own business.  I started as a help desk analyst and worked my way up to director of technology at a law firm.  Because of the enormous responsibility that was placed in my hands, I had to quickly transform my attitude towards work.  I adopted the
strategy of getting my jobs done in the best and most efficient way possible.

Now, the question is “Why politics?”  What makes me think that I can start in the
corporate world, advance to owning my own business, and ultimately settle in Congress?

Our country is in trouble; we are headed in the entirely wrong direction.  Unemployment has stayed above 8% for 44 months.  Between 1948 and
2009 (between the presidencies of Harry S. Truman and Barack Obama, 11
presidents in total), our country saw 39 months of unemployment over 8%.  Of
the 45 months that President Obama has been in office, 44 of them saw unemployment rates above 8%.   In additon, 46 million Americans are receiving food stamps. Further, 46 million Americans are at or below the poverty level.  His policies are not working.  We have an administration that was dealt a bad hand, but continues to play the wrong cards.  Now, as the election date draws nearer and nearer, you, the people of the 8th Congressional District, must keep one thing in your minds at all times: a vote for Jeffries is a vote for Obama!

Christopher Stevens, our ambassador to Libya, as well as three other Americans, were tragically killed in an attack on our embassy.  The murder of Americans in our foreign embassies is an attack on our country. Yet, our administration treats this as another day at the office.  That same night, the President went to a fundraiser in Las Vegas.  Three days later our Secretary of State was celebrating Ramadan with the Libyan ambassador.  Foreign countries are expected to protect our ambassadors.  We send billions of dollars to these countries to protect our interests, including our personnel.  Not only did they fail, our administration
failed.  Are you upset about this as much as I am?

The protests in foreign countries against The United States are attributed to the lack of an international policy by our administration.  The administration shows
disregard for Israel, yet meets with the leader of the Muslim Brotherhood.  These “mixed signals” allow other radical nations to believe that the United States is an indecisive nation that can be effortlessly manipulated. To make matters worse, Iran is continuing its efforts to create nuclear weapons.  We have stood idly by for too long.  Israel, our closest ally, is rallying its military to protect them from the Iranian threat and America is nowhere to be found.  

It is time for change.  We need to elect citizens that have not been infused with the politician mindset.  We need citizens that can stand up for the “average Joe”.  I am just that person.

On February 2, 2009, President Obama said on The Today Show, “If I don’t have this turned around in three years, then there’s going to be a one term proposition.”  Well, Mr. President, nothing has been turned
around, and your three years are up.

Alan Bellone is the Republican candidate running for Congress against Hakeem Jeffries in the 8th Congressional District.

Editor's Note: Blog posts do not necessarily reflect the views of Patch. We welcom all candidates running for office in Prospect Heights to blog on our site.