Neshoba County Fair Speech Former Congressman and candidate for U.S. Senate Travis Childers delivered these remarks at the Neshoba County Fair on Thursday, July 31, 2014: Im Travis Childers and Im asking for your vote for the U. S. Senate on November 4th. Im asking for your vote because this Senate seat belongs to you. No person, political party, no political machine or any other Special Interest Group owns this seat. It is owned by the people of this great State. Over 16 Million dollars was spent on this past primary - most of it from out of state. And none of that money was spent on pressing problems in our state like education, healthcare, schools, hospitals nor was it spent on you or any other Mississippian. We were last 40 years ago - and were last in 2014. Arent you tired of being last? And, arent you tired of one man choosing your United States Senators? We live in a democracy, not a dictatorship. Thats why we have elections and an oath of office, not a coronation. Join me in telling the nation that Mississippis Senate seat is NOT for sale. My fellow Mississippians: Our Great Country and State faces overwhelming challenges today. We dont have time for petty politics or political vendettas. You see, unemployment (which by the way is the highest in the nation) knows no political party; Poverty knows no political party; Lack of education knows no political party; And lack of access to healthcare knows no political party. On that note, it is wrong of our State not to work with the Federal Government to help 300,000 working poor in our State and placing every rural hospital in jeopardy at the same time. These problems arent democrat or republican problems, theyre Mississippi problems. At the end of the day, its not about left or right with me - Its about right and wrong. I stand before you today a proud product of the Mississippi public school system, a graduate of a Mississippi Community College and one of Mississippis great Universities. I finished college by working evenings, received a Pell Grant and with one student loan (which I gladly repaid), and I wear all of that as a badge of honor. As a matter of fact, I believe the only way to lift ourselves up is through education. So, I stand today with the students and teachers of this State and join your efforts to improve the education system in Mississippi. Tami and I have always been small business folks. Ive been on both sides of a paycheck. I was always proud to work even when it was for minimum wage. And on that note, Its time to raise the minimum wage. Im proud to tell you that I come from a hard working blue collar family. My dad was an automobile body repairman, my mom worked in a factory. After my fathers death at an early age, I watched my mom work two jobs as I finished High School and worked as well to support our fractured family. I only have to look back as far as my mom working two jobs to tell you that I support equal pay for equal work. If a woman does the same work that a man does, then she deserves the same pay. Im just as proud to see that divisive, ugly, corrupting primary behind us as you are. I want us to debate issues, not personalities. In fact, just yesterday I responded YES to an invitation to debate the Republican nominee sometime this fall at the Overby Center at The University of Mississippi. This race should never have been about personalities, or anything else other than issues. It is never acceptable to drag family members and friends into a race when their name isnt on the ballot. It is never acceptable to hurt innocent people. I have a long history of working across the aisle. Ill work with Democrats, Republicans, Independents or anyone else who has a good idea. Its time to end the hateful campaigns, the personal attacks of family members and friends. If you agree with me, then I humbly solicit your vote. If youre tired of Mississippi being last on every good list and first on every bad list, then I ask you to join me in making a difference. It has been said that Washington DC is 68 square miles surrounded by reality. They live in a fantasy world and spend like its monopoly money. Making the big banks, big insurance companies, big oil and Wall Street behave is not being anti-business - Its being pro-family. They claim theyre too big to fail which implies were too small to matter. Ladies and gentlemen, Washington DC is broken. It no longer works for working people. If Members of Congress were our children, we would put them in time out. And, both of these parties are to blame, and all they do is blame each other. They continue to bicker and fight. They practice soundbites more than sound policy. Its a cynical place - No wonder the American public is so discouraged about voting. The Tea Party is right when they say America can not sustain a $17 trillion dollar debt. Thats why I pledge to support and vote for a Balanced Budget Amendment. And I will continue to support and protect the promise of Social Security and Medicare. And while were taking about promises, lets remember that when we as a country, fail our veterans, we have truly forgotten what made us great. Just as I supported our men and women in uniform as a member of the House of Representatives, I pledge to support them in the United States Senate. While the other candidates continue to talk about each other, Im going to talk about you and all the other hard working Mississippi families who seem to have been forgotten. Thank you!
Posted on: Fri, 01 Aug 2014 01:37:30 +0000
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