"My Five Children go to Public School." Now, there's a wedge issue.
The right wing has spent the last 30 years trying to gut public education in America. Waging a war on teachers' unions. Destroying public pensions and other benefits. Crushing the local tax base. Diverting funds to private schools. And trying to turn public schools into test prep centers, offering factory education.
Who will stand up for public schools in America?
Me. I will.
With our first TV spot of this campaign, "Alan Grayson Saved Our Schools":
I went to public school. My mother and my father were public school teachers their whole working lives. My mother lives on a pension that the right wing wants to take away from her.
And my Republican opponent? He home-schooled all his children. He raises money for an organization that says that public schools teach children "suicide." He voted to cut $1 billion in state aid to schools. And he pushed to take away public school money, in order to fund private school vouchers.
So he surely can't say, "I send my five children to public school."
Isn't it about time that people like us had something to vote for? And someone to vote for? Or does every election have to be a choice between the lesser of two evils?
In 2008, our TV spot "Briefcase" won the Pollie Award for Best Political Ad in a Congressional campaign. And - miracle of miracles - it was a positive ad. It didn't trash anyone. For once, it made people feel like voting for someone.
And now we're doing it again, with our ad "Alan Grayson Saved Our Schools." Will you support this ad, and our schools?
Yes, we brought $200 million into the district, and yes, we kept the schools open. And yes, we're proud of it. Because we need strong public schools. No apologies. Because public schools are the backbone of America. They are the foundation of the Middle Class.
Our TV spot is already a rousing success. Yesterday, the Washington Post, which reviews ads in 500 races around the country, called it the "Ad of the Day." The Hotline, which also reviews political spots from everywhere, says that it is "the most positive ad" that "we've seen so far."
Our campaign is going to spend $100,000 on this advertisement, over the next week. If 2,000 of us chip in $50 each, we can pay for the whole run. Will you help?
This is the campaign you have been paying for. It's a campaign of which you can be proud.
Truth,
Alan Grayson