Ned Lamont for U.S. Senate

Background:

I am a family man, community volunteer, and successful businessman running in the Democratic primary for US Senate in Connecticut on August 8th. I have been spurred to run by my outrage at how the Bush administration is undermining our greatest democratic traditions. While much of this frustration is rooted in my opposition to Bush's war in Iraq, I understand that the problems with the Bush administration cut across many issues.

I live in Fairfield County with my wife, Annie, three children (Emily, Lindsay, and Teddy). I am a graduate of both Harvard and the Yale School of Management. I started my career working for a small newspaper in Vermont. I eventually entered the telecommunication business, and, after helping Cablevision start its Fairfield County operations, successfully founded my own company, Lamont Digital Systems, providing advanced telecommunications networks for college campuses with over 150,000 subscribers. The company offers an alternative to cable utilities and allows universities to customize the programming for their own campuses.

In addition to helping to raise my children and running a business, I have brought innovation and entrepreneurship to my community activities. I served as Selectman in my heavily Republican hometown of Greenwich and later served on the town finance committee. I was appointed as Chairman of the State Investment Advisory Council, which oversees the state pension funds. I have been very active in his community on the boards of the Land Trust, YMCA, YPO (Young President's Organization) and the Urban League. I serve on the Business Advisory Group at Brookings Institution, a private nonprofit organization devoted to independent research and innovative policy solutions, and was a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Citizen's Advisory Committee/telecommunications at the United States Information Agency.

Goals:

I am running because I believe that Connecticut deserves a Senator who will stand up to the Bush administration. My willingness to challenge a very well financed eighteen- year incumbent is clear proof that I will fight for what Connecticut's families need.

As a parent and businessman, I understand the importance of health care and education to our families and our economy. I will fight for universal affordable health care as a basic human right. I understand that the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit was written by lobbyists for HMOs and Drug Companies, and that our seniors deserve a benefit that works for them.

I know how critically important education is to America's competitiveness. I co-teach classes on entrepreneurship at Harding High School in downtown Bridgeport, Connecticut. This experience has helped to shape my passion to guarantee that all of our children are taught in 21st century schools that inspire them to learn.

I care deeply about our civil liberties. I will fight to get the federal government out of our private lives and help put an end to illegal domestic spying.

I know that 'business as usual', and empty promises without financial backing, won't solve our nation's energy problems. I will take on the powerful special interests in Washington to push for energy conservation and alternative fuels development as national priorities, instead of the Bush administration's subsidies for oil companies. I will welcome local participation in the shaping of energy policy.

Issues:

CT deserves a Senator that will stand up to Bush

Health Care - every American deserves access to good health care

Alito - I would have supported the Fillibuster

Grassroots Support:

My campaign will depend heavily on the grass roots, from whom we have seen overwhelming support. We will need the grass roots to collect petitions in case we need to petition onto the ballot (though we do expect to achieve the 15% of delegates at the convention). We will also rely on the grassroots to do visibility events, hold house parties, lobby thier delegates, and eventually help with GOTV. We will also rely on the blogosphere, and have received promises of help (and are currently being helped by) Kos, Matt Stoller, Jane Hamsher, and Kelly Monahan (to name just a few). My campaign manager was the CT field director for Governor Dean's presidentail race, and is very tied to the CT grass roots. Our IT Director, Aldon Hynes, played a heavy part in the web effort nationally in Governor Dean's campaign, and managed one of the first Dean Dozen candidate's campaigns. Our scheduler, Kim Hynes, was one of the first Dean Dozen candidates.

DFA Values:

I believe in a progressive government where we collectively solve problems and create opportunity - not in a government that involves itself in the private lives of it's citizens. I strongly believe in a women's right to choose, and I believe it is both possible and vital to preserve our civil liberties while ensuring the security of our country.

As an entrepreneur I believe that government should be run like a business in terms of fiscal responsibility. We need to spend wisely in order to support the social programs we need for the health and well being of our citizens while reining in irresponsible spending such as the bridge to nowhere or much of the spending on the Iraq war.