Eric Roberson for Congress - Texas District 32

Background:

I was raised in District 32 by a single mother, graduated from Richardson High School in 1983 and attended Baylor University on scholarship. I worked my way through college by doing construction, manufacturing, sandblasting, and other summer jobs in the Texas heat. Even so, I was able to graduate early in 1986 with a degree in international relations after only 3 1/2 years of college.

My entire adult life I have been fighting to protect the rights of others. After college I served as a Naval Flight Officer in Operation Desert Shield in the Persian Gulf flying A-6 Intruders as a Bombardier Navigator from the aircraft carrier USS Independence. Before my commitment was up, I had spent over a year at sea, had logged a 149 carrier landings and over 600 hours of jet time.

After attending Baylor Law School on the GI Bill and graduating with honors, I have been a Dallas trial lawyer standing up for my clients' interests in courts from Dallas to New York to L.A. For the first six years of my practice, I represented a wide range of fortune 500 companies and local employers, helping them maintain legal employment practices and defending employment related litigation. This taught me both the good and the bad of corporate America from the inside. For the last 6 years, I have been a nationwide briefing attorney, representing persons injured by large pharmaceutical companies. This has taught me the dark side of how some corporations in America work.

I have seen America from the mudroom, to the shop floor, to the workroom, to the boardroom, to the courtroom. I want to take that experience to Washington and help all Americans reach the American Dream.

EFFECTIVE

Whether it was graduating in the top half of Navy Flight School or with honors from Law School, whether it was from placing shingles on roofs to get through college, or arguing briefs before some of America's most distinguished judges, I have earned a reputation as a hard worker and a bright mind. In law school I made Law Review, was an award winning speaker, and received the American Jurisprudence Award for scholarship.

I won my first jury trial less than a year out of law school. In the last 6 years alone, I have helped my clients obtain over a quarter of a billion dollars ($250,000,000) in recoveries while working against some of America's smartest and well-funded corporate attorneys.

I want to bring that hard work to Washington so that we can have an effective government for a change. America needs solutions, not sound bites.

CHOICE FOR CHANGE

Now, I want to stand up for our shared Texas Values in Washington.

Goals:

I am running for the United States Congress because I was asked to by local officials and because I think that District 32 needs a real choice for Congress -- an Experienced, Effective Choice for Change.

I want to stand up for our shared Texas Values in Washington. Many of these values are explained in more detail on the "Issues" page of my website and in the top issues box below.

We need to clean up Washington and make the House of Representatives the people's house, not the house of special interests and corporate welfare.

Our Republican opponent offers the partisan bickering that has left Washington broken; practices the ideological extremism that places theory over effect, and is sold out to the corporate interests that control the GOP.

- I offer the choice of an effective, independent voice for Texas Values, not partisan bickering and in-fighting.

- I offer the choice of moderate pragmatism because Democrats know a government that offers realistic programs that work is the best government;

- I offer the choice of a balanced government, because the core of Democratic Values is listening to all sides and finding real solutions.

Issues:

ENDING THE WAR IN IRAQ:

As a veteran, I stand with our troops in Iraq -- we must end of the occupation of Iraq. Most, if not all, of our troops can come home within 12-18 months if we have an effective strategy that forces Iraqi politicians to act responsibly.

SOLVING IMMIGRATION:

Democrats have been ready for years with a comprehensive solution to immigration but have been stopped through fear and attack. By linking immigration and economic policies and understanding supply and demand, we can secure the border and still maintain American values.

FIXING THE ECONOMY

The last two major economic disasters were caused by trusting big business to regulate itself. We must stimulate the economy, end corporate welfare, keep corporate greed in check, and maintain low taxes and economic freedom to create jobs for more Americans.

Grassroots Support:

Grassroots organization is very important in the Primary and General election. This district is drawn 40% Democratic and 60% GOP based on 2000 numbers, but it voted 20% for Independents in the last election for Governor.

To swing this District Blue, I will need every Democratic vote, plus a grassroots network of walkers, talkers, callers, polling place volunteers and drivers.

This, when combined with a fully-funded, scientifically run, hard-working campaign, will make the District turn Blue.

DFA Values:

I strongly support Democratic Party efforts to strictly enforce
Pay-as-you-go rules. The first step to fiscal sanity is to stop digging a deeper hole.

Next we need to move to 100% insured. When we look at the future budgets, social security, medicare and medicaid will equal the complete budget within 14 years. So we must get a handle on these costs. Just one way to save money here is to insure that we negotiate for drug coverage.

As for socially progressive, I support comprehensive immigration reform, affirmative action and other similar pragmatic common sense solutions to the problems facing our nation.