Tim Cunha for Congress - Florida, 6th District

Background:

Democrat since working on registering voters at age 13, in New Jersey, where I served as a Dem district committeeman (at 16), Dem municipal chairman, Dem county vice-chair, campaign manager for county and state offices, media manger for congressional races, candidate for county and state offices, elected member of two city councils. Graduate of Rutgers (poli sci) and Georgetown Law. Attorney, member of NJ Bar ('retired'). Founder, owner, operator of several businesses--manufacturing, technology, publishing. Taught college seminars part-time for many years on the philosophy of justice. Most recently worked directing marketing, management, research, and development in the field of biotechnology.

Goals:

1. To remove an ultra-right-wing, Bush-rubber-stamping, radical ideologue from office and replace him with a progressive voice of common sense for the common people who represents the vast middle majority of Americans.

2. To restore integrity, conscience, and justice to our government; to be a voice for values that have motivated Democrats for generations, founded on the basic dignity and worth of each individual human being, without consideration of wealth, race, gender, ethnicity, religion, etc.

3. To wrest control of our government from the special interest lobbies and restore it to the people.

To learn about my motivation for running, please see my debut speech [http://timcunha.com/node/17] in which I outline my beliefs, the beliefs of Democrats, and how they resonate with the vast 'middle majority' of this district that must be converted in order for a progressive Democrat to win. Many of the voters are self-described 'people of faith' ~ I believe that their faith, and mine, mandate that government feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, empower the weak, heal the sick, give voice to those who are unheard, stop the destruction and killing of an unjust war. My goal in a nutshell: To represent the people of my district, by upholding the liberties and promise of our Constitution, by challenging government and citizens to look beyond selfish, transitory, shallow motives, and by striving for a government that, collectively and individually, follows the words of the prophet: "does justice", "loves kindly", and "walks humbly."

Issues:

1. Responsibly ending U.S. involvement in the Iraqi civil war. And implementing "The Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq", which I endorse.

2. Rebuilding the economy and ending the Bush-initiated "welfare for the wealthy"; foreign trade with fairness, reciprocity, and integrity; saving the homes and savings of "middle America" from the manipulation of banks and mortgage lenders; assuring that "every American who wants a job has a job" and that "no one who works full time in America should live in poverty in America."

3. A decent quality of life for all Americans ~ quality affordable healthcare available to all, including childhood and maternal nutrition, preventive care, Medicare prescription drugs without a "donut hole", retirement and disability Social Security that is truly secure and truly adequate to live lives of dignity.

Grassroots Support:

Grassroots and netroots organizing are the core of this campaign. We started this quest less than a month ago and have surprised the local Democratic leadership by how much support has emerged in such a short period time.
Most of the officers of all the 8 county Democratic Executive Committees are individually supporting the candidate. He is speaking at and recruiting from the ranks of a couple of dozen Democratic clubs in the district. By precise targeting of individual precincts and voters, we can focus the energies of thousands of Democrats and Independents in door-to-door canvassing to neighborhoods and household where it will have the most effect. Students at the Univ of Florida, Santa Fe College, and other colleges are already involved and recruiting others to organize their campuses, with an additional 30,000 college students targeted to be newly-registered Democrats in the congressional district by early October. Students are signing up to be summer interns to work in all areas of the district. Targeted emails and district-specific blogs are in the works.
The candidate is working full-time, 24/7, on the campaign, targeting direct voter contact in neighborhoods identified as having a high number of 'progressive' or 'moderate' Independents and Republicans.

DFA Values:

1. I believe that our Constitution is a living instrument that evolves and matures in response to the collective conscience of the constituency with certain immutable principles of dignity and justice that transcend all others; that truly we are our "brothers keepers" and our government should act acordingly; that we have an ethical obligation to be responsible stewards of the environment for the benefit of all peoples and all generations. This translates into homes for the homeless, food for the hungry, jobs for the unemployed, healthcare for the ill and disabled, resources adequate for each person to live lives of dignity and purpose. Of late, our government policies have benefited the top 1% of the wealthiest Americans, while not only increasing the gap between he haves and the have-nots, but also decreasing the resources of everyone who is not superrich. We prosper as a nation by guaranteeing that all prosper. A democracy with such great and increasing disparities in the allocation of material resources is a democracy in peril.

2. It's not just about material resources, though; often the most important 'things' are not things. Basic human rights, revered civil liberties, fundamental principles of justice are being blatantly and grossly violated and abrogated. Not only does this mindless trashing of our most hallowed traditions erode the foundation of our democracy, but it also robs the people of the world of the hope and inspiration they once derived from the promise and potential that was "America". While the flame may be dimmed and hidden, the spark still flickers; and that America can shine again and restore the trust and confidence of the world in an American vision of integrity, dignity, liberty, justice, and peace.
Ultimately, we only assure a future of peace, justice, harmony, and prosperity for our children, by assuring such a world for ALL children.

3. Fiscal responsibility demands that:
a. those who prosper more contribute more in recognition of the advantages and benefits of a society that provided the environment in which they could thrive;
b. government pays for all current expenditures out of current income;
c. wasteful pork barrel earmarks are ended and there is full disclosure of all special projects that may be supported by any individual member of congress;
d. trade agreements are reciprocal, with foreign governments and manufacturers subject to the same rules as we are--the artificial valuation of the Chinese currency must end or corrective tariffs should be imposed;
e. the U. S. embroilment in the Iraqi civil war must end;
f. we must invest prudently in our future by funding educational opportunity for all Americans and by funding research into alternative energy sources to make us totally independent of all foreign sources of energy by 2020.