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PAT MARA
Friday, August 15, 2008
IF
YOU
ARE
a
Republican
and
you
read
this
column,
you
will
vote
for
me
in
the
Sept.
9
primary.
I
am
the
candidate
offering
choice
and
change.
I
am
running
for
one
of
the
two
seats
on
the
D.C.
Council
that
is
reserved
for
someone
other
than
a
Democrat.
Carol
Schwartz
has
held
that
seat
for
a
couple
of
decades
and
although
she
is
a
nice
and
friendly
person,
her
actions
and
positions
on
issues,
for
someone
who
is
supposedly
a
Republican,
will
surprise
and
disappoint
you.
I
am
running
because,
as
a
longtime
resident
of
the
District
with
a
career
in
public
affairs,
I
believe
we
can
do
better.
All
I
ask
is
that
you
take
the
time
to
know
where
I
stand
on
the
issues
and
support
the
candidate
who
best
reflects
your
views
and
positions
and
is
committed
to
act
rather
than
just
talk.
I
am
running
because
I
fully
support
Mayor
Adrian
Fenty
and
Chancellor
Michelle
Rhee’s
aggressive
reforms
to
our
public
education
system.
It
is
time
we
stand
up
to
the
special
interests
and
put
the
needs
of
our
children
first.
Unfortunately,
my
opponent,
Carol
Schwartz,
was
a
leading
opponent
of
Mayor
Fenty’s
school
takeover
plan.
I
am
running
because
the
GLBT
community
has
waited
too
long
for
their
full
human
and
civil
rights.
While
Schwartz
says
she
is
not
“opposed”
to
marriage
equality,
I
am
unequivocally
“for”
full
marriage
equality
and,
when
elected,
I
will
support
a
bill
to
make
marriage
legal
in
D.C.
for
our
gay
and
lesbian
citizens.
I
AM
RUNNING
because
our
children
need
education
programs
in
our
schools
that
teach
about
diversity
in
all
forms,
and
because
I
believe
it
is
time
for
education
policies
that
will
end
the
harassment
of
GLBT
students
and
teachers
in
our
schools.
I
am
running
because
the
District
deserves
a
vote
in
Congress.
My
party
affiliation
won’t
stop
me,
as
it
has
Schwartz,
from
doing
everything
I
can
to
make
that
happen.
I
am
running
because
I
know
the
District
needs
legislative
and
budgetary
autonomy,
an
issue
made
clear
when
issues
like
needle
exchange
and
domestic
partnerships
are
held
up
in
Congress.
Council
members,
regardless
of
party
affiliation,
must
be
willing
to
stand
up
and
demand
this
change
now.
I
am
running
because
as
a
full-time
Council
member,
I
will
be
visible
across
the
District
in
every
community
—
and
I
won’t
just
speak
out
at
hearings
when
the
TV
cameras
are
on.
The
oversight
function
must
be
used
to
hold
government
agencies
and
officials
accountable,
not
to
score
political
points.
I
am
running
because
I
am
ready
to
work
hard
every
day
to
make
a
real
dent
in
the
HIV/AIDS
epidemic
in
our
city.
I
am
running
because
I
believe
this
is
an
election
—
at
all
levels
—
about
“change.”
I
do
not
believe
we
should
re-elect
a
candidate
who
says,
in
her
campaign
announcement,
that
we
can
expect
“more
of
the
same”
from
her.
It
is
time,
after
more
than
30
years
in
public
office,
to
tell
Carol
Schwartz
the
time
has
come
for
change.
I
believe
voters
elected
Fenty
mayor
because
they
thought
it
was
time
for
a
breath
of
fresh
air.
I
believe
the
Republican
Party
in
the
District
will
also
agree
that
we
need
a
breath
of
fresh
air.
I
APPLAUD
THE
mayor
for
planning
the
first
GLBT
Economic
Development
Summit
and
bringing
the
GLBT
community
into
the
economic
mainstream
of
the
District.
As
a
Council
member,
I
will
work
to
make
certain
the
GLBT
community
is
a
part
of
every
new
major
development
project
in
the
District.
I
will
also
work
to
ensure
that
we
continue
to
fund
projects
like
the
new
Wanda
Alston
House
for
Homeless
Gay
&
Transgender
Youth
and
will
work
with
groups
like
Transgender
Health
Empowerment,
the
group
running
the
home,
to
make
sure
they
have
the
resources
they
need
to
succeed.
Carol
Schwartz
and
I
may
both
be
Republicans,
but
the
similarities
end
there.
We
have
clear
and
fundamental
differences:
I
support
Mayor
Fenty’s
school
reform
agenda,
while
she
does
not;
I
unequivocally
support
same-sex
marriage,
while
she
does
not;
the
list
goes
on
and
on.
As
your
Council
member,
I
will
work
with
Council
Chair
Vincent
Gray,
the
rest
of
the
Council,
and
Mayor
Fenty
to
continue
to
move
our
city
forward.
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