by Xiomara Rodriguez Vazquez on Wednesday, March 14, 2012 at 11:19am
This is a question I have been asked frequently. I have asked myself the same question many, many times. The answer is not a simple one; it could be answered in an ideological way. But the reality is there right in front of us, in our every day lives.
Today, Wednesday, March 14, 2012, I made it official that I will be a candidate for Nevada’s Congressional District Two. This is the beginning of a new stage of my life and the people of CD2.
I am running because it is time to stop playing politics with the people of Nevada and this country. It is time to start working TOGETHER to move this state and this country forward. WE CANNOT continue to be content with party line actions that affect us all.
Our current elected officials got to Congress with the cry of “JOBS, JOBS, JOBS.” But they have not done anything to create those jobs, especially not in Nevada. Nevada still has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country, and still nothing is done.
Here in Nevada we have the ability to tap into our wind, solar, and geothermal resources. By becoming the leader in alternative energy, we can create much needed jobs and help reduce the nation’s dependence on foreign oil. In the process, we can become the nation’s leader in the development of alternative energy.
Our politicians talk about the need to balance our budget. I have to agree that this country needs a balanced budget, but how do we do that. I feel the best way to balance the budget is by creating income. We have cut our agencies to the bare bones. We cannot cut ourselves out of this one. We need to add income.
Also, we CANNOT continue to tax 99% of our population for the benefit of 1%. We need to tax that 1%. In the last week, our current representative in Congress said that even if the people of Nevadaasked him to raise our taxes he would not. Why make that statement; because he is acting in favor of that 1% and not for the benefit of the citizens of this state. Just remember that he signed the Norquist pledge not to raises taxes (in reality, the pledge is not to raise taxes on the 1%).
Let’s also look at what has happened in the last few weeks regarding women’s health issues. Our Representatives in Congress have mounted a series of actions to restrict women’s access to much needed health care. They have also proposed very restrictive regulations and reporting procedures for doctors. 
In the case of the State of Virginia, the Republican Party attempted to pass a bill that would require doctors to perform an invasive procedure which is absolutely unnecessary on women. The Republican Party is pushing similar measures all over the country in an effort to restrict women’s access to health care. Is this what we want for our state and our country?
The people of CD2 and the State of Nevada deserve a representative who is willing to work for them, not broken promises, inaction and the “party line”.
These are some of the reasons I am running for Congress. More to come.
Three other Democrats, Erik Holland, Samuel Koepnick and Rex Ricks, have also filed to run in an attempt to unseat Republican Mark Amodei who was just elected to the post in a special election.