Campaign promises are a literal joke that repeats every political season. Self-limiting terms, fiscal responsibility, and tax returns the size of postcards, to name a few. Within hours of election, the newly minted official has already forgotten the promises that put them over the top.
In differentiating my candidacy from the others, making campaign pledges are important. Talk is cheap. Instead of tossing these pledges into the wind and nobody taking them seriously, I will cement my commitment to my word. Today I held a press conference where I detailed the following pledges. I have signed twenty notarized copies which are being sent to the press and to prominent Republican leaders throughout Utah. If you are in Republican leadership and would like a signed copy, please contact me directly or my campaign. Once the twenty are distributed, I will post a list of individuals possessing signed copies on the website.
CAMPAIGN PLEDGES
- Democracy – I will actively strive for broad public collaboration, equally weighing and considering the input and advice of the American people with those alongside me in Washington.
- Open and Honest Leadership – I will be open and honest about the dealings of my office. I will continue to publish my calendar of meetings and events in relation to my public life. While doing this, I will protect individual privacy and national security where requested or necessary.
- Fair Elections – I vow to serve only three terms if incumbent advantage cannot be overcome or eliminated. I will reform campaign financing either by a shared donation pool for all candidates seeking the same office or through public financing. I will also work to eliminate the seniority system in Washington by replacing ranking committee leadership with a random lottery appointment system.
- Fiscal Responsibility – Until there is a balanced budget and the United States is cleared of all debt, I will stand with Congressman Jim Matheson in voting down congressional pay raises. Until this happens, I will donate any salary increase to charity.
- No Nuclear Testing – I will fight against any and all forms of testing on the Nevada nuclear testing ranges.
Great work, Pete. I cannot wait to see the response throughout the state.
I’m proud of you Peter. It is good that you are putting thes pledges on paper for the record. they should be framed to hang on the wall. You will be unique in Washington.
How is it that I have such a great son? I married his mother.
Just heard this on KUER on my way home. I thought it was an excellent idea, to convey your resolution to the office your are running for.
Point of clarification on the Fiscal Responsibility bullet – does this include automatic adjustments for inflation? Will you donate such adjustments to charity as well? And is the nuclear testing referring only to weapons testing, or would this blanket statement include testing nuclear power?
Good job at keeping your pledge reasonable yet agressive.
Pete: you gotta go further with your pledges, I believe.
What about the war(s)?
What about economic opportunity for our youth? (we seen to have lot of them)
What about preservation of a conservative yet accomodating lifestyle that is inclusive yet progressive. (Beware as Rocky as TRIED to get this done but failed in the eyes of the “chosen.”)
I realize this will take some thought, planning and soul searching; however, you will need to touch these issues in a way that will capture the hearts (not heads) of the majority of the populace of this pretty great elevated stated.
However, if you can pull a “carved in stone promise” under the same auspices that you have done with your previously stated committments; I do believe, my man, that you can upend the “nutcake’ and serve up a real meal.
Best of luck.
Dave Glissmeyer, CEO ProTel NetWorks
Jo-Pete: Yes, it includes all raises, including automatic. They will be donated to charity. In regards to nuclear testing, they don’t do any energy related testing on the Nevada test range. Any type of test they do is in preparation for nuclear testing of some kind.
Dave: These pledges are strictly in relation to how I do my job. How I approach policy is best defined by the Wiki and my Issues Page.
R.C.A.: We thought hanging the pledges in a frame on the wall was too small, you will find the large version of the pledges (4′ by 4′ I believe) just inside the front door at campaign headquarters.
You’re getting my vote Pete! Glad to see someone working to make a difference.
Pete: What about the alleged 10,000 existing nuclear weapons the US has in stock and the alleged $17,000,000,000 (yes that’s 9 zeros) it costs annually to maintain them? Shouldn’t we test some of those nukes to see if they still work?
Ben:
I don’t and won’t speak for Pete, but I will ask a question…why must these devices be tested in the midst of our nation,there is well…a great deal of atmosphere and beyond that limitless realms of space…personally I’d rather see most of these devices dismantled and disposed of in whatever is the safest means possible. Lets put the scientists to work on energy solutions or something worthwhile.
Another issue facing America today is the continual export of jobs to other nations. Do we really need to be part of NAFTA, and the WTO?
How can America deal with the trade deficit and loss of jobs to other nations. Can you tell us your position on those issues?
Good Job Pete, I’ll be casting my vote for you in Nov.
Robert Dalton
ION Communications
hey I think that you might not have a changes to get in to office you might sound like a rael man but how will you keep you goal and what stepes are you willing to take to make them happen
don’t be an a-hole!
Wow someone people don’t know anything about nuclear information. 1. Nuclear power plants are clean 2. Leading Scientists say that Nuclear Power Plants danger to people is extremely low 3. Power Plants don’t blow up they meltdown 4. Meltdowns rarely happen something has to go completely wrong 5. Only one meltdown has happened in the history of nuke power plants in Russia and that’s because they tried to do it. Get your facts straight HIPPIE!
Dear “Someone Smarter”,
Nuclear power testing is not conducted on the Nevada Test Range. That is where nuclear bombs are tested. Utah and this nation paid too high of a price in cancer, autoimmune diseases, and subsequent death to ever let that happen again.
My energy policy has provisions for researching new forms of nuclear power. I hope you take some time to read it before jumping to additional conclusions.
Mr. Ashdown, I don’t really know you but i am interested to learn more about you. To be honest the only reason that i am here looking into your positions is because i don’t want Mr. Hatch back into office. The question i have is i hear promises and i see them broken all the time by politicians. I realize that you need to be in office to at least have a chance to live up to your promises, other than promises what do you have to offer a regular family man with a wife and 3 teenage daugthers. The things i care about mostly is taxes, common sense and honesty.
Pete,
Thanks for standing up to the Republican hegemony in this state and nation. It’s time for a change. Please contact me to let me know what I can do help between now and election day.
The american government is the greatest that has ever existed only because it has the capability to fix itself before it self destructs.
I’m glad someone has the guts to stand up to that a**hole Orrin Hatch. If I lived in Utah I would be voting for you. Here in New York, we’re stuck with Hilary. Although I usually vote Democrat, I will be voting for Hilary’s Green Party opponent, Howie Hawkins. Well, good luck with your own campaign, hope you win and make a difference in Congress.
Pete,
Why do you insist on jumping onto the “Campaign Finance Reform” band wagon? The real issue with election reform is voter fraud. Voter registration should be on a national level, with all registered voters following the same rules which include pre-election day voter registration and showing a voter registration card and photo ID that match, name and address. It’s a simple concept. I am sick and tired of hearing about all the illegal aliens voting, people voting multiple times in states that allow election day (at the poll) voter registration and poll bussing.
Voter fraud is the real problem with elections, not the fact that you didn’t raise as much money as Orrin. Don’t confuse the words “fair” and “equal”. Socialists would like us all to think that life should be equal, it’s not. But it is fair. If we are responsible (as opposed to entitled) we will be rewarded.
One more thing. We live in a Republic, not a Democracy. No, that does not make me a Republican. An elected offical is supposed to do what is best for the common good. The public do not have access to all the information, and therefore should not base decisions on sound bites. Our job is to make cars and computers and sell things, elected officials job is to make laws based on the common good.