“it’s the economy stupid” was the line Bill Clinton used to take George H Bush out at the kneecaps.
Today, we’re hearing its inflation.
You know what’s too expensive?
It’s not gasoline. It’s not groceries. It’s not housing or insulin. It’s letting the rich buy our politicians.
Why should it cost $15B to run for national office? The president’s job only pays $400K a year. See BBC story
Why should any public office involve panhandling?
Truthfully- we could build an amazing voter information system 15x over- and have it last forever- that encourages transparency, integrity, accountability and takes the money out of politics and puts issues and ideas first.
That’s why I started the Modern Policy Institute a few years ago (and about 5 years before that started a book on the subject).
I’ve got ideas- but, in order to spread them, I have to be a hypocrite and ask you for a donation.
I’ve made funny videos about panhandling my way to congress before: https://youtu.be/ePfv2QS1CfI
And I’ve talked about the stupidity of yard signs that say nothing and amount to Political Littering https://youtu.be/UzJn6coeQrk
I’ve tried an alternative approach- putting up free green basketball nets for inner city kids- and guilting the city into fixing the city courts: https://youtu.be/8GuC9Rn53NU (nets cost about $2- and are useful- a sign costs a bit more… and is, well- an ego thing.)
I ran the gun control ad in the Dayton Daily this Sunday. (see below) I didn’t get a influx of donations or questions, but I did run into Dr. Steven Johnson of Sinclair College at lunch today and he said he liked it (and he doesn’t even like me).
If you’re on this list and wondering why? Let me share something about it. It’s only people I know, people I’ve met, people I’ve done business with, volunteered with, broken bread with, or you’ve donated to me.
Somehow, we’re connected. And some of you are of the other political party, or even people who don’t agree with me.
But I hope you’ll agree with me- we need a massive re-configuring of the way we buy and sell our leaders in this country.
And your donation can help me spread this message.
Who Donates to Esrati?
And in case you wonder who donates to my campaign, I’d like to share a few before it comes out in the campaign finance report:
A retired Dayton Public School principal, a City Commissioner, an organic farmer, a self-storage company owner, a hockey playing retired CPA, a marketing researcher, a Wright State professor, an investment fund manager, a jazz musician, another retired educator, my third cousin who is an advertising legend, a concert promoter, a retired activist, a family friend, a non-profit leader, a neighbor, a data cruncher, a corporate middle-manager, a retired optician, an activist, a retired psychiatrist, a non-profit leader, a political boss in Greene County, a building inspector, an x-girlfriend, a retired college president, a former employee, a nurse, a former purchasing director, a school administrator, a disabled veteran, a small business owner, a retired journalist, a real estate developer, a copywriter, a small business owner, a semi-retired Wall Street M&A lawyer, a community theater director, a globe-trotting surveyor, a parking empresario, a client who sells campaign signs, a community leader, a Cuban immigrant small business owner, an importer of fine optical instruments, a chemical engineer.
And to all- I say thank you.
Sincerely,
David Esrati
Candidate for Congress and small business.