WILLIAMSON                                               March 10, 2014
FOR
U.S. CONGRESS

DEMOCRAT

CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 6

480-607-9726

“The Future Can Be Ours!”

Dear Friend,

Education can be a means to succeed in the search for peace in our world.
Education can be the means to achieve understanding of such foreign
countries as China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and others. I agree with                                                                                              the philosophy that Madam Curie advocated in her quote: “Nothing is to be feared, only understood.”

Instead of stockpiling weapons, we should stockpile academic courses in
Chinese, Russian, and Farsi. We should attempt to understand the
viewpoints of other cultures at every opportunity. We should emphasize the
concept of interdependence among countries. We should take college courses
in the history of other nations whenever possible. We should look upon
Political Science as a respectable college major, and not just think that
courses of study in Engineering, Accounting, Business, and Science are the
only ones that have practical value. Understanding the viewpoints of other
cultures and, because of that, preventing wars, is practical. Take, for
example, Robert Gates, the former Defense Secretary who recently retired
from that post. He has a Ph.D. in Soviet History. He communicates well,
and his stint as Defense Secretary was, in my view, successful, as far as
dealing as well as anyone could with the responsibilities that he
shouldered.

I believe that the U.S. Congress needs to renew the National Defense
Education Act, first, in response to Sputnik, made law in 1958, which I
believe has expired. When I was an undergraduate, I had, at one point, a
National Defense Education Act (NDEA) loan. I had it when I was studying
Classical Languages at CAL Berkeley in the early ’70’s. We need to once
again give out student loans to college students on the basis of whether
or not their course of study supports our national defense. Defending our
country does not just consist of using physical armaments and weapons,
although they are indispensable. We must fortify our country with a strong
intellectual and conceptual education so that we can cope with the
divergent and sometimes malevolent attitudes of other nations. Strategy
and tactics in the military and any other field is a function of thinking,
and thinking is something education can develop. That is why we need
strong public schools adequately funded. In short, we’re going to have a
hard time standing up to Russian President Vladimir Putin and his bullying
tactics unless we have strong public schools with a challenging curriculum
and high standards. We can do it; but we must not let down our guard and
become complacent.

If elected your congressman for Congressional District 6, I would vote to
renew the National Defense Education Act so that low-interest loans to
college students with majors that support our national defense could be
funded. This would include students majoring in critical foreign languages
such as Chinese, Russian, Farsi, German, French, Spanish and others that
have to do with our national security. Indeed, perhaps any student
majoring in any foreign language should, for the sake of fostering
international understanding, be eligible. (I myself can functionally speak
French, Spanish, and German, and know classical Latin and Greek.) Students
with majors in Computer Information Systems and Computer Software, that
would have to do with cyberdefense, would also be eligible. Our strength
as a nation depends upon our intellectual strength as an educated people.
Our intellectual strength depends upon the strength of our public schools.
“I support public education,” as I state in my Platform Positions on my
campaign website, “for a strong economy and a strong defense.”

If you would like to make a financial contribution to my campaign, please
check out my website at: williamsonforuscongress.com. Click on “Make a
Donation”; then, using safe and secure PayPal, you may donate to a
campaign that supports strong public schools so that our country will have
the strength and knowledge to stand up to the governments of nations such
as Russia who try to bully us or our allies. Donations are greatly
appreciated and help out a lot with signs, supplies, the website, and so
on. If you wish to circulate a nomination petition for me, please send me
an e-mail or call the above number, and I will send you some.

By renewing the National Defense Education Act, the Future Can Be Ours to
fight against the bullying tactics of authoritarian regimes in such
countries as Russia, China, and Iran. We cannot afford to be naive about
unfriendly motivations these countries may have towards us. At the same
time, however, by understanding their points of view, we may seize upon
mutual interests that we have with these sovereign nations and work
together on behalf of these mutual interests to establish trade
agreements, military treaties, and educational exchange programs that will
help us to succeed in our search for peace in the world community.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
John

W. John Williamson

Scottsdale, Arizona

 SCOTTSDALE DEMOCRATIC LUNCHEON CLUB

                      “Since 1976–at least!”

                          480-607-9726

Dear Friend,

Our club will be honored to have VIRGEL CAIN, Charter Member and Vice Chair of the City of Phoenix Military and Veterans Commission, as our guest speaker on Saturday, March 22nd, at 2:00 PM at the renovated DENNY’S at Scottsdale and Osborn Roads. MR. CAIN’S talk is titled: “Some Gave All and All Gave Some, a current look at Veterans and Military Families in Arizona and America.” There will be a question and answer period after his presentation. 

VIRGEL CAIN is a U.S. Navy Vietnam Veteran. A California native, he has lived in Phoenix since 1979. Married for 33 years, VIRGEL has two daughters (adoptive and foster parent.) Further, he is a member of the Foster Care Review Board, Chair of the Friends of the Library–Desert Broom Branch, and Chair of the Arizona Democratic Veterans and Military Families Caucus. Moreover, VIRGEL is the Chair of the District 15 Democrats. He also has a B.A. degree in Business Administration. VIRGEL, in addition, ran for the Phoenix City Council in the most recent election. He did not win, but asserted himself admirably in the democratic process.

As you may know, veterans have many issues these days. Among these are not only the PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) but also the alarming increase in the suicide rate of younger soldiers over the past year. (See “Baffling Rise in Suicides Plagues the U.S. Military,” New York Times, May 15, 2013.) One issue that I know the Blue Tuesday Forum has addressed is veterans’ homelessness. My Dad was a veteran of World War II; he was in the Signal Corps. 

PLEASE NOTE that DENNY’S requires each person attending to purchase a meal or significant dessert.

Perhaps you, a family member, or a friend is a veteran or in the military. I do hope you will make it to our luncheon on Saturday, March 22nd! VIRGEL CAIN is the man to talk to if you have a question about veterans’ issues.

Please RSVP by calling the above number or sending me an e-mail.

TELL AND BRING A FRIEND! Mark your calendar for Saturday, March 22nd!

See you then!

Sincerely,
John

W. John Williamson
Chair
SCOTTSDALE DEMOCRATIC LUNCHEON CLUB
480-607-9726

March 3, 2014

WILLIAMSON
FOR
U.S. CONGRESS

DEMOCRAT

CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 6

480-607-9726

"The Future Can Be Ours!"

Dear Friend,

Russian President Vladimir Putin is probably not going to be winning the
Nobel Peace Prize anytime soon. It is said that President Putin has a
nostalgia for the days of the Soviet Union; that nostalgia has perhaps
obscured his awareness that Ukraine is no longer a part of the Soviet
Union, but a sovereign country unto itself. President Putin has evidently
not yet caught up with this concept.

While it is true that in the past Crimea was a part of the Soviet Union,
in today's world it is part of the sovereign nation of Ukraine. Therefore,
Russian President Vladimir Putin's order that Russian troops occupy Crimea
is, as President Obama has stated, a violation of international law; it
interferes with Ukraine's self-determination and autonomy.

Crimea has long been associated with Russian history. Leo Tolstoy, author
of the great Russian novel WAR AND PEACE, first broke into print with his
literary work THE SEBASTOPOL SKETCHES, published in 1855. Tolstoy, who was
an officer in the Russian army at the time, transferred to the besieged
town of Sebastopol in Crimea in 1854. He wished to see at first hand the
action of what would become known as the Crimean War. He was spurred on to
do this not only by patriotism but also by a desire to alert the
authorities to appalling conditions in the army. (information source:
Description of the Penguin Classic at www.amazon.com.)

Prior to the Russian occupation of Crimea on Friday, Feb. 28, Sebastopol
seemed once again in an insecure condition, because Russians living in
that area felt threatened by the opposition government that had just taken
power in Kiev. When Russian troops crossed Ukraine's boundaries, this
disrespected its sovereignty. Further, Michael McFaul, the former U.S.
ambassador to Russia, said in an NPR news interview this morning, that
there is no threat to the Russian-speaking people in Crimea posed by the
new government in Kiev; the so-called threats appear to be unfounded.

My hope is that the German leadership, under Chancellor Angela Merkel,
will play a strong diplomatic role in resolving the crisis. President
Obama could be supportive of her efforts. Germany is much closer to the
crisis area and has a greater economic interest in the political, and
therefore economic, stability of that area.

Moreover, what President Obama and the U.S. Congress can do is provide as
much support as possible to the interim government in Kiev. The President
and Congressional leaders can urge the International Monetary Fund to
provide financial aid to the Kiev government headed by acting prime
minister Arseniy P. Yatsenyuk, a veteran public official. ("In Ukraine,
Naming of Interim Government Gets Mixed Response," New York Times, Feb.
26, 2014). This will enable the new government to gain economic strength
that it needs to lead effectively. It is important not only to bolster the
new government in Kiev but also to pursue short and long-term sanctions
against the Russian government. For example, it would be well, in my
judgment, for the G-8 countries to cancel their next meeting to be held in
June in Sochi and schedule it to be held elsewhere. In time, if Putin does
not reverse course, the European Union and other G-8 countries will be
able to put in place some appropriate economic sanctions, I'm sure.

While this may sound naive, perhaps President Putin had good intentions
when he sent troops into Crimea. President George W. Bush had good
intentions, too, perhaps, when he invaded Iraq, even though it was
eventually learned that there were no WMD's on the premises. We know from
watching the Winter Olympics on NBC that President Putin is not a man
without a heart, as we learned of him congratulating athletes from other
countries who had won medals. Indeed, he recently visited a Russian skier
in the hospital who, as a result of a terrible fall, is paralyzed from the
waist down. ("Russian Skier Was Paralyzed in Sochi Fall," New York Times,
Feb. 26, 2014.)

But I think he should have known better than to think he can violate the
sovereignty of a fledgling nation like Ukraine and, at the same time, hold
onto the goodwill of the world community. Maybe Putin, after watching his
athletes win medals at Sochi, wanted to win a medal himself for strategic
military brilliance. The problem is, in my opinion, he chose the wrong
place and time to show that he and his army are powerful.

If you wish to make a financial contribution to my campaign, please check
out my website at williamsonforuscongress.com. Click on the Donations
Page, where, using safe and secure PayPal, you may donate. If you wish to
circulate my nomination petition, please call me at the above number or
send me an e-mail, and I will send you some.

The Future Can Be Ours with respect to foreign policy in such places as
Ukraine if we support the fledgling Kiev government in whatever
non-military way we can. At times like these, in the face of cynical
behavior such as Vladimir Putin has shown over the past few days, it is
well to remember what Anne Frank says in her Diary somewhere: that she
thought that people are basically good. Idealism has its place, and we
should show our belief in the interim government in Kiev and help them in
every non-military way. If we can ensure the survival of the interim
government in Kiev, the light of democracy, however struggling, will
continue to shine for the courageous Ukrainian people. And Ukraine's
priceless sovereignty will prevail.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
John

W. John Williamson

Scottsdale, Arizona

                  PAID FOR BY WILLIAMSON FOR U.S.CONGRESS

WILLIAMSON
FOR
U.S. CONGRESS

DEMOCRAT

CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 6

“The future can be ours.”

480-607-9726

Dear Friend,

Sometimes it seems that Rep. David Schweikert doesn’t have a social conscience.

Rep. Schweikert, for example, opposed expanding Medicaid in our state. In
announcing his opposition on June 10th of this year, he stated: “I would
strongly encourage legislators considering this proposal to fully
understand the financial implications of what passage would mean for our
state and more importantly for Arizona taxpayers.”

Fortunately, Gov. Jan Brewer, although a Republican, had a much more
reasonable view. She knew that by approving the Medicaid Expansion, the
Legislature would enable billions of dollars in federal matching funds to
come into our state to support the program. These billions of dollars will
provide jobs for people in the health care industry in our state and make
our economy stronger.

Rep. Schweikert doesn’t seem to care about the 350,000 childless adults
who now will have their AHCCCS coverage restored. Our Governor at least
had the compassion to realize that 350,000 people cannot be left to fend
for themselves, when they are already in an economically disadvantaged
position.

This is one reason why I am running for Congress in CD6 again in the 2014
election cycle. A Congressman should care about all of his
constituents–not just seek to shield the wealthy and their capital gains,
but strive to protect those who, perhaps through no fault of their own,
currently have low income and are unable to pay for their medical care.

I hope you will want to support me in my efforts to unseat Rep.
Schweikert. You may make a financial contribution to my campaign by going
to my website at williamsonforuscongress.com. You may go to the
Donations page, and, using safe and secure PayPal, make a contribution
with your credit card. We will need money for many things, including such
items as clipboards for those gathering signatures, not to mention
business cards and signs. Water bottles and snacks for volunteers are also
important.–You may remember our volunteer work parties at ECHO COFFEE in
the last election! Donations paid for the sandwiches, lemonades and iced
teas.– Donations in any amount–small or large–will be appreciated.

Our future does not have to be in the hands of congressmen such as Rep.
Schweikert who chose to ignore 350,000 Arizonans who needed adequate
medical coverage. If elected your congressman, I will support sustaining
the expanded Medicaid program as well as the Affordable Care Act. The
future can be ours once again in healthcare.

Please let me know your thoughts concerning these matters if you have some
time to do so.

Thank you for allowing me to share my views with you.

Sincerely,

John

W. John Williamson

WILLIAMSON
FOR
U.S. CONGRESS
DEMOCRAT

Congressional District 6
480-607-9726

Dear Volunteer or Friend,

The official final results of the primary were posted by the Maricopa County Recorder’s Office on Friday, Sept. 7, and, unfortunately, I came up short on the votes: It was 51.91% to 48.09%, with Matt Jette having 12,383 to my 11,471 votes, a difference of 912 votes.

I’m very disappointed, but it’s been a very successful loss. So many good things happened during the campaign.

I’d like to thank very much the people who voted for me. Drawing the line with the ball point pen next to my name is a big deal, and I appreciate it greatly.

I’d like to thank the volunteers, those who put up yard signs, and those who made financial contributions. I’d like to thank my sister, Nancy Marie Williamson, for being the campaign committee treasurer. It’s an important job, and I value her efforts.

There are various reasons for running for office. My strong belief in the Affordable Care Act was my main reason, and got me out there getting signatures on my nomination petitions, 699 of which out of 707 I got myself. I’m proud of that because it shows I got in contact with the voters and provided me with first-hand experiences on what their concerns are. Another reason for running for office has to do with positive political experiences I’ve had throughout my life. My mother’s activities in the Democratic Party as President of the SCOTTSDALE DEMOCRATIC LUNCHEON CLUB in 1976 and her work as a precinct committeeperson and so on provided me with a strong impetus. It shows me how influential parents can be on their children. If you think your kid isn’t watching what you do, folks, think again! I remember, as a youth, going to the District 28 Democratic Party meetings and listening to and observing what was going on. And I remember participating as a volunteer in Senator DeConcini’s 1976 campaign and how much hope and optimism there was in that, especially after he won. If you, regardless of your age, have memories that give you hope and optimism, hold on to them. They can keep you going through the hard times and take you places.

I’ll have a website shortly. It’s address will be: williamsonforuscongress.com. It should be up within the next two weeks. Check it out, check in, and stay in touch!

In the last election, when I was running for state representative, I came up, after a challenge, 36 signatures short on my nomination petitions and had to withdraw from the race. At that time, my mom had just had a heart attack, though she’s doing well now, and I had had to get her settled in an assisted-living situation as well. Things were changing, there had been crises, yet, in a phone conversation with Dennis DeConcini, he offered these consoling words: “There’ll be another day.”

And so it has happened. There has been another day and, though I would rather have won, it was good to get out there, put up signs (see attached photo, one of my favorites, with my daughter, Maryanne), stuff envelopes, use the Votebuilder database from the Arizona Democratic Party to create voter lists, and meet new people. It wasn’t always easy, but we did not give up. And for that, in some way, we have prevailed.

Tomorrow will be another day, and we’ll have another chance, to believe in our beliefs and to look for that winning vote around the corner.

Thanks for supporting my efforts!

Sincerely,
John

W. John Williamson
Candidate for U.S. Congress, CD6

Dear Volunteer or Friend,

Just letting you know that, because the Democratic primary in CD6 is so close, I’m waiting for the OFFICIAL election results. An election official has told me that the official results won’t be out until hopefully, he said, Tuesday.

The latest UNOFFICIAL results of the primary, as of Aug. 29 at 2:19 PM are:

Matt Jette: 9688 50.98%

W. John Williamson: 9317 49.02%

Even though 100% of the precincts have reported, there are still ballots to be counted. Provisional ballots, for example. Perhaps the ballots of astronauts who faxed their votes in from the International Space Station as well, I don’t know. In fact, this official told me that the election workers at the County Recorder’s office are going to be working until 10:00 PM on Saturday to get everything counted; not just for the CD6 race, but for all the races in the county. He also said that the county election workers are not guaranteed a Labor Day holiday if their work has not been completed.

So given that I have been running for U.S. Congress for just over a year and 9317 voters have placed their trust, rightly so, in me, it is best to stand by for the official results before drawing any conclusions. As an English teacher, it’s not hard to think of examples in the plays of Shakespeare of characters who jumped to conclusions and made decisions before all the facts were in. Romeo and Juliet for two; and I think it was Cassius in JULIUS CAESAR who thought his friend had been taken prisoner but that was not the case at all. He misconstrued what he saw and made a bad decision after that. (Correct me if I’m wrong, Dave L., on the character’s name in JULIUS CAESAR.)

So I’m going to wait until the OFFICIAL results are in and then assess the situation.

The election official I talked to also said that if the difference in votes is 100 or less, an automatic recount is triggered. (Wayne M., I think that addresses your question.)

That election night was sure a hoot, though, wasn’t it? When I started to watch the votes rolling in, it became clear that more than my Mom, my daughter and myself had voted for me. It’s very gratifying that, as of Aug. 29 at 2:19 PM, the unofficial results show that, as of that moment, 9317 people had voted for me. I and the campaign volunteers, supporters, contributors and those with yard signs must have done something right. I attach two photos from our ELECTION NIGHT GATHERING: in the first, I’m with my wonderful daughter, Maryanne; in the second, I’m with Jason, the manager that evening at DENNY’S at Scottsdale and Osborn Roads. Jason has worked in the restaurant business for some 20-plus years, but now is majoring in Biology at a local community college, pursuing his original dream before family responsibilities took him on another path.

So the vigil continues until the OFFICIAL results are in and I and my advisors can see what they are. Perhaps there will be good news, who knows?

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. My campaign phone number is 480-607-9726; or send an e-mail.

Thanks for continuing to hang in there with me.

Sincerely,

W. John Williamson

Candidate for U.S. Congress, CD6

We took some photos this time. In the first picture, there is Kyle, Bill and Pat–our family contingent. Note the glass of organic lemonade to the left, a source of envelope-stuffing energy. And to think, had I not gone out to gather signatures on my petitions that fateful Sunday in March at the Mesquite Library in Paradise Valley, I would never have met these wonderful folks.

In the second digital moment, we have, left to right, Marie (with the blue earring), Pat S. (in the green shirt), Kyle S. (giving his mother a hand), and I (in the blue CTA polo shirt.) With VOLUNTEERS like this, how can my campaign not be successful? You may notice also that at ECHO COFFEE, laptops are popular.

Tentatively, the VOLUNTEERS will meet for a work party again next Sunday from 1:00 to 3:00 PM, after our victory on Tuesday.

Don’t forget to attend our ELECTION NIGHT GATHERING at DENNY’S,, 3315 N. Scottsdale Rd., at Scottsdale and Osborn in Scottsdale on Tuesday evening, Aug. 28, from 6:00 to 11:00 PM. We will be watching the election returns on TV. There’s the option, moreover, to get food on your own recognizance, or have a lemonade on the campaign committee.

My cell phone number is 480-283-5147, if needed.

Thank you for your support, one and all.

Sincerely,