WILLIAMSON
FOR
U.S. CONGRESS 2016

DEMOCRAT

CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 6

“THE FUTURE SHALL BE OURS.”

480-607-9726

Dear Friend,

In my travels along the democratic trail, I have learned–contrary to the
ARIZONA REPUBLIC Editorial Board–that David Schweikert, the incumbent
congressman in District 6, is not the prudent, proper nor preferable
choice for voters of that district. As Mr. Schweikert’s challenger, I
would like to point out that David Schweikert has participated gleefully
in two government shutdowns that have damaged our nation’s reputation and
injured blameless Americans.

In 2011, after the shutdown, our nation’s debt rating was downgraded.
Moreover, during the 2013 shutdown, about 800,000 federal employees were
furloughed for two weeks. This caused loss of income to those workers, as
well as took capital out of the economy because of decreased consumption.

Mr. Schweikert has also been insensitive to the medical needs of
lower-income constituents or those with pre-existing conditions. There are
20,000,000 such Americans, including my daughter, who, without Obamacare,
would have nothing to cover their medical needs. Mr. Schweikert has voted
some 45 times to repeal the Affordable Care Act at taxpayer expense.

Furthermore, Mr. Schweikert is a RINO–a Republican in name only. He’s
really a Tea Party person who wants to give business whatever it wants,
regardless of how it may have an adverse effect on citizens. For example,
during the 2014 campaign, I found evidence that showed that Mr. Schweikert
is supportive of the predatory loan industry. He was quoted on the website
consumersforchoice.org as favoring its efforts. An article in THE NATION
magazine states that this website referenced a company that featured loans
with interest rates of 355%.

More than that, Rep. Debbie McCune Davis states in an article on
azcentral.com: “Protecting consumers from predatory lending practices will
take a united effort at the state and national levels. I would be remiss
if I did not call on U.S. Rep. David Schweikert, who is featured on the
Consumers for Choice website, to disassociate from the organization. We
should expect more from Congressman Schweikert.” (“Predatory lenders
skirting Arizona’s payday loan law,” Debbie McCune Davis, Dec. 19, 2013,
www.azcentral.com).

While David Schweikert does not hesitate to allow reckless business
practices, he would deny a woman the right to make decisions about her own
body and health. He opposes the Pro-Choice position for which I strongly
advocate. Nor does he favor reasonable background checks on gun purchases
nor a one-week waiting period as precautions to try to prevent mass
shootings and suicides.

In keeping with his insouciance to constituent concerns, Mr. Schweikert
has refused to participate in a debate with me in what I call a “civic
engagement event.” He and I both graduated from Saguaro High School in
Scottsdale; and my idea is to have a debate with an educational tone in an
effort to encourage young people to engage in our country’s political
process. I would want the debate to take place at our alma mater itself.
He has turned a deaf ear to communications from my staff and myself.

Finally, as if that hasn’t been enough, David Schweikert has not disavowed
the unethical candidacy of Donald Trump, whom the REPUBLIC Editorial Board
has in fact rejected for its presidential endorsement. This means, I
think, that Mr. Schweikert condones Mr. Trump’s abusive behavior towards
women and his racist remarks about Latino federal judge Gonzalo P. Curiel
in Indiana.

Thus, the ARIZONA REPUBLIC Editorial Board erred seriously when, on August
8, it endorsed David Schweikert for the Republican primary AS IF, in my
judgment, they were endorsing him as their choice for the General
Election. Indeed, the headline reads: “Our View: Give outsider Schweikert
a fourth term.” (azcentral.com, Aug. 8, 2016). That is an endorsement for
the General Election, if I’ve ever seen one; not, as I have learned
recently, merely an endorsement for the Primary. It reads like a huge
endorsement of Schweikert for the General Election.

I have since learned that the REPUBLIC Editorial Board will not be making
an endorsement for the General Election in CD6. But in my judgment, they
already have done that with their gung-ho endorsement of Schweikert for
the Republican Primary only.

Why the ARIZONA REPUBLIC Editorial Board is infatuated with Mr. Schweikert
makes a thoughtful person ponder; yet there is nothing to love when a
congressman is indifferent to the interests of consumers, wants to deny
health care to 20,000,000 people who could not get it otherwise except for
Obamacare, denies women the right to make decisions about their own
bodies, and votes against gun measures designed to increase public safety
and save lives.

The ARIZONA REPUBLIC Editorial Board should endorse my candidacy
officially for the General Election, since I am the candidate whose values
are more attuned to the best interests of the health, safety, economic
well-being and individual decision-making freedom of the voters and their
families in Congressional District 6.

Sincerely,

John

W. John Williamson

Scottsdale, Arizona

Democratic Nominee

Congressional District 6

DEMOCRAT

CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 6

“THE FUTURE SHALL BE OURS.”

480-607-9726

Dear Friend,

In the year 1976, a lot of good things happened. Of course, it was our
country’s glorious bicentennial. But also in 1976 my mom, Alice
Williamson–who is now 91 and living in an assisted living facility–was
the president of the Scottsdale Democratic Luncheon Club.

We’ll get back to this later, after I tell about something that happened
this past Thursday when I went with Mom to her doctor’s appointment at the
CIGNA downtown Phoenix medical center at 3rd St. and E. Earll Drive. She
had to see a podiatrist there because she is recovering from an injury to
her left lower leg and podiatrists these days attend to this kind of a
wound. The dressing needs to be changed every week.

The appointment went well and her wound is almost healed. At least one
more visit will be necessary.

It was while she and I were waiting in the lobby to be picked up by the
transportation lady from where Mom lives, that I saw someone who I felt
quite sure was Congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema walking in our direction
accompanied by a small entourage. I think she noticed that I was looking
at her as if to ascertain it was really her. Then she walked on by to some
kind of meeting.

In about 20 minutes, she came out of this meeting and was walking back
towards where Mom and I were sitting, still waiting for our ride. I turned
around and saw her close by and said: “Are you Kyrsten Sinema?”

She said yes and walked over to talk with Mom and me. She shook my hand
and, in her very bright and compassionate way, asked me my name. I told
her and she went over to Mom, who was in a wheelchair, and said: “How is
everything going here?”

Mom gave a big smile, sensing, I think, that she was being greeted by
someone very important who cared about her.

“In 1976,” I told Kyrsten, “Mom was the president of the Scottsdale
Democratic Luncheon Club.”

Kyrsten looked at me with some astonishment and said: “I was BORN in 1976!”

Then she left and she and her entourage took the elevator upstairs,
presumably to another meeting.

But that was not all, because about 15 minutes later Mom and I were still
waiting for our ride and Kyrsten came back down to the lobby. I had told
her when she first came over that I was the Democratic nominee for
District 6, but I think she misunderstood and thought I meant LEGISLATIVE
District 6 and not CONGRESSIONAL District 6. So now I clarified this as
she walked by us again:

“I’m the Democratic nominee in CONGRESSIONAL District 6,” I said.

Kyrsten smiled broadly and said with some humor: “Then you’ve got your
work cut out for you.”

Friend, Congresswoman Sinema is right: it’s an uphill battle for a
Democratic candidate like myself in Congressional District 6, but it is
not hopeless. If you would like to contribute financially to my campaign,
please go to my website at williamsonforuscongress.com and click on
“Make a Donation.” Then, through safe and secure PayPal, you can support
my efforts financially. If you would like to send a check, you may use the
address listed on that same page for my campaign committee. Please be
sure, as per Federal Election Commission requirements, to include your
name, address, the name of your employer and your occupation.

I thank greatly all those who have contributed so far. I really need your
help to fight against the Schweikert juggernaut, a kind of political
cyborg that seems sometimes to be unstoppable. Yet with support from
ladies and gentlemen like yourselves, I can win.

THE FUTURE SHALL BE OURS when we recognize and condemn David Schweikert’s
hypocrisy when he says he wants to “save the Republic.” In 2011 and 2013
when he supported two government shutdowns, he caused damage to our
government and to the American people. In 2011, Schweikert’s support of
the shutdown led to the downgrading of the U.S. debt rating. In 2013
Schweikert was part of the same group of intransigent Republicans whose
shutdown efforts led to about 800,000 federal employees being furloughed
for two weeks. That caused a lot of pain to families who depended on that
income that was not there for 14 days. That was also money not available
for consumption to support the economy and jobs. (“The Future Can Be Ours:
Schweikert’s Shutdown Shenanigans,” by W. John Williamson, Sept. 8, 2014,
williamsonforuscongress.com in the “What’s News” section.)

Moreover, David Schweikert has not disavowed the unethical candidacy of Donald Trump.
(“More Than 150 Republican Leaders Don’t Support Donald Trump. Here’s When
They Reached Their Breaking Point,” by Karen Yourish, Larry Buchanan and
Alicia Parlapiano, New York Times, Oct. 8, 2016, www.nytimes.com).

And so, my fellow citizens, ask not what you can do to help David
Schweikert “save the Republic,” but what you can do to save the Republic
from David Schweikert.

Vote WILLIAMSON on November 8th!

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
John

W. John Williamson

Scottsdale, Arizona

DEMOCRAT

CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 6

“THE FUTURE SHALL BE OURS.”

480-607-9726

Dear Friend,

A homeless man has built a makeshift bench that he sits on contiguous to
one of my campaign signs.

“Friend, in Congressional District 6, in 2013 (data released in April
2015), the Overall Food Insecurity rate was 16.5%. The Child Food
Insecurity rate was 24.0%! Almost one out of four kids in CD 6 do not know
where their next meal is coming from! (www.azfoodbanks.org.) (That, by the
way, is what “food insecurity” means: Not knowing where your next meal is
coming from.)” (“The Future Can Be Ours: SNAP Numbers Provide Food for
Thought,” by W. John Williamson, July 27, 2015, “What’s News” section at
WILLIAMSON FOR U.S. CONGRESS website, williamsonforuscongress.com).

Where does Schweikert stand on SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program), the updated name for food stamps?

In 2014, Schweikert co-sponsored Senator Vitter’s SNAP Verify Act which
amends the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to require a SNAP card holder to
present photographic verification when using an electronic benefit card
for a SNAP purchase.

At first this seems to make sense, until it is pointed out that “Many poor
people do not have photo ID’s, and it costs money they do not have to get
them,” said the executive director of the Coalition on Human Needs.
Moreover, the “proposal will be especially tough on elderly and poor
people who do not have the documents needed to get their photo ID…They
will wind up going without food.” (New Orleans Times-Picayune, Jan. 15,
2014.)

Furthermore, “On the surface, the case for photo ID at the point of sale
is full of logic. … Since we’re using logic then, it only makes sense to
ask how many people are defrauding the system. The answer: Not a whole
lot. To be exact: A little over 1% of food stamps issued are sold on the
black market. … But as far as the food stamp ID argument goes, the
question remains to be answered: How exactly does the Republican party
benefit from fewer Americans being able to eat? (Rick Paulas on KCET,
“Food Rant”, Feb. 12, 2014)Source: H.R.4006&S.1922 14-H4006 on Feb 6,
2014″ (www.ontheissues.org)

David Schweikert doesn’t understand the needs of lower-income people in
Congressional District 6. He’s in Congress to help the wealthy get tax
cuts and for businesses to have fewer regulations to follow that protect
consumers. He’s voted to repeal Obamacare–which helps lower-income
citizens and those who can’t get insurance elsewhere because they have
pre-existing conditions–he’s voted against this landmark legislation
around 50 times, at taxpayer expense.

If you would like to support my campaign financially, check out my website
at williamsonforuscongress.com. Click on “Make a Donation,” and by
means of safe and secure PayPal, you may make a contribution using your
debit or credit card. Or, if you prefer, you may send in a check to the
address of my campaign committee listed on the same page. Be sure to
include your name, address, name of your employer and your occupation, as
required by the Federal Election Commission.

I sure do appreciate those who have contributed lately: Your donations
have helped, but more donors are needed. Assert yourselves–those in the
community who have not yet stood up for your principles with your
pocketbook–for the cause of democracy by helping to fund my Democratic
candidacy.

THE FUTURE SHALL BE OURS when we empathize with the almost one in four
children in Congressional District 6 who suffer from food insecurity. But
David Schweikert doesn’t have time for the needy in our District, as I
point out in my campaign blogpost from the last election cycle, “The
Future Can Be Ours:: Schweikert to Loan Sharks: Let Us Prey.” There I
state: “Despite Consumers for Choice “repeatedly” referencing such lenders
as Western Sky Financial … that offers loans which feature interest
rates of 355 percent, Rep. David Schweikert is found on the Consumers for
Choice website under the category of “Support for Consumers for Choice.””
(Oct. 7, 2014 in the “What’s News” section,
williamsonforuscongress.com).

Thus, my friend, when I saw that homeless man on his makeshift bench that
he had put together up against my 4 foot by 4 foot campaign sign, I took
it as a compliment. Perhaps this gentleman sensed that I am on his side,
that I favor fair access to food stamps, that I support Obamacare and
other measures that seek to uplift the living circumstances of the less
fortunate in our society. Perhaps he sensed that I am not like David
Schweikert; that I do not wish to allow banks to return to the practices
that led to the financial crisis of 2008, nor am I trying, like David the
Climate Change Denier, to make the world safe for predatory lenders.

I ask for your vote on November 8th.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
John

W. John Williamson

Scottsdale, Arizona

P.S. As a follow up, I stopped by to take a picture with my cell-phone
camera of the makeshift bench next to my campaign sign this morning, but
the bench was gone. My sign remained. The first and last time I saw the
homeless man sitting on the bench was on about Wednesday.

DEMOCRAT

CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 6

“THE FUTURE SHALL BE OURS.”

480-607-9726

Dear Friend,

When I first encountered my opponent in the Democratic primary in
Congressional District 6, one of the comments he made condescendingly was
that his business experience made him much more qualified to manage a
congressional office than my experience as a teacher.

I bring this up now not to dwell on a past conflict, but to point out that
this condescending thought is not unusual in our society when it comes to
people’s opinions of those of us who make our livings in the classroom.

The idea that some people have, however, that teachers don’t have
management ability, of course, does nothing but make me laugh.

My responsibilities as a high school teacher over the years have often
been a complex mix of data, information, idea and human management that
might make some businesspeople’s heads spin. For a teacher not only has to
deliver the academic content of a course, but also put it in a form,
verbally and in writing, that the student will take an interest in. In my
case, as a high school English teacher, I interact with Juniors this
year–16-and 17-year olds–to help them advance not only their knowledge
about American Literature but their skills in written expression.

Combined with the management of the course content, moreover, is the
management, behavior-wise, of the students’ themselves. The successful
teacher which–after 23 years–I think I am, must respect the students
while at the same time making sure that he, or she, himself is respected.
This is not an easy task, especially since all students are required to
take English, which means a lot of students would rather be somewhere else
than an English class. The teacher must learn how to interact with
students one-on-one to gain their confidence and to correct them without
humiliating them in front of their peers, which is, I understand, the
worst thing that can happen to a teenager.

Thus, this combination of intellectual-content management and behavior
management–along with interfacing with administrative personnel–makes
the teacher’s job one of the more complicated, in my judgement, in our
society.

Unfortunately, we are vastly underrated by most other professions in our
culture. Our culture glorifies, I believe, money, legal power, and
technical expertise more than the humanistic knowledge-worker–to use a
term from Peter Drucker–that the teacher is. Yet what we need now more
than ever is humanistic–meaning humanely focused–leadership in our
country. This style of leadership–to create respect and be respected
while helping students to learn–is what I have been practicing, I
believe, in my classroom for almost 25 years. And I will bring this style
of leadership to Washington if elected on November 8th.

Beyond that, from 2009 to May of this year, I served six one-year terms as
the Unit Chair–that is, head–of the Classroom Teachers
Association–teachers’ union–at my particular school. I was elected by my
peers in CTA (Classroom Teachers Association) each time. In this position,
I, along with the members of my CTA team, represented teachers in meetings
with the principal. I strove to establish and maintain a positive working
relationship with the principal–there were two in the course of my
service. I attended once per week the meeting of the Executive Board of
our District CTA of which Paul Lowes is the president. The CTA Executive
Board is a gathering of the unit chairs from all the various schools in
the district.

Further, the superintendent of our district would attend these Executive
Board meetings once per month. At that time, the unit chairs from the
various schools would have the privilege of sharing concerns they had
related to their schools with the superintendent. Dr. Kent Scribner was
the superintendent up until the middle of last fall when he took on the
superintendency of a larger school district in Texas; then Dr. Chad
Gestson became the new superintendent.

Sharing my concerns on behalf of the teachers at my school with these two
top executives of our district were always special moments of
communication that taught me the importance of being a responsible
representative of my colleagues. This I did without receiving any extra
pay and in addition to my regular teaching duties.

If you would like to contribute financially to my campaign, please go to
my website at williamsonforuscongress.com. Click on “Make a Donation,”
and you may use, through secure and safe PayPal, your debit or credit
card. Or you may send a check to the address of my campaign committee
listed on that page as well. Be sure to include your name, your address,
the name of your employer and your occupation with your contribution. This
information is required by the Federal Election Commission.

My Democratic campaign really needs your financial uplifting now, so
whatever amount you can contribute will be greatly appreciated. I
especially thank those who have helped so far, in particular the wonderful
supporter who made a monthly recurring donation. That is a marvelous
thing.

THE FUTURE SHALL BE OURS when we realize that the classroom management
skills of accomplished public school teachers are equal to the management
skills of any business or professional leader. A teacher in the classroom
must manage not only academic content but the behavior and attitudes of
the students in a motivating manner so that learning can take place. Any
public education teacher who has proven himself over the years is,
contrary to the ARIZONA REPUBLIC Editorial Board, prepared for the
entry-level challenges of the U.S. Congress, and voters in District 6
should accordingly cast their ballot for me on November 8th.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
John

W. John Williamson

Scottsdale, Arizona

DEMOCRAT

CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 6

“The Future Shall Be Ours.”

480-607-9726

Dear Friend,

Several months ago, my daughter–then 26–took me aback when, as we
discussed the state of the world today–she said: “Dad, I don’t know if
I’m going to get to live to 50.”

She told me that with all the bad things happening in the world
today–wars, global warming, and the like–that she wasn’t sure that the
world would even be here long enough so that she could reach that age.

She has a good point, although when I was a kid and after that growing up,
the threat of nuclear annihilation was always present and, of course,
still is. Yet for some reason as I grew up as a child and older, it seems
like there was always a confident feeling that things would all work out.

When you look at global warming, however, you realize, if you are an
informed person, that unless we take appropriate steps to bring that under
control, our very existence on this planet is without a doubt in harm’s
way. In today’s USA TODAY/ARIZONA REPUBLIC, I encountered on the first
page of Section B this headline: “USA swelters through hottest summer
nights in 121 years.” The article by Doyle Rice goes on to state: “The
summer of 2016 recorded hotter nights than any summer since records began
in 1895, according to data released Thursday by the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration.”

FURTHER: “A recent study noted that Alaska’s glaciers have lost some 75
gigatons of ice every year from 1994 to 2013. According to the
Environmental Protection Agency, Alaska has been heating up twice as fast
as the national average over the last 50 years, and the rising
temperatures melt sea ice and thaw permafrost along the coast.”

The village of Shishmaref on Alaska’s Chukchi Sea faces an ecological
crisis: “Situated on a narrow barrier island, Shishmaref was founded over
400 years ago as a seasonal fishing settlement. Cold weather and natural
ice barriers used to protect the shore, but now the municipal village,
home to some 600 residents, faces the immediate threat of inundation.”

Nima Taradji, a resident of Shishmaref, goes on to explain: “We hear about
climate change and we hear about foreign countries like Moldova or some
such island that is sinking and it’s all very remote and nebulous,” Mr.
Taradji said. “The Alaska folks are here in the United States. They are
folks on our team that are immediately threatened. It’s not something that
is going to happen in several generations, it is something that is
happening to them right now as we speak.” (“Nowhere to Go Amid Alaska’s
Melting Ice,” by Rena Silverman, NEW YORK TIMES, March 4, 2016,
www.nytimes.com).

Consider the village of Shishmaref a metaphor for all coastal areas on the
earth. This is not something that any reasonable human being can ignore.

Yet DAVID SCHWEIKERT, our incumbent congressman in District 6, IS A
CLIMATE CHANGE DENIER.

Here is a quote from my campaign blog in the last election cycle: “U.S.
Rep. David Schweikert, who was appointed the head of the House
Environment Subcommittee this past January, “has argued that the idea of
man-made global warming may be ‘folklore.’” (“House Republicans Pick
Climate Skeptic to Head Environment Subcommittee,” by Kate Sheppard,
Huffington Post, Jan. 16, 2014, www.huffingtonpost.com).” (from “The
Future Can Be Ours: Schweikert Says Global Warming May Be ‘Folklore,'” by
W. John Williamson, October 19, 2014, williamsonforuscongress.com).

MOREOVER: “Climate change is happening, humans are the cause, and a
shocking number of congressional Republicans — over 56 percent — deny or
question the science.” (“Here Are the 56 Percent of Congressional
Republicans Who Deny Climate Change,” by Tiffany Germain, Feb. 3, 2015,
MOYERS & COMPANY, billmoyers.com).

Germain then quotes our head-in-the-sand incumbent:

“Rep. David Schweikert (R-AZ-06): “When you think about the complexity of
a worldwide system and the amount of data you’d have to capture, and how
you adjust for a sunspot, and how you adjust for a hurricane and I think
it’s incredibly arrogant for the Al Gores of the world to stand up and say
the world is coming to an end.” [Interview with conservative activist
Marcus Kelley via Huffington Post, 6/26/14]”

Unlike Schweikert, I think it’s incredibly brave and visionary for the Al
Gores of the world to stand up and say the world is heading for
catastrophe if we don’t take global warming seriously.

If you would like to contribute financially to my campaign, check out my
website at: williamsonforuscongress.com. Click on “Make a Donation,”
then you may use your debit or credit card by means of safe and secure
PayPal. Or you may send a check to the address listed for my campaign
committee. Be sure to include your name, address, name of your employer
and your occupation, in accordance with Federal Election Commission
requirements. I appreciate very much those who have offered financial
contributions so far. Your money helps my Democratic candidacy in a
district benighted by Republican ignorance.

Friend, I just want my now 27-year-old daughter, and other MILLENNIALS, to
know that I want you all to live past the age of 50 and you are going to
do that because when citizens like me are elected, we will address
responsibly such problems as global warming and get those problems solved.
But the glib pronouncements of David Schweikert who denies climate change will get you
nowhere. I support the Paris Agreement of December 2015 on climate change
by which the world’s countries are beginning really to get climate change
under control. President Barack Obama supported it and I’m with him on
this issue. MILLENNIALS are right to be worried about the future of the
world; they have the right to a safe and healthy future as do all of us.
THE FUTURE SHALL BE OURS when we recognize that MILLENNIALS R US, and that
all age groups must work together to solve the problems that threaten
human survival. And when we solve these problems, everyone will benefit,
regardless of their age.

Vote for me, W. JOHN WILLIAMSON, on November 8th!

Thank you.

Sincerely,
John

W. John Williamson

Scottsdale, Arizona

WILLIAMSON
FOR
U.S. CONGRESS 2016

DEMOCRAT

CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 6

“The Future Shall Be Ours.”

480-607-9726

Dear Friend,

Many thanks to those who voted for me in the Primary! It is good to win
from time to time!

If I’m lucky enough to be elected, I’d like to be on the House Foreign
Affairs Committee. I can speak French and Spanish functionally and German,
too (I may be stretching it on German, but I’m giving myself the benefit
of the doubt.) I’m taking 2nd year Arabic at the present time at Glendale
Community College as well. I have a master’s degree in Comparative
Literature (World Literature) with a focus in Classical Civilization,
Latin and the Classical Greek languages. I was a Classical Languages major
at CAL Berkeley for one year as an undergraduate, but got my degree in
English from ASU.

I take a great interest in World Affairs. For example, I notice from their
website (https://foreignaffairs.house.gov) that the House Foreign Affairs
Committee has a subcommittee that is going to hold a hearing on Sept. 7 at
2:00PM on the topic of: “The Growing Crisis in South Sudan.” I know a lot
about that situation because I have a friend who is from there.

Further, I take an intense interest in the situation in the Middle East,
particularly the conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians. I
support the creation of a Palestinian state. David Schweikert opposes this
and, in fact, is “Rated -3″–minus three–“by AAI”–Arab-American
Institute–“indicating a anti-Arab anti-Palestine voting record. (May
2012)” (www.ontheissues.org).

As I stated in my campaign blog approximately two years ago: “The
Israelis, as represented by Prime Minister Netanyahu, would do well to
consider, I believe, that it is in their own self-interest to expedite the
creation of a Palestinian state. When that happens, the displacement of
Palestinians from their own land that occurred in the late 1940’s can
finally come to an end. They can have their own country again.

“When that happens, extremist groups, such as Hamas, will no longer have
the appeal they do now to those who have grievances against Israel.” (“The
Future Can Be Ours: Israel/Hamas Must Return to Talks with Kerry as
Mediator,” Aug. 3, 2014, williamsonforuscongress.com/?p=340).

Lest my Jewish supporters be aghast and think that I have abandoned them,
rest assured that, if I am fortunate enough to serve on the House Foreign
Relations Committee, I will not only advocate for the prudence of allowing
an independent Palestinian state to come into existence, but also for our
continuing support for Israel’s defense needs. Part of the logic in this
stance is that by allowing the creation of a Palestinian state, the
leaders of Israel will, I believe, actually secure greater peace and
security for their own country because the Palestinians will no longer
have this grievance to fuel hostile acts against their neighbor.

If you would like to contribute financially to my campaign, please check
out my website at williamsonforuscongress.com and click on the “Make a
Donation” page. There you may donate by using your debit or credit card
through safe and secure PayPal. Or you may send a check to the address
listed on that page of my campaign committee. Be sure to include your
name, address, name of your employer and your occupation–information
required by the Federal Election Commission.

Friend, THE FUTURE SHALL BE OURS, if we reject the narrow-minded approach
of David Schweikert, the current misrepresentative of CD 6, to the
Israeli/Palestinian conflict. His approach does not recognize how
long-term peace between those two groups will only come about through the
creation of an independent Palestinian state so that grievances of the
Palestinians against Israel will no longer exist. David Schweikert’s
insensitivity to the sufferings of the Palestinians is unacceptable and
not the more thoughtful representation that District 6 needs and which I
can provide. I urge you to support my campaign in whatever way you can so
that the ignorance-based viewpoints of David Schweikert will no longer
misrepresent the ideas and beliefs of the majority of the voters in this
district.

With your support, I can get on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and
set this matter aright.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
John

W. John Williamson

Scottsdale, Arizona

DEMOCRAT

CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 6

“The Future Shall Be Ours.”

480-607-9726

Dear Friend,

Listening to NPR yesterday, I heard a news story about how this past July
was the hottest month on our planet since record-keeping started in 1880
and that the polar ice is melting faster than ever.

I wholeheartedly applaud the great work that the Obama Administration did
in its efforts at the Paris Climate Talks that ended this past December
with an authentic agreement to fight global warming. “WASHINGTON — When
negotiators from nearly 200 countries gathered outside Paris in December
for the United Nations summit meeting on climate change, they reached the
first agreement to take action on curbing their planet-warming pollution.”
(“A Sequel to the Paris Climate Accord Takes Shape in Vienna,” by Coral
Davenport, New York Times, July 23, 2016, www.nytimes.com).

Further: “While the Paris agreement aims to reduce the use of coal and
oil, which produce the carbon dioxide emissions that are the chief cause
of global warming, negotiators in Vienna pushed ahead on a deal to ban the
use of hydrofluorocarbons, chemicals used in air-conditioners and
refrigerators. Although they contribute only a small percentage of the
world’s greenhouse gases, these chemicals, known as HFCs, can trap heat in
the atmosphere at levels a thousand times higher than carbon dioxide can,
according to published scientific studies.” (Ibid.)

This is what CD6 Republican incumbent David Schweikert has said about
global warming: “Schweikert has argued that the idea of man-made global
warming may be ‘folklore.’

“’Understanding what part of climate change is part of a natural cycle and
what part has human components is the first step,’ he said as a candidate
in 2008. ‘Our elected officials must be careful to react to facts and not
folklore.’” (“House Republicans Pick Climate Skeptic To Head Environment
Subcommittee,” by Kate Sheppard, Huffington Post, 1/16/14, updated
1/25/14, www.huffingtonpost.com).

If elected your congressman on Nov. 8th, I will support the implementation
of the Paris agreement in every way. There is no time to lose in this
effort. So far this year, the temperature of the earth, according to the
NPR news story I heard yesterday, has risen 1 1/2 degrees fahrenheit. This
cannot be taken lightly.

If you would like to contribute financially to my campaign, check out my
website at williamsonforuscongress.com and click on “Make a Donation.”
You may contribute with a credit or debit card by means of PayPal, a safe
and secure method. Or you may send a check to the campaign address listed.
Please be sure to include the name of your employer and your occupation,
as well as your address. Without that information, I cannot accept your
donation.

Many thanks to those who have made a donation so far. Your contributions
have been very helpful.

THE FUTURE SHALL BE OURS if we take global warming seriously and support
the Paris agreement reached in December of last year. That is what I will
do as your congressman for the sake of our children and the generations
who will come after. If we don’t manage our emissions properly, the earth
will no longer be hospitable to the human race, and we will not be able to
live here.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
John

W. John Williamson

Scottsdale, Arizona

DEMOCRAT

CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 6

“The Future Shall Be Ours.”

480-607-9726

Dear Friend,

The English poet Robert Browning once wrote: “Man’s reach should exceed
his grasp, or what’s a heaven for?”

Putting up signs in the hot sun, I often wonder what is the use of running
for office, especially in District 6, a predominantly Republican area. But
I do not despair for very long in finding my answer: it’s because I
believe in democracy, and if people don’t run for office,–even though the
odds are against them–we’re going to lose our democracy.

Participation is the key. Does a person have to win to make participation
meaningful? I don’t think so. It’s getting out there and being a player
that’s important, whether one wins or loses.

And by the way, I’m not ashamed of being a Democrat. You’ll notice on my
campaign signs–unlike those of my opponent in the Primary, Brian
Sinuk–the Democratic donkey is displayed proudly. I’m not trying to hide
who I am. I accept myself as a Democrat who believes in and supports
wholeheartedly Obamacare (the Affordable Care Act)and is happy to be in
the company of my president, Barack Obama, on that issue.

I know OBAMACARE is crucially important to many Americans–around
17,000,000–because without it my daughter–who has a pre-existing knee
condition–would not have quality health insurance.

And when I’m your congressman, I will be the same way. Up front with you
and not trying to hide my identity or my viewpoints as if I had done
something wrong.

I am a lifelong Democrat. Whereas Mr. Sinuk only became a Democrat just
before this election cycle began.

If you would like to support my campaign financially, please go to my
website at williamsonforuscongress.com and click on “Make a Donation.”
Then via PayPal you may safely and securely make your contribution. Or if
you wish to send in a check, my campaign address is also listed.

THE FUTURE SHALL BE OURS if, as Browning advocates, we believe in dreams
which some–even ourselves–may not think are attainable. Yet it is just
such dreams that we must have if we are to achieve our full potential and
live up to what we can do. Some may think it is impossible for a Democrat
to win in District 6, but it is not. Yet I am not participating only
because I feel winning is the only way to be validated. I’m in this race
because I believe in the strength of American democracy and in my
principles as a Democrat which I declare openly for all to see.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
John

W. John Williamson

Scottsdale, Arizona

DEMOCRAT

CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 6

“The Future Shall Be Ours.”

480-607-9726

Dear Friend,

Faced with the abnormal horror of recent terroristic events, how are
we–parents, adults, young people, the elderly, and children–supposed to
cope psychologically with these events? I submit one way is to connect
with the normalcy we find in Nature in our great country, America.

As a public high school English teacher, one poem I have taught to Juniors
is William Cullen Bryant’s “Thanatopsis.” The poem’s title is a Greek word
that means “viewpoint on Death.” The speaker of the poem tells someone
whose friend has just died that one way to achieve healing is to make
contact with Nature. “Go forth, under the open sky, and list/To Nature’s
teachings…” the speaker says. (lines 14-15)

No doubt we all have ways we can get in touch with Nature. Here in
Congressional District 6, if you live in Scottsdale, or even in Phoenix,
you may know of the natural pleasures of Chaparral Park in which Chaparral
Lake is located. Many times have I walked around the lake to relax and
unwind. It includes a spectacular view of Camelback Mountain as well as of
the ducks and birds on and around the lake. People fishing also can be
seen around the lake.

While not part of CD6, the beaches of San Diego are frequented by many
Arizonans, especially in the summer. For me it’s always great to sit on,
say, Coronado Beach, with the infinite sky–whether blue or
cloudly–before me and watch the sail and other types of boats move across
the water as I look to the horizon. This is a great part of America–our
seashores–and from this greatness of Nature in our own country we can
find some help in healing from the news we have taken in about horribly
unnatural things that have been going on in our country and around the
world lately.

Ralph Waldo Emerson described in his timeless essay “Nature” how he felt
standing in the woods: “Standing on the bare ground,–my head bathed by
the blithe air, and uplifted into infinite space,–all mean egotism
vanishes.” That’s how I feel standing in the surf of the California
beaches watching the breakers come in.

Of course, beaches mean other things like Boogie boards, surf boards, sand
castles, volleyball, picnics, frisbee-throwing, and sun-bathers catching
the rays hopefully protected these days by sunscreen.

But in the context of some of the gruesome occurrences in our country and
around the world today, places of American Nature like Chaparral Park and
the nearby beaches of San Diego can, I believe, give us a real existential
strength to help us weather the shocks to our psyches that these events
can cause. That’s why we need to make sure that we protect and take care
of our parks and beaches and other natural places that we can go to to
relax and recharge.

When elected congressman for District 6, I will support adequate federal
funding for parks and marine recreation areas so that our citizens will be
able to enjoy the benefits that can be gained from contact with the
natural environment.

If you would like to contribute financially to my campaign, please go to
my website at williamsonforuscongress.com. Click on “Make a Donation.”
You may use a credit or debit card, or, if you wish, I provide an address
to which you may send checks. The transactions on my website are handled
by PayPal, making them safe and secure. Contributions are greatly needed
and appreciated.

The Future Shall Be Ours if we recognize, amidst the traumatic events that
sometimes happen in our world today, that contact with Nature can help to
fortify our perspectives, renew our spirits, and give to our lives a
normalcy that increases our confidence in the present and the future.
America is great in so many ways, one of which is the land itself, the
mountains, lakes and seashores. Embracing Nature in our country can help
us heal from so many things. It is our land, and we need to love it for
what it has to offer in this way.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
John

W. John Williamson

Scottsdale, Arizona

DEMOCRAT

CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 6

“The Future Shall Be Ours.”

480-607-9726

Dear Friend,

Although I know that it is not just the police but also other sectors of
our society that need education and training to help them to put their
best professional or civic foot forward, I focus in this posting on my
proposal for police education and training.

My proposal calls for a four-tiered program for interventionist training
to give police officers whatever training they need to conduct traffic
stops safely, facilitate peaceful protests by citizens, deescalate
confrontations with mentally ill persons, and redirect those distracted by
anger into activities that provide a constructive outlet to seek and
secure a solution to some real or perceived injustice.

My proposed training program would have four levels of achievement or
certification: Interventionist I, Interventionist II, Interventionist III,
and Master Interventionist.

For each level, the police officer would receive an incentive of a $2,000
increase to his or her annual salary, except for Master Interventionist
for which the officer would receive an increase in yearly salary of
$3,000.

These days a police officer needs also to be a social worker in addition
to being skilled in the use of firearms.

When elected your congressman, I will introduce a bill called APETA: The
American Police Education and Training Act. Federal dollars will fund the
program above so that police officers can obtain the training they need to
protect others, themselves and the community.

If you would like to support my campaign financially, you may go to my
website at williamsonforuscongress.com and click on “Make a Donation.”
Follow the directions on the Donations Page to make your contribution.

By sponsoring a bill to create APETA, I will help to bring about a Future
that Shall Be Ours, in that it will promote public safety as it helps to
protect both the lives of police officers and citizens of whatever racial
group.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
John

W. John Williamson

Scottsdale, Arizona