PUBLIC OFFICE: Middle and Lower Class Need Not Apply

Recently, in a private moment, (which I have fewer of these days, as most of you can relate), I was thinking about “The Declaration of Independence”, “Constitution & The Bill Of Rights”. These documents represent the foundation and essence of our country, its beliefs, and core values. These documents was borne from the suffering, strife and death of the men and women that inspired great people to pen them. Words so powerfully articulated that their message changed the direction of a people which would later change the entire world. Many of the very people who penned them and signed their own names to them died in poverty, suffered through the loss of friends, family and even execution. They could not have realized what impact their words would have on the future of the nation they formed.

Since then many Americans have suffered and died defending the spirit and premise of these historic documents. Men, women, rich, poor, lowly and of high estate as well, all calling themselves Americans and all sharing our country as equals. My country, your country. The land of the free and the home of the brave. I often wonder, given the current state of our country’s political situation and our standing around the world, what the founding fathers would think.

What troubles me, and has for many years, is the myth that you have to rich to ascend to public office, or that because you are a person of humble beginnings , or low estate you cannot be a United States Senator, Congressman or even President. The notion and the acceptability of that “upper class elitist” premise that we have changed to that extent makes me wonder what country are they from and sometimes, what has become of our country? Is our great and wonderful history of ordinary people becoming leadership icons now truly dead? Surely not.

America, throughout its wonderful existence has taken extraordinary men and women from very modest means and raised them to the pinnacle of power and leadership. Abraham Lincoln, Bill Clinton and John Edwards are a few that comes to mind as I write this article. Had any elitist, high-minded, conventional, or stereotypical mindset been allowed to prevail in the early history of America, we would have been deprived of the historical contributions of these men.

Marshall Adame is a man of modest beginnings. A man that has earned everything he has achieved, who has experienced war and a man that understands the daily sufferings of people of this country, and more importantly, the people of North Carolina’s 3rd District.

Marshall represents what we all want in a person who represent us. Someone who understands what higher gas and oil prices means to fixed income families. He knows what four dollars for a gallon of milk means to a single mother or young military families with children. He lived that life himself and although it is true that he has risen out of the desperation of poverty, he has never forgotten where he came from. One would think Marshall had many memories to share of his accomplishments, but when asked, he will tell you his favorite historical fact is that his father, Johnny Adame, personally knew Caesar Chavez.

It is my belief, that it’s dishonest to talk-the-talk if you haven’t walked-the-walk. What I mean by that is you don’t really understand someone’s pain unless you’ve suffered it yourself. Marshall is that kind of man. I know this; Marshall would never vote to take away health care for our children like Walter Jones has done. This was a complete and total betrayal of the children in this country. Marshall would never have provided the President further authority to engage America in yet another war! I know this man and I have seen him in his professional environment. He is a builder, peacemaker and problem solver. I have seen him get agreement between parties diametrically opposed to each others positions, and solve problems which had simply hung in abeyance for months until coming to Marshall’s attention as a Senior Analyst in government operations.
Marshall Adame came from very poor and humble beginnings to become a highly respected business consultant and later a respected State Department Official in the United States Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq.

It was the people of North Carolina who would not sign the U.S. Constitution without a Bill of Rights. They understood the importance of the “individual” and are the reason the Bill of Rights exist today. They knew the value of single person’s vision and determination and would not allow that recognition to be ignored in the declaration which would free us all.

Just ordinary people. America uses ordinary people. America uses people just like me and you who are willing. Marshall Adame is a North Carolinian and an ordinary American, willing to stand in the gap between liberty and tyranny. He is worthy of our trust and confidence. I will do all I can to help Marshall Adame become the next U.S. Congressman from the 3rd District of North Carolina.