Recently I had the chance to read an article by Gino Geruntino, of WRVO. The article, Hanna prepares for primary day challengers, covers the thoughts of my opponent as we enter the petition season (starting March 4th) as the heat of the primary begins to build.

The thing that really caught my attention was the allusion made that I am an extremist. My opponent said

“We try to be transparent, we try to be balanced, and we try desperately to represent the 700,000-plus people,” Hanna said. “Not the fringes, not the extremes, not the special interest people who are so loud and vocal, but all the people of this district.”

That statement was interesting. It is both a way to try to deflect my objections to some of the votes and Bills my opponent has supported, and at the same time a hope to minimize any impact I may be creating. It’s smart politics, and done in a nice deferential manner that keeps the smack from stinging too much. But I think my opponent misjudges the people of the NY-22.

When my opponent says he does not represent “the fringes, not the extremes” what does he mean? Does he mean Conservatives? Republicans? Independents?

The majority of Americans (63.2%) believe America is on the wrong track. That’s everyone. A pretty extreme consensus. 81% disapproving of Congress is even more extreme, by the thinking of some.

Perhaps, in the mind of a moderate who won election on a wave of conservativism, it is fringe to expect Congress to be fiscally responsible. It is far too common to hear regular non-political people ask why Congress can’t balance a budget just like they have to. The rage of the masses, in the NY-22 and across the nation, was clearly heard when military pensions were the first target of cuts – as if the Government couldn’t possible find any other source of waste or excessive spending to cut first. All without the moderate voices making any noise in opposition and defense of the masses.

But I do not deny I am loud and vocal. For the better part of a decade I have spoken out about the issues and problems facing this nation. About the choices in elections from the local to the presidential. About the Rights and Freedoms that are under attack from an Executive Branch that believes it can re-write our legislative foundation, while the least Conservative or Republican cheer on the change.

As for special interests, I don’t have any – except if you mean the public at large. The public is the voting group that has seen the least connection with Congress. They are the ones who suffer from the mishandled website launches and canceled policies, and the abuses from Government agencies that are invading the privacy of the average American – which could have been addressed by legislation that many more moderate members of Congress chose not to support. In fact, the public at large will feel the impact of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) jobs given to foreigners and drones spying on innocents because the more moderate in Congress were supporting big business instead of mom and pop, in my opinion.

So, when I am called an “extremist”, I can only ask what I am being compared to, because moderation at Thanksgiving dinner is great but not when it comes to the freedom and well-being of the American people.

But that is my opinion on that.

Sincerely

Michael Vasquez
Candidate for the NY 22nd Congressional District, 2014