Congress adjourns for week with no help to citizens

Congress is unable to function and will lead our country into further disaster.The dysfunction and political division has made Congress a place for grandstanding and hot rhetoric, but at the cost of national unemployment and no confidence in the economy. Politicians can't even decide if the federal government should give FEMA money to help citizens who are victims of national disasters. Republicans say they will vote to fund FEMA, if the money comes from current programs that help US children and the poor.
I think most Americans want to help people who suffer from natural disasters. The stagnation in Congress is hurting us all - a different type of national disaster. Republicans had hoped they could force Senate Democrats to accept a partisan budget cut on the threat that disaster victims would otherwise be deprived of assistance for days or even weeks.
We in the valley must assuredly work to get Denham out of the valley as a representative. We will never get a reduction in the deficit via the congressional super-committee with this group in office - that means cuts in Medicare, social security, medicaid, etc.. We must vote the obstructionist Republicans out in 2012, so we can move forward.
Then, after spending billions of dollars fighting whether to fund FEMA or fighting  to suspend clean air and water regulations and spend billions on studies to see if clean air improves health, the Congress adjourns for a week-long vacation.
This Congress takes too much time arguing and needs to spend more time in DC in session working and attempting to come to some needed agreements.
Americans are suffering, but congressmen are deaf to the cries.

Goodwin Announces Run For Congress

Goodwin Announces Run for Congress

AAAH! The ignorant spew racism and hate in the newspaper - it must be election time again in the valley. 

As the old-time Madera bigots regurgitate their frothy, green fowl-smelling words and accusations filled with hate, they hope to keep minorities and women out of elected office.  They offer no answers for our global problems, just attacks for attempting to make the Central Valley a better place.

We must prepare our children to recognize that smiles and head nods can bring a continuation of suppression and joblessness.  Only true INCLUSION will make the valley a better place. As a teacher, I want to reassure our Central Valley kids that these "haters" should not deter you from running for any elected office you wish to pursue. Much like the idiots we have in Congress now, who speak in TV sound bites and regurgitate party lines, they only serve to act as a blockade, but offer no real hope or ideas for the future. They only show up for fundraising parties. 

I hope no one will feel losing an election, especially when you are not a professional politician, is a bad thing. Denham, my opponent, had been in state office for over ten years. He had several fully staffed offices and banked funds. I, in contrast, was in my first big election and had no local Democratic structure. I was expected to lose, but I was learning. Losing was not a bad thing. The only bad things are: not showing up when we have our elections; not expressing your views in a civil,honest, respectful and intelligent way; and not voting for the best candidate, regardless of race or gender. I hope in the near future, we will be able to elect a minority representative to Congress in the Central Valley. We have had only white congressmen representing us for over two hundred years and the valley needs help. Old water wars still rage on and money is slipped under the table. 

United we are stronger. I am seeking to build communities in Madera and Merced that value diversity, compassion, and inclusion. I want the people in the valley to value education and the positive future changes it can bring. 

I was able to help integrate the Madera Unified school board, and we now have 5 of the 7 board seats filled by Hispanics. Due to “white flight,” MUSD has had a 60% to 80% Hispanic student population for many years with high dropout, suspension and expulsion rates and a wide achievement gap. A costly failing system. We needed better representation on the board by parents of children who are most affected by the school district. 

In 2007, my first year in office, I was able to create the MUSD Farm-to-School Program which ensures Madera kids enjoy the valley agricultural produce on a regular basis at school. I had to fight hard to create the Farm-to-School Program because the superintendent was against it. It is now a tremendous success. I hope in the future many more people will decide to run for a school board position - political office is NOT meant to be a career. 

The “haters” want to keep us all out of office, regardless of our qualifications, demean our efforts towards UNITY, COMPASSION and INCLUSION, and keep minorities divided. I know we can and will do better for our Central Valley communities in 2012. UNITED WE ARE BETTER!! We must encourage our kids to seek higher education. As we all know from 9/11, hatred kills.

For my supporters, 64,000 strong, yes, I will run for Congress again and you can follow me and contribute via www.ActBlue.com or via my website: www.drgoodwin.info. Remember:register to vote.

Dr. Loraine Goodwin, M.D.,J.D

Physician, Attorney Arbitrator, Hearing Officer, Teacher, Role Model for Kids

Candidate Congress 2012