AUTHENTICITY

Authenticity; the quality of being trustworthy and genuine. A quality which Main Street seriously needs in its leaders but a quality which those creating the political gridlock in the houses of government seem to seriously lack. Or if they are authentic in any way, it seems they are usually authentic extremists who are so much out of touch with the world of the average, working American that they just can't relate to - perhaps cannot even comprehend - the daily problems and challenges most of us face. And I know you all know precisely what I mean.

As a citizen who has independently voted my heart and conscience for the best candidate - as opposed to just voting for a particular party or for who I think has the best chance of winning - for nearly four decades, I can say with certainty that neither the right nor the left has a lock on a lack of authenticity. Too many hypocrites from both sides of the aisle have put their ambition, their wallets, and the desires of the corporations that own them, ahead of the duties we elected them to perform. And with our nation riding a rough horse through the Second Great Depression I think we need trustworthy and genuine leaders more than ever. And that's why I plan to support Senator John Miller for re-election in the 1st District of Virginia this November. I think he's authentic and sincerely working for my interests and yours.

You see, as it happens I'm a veteran, and Senator Miller has worked this year for veterans by getting SB 1063 passed. That's the bill creating a special court for veterans within the existing structure of Virginia's court system. This compassionate new court offers taxpayer-dollar-saving alternatives to incarceration, and treatment, to veterans suffering from traumatic brain injury, mental illness, post-traumatic stress disorder, or alcohol or drug addiction.

Senator Miller has also worked to protect consumers from the predatory pay-day loan sharks by working to pass legislation (SB 933 in 2011) which limits interest rates on such loans. This protects all of those living from paycheck-to-paycheck but it particularly helps veterans and their families; as some of you who were once young, newly enlisted, with a family, and struggling to buy a car a long way from home might recall.

With a teacher as my wife, and as a father who has helped her shepherd two children through their college degrees in Virginia, I have become intimately familiar with the challenges faced by educators in the Commonwealth. And I therefore sincerely appreciate Senator Miller's persistent efforts to improve our schools and to assure they receive adequate funding. Of particular recent note is the legislation he passed (SJ 31 in 2010) to ensure that third-graders are reading at grade level.

And, of course, we all know what a mess traffic has become on the Peninsula. Twenty years ago I could get to work in five minutes if the lights were with me. But I'm glad I'm retired now because today it would take me twenty minutes or more to get through the snarls and I'd be grinding my teeth by the time I got to work. So I'm also glad that we have Senator Miller working to improve the situation for us all.

In 2009 Senator Miller passed legislation to abolish the ineffective Hampton Roads Transportation Authority. And I have seen that he's been working hard ever since to find a real, practical solution to the transportation problem so that when his efforts to bring more jobs here succeed - and I'm optimistic they will - the traffic won't get even worse.

Now, of course there are lots of other issues and problems we face in Hampton Roads and I can't even begin to touch upon them all here. However, the bottom line for me is that in November I'm going to vote independently as I always have. I'm going to vote my conscience, vote with my perennial green concerns in mind, vote for who I believe will genuinely support the needs of Main Street Virginia and who will work against the greed of too-wealthy corporate executives. And I encourage everyone - especially Independents and members of parties that don't have a candidate in this race - to vote with me, and to get out and support, Senator John C. Miller.