Happy New Years! Its time to shed old habits!

Dear community:

I would like to start off by saying that 2010 should start a new beginning for the direction we take our city. I hope everyone is starting off this new decade with change and empowerment in mind. Let us plan to bring new jobs to our communities. Let us plan for better personal health and better access to healthcare. Let us plan to lift our communities up and take them into a new direction.

Most people make New Years’ Resolutions, about treating their bodies better, decreasing personal debt, and improving relationships, only to forget them the next day or to lose focus on the task; and soon fall back into the same old habits! Houston and its surrounding areas is a beautiful place to live and work. We have much to offer in the way of quality of life. But we do have at least one old habit that its time for us to break. That habit is sitting in the seat of Texas Congressional District 18. We have elected Sheila Jackson-Lee to Congress time and again out of habit in spite of the fact that we know that she has put her own political ambition above the needs of her constituents.

I know old habits are hard to break. Sometimes it almost seems like a muscular reaction, but we have to understand what destructive effect these habits have on the body of our communities.

When our representatives have time to answer phones while constituents are asking questions; that is a strong indication that change is needed. When the wishes of her constituents are ignored; there is a problem. When one we elect to office becomes too comfortable and too self important that her needs come first, then we have a problem. Being an elected representative of the people is not merely about demanding the perks and privileges of the office. Instead it is about serving the people who put you there. It is about representing the will of the people. This is true even when one’s own personal political aspirations might benefit from supporting another issue or candidate. Just as surely as the people put our electeds into office; we can remove them. The charge to elected officials no matter the seat held is that you must represent the will of the people. You must represent YOUR constituents, not someone else’s. Your loyalties are to your district and not to your own international agenda or hope for a special appointment to a national post.

A representative whether to Congress or City Council must be there when the constituents call. One must respond to the cries for help with solutions and follow-through. Callers should not get unanswered voice mail because their representative is out at a press conference, some random family reunion or funeral--uninvited...

Once our elected officials forget what it is like to be a citizen, it becomes a problem. To prefer being chauffeured to every block party in town at the taxpayers’ expense, if not a violation House Ethics Rules, it’s just senseless. It is no different than when the CEOs of the top auto manufacturing firms went to Washington in private jets to ask for government assistance. Enough is enough.

It is past time for us to break some of our old habits and to ring in the New Year with new leadership.

I am Jarvis Johnson and I want to be your Congressman for Congressional District 18. Please vote for me and vote early.

Paid for by
The Jarvis Johnson for Congress Committee