Stake in the Game
To be a successful entrepreneur takes a host of attributes: vision, perseverance, determination, commitment, and more. It can be a lonely, winding, steep road. You start with a lot of cheerleaders and supporters but, invariably, many drop out when the going gets tough. Why? Because they have no “stake in the game.” They can afford to watch from the sidelines.
Our politicians have basically become those non-stakeholders. They have a lot to say but don’t really contribute any value that moves the vision forward. And worse yet, they have rigged the game to serve themselves at the expense of the rest of us hard working Americans.
As I talk to voters, people describe politicians as "a bunch of crooks, who are destroying our country.” It is increasingly clear that our elected officials have become self servants, not public servants. They exempt themselves from the laws the rest of us have to live by. They treat themselves like royalty, profiting from inside information and making business deals that would likely send us outsiders to prison. And how about that congressional pension and healthcare plan? There is not a business in this country that comes even close to offering the perks that Congress gets. Why would any member of Congress need to worry about things like paying for college, affordable insurance, or a mortgage? In fact, they don’t. They have rigged the system so they have a great deal and we don’t. This, ladies and gentleman, is what it means to have “No Stake in the Game!”
It's time to make a change. I live my principles. I want to make a strong statement against the status quo. I’m not a rich man but I can afford not to buy into a corrupt system. As your new Congressman, I will donate my salary to non-political causes that truly do help make this country better. My staff and I will not exempt ourselves from Obamacare and we will not accept any subsidies to pay for it. It should be mandatory that every member of Congress accept the same options as every other American. This is no gimmick. It’s how I prove my “stake in the game” and how, I hope, we start transforming the political culture in Washington.