Joe Sestak once again tries to singlehandedly lift the level of the national political discussion

"I will always carry with me the memory of your dreams, for it was what I also loved in the U.S. military -- Americans striving for their own achievement, but always with a sense of being part of a greater effort."

-- former Pennsylvania Rep. Joe Sestak

by Ken

Goodness knows, there was plenty of horror to absorb in last November's election results, but one defeat I took especially hard was the hard-fought Pennsylvania Senate race, where voters were offered about as stark a choice as you can get: between a candidate who was the embodiment of Filth and Degradation, Ignorance and Elite Economic Predation, and one who not only embodied intelligence, decency, and commitment but ran a campaign that offered more serious and intelligent discussion of a wider range of important issues -- going way beyond the manufactured "hot button" ones to matters large and small that bear directly on the quality of our lives -- than most pols will manage in an entire career.

The issue-driven e-releases came from the campaign of former Admiral and then-Congressman Joe Sestak faster than I could keep up with them, but when I dived into them, they invariably seemed focused and intelligent, and targeted issues that no other pol I was aware of ever talked about. So it was that much more frustrating to discover that nobody seemed to be paying the least attention to them. It was yet another demonstration -- as if we needed another one -- that all those media types and chip-on-their-shoulder voters who complain about issues-light and mud-slinging campaigns are just kidding when they bitch and moan. Ignorance, lies, and filth -- that's what they really want, and what "sensible" campaign coordinators are only too happy to serve up.

I recall writing back then that the Senate clearly needed Joe Sestak more than Joe needed the Senate, and it occurs to me that this session of the Senate would have been a nightmare for him, with the controlling minority's dogged determination to prevent anything substantive from being accomplished. And yet I think it's that much more regrettable that Joe wasn't there to do as much as any one person could have done to try to train the body's attention on actual issues. I'll bet he could even have found some so commonsensical that it would have been hard for even timidly lockstep Republicans to ignore. Though I wonder how he would have handled the frustration level, he already had training in it from his time served in the House of Representatives, and I'll bet that storied military discipline would have come into play keeping him focused on the job.

So I was somewhat saddened but mostly heartened to find this e-missive in my e-mailbox today. I'm not going to excerpt or paraphrase it, because I value the way its issues are framed. I think it's an extraordinary document, and I'm doing my share to get it more attention.

Dear --------- ,

A year ago today, I stepped into West Philadelphia at 6:00 am to shake the hands of passersby and say "thank you." The night before, I had not won the Senate seat we had campaigned for in Pennsylvania. Instead, I won something that inspired and humbled me even more: the support and beliefs of so many. I don't think that there is anything like a campaign in the company of Americans that can give one such warm memories of who we are, from our boundless aspirations to our wonderful American character. I came away convinced more than ever about the greatness of us, of America. Therefore, since that morning in Philadelphia, I spent the past year saying "thank you" for what you gave me.



We revisited our 67 counties of Pennsylvania to see our volunteers -- and others showed up. We crisscrossed the Commonwealth again to thank as many of our contributors as we could touch. Then, from Boston to Washington and Florida, Chicago to Texas, we moved west through Nevada to California, ending the trail in Seattle this past month. Whether meetings in cities and counties or numerous phone calls -- or visits to hundreds of the congregations of faith that had welcomed me -- I experienced once more what drove me to serve: our dream of America. From the man who called out from a passing trash truck, "Hey, Joe, we've got your back," to the veteran who wrote, "Keep your bow to the wind and don't take any water over your smokestack," I will always carry with me the memory of your dreams, for it was what I also loved in the U.S. military -- Americans striving for their own achievement, but always with a sense of being part of a greater effort.



What's next? I will continue to discuss and speak out on the issues that confront us, building upon efforts of the past year. Just some of them are:

• Pushing the issues, talking about everything from the economy and small business to defense and foreign policy
• Education visits -- elementary through college -- and projects for at-risk youth
• Chambers of Commerce and businesses and workforce training efforts
• Forums on energy and the environment, including on the Marcellus Shale, and health care reform
• And veterans…before speaking this Veterans Day in Johnstown, PA, I will visit a maximum security prison as I did last year to also thank our veterans there; how well we work to prevent more from incarceration or homelessness with proper treatment and assistance also remains my focus

Where will this lead? I have been fortunate to have the love of a wonderful wife, Susan, who blessed me this past year with time to be at home with my daughter, Alex, now ten and going on twenty-two! In the months to come I will begin to find a way to serve again -- in what form I don't yet know. But I do know that I owe you for giving me and my family the opportunity to earn your trust. I will not let you down in determining how I will now keep it.



In the meantime, I would like to keep you periodically updated on this effort…thank you so very much!

Warmly,

[Joe]

Joe Sestak

No, thank you, Joe.

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