November 14, 2008
Dear DeLear Family, Friends and Folks~
I want to thank you for joining and supporting our campaign for Congress for 2008. Although we didn’t win, our campaign did succeed in garnering significant local and national endorsements, in addition to raising the most financial support from a broad range of stakeholders from the greater St. Louis region and throughout America. Bringing to light important progressive issues, such as the greening of our economy, ending the war in Iraq and the absolute need for universal health care undoubtedly had a positive impact. None of these successes would have been possible without your valuable help and support.
I also want to especially thank those who volunteered to canvass neighborhoods, make phone calls and help get the word out to voters. Personally, your comradery and team spirit is what made all the ups and downs that every political campaign experiences worthwhile. Our collaboration and others like it are what absolutely makes the difference for the strength of our democracy and ensuring success in our continuing American experiment. But we still have miles to go.
With the unprecedented levels of engagement, excitement and new achievements this political season, we have accomplished what only a short time ago seemed impossible. That said, there is still much healing to be done as the voter turnout for the 2008 Presidential Election was around 56%, just a few million more ballots cast then in the 2004 Kerry/Bush contest (at this time final numbers are still being tabulated). Many pundits and politicos had predicted a much higher voter turnout. It seems some voters, not seeing things go their way, may have taken their toys and left the electoral sandbox. I look forward to working with all of you and continuing to reach out to everyday Americans to help to heal these divisions. Bringing our nation together and realizing President Elect Obama’s desire to bridge the divide in our national community will take much care, concern and a lot of big-listening hard work.
Concerning voter apathy, the means to further engage and educate America’s electorate are out there: a national voting holiday, standardized elections and independently verifiable ballot results are just a few of important changes we should consider for securing the most sacrosanct institution of our republic: the vote.
President Elect Barack Obama’s emphasis on investing in our children’s future through the edification and renovation of our schools will help to create a generation of new dreams and new visions for what our country is capable of. His success and influence has had the unique capacity of generating higher aspirations held by the youth of America and of the world. Obama is a dream-maker. And through his presidency and our important Democratic success, we begin to turn around the degenerative policies of George Bush, restore the efficacy of scientifically sound perspectives and finally – finally – America has actually entered the 21st Century.
I have many exciting projects I am working on, and will be in touch with you about them in the future. Please feel free to contact me with any of your thoughts and don’t hesitate to ask anything or just to stay in touch. Many sincere thanks for standing with me — I am encouraged to know you have been by my side.
In your service,
Byron DeLear