"Everybody in our community knows that farming is the most important economic activity in the 29th Congressional district, but that doesn't mean that Washington is listening. Our farmers are the glue that binds our community together and we owe them a lot more than just our gratitude. If I am elected to Congress I will stand up for our farmers and protect their opportunities to grow and prosper." - Retired Navy Commander Eric Massa

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Science has more than proven that global climate change is a real and present danger to future generations. The subsequent logical step is to make significant and immediate changes to our policies with the purpose of protecting our environment. While many Big Oil insiders insist that climate change is not a reality or is merely the result of natural cycles, it is clear that human activity is the primary cause of this environmental phenomenon. This is not an issue of left versus right, liberal versus conservative, or Democrat versus Republican. This is an issue of saving our planet and we simply cannot play politics with the facts.

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Predatory lending, outrageous interest rates and unfair college loans are out of control. Today, if you so much as miss one credit card payment by a single day, your mandatory minimum interest rate could skyrocket to 30% on all of your credit cards. This is a result of the now infamous bankruptcy bill that was written for the lending industry by the lending industry without regard for the reality that half of the Americans who go into bankruptcy do so because they are overwhelmed by a terminal or acute care medical situation.

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On August 5th of 2007, President Bush signed into law the Protect America Act of 2007, a bill which was designed to rewrite the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) of 1978. This bill became a necessity for the Republican Leadership following the revelation that President Bush had enacted the National Security Association (NSA) to illegally spy on American citizens without a warrant and without going before a secret FISA Court.

When we look at specific details of the original FISA bill in 1978, the Government did what was necessary to protect Americans from terrorist attacks while maintaining the Fourth Amendment which protects citizens from unreasonable search and seizure. FISA 1978 required the government to secure a warrant from secret FISA courts to wiretap anyone within the United States, however in the case of an "emergency," they could commence surveillance before obtaining a warrant. However, the follow on requirement was that enforcement agencies would then have to return within 72 hours to present their case to a secret FISA court to receive approval and continue surveillance. Since 1978, these retroactive requests have only been denied a handful of times -- and most agreed that the system worked. I believe that this was a fair and safe way to walk the line between protecting American citizens and the rights guaranteed to all of us by the Bill of Rights.

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My wife, Beverly, and I are parents of two teenagers in high school, and like all parents, we want the best possible education for our children. All our children deserve a quality education that will allow them to reach their highest potential. However, far too many of them are not getting that chance today. Our most at-risk students are trapped in failing, impoverished schools, those who make it to college graduate under a mountain of debt, and for those in the lowest incomes, the staggering cost can put a college education out of reach.

Education is the cornerstone of our culture and our economy, and the key to unlocking our potential as a region. America has made a long-standing promise to educate every child. We have an obligation to honor that promise and give every child the opportunity to reach his or her fullest potential. The current administration is failing to keep that promise. Education is also a jobs issue. When Toyota decided in June 2005 to locate a new auto assembly plant (and 1,300 new jobs) in Ontario, Canada, over several southern states that had offered multi-million-dollar incentive packages, one of the big reasons cited was the education level of the Canadian workforce.

My education platform, in a nutshell:
- Fully fund and fix "No Child Left Behind"
-Implement proven programs like "Success for All"
- No taxpayer money to private schools via voucher programs
- Raise the Pell Grant to at least $5,100

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Going green has become a red-hot trend in contemporary American society. From eco-friendly electronics equipment to green cleaning products, environmentally-conscious consumer products are breaking into the mainstream marketplace at a rapid pace. Celebrities have lent their fame to the movement, making hybrid cars and organic clothing lines more visible and more glamorous.

I am encouraged by the popularity that environmental issues have achieved, but in order to realize true progress in the years to come, our leaders in Washington need to step up and take an active role. Environmental concerns deserve a permanent position on the national agenda, and Congress needs fresh, innovative, and energetic voices to address them.

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On the week of September 15th, the failures of the Bush-Kuhl Administration reached a critical mass. George Bush and Randy Kuhl have been asleep at the wheel for years, and now middle class America is paying the price for their incompetence. Those who state that the Federal government should never intervene in the market place are now crying for Federal bailouts. Alan Greenspan said, this is the most serious financial crisis our nation has seen in a century and we need real leadership in Washington, not more excuses and more failures.

Looking back to 2005, we are lucky that Randy Kuhl and George Bush failed in their attempt to privatize Social Security. Had they successfully placed Social Security on the stock market, the average senior would have seen their benefits cut by 24%. Today, I am announcing my plan to protect Main Street America while setting the guidelines to get the stock market out of the red and into the black before we end up in an economic depression the likes of which this country has not seen since 1929.

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"Families in Western New York are sick of excuses; they want immediate relief from skyrocketing gas prices and a long term strategy to get us off of fossil fuels. When Randy Kuhl first took office, the National average for a gallon of gas was $1.96. Today it is well over $4.00. It is time for Democrats and Republicans to stop bickering and work together to find a real solution." - Retired Navy Commander Eric Massa

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As a twenty-four year veteran of the U.S. Navy I have long experience with firearms, ranging from my father's old .22 rifle to the canons on the deck of the USS New Jersey. I took an oath to defend the U.S. Constitution, and that includes the 2nd Amendment.

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The U.S. health care system is in crisis. I know this from personal experience as a cancer patient and from my time as a cancer outreach worker, long hours spent listening to extraordinary working Americans with serious health concerns. I had the eye-opening experience of touring the country as a cancer outreach specialist. I learned, much to my dismay, that hundreds of thousands of families across this country are forced to make incredible sacrifices in order to afford necessary medical attention. But actually, it's worse than that.

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Homeland Security is more than a military issue. It is, or should be, a balance: equal parts "preventive medicine" and "emergency room." Sadly, our resources for investing in needed Homeland Security initiatives have been diverted to fund the war in Iraq, a colossal misjudgment on the part of the Bush Administration, and rubber-stamp Republican Congressional representatives should be held accountable by voters.

True Homeland Security is more than a military and "intelligence" matter anyway. Hurricane
Katrina showed us all how badly prepared we are for a major disaster. The Administration's reorganization of the Federal emergency response system following the attacks of 9/11 was put to the test in New Orleans -- and it failed. And recovery efforts in the year since have been dismally inadequate. Despite these clear failures of government and leadership, for six years Congress voted repeatedly to reject calls for investigation and oversight, and refused to hold the Administration accountable.

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Since the 1990's, groups of lawmakers in Albany have been pushing for changes in the tax base for Indian nations in New York State. Specifically, these lawmakers want to collect taxes from non-Indian customers who purchase goods such as cigarettes and gasoline from Indian reservations.

I understand that New York State is currently facing tough financial circumstances, but I do not believe that increasing the tax burden of Indian nations is the answer.

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"Immigrant" is part of who we are as Americans, a melting pot from the beginning. People have come here to escape persecution -- religious, racial, political; to live in a place that is open and inclusive; to have a shot at the American dream. My own grandparents came here through Ellis Island. But clearly, we face a new problem: a growing wave of illegal immigration. It's a serious problem, for one thing because it can affect national security. It's also a complicated economic problem.

The biggest problem, though, is that the Bush administration and Congress have only just now discovered it, and suddenly immigration is on everyone's agenda. After years of looking the other way as illegal immigration exploded, this Administration is manufacturing yet another crisis to divert attention from its multitude of failures, particularly in Iraq. And their "solutions" won't even begin to solve the problem, which has become institutionalized at multiple levels in our society, especially the economy.

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The Iraq war was a bill-of-goods sold to the American people on the basis of misinformation and political positioning, and we need to remember how we got into this terrible mess in order to get out of it. And whatever the original goals, we're now less secure, not more. Americans will hold the President, the civilian Pentagon leadership, and the entire Republican-dominated U.S. Congress accountable.
There are three key components to my position on Iraq:

• -- A Political Solution: Like Bosnia
• -- An Exit Strategy: Out in less than 24 Months
• -- Accountability: The Key to the Future

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"American families are feeling the pain as jobs continue to be outsourced, benefits continue to be slashed, and pensions continue to be cut. It's no coincidence that businesses are exporting our jobs in mass numbers to low wage countries. The bottom line is that priorities in Congress are upside-down. The Bush-Kuhl administration continues to give away billions in tax breaks to multi-millionaires and Big Oil, all at the expense of working American families. What Americans really need is a Congress that will fight for their best interests, not the corporate special interests. We need a sane, healthy approach to economic development in Western New York and I won't stopuntil American families have the real answers to these very real economic problems."
Retired Navy Commander Eric Massa

Working together to create good jobs with solid benefits for American families. Retired Navy Commander Eric Massa knows that the key to economic revitalization is the creation of good jobs with solid benefits. Eric Massa will lead the fight for jobs in Western New York. He will fight for working American families, not the corporate special interests. For six years the Bush-Kuhl administration has given away billions of dollars in tax cuts to multi-millionaires and corporate special interests. They have funded these windfall tax breaks by making deep cuts in critical areas such as Veteran's programs, children's health care and Medicare. Eric Massa's comprehensive plan lays out ways to get the American economy back on track and will mean new jobs with solid benefits for American families.

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I believe that abortion should be safe, legal, and above all, rare, and I am fully committed to using all the political and social means available to reduce its frequency. At the same time, I am concerned about the increasing intrusion of government into the private lives, the family and medical affairs, of American families. And in this extremely difficult area, many of us find ourselves locked into hard, polarized positions on this issue, and that reduces our ability to find common ground and take positive steps to solve the problem.

Reproductive rights are one of the most profoundly difficult and divisive public policy issues facing American leaders today. The debate is often framed in a polarized, either/or way, "right to life" or "pro choice." The issue divides friends and families, and for many it's the single issue on which they vote.

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In the 29th District of New York, more than 68,000 people are self-employed, which accounts for more than 20% of the local labor force. Their contribution to the local economy is in excess of 2.7 billion dollars. The number of self-employed individuals in the United States tops 23 million. They account for 75% of American businesses, and they gross more than one trillion dollars in annual receipts.

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After the Great Depression, President Roosevelt knew that he had to come up with a way to protect Americans from financial ruin in retirement. Social Security is a sacred promise which we must keep. In 2005, the Bush-Kuhl Administration tried to gamble your retirement on Wall Street by privatizing Social Security. Fortunately, their plan failed and your retirement didn't go down the tubes with Bear Stearns. America won the first round against President Bush's plan to bet our seniors financial well being on the stock exchange, but they will surely try again. I stand with President Roosevelt and promise to protect Social Security when I am elected to Congress.

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I am absolutely "pro-cure." Stem cell studies are the most promising area of medical research to come along in decades, offering hope to millions who suffer from chronic diseases like Diabetes, Parkinson's, and Alzheimer's. We need this research to save lives. I recognize that this issue has been highly politicized, with the Administration and some supporters in Congress (Mr. Kuhl included) seeking to exploit this issue for political gain, but believe that we must do all we can to find critical cures. This is too important to let politics get in the way of saving lives.

• I will vote "YES" on any bill like H.R. 810, which expands federal support for stem cell research in ethical ways, and I will lead the fight to override any veto. Period.

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I am a conservative Democrat and I do not believe in raising taxes on working Americans. In fact, I will only vote to lower taxes for working Americans. George Bush and Randy Kuhl have been asleep at the helm while this nation has spiraled into financial crisis and record debt. We need a new way forward. When I am elected to Congress, I will vote for middle class tax cutswhile ensuring that the wealthiest 1% amongst us start paying their fair share. Multimillionaires and Big Oil corporations don't need tax handouts, but middle class Americans do need tax relief, and that's why I will fight to lower your taxes.

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Americans want to compete in the world market, the problem is that right now we are not competing on a level playing field. Failed free trade deals like NAFTA and CAFTA have sent thousands of our jobs overseas, and it's time to end the outsourcing and work to create and sustain good jobs right here in Western New York. This will require a fundamental shift in the way we do business in Washington, and I promise to lead the change for our working families.

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"Since October 2001, about 1.64 million US troops served in Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom in Afghanistan and Iraq. Supporting these troops is much more than a Fourth of July or Memorial Day slogan. It is a sacred promise made by this nation to the brave men and women who have defended this country. Regardless of differing opinions on the war, it is the duty of Congress to ensure that we have programs available to help soldiers transition into civilian life by creating an environment where they can find good jobs with solid benefits in today's economy and successfully move back into civilian life. These veterans stood up for us, now we must stand up for them." -Retired Navy Commander Eric Massa

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