David Cohen's Political Philosophy

The United States thrives on the citizen participation in the selection of our leaders. For this reason, people must be convinced to take part in the electoral process. And of course all votes must be counted. All too often, I hear that voters believe their votes don't matter, when in fact small numbers can make big differences. In 1960, Kennedy defeated Nixon by what amounted to only 1 vote per precinct. And the 2000 presidential election came down to a handful of votes. Even more discouraging is the view by many Americans that it does not matter who is elected -- it doesn't affect them. One major goal of the Democratic Central Committee is to educate voters about the differences between candidates. I believe that once people know what kinds of decisions governmental leaders make and the differences between the Democratic and Republican philosophies, most Americans will side with the Democrats. My overriding goal as an elected member of the Central Committee is to increase voter participation in the process and to educate voters about the differences between the parties.

In addition, I will focus my efforts in three areas:

• I stand firmly for equal rights and opportunities for all people, regardless of race or socioeconomic class. We have seen the gap between upper and lower class increase so dramatically, that service workers can no longer afford to live in Santa Clara County. I believe this is the primary issue affecting the South Bay. We need to make sure that we make accommodation for all classes of people to be able to live and work here.
   
• Another major difference between the parties is judicial philosophy. I want to make sure that we prevent a conservative takeover of our judicial system so we can protect individual rights. The most important right under attack is the right of women to make their own reproductive decisions. The current administration in Washington wants to impose their morality on the rest of the country. A prime example of this is John Ashcroft's decision to override the will of the voters in Oregon on the issue of assisted suicide. We need to be vigilant to protect our rights for the future of our children in the United States.
   
• Environmental protection is very important to me. In a short time span, Global Warming may lead to major repercussions around the world, with several island nations and coastal communities vulnerable to rising water levels. The United States needs to take a leadership position in reducing greenhouse gases that damage our environment. One way is to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and increase our use of alternative energy sources. An easy step is to increase the fuel efficiency of all vehicles sold in the United States.

The United States is a special country that tolerates dissent and works better when multiple viewpoints are allowed to be expressed. In that light, we need to make sure that our elected officials are always free to disagree with one another. The current environment in our nation has led to a chilling effect on freedom of expression. I will never allow myself to go along with a viewpoint on an issue just because it is popular. It is my obligation as an elected official to support what I think is right and will best serve the people of Santa Clara County and California.