I wanted to write and introduce myself. My name is Doug Polk and I am a republican candidate for the House of Representatives.
In the news if you have heard of my campaign you have probably heard that I am a substitute teacher in the Kearney School System. While I would rather not have it become a part of the campaign I feel I should explain why I am a substitute teacher and living in Kearney, Nebraska. My oldest son, Ethan, is a special needs child. He faces the daily challenge of living with cerebral palsy, and is mildly to moderately developmentally delayed, (retarded. . .though I prefer developmentally delayed.) Due to the challenges of Ethan’s situation, my wife and I agreed that being a substitute teacher allows me more flexibility than to teach full time. The reason we reside in Kearney is because of the need to be near medical facilities capable of dealing with Ethan’s situation. We had lived in Ansley, Nebraska for eight years until the doctors mandated that we move to a more medically equipped community.
Born and raised in Oshkosh, NE, until my freshman year of high school, I
moved to Stapleton, Nebraska . My family owned two ranches on the Dismal
River of central Nebraska. We lost one of the ranches in the 1980's and
my sister and her husband operate the other. I have lived in the
district my entire life. I love the Sand Hills, and truly feel an ache
to be away from them. I am an educator having taught or coached at
Shelton, Broken Bow, Gates Rural School, Sumner-Eddyville-Miller and the
"I Believe in ME" Ranch in Kearney, NE. I should probably mention I also
was on the Advisory Committee the State Board of Education regarding
special education back in the early 1990's.
I have experience in the newspaper industry, working as a Sports Editor at the Custer County CHIEF, and as an editor of the Minden COURIER. I also was a columnist and outdoor reporter for the Kearney HUB. I am also a published author and poet, and have experience working in the Insurance Industry as an independent agent out of my brother and father's Insurance Agency formerly in Stapleton, Nebraska. (Graduate of UNK)
The reason I decided to run from congress was and is because I am concerned about many of the recent developments in government.
Being an educator I am very concerned about the federal government’s intervention into education with the No Child Left Behind Act. This could cause major future problems, and takes more control from the local area. Responsibility has to stay at the local level, I believe responsibility is what creates community. Knowing we can rely on each other and are responsible for each other, to me is much more comforting than thinking about Washington looking after the needs of my children.
I believe The War on Terror can not continue to be used as an excuse to expand governmental power. The war in Iraq also raises many questions regarding U.S. involvement in the region. I, personally, find the situation upsetting because of number of my former students and colleagues are or have been on duty in Iraq. When many of the students were talked into the National Guard to pay for college the impression left with a number of them was that the Guard was a way to avoid active involvement. I am not sure many of these kids were and are trained to the degree they needed to be to be over in Iraq.
The water situation in the western U.S. only continues to get worse. If the state doesn’t get some definite water laws and definitions into the law books, I believe our water will be targeted by many of the more populated states of the arid west.
The agricultural sector of the economy continues being neglected by Washington and the politicians. I don’t think much of the nation realizes or understands how critical the situation is in agriculture and rural America. Light needs to be brought to the situation and real attempts made to change the culture of Washington regarding agriculture. It seems to often agriculture has been repeatedly sold out by the Washington politicians. There are not any easy solutions, but let’s quit attempting the same old sorry solutions over and over again.
The medical situation in rural America is depressing. While Kearney is a beautiful place and a wonderful place to live, it would be nice to have the medical facilities to allow many of us to live where we chose. Since moving to Kearney I have met a number of people, many older folks, who also were forced or felt forced to leave the rural areas because of the lack of health care. This problem also needs to be explored and addressed.
Education, water,
government intervention and foreign involvements, agriculture, and the
medical situation of rural America are the main issues I will be
discussing in my campaign. There are no easy answers or easy fixes, but
the hardest part sometimes is just being heard . . .That is what my
campaign is about, getting your voices heard. Attempting to get the
voices of the rank and file republicans in the district heard, I do not
ask for political contributions for my campaign. Too many times
those contributions come from a small wealthy minority more interested
in maintaining power or protecting their own interests instead of
initiating true change.
Well, I thank you kindly
for your time. .
Thanks again,