Alan Grayson not only supports ending the war in Iraq, through his efforts as a private citizen, he's done something about it. His efforts to punish war profiteers through our court system has been successful and completely ignored by Bush's rubber stamp, Ric Keller. The amount of unchecked abuse by these profiteers, in cases the DOJ declined to try, is appalling. I want somebody to represent me who cares how my tax money is spent, and that person, for the last eight years, has NOT been Ric Keller. Alan Grayson has demonstrated a responsible attitude towards stewardship of our money, and he will do a better job than Keller in Congress.

$23 billion went to war profiteers linked to the Bush administration such as Scott Custer and Mike Battles over the past four years, and such abuse has not gone unnoticed by progressive candidates such as Grayson.

The BBC did a story on Iraq war profiteers like Battles who received government contracts without sufficient experience in organized military trade, and Grayson was one of their star interviewees.

They [Custer, Battles et al.] had been given a contract to spend anything they wanted, buy anything they want, they'd be able to mark that up 25%. But that wasn't good enough for them. They were too greedy.

Grayson vows to bring war profiteers and charlatans in Washington to justice. His principle care is making certain that troops abroad get the materials they need to successfully complete missions so that the US can end it's occupation and federal programs can get back on their feet.

No Child Left Behind, says Grayson, did little more than make American children into cogs in a machine and give Republicans a way to send millions of dollars overseas to support unnecessary and inefficient suppliers in Iraq instead of dedicating them to the education of America's children.

Outsourcing jobs to India and China only increases competition here in the midst of a weakened economy. Grayson says that children in the states need to be given the proper tools and funding to reach their full potential and that includes providing the technological assets necessary to comprehend a digital world.

If elected, Grayson hopes to:

-ensure that schools are given more resources

-fully fund any federal education requirements, such as No Child Left Behind

-increase federal funding for electives, including art, music, and drama

-promote stronger math and science education

-increase funding for early education programs

-increase funding for college financial aid programs

-support pay increases and training for teachers, especially for those who teach in the neediest areas

Health care in America is in serious need of an overhaul and Grayson is prepared to make the necessary changes in Congress to insure that Americans no longer remain "one accident away from financial ruin."

Says Grayson: "My Democratic opponent wants to keep the status quo. What kind of country are we that we deny care to the neediest among us, especially children? This is not only a financial issue, but a moral issue. You should have the right to quality, affordable health care for you and your family, to see the doctor of your choice, and to get the care you need, when you need it."

Over 47 million Americans are currently uninsured including 8 million children. Grayson is tired of seeing Congress's hard work overturned by Bush's bad policies and longs to make secure health care for working Americans a reality.

"American know-how has been stopped because the oil companies have controlled innovation in [the field of energy]. They are not interested in innovating."

The United States is currently the only country in the world that has yet to sign the Kyoto Protocol which outlines an international agreement in cooperation the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Grayson finds that fact to be shameful.

He proposes that Americans take back that right to knowledge that we have been denied over the past ten years and force Congress to give the people a realistic renewable energy policy that will provide a national standard of 15% by the year 2020.

As a long time member of the Sierra Club, League of Conservation Voters, The Nature Conservancy, The National Wildlife Foundation and The National Geographic Society, Grayson is personally invested in finding a healthy alternative to damaging drilling and dwindling petroleum reserves.

According to the CBO, twenty years ago, senior citizens were receiving social security checks equal to over 50% of their pay before retiring. Now, senior citizens get 40%. Who knows what will happen after the baby boomer generation?

It's an illusion, says Grayson, there's money aplenty in the social security coffers, Americans just don't push for it. Social Security is adjusted based on inflation, but since wages have been rising faster than inflation, social security hasn't caught up to wages earned yet. Grayson says that there are more than $2 trillion in the social security fund, more than enough for our current senior citizens. The threshold amount for SS of $34,000 has never been adjusted for inflation, and Grayson feels it's high time that Congress look into it.

Also, Medicare doesn't cover many basic necessities for the elderly, such as hearing aids, glasses, eye exams, dental, and the cost of hospital stays. Grayson believes that it's time Washington make some overdue updates to help the senior citizens who gave their youth to the construction of our nation.