As a father, one of
the most important things I can teach my son is to
treat others the way he wants to be treated. That’s
the Golden Rule. We should all
work to set this example for America’s children.
That’s one
reason why I am so encouraged when I hear of a
politician, celebrity or professional athlete using
their platform for the greater good. Take
our new Carolina Panthers owner, David Tepper. After
Hurricane Florence, he, Luke Kuechly, Cam Newton and
nearly 80 staff members and players spent their time
packing relief boxes for families.
In stark contrast,
it’s why I am so disappointed every time I hear of
someone using their platform to provoke violence or
incivility. Just last week,
former Attorney General Eric Holder said of
Republicans, “When they go low, we kick ‘em. That’s
what this new Democratic Party is about.” That’s
the exact opposite of loving thy neighbor. And in a
televised interview, Former Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton said you “cannot be civil” with
members of the Republican Party.
What has
happened to political discourse in our country? The
hatred and anger – sometimes expressed behind a
keyboard – and the inability to listen to and
respect someone with a different opinion has sadly
become the new normal. Have
they forgotten last year’s terrible attack at a
baseball field in Virginia by a deranged shooter who
was targeting Republicans?
Inciting violence
and stoking anger is irresponsible. Period.
As people of
different political parties, we can disagree without
being disagreeable. It’s no secret that I don’t see
eye-to-eye with my Democrat colleagues on every
issue from time to time. But
that doesn’t mean I can’t work with them to get
things done.
Since my first days
in office, I’ve worked hard to build relationships
and navigate disagreements to find common ground. I
will always stick
to my conservative principles, but I am willing to
work across the aisle and fight for you and your
priorities.That’s exactly how I began my
first term when I had several pieces of bipartisan
legislation signed by President Barack Obama and
what I continue to do today.
I’m the 12th most
conservative member of the House, but I’ve had
tremendous success in bringing people together
around bipartisan solutions to improve job-training
programs, to combat the opioid epidemic, to improve
care for our veterans, and to support our military. And
I’m proud to have several Democrats support my
Concealed Carry Reciprocity bill. I was able to get
their support because I’m upfront and strive to have
open and thoughtful discussions. And I listen.
It’s like my
grandfather always told me, “You have two ears and
one mouth for a reason.”
As your Congressman,
I continue to work with President Trump – a
Republican – and Governor Cooper – a Democrat – on
Hurricane Florence recovery. And just last week, my
bipartisan energy bill with Congresswoman Diana
DeGette – a Democrat from Colorado – passed
the Senate and is now on the way to becoming law. I
believe there is plenty of room for common sense,
bipartisan solutions like this.
At the end of the
day, I understand people are frustrated with
Washington. That’s exactly why
I first ran for Congress. I was fed up because our
government wasn’t listening to us and progress was
jammed because of partisanship. I continue to hear
your concerns and I will not stop fighting until you
have a federal government that works for you.
Lane
Ross Designs
