My dad died when I was two months old. My mom was left at the age of 39 with six kids to raise on welfare in the economically depressed Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Her mantra was, “Work hard and get an education.” All six of us ended up getting a college degree and all have done reasonably well in life. The opportunities that America gave my wife and me have allowed us to prosper. We have lived the American Dream. Thank you, America!

We have faced obstacles and hardships along the way but have tried to model the saying, “The measure of a man is what he does when things go wrong,” i.e., when adversity strikes, evaluate your options, choose, and move on. We have worked hard and seized the opportunities to get a LOT of education. We have had great opportunities and challenges in our careers but have had the opportunity to raise our two boys and see them prosper as well.

I have been raised to believe that “You get out of life in direct proportion to the service you provide others.” I.e., the more you help others, the more you get in return, directly or indirectly. Our lives have been of service to others, in the public and private sector, in our jobs and in our communities, and we have been rewarded.

It is now our obligation to give back to the community with our time and talents. We moved back to Minnesota in late 2014. We love the standard of living our state provides – our education system, our thriving large and small businesses, our lovely communities, our lake and streams, and yes, even our weather. All face challenges now and in the future. I wish to lend my time, energy, talent, experience, and trained judgment to protect and preserve them for our generations to come – our (and yours) kids and grandkids.

I would appreciate your support in our collective effort.

Why would a former Republican like me run as a candidate of the DFL Party?

That’s a valid question.

I grew up in an era when rugged individualism was the culture, where through hard work and persistence, people hoped to go from rags to riches in America, where opportunity abounds. Then, too, we were taught that the results you achieved were primarily caused by the choices you previously made, good or bad. In other words, if you failed or suffered misfortune, it was mostly your fault. In other words, your fate is your personal responsibility.

Through my undergraduate and graduate school study of economics, I strongly believed in private enterprise/capitalism as the economic system that was most efficient and would produce the most goods and services for the most people. Capitalism has raised more people out of poverty than any other system. For example, look at China once elements of capitalism were allowed there.

This set of beliefs fits well into the traditional Republican framework.

However, through experience and lifelong learning, I have realized that one’s success is not solely one’s doing. We all have systems within which we work (such as sets of laws) and contacts (whether family or accidental) that can assist us in reaching our goals or aspirations. There are also circumstances that make it difficult for some to succeed or contribute to adverse results (such as rampant obesity in “food deserts” within major cities where fresh fruits and vegetables and other healthy foods are hard to get).

Capitalism, too, is not perfect, as most of the theoretical assumptions upon which the theory is based are not completely true in the real world. Income and wealth inequality, for example, is an inherent result of capitalism. Externalities, i.e., where one’s activities negatively affect others without that cost being internalized by the doer. Also, although free trade is preferred, another country may be abusing the system through subsidies and favored regulation for its own production and tariffs against others, such that our producers are hurt.

In all these situations, government action may be necessary to create an equitable situation.

Despite these realizations, I retain my basic beliefs. But now, through study and analysis of evidence-based facts, I may come to far different conclusions when it comes to some public policy prescriptions.

I still believe in the “classic liberal” ideals of the traditional Republican Party of free speech and of the press and other individual liberties, peace through strength, laissez-faire economic policy (i.e., free enterprise), democratically elected governments, adherence to the U.S. Constitution, openness and transparency of government, private property, and political and economic freedom under the rule of law (no man is above the law). Unfortunately, that is not where the Republican Party is today.  The party has left me, so I now need to seek another party more compatible with my beliefs.

For more on my background, see “The Perfect Life”.