Or the smiling children surrounding another. Or actual references to a particular issue. Education, child care, parent education, lead poisoning, health care for working poor families, reading are floated about all the time. Here are some of the criteria I am using to evaluate candidate portfolios this year. Being a parent gives a candidate a particular experience that may influence how he or she thinks about issues.
Experience creates understanding and conviction.
Yes, candidates are busy people, but to get my vote they must earn it. I want to be able to tell my kids that I am proud to have someone representing us because he or she cares about our well-being, and is working hard to ensure that children have the opportunity to grow up to be healthy, productive citizens. My vote is a valuable commodity. Send them to Michele Strasz via email . Permission to reproduce for educational purposes.