Ed Rushman

I've made a career of doing what needs to be done, raising a family here while doing it. I've done every job there is in information technology, in many kinds of businesses, small and large. In the past couple of decades, I've specialized in the recovery of failed or failing projects, drawing on my experience in people, process, and technology, and earned a couple of degrees on the way so I'd understand business better, as well as economics conferences and other events to learn more about how everything works, not just information systems. I've listened to, and learned from, a lot of people from all over the country, and the world.

When no one is really fixing a problem, I look for someone with a real solution and if I can't find anyone, I ask a lot of questions and develop a solution with everyone's perspectives taken into account. I've done this a lot, and most of the time it works. When I fail, I figure out why and carry that lesson forward.

I've run twice before. It's tough without a party to do the legwork, doing the door-to-door myself, but it's a great experience and nearly everyone I meet encourages me.

• Free Congress from big money and Party politics, starting with the 46th district
• Represent the people so well that voters will reject partisan politics
• Bring respectful discourse, real teamwork in the office and with all I encounter

Legislation should be entirely about what is good for the Nation and not about obligations to special interests or Party. It should not be about personal gain in wealth or power. It is a sacred duty to the people, and should be pursued with that as the highest principle. People in our district struggle to reconcile protections for the poor with protections for unborn children, and the response from Democrats this year was to back abortion to birth. Money drives elections, and neither the wealthy Democratic nor Republican donors understand the values of the common people. Our district has a lot of hard working people, many are immigrants, who brought ancient values with them that they thought America respected, only to be told their values are backward and wrong . The Dream Act - Congress has put this off for nearly two decades, and is a prime case of partisan politics. Dreamers are political pawns to use at election time. Hostages. This is a humanitarian necessity, and 800,000 Dreamers serve in our military, pursue education, and work, paying taxes and living like the rest of us. We must resolve this while developing a more sustainable immigration policy that will not put us in this position again. There is massive public support, but Congress will not act.

Above all, I'm passionate about government working for all the people, not just serving the most powerful, those who can pay to have their ideals promoted. Government should not be a tool for domination.

I appreciate Abraham Lincoln's ability to work with opposing forces in a divided and difficult time. Dorothy Day for her practicality, getting past a rough beginning and doing what she could to help. Martin Luther King, Jr. for stirring hearts to love, and never taking the easy path of anger and hate.

I've grown into my views over time and expect to continue growing, and there are hundreds of books, essays and films, as well as personal encounters that have shaped me. I don't really have a political philosophy, I find it restrictive. But I find the ideas of solidarity, subsidiarity, and distributionism interesting, and will consider these where appropriate, but only to the degree they serve the Nation's best interests in the long term. In The Lord of the Rings, the last book, The Return of the King, there was a chapter, The Scouring of the Shire, that expresses it. We desire a simple freedom and long to be free of those who seek only power over others. We must defend our way of life with the least force possible, treat one another with respect. But when our freedom is at stake, all of us must rise to drive out the threat. It may only take one voice to turn the tide. Perhaps it will be mine.

Basic life and work experience, how those of us with no power or wealth live, the experience of doing difficult work because we need to make a living, trying to protect our children from a world gone mad, from marketing, from being used for profit or political gain. Clearly, there should be integrity in all things political, fiduciary responsibility. The ability to identify any attempts at undue influence and the strength to resist even debatable advantages offered from anyone. The proven ability to analyze proposed laws and budgets, to effectively manage congressional staff toward that end, leading and inspiring a spirit of public service. To ask the right questions and consider every action, every word carefully, and yet be decisive and bold, able to go against the tide. And inspiring the next generation of public servants.

Experience in decades of leadership at work and home have taught me patience, initiative, and to take the long view. I'm strong in analysis. Working with so many people from so many countries, and having very diverse friendships, taught me respect and understanding. I've learned to make things happen when agreement seemed impossible and to work with horrible people by building consensus among the hardworking, ordinary people like me. To find the things we all hold in common, find a kind of collective strength in that, and move forward. The ability to find the root cause of a problem and solve it with teamwork and process improvement. My knowledge in technology and science is quite good, making it easier to evaluate proposed legislation touching on those areas.

Bringing our District 46 values and concerns to bear on congressional action, ensuring that my vote represents the will and best interests of the people here, not a Party, bringing the voice of the people to the National forum. Listening to everyone, considering all the views, every side, then making decisions based entirely on the good of the people in the long term. In my work career, I've put my customers, my clients and my teams before myself. I'll do the same in office. Communicating bill and budget facts and analysis to the people frequently and working in committees to produce quality legislation, considering unintended consequences and the sustainability of solutions, reviewing proposals and plans, asking questions and questioning answers. On the most difficult issues, maintaining professionalism and respect for others, including those who are not respectful. Keeping the sanctity of all life, respect for nature and right relations with the rest of the world in mind for every decision.

That I spread the ideals I've already stated to a number of other legislators and gave hope to our young people such that many of them pursue their education with service in mind, and make good personal decisions that prepare them well for a life of public service in whatever form they deem fitting. That I left the office unstained by personal gain and with a strong staff ready to work with the next Representative.

I couldn't pick a favorite, I've learned from so many great books. The Bible, The Art of War by Sun Tzu, The Lord of the Rings, The Romance of the Three Kingdoms by Luo Guanzhong, Moby Dick, Late Antiquity by Peter Brown, Grant's Memoirs, and I especially enjoyed Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin.

What I get from each varies, but they find their way into the way I lead and sometimes I might quote them in some writing or a talk. I absorb ideas from many sources and constantly.

It brings the concerns of the local community to the National forum. It ought to be the voice of every American, not only the rich and powerful. Each Representative should embody the values and aspirations of the District's people.

Not if that is most of their experience. I'd prefer to have people with a couple of decades working for a living. There is much to be gained from working for others, a humility, if we are willing to learn it. It depends entirely on the person. Clearly, experience has not been working well for the Nation lately, but that doesn't make it bad.

Partisanship. The whole impeachment is partisan and trying to reverse an election. Party members excuse wrongs by their own and condemn the same in the opposition. There should be no room for that. People vote by party, and at least in our district, independents don't vote for independent candidates, but by their former party.

Taking the "for sale" sign off our government. Voters have come to accept political donations as normal, and don't seem to consider that politicians enrich themselves, their children, and supporters.

Non-State actors are still rising: powerful corporations with data on nearly every American and much of the world, terrorists, cartels, and the wealthiest and most powerful individuals. China is widening its influence with money and tightening its grip on Hong Kong, eyeing Taiwan and noting our weakness. Russia is working to rebuild the U.S.S.R.

We are increasingly divided and too many are profiting (or hope to profit) from this. We don't really know who is driving the direction of the country, but it isn't us.

I tend to make any group I'm part of work better. That's really been key for my career. Anything science or technology, of course, but I'd do well in healthcare or budgeting, too. There seems to be very little understanding of any of these on Congress so far, and technology companies can get away with pretty much anything in this situation. And they are getting away with a lot: privacy violations, manipulating elections, and forming public opinion according to their ideals.

Yes, it allows better accountability, although voters don't exercise this as well as they should. Office holders who fail to represent us well are reelected anyway because voters just vote on party. That needs to change.

Our issues are in the people we elect, not the term. Bad politicians will always find a way around rules, moving from one office to another. Let's get better people in and then make changes as needed.

I can't think of anyone in the past hundred years that I would want to emulate. There may have been some great people, but I'm trying to do the right thing for where we are now.

Many in our District are immigrants, and all their stories are powerful. One neighbor is from Syria, driven here because his religion is persecuted there, but he misses his family and homeland. He says some of the areas of California remind him of home and it makes him sad. He is doing his best to make a home here for his wife and child.

Another from Pakistan, here for more than a decade, asks me what happened to our country. He feels that all the good he saw before is gone, that the society if falling apart. His views are quite conservative.

Both are concerned that we are moving toward the corruption and political violence of their home countries, what they were trying to escape. The impeachment in particular strike one of them this way, especially with some who misunderstand it calling for the military to remove the President without a trial. It worries me, too.

Compromise is a tradeoff, a lose-lose proposition. In my career managing projects, I've found it better to optimize, to find the win-win. It requires that everyone involved wants the best and isn't in it for themselves, so Congress will be a challenge.

It's a high priority. We have a responsibility to spend tax revenues for the good of the people, not to reward donors and supporters.

I've made a career of doing what needs to be done, raising a family here while doing it. I've done every job there is in information technology, in many kinds of businesses, small and large. In the past couple of decades, I've specialized in the recovery of failed or failing projects, drawing on my experience in people, process, and technology, and earned a couple of degrees on the way so I'd understand business better, as well as economics conferences and other events to learn more about how everything works, not just information systems. I've listened to, and learned from, a lot of people from all over the country, and the world.

When no one is really fixing a problem, I look for someone with a real solution and if I can't find anyone, I ask a lot of questions and develop a solution with everyone's perspectives taken into account. I've done this a lot, and most of the time it works. When I fail, I figure out why and carry that lesson forward.

I'm decisive, persistent, and adaptable. I do research and use data to make good decisions. I respect truth. And I love our country, all our people.

• Free Congress from big money and Party politics, starting with the 46th district
• Set a new expectation for Congress so that better people than me will come forward and serve
• Bring respectful discourse, real teamwork in the office and with all I encounter

Legislation should be entirely about what is good for the Nation and not about obligations to special interests or Party. It should not be about personal gain in wealth or power. It is a sacred duty to the people, and should be pursued with that as the highest principle. People in our district struggle to reconcile protections for the poor with protections for unborn children, and the response from Democrats this year was to back abortion to birth. Money drives elections, and neither the wealthy Democratic nor Republican donors understand the values of the common people. Our district has a lot of hard working people, many immigrants, who brought ancient values with them that they thought America respected, only to be told their values are backward and wrong . The Dream Act - Congress has put this off for nearly two decades, and is a prime case of partisan politics. Dreamers are political pawns to use at election time. Hostages. This is a humanitarian necessity, and 800,000 Dreamers serve in our military, pursue education, and work, paying taxes and living like the rest of us. We must resolve this while developing a more sustainable immigration policy that will not put us in this position again. There is massive public support, but Congress will not act.

Above all, I'm passionate about government working for all the people, not just serving the most powerful, those who can pay to have their ideals promoted. Government should not be a tool for domination.

I appreciate Abraham Lincoln's ability to work with opposing forces in a divided and difficult time. Dorothy Day for her practicality, getting past a rough beginning and doing what she could to help. Martin Luther King, Jr. for stirring hearts to love, and never taking the easy path of anger and hate.

I've grown into my views over time and expect to continue growing, and there are hundreds of books, essays and films, as well as personal encounters that have shaped me. I don't really have a political philosophy, I find it restrictive. But I find the ideas of solidarity, subsidiarity, and distributionism interesting, and will consider these where appropriate, but only to the degree they serve the Nation's best interests in the long term. In The Lord of the Rings, the last book, The Return of the King, there was a chapter, The Scouring of the Shire, that expresses it. We desire a simple freedom and long to be free of those who seek only power over others. We must defend our way of life with the least force possible, treat one another with respect. But when our freedom is at stake, all of us must rise to drive out the threat. It may only take one voice to turn the tide. Perhaps it will be mine.

Basic life and work experience, how those of us with no power or wealth live, the experience of doing difficult work because we need to make a living, trying to protect our children from a world gone mad, from marketing, from being used for profit or political gain. Clearly, there should be integrity in all things political, fiduciary responsibility. The ability to identify any attempts at undue influence and the strength to resist even debatable advantages offered from anyone. The proven ability to analyze proposed laws and budgets, to effectively manage congressional staff toward that end, leading and inspiring a spirit of public service. To ask the right questions and consider every action, every word carefully, and yet be decisive and bold, able to go against the tide. And inspiring the next generation of public servants.

Experience in decades of leadership at work and home have taught me patience, initiative, and to take the long view. I'm strong in analysis. Working with so many people from so many countries, and having very diverse friendships, taught me respect and understanding. I've learned to make things happen when agreement seemed impossible and to work with horrible people by building consensus among the hardworking, ordinary people like me. To find the things we all hold in common, find a kind of collective strength in that, and move forward. The ability to find the root cause of a problem and solve it with teamwork and process improvement. My knowledge in technology and science is quite good, making it easier to evaluate proposed legislation touching on those areas.

Bringing our District 46 values and concerns to bear on congressional action, ensuring that my vote represents the will and best interests of the people here, not a Party, bringing the voice of the people to the National forum. Listening to everyone, considering all the views, every side, then making decisions based entirely on the good of the people in the long term. In my work career, I've put my customers, my clients and my teams before myself. I'll do the same in office. Communicating bill and budget facts and analysis to the people frequently and working in committees to produce quality legislation, considering unintended consequences and the sustainability of solutions, reviewing proposals and plans, asking questions and questioning answers. On the most difficult issues, maintaining professionalism and respect for others, including those who are not respectful. Keeping the sanctity of all life, respect for nature and right relations with the rest of the world in mind for every decision.

That I spread the ideals I've already stated to a number of other legislators and gave hope to our young people such that many of them pursue their education with service in mind, and make good personal decisions that prepare them well for a life of public service in whatever form they deem fitting. That I left the office unstained by personal gain and with a strong staff ready to work with the next Representative.

I couldn't pick a favorite, I've learned from so many great books. The Bible, The Art of War by Sun Tzu, The Lord of the Rings, The Romance of the Three Kingdoms by Luo Guanzhong, Moby Dick, Late Antiquity by Peter Brown, Grant's Memoirs, and I especially enjoyed Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin.

What I get from each varies, but they find their way into the way I lead and sometimes I might quote them in some writing or a talk. I absorb ideas from many sources and constantly.

It brings the concerns of the local community to the National forum. It ought to be the voice of every American, not only the rich and powerful. Each Representative should embody the values and aspirations of the District's people.

Not if that is most of their experience. I'd prefer to have people with a couple of decades working for a living. There is much to be gained from working for others, a humility, if we are willing to learn it. It depends entirely on the person. Clearly, experience has not been working well for the Nation lately, but that doesn't make it bad.

Partisanship. The whole impeachment is partisan and trying to reverse an election. Party members excuse wrongs by their own and condemn the same in the opposition. There should be no room for that. People vote by party, and at least in our district, independents don't vote for independent candidates, but by their former party.

Taking the "for sale" sign off our government. Voters have come to accept political donations as normal, and don't seem to consider that politicians enrich themselves, their children, and supporters.

Non-State actors are still rising: powerful corporations with data on nearly every American and much of the world, terrorists, cartels, and the wealthiest and most powerful individuals. China is widening its influence with money and tightening its grip on Hong Kong, eyeing Taiwan and noting our weakness.

We are increasingly divided and too many are profiting (or hope to profit) from this. We don't really know who is driving the direction of the country, but it isn't us.

I tend to make any group I'm part of work better. That's really been key for my career. Anything science or technology, of course, but I'd do well in healthcare or budgeting, too. There seems to be very little understanding of any of these on Congress so far, and technology companies can get away with pretty much anything in this situation. And they are getting away with a lot: privacy violations, manipulating elections, and forming public opinion according to their ideals.

Yes, it allows better accountability, although voters don't exercise this as well as they should. Office holders who fail to represent us well are reelected anyway because voters just vote on party. That needs to change.

Our issues are in the people we elect, not the term. Bad politicians will always find a way around rules, moving from one office to another. Let's get better people in and then make changes as needed.

I'm an independent. If either party wants to reform, I'd be glad to assist.

I can't think of anyone in the past hundred years that I would want to emulate. There may have been some great people, but I'm trying to do the right thing for where we are now.

Many in our District are immigrants, and all their stories are powerful. One neighbor is from Syria, driven here because his religion is persecuted there, but he misses his family and homeland. He says some of the areas of California remind him of home and it makes him sad. He is doing his best to make a home here for his wife and child.

Another from Pakistan, here for more than a decade, asks me what happened to our country. He feels that all the good he saw before is gone, that the society if falling apart. His views are quite conservative.

Both are concerned that we are moving toward the corruption and political violence of their home countries, what they were trying to escape. The impeachment in particular strike one of them this way, especially with some who misunderstand it calling for the military to remove the President without a trial. It worries me, too.