Charlie Rangel Has a Problem: Michel Faulkner

By Mark J. Fitzgibbons

What better message to send to Washington than to defeat an old bull like Charlie Rangel?

Rangel is one of the principal symbols of the tolerance Washington has for corrupt insider politics. He is Chairman-in-school-detention of the House Ways and Means Committee, pending efforts of Democrats to avoid the most devastating midterm election defeat in history.

Because he usually doesn't have a serious challenger, Rangel is able to funnel in the neighborhood of a half-million dollars every election cycle to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). Such political largesse protects corruption. Nancy Pelosi and her fellow Democrats dole out committee chairs to, and overlook the offenses of, big-money lieutenants like Rangel.

Last week at the Susan B. Anthony List dinner, I sat with Reverend Michel Faulkner, the career non-politician announced as the Republican challenger to Charlie Rangel. That made a special night all the more special...

Meeting him for the first time just that evening, my first impression of Rev. Faulkner is that he conveys his message in conversation rather than slogans, which struck me as refreshing. There was no "I plan to introduce this bill," and certainly no rehearsed lines. The closest he came was, "The people in my district want jobs, not programs," but he said even that with the conversational sincerity of a friend or neighbor, not a candidate meeting someone for the first time.

He told me about himself. He's a pastor, and he founded a nonprofit called the Institute for Leadership. He works with the poor and the homeless. He fosters leadership within his community. He is -- dare I say it? -- a community organizer, but one who believes in and practices the free market and the Gospel.

Later in the conversation, he said something that made me a sure supporter of his run. Politicians -- Republicans, nonetheless -- who recognized his outstanding work in the community, offered him government money for his nonprofit. Rev. Faulkner declined taking taxpayer money. He has wisdom, for he knows that he who pays the fiddler calls the tune.

Read the full article here.

Why I'm Challenging Charlie Rangel

An interesting candidate opposing Charlie Rangel-RW

by Rev Michel Faulkner

For the past 22 years, I have dedicated my life to serving my community as a New York City pastor and spiritual leader. I have counseled the suffering, married couples, helped the grieving, fed the hungry and have acted as a liaison between my community and the government. This week, I took what I believe to be the next logical step in that commitment — by announcing my candidacy to become the next member to the United States House of Representatives for the 15th Congressional District.

The system in Washington, DC, is broken at a time of enormous challenges and we need real-life solutions. Solutions that are based on the community’s input and welfare, not a federal government takeover. As I speak with the people of Northern Manhattan, it is clear that they have become apathetic about democracy. When people don’t trust democracy, they don’t vote — placing political leadership in the hands of those who use political power for their personal gain.

My opponent is 40-year incumbent, Charles Rangel. Unfortunately Mr. Rangel has come to epitomize what is wrong with Washington today. His gross underpayment of federal income taxes while chairing the House Ways and Means Committee shows the hypocrisy of our Congress. Furthermore, his occupation of four rent-stabilized apartments (while so many in our community are in desperate need of affordable housing), demonstrates his disconnect from our needs and struggles. It could not be clearer that the people of this city deserve a new direction and need new leadership.

My priorities are this: We need to bring government spending under control. Those who control the purse-strings in DC have irresponsibly spent our nation into near bankruptcy and mortgaged our futures.

While the national unemployment rate has been making headlines lately, the need for job creation in my community has been at a critical level for generations. To address this crisis, we must recognize that nearly 80% of all jobs in America today are created by small businesses, and for that reason we need to reduce the red-tape and tax burden on these critical economic engines. I also intend to promote programs that use microfinance initiatives to support a path to economic self-reliance, to expand economic opportunities for individuals and to foster community economic development.

In order to restore the possibility of the American Dream for all of our nation’s citizens, every child in our nation should have the opportunity to receive a high-quality education. Towards that end, I support the expansion of Charter Schools, which generally have outperformed public schools and stimulate a level of parental involvement unseen in the traditional public school environment.

Turning to our nation’s healthcare, I will promote and support achievable, community-based, preventive health and wellness initiatives; and, I will oppose the myopic view that a government takeover is the only form healthcare reform can take.

In Massachusetts, Scott Brown proved that dynasties can be toppled. The people of the 15th Congressional District in New York deserve no less.

The above originally appeared in he New York Post.