If you’re scared, angry, or worried about America – let’s talk on July 25
The Pikes Peak Bulletin does not endorse any political candidate. All candidates and prospective candidates are welcome in our opinion section, held to the same standards as any opinion writer - essentially, you're entitled to your own opinions, not your own facts.
She called them her "Crank calls." She makes them almost daily to Rep. Jeff Crank's office (here in Colorado's Fifth Congressional District of the US House of Representatives). She's been forced to make so many because in well over 6 months, Crank hasn't held a single public opportunity for constituents to share their national-level concerns. (So much for "We the People.")
We talked a while at mayoral candidate Natalie Johnson's recent kickoff event at the library. Mostly about how worried we both are at the country's direction and our congressional (non)representation. She had to leave early, but if she stuck around a little longer I'd have invited her to an event on Friday, July 25 (RSVP information below) that's open to anyone interested in fixing our federal government and turning America around.
It's a candidate forum where I'll speak about why I'm the right person to unseat Rep. Crank. I've heard from so many Coloradans that the broken two-party system in Washington isn't working for them. Like a majority of voters in this district, I'm unaffiliated - neither party has all the answers. I'm seriously considering running because all of us in the Pikes Peak region need an independent voice in Congress, laser-focused on local solutions, not partisan politics.
A little bit about myself. My parents couldn't afford college, so I went to West Point, graduated, and then arrived at Fort Carson in 2003 just in time to leave for the Iraq War. I earned two Bronze Stars there, later the Army Space Badge, and over the rest of my career I served on all five military bases in the Springs over 25 years in service. The last thing I did in uniform was donate my left kidney at Walter Reed to a stranger in Seattle, kick-starting a chain of donations that helped save another seven lives, the final kidney coming back to a service person at Walter Reed - an experience that later led to my role as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Kidney Donation Organization, the nation's largest living donor organization. I've moved on from NKDO and now write as a contributor to the Los Angeles Times, have a book out later this year ("Best Scar Wins") on setting the American record in the 4 Deserts Grand Slam ultra-running series in 2022 just months post-kidney donation - and then one out next year ("Who Wins Wars") on what makes a great general great.
Far, far more importantly, I've been attached to Manitou Springs for the past decade. Some of you may know my writing from these pages about (George) Eber Duclo, the Manitou kid who died in World War I protecting Paris (and so honored with the statue in Memorial Park). Or the years of audio essays with KRCC. Or an essay in the Gazette on arrival in town ("Keep Manitou Weird"). Or the torrent of words in the Bulletin advocating for the MACH initiative and rebuilding the library. Or you may know my kids from the elementary or middle school. As serious and as silly as it is to admit, I'm a Manitoid, and very proud of it.
Which is to say, civic-minded and open-hearted and open-eared. I know what I'm worried about with Crank's passive acquiescence. When the defense secretary recklessly texted classified strike plans while our pilots were in the air, Crank says nothing. When local businesses are dying due to chaotic tariffs (see Borealis Bikes, RIP - our first dead canary in the coal mine), Crank says nothing. When the One Big Beautiful Bill adds trillions to the national debt - despite Crank's arguing, less than a year ago, that Congress is "turning a blind eye to this $35 trillion in debt," and that "we have to get our fiscal house in order, and we have to do this for our children and our grandchildren." You get it by now. Crank says nothing.
Not just communication, but conversation.
His subservient silence risks our troops, our jobs, and our future.
But that's just me. And "me" doesn't go very far in this thing. Nobody ever slayed a dragon alone, I once heard said, and it's perfect for this moment and this campaign. Because the job title is "Representative." That's Crank's problem. He's unfit to represent us. That's what he doesn't get - that it's about us. Not just communication, but conversation. One citizen to another.
That's why I'd love to hear what you think on July 25 at Trinity Brewing (4630 Forge Road). Consider it a demonstration that my two ears function properly, which seems more than we can say about our current congressman. And here's a thought. Why don't we have pre-established, regular calendar dates for in-person, public encounters with our federal representation? Doesn't that seem like … common sense?
If we had routine events like July 25, then maybe some of us would be able to drop those Crank calls. (And besides, do we really need another Crank in Congress?)
Matt Cavanaugh hopes you'll RSVP to the event mentioned above-Friday, July 25th, 5-7 p.m. at Trinity Brewing (4630 Forge Road).
RSVP online at https://tinyurl.com/5pp4z57u or email Matt directly at MLCav@Hey.com.
