I hope you all had a nice Thanksgiving. I am glad to be back on the campaign trail, fighting to fix our broken economy and restore the American Dream for millions of hardworking middle class families.

But while we were celebrating the holiday, Washington Republicans were busy fighting tooth and nail against an extension of unemployment benefits for over two million Americans. Click here to add your name to our petition demanding Congress extend these unemployment benefits now!

It’s just plain wrong that people cannot count on Washington to help them during tough economic times.

Sadly though, it’s what we’ve come to expect from Republicans like Congressman Jeff Denham. Congressman Denham has helped lead the charge against providing the unemployed with the benefits that will help them buy food, pay rent, and spur real economic growth by putting money back into the economy.

The important thing to remember is that these folks lost their jobs due to no fault of their own, are required to be actively searching for work, and have previously paid into the system to receive these benefits. To put it simply, they earned these benefits and there is no excuse if Congress fails to provide them.

Sign our petition telling Rep. Denham and Washington Republicans to extend these benefits now!

If we can reach 2,500 signatures, I will personally deliver the petition to Congressman Denham outside his local office. I will tell him that it’s about time he do the right thing and help the unemployed for once.

Thank you,

Jose

I’m on a mission to restore the American Dream – and I know that to do that, we’re going to have shake things up in Washington. It’s time we fundamentally change our priorities; and that starts by putting pressure on our leaders to act on creating good jobs and stop protecting unnecessary tax breaks for the wealthiest one percent.

I have a deep faith in this country that we can solve any problem that comes our way, but we have to be willing to put partisan politics aside and make the tough decisions. Washington needs to do that; and that’s why today I’m launching an online petition aimed at Congress demanding they start focusing on creating jobs now.

This broken mentality in Washington that has lead with inaction on the economy and believes the best plan is one that keeps the status quo in place has to end if we’re ever going to guarantee an America where everyone can achieve their highest hopes and dreams. That, my friends, is why I am running for United States Congress.

I’ve seen first hand that people are hurting with a national uneployment rate stuck at 9.1% and our district’s unemployment rate is at a staggering 16%! Congress cannot wait until the next election to take action; not with those numbers. Too many families are desperately waiting for them and the longer they wait the worse it gets – and the further we move away from being able to reach the American Dream.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to solve the problems that we face, but it does take leaders that fundamentally understand what is at stake and are willing to make the tough choices. Rather than cater to the will of the rich few, it’s about time Washington realign it’s priorities and help restore the American Dream for millions of people.

I need your help to put pressure on Congress. Sign my petition demanding Congressional leaders and all Washington politicians change their priorities right now and start focusing on creating good jobs!

If we can collect 2,500 grassroots petition signatures by Tuesday, October 25th, I will personally deliver the petition to Congressional leaders. I will tell them it’s time to restore the American Dream.

Thank you for joining me on this important journey,

– Jose Hernandez

(Welcome to Mr. Hernandez! Check out his website! – promoted by Brian Leubitz)

In the midst of economic and political turmoil, it is difficult to imagine and embrace the fundamental values that we as Americans believe in; the things that make our country the greatest nation on earth. Sadly, these tough times have made far too many middle class families believe that the American Dream is far from reality.

But I can tell you it does exist. And I am living proof of it’s incredible promise.

The son of migrant-farm workers, I was able to rise from the fields of California and touch the sky on the Space Shuttle Discovery as an Astronaut, a lifelong goal I was able to achieve thanks to the promise of the American Dream. Now retired, I feel it is my obligation to help others achieve the American Dream just like I did.

That’s why today I am proud to officially launch my campaign for United States Congress in California’s 10th Congressional District.

But before we talk about that, I want to tell you a little more about who I am and why I care so much about preserving the American Dream…

When I was a boy, my family and I would make the journey from La Piedad de Cavadas in the central Mexican state of Michoacan to California every spring. We would work our way northward with the crops until November, when the harvest was over, then it was back to Mexico until the next March. It was never easy, but our parents insisted that my siblings and I always attend school.

Eventually, with hard work and encouragement from my parents and teachers, I found my way into a government program known as Upward Bound, a Federal Trio program that prepares underprivileged kids for college. While in college, I was involved in the Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) program, an academic preparation program that provides support to students from educationally disadvantaged backgrounds so they can attain four-year degrees in science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) fields.

Thanks to these programs, I earned a B.S. In Electrical Engineering from the University of the Pacific and an M.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of California at Santa Barbara.

I was very proud of my accomplishments, but the dream of traveling into space, the dream that I first had as a 10 year-old boy in the field, was still pushing at me to strive further. But it was not easy to accomplish; many outstanding and well qualified people strive to become a part of NASA’s Astronaut Program, so only a select few are admitted each year. In fact, I applied for 11 years to the astronaut program and 11 times I was not accepted.

But I had learned some lessons in the hot and dusty fields of California: never quit on your dream. Never.

On my 12th attempt, I was accepted into the astronaut program and, after more work and training, I earned a spot on the Space Shuttle Discovery STS 128 in August of 2009. My dream of flying into space had been realized.

I didn’t achieve my dreams alone. I was lucky enough to have the support of loving parents and find a program that would help me earn a college education. It was through that program I came to understand the important role government has in fulfilling the American Dream for millions of underprivileged kids.

That’s why I am running for Congress. I understand that we must start fighting for middle class families and protect vitally important programs like Upward Bound, Social Security and Medicare. I also understand that Congress must start focusing on creating good jobs if we’re ever going to prove the American Dream stills exists.

But these days all we hear from Washington is how important it is to cut these program so we can lower taxes for the wealthiest one percent. That’s the kind of unacceptable mentality that exists among our elected leaders and it’s just one of the many ways the American Dream is under attack. It’s time we do something about that.

Sign-up to get involved in my campaign for U.S. Congress today and watch our introduction video here: http://joseforcongress.com/

I know that if we work together, we can finally start creating jobs and restore the American Dream for millions of middle class families who deserve the same opportunities I had. I hope that you will join me in this journey.

Thank you,

Jose Hernandez