The Importance of Staying Informed: A Plea to Focus on the Positive

It's been going on now for over a year and a half, and it's not all you hear when you turn on the TV anymore. The constant stream of negative news and sensationalized headlines can be overwhelming, making it difficult to know what to believe or who to trust. I sort of like to hear the weather report, maybe find out what happened in the world that was good today, or learn about breakthroughs in medicine or technology that are improving people's lives. I'd like to hear some good news, but folks, we're bombarded with bad news and misinformation.

There are so many polls out there, it's hard to know where to turn for accurate information. That's why I'm going to turn to the pole that I've always counted on – the one in our yard or the one in front of a courthouse. On that pole, a piece of cloth is raised to the top and gently waves in the breeze, symbolizing our great nation's flag. This flag has been a beacon of hope and freedom for so many people, and it's something I want to believe in.

I can assure you that on this election, Mr. Trump and Miss Clinton don't know who I am, but my neighbors do – they know that they can count on me, and I can count on them. We need to count on each other, because that's what this nation was founded on: unity and standing together as one people. So, I want to ask a favor of you all – I want you to stretch your hands across America and tell those who are struggling, thank you. Let's not stand divided; let's Stand United.

We have a House of Representatives here at this house, consisting of me, Shannon, and our families that we represent. We represent God, family, and country. And that's exactly what I want us to do – stand by the principles that have made this nation great. So, take your hat off, put your hand over your heart, and let's say a pledge of belief. Let's look up at that old flag flying in the breeze, which has withstood so many battles. Let's lift our voices up to God and say thank you for this great nation we live in.

Thank you for the opportunities I've been given, thank you for all the things that have been done for us, and most of all, thank you for this land of freedom. I want to tell you, God bless you each and everyone – no matter whether it's election day, Christmas Day, or New Year's Day, any day you can count on that pole standing out there with its strength, holding the flag of our great nation.

Folks, we can count on this great nation if we truly believe and stand arm in arm, hand in hand. There's not hate; there's love. God bless you all, and let's make a change – one small step at a time, by focusing on the positive and supporting each other along the way.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enfolks it's been going on now for over a year and a half it's not all you hear when you turn on the TV anymore I sort of like to hear the weather of maybe what happened in the world that was good today maybe hear that we won the bital against cancer or we know how to make the blind to see with the crippled to walk again I'd like to hear some good notes but folks we hear about po this pole says this this pole says that someone's ahead someone's behind there's so many polls out there that I don't even know where to turn so I'm going to turn to the pole that I've always counted on stood for the truth that's the pole out there in our yard or the pole in front of a courthouse and on that pole hold a piece of cloth that is raised to the top and there it stands as it gently waves in the breeze our flag flag of this great Nation the flag that so many fought for died for cried for cheered for that's the poll that I'm going to believe in the poll that has stood the test of time I can assure you this on this election that Mr Trump he don't know who I am Miss Clinton she don't know who I am most of y'all maybe hearing this don't know who I am but my neighbors know who I am God knows who I am my friends know who I am they know that they can count on me and I can count on me we need to count on each other so folks I want to ask a favor of you I want you to stretch Hands Across America and tell them thank you let's don't stand divided let's Stand United that's what this nation was founded on let's tell our neighbor our friend our stranger thank you you see at this house we have a House of Representatives we do that is me and Shannon and our families that we represent we represent God we represent family we represent our country folks let's stand by that PO that we can believe take your hat off put your hand over your heart and let's say that pledge of belief let's look up to that old flag that's flying there in the breeze that is withstood so many battles let's lift our voice up to God and say thank you for this great nation in which we live in thank you for the opportunities that I've been given thank you for all the things that you have done for us and most of all thank you for this land of freedom I want to tell you God bless you each and everyone and no matter whether it's election day Christmas Day New Year's Day any day you can count on that pole that stands out there with that strength that holds the flag of this great nation and folks we can count on this great nation if we truly believe and we stand arm in arm hand in hand and there's not hate there's love God bless youfolks it's been going on now for over a year and a half it's not all you hear when you turn on the TV anymore I sort of like to hear the weather of maybe what happened in the world that was good today maybe hear that we won the bital against cancer or we know how to make the blind to see with the crippled to walk again I'd like to hear some good notes but folks we hear about po this pole says this this pole says that someone's ahead someone's behind there's so many polls out there that I don't even know where to turn so I'm going to turn to the pole that I've always counted on stood for the truth that's the pole out there in our yard or the pole in front of a courthouse and on that pole hold a piece of cloth that is raised to the top and there it stands as it gently waves in the breeze our flag flag of this great Nation the flag that so many fought for died for cried for cheered for that's the poll that I'm going to believe in the poll that has stood the test of time I can assure you this on this election that Mr Trump he don't know who I am Miss Clinton she don't know who I am most of y'all maybe hearing this don't know who I am but my neighbors know who I am God knows who I am my friends know who I am they know that they can count on me and I can count on me we need to count on each other so folks I want to ask a favor of you I want you to stretch Hands Across America and tell them thank you let's don't stand divided let's Stand United that's what this nation was founded on let's tell our neighbor our friend our stranger thank you you see at this house we have a House of Representatives we do that is me and Shannon and our families that we represent we represent God we represent family we represent our country folks let's stand by that PO that we can believe take your hat off put your hand over your heart and let's say that pledge of belief let's look up to that old flag that's flying there in the breeze that is withstood so many battles let's lift our voice up to God and say thank you for this great nation in which we live in thank you for the opportunities that I've been given thank you for all the things that you have done for us and most of all thank you for this land of freedom I want to tell you God bless you each and everyone and no matter whether it's election day Christmas Day New Year's Day any day you can count on that pole that stands out there with that strength that holds the flag of this great nation and folks we can count on this great nation if we truly believe and we stand arm in arm hand in hand and there's not hate there's love God bless you\n"