Hi, I’m Dan Moilanen, and like you, I know the stress of barely making ends meet, and what it’s like to live paycheck to paycheck. I’m tired of career politicians who continue to dig the same old trenches, instead of building bridges to solve our challenges.
I am not the usual kind of person who runs for office. In fact, I’ve succeeded by building bridges with non-traditional, community based solutions. I’m not a wealthy person, my family wasn’t politically connected, and until recently, I never had ambitions to run for any office higher than my local conservation district board of directors.
My mom was a single parent who worked as a public school social worker and educator, on a teacher’s salary she sometimes struggled to put food on the table for my siblings and me and was forced to borrow money from friends and family.
Growing up, nothing was handed to me. I’ve had a part time job since I was 14 years old. I’ve been a non-profit executive director, a small business owner, a neighborhood organizer, volunteer coordinator, and I’ve worked too many customer service jobs to count.
Even in my current role, I sometimes have to juggle paying one bill before another. I have student loans I’m still paying off, I drive a 14 year old car with nearly 200,000 miles on it, and I’ve put off repairs on my home because I can’t pay for them right away. I’m running for congress because too many in Mid-Michigan are struggling, the cost of living is too high, child-care is one of the most expensive monthly bills for young parents, homeownership remains inaccessible for a majority of people, family farmers and small businesses are having more difficulty than ever getting ahead in an increasingly competitive global market, and a majority of Americans are only one emergency away from financial disaster.
This election is about money versus the people. We know HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS of dollars will be spent in Michigan alone on this election by outside groups seeking to influence its outcome and to maintain power structures from which they benefit. Let’s face it, with every issue affecting middle and working class Americans whether it’s the lack of grocery stores in poorer neighborhoods, prescription drug shortages, or lack of affordable housing; if it’s profitable for CEOs and shareholders then they’re perfectly fine with allowing people like us to suffer.
These are the people who dominate our political system, and Mid-Michigan needs leadership with the grit and political tenacity to take on the monied interests that continue to put profits over people. Mid-Michigan doesn’t need more career politicians funded by special interests, who continue to dig the same old trenches instead of building bridges to solve our challenges. I’ve proven that I can unite people to find common sense common ground solutions to the problems that affect us most.
Together, through the power of our vote, we can build a mid-Michigan where all people thrive. I’m Dan Moilanen, and I’m running for every hard working person who’s ever fallen through the cracks or struggled to get ahead. It’s our time. Will you join me?
