About Bill
Why I Am A Candidate
I want to be your next congressman from the 2nd District of Missouri.
Any freshman congressman will have limited impact, other than voting, on major issues, domestic or foreign.
But there is one issue dear to me that I think I can make a significant contribution to.
And that’s the cruelty and abuse of animals on factory farms.
You know what they say, if you saw how they were raised and treated, you wouldn’t eat pork, chicken, turkey, beef or veal from factory farms again.
Factory farms can abuse animals because farm animals are exempt in almost all states from animal cruelty statutes.
Did you know that?
You don’t have to be vegetarian to care that animals are treated humanely.
So my first year in Congress I pledge to introduce legislation prohibiting states from exempting farm animals from their cruelty statutes. Getting it passed will be more complicated, but getting it on the table will be a great start, don’t you think?
They say the character of a society can be told by how they treat the most vulnerable among them, their seniors and their animals, and I believe I rank high on both.
Ask the Republican nominee(s) if they’re for or against animal abuse on farms; it’s a simple question.
If you agree with me on this issue, I ask for your support.
As a political commentator recently said, "In the short run, Republican extremism may be good for Democrats, to the extent that it prompts a voter backlash. But in the long run, it's a very bad thing for America. We need to have two reasonable, rational parties in this country. And right now we don't."
I believe that many Republicans have opposed Obama’s policies just because they wanted to see Obama fail.
Others are in the bag to the pharmaceutical and insurance industries and their other big corporation friends and wanted to protect them.
It would seem Republicans have two priorities: Protecting their rich business friends and campaign contributors from higher taxes even if that would help to reduce the deficit, and defeating Obama from re-election, and getting themselves re-elected. Oh yea, and the rest of the country can go to hell in a hand-basket. How selfish and short-sighted is that?!
That's not an American value and shouldn't be a Republican value either.
I went to Yale with George W. Bush.
I didn't vote for him, but I didn't root for him to fail, either.
Hoping that the President fails isn't a Democratic value, it shouldn't be a Republican value, and it sure as hell isn't an American value!
Quality health-care, jobs and the economy, and a safe environment for generations who come after us, shouldn't be Republican or Democratic values.
They are American values!
You don't vote against jobs bills because you want our President to fail, and no matter how important it is to our people, our economy and the country.
That's just nuts!
That's shouldn't be a Democratic or Republican value, and it's sure as hell not an American value, and is wrong.
Candidates are about issues; at least I am; and so are voters.
I'm a moderate - an issue person, not an ideologue.
Moderates find a middle-ground.
I'd have an obligation to represent the views of my constituents except on matters of conscience or complex judgment and I can do that.
If I differ, and can't lead them to my views, I should reflect theirs.
Some of my more moderate views include:
My website is votebillhaas.com (also runbillrun.com).
Please view it for further information about my campaign and I hope you can make a contribution to help me. Even $25 would be appreciated and add up.
Bill's Bio
Yale University
Harvard Law School
20 years corporate law practice
Currently adjunct Professor of Law, Ethics and Business, Harris Stowe State University 2000-present
Certified in 6-12 math and teaching math and social studies at the high school level.
William Woods University (MBA Program)
Member, St. Louis School Board, 1997-2005, 2010-present
Public Service over a period of 40 years, since community organizing as Vista Volunteer 1968-1970. My second day, Dr. King was killed. My third month, Bobby Kennedy. It was a long year.
This I Believe
The following was my submission to National Public Radio's segment called "This I Believe". It was not accepted for broadcast, but is on their website. It should tell you more about who I think I am, what I believe, and more about me personally. I hope you find it helpful and informative.
"I'm 67, but feel younger. My life has had some advantages, and I've had my share of joys - Yale College, Harvard Law School, 20 years of corporate law practice, and 8 years on the St. Louis School Board that I enjoyed and did well at. And I think I'm reasonably attractive, good-hearted, athletic, and well-adjusted, or at least sane. I'm a pretty good swimmer and runner, and a good dancer. I have many wonderful pets in heaven and a few left here on earth. They bring me joy and love every day. My dog kicks my butt in running, and I like that. It keeps me moving. Mummy the 3-legged cat had her share of adventures, but never lost heart and always came back for more until I lost her to a car. It’s not easy to lose an indoor cat to a car. She used to like to play on the porch and in the bushes, and used to wait for me by the door so she could run out. One day I went to walk my dog and couldn’t find her to put her back in the house. Finding her in the street upon my return was the saddest day of my life. I guess that means I’ve had a good life. Why doesn’t it feel like that? I couldn’t sleep in the bed we shared for a year. Her ashes are by the door where she used to wait. I still have her two kids. I adopted all of them together from the Humane Society. Her kids still seem to look for her wondering when Mummy is coming home. I try to tell them that Mummy is home. And we all need a guardian angel, and Mummy is a great one, I’m sure.
But my life ambitions are not fulfilled and often it looks like they never will be. But I've never stopped pursuing my dreams, and presumably never will. As I always say, if you just do your best every day to be the best you can be, and never give up, you'll get where you're supposed to be going. That's the theory, anyhow. On the days it's hardest to believe that, it's probably the most important to do so. At the very least, it does no harm. That's my belief.
Since I was an adult, more than thirty years, I've only wanted two important things out of life: significant success in politics, which I have long believed I have gifts for, and a good love with a woman. I have neither. Most days it looks like I never will. Sometimes I think that God will give me my dreams, but I'll be 97 at the time. Well, if that's the plan, so be it. It's hard to argue with the plan. Hopefully there is one for all of us. This I believe.
Sadly, most people, or at least many people, don't get their dreams in life. That's why I always say it's my dream to be successful in politics - to make other people's more simple dreams come true. Significant public service and love - if I had to choose one, which would I choose? Sometimes I don't know, but sometimes I do. Love - maybe she needs me more than politics does. This I believe. And if I never get my dreams? Then all the lessons I've learned in this life are to prepare me better for the next one. This I believe, too. But I'll still be sad in this one."
