Mr. Smith Goes to Washington 

Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to present myself. My name is Jefferson Smith and I am going to Washington. -- if you select me of course. 

Jimmy Stewart is one of my favorite actors of all time. He is as Americana as it gets with the perfect touch of honesty that makes even men admire the actor and the character the actor is playing.

My favorite movie of all time is "It's A Wonderful Life."  It gets me every time.  Remember the big pot of cash the neighbors brought in to George Bailey so he could keep the Building and Loan going.  Well, that's how I think America should be. Every hard working American deserves a break. What George Bailey did not need was the government stealing from his neighbors so that he could go to College and to heck with Pottersville. Well, it would have been Pottersville if George had not stayed to help all the people in Bedford Falls.  Government intervention creates Pottersville's and good neighbors create the likes of Bedford Falls.  Let's let good people be good people again rather than taking so much from them that Mr. Potter is the only one left with any money. 

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington exudes the same emotion from the viewer. It was another of Frank Capra's big hits and Jimmy Stewart as Jefferson Smith is as down to earth as George Bailey.  I don't propose that I can do as good a job for Northeastern PA as Jefferson Smith did for his constituency but I am as much a babe in the woods as far as politics go as Mr. Smith. I am running for office to help fight the same type of corruption that Smith faced when he went to Washington.  I am up to the task and I am ready to fight to make America, America again.  There is nothing separating me from my chance other than two elections and your two votes. I thank you very much in advance for the votes. 

You may know that Kelly is the second most common family name in Ireland (after Murphy). It is the 69th most popular surname in the United States. Kelly in many ways is like Jones and Smith. And so will you indulge me please as I say again 

My name is Mr. Smith, and I am going to Washington. 

I can't get there without your help. 

Think of the corrupt conditions that existed in this famous movie as Mr. Smith, played by Jimmy Stewart was a bumpkin when he first went into this Washington den of iniquity -- for him it was the Senate. He was the naive, and idealistic Jefferson Smith, the leader of the Boy Rangers. In Washington, Smith soon discovers many of the shortcomings of the political process as his earnest goal of a national boys' camp leads to a conflict with the state's corrupt political boss, Jim Taylor. Taylor first tries to corrupt Smith and then later attempts to destroy Smith through a made-up scandal. Smith conducts a filibuster and finally sways everybody to not pass the Boy Rangers Bill. Wouldn't that be nice!   Smith would be working to get the bill repealed if it were passed, and the movie would have taken a bit longer. Kelly will make the repeal of the 2700 bill a priority and will replace it with an EMTALA-like bill in the neighborhood of 4 to 8 pages.  

Stranger things have happened. I hope to be like your Mr. Smith if you select me and I ask you to send me to Washington to serve in the House of Representatives. I hope there are approximately 434 additional new Representatives sworn in when I have the honor to take office in January, 2023. I want to thank you all. Thank you very much.