Hello,

I was born and raised here in Southwestern Pennsylvania, and aside from my time serving our country in the Army, I’ve spent most of my life here.  I’m not a bureaucrat or anything close to it. I know first hand what it’s like to go home every night, barely making minimum wage, back aching, and worrying about the future. I’ve come to appreciate good hard work, and the aspiration we all have to live a more comfortable life with opportunities to move forward.

This is our home, and we all want what’s best for it. We have our own little culture and history that we’re proud of. We all want to keep jobs from leaving the area, which has been hit pretty hard. None of us like it when taxes go up. We all have goals and are faced with the challenge of achieving them.

I’ve had the idea of running for congress since my high school days, in Yough school district. Like most people, I wanted to go to college, as it’s drilled into us that we need it to get the job of our dreams, and for the most part, it’s true. You often need a degree, regardless of experience, just to land an interview. But as the time came, the reality set in for me that I couldn’t even afford a community college. Being raised by my grandmother, money was tight, we didn’t have a car, and so it just felt like a catch-22 all around. When an Army recruiter contacted me, it was a blessing. It was a chance to get my life started and to serve my country as well.

During my time in the Army, I did a lot of growing up. In the beginning, I was a nervous kid learning how to drive… in a 400 thousand dollar military vehicle! In time, I was a Sergeant, leading convoys in Iraq. I’m proud with my growth and experiences over the years. I’ve been all over the world, and it’s been a great journey. Since the Army, I came back home, went to college, and worked in a number of local jobs. I even went back to Iraq and Kuwait as a contractor, supporting our troops first hand with security and ammunition missions.

In recent years, politics have been heating up. From debate over the wars, to whether or not we can afford healthcare. It put things back into perspective for me and my dream to make a difference. A “better” difference. It seems like now, more than ever, we are very much lacking in common sense leadership down in D.C. Our representatives in congress are not representing us, and seem to be more interested in collecting a paycheck, keeping their head down, and just going through the motions. Most of them seem very stubborn with accepting reality and logic.

I’ll warn you right now, that I’m a man of principle. I’m not afraid to stand up for what I believe in, even if it makes me a target. As Mark Twain once wrote, “In times of change, the Patriot is a scarce man; brave, hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, however, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a Patriot.”   Preaching to the choir is easy… helping other people to understand is what it’s all about.

Like you, I think our government is out of control, and can’t seem to get anything right. Every time they try to “help” us, they make things worse! According to polls, most of you would kick everyone in congress out… and I’m with you!

Some of my views might be considered conservative, and some might be considered liberal. Things either make sense or they don’t. It’s unreasonable to think either side has all the answers. I’m all about maximum personal freedom and liberties, meaning the government should stay out of your business and stop trying to control your personal life. I’m about economic freedom, meaning there shouldn’t be so many taxes and regulations working against you and your business ventures. Our government needs to be smaller and cheaper to run. I support the constitution and bill of rights as the law of the land. Who wouldn’t like that? The people you keep voting for, that’s who!

What is the government’s goal? Well, it seems like it’s trying to make money off our backs so that it can keep growing larger and control more of our lives and business. Their buddies are getting kickbacks while you’re getting laid off! That’s not right. Our government was founded to protect our rights and keep us secure from threats of assault, theft, and foreign attack. Unfortunately, bureaucratic agencies, programs, and regulations have become a higher priority than protecting our unalienable rights that our Founding Fathers guaranteed us.

Things like healthcare wouldn’t be so expensive if the government didn’t tell insurance companies how to run their business! The same goes with the auto industry; when you buy a new car, the government is profiting more than the dealership is. It’s no wonder all of these industries are failing. Government greed is what caused our economic crisis. Government should not be self-serving. Legislatures should not pass time by looking for more ways to take away our rights, money, and generally screw us over!

I know you want change. We all want change, we… want things to be better. But you’re skeptical, because that’s what all candidates promise you. Change! President Obama has broken just about all of his campaign promises. President Bush was certainly no angel either. Democrat… Republican… makes no difference. Either promises are kept, or they aren’t. Either decisions are rooted in logic and based on fact, or they aren’t.

As your representative in congress, I will listen to you. I will hear your concerns. I will work for you. Literally, you’ll be my boss! I will be the most respected congressman in the capital. Next time one of those “kick the congress out” polls is taken, you’ll say “yeah, everyone except my congressman, Scott Pigeon, because he listens to me, respects me, and is the only honest guy in the lot of ‘em!”

Come November, you’ll see my name on that ballot, and you’ll have a choice to make. If you value your principles, life, liberty, and happiness as I do, I think the choice will be easy. Thank you for hearing me out, and I’ll see you out there!