Candidate Access 2006 offered each candidate up to five minutes to make a special appeal to voters. Views and comments expressed by the candidates are their own and should not be considered an endorsement by the television stations.

I am Bill Glass, Democratic Candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in North Carolina’s District 9.

Today, I see a new America; an America restored to its traditions of opportunity and freedom. An America once again respected and emulated around the world.

Ahead of us are hard fought battles requiring international cooperation and true global effort. In these days of terrorism, increasingly severe natural disasters, explosive healthcare costs and an environmental crisis; Americans need to be united behind a government they can trust.

According to the Dept. of Homeland Security, Charlotte is one of the most critical terrorist targets. Unlike the hyped threat of non-existent weapons of mass destruction, this is right here, where we go to work and our kids go to school. Our military is deployed and our resources are spread all over the world, leaving us vulnerable and yet; Afghanistan and Iraq are still a mess and focus is shifting to the next foreign conquest. Our seaports are dangerously un-protected, with only 1% of all containers being inspected.

As we strive to rebuild everywhere else, we are saddled with a broken immigration system, inundating us with undocumented immigrant workers, violent human trafficking, hemorrhaging borders and a hidden class of exploited workers. We cannot find and return 12 million people to Mexico. Instead, we must ask why so many desperate people risk their lives to come here. We must remember this is a nation of immigrants.

Efforts in locating and deporting the millions of undocumented immigrants would be better spent on even greater threats affecting us all, everyday. Our healthcare and the environment.

47 million Americans are without basic healthcare coverage, which is an issue that can no longer be avoided. I am proposing a universal healthcare plan where all Americans will be guaranteed health benefits with very small co-pays and no exclusions for pre-existing conditions.

With that spirit we must also tackle global warming and the environment.

Global Warming contributes to far more than melting ice caps and dwindling glaciers. The West Nile Virus and Malaria are further inland and at higher altitudes than ever, Category 4 and 5 hurricanes have nearly doubled in the last 30 years, entire species are migrating nearer the poles, extended droughts, heat waves and flooding all transcend our borders. NASA's leading US climate researcher says the world has a 10-year window of opportunity to take decisive action on global warming and avert catastrophe. Our nation has the technology to take on this challenge.

These are worldwide issues that have been ignored and disingenuously bolstered for six years.

It is time to choose to do what is right!

I will work to build our relationships with our neighbors and enlist them not only in our border’s defense, but also the defense of our environment.

We need to earnestly dedicate ourselves to the reduction of greenhouse gases. As your Congressman, I will work towards ratification of the Kyoto Protocol the introduction of environmentally friendly technologies to sustain our economy and boost economic growth.

We have the technology, right now, to reverse the trend of global warming –Locally, We can create high-tech and manufacturing jobs, while we do our part to reduce global warming.

Finally, our current national debt is over 8.5 trillion dollars, that is a number with eleven zeros in it. Every day we add 1.5 billion dollars . . . And in two years, at the end of our current administration we will have reached almost 10 trillion dollars! All we're doing is creating a mountain of debt, burdening our children, you know that's wrong - that's your money. - - This insane spending has to stop!

Vote for me, Bill Glass!