Biography-Gephardt, Dick (Richard Andrew)-[Democratic], 1988

A young alderman in St. Louis, he took on the old guard, fought for reform, and won. He went to Congress after Watergate to change the way things were, and a new generation of reformers elected him their leader. With Bill Bradley, he defeated the strongest lobbying effort in history, closed tax loopholes for the rich, and eliminated taxes for six million poor Americans who couldn't afford to pay them. He was the floor leader when the House voted to cut off funds for Ronald Reagan's secret war in Nicaragua. With Pat Schroeder, he wrote legislation to ban nuclear tests. Dick Gephardt's not afraid to take on the tough issues. Never in the history of Congress has one young leader made so great an impact. And the things he's fought for have always been part of the whole fabric of his life. Raised in a working-class neighborhood, he's led the fight for the Gephardt Trade Amendment to save American jobs and give our workers a chance to compete. A man whose father was forced off the farm in hard times, he's standing with Tom Harkin, fighting for the Harkin-Gephardt, Save the Family Farm Bill. With Claude Pepper, he's fought for Social Security and health care. I'm for Dick Gephardt because I know he cares. To him, our fight for health care is more than a political issue. It's a continuation of the struggle his own family had when his son had cancer. From the farms, the factories, the neighborhoods, comes the yearning for change. And now our cause finally has a voice. Some people don't like some of the proposals. Some people don't like the way we've been made. There's always resistance from the establishment to ideas that change things. But I'm fighting for the Harkin-Gephardt Bill because I believe we can't write off family farmers. I'm fighting on the issue of foreign trade because we have to stand up for American workers. If we don't, who will? So I'm willing to take the heat because if we can't fight for workers, for farmers, for seniors, the strength and soul of our party, then what really are we all about? It's your fight, too. Vote. Volunteer. Contribute. Vote. Dig Gephardt.