Joe Simonetta has decided to withdraw from the Congressional race. In his September 5, 2003 letter, which follows, he explains his reasons.

Dear friends,

Key members of the principal staff of my Congressional campaign and I met Thursday, September 4, 2003 to evaluate the campaign and whether and how to proceed. We weighed the pros and cons that we have gathered now six months into the campaign.

On the positive side, we have built a sound organization with many extraordinary people involved and more joining all the time. On the negative side are the distorted attacks that are already coming (from Democrats) about the fact that I ran for the U.S. Senate in 2000 for the Natural Law Party and the ugly attacks that we anticipate as a consequence of some of the progressive thoughts about belief systems that I wrote in my last book, Seven Words That Can Change the World.

While we feel that we can handily counter any anticipated attacks, there are larger issues that we discussed. Namely, what is the best use of my time and my unique talents? Where would I be most effective? The answer to this question relates to what I believe needs to happen in our world to help reduce ignorance and suffering and expand knowledge and justice, and to move us toward sustainability - a path we are clearly not now on.

What I believe needs to happen is that humanity must experience a shift in consciousness - a greater awareness of our reality and its behavioral implications. Many share this belief and are working toward that end. That is essentially what all my writings and lectures are about. As some of you know, before I began this campaign, I was giving a lecture nationally entitled, "Astonish the World, Tell the Simple Truth." In it, I spoke of the need for - and defined - a new world belief system. That talk was received with enormous enthusiasm wherever I spoke. I cut all that short to run for Congress, thinking that it was the appropriate thing to do and the more practical and expedient way to bring about change.

One finds, however, that is not the reality of politics. Politics is a far cry from "practical and expedient." Politics does not lead, it follows. Politics is not proactive, it is reactive. Worse than that, too often - sadly - much of it is very juvenile, petty and ugly. And corrupt. Too much of politics is an adversarial and foolish indulgence, a zero sum game or worse, in which the preponderance of time is spent attacking the other party (or members of the same party) rather than the issues that so urgently need to be addressed. And there are many such issues.

For example, in his new book, Plan B: Rescuing a Planet Under Stress and a Civilization in Trouble, Earth Policy Institute president Lester R. Brown (founder of the World Watch Institute), writes that we have created an economy whose output is artificially inflated by drawing down the earth's natural capital. Plan A - business as usual - is not working. It is creating a bubble economy. Our challenge is to deflate this global economic "bubble" before it bursts. "Not only do we need to stabilize population, raise water productivity, and stabilize climate, but we need to do it at wartime speed," writes the highly credible Brown. "We need to get the market to tell the ecological truth." One of the keys to deflating the bubble is redefining security - recognizing that military threats to our future are being eclipsed by environmental threats such as falling water tables and rising temperatures. Brown writes, "The urgency facing the world today is at least as great as that which faced the United States as it mobilized for war during the early 1940s."

We simply do not have time or resources for adversarial politics. In fact, humanity is running out of time if it continues on its present course. If we wish to sustain humanity and advance our civilization, it is required that we enter into a completely new consciousness of what reality truly is. Our window of opportunity to accomplish the necessary monumental consciousness transition is small compared to the large obstacles within our current belief systems that must be dissolved. Yet, this must happen if we and all the life forms that share this jewel of a planet are to survive.

As a Congressman, I would spend most of my time fighting the other side, campaigning, and raising money for re-election. I have concluded that this is not the most efficient use of my time, skills and knowledge. Consequently, I have decided that I will no longer be a candidate for Congress.

I apologize to those of you who I have disappointed. However, please understand that I have made this decision because I have come to believe that I can be more helpful in accomplishing our mutual goals as a free agent rather than as a member of Congress. I assure you, this was not an easy decision. I have struggled with this internal conflict for months.

What will I do next, you may ask? As some of you know, my decision to run for Congress back in March caused me to lose my position as Senior Editor of the World Business Academy, which feels their Senior Editor must be "scrupulously non-partisan." That position will terminate September 30. I will have to find a new income-producing opportunity.

I will continue to write and speak. In fact, if you know of a group that would be interested in hearing my talk, "Astonish the World, Tell the Simple Truth," from my book Seven Words That Can Change the World, I would be happy to give that talk. In addition, I have another book in mind for which I have been filing notes, that I could write easily.

I will continue to deliver the message that we (humanity) exist as a tiny fragment of an immensely larger interlocking whole in which all of the parts are interconnected and dependent upon each other for survival. We exist not separately but in communion with all living things. This interlocking (the operative word) whole is the inescapable foundation that supports both the architecture of life and our civilization. If we continue to destroy the relationships (with ourselves, each other, and our environment) that form this foundation, our house, our structure, and our civilization will crumble and collapse. Conversely, if we honor these relationships, we will succeed and prosper in every way. The choice is ours. Our future lies in our own hands. As it always has. The difference today is that we understand how life and our world works. It is time to apply our knowledge, to honor what we know. Only then will we prosper and end our needless suffering.

I am grateful to and humbled by so many of you who have contributed your time, money and soul to this campaign. I am particularly grateful to campaign manager Jason Boehk, strategists Sasha Taurke and his wife Vicki Waters, and press secretary Ginger Perlman, all of whom put an enormous amount of work into the campaign. Others who deserve great gratitude include treasurer Cherie Giessman, finance chairman Mark (and Kathy) Klingel, Chief of Staff Mike Wagner, issues chairman Mike Shannon, attorney Charlene Guller, field operations director David Davis, web masters Lisa Fitzgerald and Tony Graffeo, photographer Brad Fitzgerald, scheduler Jim Wasowski, and Martin Dahlborg in several roles.

There are many others: Barbara Bazell, Elsa and Lenny Lentz, Rita Dubrow, Peter Burkard, Roy Ingham, Steve and Debbie Riley, Gayle Reynolds, Betsy Roberts, Elmer, Chris and Gloria Ruhnke, Verna Safran Tomasson, Joe Salzburg, Terry Wagner, Sharay Williams-Davis, Mary Anne Bowie, Tom and Catherine Pacheco, Jason Kohl, Michelle Levesque, J.D. Langley, Damen Shaqiri, Bob and Marge Martin, Nina Burwell, Frances, Brathwaite, Jerry and Sue Carlton, Chuck Cooper, Debbie Roginski, Bill Carroll, Joe and Janice Scanlon, Mary Namey, Socrates Birsky, Annette and Paul Brainard, and John Schaut.

Carol Lahy, Sunny Greenberg, Faith Fippinger, Celia Chapman, Radiance Wolfe, Ellen Cone, Bob Graetz, Mort and Bernice Goodman, Peter and Mrs.Duisberg, Warren Eisenberg, Peg Fritts, Wayne Genther, Krishen Mehta, Mike Hendrickson, Jerry and Evelyn Osterweil, Joe Bohren, Martin Mastenbrook, Marty Bednar, Rinaldo Brutoco, Neva Simonetta, Rocco Simonetta, Ann Kehm, Vicki Light, Michael Nouri, Henry and Virginia Bright, Richard King, Jeriel Smith, Cher Gilmore, Jeff Hutner, Suzanne Lopez, Alberto Belinfante, Keith Keller, Rita Moore, Carl Olson, Ida Muorie, Shirley Babiak, Mark Elsis, Travis McArthur, Nat and Sylvia Shaffran, Joe Murgia, Richard Dilgard, Ron Frohlich, Gerald R. McNulty, Maggie Hall, Evelyn R. Barritt, Jean J. Vogele, Myra H. Jones, Bob and Carol Catineau, Joann Crain, Karen and John Kormos, Peter Seiffert, Julie Hanlon, Jane and Charles Scott, James Johnson, Stephen Fung, Don Gentile, Patricia P. Wellington, and on and on.

We will use the information we have gathered and what we have learned to help other Democratic candidates. The modest amount of money we raised has been used to pay for web site design and hosting, brochures, palm cards, business cards, stationery, office supplies, photography, salaries, and the like. If any money remains after all our bills are paid it will be used to assist the Democratic Party.

Thank you very much everyone.

Warm regards,

Joe