I’m Joseph Bogdan, a resident of Sterling Heights. I'm running for the office of State Representative for House District 30 (Sterling Heights, Utica, and Shelby Twp.).

For more than 40 years we have been a nation divided: red states versus blue states, liberals versus conservatives, employers versus employees, gun rights versus gun control, pro-life versus pro-choice, and the minority versus the majority.

It need not be this way.

Deep down inside, we all desire the same things.

Deep down inside, we all share the same vision for America:

Our vision for America is a land of opportunity, a place where if we work hard we call all achieve the American Dream.

Our vision for America is a land of freedom, a place where red tape can only be found at the local home improvement store.

Our vision for America is a land of fairness, a place where we are not held back nor see others unfairly advanced ahead of us.

Our vision for America is a land of profound natural beauty, not only for ourselves but also for our children and grandchildren.

Our vision for America is a land where our children will be prepared for the future, that they will grow up in a safe environment that fosters learning.

Our vision for America is a land of safe neighborhoods, a place where we can walk the streets of any city at night without fearing harassment.

Our vision for America is a land at peace, a nation of friendship deemed untouchable by tyrants and extremists alike, a place where we achieve safety without compromising law-abiding citizens’ rights.

Our vision for America is a nation with a government serving its citizens efficiently and effectively, one which allows us to minimize our taxes without hurting our quality of life.

Our vision for America is a nation united, the same vision our Founding Fathers had when they established this country, a place where we work together to achieve a shared vision and win-win solutions for all of us.

We are the United States of America. This is the vision we all share. By making the right choices, we—the people of America—can make this shared vision a reality.