Vernon ad leaves some questions

I've lived in Cedar Rapids since high school. Anyone who knows Cedar Rapids is fully aware that there are parts of town that have been depressed for many years. We know the neighborhoods on the southeast side of town that have been plagued with high crime rates and poverty. The folks in these neighborhoods who are working hard jobs for low wages are in the throes of an unfortunate struggle.

I recently saw an ad released by Monica Vernon's campaign for Congress that began with the narrator claiming Vernon 'understands the struggle.” From what I know about Vernon, she comes from a wealthy home, was the previous owner of a successful business, is married to a well-to-do attorney and lives a stone's throw from the country club.

My question to Vernon is simple: What exactly do you know about the struggle? I came from extraordinarily humble beginnings. I'd like to know where Vernon's struggle experience originated.

Her ad is everything that is wrong with politics because it leads people to believe that she has experience with real struggles, and had to work doubly hard just to get by, and raise her daughters largely on her own. This is the sort of thing that cheapens our politics and Iowans deserve better.

Everett Brown IV

Marion