07.08.08 FROM THE DESK OF DR. M. ZUHDI JASSER, M.D. Dear Friends, I am writing personally, on behalf of, and encouraging you to support Joshua Sharf, a candidate for the State House of Representatives in Colorado. Mr. Sharf's campaign has taken on national importance, and also has the potential to help promote our own goals of medical choice in a neighboring state and the key Western region. Mr. Sharf is a proven strong supporter of patient choice in health care, and of personal freedom in selecting both insurance and medical care. Colorado, like Arizona, is facing a grass-roots attempt to impose a single-payer system. Like Arizona, it stands at a crossroads, with the opportunity to control costs through market choices and personal freedom. You can read about his campaign's Health Care plank here. The national struggle for the preservation of patient rights and free markets in health care has many fronts across the country. We must support candidates like Mr. Sharf whenever we can to counter those who use government to continue to interfere in the doctor-patient relationship. Mr. Sharf will be a clear, articulate voice for patients and for their doctors. He not only understands the issues involved but can make the case for our ideals in the public arena. He has experience arguing and debating the issue, both on his blog, and as a co-host on Backbone Radio, where I had the pleasure of being interviewed by him. Finally, a candidate must be able to run an effective campaign. Many loyal Republicans were so encouraged by his conservative credentials that they enthusiastically walked door-to-door to collect signatures, and to ensure that his name appeared on the August primary ballot. A brief word about Mr. Sharf's primary opponent. Mrs. Rima Barakat Sinclair has no apparent record, prior to this election of having been active in support of free-market health care, or indeed, any traditional conservative issues. Previously, her sole political agenda seems to have been anti-Israel activism. Her candidacy seems to be more a product of Islamist politics than of ideas central to conservative American principles and activism. Sadly, candidates out of this mold, who conflate the Israeli-Palestinian crisis with their Islamic identity actually harm more than they help the genuine pluralistic advancement of American Muslims. Most Muslims are actually quite diverse in their domestic and foreign policy politics and do not accept the collectivist agenda of political Islam (Islamism). Mr. Sharf's candidacy represents a chance both to promote free-market health care reforms, and to oppose the threat of the Islamist agenda. I am proud to personally endorse him for office. For those reasons, I am asking you to support Joshua's candidacy financially, by contributing to his important campaign, and by encouraging others to do so. Any amount helps: $10 buys a few yard signs, $20 reach dozens of primary voters, $40 will buy a local ad, and $80 helps even more. You may do so by visiting his website at SharfColorado.com, and donating securely through Paypal, or by mailing your donation to: Citizens for Joshua Sharf c/o Mark Makowitz, Treasurer PO Box 24926 Denver, CO 80224 Sincerely, M. Zuhdi Jasser, MD Powered by integrity and backbone Paid for by Citizens for Joshua Sharf PO Box 24926 Denver, CO 80224 info@SharfColorado.com 303.520.7503