The American People Know...

Democrats and anti war political pundits keep suggesting that there is this public clamoring for us to get out of Iraq; now. I have seen poll numbers that suggest that there is some validity to their suggestion but there is a key problem with their position. They have yet to persuade the public that if we left tomorrow, we could all live with the results of what that will mean to the people of Iraq, the region, and the war on terror. This is a result they refuse to address. With good reason; it doesn’t support their argument for immediate withdrawal. In fact, it supports the argument for staying in Iraq.

I talk to a lot of people about Iraq, and no one is enthusiastic about our presence there, including me, but most people understand that we represent the only hope the Iraqi people have at a chance toward a better future. The American people know in their heart of hearts that if we give up and leave; only disaster can follow. You don’t have to be a political pundit to know that the region is littered with dictators, and terrorists waiting with baited breath for our departure, and the second that is announced, the future possibility of a free Iraq is over.

So while the political pundits and democratic politicians clamor for withdrawal, they have failed to persuade the American people that the result of leaving the Iraqis to fend for themselves will be one we as a people can live with. I know my family members that have been to Iraq, and are on their way back to Iraq; deserve the opportunity to finish their noble mission of operation freedom. We learned from past wars that the soldiers that have died in action, for a noble cause, and in defense of this great nation, deserve our unwavering support to protect their legacy and sacrifice.

We as Americans know that standing by our soldiers in both their life and their death is something we must do; even if it is difficult. So as the democrats and detractors of the war in Iraq raise their level of discontent with the war, the American people stand by our soldiers, their sacrifice, and their mission. Their legacy is already a great one; we just need to let them finish their work. I just wish the pundit class would do the same. Just a thought…

Sold Out Again by The "Political Class"

This is why I am so angry at the Republican Party and the president in general. First the incumbent politicians do their best to undermine this nation by promoting amnesty to illegal aliens, make it nearly impossible for officers to stop illegal's at our borders, and now we are going to let Mexican trucks litter our streets and threaten our family’s out for a Sunday drive. I am so done with the political class selling out our small business men and women with the promise of cheaper goods, and their willingness to keep putting our national identity and security in the back seat of their agendas.

The promise of cheaper goods rings hollow for me; we have had illegal workers building our homes for years, and as far as I have seen, the prices continue to rise with the median being around $225,000. The only affect that is apparent is the number of Americans that can make a decent living in the trades, and the quality of the work continues to plummet.

I have had a Commercial Drivers License (truck license to drive tractor trailers) for most of my adult life. I just recently let it expire since I haven’t used it in 10 years, but I know trucks and the trucking business. This is a recipe for disaster. It will be a disaster for the innocent family that is killed by a Mexican driver, over worked, under paid, driving a hazardous vehicle on our highways that we pay taxes on, speeding with brakes that are not properly adjusted, and bald tires. Call me skeptical but I have seen the trouble it has taken to clean up American trucking companies. Now we have to deal with Mexican companies. Give me a break!

They will tell you that they will have to meet certain safety requirements but I will bet my bottom dollar, just like the immigration laws, these laws for trucks will be ignored as well. In addition, just think of the number of illegal’s that can be smuggled here in the back of trucks that go uninspected. This is a boondoggle.

This is not free trade; this is another step toward open borders. It is being disguised as trade but it is a sellout of the American people. Spit on this administration for selling out our countries small trucking business men and women and the blood will be on their hands when the stories start appearing in the newspapers about Mexican truckers killing our citizens on the highways of America. They will be right next to the thousands of stories of illegal’s killing our students in Newark, and all across this nation, because this administration has turned its back on our borders and us; the American people!

You are associated with the worst in the party when you are in the party so run…

If you are a republican today, you are embarrassed by the despicable behavior of Senator Craig of Idaho. If you are a democrat today, you should be embarrassed period, but when people like Mr. Hsu give more than a million dollars to Hillary Clinton , and this criminal fund raiser for Hillary , Abdul Rehman Jinnah, are involved in the political "system", it is no wonder good people avoid politics. If you are a voter; you are disgusted with the people that are in politics today and wonder why no one “respectable” ever runs. Well I have the inside scoop on that having run for congress in the past.

There are many reasons people like us don’t run. Here are a
few:
· We don’t want to be associated with the scum like Craig, Kennedy, Clinton, Dodd, Studds, Frank, Foley, and so many more in the “political class”.
· We don’t like the idea of begging for money. If people give you money, it is customary in a capitalist society that there is something exchanged for the dollars. To ask for money and expect to give nothing in return, is a custom most of us, including many current politicians, find difficult to grasp.
· The system is so skewed against the “average citizen”, and the odds seem so overwhelming that most of us look at the odds and put our money back in our pocket.

There are so many good excuses to steer clear of running for office and few good reasons to get involved in politics; but there is one reason that I see for doing what I am doing; the future of my children and our country. All it takes for bad people to get away with bad things; is for good people to sit by and do nothing (or something like that).

I am doing my part while trying to balance a family and job and let me tell you it isn’t easy. Most things in life worth doing aren’t easy but they are often the most rewarding. We need fundamental change which will take time, like term limits and house rules changes, but we can do some small things like getting in the race and doing what we can to make a difference. Even if you don’t want to get in the race, support the good people that do. There are good republicans and good democrats but the party system is broken and needs to be restructured. But like in any war, the party must be brought to its knees before it can be rebuilt.

I hope you will join me in changing your party affiliation from D or R to Unaffiliated and stop giving money to the parties. The only way to reform the parties is to stop the flow of money and increase the flow of defection. Just a thought…

Power vs. Democracy…

What would happen to our government if we had congressional term limits? There are two basic arguments for and against term limits. People that oppose term limits believe that the consistent turnover of power undermines the ability of politicians to set policy for the nation and “bring home the bacon”. Basically they see longevity as consistency and getting more federal funds for their district. The people that support term limits see it as the only way to get rid of entrenched incumbents because the system is so weighted in favor of reelecting powerful incumbents. They believe politicians once elected, focus most of their attention at getting reelected, therefore needing to raise money, and in raising that money, give favor to policies that align with donors; “the good old boy/girl” network. The longer a politician resides in Washington, the more powerful the committee’s they chair, and the more that district controls national power.

Voters measure their politicians by “what they get done”. But what if what they are getting “done” is hurting the nation as a whole? How does a voter in Colorado get rid of a representative in Massachusetts that has been there for forty years, brings home the bacon to his district, but passes education and environmental policies that handcuff and undermine Colorado principals and values? Where is the principal in that? We are burdened by legislation nurtured and sponsored by committee chairman, not because it is good for the nation but because it is good for their “constituency”; whether that constituency is the voters in their district or the powerful lobbying groups that finance that politician’s reelection.

When will we as American’s, citizens of these United States actually start voting for policies that are good for the nation rather than the few? When it is too late? Maybe, after a devastating terrorist attack on one of our cities because we failed to secure our borders? After the nation’s largest corporations are allowed to reap the benefits of our laws and economic freedoms while they move their headquarters and jobs to tax friendly countries? Even if those countries deny basic human rights. Or will it be when our self interested politicians have devastated every institution and founding principal that makes us great; like our constitution?

Have we lost our "American soul"?

I know that there are great American’s out there that want to serve this nation, not for personal gain, but because of their commitment to this great nation and the beacon of freedom and tolerance our system represents. I believe these great American’s number in the millions and the best way to tap this greatness is to implement term limits and give others a chance. A chance to move beyond a “bring home the bacon” attitude. A chance to implement new policies to replace the failures of the past; educational excellence and the “war on poverty” come to the top of my mind. It is our opportunity to unite around our founding principles. Term limits is our opportunity to reduce the power in Washington and improve our nation as a truly representative democracy. Just a thought…

Can the two party system be fixed?

When I chose to leave the Republican Party it was not an action that I took lightly and here is why. It is “conventional wisdom” , that if you do not have party support (either D or R) you have no chance of winning any national election; but will that “wisdom” continue to hold with the current actions of both parties?

- Both parties are addicted to power rather than a vision for our
country
- The parties see all things through the lens of what it means to
the party rather than the country
- The parties in congress have created rules
that favor, longevity, political favors, towing the line, and committee
chairmanships that have shifted the balance of power from individual congressman
to party control and obedience.

The founders of this nation were quite concerned with the formation of “parties” and believed they were bad for the country. They believed the system would fracture the country and make it difficult to unite around a common cause, therefore undermining the common good of the infant nation. It was a foresight that took over 200 years to gel but I believe their concerns are well founded and have now become the fear they envisioned. Obviously the party system survived but what is it that has helped foster its survival? The voter’s tolerance and lack of choice of viable independent candidates and a system that punishes voters of districts that fail to tow the party line. The parties do this by controlling chairmanships of committees, and making it “impossible” for “outside” congressman to get anything done while in congress.

The people of this nation are voting for the party system with their feet. The “unaffiliated” voter is the fastest, and now the largest single category of voters in this nation. There are pockets of party strength in the country, Colorado Springs for example, is still strongly republican but it is changing. It is changing because the party has become a “who you know”, not what you can do for the country, party. It is a “good old boys& girls” club and you must put in your time to be considered a viable candidate. What the party is producing today are followers, not leaders. The people that make it through the system are willing to trade principals for money, principals for power, and principals for the chance to become a candidate for office. The candidate of the party is a product of insider trading, a lack of principal, and an indebtedness of their few supporters in the party.

Some would call this “paying your dues”. I don’t believe that as an American I have to prove myself to anyone but the voter. I want to be unencumbered by the “chains” of anyone thinking they have been responsible for getting me to office. I will get to office through my ideas and actions, not the anointment of the “power players” of the party.

The people are crying for leadership as the party candidates are promising fringe groups a seat at the table. The people that want to abort babies up to the ninth month, people that believe the moon landing was fake and 9/11 was a George Bush conspiracy, business coalitions that want cheap labor at any cost, individual lobbies that are ruining our healthcare system by supporting private insurance companies rather than the market; while the issues that need our attention are put to the side because they are hard or controversial. Our borders are open to terrorists, and gang members, our social security system and healthcare system are crumbling under government control and regulation, we are fostering generation after generation of minority poverty through support of a failed education system, and every election our party “leaders” promise that they can fix it. They can’t because they are indebted to the people that are getting them elected; Planned Parenthood, Daily KOS, Moveon.org, the open border lobbyists and big business cheap labor lobbyists, insurance company lobbyists, and AARP. We have fractured beyond repair. The only answer is to bypass the morass of the party “chains” and go straight to the voter.

The party system is broken and our country is crying out for leadership. We must break the back of blind self interest and focus on common self interest; we must break the back of the rules that favor parties over individual congressman in the halls of congress; we must engage the values that made this country great and stop cow towing to donors rather than good values and vision.

It is my belief the only way either party will reform is if good people leave and stop donating. I will build coalitions with individual congressmen that believe in America’s future. I know I’m not alone; I can feel it! I am a born leader in my mind; I just have to convince others to change theirs. No small task but if you have read my book, I like a challenge. Please join me in changing a broken system. It will be fun; that’s a promise I am willing to make. Just a thought…

It's not about Vick' race...

What type of person can show such cruelty to any living creature? Michael Vick has shown what type of soul he has; a lost one. In Detroit they are arguing that what he is involved in is similar to hunting and the only reason he is being prosecuted is the “white man’s” problem with a successful black man. Pathetic!

The indictment said that in April 2007, Peace, Phillips and Vick "executed
approximately eight dogs that did not perform well in 'testing' sessions by
various methods, including hanging, drowning and/or slamming at least one dog's
body to the ground." Vick also is alleged to have consulted with Peace before
Peace killed a losing dog by electrocution in 2003.

This cannot be compared to hunting. Most people that hunt eat their kill and do not torture the animals they kill. Hunters do their best to kill their prey in the most humane manner possible. I know a lot of hunters and they are animal lovers. They also hunt wild animals in an environment that favors the animal, not in a cage where the animal is a sitting duck.

As far as a racial issue, it is painful to think how deep of a divide we still have between the races. This is the result of a government failed education system, lack of role models in the black community, and the generational dependency on government assistance. The people making the racial argument are angry with their station in life. That station will not change unless people take responsibility for their own life. To think the “white man” is keeping anybody down is so sixties and so defeatist.

Vick is a sick and disturbed person to take part in this cruelty. I am not an animal activist but you don’t have to be an activist to point out cruelty when you see it. Just a thought…

Do you know who I am? A Syndrome...

What is it that makes these congress men and women think they deserve “special” treatment, especially at airports and security check points? These are things that annoy all of us but for some reason they believe these inconveniences should not apply to them; but why? There is a great local radio personality in the Boston talk radio market, Howie Carr, that likes to assign a “syndrome” to the politicians that think they’re better than us; it is what he calls the “ do you know who I am?” syndrome. It seems that this “disease” is afflicting more and more congress people and it is easily spotted in the public arena. Representative Bob Filner of California, Representative Patrick Kennedy of Rhode Island, and former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney of Georgia all seem to have been afflicted with the “disease” by their actions and assumptions that they are somehow “special” and deserve different treatment than you and I.

Rep. Bob Filner is facing an assault and battery charge after an incident at
Dulles Airport where he allegedly pushed an United Airlines bag claim employee
as first reported by ABC7/Newschannel 8.

ABC 7's Jay
Korff and Kris Van Cleave broke the story

Filner, a Democrat from
California, allegedly attempted to enter an employees-only area on Sunday night.

Van Cleave spoke with several witnesses who said they heard Filner yell
"You can't stop me," before pushing aside the employee and refusing to leave the
office.

My point here is that it seems that in order to keep this syndrome from taking hold on our illustrious members of congress, we should administer the only known cure for the “disease” that exists today; implementing term limits. The symptoms of the disease are, a disconnection from the people they serve, a fatal attraction to the lobbyists in Washington, and the increased use of the phrase, “do you know who I am?” in public places, mostly airports and always targeted at security guards just trying to do their jobs.

We as a nation must help them with a cure and do the right thing; impose term limits or at a minimum, intervene at the first signs these congressmen and women have been afflicted and vote them out of office at the earliest opportunity. No one ever deserves to be at the receiving end of the “do you know who I am?” phrase from a congressman or woman that supposedly works for us. Just a thought…

I have left the Republican Party

Today I went to the El Paso county offices to change my registration to "unaffiliated" from Republican. It was a big decision for me since I have been in the party for nearly 20 years. I will be running in 2008 as a general election candidate free from any party politics. I don't know if the strategy will work but it doesn't matter because it is the right thing to do. The party is off course and the party politics are undermining the efforts of good people in the congress. I think we need more non party candidates to run in 08 but I will not hold my breath.

So today marks the day "I left the party". I look forward to running over the parties in the election. Just a thought...

I have moved my Blah Blah Blah Blog here...

I have in the past blogged on my own web site www.WhoisRichHand.com but have decided to move to the "official" blogosphere. We will see if it makes a difference. I am getting 500 plus unique visitors on my site. I hope they follow me here!! We will see.