As most of you know, I am a career military man, recently retired. I don't mention it too much because I wasn't a hero or anything like that. Having been in the Air Force my entire adult life, I had always avoided political events.
Well, I'm a private citizen now, so I put on my ostrich skin boots, American eagle bolo tie, and with the sexy Mrs. Silverfiddle on my arm, I went to a candidate's forum featuring Republican US Senate hopefuls Jane Norton and Ken Buck.
Buck is the underdog, but I came away a fan after initially leaning towards Norton because she is the establishment candidate with Reagan administration and Lieutenant Governor experience. Nothing against Jane. If she beats Ken in the March Caucus I'm voting for her, and the praise I heap on Ken Buck is no way is a slap at her. The only bad thing I can say about her is she sounded "canned," like a well-polished politician, while Buck had a more sincere and populist patina.
Ken Buck for US Senator from Colorado
Ken Buck's unrehearsed but articulate and candid manner really impressed me. I got to look him in the eye and shake his hand as we discussed the ACLU and La Raza attacks against him for going after illegal aliens involved in identity theft. He's a sincere man with a populist streak. Here are some random thoughts from the evening:
The woman sitting next to my wife announced that she recently abandoned the Democratic party! We welcomed her warmly into the Republican Party bosom as a church would welcome a reformed drunk.
The Moderator Led Off With Two Of My Questions!
Amy, the ResistNet District Coordinator for our congressional district, was the moderator, and she started off by asking the candidates two of my questions! One concerned the 9th and 10th Amendments to the constitution, and the other invited their views on Article 1, Section 8 of the US Constitution, specifically the enumerated powers and how broadly the candidates interpreted the interstate commerce and the general welfare clause.
Both candidates gave good answers, but Buck specifically mentioned housing and schools as issues the federal government should not be involved in.
Mr. Buck also spoke eloquently of avoiding foreign entanglements, citing George Washington. No more ambiguous congressional kinda sorta approvals of some type of presidential action. Declare specific objectives, get the troops in and then bring them home. No more endless commitments.
To hearty applause, he gently poked at John McCain as one of the Senators he would not be seeking out. Jim DeMint and Dr. Tom Coburn are more his style.
He stated flatly that George Bush spent too much and grew government too much (more applause), and then added on that Barack Obama is expanding upon this madness at a frightening pace (applause increased).
I could hear echoes of pre-17th Amendment days in his vow to meet with Colorado's state representatives at least quarterly to get feedback on how federal policy was affecting the state.
The evening was capped off by the exciting announcement that Scott Brown had been declared the winner in the Massachusetts senate race.
13 comments:
>>>I urge each of you to get involved in politics in your state and congressional district.
Unfortunately here in Oregon all my elected representatives are leftoids I'd rather not be in the same room with.
Hopefully the shifting winds will get us some decent candidates for the future, though.
Good for the both of you! It is a lot fun. I love going to political forums and of course, the TEA parties, you would have fun with that as well.
We are hoping to remove Blanche Lincoln as Senator in my state of Arkansas. Let the games begin.
Don't sell yourself short SF, a retired career soldier is a hero in my book.
Innomatus: It happened in Kennedyville, it can happen in Oregon.
Leticia's got the spirit!
And thanks for the kind words, Jamw96!
Congrats!! I have been to couple of debates and find them interesting. Politics is something to enjoy but not to rule your life. Rush Limbaugh once said, "Pay me enough money and I will always be right." Talk is cheap and actions speak louder than words. So, debates can be a lip service as what can be witnessed as what was shown on TV.
Perhaps it is time that We the People syop voting for party and stop allowing the special interest groups to pick our candidates, because that is what is screwing up America. The big money elites pick who will run and the MSM pushes the one who will win, though it really doesn't matter a whole lot to the elites which party wins, because they control both parties.
We the People MUST start voting for individuals, even if it means writing in a candidate at the primary level. That is the only real way we can take back our country.
Also, we must start looking at the common man/woman instead of just lawyers and career politicians.
Glad to hear you're getting down into the trenches! Way to go!
"We welcomed her warmly into the Republican Party bosom as a church would welcome a reformed drunk."
You know what? I often consider the Republican Party the group of "has lived and knows how far they can fall" versus the Democratic Party, "the haven't lived but is so smug they know it all."
It's when they have sex with each other that muddies the waters.
Snarky, you're a light in the fog...
Yes, many of us are the reformed political drunks. Hit bottom, bounce up, and swear to never again take a swig from the liberal BS bottle...
Just watch out!
Obama might have spies taking pictures of those that participate on Anti-Obama rallies or events...A strategy used widely by his friends Hugo, Fidel and Ortega.
Remember that we are in the process of becoming communist if not socialist.
Spies would have been welcomed at this event. We opened it with a prayer for the President.
It is a real mistake to dismiss someone because others deem them to be the "establishment" candidate. It is a self-defeating proposition. Jane Norton is a true conservative (look at her issues page on her website) who -- with her calm demeanor -- could throw the liberal Democrat message machine off track in Washington. It will be hard for the national media to attack her. I would urge you to join others and get involved n Jane's campaign. She has grassroots leaders all across the state!
"It is a real mistake to dismiss someone because others deem them to be the "establishment" candidate."
I agree wholeheartedly. I stated by my reasons for supporting Ken Buck, and none of them have anything to do with Norton being the establishment candidate.
I also plainly stated that if Norton wins in the caucuses I'll support her.
Taking our ball and going home is not how conservatives take the country back.
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