Yankee Doodle Went to Town Riding on a $20

So last night I attended the Tea Party Boise's Candidate Forum. All Congressional candidates from both districts attended. Our incumbents did not. It was an interesting evening, not full of anger or arguments, just Idahoans listening to their fellow Idahoans running for office.
It was fun and informative. Well, maybe not informative for everyone, some people just could not hear the voice of the non-funded candidates, the corporate free candidates.

There were in total 10 candidates on the stage, and each candidate answered each question within the given time frame. We all spoke, but this morning in our illustrious and oh so unbiased(?) Idaho Statesman, there were only two candidates on stage last night, (and no one from district 2). Here are the words of Dan Popkey, " "The forum included eight other candidates who have yet to mount serious challenges in organization and money."And that was his total report for the rest of us, for all of us in Idaho.

Again I say, we now live in a Financial Monarchy -- do we need yet more proof. The very much electable candidates on that stage last night were not reported on because we did not have enough money to be reported on. Just how bad can this get! Following Mr Popkey's standards, in order to be a 'serious' candidate for office in our nation we must first be corportate harlots or just well heeled.

Campaign Finance Reform - it's a no brainer, but we cannot get it if our general population and our media believe that only though money can an American get elected to office. This is our Financial Monarchy, this is the place where our corruption begins, this is the starting point of all of our nations problems. Money in the donation jar does not make a better candidate, just a wealthier one, and who ends up getting represented, us or the money. Campaign Finance is the most significant underlying cause of dysfunction in our government today.

As for organizations - Some candidates were Republican - isn't the GOP a big enough organization? Some candidates were Democrats - not large enough to be called an organization? Libertarians - still too small? Independents - The citizens of the State of Idaho not a big enough organization? Facebook, BlogSpot, Twitter, Mozilla, Sea Monkey and a plethura of other electronic media that is networked and organized within our state and our nation. How big does it need to get? What standards are we campaigning up to?

Enough! We do not need money and a mob to be a serious candidate for office. Maybe in the past but look where that has gotten us. We do not need to continue believing that this is the only way for us, this was never meant for us. We are so much better than this. We as a people choose how we elect, we as a people choose how we campaign, we as a people choose what is best for our nation.

We Are America

We continually hear of the discordance in our country. The arguments swim in a cespool of 'it's the dems - it's the republicans, liberals - conservatives, pro-life, pro-choice, guns good- guns - bad'. The list goes on and on and we have heard it all before. But no one really mentions just how good this all is. I know just how hard things seem to be right now, the economy is a real bummer, but no one is mentioning how incredibly strong and resiliant we are as a people and how easy it really is for us to recover ourselves and our economy and our national pride.

First let's stop panicking!!!
We hear so much about the division in our nation and not our ultimate unitedness - that is who we are as a nation. America was founded on and has survived on diversity of spirit, mind and body. All non-navtive ameircans have a history from another country - we represent the world. Our citizens come from every nation on this planet. And how do we do it so well? WE USE OUR DIVERSITY AS A STRENTGH. We are not bound by old country traditions, we are not bound by arcahic systems of government, we are not imprisoned by class systems, we are America, a united and free nation of people.

Next, we have to remember to trust and believe in our democracy. We need to believe in ourselves again as Americans. There is no man, woman or child in this nation that has greater value than any other man, woman or child. Yet individual financial value has become an underlying negative message in our society. This shows in so many ways. I recently heard someone worried about in increase of income tax for people who earn more than 4 times what the average American household makes. The tone was simple - rich people were being picked on. Yet every single day of our lives we know and see and feel quite clearly that the ultra rich in this nation and internationally, take whatever they want from the United States and give nothing but grief and propaganda in return. The part that makes this all so hard is that we the people of the United States of America, were all men are created equal, allow an attitiude that supports (including through legistlation) that the more money you have, the more value you have. This is a Financial Monarchy and just as unjust, undemocractic and unamerican as any other Monarchy. WE ALL HAVE GREAT VALUE, FROM THE POOREST AMOUNGST US TO THE WEALTHEST. Being weatlhy does not mean wise and being wise does not mean financially wealthy. We are better than this and it is time we come home to our selves and remember - 'That all men are created equal', so then do all men have equal value, great value.

And lastly, it's time we stop taking the bait - we are not afraid, we are not divided, we are not on the verge of destruction, we are America, we are Americans. We are much stronger then our government or our media would lead us to believe. We have the ability to overcome our shortcomings thourgh our ability to unite, our ability to believe in ourselves and our nation. The values of equality that created the United States lives witnin each one of us and now is the time to bring it forward. We are a nation of voice, choice and freedom. We are free from fear, free from tyranny and free from oppression. We always have been. We always will be.

OUR VOICE - OUR VOTE

We as a people are being called upon to once more sustain our securtiy and our republic by exerting our will through our voice - our vote.

We can no longer be complacent about the lack of representation we have in congress.

We can no longer afford to be comfortable voting for the same representatives year after year.

We can no longer tolerate the posturing of career politician at our expense.

We can no longer allow our nation to be weakened by excessive greed.

We can no longer justify allowing a national debt that enfeebles our nation.

We as a people must take the opportunity to restore our faith in our government by once again being the government.