THIS Is My Presidential Candidate!

Listening to life...the life of others....the potential of lives lived.  This is my kind of candidate for president.  Enjoy.

"This country needs a strong leader with clearly focused principles who can learn, discern and act with good reason.  Good reason applied for good reasons can change this country; change, that is, back to the core and soul of its history of exceptionalism built on and by...you guessed it, its people. 

Politicians tend to provide a plethora of platitudes and possibilities when explaining their interest in running for office.  My reasons are more simple: I love American and I love Americans.  Our citizenry is the most compassionate, hard-working, dedicated, humane population that has ever graced this world, but it needs government to stop making decisions for the population.  Government should feel fortunate to have the people, not feel compelled to provide social engineering for them.

I do not guarantee you answers to everything or in each debate.  But I can share with you just some of the questions I would ask of the most talented, imaginative, visionary people we have in this country; I would ask those same questions of the most common sensical, well-grounded, the-nut-tightens-to-the-right-informed people we have.  I will cast a vision in terms that everyone can be part of.  Everyone, that is, who believes in America and Americans.  That is key.  So, I cannot answer every question with great depth at every debate, interview or conversation.  I can state the questions I would ask, the multitude of factors that I believe need to be considered, and what I know about the situation.  Situations change.  My reasoning does not:  I love America; I love Americans. 

Leadership and decisions-both the simple ones and the bold ones, the hard ones and the easy ones-come from constancy of focus.  That can be explained each and every time, and I am happy to explain mine.  I love America; I love Americans.  But America is not my religion; however, my religion has provided me beliefs and values.  Too much else of what is used for 'reasoning' is nothing more than political spin and crap.  If we cut through that as citizens, and speak from our principles with a bold vision in mind, we can return our country to greatness, as a bastion of independence and liberty...one that is to be protected, not torn apart and asunder.

The world is a better, safer, more humane place when America and Americans are at their finest.  My intention is to help her and they do that.  Using the best of America and Americans, we must make America strong...for ourselves and for the world.  Someone greater than I said that no country in the history of the world has had as much power as America and abused its power less than America has.  We have had our problems and abuses; America is not perfect.   But we must work together to make her and its people the best they can be.  Then we must commit to, and hold elected officials to, doing everything humanly possible to not abuse power.  The abuse of power at micro and macro levels ruin all that is great about America and Americans, as it does for all countries and civilizations.  We can't be perfect, we can be better. 

I believe that we must utilize three basic tools of American exceptionalism to focus on three areas that will drive the decisions and the policies of the government.  From this will come a less intrusive government and a vision into which all can contribute.  All.  I do not believe in a future built in taking from the few to give to the many.  I believe everyone should have the opportunity and the obligation to pay taxes.  By that, I mean everyone should have the opportunity to make a living in a job that adds value in some way to America and Americans.  I don't care if it is CEO or custodian; everyone and every role has value.  Everyone should contribute their abilities, and everyone who has the ability to work should work.  And everyone should pay taxes in a fair and equitable way.  Adding more taxpayers is far better than increasing taxes.  Not everyone has the perfect job at all times.  Welcome to the country-America-of opportunity for its citizens-Americans.

Leadership decisions must be based on a vision, grounded in principles and beliefs.  I believe everyone has value and I believe everyone must prove it every day.  I believe that using talents earns income and from that income it is fair and appropriate to "render unto Caesar."   Likewise, as far as taxes and government are concerned, I also believe "thou shalt not steal."  Truly, decisions are not terribly difficult with clear, consistent focus in mind.

As a country, we have been blessed and lucky.  I also believe, "to whom much is given, much is expected."  That applies to citizens and elected officials, to CEOs in penthouses and custodians cleaning floors, to communities as well as states and countries.  I expect much of Americans and America.  We can deliver.

Our work will be based on beliefs, values and integrity.  Our focus areas will be three, from which all other policies and decisions for the good of America and Americans will be born.   I believe in the importance of the long-term strength and generosity of America and Americans.  My attention will be on water, food and energy. 

Water:  We must keep it clean and abundant, but not be wasteful nor make our watchfulness of it a religion.  We must invest in desalinization; we must invest in clean waters, but we cannot destroy a great country for nearly inconsequential factors.  Frankly, we offer too much to the world as a healthy, whole, strong country to comprise that for a minnow.  We must harvest water, desalinate water, conserve water, and clean water.  Having the government invest taxpayer funds for a cross-country series of pipelines like the interstate highways that move water from flood-stricken areas to drought areas, from rain-rich areas to places where catastrophic fires rage...that makes sense to me.  Why not?

Food:  We must be productive, efficient and generous-minded with the richness of our land and the greatness of our farmers.  We won a war with the help of victory gardens, and we must encourage individuals to be part of their solutions.  We will not grow crops for gasoline; we will grow them for feeding people or animals that will feed people.  We will grow crops and steward lands so that the crop products can be used efficiently and effectively.  Look at the power of the peanut, for example.

Energy:  Efficiency.  Production.  Sensible alternative solutions.  I can only imagine the range of solutions to our energy issues if we tapped the talents and ideas of Americans. We can create more national reserves and buy when the price is low.  There is nothing wrong in protecting our future; America and Americans matter to the world and to all for whom freedom, liberty and independence is a goal.

Creative, talented, encouraged, empowered American citizens, researchers, scientists, engineers, youth....we can do this.

America is blessed with great people, great water, great food growth and processing capabilities, and great options with energy.  Much is expected.  We can deliver.

Stand with me, stand with your country.  But do not be afraid to stand alone...independent, strong, free, productive, valuable...American."

Yea, where's the ballot box!!!!!

Oh.....where is the candidate?  That speech is what I would like to hear from just one candidate.  It is my speech to me...to my conscience.....to provide a view away from politics and politicking that I will use to evaluate any and all candidates.  It occurred to me that I needed to be clear in my mind what I want from a president, instead of sorting through the BS that politicians spew in search of something meaningful.  My speech states my position and I will look at all candidates through the filters of those beliefs, values and priorities.  Perhaps someday we will have that candidate.  Perhaps someday, we citizens will demand and empower such a candidate instead of the types we do now.