There’s over half a million people out there trying to figure out how to use these 9 principles and 12 values to start making a difference in our world. Some of them have no time, and are making the effort to teach these things in their homes. Others are looking to use these principles and values as an opening to discussing a cool new buzzword: Constitutional Conservative. All of these things are good. This is exactly what a movement should look like. If you’re in a tea party group or a 9/12 group you’re probably working to identify your platform and define your goals. Keep going, but don’t finalize anything just yet.
I would like to offer this advice: Think your group’s goals through. What happens when you work hard for “term limits” and then you get them? Make sure you organize yourselves in broad terms, and always, always, always accept new ideas from people. There was some conversation at the beginning of this about sending in a tea bag to the white house on Tax Day. Well, someone came up with a better idea. Aren’t you glad they did? 800 tea parties across the country! You don’t know when the next great idea will hit. Give everyone in your group a responsibility so they can feel like they’re contributing. This will keep them active. Please consider giving someone in your group THIS site as their responsibility. Things here are changing!
I had some interesting conversations this week. I’ve talked with folks who’ve been organizing a database of voting records for their state, and comparing the records to the constitution. Their hope is to create a website that actually functions as a report card for their representatives.
Gee, we can do this with site’s like Angie’s List, why not do it with our government? It makes sense! Now the average citizens are banding together to track exactly how they’ve been represented in government. Though I applaud the report card, and have great respect for the people putting it together, I don’t have that much time to organize something like that here. What I am finding is that there is a need to decentralize this project–it should function at a state level, with a guided national umbrella.
Earlier this week I emailed everyone on the Facebook group the plan to decentralize. I need people to stand up and create lists of their state’s representatives, set up specific letters for each candidate, and put out a blog/email once a week telling people who to target in their letters. It doesn’t all have to happen in a day, but it does need to start happening. I’m taking volunteers from 49 states to help me put this together. If you know someone in your 9/12 or tea party group that doesn’t have a responsibility yet, pass along my email address to them: jacob ((at)) roeckerfam.com.
You’ll notice I said 49 states: I’ve already got an administrator in Washington. Florida is already set up–just needs an admin! Your state could be next, if you’re willing to step forward.
On the national level:
This week we’re targeting one of my favorite national political figures: Governor Sarah Palin. Round 2 of the postcards appear below. Clicking on the candidates’ names will link you to their website. Use the phone numbers they list to leave a message.
Remember folks: When this nation was established it wasn’t a king that granted us our rights to self government. It was “WE THE PEOPLE.” We banded together, and granted to one another, the right to govern our fellow human beings. Now is the time to stand up. YOU are the right person for the job. Every generation has to do this, and now it’s your turn. How would you like history to remember you?
Yes, 4:00 am. Some people don’t believe there is a 4 in the morning, some have never seen it on their watches. Well, trust me: there is a 4:00 am. I’ve been there, and one day last week I spent some time recording this video. I’m embarrassed by the quality of the production, but I’ve gotten good compliments on the content of this video, and it seems destined to slip out beyond its intended audience.
Here is my message to constituents and candidates:
912Candidates.org is pleased to announce our first 9/12 Candidate: RJ Harris.
Mr Harris is running in the fourth congressional district in the state of Oklahoma for the Republican nomination against incumbent Tom Cole. Mr. Harris identifies himself as the husband to his wife of 18 years, and the father of five children. He is currently in the Oklahoma National Guard, and has served two deployments to Iraq.
His political activity stems from his love of the constitution. His interest in the constitution began as a young sergeant in the Army when he decided to read the very document he had sworn his life to defend. Now as a candidate, he describes the mission of his campaign:
The primary mission of this campaign is to elect a Constitutional Conservative to represent the people of the 4th Oklahoma Congressional District. Execution of this mission includes an educational effort to make Oklahomans aware of the liberties that are being robbed from them by a central government, which has been operating outside the strictures of the Constitution for far too long. The Republican Party promised to fight to reduce, restrict, and restrain the size and scope of government and I am running to make good on that promise for the people of the Fourth District. Nearly as important, I intend to carry a message to Washington, from the people of Oklahoma, which puts the US Congress on notice that the days of their infringement into our States Rights and Sovereignty are coming to an end.
When asked why he wanted to become a 9/12 candidate he said “Unless we do something to preserve this Republic, we may not have a Republic left to pass on to our children.”
Mr. Harris we salute you for your service to our nation and wish you luck with your campaign.
Delivered in Norman Oklahoma 15 April 2009 6:00pm
(Download)
In this country we look forward, because forward is the only direction to move. A few weeks ago we were looking forward, and the only people we saw moving in the same direction were the people to our sides. The people who believe the word “citizen” means something.
I’m grateful right now across our nation we can look up and see the stars and stripes flying. It’s there because brave Americans in our past, and brave Americans today, die to keep it there. They give their lives, and gift to us an unparalleled freedom and prosperity in the history of the world. It seems we can always look to our Soldiers as examples of the best America has to offer, and where do they turn? Which direction do they face? When times get toughest, what is it that they look to?
You shouldn’t be surprised to know that throughout history Soldiers have looked to a piece of cloth. Sometimes called a guidon, sometimes called “the colors,” and sometimes called a “standard.” Rallying around the standard in times of confusion gave Soldiers safety in numbers and a better chance to forge victory out of the threatening chaos before them.
I ask now, what is our standard? Our nation was forged in a time of war and needed a standard to turn to. Good citizens gathered and created a congress. The congress created their standard, built upon everything they had learned from the past. They needed to present their case clearly before all mankind and created: The Declaration of Independence. At the end of the document we read the words “we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.”
When representing the people really mattered it required the pledge of your lives, fortunes, and sacred honor. This pledge was the patriot standard. But I say that good representation has always mattered. It will matter in my children’s generation, and it matters now. The standard in this country for representation is total dedication. Nothing they had was too important they were not willing to give it for this country.
There have been many conclusions drawn from that document and their actions in signing it. I would like to offer this conclusion for our generation. That selflessness in pledging your sacred honor is the standard of public service for the patriot generation that blessed this land over 230 years ago. It is the standard for every public servant from that time forward. It’s time we remind our government that the Patriot Standard should be the American standard.
We need that sort of representation now, but when you ask for it you hear people say things like “they don’t make them like anymore” or “those men were unique in all of history” and “we’ll never see men like that again.” I’d like to think that every generation of citizens has within its population the greatness of our founding fathers. If they could manage to find such patriots among a population of 2 million people than how come we can’t find them among a population of 300 million? Has God abandoned the country he has spent so much effort to help create? Would a deity that has openly rewarded the compassion of this nation towards its former enemies abandon us now? Does the argument that he cares less about me and my children than he did about the WWII generation, and the patriot generation hold weight?
NO. I cannot live and believe I have been abandoned. I can live and believe that my voice has been abandoned in government.
When the Boston tea party took place it wasn’t about the money. It was about what the money represented. Today the same logic stands true. Government spending in our generation means that my children and grandchildren’s generation has already been taxed. They bear the weight of this generation.
How did we get here? What’s at the root of it? The root of it is representatives placing agendas above values, placing parties before principles, putting priorities on the political processes external to the constitution. At some point we have been sold a lie and bought it. We have purchased an imitation of quality, and now quality counts.
Now we’re making some noise about it. Now we’re asking of our government “Is this is the best we can do?” Their best isn’t good enough, and instead of shrinking into thinking that is all the country has to offer its time we work together and start demanding more. There are patriots in this generation. We have to find them and put them in office.
I was on the phone with a friend last week who is a political adviser and recently had success in helping a governor get elected to office. I invited him to ask that his next candidate sign a pledge to represent his constituents according to basic principles and values. He said that it was politically too risky. The candidate hadn’t secured the party’s nomination.
Wait a second? Too risky? The possibly future governor of the state, in charge of thousands of uniformed service members that will probably get sent overseas is politically scared to sign a morally binding contract? They are scared to risk their own political career, but are willing to take charge of those willing to take deadly risks. Last time I checked if you didn’t get your party’s nomination you went back to your old job. What happens to the Soldier in Iraq under fire when the person to his right or left is afraid to take risks?
It’s time to get our priorities straight. It’s time someone raise a standard. It’s time this group sends a message to our government officials. We the people lead this nation. The caliber of representation that created this nation is the only caliber that will maintain it.
In order for your rights as citizens to be maintained they must be exercised. Now is the time. You are the right person for the job, and together we can make the Patriot Standard, the American Standard.
Visit 912candidates.org download the letters and postcards and send them in to your officials. Let them know you want your voice to matter. You’d be surprised how many of them have been waiting America to stand up. Today we are standing up. We’re on our feet, and all of us are headed in the same direction, forward.
Jacob Roecker
Citizen, Patriot, Veteran
http://912candidates.org
This document was produced as a tax day speech. It can be reproduced in part or in whole on any medium. I would prefer that credit be given to this site for publishing it, but make no requirement to do so.
We can’t wait any longer. It’s time to move forward. For those of you who have been watching this site you’ve been able to tell this has been coming. It’s now “Game Time” and each week this site will “target” candidates for us to invite to join the cause of representing the American People.
After contacting the offices of several elected officials I’ve learned a few things. First, mail sent to representatives goes through a rather intense screening process. Letters take at least 10 additional days. As mentioned previously, the first (and often) last person to read a letter sent to any representative is an intern or staff worker. Calling around today I found staff sizes from 7 to more than 30. This means that in order to get the representative’s attention no one letter will do it; it will take several. In order for any of us to make it past the staffers we have to prove that this isn’t just one person who’s gone crazy thinking their government should actually represent them.
This is a movement of average people who haven’t had a special interest group. Since the announcement that “Traditional Values are Dead” has emerged from Washington, I guess that places all of us who do care about values at a disadvantage. And what do disadvantaged groups do in our country? They form special interest groups. This is ours. We’re set to make a positive difference in America. Here’s how we’re going to do it.
You’ve read the 9/12 Candidate’s Contract, more than 337 of them have been downloaded and 209 flyers are on their way to be copied and passed out at tea parties. Good job everyone! Letters are great, but each letter spends an additional ten days in screening because it’s inside an envelope. This limits the impact we’re trying to have. To compensate I’ve created “Post Cards.” You’ll need some card stock to print them on, and a pair of scissors. Postage is only $.27. You can still send letters (we’re not abandoning that idea at all, we’re just trying to speed up the process).
Download the 1st Round PDF || .doc Download a Blank PDF || .doc
If you’ve already sent out letters before you can still download the postcards file, fill out the “from” block and send these in. If you’re organizing a tea party use your email contact list and send this out to as many folks as you can. Print off extras and pass them out to your neighbours–it’s what ACORN does.
It’s time to get our government working for us again. We need 9/12 Candidates. Now, let’s go find them.
If you’re extremely busy and want someone else to do the printing, I’ve created a custom postcard online here. The company that makes them charges a good size fee, and wont let me accept less than 10% royalties. Look people, I really DON’T want the money, but if you’re so busy, or you want to print off a million of these things, go ahead and use the site. I’ll take any check I get and apply it towards advertising. Can I say that and still stand by my pledge that this is NOT about commerical gain? Really, I’d like to know.
Some of you will note that we have a page on the social networking site Facebook. If you’re a member, I’d encourage you to join. A few months back I used the site to find some of my old high school friends. After a few hours one weekend I nearly doubled my friend’s list. Some of the folks I ran into were doing some rather amazing things.
I’ve got one friend whose singing career is doing quite well. Another landed a job with a major orchestra in the US. Another friend was negotiating multi million dollar business deals in New York. I’m not sure why I feel a bit jealous. I’ll probably never help someone spend a million dollars or more. All I’ve ever done was band together with over 150,000 other Soldiers and secure voting rights for a nation. Yeah, it doesn’t feel like much.
One friend I ran into mentioned his employment in the realm of politics. He helps organize campaigns. Among his recent accomplishments, a governor in office. Since his aptitude for politics is quite larger than mine, I figured I’d give him a phone call, and ask for some advice. We talked for nearly a half an hour and I learned a great deal about the art of politicing.
I asked him if the candidate he’s working with would be willing to sign this contract.
He told me “no.”
Then he explained. Politicians can’t afford to take risks and still compete in an election. Those risks they do take (to distinguish themselves from the rest of the pack) are extremely calculated. Since his candidate hasn’t even gotten the party’s nomination, he explained he would have to decline.
Wait a second? There’s the problem. First off, we shouldn’t have a system that encourages career “politicians” (doesn’t that just sound like a dirty word?). I thought we were supposed to have average citizens serve their country as a matter of patriotism for a time, then go back to whatever they did before they got elected. Ya know, this “we the people” stuff works better when it actually is “the people” in office. Yeah, ’cause then if it doesn’t work out for you, you go back to your job, and the guy that did get elected has the headache of representing someone he disagrees with.
Second, “risk” is an issue?
So let me get this straight. This is what we started with:
And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.
Now folks can’t take risks because they’re scared of not being able to win a nomination? So in the 230+ years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence, we’ve developed a system so perverse that it discourages the calibre of men who signed it from being able to participate in the political process, let alone get elected!
Something is wrong with America. We often say we have the best Republic in the world, but if this is the “best” I feel very sorry for the other countries on this small blue planet.
Let’s say this another way. Anyone who has any influence on Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, and Airmen (Americans who take oaths to accept extreme risk as part of their service to this nation) who is unwilling to take the political risk of signing a morally binding contract (and it doesn’t even have to be this one) should NEVER hold an office. If you’re not willing to take the risk, you’re not worthy to lead those who do.
___________________________ Not Without Hope
My friend did have some good advice for this movement though…. Keep going. He explained that when he was an intern for a senator, he would be the one reading the letters and responding to citizen’s questions. Unless there were several hundred letters most of them were answered without the elected official ever being aware of the letters being written.
That doesn’t mean we quit.
It means we get focussed.
In the next few weeks I’ll be researching elected officials who’s current platform and voting record already reflects these 9 principles and 12 values. We’ll use the communication tools on the facebook group as well as an email list generated from comments to this site to let you know who to send letters to.
What I need to know is how many letters are you willing to send a week? Who would you nominate to be our first 9/12Candidate?
If you’ve sent a letter out and don’t want to wait for me to identify someone, then knock on your neighbour’s door and get them to send a letter. You don’t have to wait for me. It’s your country too!
___________________________ A Final Note
As our conversation drew to a close, I asked my friend what would happen if his candidate didn’t get the party’s nomination. He said that he’d be out of a job. I commented that he was brave. I couldn’t imagine working at a job that may not be there in a few months. I’m sure there are millions of Americans that do it, but for me I feel such a weight of having to provide food on the table, that job security is one of the great reasons why I stick with my current employer. Maybe I’m abnormal and feel these obligations a little more keenly than I need to, or maybe I had good parents. When I told my wife’s father I could provide for her, and asked his permission to marry his daughter, I meant it.
My last name may be spelled differently than its pronounced, but so far it’s not known for doing something stupid–like lying. I’m going to make sure it stays that way. It’s not optional; it’s imperative.
I was making a post the other day letting folks know about this site. I recieved a few comments. Some were positive, and some were not. One of the negative comments wasn’t worth mentioning. However, this one was:
M: “A ‘morally binding contract’ means nothing. Obama has broken every campaign promise except for his far-left ones, and yet his approval rating is still over 50%. Will he be re-elected? Probably.
So let’s say that we elect Candidate X, who signs and promises everything we want, then gets elected and turns into the 3rd coming of Jimmy Carter? What can you do except wait another 4 years and not re-elect them.
“About 98% of incumbents are re-elected, even when Congress’s approval numbers are in the single-digits. In 2010 we’ll all have a choice between a Democrat and a Republican, and they’ll both be bad for our country, but we’ll choose the lesser of two evil (or vote 3rd Party), and the cycle start anew.”
My Reply: Call me a hopeless romantic, but if this soil can give birth to men willing to sign their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor to give birth to this nation, then we should expect that we can find men and women of similar calibre today. Or was that just good enough for one generation, and there’s no hope for ours?
No sir there are Patrick Henry’s being created by this movement. There are John Adams with their stubborn determination for basic rights under a common law being honed. Maybe not for this next election, maybe not for the one after that, but certainly if we issue the call for that calibre, they will come. We haven’t demanded it for years. It’s time to change that.
Sure, we can fail. Someone will betray the ideals. Someone will take their family name and run it in the same category as Benedict Arnold. They are welcome to. They will have to account to us, and to their families, for betraying their “sacred honor.”
If we don’t issue the call, we will never find those with greatness again.Now is the time to issue that call. Now is better than later. Now is all we have before our children will suffer under our lack of action.
Please feel free to copy and paste this wherever you feel appropriate; I only ask that you connect it to this site. I also welcome any comments, and I read every one.
In my last post I mentioned some of the things on my “to-do” list. I’m happy to say that some of them are getting done:
This youtube video is now approximately 15 seconds, making it a more ’standaradized’ time. It contains better editing and photos than the previous version.
My co-author put together a second version of the ’stock letter’ that has a bit of a softer tone. This should help for representatives like Michelle Bachmann and others who appear to already support these principles and values.
Several websites now link back to this one; this helps the search engine rankings as well as getting folks here.
The “about” page has been updated with descriptions of the website that you can cut and paste freely across the Internet or in print.
We *Almost* have our first 9/12 Candidate! On Friday I recieved a phone call from a representative’s office stating his support for this project and his willingness to sign. There are some reservations about publishing signatures that need to be addressed before I can publicise his name, but for those of you who are sceptics, I’ve got news for you: THERE ARE GOOD PEOPLE IN GOVERNMENT!
Now, if you’re visiting this site and you haven’t written letters yet, download one of them (link on the right) and help me find them. These are the people we should be supporting, the folks that ought to be placed at the forefront of any race.
Let’s take a look at how Washington views values. We’ll use Google as our research agent. I did a search for “values” on the “whitehouse.gov” site and “loc.gov” these are the results:
File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat
UPHOLDING AMERICA’S VALUES. Americans are generous and strong and decent, not because we believe in ourselves, but because we hold beliefs beyond ourselves. …
www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/fy2005/pdf/budget/values.pdf – Similar pages -
Mar 16, 2009 … It’s about our fundamental values. All across the country, there are people who are working hard and meeting their responsibilities every …
www.whitehouse.gov/the…/Remarks-by-the-President-to-small-business-owners-community-lenders-and-members-of-Cong… – 85k – Cached – Similar pages -
Sep 16, 2003 … When President Bush took office in 2001, he put forward an aggressive agenda to address the challenges to those values that help define us …
www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/fy2005/values.html – 41k – Cached – Similar pages -
These values represent a net “savings” caused by conversion. …Values from existing fleet to the Government apply to all alternatives equally. …
www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars/a076/a076sa7.html – 23k – Cached – Similar pages -
The attached useful life and disposal values are estimated by the Defense Logistics Agency. The disposal value factor, as a percent of acquisition cost, …
www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars/a076/a076sa3.html – 31k – Cached – Similar pages -
Feb 18, 2009 … But today, home values have fallen so sharply that even if you make a large down payment, the current value of your mortgage may still be …
www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/remarks-by-the-president-on-the-mortgage-crisis/ – 87k – Cached – Similar pages -
File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat – View as HTML
the ATSDR for the development and promulgation of health based values… assessments that support EPA National Air Quality Standards, FDA tolerance values, …
www.whitehouse.gov/omb/inforeg/comments_rab/mdh.pdf – Similar pages -
File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat – View as HTML
Feb 4, 2008 … 1962 value. Actual amounts, in thousands of dollars, for …values. Offsetting receipts are usually negative values. …
www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/fy2009/pdf/db_guide.pdf – Similar pages -
Values conflict when we, meaning our nation, can enhance the manifestation … Decisions involving terrorism evoke personal value tradeoffs …
www.whitehouse.gov/omb/inforeg/2003report/14.pdf – Similar pages -
File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat – View as HTML
Asset cost (which equals the present value of the lease payments). ….. present values of the lease payments for each asset discounted back to the date …
www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars/a11/2002/App_B.pdf – Similar pages –
Whereas many homes in the United States are currently assessed at values higher … Whereas because many property values have not been assessed since well …
thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:H.+Con.+Res.+88: – 7k – Cached – Similar pages -
(4) It is the established policy of the Congress that the wilderness, wildlife conservation, and park and recreational values of real property owned by the …
thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c101:H.R.4896.IH: – 12k – Cached – Similar pages -
`(H) IDENTIFICATION OF PROPERTIES OF SPECIAL VALUE- The Secretary of the Interior … `(O) DEFINITION OF PROPERTY HAVING VALUES OF SPECIAL SIGNIFICANCE- For …
thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c102:H.R.901.IH: – 14k – Cached – Similar pages -
Subsection 605(a) contains the standard Federal land exchange requirement that the values of the lands to be exchanged must be equal, as determined through …
thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/cpquery/?&sid=cp105t3thy&refer=&r_n=hr825.105&db_id=105&item=&sel… – 17k – Cached – Similar pages -
As Americans, we have a history of shared community values. The phrase, `your freedom ends, where my nose begins,’ expresses a commonly held view of the …
thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/cpquery/?&sid=cp104fOXlC&refer=&r_n=sr090.104&db_id=104&item=&sel… – 20k – Cached – Similar pages -
Whereas the strong values that The First Tee teaches to youth will positively … Whereas The First Tee has established and incorporated 9 core values that …
thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c108:S.+Res.+17: – 7k – Cached – Similar pages -
(B) if an additional conveyance of land is necessary to equalize the values of land exchanged after the conveyance of Parcel Two, an appropriate portion of …
thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/cpquery/?&sid=cp106D7ARv&refer=&r_n=sr215.106&db_id=106&item=&sel… – 13k – Cached – Similar pages -
(a) Equal Value Exchange- The values of the Offered Lands and Selected Lands– … If the Secretary and the State are unable to agree on the value of a …
thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c108:H.R.+5330: – 18k – Cached – Similar pages -
The order of deletion of lands to equalize values is modified. … Section 5(a) states that the values of the lands to be exchanged must be equal, …
thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/cpquery/?&sid=cp105w2SuW&refer=&r_n=sr401.105&db_id=105&item=&sel… – 13k – Cached – Similar pages -
(4) The applicant shall identify the values to be protected by inclusion of the lands in the program, management activities that are planned and the manner …
thomas.loc.gov/home/gpoxmlc111/h368_ih.xml – 20k – Cached – Similar pages –
I present these results before you as a way of illustrating what our government thinks of “values.” There’s emphasis on values of the past, values with regards to finances, and the justification for a particular action. I think it’s time we work on standardizing the results of this search within OUR government. I think it’s time we asked for 9/12 candidates to step forward. Download the flyer! Write a letter!
I particularly enjoyed the second search result under the whitehouse.gov search… You know the one that said: “It’s about our fundamental values.” I’m a little confused about what those are these days. It’s just really hard to tell by actions exactly what this means. Anyone else want to offer a good explanation, I’m all ears.
Let me give you all a quick look at what’s on the plate for this site:
Working with a co-author to produce a second version of the letter (something with a bit softer tone)
Working to fix the youtube video to conform with standard commercial lengths and generally better editing
Working with newspapers to publish articles about this part of the movement that’s afoot
Working to find someone to create a press-release for *free*
Working with various websites to coordinate and promote this site
Working with tea party organizers to have them pass out flyers at their Tax Day Tea Parties.
There’s still just me, and there’s a lot going on. I’m not complaining. I just wanted to give readers some sense of direction with where things are headed. But now it’s time for the good news.
How does 40 sound? In this case, it’s a good number. I’ve contact nearly every Tea Party organizer across the country and over 40 of them have responded and said “yes” to passing out flyers at their events. Some of the responses have been great!
Matthew wrote: I think what you are doing is great!
Hampton Roads Tea Party wrote: I’m sorry your senator is Mr.Dodd,but you are not alone,most of us around the country are not happy with ours either. The Capital has become a country club/retirement community. And its up to all of us to clean it up.
Amy wrote: I would love to help you. I am more than happy to distribute flyers at the event. Let me know when you have them ready.
Susan wrote: What a terrific idea. Let me coordinate with some people on this and get back to you….
Spencer wrote: I appreciate your efforts. Keep up the good work!
Jeanie wrote: You are an awsome soul and yes you are right on. Please send me all the information and instructions on exactly how to implement this new contract deal. I am very busy but I plan to follow suit in the same direction. I totally agree, 912 candidates would at least give us real choices that we could count on. Please send me your information and requests as soon as possible. I would like to share it with the other coordinators in New Mexico before the rally on the 15th. Thank you so much!!!!!!!!! God Bless You and God Bless America!
Ross wrote: I will read over your site and do what I can to support you. My wife and I homeschool our five small children (the oldest is 9) and are very active in our church and extended family. What you are doing sounds like the first step that NEEDS to be taken. We need to find good candidates and help get them elected through means other than money.
That’s not all the responses I’ve received, but it is a good sampling. There are other organizers who are so swamped they politely said they didn’t have the time–That’s OK. There’s really no requirement for the organizer to pass out flyers–anyone attending can do that!
If you plan on attending a tea-party print off a few of these flyers and pass them around. I’m sure none of the organizers will mind. There’s NO advertising on this site. I’m not asking for money. I’m not doing this for political or financial gain. Email your friends the flyer and everyone bring 12 of them to the tea party. This will not only bring printing costs down, but will be a great way to get involved. The flyer is set up to print double sided and get cut in half.
During my corrspondence with folks to try and get attention for this site I’ve used some of the following words, which may be of interest. If you’re composing an email to someone, writing a newspaper article, or preparing a blog post, please feel free to cut and paste below.
We now have the cruelest and most perverse form of representation. We have elected officials legally bound to represent their constituents without recognizing the values of their constituents. They believe they were elected based upon their agenda to serve the people, and while they have been pushing their agenda, we have seen the seeds of great harm in that agenda. Just like the Boston Tea Party money isn’t the problem, it’s an indication of the problem. These values don’t make a stand for or against “progressive government” but those in power now seem to treat our future earnings as their “petty cash fund.” I mean really, who’s ever heard of printing 1.2 trillion dollars in the middle of the week–just cus? Although it’s a gi-normous number it’s NOT necessarily the problem. It’s a symptom. It illustrates how far we’ve come from the basic values and principles that have helped make this country something worth dieing for.
The tea parties are great. They will get the media’s attention in a big way, but those memories will soon fade from the public unless they are followed by a movement. I think I’ve got a part of that movement in this project.
This is beyond political parties. This isn’t about bashing an administration. This project doesn’t stand against something… It stands FOR something. This is an invitation to commitment, to the people, and their representatives.
I’ve come to the sad conclusion that unless I get involved (though I may have sweated in far-off deserts) I may not be able to give my children the country I want them to have. Fighting for what’s right isn’t easy, but you can’t buy a clean conscience. You can only earn it..
We’re still at a stage where we need to let people know what’s going on. I still have to say things like “Spread the Word.” “Email your friends.” “Write your letters!” Post about this site in a forums like Glenn Beck’s The 9/12 project or The FOX Nation, as a comment to a newspaper article, or on any internet forum. I’ll do my best to work through my list of things to do, so it’ll make it easier for me to help you do these things. We’re off to a good start.
Value #12 is Gratitude: Thank you for visiting. I would like to offer this **digital bow of humility and kindness** for your reading this far.
If you're smart enough to be here, you're smart enough to contribute to solutions in America. We've empowered people in our government who are afraid to assume political risks.
Right now, representing constituents according to principles and values is considered too "politically risky." So let's say that another way: Representing YOU, the way YOU are, is politically too risky. If you think it's time to change that, you're in the right place.
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