The 9/12 Platform

Posted by Jacob Roecker on May 14, 2009 under Inspiration | 3043 Comments to Readhttp://912candidates.org/blog/2009/05/14/912-platform/The+9%2F12+Platform2009-05-14+11%3A58%3A53Jacob+Roecker

I have told people that what we’re doing here is possible, and that it will change the way our political system runs.  I have come across Mr. John Bates, a 9-1-1 Dispatcher in Detroit, who is running for office.  I haven’t officially announced him as a 9/12 Candidate (and wont until I can publish his contract).  I can’t avoid telling you about this man any more.  He took the time–as soon as he heard about what we were doing–and decided to issue his manifesto on the 9 principles and 12 values.

This is what a 9/12 Candidate looks like.

This is the breath of fresh air in our political system we need.

People who believe The Patriot Standard ought to be the American Standard are alive and now they’re seeking office.  I don’t know how you can lose a debate and believe these things.  Glenn Beck, will you moderate?

I would encourage ALL FUTURE 9/12 Candidates and 9/1 2 Constituents to take the time to comment their beliefs on each of these principles.

This post was pulled from John’s Site: http://thecitizenpatriot.wordpress.com/912/ and I will let it speak for itself:
There are several basic “pillars” that I believe will be crucial to taking our country back. The ideas are not new, but bear repeating here for the sake of my pending campaign. These were adopted from the grass-roots group “www.912candidates.org” (link), and will become my mantra in the coming months. Basically, the platform consists of nine simple principles and twelve values which articulate the beliefs that most folks instinctively abide by. Not only do I subscribe to these, but I will take a written oath to uphold them, if elected. My own thoughts are outlined in red text for clarity.

Nine Principles

1. America Is Good. (Actually, America is better than good – it is the greatest civilized society ever devised by modern man. What makes the U.S.A. so desirable that others will literally risk their lives to get to our shores ? It is the individual liberty so eloquently defined by our Constitution and Bill of Rights which enhances the opportunities for prosperity through determination, hard work, and the concept of private property rights.)

2. I believe in God and He is the center of my life. (I was raised a Christian, and married a Catholic girl. Together, we raised two handsome sons to adulthood – no small feat in these day and times, I’d say. It is this freedom to worship as we so choose that sets America apart from other societies. No matter whether you practice your faith in an organized religion or simply believe in a Higher Being, our democratic republic recognizes your right to worship as you choose….. I refer to it as individual liberty.)

3. I must always try to be a more honest person than I was yesterday. (As I begin to ease into the prime of life, I have become increasingly aware that how I live my life matters – no longer a carefree teen, I must weigh my life decisions against many different factors and life experiences. When all is said and done, I hope to be fondly remembered as a man of integrity that yearned to serve his country.)

4. The family is sacred. My spouse and I are the ultimate authority, not the government. (Not much I can add to this without becoming verbose, except to say that I intend to work very hard to get government off our backs and out of our collective wallets in order that individuals and families might thrive.)

5. If you break the law you pay the penalty. Justice is blind and no one is above it. (Our elected judges are one of the critical components of our society, and must be chosen wisely. In a lawful society, we must support law enforcement while insisting on rational justification for procedures that recognize and respect our inalienable rights. As a Senator, I would vehemently oppose any nomination of an “activist” judge to the Supreme Court, for that is not their proper role. More importantly, I would seek to affirm any justice that demonstrates a record of upholding the Constitution and our Bill of Rights as defined by our Founding Fathers.)

6. I have a right to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness, but there is no guarantee of equal results. (Actually, this particular principle is self explanatory for anyone with a lick of common sense, but perhaps I can elaborate just a bit – I am particularly disgruntled with the current crop of “professional politicians” on both sides which are marching our country away from capitalism toward a socialist “nanny state”. Conversely, I find it troubling that more and more Americans look to their government for solutions of every kind instead of solving their own problems with hard work and ambition. In my mind, there is but one “minority” that really counts – the individual. America has liberated millions of oppressed with one hand while feeding millions of hungry or starving people with the other – more than ANY other nation on the planet – because of our great wealth and sincere generosity toward those less fortunate.)

7. I work hard for what I have and I will share it with whom I please. Government cannot force me to be charitable through complicated schemes for distribution of wealth. (I have worked hard all my life for what little I have, and I’ll be damned if my government is going to keep taking and taking until – at some point – I, too, am clamoring for the government to take care of me. In my mind, “we are our brother’s keeper”, and should set an example for others to follow by helping others whenever and however possible. If your neighbor is ill and no one has cut their lawn, go over and mow the grass – how hard is that, really ? We must work to reverse the mind-set that others should provide the solutions to society’s ills, and recognize that each small act of kindness makes our country stronger. Charity really does begin at home, whether you live in a shack, on the family farm, or a suburban McMansion.)

8. It is not un-American for me to disagree with authority or to share my personal opinions. (This is exactly why I started this journey and this blog – the opinions expressed here are my own, and we may disagree on some issues, yet none of that negates our individual liberty. Heck, my own brother disagrees with some of my political ranting, yet we continue to love and respect and debate each other…. how great is that ? )

9. The government works for me. I do not answer to them, they answer to me. (Sadly, I have found myself thinking many times, “I love my country, but I fear my government”. For an in-depth look into just what I believe about our dysfunctional government, please read my blog entry entitled 545 People [link])

12 Values

1. Honesty (state my positions on a given issue with clarity, then stand on principle against those who would attempt to stray from the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.)

2. Reverence (Empathy…. the art of understanding another’s opinions or values without sacrificing or compromising my own.)

3. Hope (working to dismantle the barriers to individual liberty and prosperity so that every American has the best possible opportunities to achieve greatness as they define it.)

4. Thrift (spending no more than is reasonable and necessary, based on sound financial principles which rely on Constitutional authority as opposed to an unregulated Federal Reserve.)

5. Humility (I do not wish to go to Washington to become a wealthy career politician – I ask for one term to be judged on my performance based on these values and principles. I may or may not accomplish my objectives, but at least I’ll have the satisfaction of knowing I gave it my “best shot”.)

6. Charity (see #7, above)

7. Sincerity (With me, what you see is what you get – literally. I speak my mind, yet I am tolerant of others until their actions undermine my quest for individual liberty.)

8. Moderation (At this stage in my life, I’ve learned that moderation can be crucial to survival if properly applied.)

9. Hard Work (I enjoy my leisure time as much as anyone, but my work ethic is above reproach. As my Dad once said, “Boy, when you latch onto a project you just don’t give up !”) Fourteen and sixteen hour days are not uncommon for me, although I’m slowly trying to cut back on that just a bit. I might not be a “spring chicken” anymore, but I might just be that tortoise that makes it across the finish line !)

10. Courage (Again, self-explanatory. I have faced evil on the mean streets of Detroit as well as in the jungles of the Pacific …… that, plus I’ve been married for 27 years and raised two teenagers – I don’t scare easily.)

11. Personal Responsibility (see my blog entry regarding “Responsible Liberty” [link])

12. Gratitude (Every day above ground is a good day, made especially sweet by the liberty and inalienable rights bestowed upon us by God’s grace and the Constitution.)

It's a Movement :: Forward

Posted by Jacob Roecker on April 26, 2009 under Updates | 2504 Comments to Readhttp://912candidates.org/blog/2009/04/26/its-a-movement-forward/It%26%2339%3Bs+a+Movement+%3A%3A+Forward2009-04-27+04%3A11%3A26Jacob+Roecker

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?