Posted by Jacob Roecker on August 16, 2009 under Inspiration | 
I, Howard W. Houchen, pledge my Sacred Honor to representing my constituents by upholding these principles and values.
9 Principles
1. America is Good. I have been a blessed and fortunate soul throughout life to have been able to witness and experience the great things United States of America has accomplished both domestically and abroad. No one has ever claimed perfection relative to American goals and objectives…what can be certain is that throughout history, America has been the driving force behind lifting nations and individuals above tyranny, above lawlessness, and above abject poverty. Do these issues still exist? Of course they do, and the foreseeable future tells us they will continue for quite some time but in far fewer cases than had an America not existed. The charitable heart of the American character is clear and inarguable. The notion of American Exceptionalism is real and quantifiable, the furtherance of civil society and world-wide recognition, thought not always acceptance, of basic freedoms are deeds of GOOD!
2. I believe in God. He is the center of my life. I have never questioned the existence of God. Having been raised Church of Christ, I have learned He has always been and He shall always be. As the Creator of All, God is the center of my life and the center of every life. Though not always recognized or acknowledged by others, God is the reason of and for existence itself. Understanding and accepting that belief in God takes on many different meanings to many different individuals is key to accepting God as the center of one’s life.
3. I must always try to be a more honest person than I was yesterday. A history of honesty goes very far. Being honest frees the soul and frees resources. Dishonesty breeds contempt and distrust. To strive for honesty is a noble endeavor lost in today’s political environment, complete honesty is virtually extinct. Only through honesty can total trust be approached. The more we strive for, and achieve, honesty the more apt goals are to be achieved. It is my opinion that one is either honest or dishonest…there is no middle-ground. Being honest begins with being honest with oneself before you can be honest with others.
4. The family is sacred. My spouse and I are the ultimate authority, not the government. My wife and I have been married for 23 years. Our eldest son is 15 years of age and the youngest son is 8 years of age. As my wife and I learned the most important lessons of life from our families, our children will learn them from us. I consider my job as parent as the most important duty I have accepted in life. Our family is exactly what the term denotes: “OUR family”, not the governments’ family. Jeannie and I, through “consultative agreements” at times, possess the God given right as authority over OUR family. Government suasion to the contrary can not be allowed nor tolerated.
5. If you break the law you pay the penalty. Justice is blind and no one is above it. Immediately, the quote “we are a nation of laws, not men” comes to mind when discussing the above principle. Undoubtedly, this was the vision our Founders had at the outset of our current long-lasting experiment of self-governance. If we are a nation of laws, no man can be above the law, to be so would render the law itself illegitimate and justice would not be considered equal. If any one member of society is above the law, the power center entrusted with enforcing those laws would not be just.
The second part of this is the fact that we have become a nation of too many laws due to “majority whims”. There are actually very few pockets of individual liberty left untouched by some sort of law. With that being said, until such time as this issue addressed, based on the foundational morality of American law, we must remain a nation of equally just and equally binding laws.
6. I have a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, but there is no guarantee of equal results. This uniquely American Declaration, “…that they are endowed by their Creator, with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness” is a powerful testament to what has become known as the American Character and forms the base for achieving the American Dream. Government’s role is to set in place an environment where these three Rights can be enjoyed by the individual. What that individual does with these Rights is not up to government…it is up to the individual. To guarantee equal outcomes would be nothing short of the antithesis of what the founding principles outline. These Rights establish a productive work ethic…the Right and ability to keep the fruits of one’s labor. If one individual chooses not to be as industrious as the next, where is the incentive for increased productivity and ingenuity?
7. I work hard for what I have and I will share it with who I want to. Government cannot force me to be charitable. Directly related to the above principle…the coercive nature of government confiscation of legally obtained property for redistribution, based on the premise of taking care of others, runs against the grain of Our Founders intents and the purpose of the Constitution. History proves that the American heart is a charitable heart; government efforts at forced charity only dampen this spirit.
8. It is not un-American for me to disagree with authority or to share my personal opinion. On the contrary, it is un-American to blindly follow authority without voicing personal opinions that run counter to that elected authority. It is OUR patriotic duty and OUR right, as responsible self-governing citizens, to question authority when we believe that authority has overstepped its Constitutional boundaries. Not doing so only serves to embolden those who are interested in the acquisition and maintenance of power rather than proper representation of their constituents.
9. The government works for the people. The people do not answer to the government; the government answers to the people. Our Founders were quite clear and specific regarding this principle: We are, very simply, a Government of the People…meaning representation is derived from the citizenry, By the People…meaning the citizens choose, through the exercise of the vote, who among Us will represent Us, For the People…meaning those chosen by Us to represent Us, work for Us. When a time comes where American citizens must answer to government, we have lost that which is most precious…Freedom.
12 Values
1. Honesty: Unadulterated honesty can be cruel or it can be sweet. Regardless of the outcome, it builds trust. For far too long the lack of honesty, emanating from the halls of congress has fostered an environment of mistrust. Mistrust among the political creatures that inhabit its offices and mistrust between the constituents and the elected officials. Honesty, be it tough truth or easy truth, must become the order of the day.
2. Reverence: The deep-seated feelings of respect and honor I feel for God, Country and family. The wise fore-telling words of Our Founders and subsequent generations who fought and died for Our liberty should be held in awe.
3. Hope: That which each successive generation should have that theirs will not be the last to have at least the same chances as the one preceding it to achieve the American Dream. The ability to realistically dream that the ideal of a free prosperous America will never cease to exist, that is Hope!
4. Thrift: That which is required for sound money management? Do not spend all that you have, save a portion. Government and Thrift should be synonymous rather that laughed at when uttered together.
5. Humility: The realization and acceptance that we all are but people, citizens of the same great nation. No one is above or below me, we are all equals. I do not demand respect, if respect is given that is the free choice of others.
6. Charity: Is what defines the human spirit. It is an innate value that calls to every single one of us at various times throughout life. It is that inner call to help, to assist, to give. We all deal with this value in different ways. Some are able to ignore what they know is right…most, however, heed the call and do what is right.
7. Sincerity: Is derived form the heart, when one speaks from the heart it is clear for all who is present to judge. The American people have become attuned to the sincerity, or lack thereof, of their elected officials.
8. Moderation: I take this as avoiding excess in virtually every aspect of life. Personal moderation will translate into professional moderation. Government exists in the realm of excess, what is required is moderation of these excessive tendencies.
9. Hard Work: I can not help it…”Endeavor to persevere” are the words that come to mind when considering the value hard word. No matter what it takes…accomplish the goal. This value is ingrained into my being, as if it were hereditary. One of the most memorable compliments I ever received was from an individual who had worked directly with a family member. He stated he knew of only one other person that worked as hard as that family member I refer to…and he pointed to me. If you work hard and work smart, life will be easier.
10. Courage: The notion that I can face adversity, sometimes laced with fear, and still stand up for what I believe is right and just. I believe that courage consists of the ability and fortitude to stand on principle, when many others will not.
11. Personal Responsibility: I have the Right to make choices…I am obligated to the outcome of those choices. If the outcome is positive or if the outcome was not the desired effect, I am responsible for making the choice. The burden lies with me and no one else.
12. Gratitude: Being grateful or thankful to or for someone or for something. This value seems to be faltering, like so many others today. I am always reminding myself to acknowledge others for their deeds and words of kindness. The sincere, outward, expression of gratitude reveals a soul is not self-centered.
Posted by Jacob Roecker on August 3, 2009 under 9/12 Candidates |
Extracted from (houchenforcongress.com):
Howard W. Houchen is a proud Oklahoman, a Reagan Conservative and constitutionalist. He is a small businessman and graduate of University of Oklahoma with a degree in Political Science and a Masters degree in National Security Studies from American Military University.
Over the past few years, his disappointment relative to American governance has sharpened. Seeing the travesty which is occurring to the country that he loves culminating in the truly shocking ways our current make up of American government disregards the rule book by which we are to govern ourselves…the U.S. Constitution. This, coupled with its unprecedented central planning system power grabs as well as its take over private companies, which in all of recorded history has ended poorly for the countries in which this happened and the flood of requests from private citizens for Howard to seek public office, has prompted his decision to run for U.S. Congress
In early 2009 Howard became a Contributing Author to American Daily Review, joining the likes of David Horowitz, U.S. Senator Jim DeMint, Mansoor Ijaz, Maj. General Paul Valley (US Army Ret.), and many others who also contribute writings to this Conservative media. He also contributes to American Pundit, and is a contributing author to Canada Free Press His articles have been picked up and redistributed by several national media outlets and is fast becoming recognized as a “Common Sense” conservative voice.
Howard Houchen’s family moved back to Hugo, Choctaw County, OK when he was three in 1969, returning to their hometown rich with their families’ Oklahoma heritage. A fourth generation Oklahoma family on both sides of the family tree, Houchen’s great-grandfather, John “Mack”Houchen had ‘walked’ from Kentucky to Indian Territory in S.E. Oklahoma prior to Statehood, settling where what would become home for all of the generations of the family to follow.
Howard attended Hugo Public School System until 1978, when his step-father accepted the position of Drilling Operations Manager in Banda Aceh in the S.E. Asian country of Indonesia. After attending junior high at Medan International School and the first part of high school at the Singapore American School in the Republic of Singapore, he returned to Hugo, and graduated from Hugo High School in 1984. Throughout his schooling, Howard developed his love of football, and played every chance he had – even winning the American League Championship as a member of the Singapore American School Aggies. Upon his return to Hugo he proudly played for the Hugo Buffaloes, still treasuring the friendships made while playing for his hometown team. After high school Howard attended the University of Oklahoma and graduated in 1988 with B.A., Political Science, while working full-time to pay for college and already married for three years at the time of his graduation to his lovely wife Jeannie Leigh Houchen.
In December 1988 Howard began working for Parker Drilling Company, assisting in projects based in Papua New Guinea, South Africa, Gabon, Sao Tome & Principe, and The Congo. He has lived, worked, or traveled extensively in Australia, Austria, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, France, Germany, Italy, South Africa, and Great Britain, just to name a few of the 45 nations Howard has spent time in. During his work in South Africa for Parker, he served as a substitute teacher in Johannesburg, teaching high school students History.
In 1993, the couple happily returned home to Hugo to ready for the birth of their first son Collin Lee Houchen, born in April, 1994. He also served Hugo on the City Council, fulfilling an unexpired term of another councilman in 1995, assisting in transitioning the city from a mayoral to a city manager form of government. Second son Jared Melvin-Wayne Houchen followed in April, 2001.
A short time later, Howard began managing the operations of a fledgling family business, All American Garage Doors, Inc. While serving as Operations Manager of this small business full-time, he completed his Master of Arts in National Security Studies, with Honors, in 2004 from American Military University.
Howard is an active member of the Hugo community, from coaching a Hugo Buffaloes Little League Football team in 2005 to helping coach another Hugo Buffalo Little League Football team, of which his youngest son Jared was a player, to a Super Bowl Championship in 2008. The couple’s oldest son, Collin, now plays for the Hugo High School Buffaloes, and Howard and Jeannie are present at every game to cheer on their hometown team. Howard is the team’s “unofficial” photographer and documents every aspect of the season culminating in him donating a CD presentation to each member of the team and staff. He and his family are avid hunters and fishers, treasuring the outdoor life and family activities plentiful in our beautiful state and abundant in our rural communities.
More Information
Contract || houchenforcongress.com || Twitter || FaceBook || Newsletter
All readers are welcome to comment on this particular announcement or offer further information using the comment feature below. Often times (though not always) the candidate will also use the forum to respond. Please express yourself with civility, read the comment guidelines, and we look forward to hearing from you.
| Howard W. Houchen is a proud Oklahoman, a Reagan Conservative and constitutionalist. He is a small businessman and graduate of University of Oklahoma with a degree in Political Science and a Maters degree in National Security Studies from American Military University. |
| Over the past few years, his disappointment relative to American governance has sharpened. Seeing the travesty which is occurring to the country that he loves culminating in the truly shocking ways our current make up of American government disregards the rule book by which we are to govern ourselves…the U.S. Constitution. This, coupled with its unprecedented central planning system power grabs as well as its take over private companies, which in all of recorded history has ended poorly for the countries in which this happened and the flood of requests from private citizens for Howard to seek public office, has prompted his decision to run for U.S. Congress |
| In early 2009 Howard became a Contributing Author to American Daily Review, joining the likes of David Horowitz, U.S. Senator Jim DeMint, Mansoor Ijaz, Maj. General Paul Valley (US Army Ret.), and many others who also contribute writings to this Conservative media. He also contributes to American Pundit, and is a contributing author to Canada Free Press His articles have been picked up and redistributed by several national media outlets and is fast becoming recognized as a “Common Sense” conservative voice. |
| Howard Houchen’s family moved back to Hugo, Choctaw County, OK when he was three in 1969, returning to their hometown rich with their families’ Oklahoma heritage. A fourth generation Oklahoma family on both sides of the family tree, Houchen’s great-grandfather, John “Mack”Houchen had ‘walked’ from Kentucky to Indian Territory in S.E. Oklahoma prior to Statehood, settling where what would become home for all of the generations of the family to follow. |
| Howard attended Hugo Public School System until 1978, when his step-father accepted the position of Drilling Operations Manager in Banda Aceh in the S.E. Asian country of Indonesia. After attending junior high at Medan International School and the first part of high school at the Singapore American School in the Republic of Singapore, he returned to Hugo, and graduated from Hugo High School in 1984. Throughout his schooling, Howard developed his love of football, and played every chance he had – even winning the American League Championship as a member of the Singapore American School Aggies. Upon his return to Hugo he proudly played for the Hugo Buffaloes, still treasuring the friendships made while playing for his hometown team. After high school Howard attended the University of Oklahoma and graduated in 1988 with B.A., Political Science, while working full-time to pay for college and already married for three years at the time of his graduation to his lovely wife Jeannie Leigh Houchen. |
| In December 1988 Howard began working for Parker Drilling Company, assisting in projects based in Papua New Guinea, South Africa, Gabon, Sao Tome & Principe, and The Congo. He has lived, worked, or traveled extensively in Australia, Austria, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, France, Germany, Italy, South Africa, and Great Britain, just to name a few of the 45 nations Howard has spent time in. During his work in South Africa for Parker, he served as a substitute teacher in Johannesburg, teaching high school students History. |
| In 1993, the couple happily returned home to Hugo to ready for the birth of their first son Collin Lee Houchen, born in April, 1994. He also served Hugo on the City Council, fulfilling an unexpired term of another councilman in 1995, assisting in transitioning the city from a mayoral to a city manager form of government. Second son Jared Melvin-Wayne Houchen followed in April, 2001. |
| A short time later, Howard began managing the operations of a fledgling family business, All American Garage Doors, Inc. While serving as Operations Manager of this small business full-time, he completed his Master of Arts in National Security Studies, with Honors, in 2004 from American Military University. |
| Howard is an active member of the Hugo community, from coaching a Hugo Buffaloes Little League Football team in 2005 to helping coach another Hugo Buffalo Little League Football team, of which his youngest son Jared was a player, to a Super Bowl Championship in 2008. The couple’s oldest son, Collin, now plays for the Hugo High School Buffaloes, and Howard and Jeannie are present at every game to cheer on their hometown team. Howard is the team’s “unofficial” photographer and documents every aspect of the season culminating in him donating a CD presentation to each member of the team and staff. He and his family are avid hunters and fishers, treasuring the outdoor life and family activities plentiful in our beautiful state and abundant in our rural communities. |
I, Howard W. Houchen, pledge my Sacred Honor to representing my constituents by upholding these principles and values.
