Candidate Gut Check
Dec 30th, 2009 by Timothy Pancoast
To all those considering making a run for office in 2010, the year is almost here. Therefore I figure it’s a good time for a gut check. We can schedule another one for sometime in July when the filing deadline approaches.
It is resolution time, so lets check your resolve. If you are thinking about running for office or have already started here are some questions you may want to consider.
1. Do I believe in the Constitution of the United States of America and the principles that this nation was founded upon? Do I believe in the Delaware Constitution? Do I believe in the free market system? Do I believe in personal freedoms and personal responsibilities that come with them? Do I believe in the citizens of the state of Delaware and to what extent to I trust them?
If you can answer yes to most or all of those questions than you are off to a decent start. You might have what it takes to fill the office you want to campaign for. Skip to part 3. For every question that you answered no continue on with part 2.
2. Can I fake it? Can I live with myself and my family if I fake it? How long can I fake it? Can I fake it long enough to complete the next term in office? How long can I handle pretending to represent my constituents when I really don’t agree with or even like a lot of them?
If the answers tend to be negative, you may want to reconsider running for office at this time. The reason is that the next batch of Senators, Representatives, etc. is not going to have it as easy as their predecessors who got away with talking a good game during the campaign and did whatever they wanted in office because no one was paying attention. The citizens of Delaware, especially the Conservative ones are not going to leave you alone like they did other elected officials. We will be with you throughout the entire term of your office, and you are going to know we are there. If you are faking it and can’t keep up your charade we will know. We will either be your friends or thorns in your side and you will know well ahead of time if it will even be worth the effort to attempt another campaign.
3. If you believe in everything from item 1 are you willing to champion those things?
If you are that is what the now vocal Conservatives in Delaware want. Candidates that share our principles but don’t actively stand up for them are not adequate in this climate. Passive representatives and representatives that want to negotiate everything even those things that violate basic Constitutional principles or clearly go against the will of the people will have a hard time surviving in this time of political change.
If you take office in 2010 and you are not committed to the Constitution, the State, the Citizens, and Freedom I am afraid it will be a trial for you and for the people of Delaware. If you are committed then don’t hesitate. We need that kind of person in office it will be hard but we will be there for you. You will not be alone in standing for America. America will stand with you.
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It’s about damn time Tim! Thanks for putting this up. This is EXACTLY what’s been called for by Delaware Conservatives (and more and more Delaware cosnervatives are appearing).
Delaware needs people with common sense and a respect for our founding documents at the state and federal levels. Damnit we ARE the First State and we ought to act like it. We ARE the Fighting Blue Hens (known for their inability to quit and their hard fighting) and we must have leaders willing to stand up for that.
We need reforms that utilize the freedoms of our free market economy and make it easier for people to create things. We must bring more manufacturing jobs back to our state. We must PRODUCE something other than ulcers from our collections agents (sorry to you collections agents). We can do that here in this state in a reponsible way that respects open spaces, allows our agricutltural heritage to thrive and accomodates the needs of our citizens.
Delaware needs leadership who believes in the people of Delaware and not the people in Washington, D.C. It’s time that Delaware grew up. The people of Delaware are brilliant, hard working and vibrant people in most cases. Sure we’ve got places that need help, all states do but the people of Delaware have always been a source of pride. We’ve lost our way a bit on that because our elected officials have made us feel like we ARE inferior to the rest of the nation. I mean they’ve given away our electoral college votes to the whim of the rest of the nation… WHAT IS GOING ON!?!?
It’s time to say ENOUGH! Enough of government interference in my life, enough of govenment control of the economy, enough of government taking over private business. From George Bush to Obama, Teddy Roosevelt to Franklin Roosevelt enough is enough WE’VE HAD IT! By God we may be a small state but we have RIGHTS! WE of all people ought to know this because we were the first damn state to sign on to the Constitution. It was OUR vote cast on a midnight right by Ceaser Rodney in July of 1776 that helped make the Declaration of Independence a reality.
It’s time for the people of Delaware to understand that WE have the power. You, me, your neighbors…the power lies in OUR hands…not in theirs. They can only take the liberty we give them folks. We’ve given away all that they are taking now and we’ve done it by being silent, by being complacent and damnit we’ve done it by being PARTISAN. Both parties in this state SUCK and until one proves me otherwise to hell with em both. The local Democrat party might as well be the Obama echo machine and do we even HAVE a Republican party here? I mean jeez…you would think the party of Reagan and Lincoln might have some audacity…some drive and ambition to succeed you people SUCK! Not ONE voice amongst you. Not a single one of you out there opposing these things. Not even from the people in your party I respect the most…Where the hell are you Copeland?! Where the hell are you Bonini?! Cathcart?…hello? Anyone?! I have to admit…I could have just erased the above and reworded but I think though my words. So let me just say that I do hear 1 person ringing the damn freedom bell out of the Republican party and it’s Mike Protack. I suppose you could count Rick Jensen too but he’s a commentator and not a party guy persay.
So it’s not about the parties and I believe Tim P (and most other DP folks) would agree with me on that. It’s about candidates who get it. Forget the names out there today and look at who represents you. Look around you (in some cases look in the damn mirror) and find someone YOU know who you think gets you, gets it and can stand up for Delaware. Get them to feel that way. Whatever it takes, petitions, phone calls, emails, letters, money whatever you can do, do it. BE REPRESENTED…and stop letting the parties misrepresent you.
Long live Freedom, Liberty and Opportunity.
Mike Protack
Even for illegal aliens, right Mike?
Careful Tim, sounds like you want to “PURGE” the system of those you don’t agree with. Don’t you know that the only way to “WIN” is to support those who are “THE ONLY ONES WHO CAN WIN” as determined by those who know these things? If you start talking about holding leaders accountable to the principles that they held forth during elections and voting out those who don’t, well you are just talking crazy in the view of the long term political establishment.
What we really need are candidates who can lie and two face their way into office and that have the support of a political party that is more interested with party success then it is with the success of the state or nation. We need candidates that will vote with their party on every admendment of a bill , right up until it is time for an up or down vote and then votes with the opposition. What a great way to keep up their percentage of voting with their party. Oh and let us not forget that we need candidates that can smell the winds of change, you know the ones who vote counter to the wishes of the people and when the fire gets hot they attempt to tell the people that they had a come to Jesus moment and that in the future they will behave better.
If we listen to some out there in the political world we would be lead to believe that what we need are lying , two faced career politicians , as long as they have the support of the political machine and the people be damned. I say enough is enough and let the heads roll. We must let those who would seek office or re-election know, that status quo is no longer acceptable.
Thanks for your comments. I hope this helps some potential candidates make their choice. Maybe I should look into writing a voter’s/citizen’s gut check as well. I guess I’ll have to see what develops in my head.