Don’t Get Mad, Get Even…

Campaign For Liberty — Don’t Get Mad, Get Even….

via Gary North.

A musician named Dave Carroll recently had difficulty with United Airlines.United apparently damaged his treasured Taylor guitar ($3500) during a flight. Dave spent over nine months trying to get United to pay for damages caused by baggage handlers to his custom Taylor guitar. During his final exchange with the United Customer Relations Manager, he stated that he was left with no choice other than to create a music video for You Tube, exposing their lack of cooperation. The manager responded, “Good luck with that one, pal.” He posted the following retaliatory video on You Tube. The video has since received over 5.5 million hits. United Airlines contacted Carroll and attempted settlement in exchange for pulling the video. Naturally, his response was, “Good luck with that one, pal.”

Taylor Guitars sent Carroll two new custom guitars in appreciation for product recognition resulting from the video that has led to a sharp increase in orders.

The video now has more than 6.5 million views.

 

 

http://www.garynorth.com/public/5823.cfm

Vote Early and Vote Often

It seems that all we’ve been doing lately is voting.  The Primary.  The runoff for the primary.  Now City Council and School Board Elections.  Its fatiguing and tough to keep up with!

Don’t lose heart.  Get out there and vote again!  And please vote for Jess Fields.  We need a rational, limited-government person on our council. 

The True Economy in College Station

How often do we look at our neighbors and think they are doing well?  Nice house, two cars that are less than three years old each, kids in private school, yearly family vacation.  And then you receive a phone call from a bill collector trying to reach your neighbor.  Suddenly, your perspective changes.  No longer are they your secret envy. .  Your neighbors are in debt and it’s falling apart. 

Most Americans have debt.  It’s bad, and we know it, but we just can’t resist having everything we want.  Maybe our parents didn’t tell us no enough.  Or maybe it was too much.  Either way, we are a consumer-driven economy.  We consume more than we make, both on an industrial level and on an income level.  What is an acceptable portion of your income to devote to debt?  10%?  20%?  What about over 50%?  Most households would be in serious trouble if they spent 50% of their income on debt interest.  That’s when you put the house on the market, enroll the kids in public school, file for bankruptcy, and pray it all comes together before you lose everything.  Depending on where you live, you may have already seen families go through financial crisis.  We will continue to see it until we fix the root problem of material gluttony. 

Spending more than we make is one of the biggest problems facing our nation, from individual households to every level of government.  The City of College Station is no stranger to debt.  Over 50% of the property tax revenue goes towards debt.   The City of College Station is in a dangerous financial situation that needs swift and dramatic action.  We need a City Council that will boldly empower the city staff to make tough decisions, cut spending, and cut projects.  Unfortunately, College Station is on a business as usual path.  We continue to spend.  We continue with expensive parks and projects.  The City of College Station is not taking drastic enough measures to ensure the financial stability of our city and reduce the burden on its residents.

Can you imagine a debt free College Station?  Instead of paying interest on debt, the city could improve services, parks, or roads.  We could reduce the city property tax by half!  More money in your pocket means more to spend in the local economy.  The next time there is a bond election, remember you are voting on adding more debt.  You are voting for higher taxes and fewer services.  You are voting for future instability.

The City Council is the first line of defense when it comes to debt and spending.  We must demand that our council be frugal and make the tough cuts necessary to reduce our debt.  They must put an end to unnecessary bond requests.  We can’t afford everything we want.  Risking our future on non-essentials that do not build our local economy is poor stewardship. 

Jess Fields, candidate for Place 2, is concerned about our amount of debt.  He understands that unpopular decisions must be made, and he’s willing to do that.  Mr. Fields loves College Station and wants to see it grow and prosper.  With an enormous debt burden, not only can College Station not reach its potential, it is at grave risk of financial turmoil.  In May, citizens must elect someone who will take a strong stand on economics in College Station.  We must elect Jess Fields. 

History or Death

On February 24, 1836, during Santa Anna’s siege of the Alamo, Travis wrote a letter addressed “To the People of Texas and All Americans in the World”:

Fellow citizens and compatriots;

I am besieged, by a thousand or more of the Mexicans under Santa Anna. I have sustained a continual Bombardment and cannonade for 24 hours and have not lost a man. The enemy has demanded a surrender at discretion, otherwise, the garrison are to be put to the sword, if the fort is taken. I have answered the demand with a cannon shot, and our flag still waves proudly from the walls. I shall never surrender or retreat. Then, I call on you in the name of Liberty, of patriotism & everything dear to the American character, to come to our aid, with all dispatch. The enemy is receiving reinforcements daily and will no doubt increase to three or four thousand in four or five days. If this call is neglected, I am determined to sustain myself as long as possible and die like a soldier who never forgets what is due to his own honor & that of his country. Victory or Death.

William Barret Travis

Lt. Col. Comdt.

P.S. The Lord is on our side. When the enemy appeared in sight we had not three bushels of corn. We have since found in deserted houses 80 or 90 bushels and got into the walls 20 or 30 head of Beeves.

Travis

He gave this letter to courier Albert Martin to deliver. The envelope that contained the letter was labeled “Victory or Death”.  The letter, while unable to bring aid to the garrison at the Alamo, did much to motivate the Texan army and helped to rally support in America for the cause of Texan independence. It also cemented Travis’s status as a hero of the Texas Revolution.

As I travel these United States, I’ve met many patriots who are in awe at Texans’ knowledge of their own history.  Texas children learn Texas history starting in kindergarten.  A full year is devoted to it in middle school.  The knowledge and understanding of our rich and self-determining past contributes to the character of our people today.  Texans have an independent streak.  We’ll take of ourselves, thank you.  We don’t need someone in a far away state to tell us how to take care of the vast lands that sustain the good people of Texas.  From rivers and lakes, to forests and prairies, to the coastal beaches, Texas is natural and beautiful.  We have industry, technology, and a massive economy.  We make our own rules, ones that work for us.  Texas is like this because we understand that no one can take care of you better than you.

Teach your children history.  If they don’t get it in school, then teach it at home.  Volunteer at your local school to read books on history or teach a lesson.  Donate videos to your local schools.  Help sponsor a reenactment or a trip to a museum.  The drive to have every child pass standardized tests crowds out frivolous topics like history.  Help your local schools bring history back to the classroom.

I grew up in the shadow of the San Jacinto Monument.  Countless time during my childhood I toured the grounds, climbed the trees, and picnicked by the murky reflection pool.  I may not have fully understood the history of that place, but I knew that when the people who are in charge of you are bad and awful, and there is no hope of remedy, you leave.  Even if you have to fight to the death to do it.  Am I saying Texas should secede?  No.  However, we must realize that freedom always involves sacrifice.  Sacrifice of your time, your money, your reputation.  What are you willing to give to ensure liberty continues?  In the words of the United States Declaration of Independence, “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.”

Jess Fields for College Station City Council

College Station City Council needs a new perspective.  It is littered with nannies who long to control the everyday lives of its citizens.  They desire a uniform community that is healthy, green, and walks in lockstep.  Did you cross the street correctly?  Is the seedling in your front yard in the correct location and the proper diameter?  Did you stop your vehicle behind the white line for at least 3 seconds before turning right on red?  Do all the businesses have matching hedges?  Welcome to College Station, Texas.  In a few years, we’ll all dress like the Cleavers and have a town full of Stepford wives. 

College Station focuses on revenue and appearance. Red Light Cameras, jay-walking tickets, speed traps, and exploding property taxes.  Trees, greenways, brick trimmed sidewalks, and painted overpasses.  In College Station, crime doesn’t pay, so little is done about patrolling areas prone to vehicle burglaries and home invasions.  Catching the crooks costs the city money; whereas, writing tickets to a drunk college students for staggering across the street generates an amazing amount of quick cash.   Our police department is filled with dedicated and honorable men and women who must follow orders.  Instead of serving and protecting, they are babysitting, by order (not choice). 

Government should never be in business.  There is no profit motive because government has an endless stream of money (taxes).  Whether it’s the Postal Service, Medicare, the San Antonio Convention Center, or the Brazos County Expo Center, when government goes into business, it doesn’t profit.  And it rarely breaks even.  If private business sees no value in an endeavor, why would we use tax dollars to take on the failing project?  La Salle Hotel, anyone?  College Station doesn’t have a massive convention center because it is not a profitable endeavor.  We are a smallish city that is not connected by any decent transportation.  Our airport is miniscule with minimal flights to two cities.  There are no interstates here.  When Dell is planning its next big conference, College Station doesn’t come to mind.  This isn’t Field of Dreams.  If you build it, they still won’t come.

Enter Jess Fields.  Finally, someone with common sense.  Mr. Fields is a business owner.  He understands that government can’t magically do what business can’t.  The more regulations you place on businesses, the less they profit.  Failing businesses don’t hire people.  And they don’t pay taxes.  Mr. Fields knows this firsthand.  When his business is doing well, he contributes much to our community.  We need strong, healthy, vibrant businesses in College Station to bring jobs, diversity, and revenue to our city.  Jobs and a variety of businesses will draw new residents to our community.  Two-inch seedlings will not. 

Mr. Fields also recognizes that we cannot continue to ignore the Aggie population.  Many revenue generating programs are targeted at the students.  They are viewed as the city’s cash cow.  Perhaps a new attitude towards the students would help ease the strained relations between the permanent residents and the younger people. 

Communication is a central theme for Jess Fields.  He wants to know what the citizens think.  Unlike some of our current council members, Jess Fields will sincerely listen to residents.  He won’t be condescending or ignore what people have to say.  From his website:

Here are a few specific things that I promise to do to maintain constant communication with my constituents, the people of our community:

• Twice-a-month town hall meetings either the Wednesday night before, or the weekend after, City Council meetings in order to hear out the concerns of residents on specific issues coming forth on the agenda or being dealt with at the time
• An e-mail list that I will maintain of any resident that wants to sign up, to inform them of important issues regarding the city council and to solicit feedback regarding issues throughout the city
• A website where citizens can keep track of what I’m doing on the council, including the ability to comment on issues that I post up
• I will make every effort to attend as many of your group and organizational meetings as I can in order to ascertain what issues are important to your part of the community

Jess Fields addresses neighborhood issues, including Home Owners Associations, property rights, rental properties, and major developments.  His well thought out platform tackles city debt, property taxes, the convention center, regulations, police and fire salaries, core services, housing affordability, and Northgate.  Mr. Fields is serious about serving you on College Station City Council.  Take the time to read  his website, watch his videos, and meet him.  He deserves your vote.

http://www.jessfields.com/

Brazos County Republican Party Convention

On March 20, 2010 the Brazos County Republican Party had its county convention.  The two main goals of this convention are to develop a platform to send to the Republican Party of Texas and to nominate delegates and alternate delegates to represent the county at the State Convention.  The general mood of the convention was good.  The hostility that many felt in 2008 had dissipated, as had the number of people in attendance.  The convention was as quick as it could be and orderly.

My first concern was the attendance.  All the county and SD conventions were held on the same day, so I will assume this was dictated at the state level.  Perhaps, the state should realize that Spring Break occurs in March.  Of course, there are still plenty in state and county leadership that are scared to death of those young people (ie anyone under 40).  I hope that the choice of a Spring Break weekend was not an intentional ploy to exclude young people.  If it was, it backfired.  Yes, college students travel on Spring Break.  So do parents and grandparents.  Attendance was pitiful in our county.  Spring Break certainly contributed to the low turnout.  What I wonder is where are all these people who claim to be the grassroots?  They get offended when they are called Astroturf, but they don’t bother to show up for the grassroots process of developing the platform for the Republican Party of Texas.  The convention process isn’t entertaining or glamorous, but it is a necessary evil.  Even if you’re against the two-party system, we still have it.  If we ever do move out of the two-party system, it won’t be anytime soon.  Those who are working within the party system best put some effort into fixing the system.  It will never be perfect, but it could be better.  To all these people complaining about Obama, the Democrats, or even the Republican Party: Show up or Shut up.

The resolutions that formed our county platform were very good for the most part.  The Resolutions Committee seemed open to adding resolutions at the convention as well as making corrections.  Many of our resolutions aimed at steering the Party back to its true conservative roots.  The truth is the Republican Party was far more libertarian than it is today.  The sad thing is that most Republicans today think libertarian means liberal.  They don’t understand that libertarians simply want the government out of their lives, something most Republicans long for.  As author and blogger Jason Mattera said in his speech to the CPAC convention, “Hey jackass, get your government off my freedom!”  That sentiment is held by both Libertarians and Republicans.  Many of our resolutions sought to remove the government from our daily lives, and I applaud that.  The main complaint was that the precinct resolutions were not carefully read.  The Committee steered the resolutions in the direction of their choosing instead of forming the platform based solely on the resolutions from the Precinct Conventions.  I was not on the Resolutions Committee, so I cannot confirm this claim.  If you don’t like the way the resolutions were selected or the resulting platform, now is the time to ask to be on the Resolutions Committee in 2012.

The Nominations Committee was the worst creature by far.  The tradition of giving candidates, elected officials, and judges delegate spots as an honor defeats the purpose of the grassroots process.  They already make decisions in their elected positions.  Why let them co-opt the grassroots process as well?  Many of our top delegates and alternates did not bother to show up to their Precinct Conventions or the County Convention.  They will likely not attend the State Convention either.  The convention process should be reserved for the grassroots to make their voices heard.  Hardworking grassroots activists were pushed out due to these honorary positions.  Brazos County has less of a voice in the RPT now because these “honored” people will likely not show up.  If a candidate or elected official participates in the process and works hard for the Party, then give him the slot.  But if they only show up when it’s time to campaign, they do not deserve the honor of being a delegate or alternate.  The same goes for their spouses.  A percentage of slots should be reserved for those new to the Party.  There will always be people joining in who are eager to get to work.  We need to plug them in immediately.  Don’t tell them to go to luncheons and work their way up.  If they’re ready to work now, put them to work.  We need the energy, and we need the workers!  The application process to be a delegate to the State Convention needs to change as well.  Many people never received an application,  and most received their applications after the slate of delegates and alternates were chosen.  This lack of organization contributes to the belief that our Party is just another Good Ol’ Boy network.  Nothing will change until the existing Party dies out (which will happen sooner than later considering how few young people are allowed to participate).  Candidates should encourage their campaign teams to participate in their Precinct Conventions and hold election watch parties after the Conventions.  Poll workers should be assigned to their own Precincts if possible, to allow their participation in the Precinct Conventions.  Our Precinct Convention did not begin until all the poll workers were finished.  Efforts must be made to allow these faithful volunteers to have a voice in the grassroots process.  If we truly want change in our Party and our nation, we must work diligently to ensure maximum participation.