Primary Elections

If you weren't aware, 2010 primary elections are coming up on Tuesday, May 18th. Get out and vote! The primaries are very important, especially with the political climate as it is right now. It has never been more important to participate in this process of voting. I've heard many discussions about how unimportant primaries are compared to November. This is not true!

You're much more likely to hear more information now than after the primaries. After the primaries, campaigns are very targeted... you don't hear from those that lost in the primaries so much anymore. The press doesn't want to cover these individuals... and what a shame if you miss out on a candidate that could represent you! NOW is the time to get to know the candidates. Educate yourself on the issues, the candidates and for Pete's sake, cast your votes! If you neglect this opportunity, you're really missing out on the good stuff.

Platforms change as a result of primaries all the time. Sometimes a close primary will sway a 'winner' to adopt a platform they wouldn't have considered otherwise... show us what you're made of now with your votes and you're much more likely to attain fair representation in November... the candidates all pay attention to one another's campaigns... this is good for We, the People.

If you've never participated in a primary election before... start NOW. If you've never participated in a non-presidential election, start NOW. It's as good a time as any. Many of us have begun waking up and opening our eyes to what's going on in our country right now. Participating in your local elections is the first step toward a brighter future. Let your voice be heard and cast your votes! Polls open at 6:00 am and close at 6:00 pm Tuesday.

In the interest of full disclosure, I should add that Kentucky has 'Closed Primary Elections.' What this means is that you must have registered as either a Republican or a Democrat by December 31, 2009 to vote in a party primary... but you can still vote in the nonpartisan city and judicial primaries. So... if you're registered, VOTE, VOTE, VOTE! If you're registered otherwise (i.e. Independent Libertarian, etc...) you should STILL VOTE in the nonpartisan primary!!!

Until next time, friends, be heard.

The Constitution

Why we've stopped teaching the U.S. Constitution in schools is beyond me. I charge anyone reading this with children to ask their school not if but WHEN they'll be covering the U.S. Constitution and participate with your child in learning the history of this great document. It is our mission statement as a country, our values clarification. It staggers my mind that there some immigrants know the document better than many born here.

Don't take it for granted. It's never too late. If you've never read it, I charge you to do so now. If you have read it, read it again with the new eyes of a citizen waking up to our new reality.

You can read the document here. Do so now.

With Great Respect,

Dave Capano

New Strategy for November?

There is so much wrong with the status-quo that it's difficult for the average American to wade through all the political banter and get to the facts. We're bombarded with distractions from both sides. Here are just a few of the issues distracting all of us (myself included) from what's *really* important right now:

Nuclear Security

Supreme Court Judges

Don't Ask - Don't Tell

Unemployment

Wall Street Reform / Bailouts

Healthcare Reform

Deficit

Accountability

Chicago Politics in Washington

Navy Seals Under Fire in Court

Our Formerly Friendly Relationship with Israel

Iran

I could keep going, but you get the point.

No matter which of the above (or those not listed) you find personally most important and in need of change, could it be that we're hacking at the branches and neglecting the roots of our problems?

Healthcare is huge. We need good healthcare reform that works, provides opportunity to all Americans and does *not* bankrupt our country and that fosters independent will and responsibility, not dependence.

However, is that what we want to concentrate on, FIRST? I suggest not. I suggest that be item number 2. Friends, it is with humility that I suggest you vote (regardless of your party affiliation) only for congressional candidates this November that will run on a platform of establishing TERM LIMITS FOR CONGRESS as their Number 1 Priority. Everything else is secondary. It's time to put down some sacred cows and vote in Americans that will assure our future is with a truly representative government for posterity.

Should you need any proof for the need for term limits for Congress (and I don't think, my educated fair minded friends that you do) just look up some history on the 22nd amendment to the U.S. Constitution and Woodrow Wilson's presidency. All we're seeing today is the natural consequence of ignoring lessons learned from our history.

If it's good enough for the President of the United States, it's good enough for Congress.

"I'm Dave Capano and I approve this message."

Generations X and Y... I WANT YOU!!!

Talk to any member of generations x or y and you'll get an animated story about what is going on in our country right now. The problem has never lain with our lack of awareness, but with our lack of action.

It's time to step up to the plate. You say you're tired of the 'status-quo.'

You say you're tired of bureaucrats choosing everything for you.

You say you're worried about your kids future.

You say you have the answers.

You say thing will be better when _______.

Time to put up or shut up, folks. Either get out of the way and allow the country to continue down the road it's on now, or step up to the plate and take a swing! The only way change will happen peacefully in this country is if those that want it change it.

"A little less talk, a lot more action" is needed, my friends. If you sit on your couch and wait for someone else to take care of it for you, I've got news for you... they will! It's high time that we have a majority of folks in Washington represent the rest of us. The only way for that to happen is for 'the rest of us' to 'Go to Washington.'

If you won't run, then find someone who *is* running that will represent you. You'll only know this by meeting them... personally. So go out and meet them, find out what's in their hearts. When you know you've found a good human being, support them in their campaign. If you don't find a good human being running for office, what can you do? Are we doomed? No! Run for office!

Goodnight friends. Fight the good fight. I'll leave you with words of wisdom from a man much greater than I at my current state in life.

"Be the change you want to see in the world." ~ Mahatma Gandhi

We Forgive... but NEVER Forget

Over the past few days, President Barack Obama has gestured to the center on some issues. I applaud the president for being presidential and encourage this activity to continue. However, it must be noted that these gestures are 'too little, too late' when it comes to the 2012 election.

The president visited Afganistan on Sunday and spoke to our troops there. This was the president's first visit to the country since taking the seat in the White House. Americans are proud of our troops and support them, and I applaud the president for at least visiting... heck, even for a good speech. But Mr. President, we were paying attention and we have not forgotten. We were paying attention to the extremely short nature of your visit. We paid attention that you went in under the cover of night. We couldn't help but remember as you said "America doesn't quit. You don't quit. We don't quit. We're not going to!" that it wasn't long ago you said in reference to our troops in Afghanistan "We've got to get the job done there and that requires us to have enough troops so that we're not just air-raiding villages and killing civilians..." and of course, we know when General McChrystal requested 40,000 troops, you took months to fulfill the request, sending fewer than requested by your trusted advisor on the ground. We also didn't forget what you said about our troops in Iraq, Mr. President, calling for an early withdrawal. We hope you mean what you said to our troops on Sunday, sir. We applaud you for it, but you'll have to excuse us when as we learn from history and see this as a good political move for your party right now. We support you in doing it, but question your character due to your very own words to the contrary, spoken just months ago.

President Obama announced today that he is open to considering the possibility of drilling to become energy independent. All this was surrounded with talk about being competitive, saving and creating jobs for the American people. Mr. President, we thank you for your words, finally considering this vastly bi-partisan movement that you rejected so critically on your campaign trail. However, 'the proof is in the pudding' and don't think we didn't notice that you won't actually authorize any exploration 'on the ground' until 2012.

I've talked about this already, but to review: we paid attention to the healthcare bill too. We know why the really good stuff won't take effect until 2012, and we know why the most heinous of the bill won't take effect until after 2012. If you had begun your office reaching out to the right side of the aisle instead of closing doors in faces, we might believe you.

However, as it is, this is all too little too late, Mr. President. It's too late because you suddenly seem to have a change of heart, just after wide-spread outrage around the country by the people on the street (that's us, for those of you reading) over your administration rejecting freedom and moving to take away our liberty. All of a sudden, when many in your own party are crossing the aisle in togetherness, you are talking the talk. Mr. President, we've seen you walk your walk for more than a year now. We Americans are pretty observant folks. We hear you, and we support what you're SAYING right now, but we've gotten to know your character, and platitudes won't change your heart overnight.

Granted, this is very intelligent political maneuvering; you're feinting moves to the center in hopes to save some of your own party that are starting to see the light. Maybe it will work! ...but for those of us that have been paying attention all along, it's going to take action, sir, not empty words.

Mr. President, you said "America doesn't quit. You don't quit. We don't quit. We're not going to!" You should listen to yourself, because you're right. We don't quit, and we're not going to. We love this country, we love freedom, we love liberty and we VOTE, sir. We can and will forgive you... because that's what America is all about. But we NEVER forget... your administration has lost it's second chances with the American people. So keep talking the talk, and start walking the walk you're talking... perhaps you can save your one term from being completely poisonous to the American people and your one term will be remembered in history fondly, if only in part.

With love, compassion, remembrance and reverence for the Truth,

-The American People

Fire Nancy! ...w/ Your Friends

Republicans across the nation are banding together with the People to say 'No more, Madam Speaker!'

My conservative friends, we all know there is a problem in our representative office when the approval rating of the speaker dips so very low! Our friends on the left side of the aisle can't be expected to do anything about this, however. So they're rooting for us silently, but it's up to us to take action.

The Republican National Committee has actually started a fund-raising drive to do just that. If you have the means to do so, donating to the cause might not be a bad idea. However, that's not the only thing you can do.

So, if you see what's going on in our country right now and you don't have any money, what can you do? Get involved! That's probably the single, most effective thing you can do. Keep yourself educated and in-tune with what's going on. Get to know your local representative candidates so you can make informed decisions in November.

Refrain from the distractions of the mainstream media and do some self-investigation. Keep a close eye on your local races too... today's locals are tomorrow's feds! Don't be intimidated into being quiet about your conservative values. Speak up, and ask the hard questions.

Take a look at both vulnerable and non-vulnerable left-side districts across the country. Have friends or family in that area of the country? Call them! Discuss what's going on with anyone you can. Meetings and town halls are fantastic, if you've been attending, I urge you to keep doing so. Your voice must be heard. But this movement can't be just a party-line! You need to take this discussion to the streets! Engage your friends in polite political conversation. YES! It's O.K. to care about your country and discuss it with folks... don't let anyone tell you different.

I keep some strange friends on the other side of the aisle. We help keep one another honest. Don't be afraid to talk to your friends or family that don't agree with you politically! Only by having these conversations will you (and they) come to understand that we're not so different after all, and most of us really do love our country and hold to conservative values. (Even if our friends on the other side don't want to admit it publicly, they'll tell you.) My good moderate friend reminded me of a quote the other day I'd like to share with you:

"I never considered a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause for withdrawing from a friend." ~ Thomas Jefferson

What is a RINO Anyway?

There is talk all around our great nation about 'RINO hunting' this November. So what is a RINO? ...and why should I care?

RINO, put simply, is an acronym for 'Republican in Name Only.' Some liberal bloggers and politicians would have you believe this is an unfair labeling movement to be avoided in your local district. What many of these bloggers miss is the movement driving all this, and that is the Conservative Movement.

Yes, there is a movement out there today and it can't be denied. You see it in town halls, Tea Party meetings and on the street where Americans are coming together and discussing the future of our nation. Republicans, Democrats, Independents, Libertarians and others are all part of this movement. Republicans that are using their political power for personal gain, nepotism or to support their own private agendas at the expense of their constituents have just as much to fear from this movement as any other party affiliated member engaged in these heinous activities.

Here again, you have the 'powers that be' trying to bend the words and shape the decisions of you, the American People. Regardless of party, these folks will rally around one another in an attempt to demonize you and distract from the topic. Republicans guilty of turning their backs on the American People are crossing the aisle in an attempt to obtain support from anyone that can defend them against the Conservative Movement.

Again, my charge to you is this: Don't allow yourself to be distracted from the subject! They'll cite historic documents, news stories and the like, defending their backwards politics by pointing out dark times in American history, some of them attempting to re-write history as they go. No intelligent conservative today denies that both major parties have had times of conservatism and liberalism... but we are all looking for conservative American values to spring us out of the mess we're in and into a brighter future. This is what the RINOs don't want... to acknowledge that this movement is about making the Republican party better, not restoring it to some inflated ideal of the past. It's about taking what made the party great in the past and combining it with what will make the party great in the future.

It's new, it's hip, it's happening and we won't let anyone stand in our way, regardless of what letter you put behind your name. Democrats, Independents and Republicans alike have much to fear (politically, mind you) if against conservative American principles that made this country great. You're not being called out unfairly, it just happens that you are in a party that is getting a hold of its roots and yearning to grow tall and strong. If you are a RINO, expect what you *should* from your party: fair treatment. You'll go down with the rest of them.

Conservative Democrats and Independents are finding new homes in the Republican party. When they don't go along with their party line and ally themselves with the People, they're getting pushed out and being welcomed with open arms into the party that is unified and rallying around the People to make this country a better place to learn, work and live.

Until next time, friends. Be peaceful, be patient... and be STRONG.