An Introduction
I introduced myself on the 'About’ page, but incase you didn’t read that I’ll clarify that this is an introduction to my platform philosophical development.
I have a bachelors in engineering and a masters in math education. I’ve worked blue collar jobs in food services, retail, and construction. I was a math teacher for 10 years in public schools. I currently work at an engineering firm. I am atheist by religion but have many traditional conservative values. My political stances evolve from a logical, scientific approach rather than an emotional engendering.
Like many an average Joe, I never wanted to be a politician. As a young boy growing up in the Land of Lincoln, that’s Illinois’s state slogan, I remember learning about the founding fathers and Lincoln of course. I always found the story of Lincoln, that I heard, to be fascinating. Being a poor lad working by candlelight in a 1 room, dirt floor cabin, he believed in the American dream and worked to improve himself and thus the world around him. He became a lawyer, president, freed the slaves, and finally an immortal, national martyr for his beliefs. His life story is a beautiful tragedy of the classic hero’s journey. Lincoln believed he could improve the world around him, and so he acted. Something akin to Edmund Burke, and I paraphrase “Bad things happen when good men do nothing.”
I see a lot of bad in many facets of society: government and otherwise. That isn’t to be a doomsayer nor anarchist. Nor do I believe in a the future of some civil war or apocalypse. I simply disagree with the direction of American politics, like most people, IMO. Rather than simply complaining about it in private or on social media, I have decided to step up and try to make the change for better that I believe in, similarly to Lincoln.
After the revolutionary war George Washington could have been king, but resigned from his military post only for the new country to cull him back as their President. But even after 8 years he resigned for fear of having too much power. I believe that George Washington would agree with Spiderman’s Uncle Ben. “With great power comes great responsibility”
Politicians have to want power to improve their society, and power seeking individuals will fall prey to corruption. A conundrum. I deduce that the most trustworthy politician is one who doesn’t want to get elected. Being a politician does not interst me, but making the world a better place does. I’m running because I feel an obligation to self sacrifice and serve the country I love.
President Washington’s farewell address was highly critical of political parties. One might be so bold as to call it a prophecy to the eventual collapse of the country. These two sides have taken the complexity of life and boiled it down to a binary choice, but I believe the situation is much more gray. There political tactics are so hurtful I don’t see Democrats and Republicans as much as I see anti-Republicans and anti-Democrats. That is why I chose a third party run, because it is the two party system that is the greatest threat to this country.
I believe in the right of self determination. I believe this right cannot be taken away nor be used to harm others. A philosophy so simple you would think I just found the solution for world peace, and yet we humans can’t seem to figure it out. Mainly because we disagree with each other. To which I say ‘GOOD!’ Not because I want people to harm each other, but because individuals are not supposed to agree on everything. The real dilemma is how to compromise on our disagreements without causing harm.
No one thinks they are a bad guy in their story. Everyone should want to see better education, better economy, better healthcare, better public safety, and so on. The only question is how to achieve those goals and that is where the disagreement starts. And as a general rule, I believe these solutions are so complex that they are best resolved by free market and localized private institutions as opposed to centralized, bureaucratic power.
