Jeffrey A. Clark

I was disappointed to hear of Senator Hurt’s change of position or the mix up that occurred concerning his opinion on the issue of the upcoming debates. I understand he believes that unless you have the money and backing you have no legitimate claim to be included in the political process because you risk being nothing more than a distraction in the important debate of how the two political parties intend to best govern us in the future.
On this matter, I respectfully must disagree with Mr. Hurt. Although it is true I am not independently wealthy and am nothing more than a common citizen that does not have the backing of the political parties and would have to work very hard to connect with people to get my message out. Although a long shot, I must continue on against all odds, having faith in my fellow citizens that a positive message that communicates, encourages, and promotes substantive change in Washington would resonate and be accepted and embraced by the people of our district. I cannot allow myself to embrace or believe for even a moment that money and political affiliation alone is what should dictate who should have access to our political process. That would not be a reflective of everything good that I was raised to believe America represents. Hope for our country does not lie in what is the current political reality nor our self imposed limitations of the time but rather in the hopes, dreams, and ideas of the common citizen that embrace, foster and promote freedom and liberty for all. The power in this great country belongs to the people and the people must step up and claim with confidence their birthright given to us by our Founding fathers, secured and nurtured for us by the brave men and women in out military and protected and guaranteed eternally by our constitution.
I respectfully and humbly request that Senator Hurt reconsider his position and allow me to participate fully in our elective process and I will promise Senator Hurt that although not part of the political class I will strive to communicate substantive, and positive ideas for the direction of our Country that will reflect well upon the people of the 5th District of Virginia.
I look forward to sharing a positive message that can demonstrate that true change can be brought to Washington with the support, courage, and will of the people of our district.

There is a growing populace movement in this country. This movement is fueled by a perceived disconnect that exist between the average American and their elected represenitives. Most Americans see their leaders as elitist who are out of touch with normal everyday ethics and values possessed by the American people. We see a system in Washington that is corrupt and out of control governed by rules and regulations that seem to reward corruption and dishonesty and scoff’s and ridicules at the idea of honor and integrity. Washington has become a place almost unrecognizable to the average American. What was once intended to be a place of the people for the people by the people has over time degenerated becoming nothing more than a place of the parties for the parties by the parties overrun and governed by lawyers influenced and manipulated by lobbyist and special interest groups. It seems as though every piece of legislation written, every speech crafted is done so in such a way as to solidify the power of both parties while at the same time infringing on personal and economic liberties of everyday Americans.

My family and I recently stood with fellow Americans on the lawn of the United States Capital in opposition to the congressional health care bill. Several of the speakers held up the 2,000 page bill to demonstrate its massive and intrusive nature. It was more than evident that only lawyers, career politicians, and lobbyist working together could have created such a massive and manipulative document. A bill that would take control of 1/6 of the US economy and through legal wording and manipulation would be able to twist and assault the constitution of the United States in the name of some envisioned social justice.

At the beginning of every political cycle we hear the word change trumpeted by both parties. Change is one of the most powerful political platforms a candidate can run on. Every election cycle the parties promise change claiming only the coordinated effort of the parties under the battle cry of unity can bring about this change. Each party uses manufactured crisis and the resulting fear and urgency to convince the voters that one candidate, the party’s candidate, must be elected in order to stave of this conjured political crisis. More often than not they want the voter to be willing to cast a vote against an opponent, party, or political ideology rather than voting for the best candidate one that truly represent the values and core believes of the voters. This is the most powerful and manipulative tool in both political parties playbook. It is the implementation and precision deployment of this strategy that creates and promotes party first career politicians that will place the survival, prosperity, and power of the party ahead of that of the people. It enables the party to reward party loyalist creating a protected class of political elite that answers to the party and special interest and not to the people.

Let’s consider for a moment what change is really brought about by the parties. Most often the change is not substantive but rather superficial. This becomes evident when we examine the continuing advance towards a larger and more intrusive federal Government. In the last 20 years we have had both Democrat and Republican presidents and majority controlled house and senate. Under the current Democratic Administration we are advancing at unprecedented speed towards a larger more intrusive Government one that more resembles the socialistic democracies of Europe then anything that our founding fathers had originally intended. When Republicans are in control we may see a decrease in the speed at which we advance towards a larger Government giving the illusion for a moment that we are actually changing direction. However, make no mistake about it we still advance towards a government that touches, controls and manipulates every facet of our lives eroding personal liberty confiscating personal property and income.

Who among us if we were traveling on a train and learned the bridge ahead was out would allow the current conductor (The Democratic Party) to maintain control and continue to travel towards a fate which we all know will eventually lead to certain destruction. Then who of us in their right mind if given the opportunity to overthrow the current conductor and elect a new conductor would elect a conductor (The Republican Party) who’s solution to the crisis would be to simply slow down the train but continue in the same direction that will inevitably lead to the same certain destruction. No one reading this would make that choice but yet that is the same choice we make every election cycle when we continue to vote for Democrats and Republicans. Make no mistake about it the two most powerful and manipulative special interest groups in Washington are the republican and democratic parties and they will do, act, or say anything necessary to maintain control and expand their power. They may be opponents when they are the only two parties represented in the political argument but they become vast powerful allies if any outsider dare threaten their exclusive hold on power. That is why both parties are threatened when everyday Americans stand up and dare to challenge the establishment. The two party systems has created as ruling class of governing elite that establishes on set laws and ethical standers for themselves and a different set of laws and ethical standards for those that are governed.

We as conservatives must understand change is no longer enough we need a fundamental paradigms shift. We must not allow ourselves to be controlled and manipulate by the parties. We must not continue to elect people that will represent their own interest and the interest of the party and put that before the interest of the people. We must no longer be willing to vote for the least objectionable candidate that the parties present. We must not allow ourselves to be fooled in to believing that casting a vote for an Independent candidate is a wasted vote if we believe that candidate will be a true representative of the people and will reflect their beliefs and values.

It is time for a fundamental reorganization of the political mindset in Washington. It is time we send average Americans to Washington to represent Average Americans interjecting some semblance of commonsense into our system of governance. Our founding fathers set the qualifications for serving in Congress in such a way as to encourage average Americans to take the burden upon themselves to serve their fellow countrymen. We have been fooled in to thinking that only the independently wealthy only those with advanced degrees are qualified to serve in Washington. We often hear Politian’s say elect me and I will bring change to Washington. The truth is no one individual can change Washington. The change is brought about by the people and who they elect as their representatives. The question is do the people fall for and play long with the deception coming out of Washington by continuing to elect the same type of people those who view them self’s as better and smarter than their constituents and go to Washington to advance their own agendas and not truly serve or represent the people of their districts.

My challenge to the people of the 5th district is this. If we don’t like what we currently have and are tired of the corruption and elitism that infest Washington than we need to take bold steps and with courage stand up and reclaim our birthright the right of a free people to govern themselves and to the free exercise of our unalienable God given rights of life liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Albert Einstein once said “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”. Let’s Think about this quote for a second and ask ourselves does this quote apply to us and the way we elect our represenitives. I know, in the past I have been as guilty of this as anyone. However, I will no longer allow myself to manipulated and controlled by either political party. I will no longer cast my vote for the least objectionable candidate available. I will no longer be willing to give into fear and uncertainty and in the name of a false sense of unity be willing to cast my vote for the Parties favored candidate.

If a new way of doing business in Washington is what we really seek then it’s time to stop the political insanity it’s time for the people to take back their house. Together we the people of the 5th district can send a message to the Republican and Democratic parties. We can break the political duopoly that is the two party systems.

There is a churning cauldron of discontent bubbling just the below the crust upon which sits the house of the people. The fire creating this molten discontent is the flame of liberty that burns in the soul of every American. Under normal conditions this flame of liberty is seen as many individual flames perceived as warm and comforting providing light empathy and compassion to be shared among the citizenry and the world. When the citizenry perceives its values, morals, ethics and individual liberties as being attacked or eroded or rendered irrelevant by its elected representatives or when it begins to sense that its leaders and political elite have one set of rules and laws by which they are governed and another set of rules and laws by which the people governed It causes these once comforting individual flames of liberty to begin to burn with a new intensity so bright that what was once perceived as individual flames are now seemingly indistinguishable one from another. When pressure is added to this burning discontent in the form of an ever increasing oppressive federal government the weight of which must be born upon the backs of the citizenry the very foundation that supports our government and leaders begins to rumble and shake and from its depths issues forth a low menacing growl “DON’T TREAD ON ME” if our leaders fail to heed this warning then the inevitable will occur an eruption of the populace rising from the depths to reclaim their rightful place and putting THEIR HOUSE in order effecting a change in the very landscape and make up of Washington D.C.