Tag: End The Electoral College

“… an Alternative Narrative”

Pelosi_Trump

 

Donald Trump’s actions as President make NO SENCE when viewed in isolation. Random, chaotic, contradictory… even self-defeating. He acts as if he is POWERLESS in situations where historically, we’ve looked to our President for action. He asserts himself into situations where NO President has before, causing more harm to others than he would if he had just stayed SILENT. He embraces EVERY opportunity to ENRICH HIMSELF through the powers of OUR Office, and he seeks to remove programs designed to provide aid and comfort for those who need it most.

The ends of ANY evil plan hatched by the most VILE among us could be carried out with EASE and in SHORT ORDER if they were to ascend to the Office of President… yet Donald Trump, with his party holding ALL THREE BRANCHES of government, could not deceive enough people to Repeal and Replace Obamacare, a talking point issue supported by the GOP for just shy of a DECADE.

 

Losing the MAJORITY in the House does NOT advance the agenda of Donald J. Trump.

Not compromising on FUNDING for the Border Wall and SHUTTING DOWN the Federal Government for over a month does NOT advance the agenda of Donald J. Trump.

Advancing the dis-credited theory of Ukrainian Interference in the 2016 US Presidential Election does NOT advance the agenda of Donald J. Trump.

Using a personal cell phone, known by the Intelligence Community to be monitored by the heads of State of foreign adversaries, to conduct illicit political activities, does NOT advance the agenda of Donald J. Trump.

Welcoming the Russian Ambassador into the White House while barring all US reporters and allowing Russian media EXCLUSIVELY into the Oval Office, does NOT advance the agenda of Donald J. Trump.

None of this creates effective governance, and none of this lends itself to success. None of these actions would help ANY President find success or achieve their goals… whether their intentions were to do GOOD or create TYRANNY.

 

They make the President of the United States look WEAK.

They make the President of the United States look CORRUPT.

They make the President of the United States look DANGEROUS.

They make the President of the United States look UNSTABLE.

They make the President of the United States look INEFFECTIVE.

 

They make the President of the United States look IMPOTENT.

 

What Donald Trump has done as President of the United States thus far, creates GRIDLOCK. What Donald Trump has done as President of the United States thus far creates DIVISION.

What Donald J. Trump has done as President of the United States thus far does NOT advance the agenda of the President, the Congress, OR the people.

It advances the agenda of the ONE person who worked the hardest to secure his election.

 

It advances the agenda of Vladimir Putin.

 

LOOK… the President of the United States is just as flawed and weak as every other democratically elected leader… they’re ALL THE SAME- CORRUPT.

American Exceptionalism is just a MYTH…

… is there anyone in this nation who believes a President should EVER say that?

 

Vladimir Putin does NOT believe it is POSSIBLE… Vladimir Putin does NOT believe in American Exceptionalism.

Vladimir Putin suppresses the VOICE of his people, seeks to take away retirement benefits from retirees, and STEALS the wealth generated by the sale of the nation’s resources. And when the PEOPLE of Russia RISE UP en masse and demand FREE and FAIR elections… he sees the handiwork of the C.I.A. He doesn’t see his people pleading for a BETTER LIFE.

 

He sees PARANOIA and ESPIONAGE.

 

He does not believe in the ability of the Russian people to STAND UP and SPEAK OUT and hold him accountable… so they must have been HELPED by someone else… of course! It was “THEM!” It’s EASY to make America the scapegoat when you feed your people LIES… and America has a PUPPET serving as President.

 

…

 

Government by-proxy… EVERYONE’S got a hidden agenda. Political party proxies, business proxies, non-disclosure proxies, and just plain GREED, self-centered and selfish.

 

I have a mortgage that’s UNDERWATER from all the bullshit that went down in 2008.

I have TWO teenaged boys who will (hopefully) have to pay for college in a few years.

I have a car payment.

I worry about my boys when I drop them off at school, I worry about the divisive conversations they’re seeing online.

I raise the kids and take care of the house while my wife is the breadwinner.

I am the husband of a PICU nurse who saves the lives of babies born with broken hearts.

I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) in 2016. (…of all the things I THOUGHT I could someday get, childhood diabetes was NOT on that list at age 36!)

 

I have a pre-existing condition.

 

This is MY AGENDA. That’s what’s on the FRONT of my mind. THESE are my constituents.

 

I was BORN and RAISED in this city, and I am proud to call Kansas City my HOME. The problems faced by me and my family are the SAME problems faced in California, or in Dallas, or in Detroit. Racism happens NORTH of the Mason-Dixon Line and sexual discrimination in the work place happens to MEN, too… especially when it comes to raising a family.

 

I have NO PROXY INTERESTS. I have no DARK MONEY hidden agendas holding me DOWN. FREE and CLEAR… I plan on aiming for the STARS.

We must CLARIFY what it means to be an American. We must REMEMBER who we are!

LONG LIVE THE CONSTITUTION!!

Long live the OFFICE of the President of the United States.

 

JC

 

 

 

 

 

Where Will They Draw the Line?

 

22 Veterans commit suicide everyday in the United States of America.

 

Why.

 

Is it a lack of leadership in the VA? Is it the political games played by elected officials with the FUNDS allocated for their care? Is it a lack of opportunity back here in the States when they’ve finished deployment? Is it an incompatibility between training received in the military and training required in the private sector?

While I believe all of these play some role, I believe it’s DEEPER than that. I believe pride in our mission objectives has been lost. When we see our soldiers ordered to abandon a key ally, abandoning families and communities… we see only a small piece of an even larger, camouflaged problem.

When it’s reported that FUNDING for military defense in Ukraine was being withheld until their government complied with demands made by OUR elected officials, remember… there’s MORE to that story. What’s NOT being reported? We are lucky that we have this SMALL glimpse of what is being done in our name. They stored transcripts of conversations in a highly classified server in the White House, specifically conversations they KNEW could put them in legal jeopardy…

 

What else is on that server?

 

The corruption suffered in our government now bleeds over into our military, forcing men and women of HONOR to do DIS-honorable things… because they know the dangerous place where we STAND today, and they want this nation to endure.

Blood AND treasure expended… and members of the Senate say, “The President did nothing wrong. I see no quid pro quo. Well OF COURSE I didn’t read the transcripts… even if I did they would show he did nothing wrong.”

 

 

… and we STILL fight in Afghanistan.

 

Would President Trump have asked Osama Bin Laden for dirt on his political opponents? Would the GOP find THAT acceptable? What IS “acceptable”? Is there NOTHING sacred to them anymore, other than retaining POLITICAL power?

What would it take… is there STILL a red line that no one should be allowed to cross?

 

Vindman

 

 

STAND UP AND SPEAK OUT!

 

Thank you to the brave men and women of the United States Armed Forces for securing my right to STAND here today and do just that. FOR THEM… let us restore HONOR in our mission abroad and hold OURSELVES accountable, raising the bar for everyone else.

JC

Official Campaign Announcement: I Am Resuming My Campaign.

… ding ding.

 

I am pleased to report that after 10 days of steroids and pain medication, Charlie has regained the use of his back legs! Though not 100%, he is responding well to the treatment… it might not be cancer after all!

His recovery will be slow it seems, and I will have to continue helping him more than usual, but I am confident I can resume my campaign and give it the level of attention it deserves. Unfortunately, Charlie will be focusing on his recovery and will not be returning to his role as my “campaign manager”, effectively cutting my staff in HALF.

 

ATTN: “NOW HIRING!”

 

“Jack Charbonneau 2020: Political Revolution” is now accepting resumes from candidates interested in the following position:

Presidential Campaign Manager

Hours are FLEXIBLE and the pay is… flexible, as well.

 

… but THAT does not matter right now, it’s NOT cancer!

My Paternal Grandmother died of bone cancer… after she had successfully survived THREE heart attacks! Grandpa Loren died of a heart attack just a year or so before her. My step-mother’s dad died of cancer caused by years of chewing tobacco. My Maternal Grandfather died of lung cancer. Back in the early 1980s, the cause was thought to be cigarettes. Twenty years later his son, my Uncle Ron, was diagnosed with Stage 4 prostate cancer. It had spread up his spine and throughout his body.

His doctor, recognizing the family history, told my mom, “Your son should start his yearly prostate exams when he turns 30.” And guess what… they found an “irregularity”. A nodule of some sort, that I must monitor yearly.

Cancer is vicious. It’s indiscriminate and it’s relentless. The incredible team that treated my uncle gave him an extra five years. Beyond all odds… it was quite a feat! But that is rarely the case.

Grandpa Loren died in January 1993 from a heart attack after shoveling snow. That summer, my parents insisted I stayed with Grandma to help her with the chores. By the end of that summer, she was starting her battle with bone cancer of the spine.

9 months later she was gone.

So many stories go that way, “Nine months later…” and the roller coaster stories that fill up those weeks, all the triumphs and setbacks. That time I spent with grandma left quite an impression. At 14, it was the first time the full picture had been painted for me. It’s the same lesson that everyone of us at some point in our lives HAS learned, or will eventually learn, as cancer rates are expected to CLIMB. It’s predicted that nearly 50% of us will be diagnosed with some form of cancer at some point in our lives.

… when is that “Moonshot” going to LAND?

If it were up to ME, I’d like to see it happen SOONER, rather than LATER.

 

…

 

As I’ve spent the last few days contemplating life or death decisions for my DOG, based on MONEY… it’s not that hard to consider the situation if it were ME. I am fairly new at being diabetic (T1D), but I was fully aware of how dependent I had become the FIRST time I filled my prescription for insulin and needles. Through no fault of my own, my body decided to attack my pancreas and shut down my ability to produce insulin.

 

If I cannot fill that prescription… I will die.

Those prescriptions cost $1000 per month out of pocket.

 

This Presidential Candidacy… 100% brought to you by Elli Lilly and Co, at whatever cost they decide to charge. For me, money has lost all value. Whatever the cost…

It is quite humbling. I’m not sure what happened to the strapping young lad who used to inhabit this body, but I can see WHY he left… this ol’ body’s not quite what it used to be!

 

Without the scientific and technical achievements that have emerged from within this FREE and OPEN society created by our Constitution, I would not be here. I owe my continued existence to this nation, and I am more than happy to do all that I can to ensure its continued existence as well.

So… now you know my “ulterior motive” for seeking the Presidency. The United States must continue to THRIVE and grow technologically to a point where EVERY type one diabetic can once again produce Beta Cells and create their own insulin. I believe someday it WILL happen, but only if the United States endures.

 

There are fights in this world that are STILL worth fighting. We must not forget- OURS is truly a BLESSED NATION! It is a GIFT with which we have been entrusted, to SHARE with all humanity…

 

I would not want to be derelict in THAT duty. 

 

JC

If I May Be So Bold…

 

What would you do IF? What COULD you do IF? Sometimes it takes a massive amount of WILL to make IF happen. Where would we BE if no one had TRIED to make IF happen?

… what if no one dared dream what IF could BE?

Sweet-dreams and lullabies are fine for some… if that’s your sort of thing. Sometimes the tales we best remember are born of struggle and misery. If joy was all we ever knew, would we appreciate it as much if we had never known the pain that comes from loss?

 

 

“… you’re going to be so sick and tired of WINNING!”

Once we fully understand what LOSING looks like, we can more fully appreciate what winning CAN be.

 

…

 

Of course, my sight is limited. If it were up to ME, the motivation behind the initiatives I would pursue would stem from my desire to make things better for the people I see in my life everyday. Speaking as a “housewife” from the suburbs of Kansas City… if it were up to ME? My goodness… things would look a whole lot DIFFERENT!

But right now… it’s not up to me. Right now, it’s not up to the MAJORITY of this nation. Right now it’s all up to ONE MAN, and his control over a handful of powerful legislators who remain loyal to HIM…

… and by PROXY, they give AID AND COMFORT to the man who put him into office.

 

It’s not about what I want. It’s about what SHOULD BE. We should have foreign diplomacy of the PEOPLE, but we are stuck with foreign diplomacy of the DOLLAR. If a private citizen were to KNOWINGLY undertake an action that caused the deaths of hundreds, if not THOUSANDS of lives, that citizen would no doubt face charges and be held accountable. Yet our President abandons a vital ally and a coalition of partners AS HE SEES FIT… consequences be damned.

Is THIS the best our nation can produce? Is this really the BEST WAY to choose the leader of our nation? Donald Trump is only a SYMPTOM of the greater problem within the BODY POLITIC. Don’t forget- there WAS interference in our democratic process in 2016.

Would we be in this situation IF Bernie Sanders was the 2016 Democratic nominee?

What gave RISE to Donald Trump?

 

“The President shall not be the shiniest of TWO TURDS.” -ERB, ‘Abe Lincoln’

 

…

 

It is my intention to appear on the ballot as an Independent candidate for President of the United States in ALL 50 States. IF I cannot appear on the ballot in ONE of them, I WILL NOT appear in ANY of them. I will not employ the “Home Field Advantage” strategy and run only in the State of Kansas… I have more RESPECT for the people of my State than to do something FOOLISH like that!

 

Ballot access for independent presidential candidates

Screenshot (84)

 

Some State laws require a cash payment to appear on the ballot, while some State laws require candidates to petition their citizens directly. States like California require candidates to collect a number of signatures equal to 1% of the total number of votes cast in the previous election. Kansas requires candidates to collect all petition signatures within a 90 day window. All 50 States have a filing deadline in or around JUNE 2020.

This means my candidacy has an “expiration date”… but then again, don’t we all?

We already know who will be on the ballot in 2020. Right now, as it stands, it will be:

 

Trump (or a supporter of HIS agenda and HIS party)

VS.

ONE of the Democratic Candidates…

 

That’s who our next President WILL BE.

 

In a “normal” time… sure. Generic Democrat all the way. But this is no NORMAL time. Ours is no normal day. We’ve been called upon to do something that will be seen by the eye of History, and judgements will be passed upon us by generations unborn. The path we follow now soon splits into TWO.

Do we continue down paths walked BEFORE? Well trodden by the likes of France, and Germany, and Rome… or do we RISE and dare follow the path that’s NEVER BEEN? By striving for equanimity within our government, we will re-affirm our commitment to Equal Justice Under Law.

What we see NOW is born of the decisions made before us, our thought processes and narratives derive from conversations old as TIME. Grudges held against OTHERS based on concepts and passions our Great-Grandparents once held. Continuing to fight ideological battles generation after generation brings us DOWN.

And now it’s being used AGAINST US by our adversaries in a Propaganda War.

 

…

 

Our nation was founded with a simple Declaration. Today, I propose we TAKE ACTION to secure this nation, by doing THE SAME:

 

We must END the Electoral College.

 

JC

Faith

Some might see it as a “lie”, or maybe just insincere. I’ve been open and honest about myself. Like I’ve said before, I’m part of an endangered species… I’m a Progressive Liberal from the State of Kansas. I know, it’s a bit shocking! But don’t worry,..

Our numbers are on the rise.

 

I’m a REGISTERED Democrat and have been since I turned 18. In the State of Kansas, only a registered Democrat can vote in Democratic Primary elections; just as only registered Republicans can vote in Republican Primary elections…

Independent voters are allowed to vote in BOTH. I’ve always found that to be dishonest.

When I started this campaign, I didn’t want to run as a party-affiliated candidate. I actually received an email from the chairman of the “Independent Party”©®™, telling me their party is the BEST because they’re “independent”, and they invited me to join…

NO. Thanks… but no.

I am a CANDIDATE running for office. I am NOT the representative of a financial organization or a business interest. I’m NOT advancing the agendas of generational political kingmakers, or a hereditary diplomatic dynasty.

I’m running as MYSELF, presenting ideas on policy that I would pursue if I were able to. Not as someone who is duty-bound to follow agendas crafted by special interests and political donors. Or campaign positions taken at the expense of the people, that I would be REQUIRED to support no matter how I felt about it personally… because I would be BEHOLDEN to a party for my political survival.

I don’t want my candidacy to be judged on my commitment or devotion to someone else’s ideals. If people agree with what I’m saying, then I hope they will encourage me with their support… in whatever form that happens to be. I am accepting resumes for pro-bono and volunteer campaign assistance and I am always grateful for any financial contribution.

 

RIGHT NOW questions need to be answered. Affirmations must be made. Is OURS merely WORDS printed on a faded piece of parchment… or are they INFINITE, worth MORE than the sum of what they convey? Worth more than the day they were WRITTEN. 200 years ago, young men fought and DIED for an IDEA, untried and newly born. Today, it is INSTINCTUAL for every American Citizen to consider service in defense of our Nation, to HONOR the spirit of DIVINE JUSTICE… judgements that extend beyond this mortal realm.

Do we believe in the BEDROCK principles upon which our modern society was founded? Do we STILL believe OURS is the BEST and MOST JUST form of governance? Or should we allow it to become merely WHITEWASH, covering a dark and corrupt decay hidden just below the surface.

Today, more so than almost any point in our Nation’s history, we have before us the ability to CHOOSE our collective destiny. In 2016, the American People spoke LOUD and CLEAR. Now, after almost 20 YEARS of thorough examination, we MUST conclude-

CHANGE IS IN ORDER. The current ORDER must CHANGE.

That change CANNOT be born of partisan passions or self-interested greed. If the Senate Majority Leader insists on packing our courts with judges that hold extremely conservative political views… even at the EXPENSE of our Constitutional norms that he swore an OATH to defend… then it seems only fit that the people send a PROGRESSIVE Legislature to Washington in 2020, prepared to present BOLD and COMPASSIONATE solutions to our problems. We have LOTS of work to do and conservative courts will ensure we stay within the law.

If we STILL believe Equal Justice Under Law is SUPERIOR to life-long “elected” leaders, or rule by Democratic Monarchy where CHILDREN are elevated to power without regard for the character of the child, then PARTY POLITICS and DARK MONEY INTERESTS should NOT decide our fate!

To STAND on this precipice now, where once MANY have STOOD before. As kingdoms have fallen and legislatures dissolved into our history’s written pages, they cry out to us HERE, wishing only to be SO FORTUNATE… because we have what they did not. We have the gift, given by BLOOD and by OATH…

We have the power to AMEND.

We have the ability to WRITE our own destiny. We have been given what THEY were not… we’ve been given a second chance. The Right to Redemption. A second chance that may NOT come again, BURNT BRIDGES are HARD TO REPAIR.

 

Party Politics be DAMNED! Competition brings out THE BEST, and if political parties are to survive, it will be because those parties give their endorsement to outstanding INDIVIDUALS. Leaders who stand INDEPENDENT of the influences we see at work in our government everyday.

The Parties should not be responsible for presenting to us the candidates from which we are allowed to choose. The candidates should run regardless of party endorsement. The candidates’ IDEAS should drive the debate. The Parties can endorse whomever they choose, just like EVERYONE ELSE.

Candidate driven, ideas-based discussions. An OPEN and HONEST presentation of FACTS, based in an intellectual arena SECURED by a system that cares for only ONE THING:

Preservation of the HONOR and SANCTITY of the Highest Office in this land.

 

There is no religious requirement to hold office in this land, but that does not mean we seek leaders who have NO FAITH. When we dig at the CORE of what makes up our National Identity, we find nothing SOLID… nothing to grab hold of and point to as “real”. Ours is an identity based on HOPE, shaped by our FAITH, and fully realized only when EQUALITY reigns supreme.

Our Constitution is based on a MORAL CODE older than any established religion practiced today- “Do unto OTHERS as you would have them do unto YOU.”

Our expectations of others comes from WITHIN ourselves. Our SHARED HISTORY guides us now. If we listen, we will find which way to go.

 

“… with liberty and justice for ALL.”

 

So may it be for 200 MORE.

 

JC