It’s not going to end… the shootings. Until we unite, they will continue. As I sit here and contemplate the events at Santa Fe High School, I understand so much of the causes of the incident, yet know nothing of the specific event.
It has been the deadliest year for public schools since the year of the Columbine massacre. Another event that I know so well, as if it happened yesterday. And all of my classmates knew that THAT event would be the last. How could it not…?
I studied the idea of running for President in 2017 to make sure I “crossed my T’s and dotted my I’s” in the event that no one could talk me out of running. By the end of January 2018, I found more reasons to run than to not. Then Valentine’s Day came.
The inspiring stories coming from MSD High School drove me to tears. How could I not speak up when these children dared speak truth to power? Though not incapable, they would need advice and support from elders if they were to be successful. And Laws would need to be discussed and implemented, but…
During the days that followed, a Senator on one of the morning talk shows reminded us why legislation was not introduced- The Hastert Rule. The “Majority of the Majority” rule in the House of Representatives. If these kids were not aware of this, then they should be. It is the reason for many of our seemingly unsolvable issues.
So I acted. The ideology of control through fear and intimidation used by sexual predators, criminals, bullies, and liars is being used against us. People need to know…
But here I sit. Alone in my confidence? Or alone in my ignorance and arrogance? I don’t seem to be able to find any counsel on this matter. I am the “Cheese”. I stand alone.
Taking a stand on an issue as horrible as this, it is a good and decent position to base a political campaign upon. And I cannot find a supporter who agrees. What does that say about me? My abilities to communicate? My ability to judge right from wrong? My ability to “see” where I can act, and where I should act.
Stand for something or else fall for anything.
Is this the “Hill I want to die upon?” So far in this battle, it is the most clear-cut fight in the whole war. No other position I have taken is clearer, or supported by so many people, yet they do not know the answer. I DO.
…and so does Paul Ryan.
We all have self doubt sometimes. We all have to “dial in the crazy” from time to time. The lines between what is possible and what should be need to be redrawn. I am attempting to change THE WORLD, alone, with a computer and a bucket full of ideas.
The future isn’t written. It can be changed. You know that. Anyone can make their future whatever they want it to be. – Doc Emmett Brown
We are not here to curse the darkness, but to light the candle that can guide us through that darkness to a safe and sane future. – John F. Kennedy
The best way to predict the future is to invent it. – Alan Kay
The highlighted days are working days in the US House of Representatives.A system that includes no direct ballot vote, no input from all eligible voters.
If you have not read my blog post titled “How Should the Constitutional Amendment Read?”, please read through that for the proposed wording for changing our election system. https://jackcharbonneau.com/2018/04/30/how-should-the-constitutional-amendment-read/
I will attempt to paint the picture I have in my mind’s eye using the two calendars above.
Starting in January of the Presidential election year, each State will begin their State Primary Elections. (House calendar shows term resumes at the beginning of January) A support system of multimedia assistants and directors, staff as needed, press coordinators, will be available for each candidate in each State’s primaries, paid for with Federal Tax Dollars. The focus of this, and the Main Primary, will be in the hands of the candidate, the creative control falling to the candidate. The Federal Election Fund will provide tools, tech, people, staff, communications outlets, as needed as directed by the candidate. The debates and ballots should wrap up by the beginning of March.
The 1st congressional working day in March should be the day the President of the Senate announces, in Joint Session, the names of the candidates eligible for election. I see it being a renewal of our pride, a celebration of our peaceful transition of power. A public recognition of the will of the People. A celebration of what unites us ALL. All States participate, and all States send their best and brightest with hopes that our common good is realized. Proud of ALL candidates, because ONE among them will be the next CinC.
Preparations starting on that day, the first of three National Ballots will fall on the first Tuesday in April, narrowing down the 50 to 25. (Adjustments in number of candidates will be necessary as new States are added to Our Union) Another month of debate and discussion leads us to another National Ballot on the first Tuesday of May, narrowing the remaining field from 25 to 10. One month later, on the first Tuesday in June, the 10 candidates will be narrowed by National Ballot, down to the two final candidates.
At the discretion of the President of the Senate, the two remaining candidates will be announced no later than 4 July, before Congress leaves for the summer. Personally, I believe the tradition of announcement should fall ON The 4th of July for two reasons-
1.) It will provide sufficient time to allow for any contesting of votes or systemic issues that should come to light between the June ballot and announcement.
2.) It is an affirmation! A National Celebration of our Country. Why NOT?!! Fireworks, parades, a Celebration of our INDIVIDUAL POLITICAL POWER! We, The People, realize the dream of our founders, every time we stand up, speak out, and pick a citizen who will lead us ALL into the future.
A fitting date to present extraordinary individuals as the people We choose to represent the US in the world.
This idea must be expanded upon. It is a skeleton to be sure. But it is a starting point for discussion about the size and scope of staff that will be required. MANY thousands of jobs in technology and design, web strategists, media strategists… IF we want participation, this must be a big production. A tour de force in order to captivate our country. AVAILABILITY and OPENNESS with SECURITY and OVERSIGHT. This is an institution of THE PEOPLE, and we demand the BEST system possible. It must ensure that the candidate’s platform is heard by all who seek the information. It must be advertised in all appropriate ways to ensure the public is fully informed about times, places, locations, directions, debate venues.
By working in coordination with Federal level elections officials and the Secret Service, the ability of States to decide how, when, where, certain aspects of the system will work will allow variation. An official set of requirements and laws with enforced punishment, must be met by each State with regard to ballot access and procedures in the process of voting. ALL VOTES MUST BE BOTH DIGITAL AND PHYSICAL. All voters must have their voter ID. A new photo ID, verified via a documentary in-person process (either a citizen goes to a location OR the Elections official will come to them if circumstances demand) and provided as a FREE SERVICE TO ALL ELIGIBLE VOTERS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Locations opened in all States to be run by the Federal Government, integrity and security ensured by the Secret Service.
These sites could serve a multifunctional headquarters for press centers, voting centers, registration centers… a community level hub for candidate information and Citizen Voter Initiatives, campaign rallies, etc.
This system will allow for a National voice in the selection of a candidate for president, where our current system is… a potato. NO State seems to hold any power in deciding who will be president NOW. Let’s attempt to ensure ALL States have a say in the CANDIDATES, not just the President.
There’s a reason for internships… wait. I said that wrong, Is there a reason for interns? Other than free labor? Oh… networking and leaning the in’s and out’s of a particular trade or craft. A group of like minded individuals who can serve as mentors for a journeymen in a difficult or dangerous craft. In some cases the intern’s life depends on the internship. The life of the teacher will depend on teaching the student well if they will be working side by side on the same job.
The idea of an “internship” in the world of music seems odd at first. No lives depend upon a guitarist learning to solo with the axe behind his head. (I think the exception would be KISS…) And collaboration in the exchange of ideas benefit the artists over their entire compositional life. Hearing new riffs expands the horizon of what could be.
In this sense, the internship is a metaphor. The idea was summed up by my junior high school band director. It’s that “Johnson County Swing”. That middle class, white suburban, Kansas City Junior High jazz band swing. It’s the difference between “Peter Gunn” and “Pink Floyd”. A fresh faced young lad cannot play something quite so sultry and moving as an older counterpart because they haven’t lived it yet. They haven’t seen the heartache that can lead a man to play the blues.
It is an Internship that never ends.
Well… it will go on for “quite a while”. And the lessons learned in that process bring out a maturity in the playing that can take one by surprise. I remember one day thinking “Yeah… I get it,” after my grandfather died. My bass lines fell a little more on the backside of the beat, and the ‘weight’ of the moment helped to resonate the sound just a bit farther.
So, I get it. I understand that one must “Pay their dues”. I’ve heard commentators say, that every morning, each member of the House of Representatives wakes up in the morning, looks in the mirror, and says “Good morning, Mr. President!” And the Senators, the Governors, the prominent business leaders sweating it out for decades. Many of them starting out as interns themselves! Low level staffers who dreamed of one day getting their shot at the job. Then, maybe… if the timing is right… One day!
I was a struggling musician for many years. I get it. I love how James Hetfield of Metallica describes the band’s early days… living on “fist sandwiches”… Slice of bologna+ hand= Fist Sandwich. Living in a studio apartment, dreaming of One day.
It may seem a bit presumptive to many people, that I should just start a social media campaign for Commander in Chief. As if I am better than other candidates who have busted hump working long hours over years of hard work. But that is not the case. I am not seeking to mount a political dynasty, or upend our political way of life. No one could end our country’s political way of life! It IS who we are! That ‘battle royal’ mentality is woven within the fabric of our entire society. From the schools we attend, to the careers we seek, to the daycare centers we send our kids to.
I am running for President because I believe I have a genuine solution to the majority of the societal ills We face everyday. One that has not been given a fair open discussion. One that, once acted upon, would open the legislative door to the majority of the Electorate being able to have their voices matter each and every election. A campaign focus that, to my knowledge, has not been done before. A fundamental change in the election cycle. A demand that Our ‘political rumbles’ become substantive, rather than divisive. A demand to lift up the nation’s values, that the bar be raised, so that even the weakest among us are cared for.
If I wanted to change the local politics in Kansas City… If I wanted to press for a more robust transit system that services communities across the State Line, or if I wanted to help Kansas Farmers ensure their health care needs are secure, I would run for office at the State or US Representative level. I would enjoy doing those things. But the agenda I am pursuing cannot be achieved by running for city councilman. The idea I have cannot be realized by a junior Senator from Kansas.
Being that the majority of Americans would benefit from a Constitutional Convention to address the large number of social issues causing division in our communities, our families, and in our Congress, we must propose Amendments and seek to ratify them via a political mandate. When We have a candidate that we ALL can Unite behind and confidently vote for, in such a large overwhelming way that it COMMANDS the attention of the legislatures, the solution to these issues will materialize faster than you could imagine! Once the active distortion of the truth is silenced by the voice of The People, those who oppose truth and openness will be seen clearly.
And We will welcome the Trolls. We will listen to the Trolls, but we will not fear them. Stand Up! Walk into the light and Speak Freely! Whether genius or insanity, everyone MUST be heard.
…I suppose it’s up to The People now. Keep your head UP!!
“You’ve never run a company, OR been in government.”
To be honest, an inexperienced leader is NOT a GOOD THING! Look at Our Current situation. I doubt the voters will allow such a ‘noob’ take the reigns of Our country again. Consider this- Can the president do anything alone in DC? It is not the President alone who does the hard work of legislating. It is NOT the President alone who will shake hands with our partners around the world. It is not the President alone who champions issues to be legislated.
The People direct the process. What issues are we wanting to focus on? Who best visualizes the solution to the issues at hand? If the People are wanting to avoid war, we vote for the person who’s record shows support for peace. Even specific issues have different solutions, some better than others. But, no matter what the President thinks is the best solution, the Congress must work to support the President and create solutions.
Werner von Braun would not have been able to fly himself to the Moon.
FDR would NOT have been able to defeat Hitler in a fist fight.
Our government is an amazing creature! As we are all seeing today, it can run itself without any assistance. Accountability offices, oversight and regulation advisors, deputy positions, assistant deputies, and lawyers advising them, in the interest of the People’s Government (NOT on the interests of individuals in the government, which is pretty cool) all ensure that we have a government that, at the VERY least, is not working to harm citizens. At a minimum it is helping to protect us.
When it’s at its VERY BEST….? When Our Government comes to the table to play ball and get stuff accomplished, we can move the World! We can loosen any bondage. We can protect Liberty. We can put a MAN ON THE MOON. And EVERYDAY we enjoy the fruits of past labor, from the Interstate System, to the Jazz on Bourbon Street.
Our government can do great things, but ONLY when our VERY BEST people are leading us.
“…I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth.” JFK to Congress, 1961.
The most able leader in the world could not lead this country without vision. Without an ability to see what will be, and how to achieve that end. Not just the micro management of minute details, not just the ability to hire and fire. Anyone can do these things in a successful manor. The focus should be “What can you accomplish?” What is the limit to your vision? Where do you want to take us? How high should we be aiming? Who’s got our back if we slip and fall? And who’s gonna lend a hand, lift us up, and slap our back, encouraging us to try again?
“Not because it is easy, but because it is HARD.”
Our Country finds itself in a position of societal upheaval at this moment. An awakening of the spirit of our shared interests. Our common needs. Our common desires. We believe in the idea of our better angels, but are discouraged when all we see are the details of devils. Positive intentions are nothing without positive actions. A group of positive actions leads to movement of our overall societal evolution. Growing pains can be unbearable! Trust me, I’m 6’4″!
But they are necessary. We all want to be the better angels we imagine. We must avoid believing we ARE the better angles, in order to hide the painful truth. We have walked down all the paths before. We have tried the left, we have tried the right. We tried the exciting leader, we tried the even-keeled leader. They have all led us to THIS MOMENT. Every right and every wrong has shaped the people we are today. Every misstep, every yard gained. Every broken heart and every burden lifted. We must own that now. Today is how it is because of the choices that were made.
If we take actions using choices already made, we will be back in the SAME SPOT AS TODAY.
Who we choose to be, tomorrow, begins with how we see ourselves TODAY. Are we leading or following directions? Are we in control of our densities, or is that only an illusion? VISION is a powerful creative tool. It can be wielded to destroy civilizations, or produce the cotton gin. It can free slaves, or create slaves of the free. If we want things to get better, we must “see” it happen. To make that vision a reality, we must unite and support each other. For the common good. For us ALL.
THAT is where real power comes from- leadership born of the People who benefit the most. If you haven’t lived it, then you cannot change it.
Have you ever built a fire by rubbing two sticks together? Either by rubbing one on top of the other or using a bow and string method. If you’re not experienced at doing it, to an observer, it looks like a person is just doing a lot of sweating! Keeping the friction going long enough to get that first bit of smoke… it’s exhausting. I’ve done it a handful of times. Now that I think about it, each time was in the middle of summer, in Kansas. That’s probably why I remember a lot of sweating involved. Once, so focused at getting it lit, bent over, constant rubbing, and see the first whiff rise, I lean in to see and… Sweat from the tip of my nose drips into the glowing amber and POOF, gone. Grrr…..
That intense feeling as the smoke starts to rise is how I feel right now. I feel like I am sitting in a dry field, in July, where the heat feels like an oven door opening as you walk around, and I am rubbing two sticks together. It’s starting to smoke. Just a bit. I MIGHT be able to make it catch.
I’ve never had “political motivations”. I had considered doing it later in life. Mitt Romney’s father was said to advise people not to go into public service until they become financially secure. In a way it makes sense, help avoid temptation. Like giving something back to the system that helped you achieve so much.
I realized yesterday why I am so motivated to see this campaign be successful now- I dance with death on a daily basis. No… not exaggerating. Being type one diabetic puts me in a unique position where, if my blood sugar levels drop, I start to feel faint and I see ‘spots’. THEN I get to eat massive amounts of chocolate! DOCTORS ORDERS! I eat more chocolate now after diagnosis than I did when I was a kid! It’s great! My dentist doesn’t like it, but…
The perspective gained from, not just knowing someday I won’t be around anymore, but FEELING like I’m not gonna be around much longer! It’s a clarifying motivator. The last couple years has shown me that I have the power to do whatever I chose. I have the choice. Whatever it is, it begins with a choice. IF I chose to do nothing, then I will die. And if I apply that mentality to life in general, then I should be able to do the impossible.
That’s really what I’m doing everyday. If I want to keep going, I have no choice. I better make the most of my abilities while I have the chance… That’s all. I’m not sure I had a point. Hmmm… I think my blood sugar is low.
End The Electoral College NOW!! 