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by Bruce West

Below is an email that I sent to the Houston Chronicle.

Our country is tearing itself apart with conservatives and liberals adding to the issues. I am sure that it is not the majority of people who consider themselves conservative or liberal that are causing the damage, but the loudest, extremist views are being heard.

As our election comes upon us this year, many of us have already made up our mind of what the candidate should be. We are uncompromising in our selection. We are looking for the candidate that exactly fits our bill and will not settle for less. Our career politicians know this and each election year, they come around to our way of thinking, they tell us what we want to hear.

• I am running for United States Congress (District 8 Texas) this election as a Libertarian Candidate. I have had conservatives call me a liberal and liberals call me a conservative. I am really getting frustrated because I do not feel like I am either. I am an American!
• I am an American with conservative views but I do not expect others to fit my definition of what conservative is.
• I am an American Christian. I believe in God but at the same time, I do not want my government to dictate how I believe or worship.
• I am an American Father who tries to be a Dad. I try to teach my children morals and I am undermined by the schools and their social programs.
• I am an American Husband. I have been married for over 19 (long) years but I do not want my government to ask me if I respect the sanctity of my marriage. It’s not their business.
• I am an American Worker that is fearful that this paycheck may be my last.
• I am an American who is compassionate. I feel for my work neighbor who just got laid off. I want to help him, but I can’t. (Also, I cannot ignore him like some say we should)

All of these descriptions do not require the American adjective in the title. They are how I feel as a person. I have morals which were I learned in church and I wish others would judge us on morals, not religious beliefs.

Our country is forgetting that we need to embrace differences. We need to accept others for whom they are and not be so judgmental. We need to come together and solve problems using the diversity. We need to find solutions that brings our diverse population together, not spread it apart..

Our current congress is an example of how this uncompromising, lack of understanding and respect for others is leading America in the wrong direction. America has always embraced a difference of opinion and we have always respected those who have opinions other than ours (even if they are wrong).

Our current two party system is tearing us a part. It is polarizing the masses and stereotyping all of us. We deserve better than a congress that uses our soldiers, our feelings, our fears and our children to gain political control and retain power.

I am a conservative but I am also a Libertarian. I believe in our own self determination. I also believe that we as individuals are stronger than we are as a large group of uncompromising values. If we are allowed to make our own decisions, we generally make the right choices.

However anybody votes this year, I would support and encourage them to do research and find what their candidate does believe by his actions, not his election year posturing and quoting on you tube soundbites. Do not elect a politician that can make a few quotes, that is a smooth talker when he does not do as he says.

When did America become the country that elects our candidates because they are the smoothest talking, door-to-door salesmen who take our money and leave us with a vacuum that doesn’t work.

Both of major parties do what they want without regard to the citizens or their effects. They tell us they are for small government- (when the other party is spending the money.)

They tell us that health care is fine and needs nothing, but we all know that our costs are extremely high and need to be addressed. Our major parties had a chance to make meaningful change to affect our health care costs but instead gave us a bill that is too expensive and intrusive to justify what little good there is in it. (and for the record, there is some good in this bill, regardless of what our Republican leaders are saying in the sound bites.)

Our Republican leaders are now chastising the Treasury secretary but those same Republicans voted for the Troubled Assets Relief Fund that they are now against. I personally think it is good that the Republicans that voted for that bill are now suffering voter’s remorse. Now they know how we feel when we get a bad bill.

Do not take me wrong, I am not a liberal bashing Republicans, I am an independent voter that is fed up with the political bickering. I didn’t mention Democrats because it is obvious what they did wrong. It is so blatantly obvious that nobody needs to mention it.

This election season, please vote based on the principles, values, educated choices and select a candidate that is determined and has a desire to fix what is wrong. Sometimes this may mean compromise, other times, it will require fixing small problems that lead to the big problems.

During the 2008 election, the local newspaper continuously said that Americans wanted to vote, but they did not want to vote for McCain or Obama because they are one in the same. This newspaper even said that the people of the country were upset because there was no option. This newspaper did not mention that there were minor party candidates that could have had an impact on the election.

Do your homework and vote with your conscious. There is no such thing as a wasted vote. Your vote is the only voice you have. When you vote based on party, you are not only wasting your vote, you are wasting your only means to send a message to your congressman.

Bruce West
brucewestforcongress.com
bruceforcongress@yahoo.com

(281) 622-0732.

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