Seven Score and Seven Years Ago (Gettysburg Address) Revisited

Exactly seven score and seven years ago a young President addressed a small crowd in a small town in Pennsylvania. Abraham Lincoln said “Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation, so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure.....that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

Last week a young and hopeful candidate for a seat in the United States Congress addressed a small crowd in a small town in Pennsylvania. Tim Burns said that he “believes this country is in a fight for its very life.”

Our Nation has endured many crises during the 147 years between these two short speeches, but none more similar, more representative of the same Nation divided in a civil war.

The opposing sides in the current conflict do not wear distinguishing colors of blue and grey uniforms. They do not battle with cannons, swords, and rifles. Today’s conflict, no less divisive, no less dangerous, is a battle of ideology. Like its predecessor it divides brother against brother, neighbor against neighbor, friend against friend, and to a certain extent State against State. A country, Tim Burns said, is in a fight for its very life.

A fight means to engage in battle or in single combat; to attempt to defend oneself against or to subdue, defeat, or destroy an adversary. Life means the force that makes or keeps something alive.

Tim Burns told the small crowd that the force that keeps our Nation alive is the Spirit of America, and we needed to fight to preserve the opportunity that allows people who want to succeed the ability to work hard and achieve everything they want. That it was not for the Federal government to determine what someone’s living wage should be. He said that the government needed to stop punishing job creators, that corporations employ people and we should not prevent them from profiting. He said that he favored a balanced budget, fiscal responsibility and a smaller federal government. Tim Burns pledged never to raise anyone’s taxes.

His opponent in this election represents the other side in this civil war. The side that wants to subdue, defeat or destroy the Spirit of America. He does not believe that people who want to achieve and corporations that employ people are the defenders of our nation. He said “that if it weren’t for unions and the Democratic party that we would not have minimum wages, a 40 hour work week and health insurance. That corporate America is only concerned about profits and they are not concerned about working men and women.” That he will fight like heck to never raise taxes on working men and women and “what I can promise is I am not going to raise any of your taxes, just his!”, as he pointed at Tim Burns and laughed at the Spirit of America, a self made millionaire, a young man that started with nothing, formed a corporation and created over 400 jobs.

Over 40 million people in our country now receive government aid in the form of food stamps. One side in this civil war wants to blame, punish and tax the rich and corporations. The other side thinks that federal deficits, fiscal irresponsibility, larger government, government bailouts and favorable treatment of unions is destroying the Spirit of America, that our country is in a fight for its very life.

My father was a small business owner, a neighborhood pharmacist, for 50 years. He never worked a 40 hour work week. He left the house Monday through Saturday before I woke up, and returned home after I had gone to sleep. There were four other local small business pharmacies in the community where we lived. They joined with my father to provide seven day a week service to the local residents by each taking their turn and working every fifth Sunday. So four weeks out of five my dad worked six days, eighty hours a week, and the fifth week he worked seven days. My dad sent four boys to college and provided a good home, married to my mother for over fifty years. My dad was the Spirit of America.

I have been a small business owner, the owner of an insurance agency, for over 35 years. I never remember working just 40 hours a week. I do remember at times working seven days a week. I love my employees and I believe if you asked them they love me too. They are not in a union but they never work more than 40 hours, make substantially more than minimum wage and are covered by a very generous health insurance plan. I am very proud that I sent my only daughter to private college, didn’t ask for financial aid, and she graduated without any student loans. I have a loving wife, believe in God, have wonderful friends and I am the Spirit of America.

I also believe that our country is in a fight for its very life. I travelled cross country from Walla Walla, WA in January to volunteer in Boston, MA to help elect Scott Brown, and as I write this I am on a plane travelling cross country from Walla Walla, WA to Washington, PA to volunteer to help elect Tim Burns.

If you believe that capitalism is preferable to socialism, that hand ups are better than hand outs, that our Federal government should not spend money they do not have, that lawmakers should be required to read legislation and understand it prior to voting on it, that back room deals to secure votes to pass legislation are criminal, that the United States of America does not want to be the same as France, that helping the needy should come first from family, then neighbors, then the church, then the States, and never from the federal government, that protecting our borders is the responsibility of the federal government, that our founding fathers were inspired by God and that we should abide by the Constitution….then you and I and Tim Burns are all on the same side of this civil war to preserve the Spirit of America, and that together we can stand united and fight for this country’s very life.

Please cast your vote for Tim Burns on May 18th in the 12th district of Pennsylvania to be your representative to the United States House of Representatives.

PA-12 POLITICAL CAMPAIGN GAFFE

Candidates campaigning for all public offices run the risk that one unforeseen comment or event can destroy an otherwise promising outcome on election day. These tipping points, better known as CAMPAIGN GAFFES, are as unpredictable as they are devastating.

Take for example the following exchange on Facebook last week between myself and Bill Russell, who recently lost the Republican nomination to Tim Burns for the special election in PA-12 on May 18, 2010 to fill the United States Congressional seat of the late John Murtha. This special election is unique because on the same day, voters will cast two votes, one for the last eight months of Murtha’s unfulfilled term, and one in the primary competing for the Republican nomination for the November 2010 election.

After reading the following (gop-wants-party-unity-but-russels-not-budging-will-write-in-himself-for-special PA-12: Bill Russell seems like he just can't take a hint, despite the GOP uniting behind Tim Burns. Russell says he'll write himself in for the special election between Burns and Democrat Mark Critz, in addition to continuing to contest the same-day GOP primary against Burns.) on swingstateproject.com I posted a comment on Bill Russell's facebook page.

Evan Hecht(wrote) Bill Russell, we honor and respect your years of military service. We appreciate the campaign you ran in 2008 against John Murtha. But Bill, we cannot win PA-12 with a split ticket against Mark Critz. We respectfully ask that you stand united with Tim Burns so you can help us change this D seat into an R seat.

Bill Russell(replied) Hi Evan, The only race I am running in is the Primary and the November General Election. While I will always plan to vote for myself as the best candidate for any election in the 12th CD, I am not splitting any tickets. -- V/R Bill March 22 at 7:05pm

Let me be clear of why this qualifies as a MAJOR CAMPAIGN GAFFE. Doesn’t Russell know that voting for himself in the special election is tantamount to voting for Tim Burns’ Democratic opponent, Mark Critz? Doesn’t Russell know that elections can be won or lost by the slimmest of margins? The closest election in Congressional history was decided on September 16, 1975. The 1974 New Hampshire race for an open seat that pitted Republican Louis Wyman against Democrat John Durkin led to a contest that lasted eight months and came down to a margin of victory of just two votes.

Russell’s egotistical bragging that he would of course write in his name and vote for himself is a clear statement of his priorities. To him it is far more important that he thinks he is the best candidate than defeating the Democratic agenda that is socializing and bankrupting our country. His ego filled one vote could elect a Democrat and defeat Tim Burns, the Republican challenger.

Bill Russell’s Facebook page at the time of his reply had over 1000 fans, several who commented in Bill’s favor immediately following his reply to me. What if some of Russell’s Facebook friends follow his advertised “I am voting for myself even though I am not on the ballot” resulting in dozens or hundreds of votes that would possibly been cast in Tim Burns’ favor.

This special election is not a game. This election decides whether a Democrat or a Republican fills this seat for eight months. How much could the Republicans used just one more seat during Obama’s first 14 months. With one more seat maybe health care would have failed. With one more vote maybe immigration reform will fail. Maybe one more vote could defeat Cap & Trade or Card Check. One vote could determine one seat and determine major events in our country’s future. One cavalier thoughtless vote that Bill Russell boasts he will cast for himself could help to ruin our future.

Maybe Russell does not know that The Constitution grants the House several exclusive powers: the power to initiate revenue bills, to impeach officials, and to elect the President of the United States in case of an Electoral College deadlock. One vote in the election for one member of the House of Representatives could determine who is President in 2012 if there was a tie in the Electoral College.

Maybe Russell does not know that The House uses committees and their subcommittees for a variety of purposes, including the review of bills and the oversight of the executive branch. The appointment of committee members is formally made by the whole House, but the choice of members is actually made by the political parties. Generally, each party honors the preferences of individual members, giving priority on the basis of seniority. Historically, membership on committees has been in rough proportion to the party's strength in the House as a whole, with two exceptions: on the Rules Committee, the majority party fills nine of the thirteen seats. The rules committee that just played such an important role in the Democrats passing their health care legislation. One vote for one representative could determine the majority and determine the makeup of the rules committee.

Candidates can be judged in two ways: the positions they take on issues and the leadership qualities and experience they would bring to office. Both are important. Your first step in picking a candidate is to decide the issues you care about and the qualities you want in a leader.

I know that the qualities I look for in a candidate is someone who cares about representing the people, not representing himself by boasting that “I will always plan to vote for myself as the best candidate for any election in the 12th CD”.

Scripture reminds us "For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want" (Galatians 5:17). The battle is both inevitable and necessary for you to begin to experience spiritual freedom in your life.

Congratulations Bill Russell. You have earned the Facebook POLITICAL CAMPAIGN GAFFE of the year. At least that is one victory you will be able to claim on May 18th.

Tim Burns For Congress

Tim Burns has won the Republican nomination for the special election to be held on May 18th to fill the remaining eight month term of the deceased Pennsylvania congressman, John Murtha.

In an unusual situation for voters in the district, they will also be voting on May 18th in a primary to decide who will represent the GOP in the 2010 November election.

Tim easily beat his GOP rival, Bill Russell, for the nomination for the May 18th special election by a two to one margin, but Bill Russell refuses to support Tim for the November election. Russell has adamantly decided to continue to run in the May 18th primary election even though his name will not even appear on the ballott for the May 18th special election.

My message t0 Bill Russell: on behalf of what is good for PA-12 and the United States of America, please ask yourself why you, and your personal ambitions are more important than defeating the Democratic agenda. "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States.....one nation, under God, indivisible". Bill, please do not be dividing and divisive; please unite the GOP effort and throw your support to Tim Burns. Thanks.