Why Dan Benishek?

Enough people have asked me about my rationale in supporting Dan Benishek for Congress, that I thought I’d put it down in black and white.

Thomas Jefferson"An enlightened citizenry is indispensable for the proper functioning of a republic. Self-government is not possible unless the citizens are educated sufficiently to enable them to exercise oversight." (Thomas Jefferson)

For the most part, Americans have been “asleep at the switch” for a long time. We have failed to exercise proper oversight concerning the foolishness that happens in Washington DC. Note: I am not excluding myself from that accusation. As a consequence:

We have a $13 trillion debt (which is costing taxpayers about $400 billion a year in interest payments alone);

For 2011 the government will (again) spend in excess of $1 trillion more than it brings in through tax revenue (increasing the national debt to approximately $14.5 trillion);

Because our borders are so porous we provide safe haven for an uncountable number of illegal aliens (estimated between 4 and 12 million). Many of these illegals simply siphon taxpayer-provided benefits through our social programs, while others plot jihad against our society;

Over two-thirds of the oil consumed in the U.S. is imported from countries like Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Nigeria and Venezuela. Enough said on that!

Our federal government continues to methodically either buy-out (auto industry, banking) or take-over (railroads, healthcare, student loans) key aspects of our economy. If the Obama-care health reform is fully implemented (for example), within 10 years, the federal government will have absolute control over what medical procedures are covered, who gets the treatment, and how much it will cost.

Yes, indeed. we have been asleep at the switch. We are the first generation in the history of our country that will actually pass along a nation with a LOWER standard of living that we inherited from our parents.

And, how did this happen? For one, we’ve been allowing politicians to buy our votes with shallow promises:

So what if you hunt: That's NOT why I voted for youVote for me, I’m just like you . . . I go hunting and carry a gun . . . or, I’ll ban every gun in sight. I believe in the sanctity of life . . . or, a woman has the right to choose. I’m FOR embryonic stem cell research . . . I’m against it. And so it goes, depending on whose vote they are after, they keep pushing buttons until they find a button that turns you on.

Then, to prove themselves truly worthy of your re-election vote, Michigan politicians spend California taxpayer dollars, bringing road improvement projects to Michigan. While Texas politicians spend Michigan taxpayer dollars building new military bases back in their own state. They tack on pork barrel spending projects (now they call them “earmarks”) to almost every bill that is signed into law. That way, they all get to go back to their constituents at re-election time, and brag about how much tax revenue they captured for the home team. All the while, our taxes and the national debt continue to escalate.

Oh, and look out whenever your hear that those rascals are trying to be “bi-partisan”. That’s a code word meaning if you Democrats will let us Republicans pass this bill, we’ll be sure to add all those “pork barrel earmarks” you want, so you guys can look good back at home. And, visa versa.

Here’s the news flash! We are in do-do up to our eyeballs, America. And, if we don’t wake up soon . . . very soon . . . our flagship of freedom and prosperity will capsize, without any hope of righting itself. It’s time we re-assume our responsibility as citizens of the greatest nation on the face of the earth, and start to exercise the oversight that Thomas Jefferson talked about.

I don’t care if you hunt, fish or carry a gun. I don’t care if you are for or against embryonic stem cell research. I don’t care what your personal belief is concerning abortion. Get it?

What I DO care about is this:
1. That you are a person of integrity. You say what you mean, and you mean what you say, no matter who is within earshot.

Protect and Defend the Constitution: Against all enemies foreign and domestic2. That you take seriously the oath that we both took. When I accepted my commission as officer in the U. S. Navy during the Vietnam conflict, and when you recited your oath of office, we both pledged to “protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.” A good place to begin, in this regard, is to actually READ the document! Then, I expect you to vote against any piece of legislation that violates that document in either spirit or intent!

3. That you (or your staff) actually read EVERY word of EVERY bill that you cast your vote on.

4. That you refrain from voting on any bill that contains any “pork barrel earmark.” I expect you to demonstrate leadership in this regard. If any earmark is worthy of receiving taxpayer dollars, then it ought to be able to stand the light of day . . . it ought to be considered in its own separate piece of legislation.

5. That you make every conceivable effort to balance our annual Federal budget, and begin to reduce our National Debt.

And as for me, I pledge to be an informed voter. I will do my own research, and not accept the innuendos and half-truths taken out of context and publicized by your election opponent.

I will keep myself informed concerning the critical issues of the day. I will communicate with your office often. I will monitor your voting record.

In a nutshell, I pledge to take my oversight responsibility seriously, and I will encourage my friends and neighbors to do the same. All the while I will continue to pray that God does not remove his hand of blessing from our great Christian nation.

I believe that Dan Benishek would agree with everything I’ve written here. That’s why I support Dan Benishek for Congress. I invite you to do your own research.

Vote Dan Benishek on November 2nd