Serious, yes. Full of myself, no.OK, maybe I’m feeling a little defense, but I’ve encountered a couple of self-righteous partisans who suggest that politics should be left to the professionals, presumably to them. They claim my campaign is an affront to the pseudo-sacred process of American politics and the professionals who dwell within. That’s absolute crap! We all have a right to participate, even a duty to make ourselves heard. And it’s clear that the “professionals” have not done an adequate job representing all Americans, and preserving, protecting, and defending the Constitution of the United States. I can recognize that responsibility and act upon it as well as anyone, perhaps better than many. I recognize the improbability of my campaign, and I may light-heartedly characterize a Smith presidency, but the issues on the table couldn’t be more serious. The future we leave our children does not necessarily hold more promise than we were given by our parents. The professional politicians seldom even address the overwhelming issues of public debt, tax structure, and job shifts that threaten the American Dream. Instead they wrap themselves in distracting cultural agendas that have no place in government, but are designed to rile the electorate. So in an environment where many don’t even vote, I’m trying to make myself heard. I’ve joked that if one is making a symbolic gesture, he may as well make it big; so I’m running for the highest office in the land. The strategy may not be conventional, but it is no more “offensive” than those who buy themselves into the dialogue then compromise all integrity in order to rise to the top. I stand by the merit (or lack thereof) of my ideas and my understanding of the Constitution. I have negligible resources, so my political philosophy will either sell itself, or die on the vine. Conventional wisdom dictates that contributors will not donate to a candidate they think won’t win. I’ve found donors who are willing to fund the principle of engagement and debate, regardless of presidential improbability. I intend to win delegates where I can and attend the National Convention in St. Paul. I may win only one or two delegates, but those delegates represent voters who reject the professional politics and seek an alternative. If a guy like me can run a novice campaign, stir some issues, and represent a constituency that would otherwise be unheard, then any American should welcome the enrichment of the democratic process. Professionals who object to my campaign will just have to work a little harder. The process of slickly packaged candidates carefully dancing around the issues does nothing to further any interest other than their own egos. I stand by my advice to anyone who feels disenfranchised or unrepresented; run, run, run! File the forms and run for President. Despite the objections of the professionals, the process can only be enriched by more participation. And yes, I’m having fun at this. If it weren’t somewhat fun I wouldn’t put up with the lame criticism of the self-important, so-called professionals. Michael Previous: An alternative like all the others? -- Next: Europeans must hate black people, just like President Bush. Comment from crallspace: Michael… while I stand by my recommendation that you run as an Independent, I appalud what you are doing in your campaign. I didn’t see these comments of your critics but will search after this comment is complete. If a guy like me can run a novice campaign, stir some issues, and represent a constituency that would otherwise be unheard, then any American should welcome the enrichment of the democratic process. People like Justadog are not your traditional American. They are part of this neo-fascist movement that has overtaken the Repub. party and the American govt. They do not have the American ideals, nor do any of the Republicans who’ve stuck by the Bush gang through this downward spiral. They’ve proven they are for sale (and at such a cheap price). Don’t let any anti-American actions or words from a Bush-Republican surprise you at this stage of the game; you will deal with many on your journey to reclaim the party. Good luck. Posted by crallspace Nov 2, 03:08 PM # Comment from Michael Smith: Dan, I don’t have any heartburn with any of the posters I’ve seen here. I encourage those with an opinion. Where I’ve had some unpleasant encounters has been mostly through e-mail with actual staff of other campaigns. These self-perceived king-makers don’t bring anything to the table other than partisanship. Posted by Michael Smith Nov 2, 03:50 PM # Comment from CAcorn4: Why don’t you try submitting opinion columns about foreign policy to the Council on Foreign Relations? They seem to like vigorous, thoughtful debates about various challenges to the United States of America and its international liberal democratic hegemony—which I happen to support. Posted by CAcorn4 Nov 2, 04:45 PM # Comment from Michael Smith: CAcorn4, I’ll give that some thought. Foreign policy is challenging stuff, but I have a few resources I might be able to tap. One issue that I’m intrigued by is the way we tend to see all “Arabs” as the same ethnicity, yet I suspect that when we deal with Iran it may be critical to understand that Persians and Azeris may have different perspectives than we are used to dealing with. American foreign policy frequently runs intro trouble by framing issues in terms relevant for domestic consumption, but meaningless, or even counterproductive to the cultures we are trying to influence. Some administrations fail to recognize the professional resources they have within the State Department. Thanks for the suggestion. Posted by Michael Smith Nov 2, 09:40 PM # |
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