Open-thread: what motivates you?
By JR Hoeft | Wednesday, March 12th, 2008 | Catch-AllPolitics aside — what is the one issue that you are really passionate about? What would possess you to go to any legislative meeting — local, state or federal — and either watch the proceedings or even participate?
What one issue do you really care so much about that partisanship would not matter?
Don’t talk platitudes.
This open thread is not about “Iraq” or “the economy” or “transportation.” Nothing that general.
What specific thing really gives you the energy to do something? And then, what specific actions do you think you’d take?
So often we talk past one another. We talk in terms of Democrat and Republican. Conservative or Liberal. We draw sides, pick teams, and then have a battle on who can communicate the best, without ever really talking about the issue. In fact, often the issue really doesn’t even matter.
This post is different. It’s all about the issue. It’s all about you.
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About the author
Conservative to the core; liberal with his opinion! J.R. has been involved in politics for over a decade and has worked on several campaigns in Hampton Roads. He has served on the Executive Committee of the Republican Party of Chesapeake and the Central Committee of the Republican Party of Virginia. He is also the director of “Blogs United” in Virginia. E-mail J.R.. Follow J.R. on Twitter.
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10 Responses to "Open-thread: what motivates you?"
Well as others have seen on my posts here. My main movitating issue is Autism and getting researh, resources, and awareness of the issue.
Other than a passion for our nation, and protecting it, protecting and helping children.
On Saturdays I volunteer at the children’s hospital. I also write letters and work supporting children’s issues, and back when I was a prosecutor, I sent many folks away who hurt kids.
Ragnar,
Im the advocacy chairman of Virginia for Autism Speaks. We could always use more people to write letters and speak up in our fight. 0 slots were opened this year for the Developmental Delay medicade waiver and the one insurance mandate bill is stuck in the state insurance mandate committee. So we definitely need all the voices we can get for our kids.
I believe what is my chief motivating force is serving God, my country and improving/challenging the status quo. I know that it follows the Girl Scouts pledge (which I was one), but it is truly what makes me get up in the morning and makes me want to hit the ground running.
As a former social worker (who left the profession to work in public policy), I made it my priority to give people a better chance of life. I believe this has to be done through empowering others to take responsibility for their actions and striving to make better lives for themselves.
I am making it my prerogative to make sure that the message of freedom, prosperity, responsibility and respect are being instituted in our society. This is my calling and at the end of the day, it does not make a difference if I were conservative, moderate, liberal or libertarian, all that matters is that I am making a difference in my community before the eyes of God.
The war…
Thats a tough one, as i don’t think i have a central ‘issue’ at heart, at least not a constant one. I do have a central belief – that a citizen elected govt, within specific restrictions and given proper citizen transparency and oversight, is well suited to address many societal “needs” and concerns of the citizens it serves. Industry and the free market has its place, as does govt, but tipping the scale to much in either direction can result in either gross inefficiency, corruption, or misservice to us citizens. Sorry thats so vague, but i find it hard to actually put my thoughts on this into words.
As a followup, i can’t really site an issue, but i can site a catalyst. i imagine it may be similar for many, but i was generally apolitical before 9/11 – even the furor of the 2000 election registered as a minor blip for me. Whether it was just that catalyst, or the fact that at the time i was fortunate enough to have some very intelligent and strong-opinioned coworkers who were prone to water-cooler political discussions, i don’t know.
It’s odd where inspiration can come from – one of the best debaters on the virtues of libertarianism i’ve ever met was an african american, single, 30-something coworker working a tech-support help desk making not much above minimum wage. I still think he knows more about civics and govt than any teacher or professor i’ve ever had, and its was his (among others) insightful challenges and criticisms that really helped crystalize my own beliefs. James, wherever you are now, thanks.
Individual freedom through the reduction of personal debt, opportunity (work), increased savings, restraint in personal spending, etc. National issues I am interested in as a result revolve around the constant assault of government against savers in this country through currency devaluation and inflation, over-emphasis on a consumer economy, easy money policies at the expense of seniors, and all the rest. Local issues I am interested in revolve around the escalation of safety and building code regulations making it impossible for people to make use of their own property, imminent domain, etc.
I want you to be free.
It’s a losing battle, every day people give up more and more of their freedom, few even know what real freedom is anymore. For most people it is just a word now. For a precious few it means everything.
“Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for yourself” – Bumper sticker.
JR,
I get the strong feeling people just read the title and then started writing. The title could have been more specific perhaps. Maybe you need to provide a template of sorts to focus the writing.
My issue was /is opposition to nationalized health care. That got me out the door to “complain” and eventually to pester people here at BD. I had never commented politically before.
“Politics aside — what is the one issue that you are really passionate about?”
The restoration of the genuine liberty that is my birthright. Since most of the actions that most of us take in life are economic actions, this begins with economic freedom, the cessation of government market interventions, ending the criminal central banking cartel, the shredding of the regulatory state, and the restoration of free markets.
“What specific thing really gives you the energy to do something?”
The insane amount of overt lying, fraud and cover ups that I’ve caught the MSM, Wall Street banks, the dot gov and the major parties engaging in, day in and day out. The protection of financial and political corruption, insiders; willingness by the dot gov to brush aside its own laws in order to achieve its objectives (“We know better than you.”). Political lying is a outwardly condoned act. The government’s weapons are all being turned inwards. We are living in a criminal conspiracy and we are the marks.
“And then, what specific actions do you think you’d take?”
I have focused my energies on recruiting through education, but the dot gov has demonstrated it can be relied on to do our recruiting for us. They can’t help themselves.
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