Oscar Wilde and the future

On a daily basis I receive motivational messages in my email. It helps me retain my perspective on the daily grind and how to best keep myself on the path as well as possibly give me a little ammo to help my friends a co-workers with things when they get tough.
I have heard many things from this site for the past few years and even had a story published online through them detailing my very good friend and the experiences and the lessons I learned from him along the way.
The other day I received this:

"Every saint has a past and every sinner has a future."

--- Oscar Wilde

This message had a special impact on my thoughts. This was just the issue that had been brought up to me when I decided to run for President.

My son, who is quite a thinker, asked me if I was ready for the world to view all the things from my past. I thought about it and told him that, I am who I am, no sense in trying to make myself something I am not or to try to hide the poor behaviour that I had in the past, as I truly think this gives me a broader appreciation of the value of good choices. If there are those that refuse to let people make choices and learn from them and forever hold those choices against them, I guess there may be a few out there that will never support me. That is truly their decision.
There can not be a single person in the world that can say that they never made a poor decision. If so they are probably lying to themselves and to all of us. There are also those that try to hide the past so they look perfect in the eyes of men, but to the eyes of God they are still who they really are.
I refuse to whitewash or lie about the poor decisions of my past, but I see them as tests in order to make me stronger and give myself a stronger sense of personal worth and values. Those that really know me understand me perfectly and there can be no compromise in my words or actions.

I see in the news that the Occupy Movement is putting serious strain on the municipal patience and the cities expenses. I also see that there are a few within the ranks that have used this movement to act like fools and be violent and drug ridden just for the expense of cheap entertainment. Why do we not take care of business in a sane and civilized manner? This movement is important and I really think that it can have the desired impact if the movement activists retain control of the members within the camps. There can be no place for public displays of drunkeness or drug use. You still have to be true to the cause and not cheapen your actions with inciting the involvement of the law.
Be loud, proud and above all the true spirit of American values. Keep control of yourselves and exercise your rights, but remain in control of your own destiny and keep your composure.
I have yet to see any public figure of any circumstance have the guts to have any interaction with the occupy movement protesters. All these so called representatives hide behind closed doors and let the troops (Police) handle things instead of trying to find out what the real American public needs. I for one find this to be a perfect example of derilection of duty on their parts and they should all be removed from public office. If they were really trying to fix this country that they all profess to support, why do they not step out of their offices and go see their constituents, the voters of America.
Why, I know why. They are scared and they believe only in the corporate greed and the success of the all american dollar. They have forgotten the faces of the people that put them there.

Time to take this country back from these hypocrites. Time to "Take it Back" and give it back to the citizens.

The Occupy Movement and Americans rights

I watch every day the events unfolding all over the country and the occupy movement that has really taken the country by storm.
I see that MOST cities have decided to have a hands off approach to the protests as long as the persons involved act in a reasonable and responsible manner. There are those few, protesters and law enforcement alike, that have serious behaviour problems.
The First Amendment of the Bill of Rights reads:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

This outlines the proper access and also gives the protesters the proper guidelines that should be followed when Americans are engaged in protesting.
I implore all protesters to read this and truly understand the our forefathers were protesters themselves. They had lived their lives under a Monarchy and had had enough. It was a different circumstance and a really different time then, but the idea was the same. Stand up as a group and express peaceably if possible your dissatisfaction with the powers that try to control you.
As Americans we do have rights, and not the least of them is to be able to express our dissatisfaction with the status quo. We all must remember though, that, these expressions must be peaceable and organized or the entire movement becomes nothing more than an expression of anger and discord.

Do not let the big business and government pressure restrain you. Restrain yourselves and keep on expressing your dissatisfaction, but do so in an orderly and organized manner. You must not quit, but you must be able to control those within your ranks that would do harm to your cause by acting in a violent and rougish manner.

I have taken this campaign and the related ideas that I have very seriously and I ask you to do the same. Keep the pressure on them, but please do not let members of the group cheapen the effect.
Remember, our country was started with the idea that Americans have right to govern themselves, let us control ourselves and effect some REAL change in this country, by using the power of numbers, not the effect of violence. We all can effect change and return the control of this FREE country back to the citizens that live in it.
I ask for you to let me try to be that new leadership as I am one of the millions that have had enough of career politicians serving only big business and themselves while disregarding those that elected them.
This is our country, not just theirs.   "Take it Back"

The day after........

So here we all are the day after our Congress saved our country from total and utter financial meltdown.
I hate to sound so negative about it, but they had months to do this and instead concentrated on being a bunch of children looking for TV time.
I guess that there had to be some sort of deal made, but I didn't see any real significance to this package. The real cuts and responsibility still have to be served up by the Super Congress?????
I have to agree with Judge Napolitano with the regards to as to the legality of this special commission. I see that there will be some Senators and Congressmen that won't like having their rights and abilities to do their jobs (or not) away from them.
Just what we need down the road. The legal fighting will only escalate and our World market compadres will just keep laughing at us for so much fighting going on within our own government.
China and apparently several other world powers don't think too much of our system and certainly think we all look like a bunch of dip sh*** for the fiasco that this all turned out to be.
States are already freaking out as well as the Pentagon over the perceived loss of revenue that is coming. I say we should have been more responsible prior to this matter and there are a few states that are still in fine shape. Utah is one of those.
The sensationalistic manner that Congress handled this only serves as a reminder that they are mostly just there for themselves and their special programs. They really have forgotten who put them there, and why.......
I really think it is time for a non-partisan approach and I really don't care how many toes get stepped on, the PEOPLE have had enough of this crap.
It is time for someone to give them a big smack upside the head and remind them to stop the grandstanding and get to work!!! Do your jobs and no one gets hurt, ha, ha, ha.......
Really, this is the time. If not now........when?

Welcome to my past

For those of you out there, I am one of many that actually have a past.
I had spoken to a writer for Salt Lake City Weekly about doing a story on my candidacy for President of the United States. Imagine the return call I received only a few minutes later, as he had run a background check on me.
I knew that the issues of my much younger, drinking past would come to light. I had no intention of trying to do what all other politicians do, hide the past to look lily white. I am not proud of my poor behaviour, but I see that time in my life as a learning experience.
I do know that there are those out there that will seek to try ot make me look like some sort of an undesirable character, or a bad guy. I see this part of my past as a learning path that I walked upon and the walked away from.
If you read the story and it changes your opinion of me that is your choice. If it changes how you look at me, that is also your choice. I only ask that you look at it and see that the Barte that you know now is not the same guy that there was then. I have really "moved on" from that sort of behaviour and really am much different for it.
My son told me that this day would come and I knew there was no way that the press would let these sort of things stay in the past. I understood his concern for my aspirations and my personal life, but, I also know that it more important to be totally honest in the light of my aspirations.
Read it, understand it, and do what I have done, "move on".
If you really know me you will allow me to keep my past where it is and see how I am now.
I am a proud American, Father, Husband, and not in the least, a former active duty US Marine, but that as they say, is another story.

The ongoing Budget saga

Like all of you I can't help but see every day the disappointing progress (or total lack of it) with regard to the Federal budget and the ceiling.
I get so sick and tired of all the red hats and blue hats party politics regarding this important issue. I understand some of the party politics and their party loyalites, but when the hell does common sense start to intrude upon the lack of progress.
I see their individual points but there must be a time when they stop all the stonewalling and posturing and actually get something done. The silly fighting and BS that all these career politicians are doing right now does the average common citizen absolutely no good. We are concerned about the solvency of our Nation and as a group we should all be.
I really have a hard time with giving corporations tax breaks to send their businesses off shore, and the lack of incentive to get a real effective tax system in place that treats all Americans equally and corporations as well.
It is time for the corporations and ALL Americans to do their part. I believe that a flat tax system would be a benefit for all middle and lower income citizens and would require businesses to pay a fair and equitable amount that could enable ALL Americans to start to help in getting out Nation out of the incredibly deep fiscal hole we are in.
I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF ALL THIS 2 PARTY BS!!!
Get off your party high horses, stop all this childish crap and DO SOMETHING!!!
All you people were elected by your respective state citizens to do a job, get on with it!!!
Save our Country and the Country of our children from certain monetary collapse and an even further worsening of the economic conditions for all Americans.

Wisdom from the past

So this morning I received an email from my boss and included was a video featuring Archie Bunker.
Some of you may remember him from the early 70's as a working class guy that lived in the suburbs. He was very opinionated and worked hard for a living. The reason the show was so popular was his version of what he perceived as the truth of the way of the world.
He was prejudicial, judgemental and actually a very grumpy sort of fellow, but his way of expression spoke directly to the situation in the country at the time.
I just noticed that the thoughts of that time have some real similarities to now. I understand that things are very difficult, but. as Americans we still have the power to make a difference.
Do so, do not just sit idly by and let things go to hell in a handbasket.
I started my campaign on the belief that we have all had enough of the shenanigans going on in the Government right now.
Stand up and be counted, I will do my best to help you all be heard.

I have a past, imagine that......

I almost forgot to tell all of you. I have a past, imagine that.
I had an interview yesterday with a writer from Salt Lake City Weekly. It didn't take him long to find out that I have a past that had some issues.
I used to drink, (there are so many of you that do not know this). My behaviour at the time (almost 22 years ago) that I used to behave badly.
I had run-in's with the court and had to pay some fines and spent some time in a courtroom.
I am not sure how he is going to approach this issue (as it shouldn't be an issue because of how long ago) but I thought it best I tell you all up front.
I would believe that my behaviour as a young man and an alcoholic will not change the way you all look at me now. I have been sober for nearly 22 years and that behaviour was something that I knew would come up eventually.
Many of you have no idea as to my past as you see me for how I am now. I do not forget for a minute how I used to be, but, as most of you know, I am quite different now as you can see.
There are those that will try to use my past against me and if there are those that can not look past the way I used to act and the way I conduct myself now, I will not hold it against you. I merely ask you to see what I do, see how I conduct myself and how I act toward my friends and family without the prejudices of my past.
It certainly is quite a different way of thinking when you see that I am not like all other politicians (I certainly am not a politician). They want to hide the past and try to portray themselves as angels who never had any sort of past issues. Look at the Clinton era, where he never inhaled.......ha, ha.....
I never said I was an angel, I never deny my past. I say that my past makes me human and I have learned much from my mistakes. Just ask my family.
Realize this truth, I am a human being that has used my life experiences to sculpt the person you see on a daily basis. I am not perfect, nor did I ever say I was.
Experience is necessary for the growth of all people. Life teaches you much everyday. It is what you do after you make those choices that define how you live the rest of your life.