Our Lungs Work. Our Hearts Work. Our Minds Work.

By in Parenting, Relationships, Spirituality, Teenagers Tags: , , ,

I took my morning run today at 5:30. I was tired. It was cold. On this particular morning, I thought true thoughts.

I thought of my two legs — I have two legs. I thought of my children — I have children. I thought of their health — they have health. I thought of my wife — one of the most decent people I’ve ever known. I thought of my warm home —I  have a warm home. I thought of my incredible friends — I have incredible friends.

I thought of my mother and father and three sisters — I have a mother and father and three sisters. I thought of my three brothers in law — I have three brothers in law. All good men.

I thought of my faith — I’m grateful for my faith. I thought of my car — I have a car. The A/C works. The brakes work. So does the radio and the and the generator and the battery and the alternator and the rear window defroster. It gets great gas mileage.

I thought of my ten fingers and ten toes — I have ten fingers and ten toes. I looked down and thought of my New Balance 993′s—I have New Balance 993′s. Two pairs, in fact, one gray, one black.

I thought of my books — I cherish my books. I thought of my trials — trials turn to gold. I thought of my freedom — I am nobody’s slave. I thought of those living under oppression — I am not oppressed. I thought of my education — I am grateful for opportunities to learn and grow.

As long as I have breath, I will always learn and grow.

I panted in the cold air as I ascended a daunting hill. There are many hills in this life. I thought of my will and my strength and my faith to get over hills.

The sun broke through these dark clouds and I saw radiant beams of sun. Then I thought of my eyesight —  I can see.

I had no pain in my body. No pain in my body. I had no pain in my body.

I thought of my family again — they are healthy and funny and grounded and happy. I thought about later posting a picture we took a while ago.

Our lungs work. Our hearts work. Our minds work.

I am loved. I am accepted. I contribute to the wellbeing of others. My friends mean the world to me. And they care for me. My family means the world to me. And they care for me.

Life is full of good things and difficult things. But every time we focus on the good things, we become grateful.

It’s kind of like that thing Lincon said, “We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.”

 

(this post was adapted from a previous post that you can see here)

It Is My Moral Duty: Day XX In The Life Of This Candidate For United States Congress.

By in Politics, Religion Tags: ,

This is a sad and pathetic story. I don’t like writing about this stuff. But I must.

Roy Moore, running for Senator as an Alabama Republican, now has 5 women who have accused him of sexual abuse.

Over the past week, virtually every major Republican voice has called on Moore to step down. Yesterday, Sean Hannity of FOX News said, “You must remove any doubt. If he can’t do this, then Judge Moore needs to get out of this race.”

One Republican leader has been mysteriously silent: President Trump.

The problem for Trump is the thorny logic. Moore has 5 credible female accusers. He calls them all liars. And yet, Moore is receiving increased pressure to step down. Donald Trump has 16 credible female accusers. He calls them all liars, too. But he seems to have no inclination to step down.

Why?

Trump once told reporters of his accusers, “All I can say is it’s totally fake news. It’s just fake. It’s fake. It’s made-up stuff, and it’s disgraceful, what happens, but that happens in the — that happens in the world of politics.”

The “pink elephant” in the room here is glaringly apparent and it begs a host of questions.

Why the double standard?

Are Moore’s accusers credible, and Trump’s not?

Do you get a pass when you are President? (Well, no — Bill Clinton didn’t.)

On what moral basis can Sean Hannity offer Moore such an ultimatum, but not ask one of Trump?

Are Trump’s accusers, by virtue of the fact that Trump is President, less believable?

And if Trump joins the chorus of influential GOP leaders calling on Roy Moore to step aside, how will he and his supporters defend calling his 16 accusers “liars?”

Some Republicans get mad at me for “speaking against your own party.” But right is right. Wrong is wrong. I’m no typical political yes-man.

Perhaps it’s political suicide for me to bring stuff like this up, but I’m a candidate who will always speak from my heart, and tell the truth, even if it “hurts” me politically.

It’s my moral duty as a husband, father, brother, friend, and candidate for the United States House of Representatives to defend the defenseless — in this case, women.

We can do better. Please visit my campaign page by clicking HERE and supporting a new kind of Republican!

“Save Your Soul, Paul”: Day VIII In The Life Of This Candidate For United States Congress.

By in Politics Tags: ,

 

 

“Save your soul Paul.” That was recent advice on a social media chat.

I take no offense.

Listening to the views of others, that is. Hearing what matters to them. Their fears. It’s my passion to learn from them. And I consider myself blessed to spend most of my days talking, texting, messaging with others about things that matter.

Politics is a dirty word today. But it’s is just a word to describe how people manage to live together in peace, safety, harmony.

If you’ve followed me on social media, I like to argue my point on things I believe in. I can be as stubborn as hell if pushed hard. But, as important, I want to understand the views of others.

One of the greatest compliments I receive is when people from the far right or far left tell me they respect my commitment to being fair.

Most people today are fed up with politicians. Congress has an approval rating of just 13%. That’s pretty sad. If I get elected, I will never become a politician. Like I said last week, a guy wanted to introduce me to a billionaire donor. I told him “no thanks.” I’m not even joking.

Today, I was chatting with a big Trump supporter. There have been over 900 homicides since Las Vegas. Trump promised to keep us safe. It is immoral that Trump will not even use the word gun after a mass murder like we saw in Vegas. It’s fine if he wants to protect us from terrorists, as he should. But every year over 15,000 dies from homicides from gun violence. Far fewer die from terrorists.

But every year over 15,000 Americans die from homicides from gun violence. Far fewer die from terrorists.

Non-partisan common sense says to combat terrorism and gun violence. Protect. The. People

Here’s a virtual transcription of the conversation. It warms my heart, even though there are clear differences.

Him: Going after Trump will not get you elected. Wrong approach.

Me: I don’t disagree with everything. But win or lose I’ve committed to being honest with my convictions for the good of the people. But I appreciate it…

Him: …it’s not how politics work. People are in it for one person only, themselves. I’m sure there are great intentions initially but so much money being thrown around in government corrupts the best of them.

Me: The largest special interest group in the country giving Trump $30 million then he didn’t even use the word “guns” after Vegas, THAT’s politics. I won’t take a dime from any special interest group.

Him: …you won’t win if you stay honest with your convictions. I respect it but not a winning (in politics) strategy. It’s the dirtiest place to play and you’ve got to think and act like them. Based on your posts I don’t see you being that type of person. Your intentions seem honorable but not how politics work.

Me: …appreciate it man. Given that, maybe you might help me. I deeply believe voters ultimately want candidates who will tell the truth, put voters ahead of $$$, not be so divided. Either way, I know you don’t buy all my positions but your words so inspire me… Thank you.

Him: in my heart of hearts we want people with your intentions to run this country. Unfortunately, it’s not how the world is set up.

Someone else chimes in: Save your soul Paul

I won’t lose my soul because I will stand by my convictions, not those of career politicians, large corporate interests, the billionaire class.

I’m for the people.

We can do better.

Please visit my campaign page HERE and support me NOW. This is a grassroots effort. We need you to bring real change to America.

Frenemies: Day IV In The Life Of This Candidate For United States Congress.

By in Politics Tags: ,

 

Paul, what issues are you running on? I’m getting this question more and more.

Probably one of the biggest issues for me is that of political unity. I’m a pragmatist. I’m into effectiveness. I like to get stuff done.

Problem today is that things haven’t been getting done in years in Washington DC. Everybody’s fighting. Republicans hate Democrats and Democrats hate Republicans. And the mainstream media is the only one profiting.

The fact that nothing gets done means little to career politicians; even during a recession, they get their hefty salaries, benefits, summers off.

The ineffectiveness of Congress has little bearing on the job security of many of its members.

Here’s a question I ask you to consider. How can this organization we call the United States government be successful when people on opposite sides hate each other? How can a family or a company or any organization function when its members loathe fellow members?

How can there be progress when one side considers it a “win” when the other side loses?

The win-lose spirit in Washington D.C is the primary reason for Congress’s current national approval rating of 13% — voters don’t like it. And why should they?

At the core of my campaign is an overwhelming sense that the division between left and right is damaging this great nation. Further, I do not believe blaming the other side is the answer.

I don’t care if you are left of Bernie Sanders, I don’t care if you’re right of Ted Cruz — it does our nation no good to despise fellow citizens. Even if their beliefs are opposite to yours.

So I am running as a “raging centrist.” That just means that I am, ferociously if you will, stubbornly committed to bringing people from both sides together.

And I consider it a great compliment, as a lifetime Republican, to have the support of Independents and even Democrats.

I consider it a victory, in large part, because working with Democrats was one of Ronald Reagan’s greatest legacies. Staunchly conservative, and, yet, able to have the finesse to work with the political “enemy.”

The best example of this finesse was Reagan’s relationship with Tip O’Neil. O’Neil was the Speaker of the House of Representatives during most of Reagan’s two terms in office.

You couldn’t have two men who had two leaders with more opposite views. Reagan essentially saw government as essentially bad; O’Neil wanted nothing more than to expand it.

The two men basically loathed each other’s policies.

And, yet, they forged a relationship based on respect. As important, they realized that the kind of partisanship that embodies today’s polarized American politics today would result in not just the hating of your fellow citizen, but paralysis in Washington.

O’Neil’s son, Thomas, wrote about their relationship, in this article, Frenemies: A Love Story. I think anyone passionate about politics needs to read this. It brings tears to my eyes as I imagine what is possible in our divided nation.

Here’s an excerpt:

“What both men deplored more than the other’s political philosophy was stalemate, and a country that was so polarized by ideology and party politics that it could not move forward. There were tough words and important disagreements over everything from taxation to Medicare and military spending. But there was yet a stronger commitment to getting things done.”

If I have the honor of representing the voters in the 48th Congressional District, I can assure them that I’m going there to get things done, in the spirit of Ronald Reagan and Tip O’Neil.

Because let’s face it, when we strip away all the polarizing junk we see in the media or on social media, people are people.

We are all in this together.

We can do better.

If this post resonates with you, I humbly ask you to click HERE NOW and read more about my other priorities.

People Got Mad At Me: Day III In The Life Of This Candidate For United States Congress.

By in Politics Tags: ,

 

Some people got mad at me. Because I posted something “negative.” Some people don’t like negative. But what I think they didn’t like is this: I’m informing people of the truth about their candidate, Dana Rohrabacher.

Nobody likes it when their candidate looks bad.

But I see politicians, in ways, like I do restaurants. They exist to serve the people. That is the purpose of a restaurant and waiters and waitresses and cooks — do something good for those who hired you, the customers,

In the case of publicly elected officials, do good for the citizens.

Hence, I see pointing out the truths about a candidate not much different than going to Yelp and doing a customer review. You want to let people know how it all went. And that’s a good thing. More people can see how many stars the restaurant got.

So a few days ago I did a review, if you will, on the Congressman. You can read it on both of my Facebook pages.

I wrote about how he ran for Congress preaching on the importance of term limits. I wrote about how today he wants the people to elect him for… a SIXTEENTH term.

Some might see me pointing this out as “negative.” But I think people need to know that he’s a career establishment politician (the kind, ironically, that President said we need to “drain”).

I wrote about how according to Gallop polling, in 1989 when he came to office, Congress had an approval rating of 44%. And how, today, Congress’s approval rating is 13%. That’s another brute fact. I didn’t make it up. Americans are sick and tired of an ineffective Congress.

Thirteen percent approval rating. Maybe that’s okay with you. But if Congress was a restaurant, they’d be getting only one star, almost. None of us would be eating there.

We’d be warning our friends to pick something else. 

More specifically, I wrote about how Mr. Rohrbacher hasn’t been the leading sponsor of a bill for over 17 years. Another brute fact that I think people need to know about.

I find myself wondering what he’s been doing for his constituents for the past 17 years. Maybe he’s done a lot. But in Congress, anyone could vote yea or nay. It takes lots of creativity and energy to write and sponsor a major bill. Or, to help solve the problems in your district.

And if I was elected to Congress, there’d be a bunch objectives I’d be working very hard on. Like the day and night 7 days a week kind of hard.

Here’s an example of something that could be drastically improved in our district. In the past 17 years, people have been working harder than ever and still, thousands can barely make ends meet. I know them: young families and seniors and college graduates with student loans and seniors — most of the people living here are struggling financially because the jobs don’t pay enough.

It’s harder and harder to afford to live here. I’ve looked, and haven’t seen anything the Congressman has done to solve the problem of low paying jobs in District 48.

And chronic homelessness (that’s the kind where hardworking people have a health setback or layoff and can’t make ends meet so are left to living in their cars or on the street) is through the roof. And that’s costing our county millions of dollars each year.

I haven’t seen the Congressman address the issue of chronic homelessness. But I see more homeless people here than I ever have in my lifetime.

You see, I think things like this are important for people to know.

Is bringing them up, “negative?”

I think they are if you are a supporter of Dana Rohrabacher.

Most of the Republicans I’ve been speaking to in the past few months don’t even know who Rohrabacher is. When I give them just a snapshot of his record, they wonder how he stays in office, term after term after term after term after term after term after term after term after term after term after term after term after term after term after term.

I know we can do better.

Finally, if you are a Republican that voted for Donald Trump, hear me. You don’t get to tell me I’m being “negative” and yet be a Trump supporter. He’s taken the idea of negative campaigning into the gutter, whether he’s talking about Democrats or fellow Republicans.

I don’t think his version of Tweeting being truly negative been good for the Republican party. I don’t think it’s been good for America.

I’d love to have a public conversation with Dana Rohrbacher. Anytime, anywhere in our district. Perhaps he can clarify what many are confused about. Maybe he’s done a bunch of good stuff that nobody seems to know anything about and he can tell us.

If you want to learn more about me and my new campaign as a Forward Thinking Republican, please click HERE.

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