I AM RAVING MAD AND I’M NOT GONNA TAKE IT ANY MORE!

What is up with our government?  I really feel like history was made yesterday.  The history of the FALL OF AMERICA!  I think about all the consequences these “lawmakers” are forcing upon their constiuents and it just doesn’t make sense.  I guess they don’t have to deal with the choices they have made and they can just ignore their voters.   For over a year now Americans have been making voicing their opinion all across the country and still the Democrats have turned a deaf ear.  And to think that this new Comprehensive Healthcare Reform plan was the capstone of Obama’s presidency makes it even more disgusting!  Really????  You mean that your whole presidency rides on whether this bill gets passed or not?  That’s pretty sad.  I thought being President was about so many other more important matters like  protecting the rights of the citizens and keeping our country safe AND keeping our country financially sound!

As a hard-working American I feel so very jaded by this whole Comprehensive Healthcare Plan.   I have 2 boys that will be starting high school this year and guess what?  They are in the class of 2014.  That means that by the time they graduate from high school and get jobs and step out into the real world…it’s going to be almost impossible to make it on their own.  They will not have the same opportunities we had when we started out.  They won’t get to find the jobs that used to be available before companies had to cut back to make up for the extra taxes businesses will be paying for the healthcare plan.  They won’t have the same insurance coverage that many of us have worked hard for and relied upon when we needed it most.  Instead…they will be footing the bill of thousands of Americans who live off of our government and are always looking for a handout.  Not only that…they will be paying higher taxes right alongside their parents who are already being taxed beyond reasonable means.   We pay plenty for our healthcare premiums through my job and it’s not like I have the best healthcare plan on the market.  I can’t imagine how much more my doctor bills and prescriptions are going to cost on top of the additional burden of taxes that will be chunked out of my paycheck.  We barely scrimp by now with the income we make…how are we going to make it when all this comes down? 

There was a time in my life when I didn’t have health insurance and you know what…as an honest hard-working American, I had to deal with it.  It doesn’t mean that I showed up in emergency rooms and expected to be taken care of and didn’t pay my bills.  I had to work harder to take care of those Dr. bills that were incurred during that time.  It wasn’t an easy time, but it made me a better person because I was accountable for myself.  So many people in America have forgotten what Personal Responsibility is anymore.  They think that someone will always be there to take care of them and they could care less about taking care of themselves.  They are always looking for a handout instead of trying to improve their lives by making the right choices.  There are consequences to the actions we take and that is what life is all about.  What happens when there is no more “government” to take care of your problems?  Who will you turn to then??? 

AMERICA IT IS TIME TO WAKE UP!  TIME TO GET MOTIVATED!  TIME TO TAKE ACTION!  We cannot allow our government to continue to defy the people who make up our nation.  We must take a stand and let the government know that we will NOT be beaten back like animals and expected to just follow along!

I am grateful to see that our Nevada Governor Gibbons is willing to fight this healthcare plan along with 38 other states across the nation.  However, it’s hard to say how difficult of a battle this will be since we have an Attorney General that does not necessarily have the same political views.  I am hoping and praying that AG Catherine Cortez Masto will put political affiliations aside and stand up for our constitution and the right of the people.  I also am quite disappointed in our Governor for taking so long to speak up and discuss this issue until today.  While watching the news this morning around 8am…they posted a map of the US and the states that were going to file a lawsuit against the government and Nevada was not one of the states highlighted.  It was quite disheartening as I would have expected Governor Gibbons to already have made already made plans to fight this bill and that Nevada would have been included in that list of states fighting against this bill.  I plan on calling our Attorney General’s office in the morning and calling the Governor’s office to make sure that they know where this fellow Nevadan stands.

At this point, all we can do is wait and see what happens next.  In the meantime…I think many people are going to need to pay a visit to their doctors to find a way to survive through all of these hardships to come.  Sad thing is…we’ll probably have to take a number!  That is if we are lucky enough to actually have coverage to see a doctor for depression and anxiety problems.

VP Candidate Sarah Palin Visits Reno, NV

 Sarah Palin came to Reno, NV on 10/21/2008 and brought along Lee Greenwood, her brother Chuck Heath, Jr. and her daughter Piper.  She drew a crowd of over 1000 supporters during an EARLY morning rally.  Supporters showed up at the venue at 6:00AM to attend the rally which actually began at 8:30AM.  McCain/Palin supporters showed their support with loud cheers and support.  You can find coverage of the entire speech in 5 parts at this link:

http://www.ktvn.com/Global/story.asp?S=9191969

I attended this rally and arrived at 6:00AM.  There were about 100 people in front of me waiting in line and MANY MANY more behind me that wrapped around the builiding.  The doors opened at 6:30AM and it was a “standing only” rally.  VIP attendees were allowed to sit in bleachers that were set farther back than the standing section of the rally.  I was about one row back from the barricade to the stage for the rally and to the left of the podium.  I brought my 13yo boys with me so they could experience this once in a lifetime opportunity.  The rally was energetic and exciting.  Governor Palin had an excellent message and brought to light many of the issues facing our nation today.  After the rally, Governor Palin spent a good amount of time autographing tickets and other memorabilia.  Governor Palin’s daughter Piper gave out autographs too.  My boys were lucky enough to shake Governor Palin’s hand and we also got our tickets signed by Governor Palin and Piper. 

Even though standing for 5 hours straight wasn’t a fun thing to do…experiencing this event first-hand was well worth it!  I am even more inspired to get the message out and do what has to be done to fight the tide of socialism and marxism in our country.

The National Anthem

Nevada Support at Sarah Palin Rally

Governor Palin at Rally

Governor Sarah Palin Speaks at Rally

Our Tax System in a Nutshell

Suppose that every day, ten men go out for beer and  the bill for all ten comes to $100.  If they paid their bill the way we pay  our taxes, it would go something like this:

 

The first four men (the  poorest) would pay nothing.

The fifth would pay $1.

The sixth would pay  $3.

The seventh would pay $7.

The eighth would pay $12.

The ninth  would pay $18.

The tenth man (the richest) would pay $59.

 

So, that’s  what they decided to do.

 

The ten men drank in the bar every day and  seemed quite happy with the arrangement, until on day, the owner threw them a  curve. ‘Since you are all such good customers,’ he said, ‘I’m going to reduce  the cost of your daily beer by $20. ‘Drinks for the ten now cost just $80.

The group still wanted to pay their bill the way we pay our taxes  so the first four men were unaffected. They would still drink for free. But what about the other six men – the paying customers? How could they divide the $20 windfall so that everyone would get his ‘fair share?’ They realized that $20 divided by six is $3.33. But if they subtracted that from everybody’s share, then the fifth man and the sixth man would each end up being paid to  drink his beer.

So, the bar owner suggested that it would be fair to reduce  each man’s bill by roughly the same amount, and he proceeded to work out the  amounts each should pay.

 

And so:

The fifth man, like the first  four, now paid nothing (100% savings).

The sixth now paid $2 instead of $3  (33%savings).

The seventh now pay $5 instead of $7 (28%savings).

The  eighth now paid $9 instead of $12 (25% savings).

The ninth now paid $14  instead of $18 (22% savings).

The tenth now paid $49 instead of $59 (16%  savings).

 

Each of the six was better off than before and the first four continued to drink for free, but once outside the restaurant, the men began to compare their savings.

‘I only got a dollar out of the $20, ‘declared the  sixth man.

He pointed to the tenth man,’ but he got $10!’

‘Yeah, that’s  right,’ exclaimed the fifth man. ‘I only saved a dollar, too.

It’s unfair  that he got TEN times more than I!’

‘That’s true!!’ shouted the seventh  man. ‘Why should he get $10 back when I got only two? The wealthy get all the  breaks!’

‘Wait a minute,’ yelled the first four men in unison. ‘We didn’t get anything at all. The system exploits the poor!’

The nine men surrounded the tenth and beat him up.

The next night the tenth man  didn’t show up for drinks, so the nine sat down and had beers without him. But when it came time to pay the bill, they discovered something important. They didn’t have enough money between all of them for even half of the  bill!

And that, boys and girls, journalists and college professors, is how our tax system works. The people who pay the highest taxes get the most benefit from a tax reduction. Tax them too much, attack them for being wealthy, and they just may not show up anymore. In fact, they might start drinking overseas where the atmosphere is somewhat friendlier.

 

David R.  Kamerschen, Ph.D.

Professor of Economics

University of  Georgia

 

For those who understand, no explanation is needed. For those who do not understand, no explanation is possible!

NOW…take this anology and apply it to Obama’s Tax Plan.  You can just imagine.  According to Obama, “It’s GOOD to spread the wealth around.”  Honestly, if Obama is elected, I think we all should quit our jobs.  Why should we work?  I mean heck, let the “rich” man pay our bills.  It seems to me that no matter how hard I work, my bills keep coming and nobody else helps me.  So…why should I work harder?  Obama’s solution will do MORE HARM than good for ALL of us in America.

JUST SAY NO TO B.O.!!!!!

 

Poking Fun at Politics

I have to admit that I don’t tend to watch SNL.  But…when I heard they were doing a Palin/Clinton skit on the show this week.  I had to tune in.  We all need a little comic relief when it comes to this policial season.  Yeah, some of it is quite degrading to our VP candidate Governor Sarah Palin, but it’s all in fun.   Think about when you go to see a comedian and he heckles someone.  We all laugh about it.  That’s how I interpret this skit.  It’s quite funny!

Here’s the link in case you want to watch it:

http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/clips/palin-hillary-open/656281/

Another silly note about this skit.  I have had customers come in and tell me that I look like Tina Fey.  When I saw Governor Palin for the first time I was surprised that I wear my hair a LOT like she does.  I don’t have NEARLY as much hair as she does, but the little I have, is put up like hers.  If I were to buy some hair extensions, I could make it look JUST like her hairdo.  Anyway, I got a real kick out of seeing Tina Fey play the part of Sarah Palin.  She had the look down to a T and I loved the joke in the skit that said that Sarah Palin was wearing Tina Fey’s glasses.  TOO FUNNY.

What Plate Will You Choose?

I have to admit that I haven’t done a lot of political blogging lately.  I guess I have been somewhat fed up with all the hub bub over candidates that aren’t strong on the issues.  I still have been keeping up with all the politics swirling around and preparing for the upcoming election.  Now that Duncan Hunter is no longer in the running, I have to look at other options.  There are candidates from 3rd parties that will not garner much more than 1% of the vote.  Besides the 3rd party options, there is Barrack Hussein Obama who I will refer to as B.O. on this blog.  There is also John McCain. 

Take a look at these two candidates: 

McCain is PRO-LIFE
B.O. is PRO-CHOICE

McCain is PRO-MILITARY
B.O. is ANTI-MILITARY

McCain is PRO-IRAQ
B.O. is ANTI-IRAQ

McCain is a TAX CUTTER
B.O. is a TAX INCREASER

McCain has foreign policy experience
B.O. was a community organizer

McCain is PRO-2nd Amendment
B.O. is ANTI-2nd Amendment

Take a look at the plates that are in front of you right now.  You have a plate with STEAK & POTATOES on it with John McCain.  You have a plate with JUNK FOOD and no substance with B.O.  Take another look at the plate that is being served up to you and decide who you think is right for our country.  Thanks but I’ll leave the plate of “shite” aside and have some real substance for a change.

Washoe County Republican Convention in Nevada

Today I participated in one of the most fascinating events.  I attended my county convention for the Republican Party.  If any of you have never attended your county convention before, you should make an effort to be there.  This is one of the most important ways to get your voice heard as a conservative.  If you don’t like the direction our party is heading, then you MUST become involved with your local party at the grassroots level.  We MUST take back the Republican Party and we MUST demand that our party listen to our views and know what we expect from our leaders. 

On January 19, 2008, Nevada held it’s first caucus and the expectation for turnout was in the 3% range.  The actual turnout was 8%, which actually made the entire caucus experience a little chaotic.  BUT…this process provided voters the opportunity to have their voices heard.  Today, I learned that at our previous county convention, there were less than 100 in attendance.  This year, there were 1100 in attendance.  That is an amazing number!  And…many of those people who participated this time around had never been involved in the political process before.  They now had the opportunity to speak their mind and tell our party what they wanted. 

I was one of those newly elected delegates who attended the county convention for the first time.  Before our county convention, I was invited to serve on the platform planning committee.  It was an honor to be a part of this committee and I felt that as a whole, our committee produced a platform document that was strong and represented my beliefs as a Republican.  I wasn’t able to participate quite as much as I would have liked in the planning process, but I still was able to represent many of the values that Congressman Duncan Hunter stood for.  Our final document was one that we all supported as a committee and one that we could stand strongly behind. 

 Today was quite the learning experience and it was fascinating to observe and participate in the voting process as a party.  To get that many people to come to agreement and pass a platform that is acceptable to them was a grueling experience.  But, it was one that was necessary and proved that our freedom is still alive and well.  What better way than for our community to come together and discuss the important issues and then come to agreement as a whole after all sides have been discussed.  I was proud to be there and I felt that I accomplished something as a citizen of the United States of America. 

So listen up conservatives!  We need to get out there and have a voice.  You MUST get involved with your party.  You MUST be that voice of conservatism.  Don’t let your party carry the banner of issues that you don’t support.  Get on your platform planning committee.  Be a part of the Credentials Committee for your convention.  Be a part of the Rules Committee for your convention.  These are important places to be and if you want to be heard, these are the places that you will have the most impact.  If you want to keep out the elitists and put in the ones that represent your beliefs, you must stand up and be heard.  You won’t be heard if you stay at home and don’t participate.  You must rally your neighbors.  Talk with registered Republicans in your precinct.  Tell them to get involved.  Inform them of the issues. 

The last couple months have been a little tough after Duncan Hunter dropped out of the Presidential race.  I felt confused and felt that there weren’t any other options.  The only reason I stayed involved with the party process was because of Duncan Hunter.  I asked him on the day that he made the announcement to withdraw what I could do or should do now that I didn’t have a candidate to support.  He told me that the best thing for me to do is to keep active in my party and support the candidate that most closely held his views and be a voice for him regarding how are party is made up.  That is what inspired me to get on the platform planning committee.  I knew what Congressman Hunter stood for and in order to carry on that message, I needed to participate in forming the values of our party in our county.  So…I am grateful to Congressman Hunter for the influence he had on me and for giving me a reason to continue to fight.  I had never been as involved in the political process until I got involved with Congressman Hunter’s campaign.  I was always a voter, and always an informed voter, but I had never done anything more than that.  Being a part of all of this has been a most wonderful experience and I don’t regret any of it.  I am so grateful that I live in a country where I can exercise my freedoms that so many brave men fought to uphold. 

I forgot to mention that I was also elected as a delegate to our State Convention.  I am sure that it will be even more interesting than our county convention being that Washoe County is mostly conservative and Clark County is mostly liberal.  I am looking forward to being involved in preserving our conservative values at our state convention.  It would be an honor to represent my state as a national delegate, however the prospects are fairly low on getting elected, as only 33 delegates will go to the National Convention.  Either way, I look forward to the opportunity and anxiously await being able to speak up for my values at our state’s convention next month. 

Close the One-Way Trade Street…Write Your Congressman NOW

 

Trade Demands A Level Playing Field

The Goal:

1. Get this bill out of “committee”, on the floor and get it debated.

2. Get our elected representatives to pass H. R. 2600.

The bipartisan Border Tax Equity Act (H.R. 2600) has been introduced by Congresman Bill Pascrell (D-NJ), Duncan Hunter (R-CA), Mike Michaud (D-ME), and Walter Jones (R-NC). The purpose is to correct border-tax inequities that currently disadvantage U.S. producers and service providers to the tune of $379 billion a year.

H.R. 2600:  Border Tax Equity Act of 2007

“H.R. 2600 needs our help!
Our elected representatives need us to give them a little push!”

A summary of H.R. 2600:

To authorize the imposition of a tax on imports from any country that employs indirect taxes and grants rebates of the same upon export and to authorize compensatory payments to eligible United States exporters to neutralize the discriminatory effect of such taxes paid by such exporters if United States trade negotiating objectives regarding border tax treatment in World Trade Organization negotiations are not met.

Introduced: 6/6/2007 — 10 Cosponsors

Latest Major Action: 6/18/2007 Referred to House subcommittee.

Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Trade.

Folks, let’s not let this bill “die” in committee. You and I need this bill! American business needs this bill! The United States of America needs this bill!

Please take the time to learn more about H.R. 2600:
H.R. 2600: Border Tax Equity Act of 2007

The goal of our “free trade” agreements, such as the GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade) and the World Trade Organization (WTO), was to lower tariffs mutually in pursuit of worldwide free trade. The trouble is that it takes two to tango and we trade with at least 137 other countries that dance to a different tune.  So far, free trade has been a one way street.  We “freely” opened our markets to any junk any country wanted to sell here, while foreign markets remain closed to US industry.

When other countries reduced their tariffs, they simultaneously imposed border tax schemes, particularly Value Added Taxes (VAT), which add up to almost exactly the same amount as the tariffs that were supposedly reduced or eliminated. This sleight-of-hand trick is achieved by imposing VAT taxes on imports (a de facto tariff) and rebating VAT taxes on exports.

Look folks, think “globally” for a moment.  Everybody else in the world can’t all be wrong!  Perhaps, the US in this case, has made a mistake.  H.R. 2600 will help rectify this just a little bit!

Why do we need H.R. 2600?  Learn more about “why” here:
Trade Demands A Level Playing Field

Congress has repeatedly tried to resolve this border-tax discrimination by good-faith negotiations with VAT countries. But other countries continue to say “no dice,” and the WTO turns a deaf ear.  And, don’t get me wrong here.  As sovereign nations – they have a right, they have the freedom of choice to say “no”.

This fuels the trade deficit, cripples U.S. competitiveness, and provides a powerful incentive for U.S. companies to shift production and jobs overseas. Thousands of U.S. companies have shifted production to nations that use a VAT where they avoid taxation.  You can’t “blame” business.  Their goal is to make profits!  Less tax = More profit!  So, who do you “blame”?  It is the U. S. Trade Policy that is at fault!

Again – It is the U. S. Trade Policy that is at fault.  The problem is not, nor has it ever been “lazy” Americans.  Americans are the world’s most productive workers.  Read this:

Americans are the worlds most productive workers!

Many, many, times US trade representatives have complained to the WTO.  The WTO’s refusal to address this discrimination proves its anti-American bias.

It’s time to speak up for American industry, American jobs, and you and I the American people!

And that is exactly what H.R. 2600:  Border Tax Equity Act of 2007 does!

Let’s all help spread the word!
TOGETHER: We will make a difference!!

Those who do nothing soon find that they can do nothing.

Why don’t  “we”  take this on?  Let’s as a “group” of people who care about the future of this nation make a goal of:

1. Get this bill out of “committee”, on the floor and get it debated.

2. Get our elected representatives to pass H. R. 2600.

Are you with us?

“Yes!”

Great!  The time for action is upon us!

Hunter Endorses Huckabee

HUNTER ENDORSES HUCKABEE FOR PRESIDENT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  January 23, 2008

CONTACT:  Gary Becks  (619)334-1655

Washington D.C.- – – Congressman Duncan Hunter, who withdrew his candidacy for the Republican Presidential nomination on January 19, 2007 , today endorsed Mike Huckabee.

“I got to know Governor Huckabee well on the campaign trail,” said Hunter. “Of the remaining candidates I feel that he is strongly committed to strengthening national defense, constructing the border fence and meeting the challenge of China’s emergence as a military superpower that is taking large portions of America ’s industrial base. 

“Along with these issues of national security, border enforcement and protecting the U.S. industrial base, I see another quality of Mike Huckabee’s candidacy that compels my endorsement.  Mike Huckabee is a man of outstanding character and integrity.  I saw that character over the last year of campaigning and was greatly impressed.  The other Republican candidates have many strengths and I wish them all well.  My personal choice is Mike Huckabee,” Hunter concluded.

# # #

Gary Becks
Hunter for President
Media Relations
(619) 334-1655

This announcement is difficult to swallow, but I really see this as the right move for Duncan Hunter.  If he had chosen to endorse McCain, we would all be sickened due to McCain’s hand in McCain/Kennedy and McCain/Feingold.  If Hunter had chosen Romney, we would all be disgusted due to Romney’s uninterest in the problems facing our nation with China.  Giuliani would NEVER cross Hunter’s mind so that leaves only one other choice and that is Huckabee.

 Yes I think Huckabee isn’t the TRUE CONSERVATIVE that we had in Hunter, but I also see the ability of Hunter being able to influence Huckabee.  Hunter would be the most excellent choice to balance out a Huckabee ticket in the General Election.  Huckabee needs someone strong like Hunter to appeal to conservatives.  The thought of supporting Huckabee at this point is still a difficult pill to swallow, but I do trust Hunter’s decision.  And… I do see potential for Hunter to help Huckabee make some wise choices so that he can garner more support and possibly win the nomination.

 All I can say is that this election cycle is getting more interesting by the day!  I am still not going to sit back and let someone dictate to me who I should vote for, so at this point, I am still doing my homework and trying to sort everything out.  Remember, if we don’t speak up, our votes don’t really matter.

What’s a Conservative to Do?

Op/Ed Piece written by Dennis McCarthy

I’m in a political state of mourning this week. I’m a conservative, and my presidential candidate of choice recently dropped out of the race. Now, with the options left, I may be forced to sit out the general election this November. There are no conservatives left in this presidential race.

Congressman Duncan Hunter (R – CA) never got any traction with the voters. He was unable to amass the war chest necessary for such a huge undertaking. He was, at first, stuck in the corner podium for debates; in fact, he and Tom ancredo called each other “the bookends”. Later on, he was shut out of the debates entirely. This made it impossible to continue his campaign, since his biggest obstacle was convincing folks he was still in the race.

Duncan Hunter was outmanned by other candidates who had paid political operatives and consultants. Here in Florida, his grassroots volunteer force was fewer than a thousand people, and most of those only came on board in the last few weeks, not enough time to make a significant impact.

I’m not a political animal, but after seeing him on a cable news talk show about this time last year talking about the success of his border fence, I got involved with the Hunter campaign. The time I spent was well worth it, though, because the man I spent that time on was worth it.

Duncan Hunter is a complete conservative. He’s strong on the border, of course, but he’s also been consistently strong on military defense. He’s been consistently pro-life, pro-faith and pro-family, and is a strong supporter of every American’s right to bear arms.  Other candidates’ resumes have some of these qualities; none of them have all.

Most crucial, and timely to this week’s world economic crisis, Duncan Hunter knows the importance of a solid manufacturing base to America’s economy. That’s why he planned on canceling our unfair trade deals with Communist China, who’s been cheating on trade, devaluing their own currency in order to weaken the US dollar, and sending America childrens’ toys dipped in lead paint. Duncan Hunter’s “mirror trade” policy – that is, subjecting America’s trade partners to the same taxes and tariffs they impose on us – was a plan for which no other candidate had a response.

As I pounded the streets for Duncan Hunter, people everywhere told me “Duncan’s a good man, and a great conservative. It’s a shame he doesn’t have a chance hell of winning”. And if he had a dollar for every time someone said that, the Hunter campaign would have had enough money to buy him a blimp.

In a conference call with volunteer leaders last Saturday night, Hunter stopped short of endorsing any other candidate, though he had some kind words for one, and some unkind words for a few others. Fred Thompson is the most conservative of the remaining candidates (if he’s still in the race at press time, that is), but his wife seems to want to be First Lady far more fervently than he wants to be President. Mike Huckabee shares Hunter’s conservative values.  However, Huck’s soft stance on illegal immigration and lack of any experience with military issues are two big reasons I may not be able to pull the level for him in November. Rudy? Mitt? McCain? No way.  Ron Paul? No, thanks.

I’m reminded of a scene from the movie “Nuts”, in which an accused murderer (Barbra Streisand) fires her high-priced lawyer and ends up with a pro bono legal aid attorney (Richard Dreyfuss). She asks him, “So, are you any good?” Dreyfus gives her a scathing look and sneers, “You HAD good. Now you’ve got me.”

That’s how I’m feeling right now. We had good. Now that the only complete conservative in the race is out of the race, we have far less of a choice.

We Fought the Good Fight

MEDIA ALERT

 Congressman Duncan Hunter returns to San Diego tonight,

Saturday January 19, 2008

Media Opportunity at 8:00 PM (PST)

Broadway Pier at the end of Broadway St, San Diego

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  January 19, 2008

CONTACT:  Gary Becks  (619) 334-1655, garybecks@yahoo.com

San Diego, Calif. 

We started this campaign a year ago right here, in San Diego Harbor, against the backdrop of American Naval power.   We launched a campaign emphasizing a strong national defense, enforceable borders and restoring  the industrial base of America. 

Today we end this campaign.  The Nevada caucuses reflecting only 2% of the vote for me.   I ran the campaign exactly the way I wanted to, and at this point not being able to gain traction in conservative states of Nevada and South Carolina, it’s time to allow our volunteers and supporters to focus on the campaigns that remain viable.

It’s time for me to gear up for 2008’s defense bill that will be put together over the coming weeks.  There is work to be done in the areas of troop protection and new capabilities to be deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. And over the horizon, the emergence of Communist China as a military super power will require a new emphasis on U.S. capabilities in undersea warfare, space, and long range air-power. 

The best way to maintain a new era of peace is for the U.S. to remain strong.  Over the coming year I will endeavor to help craft a defense bill that meets the new security challenges.

Since our campaign began over 200,000 additional manufacturing jobs have been lost.  1.8 million jobs have left the U.S. for China.  This fracturing of the U.S. industrial base is a long term threat to America.  I hope that the remaining candidates will recognize it and address it.   As the senior Republican on the House Armed Services Committee, I will seek to address it.

Only hours ago a border patrolman was killed in the California Desert.  This tragedy emphasizes more than ever the compelling case for the completion of the border fence.   Since I wrote the bill that mandates 854 miles of double border fence only a few miles have been constructed.  Over the next year in Congress I will do everything in my power to get that fence built.  

Finally, for Lynn and me, the campaign over the last year has shown us this: America is a wonderful country.   Our people have great character and goodness, and the meeting of new friends has enriched our lives. 

The failure of our campaign to gain traction is mine and mine alone.  But we have driven the issues of national security, the border fence, the emergence of China and the need to reverse bad trade policy.   Because of that, this campaign has been very worthwhile, and for the Hunter family, a lot of fun. 

To our friends and supporters and volunteers: many thanks.  And now it’s time for me to focus on developing a 2008 defense bill that serves our troops and our nation.  

Thanks, and God Bless America.

Duncan Hunter

Gary Becks
Hunter for President
Media Relations
(619) 334-1655