Oct. 3 candidate forum
The candidate forum at the Southridge Presbyterian Church went very well. Below is the text of my opening and closing statements.
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Opening
First of all, I'd like to thank the church and the league of women voters for inviting us. This is a great opportunity for all of us, and it is truly an honor to parcitipate in this forum.
My name is Jason Peck, and I am the Libertarian candidate for State representative in the 24th district. Briefly, the purpose of the Libertarian Party is to promote a free market economy, civil liberties, and a foreign policy of peace, free trade, and non-intervention.
I'm originally from Kansas City. I graduated Shawnee-Mission North class of 1989. While in high school, I enlisted in the Kansas Army National Guard at the age of 17. I graduated US Army Infantry school in Fort Benning, GA in 1989. I served 6 years in the Kansas National Guard as a heavy anti-armor weapons crewman. I now have friends from my former unit who are awaiting orders for their 2nd tour of duty in Iraq, so our freedoms take on a very personal meaning to me.
While working full time, I earned my B.S. in Computer Science from the American College of Computer and Information Systems. Sometimes, I look back on my life, and think that I started off with nothing, and still have most of it left! I was married 15 years, but unfortunately, (or fortunately depending on whom you ask), my marriage ended a few years ago. My girlfriend and I are now full time parents to our 3 children.
WE have Kenneth, age 14, a freshman at SM North, Krystal, age 12, an Antioch Middle School 7th grader, and Sarah, age 16, a Shawnee-Mission South Sophomore.
My work with various charities began at an early age. in 1998, I helped start up one of the first all-volunteer programs at the Johnson County Juvenile Detention Center. I have volunteered for the National MS Society, 5 years as an MS-150 bicycle rider and 3 years as a medic. In 1999, I led the fight against the city of DeSoto's proposed bicycle ban. I then joined a volunteer fire department and earned my EMT. I served 5 years as a firefighter / EMT and secretary treasurer. I was later promoted to captain in a department of 23 men and women. I'm a former Kansas JayCee. I was active several years with the Ottawa, KS chapter. And, every so often, I'm recognized for my work at the Kansas City Rennaisance Fest where I have been on the security and medical staff for 3 years. Most recently, I created a website to help parents network to keep track of their kids in CyberSpace. CyberDads.info has been featured on channel 9 news, 710am talk radio, the Overland Park Sun, and the Kansas City Star.
As you can tell, I am not a career politician. I have, however, followed politics since an early age. I believe that a good leader is really just a very good follower. I am now continuing my endeavors by running for the Kansas House of Representatives.
Our state, much like our nation, carries a heavy debt load. Every family in this room now owes over $500,000 in government debt. When you consider that our state budgets $750,000.00 per year to tell us to wear our seatbelts, will be paying $240 million in debt repayment, and wastes money on things like replacing stop signs with roundabouts, it's easy to see why (out of time).
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Closing
Ladies and gentlemen, out government has strayed from its roots. Our founding fathers had the wisdom to recognize that we as human beings are born with certain inaliable rights, and realized it was their duty to limit the extent to which the government could infringe on those rights. This was a revolutionary, radical ideal that has served us well.
But today, our government is bloated, and no longer serves us, but bogs us down in beauracracy. We have gone from a state and a nation of tax and spend to a state and nation of borrow and spend. As I mentioned earlier, every family in this room now owes over $500m in gov't debt. Our homes and businesses are being seized under the guise of "economic development" and sold to the highest bidder. Our federal government has burdened us with an unfunded mandate known as the No Child Left Behind Act. I agree with Mr. Randau, that it's time we stood up to the federal government and took back control of our public schools.
Furthermore, our government wastes time and money arguing about victimless crimes such as gay marriage and flag burning. We are being taxed into the ground to pay for millions on welfare, and when we see what we're paying for with poor responses to events like hurricane Katrina, I wonder where the money is going.
Kansas is only one of 16 states that tax the sale of food. This is a very regressive tax that hurts the poor and the elderly on fixed incomes the most. This year our legislature failed to pass an increase in the exemption for this tax, despite the fact that it was endorsed by the AARP and catholic charities. We need to return our government to its libertarian roots, and get it out of our pocket books, and out of our personal lives. As Benjamin Franklin once said, "Those who would trade freedom for the illusion of security deserve neither".
We are still the land of the free and the home of the brave. This year, lets take back our government from the special interests and the 2 party monopolistic system.
As your candidate, I make no promises other than this: I will fight for all your rights, all the time, and that includes both fiscal and civil rights.
*******
Opening
First of all, I'd like to thank the church and the league of women voters for inviting us. This is a great opportunity for all of us, and it is truly an honor to parcitipate in this forum.
My name is Jason Peck, and I am the Libertarian candidate for State representative in the 24th district. Briefly, the purpose of the Libertarian Party is to promote a free market economy, civil liberties, and a foreign policy of peace, free trade, and non-intervention.
I'm originally from Kansas City. I graduated Shawnee-Mission North class of 1989. While in high school, I enlisted in the Kansas Army National Guard at the age of 17. I graduated US Army Infantry school in Fort Benning, GA in 1989. I served 6 years in the Kansas National Guard as a heavy anti-armor weapons crewman. I now have friends from my former unit who are awaiting orders for their 2nd tour of duty in Iraq, so our freedoms take on a very personal meaning to me.
While working full time, I earned my B.S. in Computer Science from the American College of Computer and Information Systems. Sometimes, I look back on my life, and think that I started off with nothing, and still have most of it left! I was married 15 years, but unfortunately, (or fortunately depending on whom you ask), my marriage ended a few years ago. My girlfriend and I are now full time parents to our 3 children.
WE have Kenneth, age 14, a freshman at SM North, Krystal, age 12, an Antioch Middle School 7th grader, and Sarah, age 16, a Shawnee-Mission South Sophomore.
My work with various charities began at an early age. in 1998, I helped start up one of the first all-volunteer programs at the Johnson County Juvenile Detention Center. I have volunteered for the National MS Society, 5 years as an MS-150 bicycle rider and 3 years as a medic. In 1999, I led the fight against the city of DeSoto's proposed bicycle ban. I then joined a volunteer fire department and earned my EMT. I served 5 years as a firefighter / EMT and secretary treasurer. I was later promoted to captain in a department of 23 men and women. I'm a former Kansas JayCee. I was active several years with the Ottawa, KS chapter. And, every so often, I'm recognized for my work at the Kansas City Rennaisance Fest where I have been on the security and medical staff for 3 years. Most recently, I created a website to help parents network to keep track of their kids in CyberSpace. CyberDads.info has been featured on channel 9 news, 710am talk radio, the Overland Park Sun, and the Kansas City Star.
As you can tell, I am not a career politician. I have, however, followed politics since an early age. I believe that a good leader is really just a very good follower. I am now continuing my endeavors by running for the Kansas House of Representatives.
Our state, much like our nation, carries a heavy debt load. Every family in this room now owes over $500,000 in government debt. When you consider that our state budgets $750,000.00 per year to tell us to wear our seatbelts, will be paying $240 million in debt repayment, and wastes money on things like replacing stop signs with roundabouts, it's easy to see why (out of time).
******************
Closing
Ladies and gentlemen, out government has strayed from its roots. Our founding fathers had the wisdom to recognize that we as human beings are born with certain inaliable rights, and realized it was their duty to limit the extent to which the government could infringe on those rights. This was a revolutionary, radical ideal that has served us well.
But today, our government is bloated, and no longer serves us, but bogs us down in beauracracy. We have gone from a state and a nation of tax and spend to a state and nation of borrow and spend. As I mentioned earlier, every family in this room now owes over $500m in gov't debt. Our homes and businesses are being seized under the guise of "economic development" and sold to the highest bidder. Our federal government has burdened us with an unfunded mandate known as the No Child Left Behind Act. I agree with Mr. Randau, that it's time we stood up to the federal government and took back control of our public schools.
Furthermore, our government wastes time and money arguing about victimless crimes such as gay marriage and flag burning. We are being taxed into the ground to pay for millions on welfare, and when we see what we're paying for with poor responses to events like hurricane Katrina, I wonder where the money is going.
Kansas is only one of 16 states that tax the sale of food. This is a very regressive tax that hurts the poor and the elderly on fixed incomes the most. This year our legislature failed to pass an increase in the exemption for this tax, despite the fact that it was endorsed by the AARP and catholic charities. We need to return our government to its libertarian roots, and get it out of our pocket books, and out of our personal lives. As Benjamin Franklin once said, "Those who would trade freedom for the illusion of security deserve neither".
We are still the land of the free and the home of the brave. This year, lets take back our government from the special interests and the 2 party monopolistic system.
As your candidate, I make no promises other than this: I will fight for all your rights, all the time, and that includes both fiscal and civil rights.
posted by Jason E. Peck at 7:46 PM
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