A brief update to supporters on the ballot access filing situation. The campaign has collected plenty signatures with plenty of backups to be listed on the November 2 ballot.  These signatures must be filed by August 2, but filing prior to this date simply gives more time for the competition to file a legal challenge, which must be filed by August 9. If no challenge is filed by August 9, the campaign remains on the ballot. If a challenge is filed, the campaign remains on the ballot but then the matter will be settled in court.

To run as an independent for US Congress, I must file nearly 4x the amount of signatures as my Republocrat opponents, and twice the number of signatures required to run for President of the United States.  (Video link, link to Freedom Concert)

Gandhi once said, “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.” This independent campaign has made steady progress since last summer, and I am very pleased to announced we have now moved into the third stage slightly ahead of schedule.

In case anyone doubted, recent events have shown my campaign is a viable threat. Last week incumbent Charlie Dent stated he wanted to bar and silence me from taking part in any debates. A few days later, Dent changed his mind and now just flat-out refuses to participate in any public debate I am invited to due to his objections over one of the five bands invited to the upcoming Freedom Concert to celebrate obtaining ballot access. The campaign has issued a press release on the band here.

Dent stated to the Morning Call that I am “someone enmeshed in ideas of anger, violence, anarchy, and bigotry.” Since my target is unwilling to debate face-to-face on issues civilly, let’s take a look at his mudslinging.

“Anarchy”

Since when does believing in the Constitution and the rule of law qualify as anarchy? From this campaign’s principles (don’t bother searching for my opponents’ principles – they literally do not have any) the United States Constitution was written under the principle of “positive grant.” This means the federal government is authorized to exercise only the powers which are specifically given to it by the Constitution, and nothing more.

Dent and the rest of Congress violate their constitutional oaths on a daily basis. Dent supports three unconstitutional wars abroad. He votes for corporatist bailouts for bankers and mortgage lenders alike. He supports unconstitutional wiretapping without warrants, revoking habeas corpus, torture of “enemy combatants,” and much more by his unflagging support of the PATRIOT Act. He wants to strip American civilians living in foreign countries of their citizenship and murder them without trial or due process.

Here is Dent on an accused terrorist who has been tortured and held without trial for years: ”You see him and you realize he’s an absolute monster of a man who is driven by his hatred and is completely unrepentant. You see him and recognize him for what he is: a cold-blooded killer with warped ideology.” Who has sanctioned Dent to be Judge, Jury, and Executioner? Certainly not the Constitution!

If we lived in country with a rule of law, the accused would have been placed on trial years ago to face all the evidence listed in the 9/11 Commission Report from pages 145-169. All evidence collected by torture would be declared inadmissible.

“Violence and Anger”

I believe the only legitimate use of force is in defense of individual rights — life, liberty, and justly acquired property — against aggression. Under no other situation do I condone violence as I believe individuals have the right to live their own lives in whatever manner they choose, so long as they do not forcibly interfere with the equal rights of others.

In line with these beliefs, I subscribe to the Christian just war doctrine. Besides a formal constitutional declaration of war, the “just war” doctrine specifies that wars cannot be preemptive; that there must be a just cause and innocent life must be in immediate jeopardy; that war must be a last resort after all diplomatic initiatives have failed; and it must be proportional in regards to the damage caused by the aggressor. Needless to say, both the Iraq and Afghanistan/Pakistan wars are unjust wars.

Dent voraciously supports the violence of these unjust wars and nation-building missions, and their inevitable consequences of death and destruction. The families of the recently deceased service members in Whitehall, Hellertown, Easton and Emmaus have tasted the violence Dent has voted for along with 5,615 other service members.

Our veterans write a blank check to the government for up to and including their lives to defend the country and protect the Constitution, and asking our young men and women to participate in unjust warfare is a moral abyss that we as a country should never leap into. If we aspire to be a just nation ruled by laws we must resolve to never ask our military men and women to engage in unconstitutional warfare and nation-building missions. We must also remember that countless innocent Iraqi, Afghan, and Pakistani civilians have perished as well.

Meanwhile, my proposed solutions are simple and logical. To defeat suicide terrorists one must capture the current generation and prevent the next generation from being created from collateral damage and blowback. Our armies in Iraq and Afghanistan simply create more future terrorists and aggression against our country. Constitutional letters of marque and reprisal would be extremely cost-effective – or we can choose to let the “War on Terror” grind on for another 9 years as our economy crashes. The annual $1+ trillion military spending (all happily approved by Dent) is not economically sustainable.

“Bigotry”

The definition of a bigot is a prejudiced person who is intolerant of any opinions differing from his own. Dent is using his incumbency to block my ideas on liberty, sound money, accountability, and the rule of law. If his ideas were in fact superior, why hold back from debating? This is an insult to the entire democratic election process, but not a surprise given Dent’s abhorrence and disrespect for the rule of law. The new “Our Open Office” forum I will put in place will empower all individuals to have a voice in their government. (2)

So, Charlie Dent, is that the best you can do?

(2) Let me be clear and state I do not believe either Charlie Dent or John Callahan are racists.  And if they were racists and on the ballot I would crush them in the debates.  Democratic elections and constitutional republics are faded concepts for those in power today.

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