At the 2009 Biennial Young Republican Convention in Indianapolis, several young rising stars lit up the crowd.
Illinois Congressman Aaron Schock, at only 28, is the youngest member of Congress.
Ohio State Representative Josh Mandel, only 31 years old, has already completed two tours of duty in Iraq. He is running for Ohio State Treasurer. I keep saying that he could be the first Jewish Republican President some day. Show him support.
Yet one person I had the pleasure of meeting for the first time is now a friend. More specifically, a friend is actually A. Friend, known to everyone as Andrew Friend.
Andrew is running for an Arizona state senate seat. He is young, smart, and very thoughtful when it comes to tackling tough issues. He is not a bombthrower or a screamer. He is a guy that likes to roll up his sleeves and work with people on practical solutions.
With that, I present my interview with future state representative Andrew Friend.
1) What is the Andrew Friend story?
“I was always political. In sixth grade, I went to private school, and became the treasurer. My other fellow students were already high schoolers. In High School, I was successful in making politics fun.
I then went to Embry-Riddle University in Northern Arizona. I ran for Student President of the University. I lost by 74 votes. Yet defeat builds up character. Losing led to an opportunity to apply for an internship in the Arizona state legislature, which has led me to a positioning for 2010.
In High School, I was Cadet Vice President for Air Force ROTC. I did Honor Guard details at Riverside National Cemetery.”
2) What three political issues are you most passionate about?
“Immigration, health care, and local Arizona issues involving funding and budgeting.”
3) Who are your three political heroes.
“Well Ronald Reagan was a hero of mine. Also, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.”
4) How would you like to be remembered 100 years from now? What would you want people to say about Andrew Friend the person?
“I want to have a legacy. I want to make a difference. I was not somebody who was just going through the motions. I want to repair the broken border. The laws since the 1900s are the same since Ellis Island. Five to ten years for people to achieve citizenship is way too long. Two to three years is more tangible. This increases legal immigration. We need to update our records.”
5) So you are not in the Minutemen Camp or other groups that are fairly or unfairly considered “hardliners” on the immigration issue?
“No. Look, I am not for amnesty, but I do support a guest worker program. My immigration position fits in with President George W. Bush and Senator John McCain. Making the path to legal immigration less time consuming will make more people play by the rules. People cheat when the situation seems hopeless. Legal immigrants should not wait ten years to become citizens.”
6) Besides yourself, who are some rising stars we should all look out for?
“Congressman Aaron Shock of Illinois is one. Also, Congressman Mike Pence of Indiana. He is a warrior.”
7) How do people get in touch with you?
“I am on Facebook and on Twitter for now.”
8.) Although it is very early, who do you support for President in 2012?
“I like Mike Huckabee.”
I recommend that the people of Arizona get to know Andrew Friend. Like me, they will like what they see.
Now send him money!
eric
He’s going to need a lot more than just FB and Twitter pages if he’s to run in 2010. He’s got to get to work. Time is passing fast. Nowadays you need a good solid year-and-a-half of campaigning. First he has to see if the seat he’s after is competitive. Then he has to get a real web page. Arizona is full of retriees who care as much about FaceBook and Twitter as a teenager cares about the AARP. In Arizona you have to campaign on foot – that means door-to-door, VFWs, club lodges, nursing homes, breakfast joints, etc. He’s going to have to focus on more than just local issues too. As a state senator, state issues will be on the table. People will want to know what you can do for them. It can’t just be “rah rah America” and “Ronald Reagan is my hero.” Older voters want red meat. In Arizona border issues rank number one on the voters minds (which this young man seems pretty realistic about), but environmental issues rank a close second. There’s a big tug-of-war between development and anti-sprawl forces. He’s going to either have to pick a side or walk a tight rope on that. Education is another major issue – more important with female Arizonans than any other issue. Arizona has serious problems with the schools. Much of it has to do with funding strains due to heavy immigration of poor migrant workers children. As the federal government seems completely unwilling to ebb the tide or make these people legal so they can pay all their taxes and fees like the rest of us, the states are stuck coping with this issue. This is a thorny issue that has to be handled realitically. Finally, Arizona was hit particularly hard by the mortgage meltdown. Unrealistic demigugueing of issues like TARP, the Stimulus, and finanical sector reform will not sit well in Arizona. He will need a strong and well-thought-out platform when it comes to the mortgage crisis in Arizona.
Please pass this along. I wish him luck.
JMJ
I will admit that I have not been complimentary to the Democratic Party, especially the leadership. Nor will I be complimentary in the future as long as their arrogant disregard for the “Law of the Land’ continues to be their motif. I do not dislike Democrats, I have Democrat friends, my parents were Democrats, my brother was Democrat. But the leadership to day is to be feared.
I have a few questions for those who voted for this “Administration”.
Do you know that during his Chicage days your President hired and trained employees while an attorney representing the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, (ACORN)?
Do you know that ACORN and/or its employees are under investigation and/or indictment in at least 14 states for voter fraud?
Do you know that Senator John Conyers (D, MI) tried to launch a probe into ACORN’S activities and financial roots and was told to back off by the “Powers that be”? This is unethical in the very least and your leadership doesn’t seem to care. Do you?
Do you know that your President’s Department of Justice has struck down laws passed by State Legislatures requiring voters to provide valid identification in as attempt to curb said voter fraud? I believe this is unconstitutional and your leadership doesn’t seem to care. Do you?
Do you know that your President wants ACORN to participate in up-coming census?
Do you know that ACORN is partially funded by tax-payer money? This is illegal and you leadership doesn’t seem to care. Do you?
Do you know that your President has so far “appointed” 30+ so called Czars to oversee many key departmental functions within “his administration”? Many pundits say this is an attempt to wire around Cabinet Members and Congress and centralize power in the White House. This is unethical in the least and possibly unconstitutional and you leadership doesn’t seem to care. Do you?
Do you know that your President has appionted Cass Sunstein, a Harvard Law Professor, to head a created “White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs”?
Do you know that Professor Sunstein’s office was created to devise a way in which the White House can control information posted on the internet? This is unconstitutional and your leadership doesn’t seem to care. Do you?
There is more, much, much more. But if you don’t care that you have a President elected with the help of a fraud wrought organization funded illegally by tax-payer money to conduct unethical, illegal, unconstitutional actions against the American People then you will get exactly what you voted for. I refuse to believe this was you intention. I cannot believe this kind of “CHANGE’ was what you voted for.
One of the most important tools in a free society to maintain its freedom is a “Free Press”. Free Press is a vital information source that should keep the public aware of the workings of their government. Free Press forced Nixon to resign the White House and rightfully so. The press did its job. Root out corruption and demand justice for illegal activity. However, the press today, print and broadcast, is woefully remiss and has proven to be absolutely dishonest as times. Generally speaking, I am sorry to say, the media today is not always a reliable source for good information. But the internet can be if used properly. There is a wealth of information about almost any subject one can imagine if one is willing to look for it. Jesus said to find the truth “Search the scriptures”. I think He meant to search ALL the scriptures not just the KJV or The New Amplified International but ALL the scriptures perhaps the Torah, and even the Koran and the “banned books” and the Nag Hammadi Library. Which brings up this point.
The “White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs” headed by Professor Cass Sunstein. Professor Sunstein has a book out “On Rumors: How Falsehoods Spread, Why We Believe Them, What can Be Done?” I quote from an article by Austen Hill Posted July 19, 2009 on Townhall.com pointing at some of Professor Sunstein’s ideas to control information posted on the internet.
“He argues for a so-called ‘notice and take down’ law. Under this provision, those who operate wedsites–The Washington Post, radio station, private bloggers, and perhaps even you, yourself–we would be required to ‘take down falsehood upon notice’ from the U.S. Government.
“And not only would the original content of websites be scrutinized by the government for ‘falsehood,’ website operators would be held responsible for the content of ‘posts’ created by the website visitors and readers. At first blush is may seem that, for web operators to be held accountable for content generated by ‘posters’, is completely untenable. But that may very well be Mr. Sunstein’s goal–to create an untenable situation for website operators–given his assertion that ‘a chilling effect on those who would spread destructive falsehood can be an excellent idea’.”
“But who shall determine what, exactly, is true and false? Mr. Sunstein laments the supposed ‘lie’ that emerged during last year’s presidential race that ‘Barack Obama pals around with terrorists’. Despite the fact that a friendship between Obama and known domestic terrorist William Ayers was something both men acknowledged. Sunstein alludes to the notion that this was one of those ‘destructive falsehoods’ of the sort that needs to be policed.”
“It appears that the Obama Administration may be ushering-in era of harassment to website operators. Regardless of what U.S. Courts may or may not say about this in the future, a ‘notice and take down’ letter from the White House could have quite a ‘chilling effect’ for today”.
But this is illegal and unconstitutional, you say. Freedom of Speech is a protected right, you say. Think about it. The list of questions I posed above contains true verifiable statements. However, they are anything but complimentary in fact they are very critical of the Democratic Party and Obama’s Administration. Will opinions and critical statements be considered “destructive falsehoods” deserving of a “notice and take down” letter of “chilling effect”? The administration controls most of the print and broadcast media but the internet is still a threat and I don’t think Obama would blink an eye at curtailing my freedom of speech and his Congress would support him.
Note: Should I be concerned that this article is shared world wide? Sorta chilling isn’t it?
Be very afraid of Obamunism.
Thanks eric
Toma
Well Toma, I supported Obama, stumped and voted for him. It’s the first time I ever stumped for a Democrat. I was late to it, though, as I am not a Democrat, but lean far more toward them than the GOP, especially in recent years as I have seen the GOP become more and more civil-authoritarian, laizzez-faire corporatist, war mongering, and pandering to the low brow-ridge religious right, racists, and xenophobes.
“Do you know that during his Chicage days your President hired and trained employees while an attorney representing the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, (ACORN)?”
I don’t care. Just the same – good for him him. I like ACORN. I wish there were more civic organizations like ACORN out there.
“Do you know that Senator John Conyers (D, MI) tried to launch a probe into ACORN’S activities and financial roots and was told to back off by the “Powers that be”? This is unethical in the very least and your leadership doesn’t seem to care. Do you?”
I understand that ACORN had a few over-zealous bad apples in it, like any other organization, business or institution. I heard some rumors about a quashed investigation and John Conyers, but the only sources are very unreliable rightwing tabloids and websites. If anything, Conyers rose and uproar over the FBI investiagtion of ACORN which smacked of the bad old days with J. Edgar Hoover. So first, I don;t believe it, and second I see no breach of ethics, and third, I don’t care.
This is the kind of stuff that makes you cons look like lunatic fringe conspiracy theorists, and only serves to rile up the dangerous elements among you. You guys should be more responsible with your loony speculations.
“Do you know that your President’s Department of Justice has struck down laws passed by State Legislatures requiring voters to provide valid identification in as attempt to curb said voter fraud? I believe this is unconstitutional and your leadership doesn’t seem to care. Do you?”
There is no evidence of widespread voter fraud. This is a pseudo-issue used to rile up the xenophobic rabble. Again, this is the kind of stuff that makes you cons look like lunatic fringe conspiracy theorists, and only serves to rile up the dangerous elements among you. I couldn’t imagine being dumb anough to care about this.
“Do you know that your President wants ACORN to participate in up-coming census?”
ACORN is NOT participating in the Census. I know this first-hand. It’s a lie. Grow up and stop reading rightwing loony-rags.
“Do you know that ACORN is partially funded by tax-payer money? This is illegal and you leadership doesn’t seem to care. Do you?”
Your fixation on ACORN says a lot about you. You really just don’t care about any serious iddues, do you?
ACORN receives no taxpayer money. It’s a lie.
“Do you know that your President has so far “appointed” 30+ so called Czars to oversee many key departmental functions within “his administration”? Many pundits say this is an attempt to wire around Cabinet Members and Congress and centralize power in the White House. This is unethical in the least and possibly unconstitutional and you leadership doesn’t seem to care. Do you?”
It’s kinda funny, yeah, but no, I don’t care. It’s just not a serious matter.
“Do you know that your President has appionted Cass Sunstein, a Harvard Law Professor, to head a created “White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs”?”
I don’t care.
“Do you know that Professor Sunstein’s office was created to devise a way in which the White House can control information posted on the internet? This is unconstitutional and your leadership doesn’t seem to care. Do you?”
Sunstein has never said anything about censoring the web, just that there are a lot of loony’s out there creating a lot of bogeymen – like you’re doing here. I agree. And there should be reproach to liars out there spreading stupid lies. We should start pressing more on slander and libel laws too. You rightwingnuts are going to create a whole lot more Timothy McVeigh-types if you don’t stop with the over-the-top lying and hyperbole. This isn’t about censorship, but about dialogue, setting the record straight, and holding accountable those who spread pernicious lies.
You are so blinded by partisanship, you see things in people that aren’t true but are true of people you don’t see them in. No presidential administrations did more damage to our republic in modern times than the Reagan and Bush II administrations. Obama is a saint compared to them – and Obama is no great savior. He’s heading toward a rather average presidency at this rate. But compared with reagan and Bush II, he’s Washington and Lincoln combined!
You need to read some more of our history and stop reading Worldnetdaily. it’s damaging your brain.
JMJ