Robert Morris: Candidate for FNSB Mayor 2012

Recieved the following letter in the mail:

"Do not forget the following facts and do not let your friends and neighbors forget them:

* There is a strong push by a majority in our borough government, through persistence and incremental action, to control the very methods by which we heat our homes. It is obvious that it does not matter how the citizens vote.

* Our borough mayor failed to stop a large GVEA rate increase - in the middle of winter! His job entails dealing effectively with organizations like GVEA and the Regulatory Commission of Alaska, so this was within his responsibility.

* We recently saw an attempt to introduce an automobile tax, with the ridiculous justification that it would lower property taxes. If they really think that property taxes are too high, why don't they just lower them?

My name is Robert Morris, and I am running for mayor of the Fairbanks North Star Borough.

Perpetual growth in power and revenue has been the natural long-term tendency of every government that ever existed, and is only consistent with current trends of the federal and state governments, but action at the borough level does not have to follow trends originating in Washington and Juneau, and can have great immediate impact on our quality of life.

We are in an era when our government is facing reduced revenue, but this reduced revenue is due to the reduced prosperity of the people, here and all across the western world, and this reduced prosperity means that basic necessities of individual life - food, housing, medicine, transportation, clothing - require an ever greater struggle. Every attempt to deal with revenue problems should be with methods that decrease our burdens, not increase them. Perhaps lower borough government revenue, and fewer powers, should just be accepted!

But it is plain that a majority of our elected officials at the borough level do not see it that way. They have proven that they will increase government authority and expense at every opportunity, while failing to protect the interests of the people.

I am 51, have lived in Alaska for most of my life, and have have (sic) never before run for any public office. I am running for borough mayor to protect my people and my home from a local government that, with its current makeup of personalities, cannot represent our interests. To put someone in office who is as incensed by the above facts as you are, vote for me in October.
Please email, write, or call if you have suggestions or questions.

Robert Morris
P.O.Box 57402
North Pole, AK 99705
368-1693 robert_write@yahoo.com
This communication paid for by Robert Morris, P.O.Box 57402, North Pole, AK 99705"

The race begins!

2012 Election Dates and Hours

State of Alaska
http://www.elections.alaska.gov/ei_ed_2012_dates.php

Primary Election
Election Day - Tuesday, August 28, 2012 - Polls are open from 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Registration and Registration Updates Deadline – Sunday, July 29, 2012
Early and In-Person Absentee, Special Needs and By-Fax Voting Begins –
Monday, August 13, 2012
Absentee By-Mail Application Deadline – Saturday, August 18, 2012
Absentee By-Fax Application Deadline – Monday, August 27, 2012, 5:00 p.m. Alaska Time

General Election
Election Day - Tuesday, November 6, 2012 - Polls are open from 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Registration and Registration Updates Deadline – Sunday, October 7, 2012
Early and In-Person Absentee, Special Needs and By-Fax Voting Begins –
Monday, October 22, 2012
Absentee By-Mail Application Deadline – Saturday, October 27, 2012
Absentee By-Fax Application Deadline – Monday, November 5, 2012, 5:00 p.m. Alaska Time

Fairbanks North Star Borough
http://www.co.fairbanks.ak.us/elections/ElectionInformationandCurrentElectedOfficials.htm

The next Regular Municipal Election is October 2, 2012.

Up for a vote (Names listed are current seat holders, some are term limiting out):

Mayor: Luke Hopkins

Borough Assembly Seat A: Matt Want
Borough Assembly Seat F: Nadine Winters
Borough Assembly Seat G: Mike Musick

School Board Seat A: Silver Chord
School Board Seat B: Wendy Dominique

About those seeking a political office:

It's so important to look at their actions, associations, and history; not just their talking points in an election year. Anyone can talk the talk, it's walking the walk that get's you somewhere though. Also, looking at each individual issue is helpful but it is also the individual issues that create big divides among the people. Instead of looking at it from the micro level we really should try to look at the big picture of Liberty for all. Ultimately, who takes the best stance in overall liberty? United we stand, divided we fall.

The Camel In The Tent

Not long ago I was in a short discussion about the state of our world and especially the way our federal government is conducting it's business these days. Ever hear about the camel in the tent during a sand storm? In this story the tent owner allows the camel to put only its nose in the tent but soon the tent owner finds himself kicked out of the tent for the camel has taken it over. I used this analogy to illustrate what our lives will be like as long as we keep allowing our responsibilities to be outsourced to governmental entities or other such institutions. If we continue to allow others to stick their noses where they don't belong we will soon be perplexed and unprepared finding ourselves kicked out of our own tents and into the sandstorm.

I was then asked, "How can "we the people" get rid of the camel?"

My response was thus:

"There is a book called The Fourth Turning which talks about the cycles of societies the world over. Any reader of Scripture will also see these cycles. I think mankind will always institute some sort of government and it’s greatness will vary by where it falls in the cycle. There is always a downfall of these governments. There is another book called The 5000 Year Leap which discusses keys to liberty but one essential key is virtue. I think all we can do is do the best with the hand we are dealt.

Confucius in his classic essay The Great Learning said:

The ancients who wished to illustrate illustrious virtue throughout the kingdom, first ordered well their own states. Wishing to order well their states, they first regulated their families. Wishing to regulate their families, they first cultivated their persons. Wishing to cultivate their persons, they first rectified their hearts. Wishing to rectify their hearts, they first sought to be sincere in their thoughts. Wishing to be sincere in their thoughts, they first extended to the utmost their knowledge. Such extension of knowledge lay in the investigation of things.

Things being investigated, knowledge became complete. Their knowledge being complete, their thoughts were sincere. Their thoughts being sincere, their hearts were then rectified. Their hearts being rectified, their persons were cultivated. Their persons being cultivated, their families were regulated. Their families being regulated, their states were rightly governed. Their states being rightly governed, the whole kingdom was made tranquil and happy."

In an article titled Education Must Precede Activism the author, Stephen Palmer, used the above quote. Mr. Palmer goes on to say, “Not only does turning inward lead to wisdom, but it also leads to power. This is the core message of the Cause of Liberty. Fixing ourselves as individuals is what fixes the world.”

The best resource for fixing ourselves is scripture or for a more secular reference As A Man Thinketh.

I realize this may sound disappointing but really the best we can do is educate ourselves and those in our circle of influence on the cause of liberty and the best way to institute it so we (or our descendants) are ready to step in when the fall happens. In other words, don't outsource your personal responsibilities, be prepared and have a spare tent ready!

The Dangerous and Misleading Problem With Our Elections

This is an interesting email I got about voting. I'm copy and pasting it here in it's entirety because it is not yet on the website it normaly is published to. I will keep checking and fix to be a link up once the author has uploaded it to their website: http://www.thesocialleader.com/

The Dangerous & Misleading Problem With Our Elections

By Oliver DeMille

OUR POPULAR CULTURE is given to extremes--everything from extreme sports to extreme makeovers.

If this trend were limited to our entertainment, it might be just fine.

Unfortunately, it is found even in our elections, where the stakes couldn't be higher.

The American founding generation was known for how strongly its members took sides and promoted their views, but also for its openness in listening to other views, learning from contrary perspectives, and changing its mind when the ideas of opponents made sense.

In our time, this wisdom is practically nonexistent.

We may not admit it, but we seem to want extreme politics.

We want our candidate to blast the flaws, weaknesses, and misguided views of the opponent.

The more extreme and angry the language, the more we support a candidate. We want a fight, and we want our candidate to bloody the opponent.

Voters claim to want respectful and civil discourse, but the majority votes for the outspoken, loud, and aggressive.

The Effectiveness of Attack Politics

When President Obama is moderate, measured, and judicious, conservatives say he lacks leadership, while liberals call him ineffective, uncommitted, and disappointing.

When he pushes back, takes strong positions, and goes on the attack, conservatives call him a terrible leader and a dangerous opponent, while progressives flock to support his "revitalized" presidency.

The majority responds to aggression, not to wisdom or civility.

Likewise, the liberal media once routinely praised Senator John McCain for his "fair, balanced, and moderate" approach to the issues--until he became the Republican candidate for president and the media turned on him as an "extreme conservative."

At the same time, conservatives supported his Senatorial leadership but then angrily labeled him "a liberal in conservative clothing" during his presidential bid.

Mitt Romney failed to capture widespread conservative support mainly because he seemed to lack passion, anger, and edginess. The charge of flip-flopping is really a frustration with Romney's modulated tone.

Both Obama and Gingrich have a long record of switched sides on numerous issues--more, in fact, than Romney. But they know how to go on the attack, and this quickly dissipates any sense of them being wishy-washy.

Even when Romney goes on the attack, his words sound like they are being dictated from a teleprompter--not shouted from his angry gut.

Aggressive and angry candidates generally have more success than those who are mild and soft-spoken. In the following chart, the more aggressive candidate from each election era is marked in bold:

Election More Aggressive/Strident More Mild/Gentlemanly
1980 Reagan Mondale
1984 Reagan Mondale
1988 Bush Dukakis
1992 Clinton Bush
1996 Clinton Dole
2000 Bush Gore
2004 Bush Kerry
2008 Obama McCain


Note that in recent elections the more vocally aggressive person has always been the winning candidate.

Looking ahead to the 2012 election, this trend provides several interesting scenarios (some of which won't happen but are still instructive):

2012?

Obama Romney

Gingrich Obama

Christie Obama

Trump Obama

Obama Paul

Bachman Obama


The practical problem for candidates is this: To win their party nomination they need to appeal to their base by strongly attacking the other party's candidate, and then to win in the general election they must appeal to independents by not being too extreme.

Thus candidates such as Mondale, Dukakis, Dole, or Kerry get the nomination but not the support of independents.

An interesting twist on all this is the technique of attacking someone other than the opposing candidate.

This allows candidates to tell independents they're taking the high road and simultaneously show their base that they are sufficiently angry on the attack.

Reagan, Clinton, Obama and others have used this by positioning themselves as Washington outsiders with Washington as the enemy and changing the culture in Washington as the great mandate.

Gingrich has recently put a new spin on this by shrewdly turning his anger against the media--something that clearly resonates with his conservative base and even many independents.

Obama has attempted to do the same thing by turning his anger against Wall Street and the rich.

Mirroring domestic politics, voters connect more with candidates who talk tough and take a hawkish stance toward potential national enemies like China and Iran.

Those who argue for moderation toward nations such as China or Pakistan--e.g. Gore, Kerry, Huntsman, Paul, or Santorum--tend to lose support to those promising more belligerent positions.

Aggressive "Leadership"

Our societal conception of leadership idealizes aggressiveness, killer instinct, and strength as much or even more than virtue, wisdom, and integrity--from our high school football fields to our Ivy League lacrosse teams and from our corporate boardrooms and reality television programs to our prom queen elections and even the U.S. Capitol building.

The old Greek proverb that "God loves the good but blesses the bold" is a good description of how our modern voters seem to think.

Is the Anger Warranted?

All of this obscures the problems of a nation literally on the brink in far too many ways.

Unemployment remains painfully high, and even small decreases in the unemployment rate are the result of more people giving up their search for work rather than more real jobs in the economy.

Consider these sobering realities:

•Of those who have lost and then found new jobs since the Great Recession, only 7% have found a job that pays as much as the one they lost.
•When those not seeking jobs or only finding part-time work are included in the statistics, our real unemployment rate is nearly 20% (see further commentary and details here).

•An astounding 44% of Americans receive food stamps or some other form of government food assistance.

•Since 2008, the average U.S. household has seen its net worth decrease 9.9%. In contrast, during the same time period the increase of net worth for those serving in Congress is a positive 24%.

•In 2008, 9% of Americans and 16% of Chinese struggled "to pay for food." By 2011, 19% of Americans and 6% of Chinese struggle to pay for food.

Things are worse than the numbers reflect, and currently they are not getting better.

No wonder many voters are deeply frustrated and genuinely angry with numerous government policies that hurt the economy, and while they don't really want violence, they don't feel understood or supported by moderate words, restrained plans, or relaxed rhetoric.

They want angry words, their candidates to win, and those they blame for all our problems to lose and lose painfully.

"Sound and Well-Informed Judgment" Trumps Anger

Madison foresaw such challenges when he called elections "peaceful revolutions"--not actually violent, but passionate and extreme like all true revolutions.

The founders knew that in elections passions run deep, and they knew that lasting freedom depends on the wisdom of the people.

As he wrote in Federalist Paper 1:
"[W]e, upon many occasions, see wise and good men on the wrong side of questions of the first magnitude to society. This circumstance...furnish[es] a lesson of moderation to those who are ever so much persuaded of their being in the right in any controversy."
And even those who are right, Madison continues, aren't always motivated for the right reasons:
"Ambition, avarice, personal animosity, party opposition, and many other motives...are apt to operate as well upon those who support as those who oppose the right side of a question...[In every major national discussion] a torrent of angry and malignant passions will be let loose. To judge from the conduct of the opposing parties, we shall be led to conclude that that they will [promote the justness of their argument and] increase the number of their converts by the loudness of their declarations and the bitterness of their invectives."
The only lasting solution, Madison says, is for the citizens to calmly and closely examine the details and apply their "sound and well-informed judgment."

To help reduce the negative influences of too much emotion in politics, the framers filtered the direct vote for presidents through the Electoral College and the election of Senators through state legislatures.

Still, they knew that the key to successful democratic society is effective elections by the people, and the key to effective elections is a wise, informed and virtuous people.

The Critically-Needed Reversal in Focus

So, we have a problem.

The two biggest facets of this problem are:
1: In our current system we tend to almost universally see the presidential election as the most important in the nation, the congressional elections as more important than state elections, and state elections as more important than local. In the same vein, we tend to see government programs as more important than private enterprises and philanthropic programs, and institutions as more important than families.
2: We tend to think that the solution to our problems is better, wiser, more civil, prudent and noble candidates rather than better, wiser, more civil, prudent and noble voters.
In the founding era, it was the opposite. They saw families and private entities as more important than government institutions and the local and state as more important than the national level.

They also felt that the future of our nation depended not on better candidates but on better voters.

We may or may not need better candidates, but more importantly we need to be much better spouses, parents, neighbors, leaders and voluntary servants in our communities, churches, charities and families.

We do have an election problem, because we have a leadership problem--on all levels.

The most effective way to overcome this challenge is to become greater leaders in our homes and communities.

Excellent leaders are more likely to use wisdom in elections, and less prone to being swayed by angry and aggressive rhetoric.

As long as we put our faith in aggressive candidates on the attack, we are going to keep being disappointed with the results of each election.

The 2012 election will be no different.

The Solution: Better Voters

This isn't to say that milder, less aggressive, or more civil candidates have the answers--not at all.

The solution to our modern American election problem is simple:Better voters.

Voters are the hope of our future, specifically voters who are more calmly and consistently involved in politics on a daily basis both during and between elections, more locally focused, less emotional and wiser, less swayed by the media and the experts, more principle-centered, and more deeply studied in the principles and details of freedom.

If becoming a nation of such voters is too much to ask, then the future of freedom will be short.

*******************

Oliver DeMille is the founder and former president of George Wythe University, a co-founder of the Center for Social Leadership, and a co-creator of TJEd.


He is the author of A Thomas Jefferson Education: Teaching a Generation of Leaders for the 21st Century, The Coming Aristocracy: Education & the Future of Freedom, and FreedomShift: 3 Choices to Reclaim America's Destiny.


Oliver is dedicated to promoting freedom through leadership education. He and his wife Rachel are raising their eight children in Cedar City, Utah.

2011 Election Results

With 98% of the votes (a paltry 27% of registered voters) the following people took the seat in this round of musical chairs:

Assembly Seat D: Michael Dukes

Assembly Seat E: Guy Sattley

Assembly Seat H: John Davies

School Board Seat E: John Thies

School Board Seat F: Sean Rice

School Board Seat G: Sharon McConnell

In proposition news:
25.20% of registered voters are requiring the rest of us to have our property taxes raised by passing the two school bond propositions #'s 1 & 3.

Proposition 2: More voters said No then Yes.

Next Year Elections 2012:

FNSB

Mayor: Luke Hopkins

Assembly Seat A: Matt Want

Assembly Seat F: Nadine Winters

Assembly Seat G: Mike Musick

School Board Seat A: Silver Chord

School Board Seat B: Wendy Dominique

Primary Election Day August 28, 2012

General Election Day November 6, 2012

Unofficial Results Page

Here is a link to the unofficial results:

http://www.co.fairbanks.ak.us/results-1.htm

Still Not Sure How to Vote? Some Hints and Tips…

First of all what do you classify yourself as and what do the candidates classify themselves as?

Basic Definitions
Classical Liberal: Juris naturalist. One who believes that the country should have a small, weak government, and free markets, and that the individual is endowed by his Creator with inalienable rights to his life, liberty, and property. Also, one who believes in Natural Law and common law, or Higher Law.

Centrist: Moderate.

Conservative: A person on the right side of the left-right political spectrum. Conservatives believe in economic freedom and social control.

Democrat: A person on the left side of the political spectrum.

Juris Naturalist: syn. Classical liberal. Believes in Higher Law or Natural Law, that right and wrong are not matters of opinion. Believes political power corrupts both morals and judgment. Wants a government that is small and growing smaller.

Liberal: A person on the left side of the left-right political spectrum. Liberals believe in social freedom and economic control.

Moderate: One who is in the middle of the left-right political spectrum. Moderates advocate both economic encroachment and social encroachment, but perhaps not to the extremes that left and right do.

Progressive: One who is on the left side of the political spectrum.

Republican: Conservative.

See my Terms Defined page for more info.

According to the News Miner the candidates have classified themselves as:
Dukes: “I’m conservative. I believe we need a government, but I believe we need a government that is as small as can be but can deliver the needed services.”

Lawrence: “I think politically I’m a centrist who wants to make government work effectively and efficiently for the people.”

Aaron Bennett: A classical liberal, dedicated to upholding the Constitution and representing the people. “We’re supposed to be a constitutional republic. The Constitution is supposed to limit government, and obviously we’ve gotten away from that.”

King: “I would say that I’m very moderate and non-partisan. I don’t follow any political party lines.”

Kohler: “I’m a jumble. I would say I’m a fiscally conservative, pragmatic classic Republican type. Call me a moderate, I guess.”

McFarlane: “I’m a conservative, but on the assembly I will look at each proposal on its worth, not judge it politically.”

Palembas: A registered independent, he said he’s voted in both Democratic and Republican primaries in recent years. “I have no hidden agenda. I think there’s a lot of party agenda being played out in the Borough Assembly right now, and I don’t think it belongs there.”

Sattley: Describing himself as a fiscal conservative and social moderate, Sattley said he’s earned a reputation for being tight with funds. “I don’t waste money, whether it’s my own or public money.”

Joshua Bennett: “I’m limited government. I don’t want to get rid of the government, but I want it to be limited. The purpose of government is to protect private property.” *In an interview I had with Mr. Bennett he said he could also identify himself as a Juris Naturalist.

Blanchard: “I feel I’m a moderate conservative. I’m not anti-government, but it needs to be as small as possible to work best.”

Davies: “You could describe me as a progressive. I believe that we need to work together in a variety of ways, including through local government, to improve the quality of life.”

From my interviews/assessment the School Board candidates appear to be:

John Thies: Unknown

Sean Rice: Classical Democrat (based on interview from 2010)

Ryan Smith: Classical Liberal aka. Juris Naturalist (based on phone interview 9/11)

Sharon McConnell: Unknown

More hints and tips:

• If you’re really not sure on an issue, try applying the Golden Rule or ask yourself if you willing to accept the costs associated with passage of the issue. Ask yourself if you have a right to compel your neighbor to accept those costs.


• It’s okay to leave a blank circle if you feel neither answer/candidate fits your view. Just fill in the circle where you have conviction that your choice is a good one.


• Look at who is sponsoring the candidates. Generally they will be in the same political classification.


• Unions tend to support bigger government legislation. Also, Unions lean toward the social freedom and economic control ideals.


• Centrist/moderates appear to be trying to get as many votes as they can, thus identify themselves as centrist/moderate to hit what they feel the majority of the population leans to. This is not necessarily desirable if you have strong ideals where you feel your representative should be unwavering.
  

Ultimately, no matter what a candidate classifies themselves as, it could change in actual policies they end up supporting. This can be due to a desire to compromise with the perceived “other side” or it could have been the plan to begin with. We all know some candidates will do or say whatever they feel will get them the winning vote. This is why we need to look at records, keep up on issues, and call them out if they seem to change from their running platform once they are voted in.

Thanks for informing yourself to vote!

Updates To Check Out

The following updates took place today 10/3/11:

1) Change to include links to voter guide articles on Assembly Seat D page and a News Miner article on those candidates (Dukes, Lawrence).

http://newsminer.com/view/full_story/15625600/article-Dukes--Lawrence-are-candidates-for-Assembly-Seat-D?

2) Change to include links to voter guide articles on Assembly Seat E page and a News Miner article on those candidates (McFarlane, King, Bennett, Palembas, Kohler, Sattley).

http://newsminer.com/view/full_story/15641362/article-Six-vie-for-Fairbanks-Borough-Assembly-Seat-E?

3) Change to include links to voter guide articles on Assembly Seat H page and a News Miner article on those candidates (Blanchard, Davies, Bennett).

http://newsminer.com/view/full_story/15658419/article-Two-challenging-Blanchard-for-Assembly-seat?

4) Change to include links to voter guide articles on School Board page and News Miner articles on those candidates (Thies, Rice, Smith, McConnell).

http://newsminer.com/view/full_story/15567655/article-Rice--Thies-unchallenged-for-Fairbanks-area-school-board-seats?

http://newsminer.com/view/full_story/15573455/article-McConnell--Smith-vie-for-Fairbanks-North-Star-Borough-School-Board-Seat-G?

Still to come, then I should be done for this year.

5) Change to include links to voter guide articles on Proposition page and information links.

6) Article: School Bond Propositions 1 and 3.

7) Article: Still Not Sure How to Vote? Some Hints and Tips…

Update 10/4/11 I just discovered another blog doing the same type of thing. Here is a post: Meet the Candidates that has questions and answers from several of the candidates I was unable to get responses from.

Please Keep Checking

I realize we are getting down to the wire with the vote tomorrow. I do have a few more articles to finalize and I am making sure there is some reference for each candidate and proposition. I hope you will check back later today if you were not able to find information on the person or issue you were hoping to find here. Thanks for taking the time to be a better informed voter!

Research efforts include: personal phone calls, personal emails, listening to and taking notes on radio and TV interviews, News Miner articles, interviews I did in 2010 elections, and other research as indicated in particular articles.

I Voted... Did You?