Thom Goolsby, a Wilmington, North Carolina attorney, has thrown his hat into the political ring by announcing his bid for the 9^th District senate seat in the North Carolina General Assembly. Shortly after Mr. Goolsby’s announcement, I contacted him through his web site, http://thomgoolsby.com, and asked to do an email interview with him. Mr. Goolsby graciously accepted my offer. The results, however, have been disappointing, to say the least.

My initial emailed questions seemed a little too general, so I sent a second with more specific questions. The following are the second list of questions I sent:

Q:  Who is Thom Goolsby?

Q:  Who is/was your mentor, hero, inspiration?

Q:  What motivates you?

Q:  How would you describe your personal ideology?

Q:  Why have you thrown your hat into the political ring?

Q:  In your opinion, what are the three most pressing issues facing the residents of the North Carolina’s 9^th Senate District? And, what will you do to face them?

Q:  In your opinion, what are the three most pressing issues facing the residents of North Carolina? And, what will you do to face them?

Q:  It seems as though the government and the justice system are “Bending” the Constitution, in its interpretations, to benefit select groups of individuals instead of all citizens as a whole. As an attorney, do you agree or disagree that this is happening? Do you agree or disagree with this action?

Q:  The issue of Term Limits in Congress has been raised a great deal lately because citizens are tired of “Career Politicians”. Would you support Term Limits at the state level?

Exactly one week later, with thanks for my patience, I received the following response:

I believe that we are all tired of modern-day politics in America, in general, and North Carolina, in particular.  For a state and country founded on individual liberty and self-determination, we have become babies of a Nanny State and she’s not a good surrogate mommy!  I want to help lead the charge to take back North Carolina from the brink of disaster.  The pro-BIG government, anti-personal responsibility, self-dealing cronies have hoodwinked the public for too many decades.  We are $5 billion in the red right now in North Carolina, our state debt has tripled in just the last few years (without voter approval) and we are facing billion dollar tax increases.  The fight won’t be easy, but as a former officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, I don’t require tasks to be “easy” in order to be accomplished.  I hold to the adage, “Fortune favors the brave!”

I find this response disappointing as well as far below my expectations. Mr. Goolsby’s biography, from his law firm’s web site http://goolsbylaw.com, states, “Thom Goolsby is a writer, professor of law and a trial attorney.” I would expect someone with Mr. Goolsby’s background, education and service to be much more articulate. I would also expect more from someone who is running for public office.

I had originally approached Mr. Goolsby in hopes of helping promote his bid for public office and give my readers some insight to the man. Many in the local and area community know Mr. Goolsby for his successful law practice and have listened to him during his regular weekly spot on Curtis Wright’s radio show The Morning Beat on The Big Talker FM 93.7 & 106.3 FM, Wednesdays at 7:30 AM. I have always appreciated Mr. Goolsby’s conservative views, his dissent for the mismanagement and corruption within the local and state governments and his pursuit of justice.

I had hoped to bring a solid and concise interview to these pages and I hope I still can.

Mr. Goolsby, I hope you have followed the link I have sent to you and that you reconsider providing direct answers to the questions I have submitted to you. There are many in the 9^th District who don’t know you and this is your opportunity to shine.

Hopefully, this interview will be continued …

With Congress on their summer break and Town Hall type meetings gearing up around the country, we can’t let the titles given us by the Left deter us.

The double standard is alive and well! The Left/Right battle is on and it’s obvious we, the right, have the upper hand. And how do I conclude this? Just think of all the rhetoric come from the Left. Let’s look at some of their “Catch” phrases – “Right Wing Extremists”, “Manufactured Rage”, “Right Wing Zealots” and “Mobs”. And now, the White House has set up an email address  ( flag@whitehouse.com )so that “Disinformation”, as they call it, about the Health Care Reform bill can be forwarded to them. (I encourage everyone to send off an email to this address with their concerns.) I am a huge believer that information is best gotten right from the horse’s mouth.

My concerns with some attendees of these Town Hall meetings and other rallies have agendas geared to devalue the importance of our participation. There are hundreds of video clips out there showing honest citizens voicing their opinions and asking some tough questions of their elected officials. However, we MUST refrain from violence. To resort to violence would be an enormous slap in the face to those who shed their blood to defend our Freedoms and Liberties.

We must be firm yet respectable. Yes, I do agree that we are shown little or no respect by the administration and many of our elected officials. Violence begets violence. Most of us are very passionate about our beliefs as we support the traditions and values of which this nation was built on. The Founding Documents are close to our hearts. But we must control our passion and conduct ourselves civilly. The 1^st Amendment protects our right to assembly and freedom of speech. However, it does not protect or condone violent acts committed upon another. We MUST be better than that, better than those who wish us harm, better than those how wish to control us.

As I noted above, we have been called “Mobs”. Webster’s dictionary defines Mob:  1. The lower classes of a community; the populace, or the lowest part of it. 2. Hence:  A throng:  a rabble:  esp., an unlawful or riotous assembly; a disorderly crowd. This is what the Political Left is promoting by airing ads which portray us anti-government, anti health care. As one of my daughters regularly writes, “PFFFFTTTTT!

We are only anti-government when our government is anti-citizen. We are only anti health care when our government wants to take control of it, and our personal health and choices. We find it unlawful when OUR government violates the Rule of Law and The Constitution they are sworn to protect. And when we voice our opinions and concerns, we are ignored; we are ridiculed; we are labeled as “Extremists” and “Zealots”. We are accused of being funded by high power, Republican leaders.

WE ARE NONE OF THESE! As our Founding Fathers, we are Patriots, determined in the preservation of our great nation, diligent in our pursuit of a FAIR, REPRESENTITIVE GOVERNMENT, dedicated to returning our country to the fundamental values of a republic. We fight for the good of the nation in whole and not just a few select groups, privileged groups. We are sick of entitlements, handouts and bailouts. We are sick of seeing our hard earned money – our property, our Liberty – go to those who sit at home, without cause, with their hands outstretched. We are sick of seeing OUR government moving into and taking control of private companies. And now, working towards making decisions about who among us live and die based on our individual value to society.

Now, more than ever, is the time to wake up our voices and be heard. Demand from your elected officials their ear; let them know just how important YOUR vote is.

Voice and Vote – Not Violence! Obama is bringing CHANGE. But the CHANGE he is bringing is the awakening of the silent majority, those of us who just wished to be left alone to raise our families in the greatest country on earth, to go about our daily business without our government interfering, dictating how, when and why. Obama has poked his stick, once too often, into the den of “The Sleeping Giant” as many have done before – The British in 1776, the Japanese during WWII, The Taliban, 9/11. He too will fall, as did the others, but by Voice and Vote – Not Violence.

WE ARE AMERICANS! PATRIOTS! We must remember the words as they were written by our Founding Fathers, also Patriots;

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”

The deal reached with the “Blue Dog” Democrats of the House Energy and Commerce Committee on its version of the health care reform bill, has driven a wedge into the middle of the party. The Liberal arm of the party is not pleased.

It was a close vote, 31-28. The passing of this bill out of committee has caused some stir and has added to the dissension among the party’s ranks. On Thursday this week, fifty-three lawmakers from the Congressional Black Caucus, the Progressive Black Caucus and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus have sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and key committee chairmen formally opposing the deal. Their “opposition” called the agreement “fundamentally unacceptable” and a “large step backwards.” “We’re going to fight this with every effort that we have,” CBC Chairwoman Barbara Lee, D-Calif., said  Thursday. ”We’re not obstructionists. … We’re not here to embarrass or divide our party,” said Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz. But he and other liberal Democrats have said that without a meaningful public plan included in the final bill, they cannot support it.

The threats and the letter Thursday only amplified their criticism and were an indication that the deal with the Blue Dogs could cause more problems than it solves, reported Fox News. All but five Democrats on the committee voted for the plan. The other Democrats, Reps. Charlie Melancon of Louisiana, Bart Stupak of Michigan, Rick Boucher of Virginia, Jim Matheson of Utah and John Barrow of Georgia joined all Republicans in opposing the legislation.

Could this mean good news for me and you? Not yet!

We now have the opportunity to get up close and personal with our representatives. Why? Because, they are all coming home for the summer recess. Now is the time to act. Make it a point to sit down face to face with your Representative and tell them how you feel about the way things are being handled in Washington. Let them know that you will not tolerate the government making life and death decisions about your health. Tell them that we already have the best health care in the world and that if this new bill becomes law it will be a huge step backwards and will jeopardize the lives of millions of American citizens. Demand that Congress subscribe to their own health care plan if indeed it becomes law.

We have little time on our side right now so we must act quickly. Each and every one of us needs to become unofficial lobbyists and get our word out. On our side we have the fact that Obama’s numbers are dropping, this too is good. In about a month’s time, the House will reconvene. We know those looking for handouts and the Liberals will be hard at work building support for the bill, we must be fighting back.

Do we need health care reform? Absolutely! But, the proposed legislation is not the way to go. As a nation, we need to study the causes of our overpriced health care system. The average surgeon pays out as much as two hundred thousand dollars each year in malpractice insurance because of the history of law suits in this nation, most of them frivolous. Even the Paramedic that may have to show up on your doorstep one day pays malpractice premiums. The average cost of education for a medical degree is about three hundred thousand dollars. The health care industry itself is victim to outrageous equipment costs just because they are the health care industry. This, in the same way manufactures and suppliers take advantage by inflating costs for government.  Hey Congress, want to reform health care? Make it cheaper for the industry to operate and costs to the end user will become more affordable, thus bringing down health care costs and reducing health insurance premiums.

Another way to reduce costs is already being realized in the private sector. Retailers like Wal-Mart, Walgreens and CVS have worked it out with the drug companies to sell the most used drugs at costs less than most prescription plan co-pays. Wal-Mart’s $4 drug list saves its customers millions in costs every year and takes some of the burden off insurance companies. I, for one, use this prescription plan because my co-pay starts at twenty dollars. Now, I’m not saying the twenty isn’t a good deal but, if I can save sixteen dollars per script, that’s what I’m talkin’ about!

There are many ways to cut back the cost of health care in this nation. But the government thinking that it can do it better is mind boggling. In six months they have tripled national deficit, have spent well over a trillion dollars trying to reduce the deficit – I still haven’t figured that one out – has taken control of the financial and auto industries and continue to drive up unemployment. Not a stellar record by any means. And now they expect us to trust them with our health? I don’t think so.

Washington needs to get out of the private sector and let Capitalism work its magic as it has in the past. Americans are an industrious bunch, history has proven this. It’s only when government becomes involved does things go downhill. Step back Washington, Americans can do the job of taking care of each other better than you will ever be able too. We care about this great nation more than you give us credit for and we care about each other. If you wish to regulate anything, regulate and limit your own interference into the private lives of the citizens of the great United States of America. Hold true to the founding documents and stop your blatant violations of the Constitution.

So let’s get to it! Party affiliation should mean nothing here, we are all Americans. We will all be affected if Washington takes over health care. We will all be losers in the end. Both parties have members who are fighting for their political lives. Get them on board and hold them to it. If your elected official isn’t representing the people, he or she is representing themselves and the White House. Their jobs are in our hands; make that very clear to them.

We The People have had enough of your meddling. The time is now; we’re taking back our nation.

Just and additional note, every House seat is up in 2010. When looking at who is working to represent you in Washington, ask them where they stand on congressional term limits. Let’s find and elect those candidates who would support term limits and hold them to their promise.