Tom Kovach
Candidates: selfless or selfish?
Ponder the difference between a "politician" and a "statesman"
By Tom Kovach
A recent guest on my talk show reminded me of just how simple the test really is to help decide for whom to cast a vote. My guest was Allen West (Lt. Col., US Army, Retired). He came into the national spotlight after he took decisive action during the 2003 interrogation of a turncoat Iraqi police officer. While an infantry battalion commander, LTC West fired a pistol near the head of Officer Yahya Jhodri Hamoody, who had been passing American military information to Iraqi insurgent terror cells. The treasonous Hamoody decided that he did not want to meet Allah that day after all, and spewed out enough information that LTC West and his battalion were then able to shut down two terrorist cells and stop the attacks in their Area of Responsibility. Normally, military officers — especially those in the "combat arms" specialties — are fully expected to be brave, resourceful, and decisive. (Indeed, when he was in combat in Iraq the first time, during Operation Desert Storm, as an artillery fire-control officer, West had won the Bronze Star for decisive actions that saved a nearby unit that was pinned down under enemy fire.) But, surprisingly, the Army actually filed 'aggravated assault' charges against LTC West for the interrogation! Ultimately, the lawyer (a former US Marine Corps JAG officer) representing LTC West was able to negotiate a "non-judicial punishment" under Article 15 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. The intrepid commander was fined $5,000 for saving his troops, and soon after retired from the Army with 22 years of service.
Living well is the best revenge
Having taught school for two years after his retirement, LTC Allen West is now a candidate for the 22nd Congressional District of Florida. His district covers the coastal areas of Palm Beach and Broward Counties, including some inland areas, with about 600,000 citizens. West is running as a Republican, but has made it clear that he is "beholden to no one." (You can hear the entire one-hour interview by clicking here.) West has an agenda that, not surprisingly, puts national security at the top of the list of issues. Other issues include energy independence (which he ties, quite rightly, to Middle East policy), education, healthcare, and illegal aliens. Allen West was articulate, patriotic, and still kept a sense of humor during a serious interview. I found him very personable; very smart, but not "brainy." (Having spent long periods of time in vehicles and foxholes with men of various backgrounds, I found West to be someone with whom I could get along easily on a deployment.)
But, here is the "money quote."
"I really believe that the American people want to get back to the basics. They want people who are about selfless service and not self-serving. ... And, with the Internet, blogs, and talk radio, the politicians cannot hide anymore."
West uttered this observation after talking about the "revolution" going on among voters, who lit up the phone lines last summer to put a stop to the Kennedy-McCain amnesty bill. That distasteful piece of legislation would've provided a "path to citizenship" for those that have entered our country illegally. To me, and to millions of other voters, it was just one more example of how the "Big Two" political parties have become virtually indistinguishable. (Disclosure: I'm the state PR coordinator for the Constitution Party of Tennessee. And, yes, I did try to "recruit" him during the interview.)
West believes that he can work from the inside to turn the Republican Party back toward its conservative roots. I wish him well, although the many disenfranchised Republicans that I've spoken to within the Constitution Party would claim that to be a lost cause. Regardless of party, though, there are certain core beliefs that nearly all Americans share. I feel that Allen West embodies those beliefs. He is a candidate upon whom traditional Republicans, moral "Dixiecrats," most Constitutionists, and even many Libertarians can agree. Why? Because he is not a politician, but a statesman.
How can one tell the difference? The answer lies in one of my favorite political sayings. "A politician works for the next election. A statesman works for the next generation." May God bless America with more statesmen, and fewer politicians.
© Tom Kovach
A recent guest on my talk show reminded me of just how simple the test really is to help decide for whom to cast a vote. My guest was Allen West (Lt. Col., US Army, Retired). He came into the national spotlight after he took decisive action during the 2003 interrogation of a turncoat Iraqi police officer. While an infantry battalion commander, LTC West fired a pistol near the head of Officer Yahya Jhodri Hamoody, who had been passing American military information to Iraqi insurgent terror cells. The treasonous Hamoody decided that he did not want to meet Allah that day after all, and spewed out enough information that LTC West and his battalion were then able to shut down two terrorist cells and stop the attacks in their Area of Responsibility. Normally, military officers — especially those in the "combat arms" specialties — are fully expected to be brave, resourceful, and decisive. (Indeed, when he was in combat in Iraq the first time, during Operation Desert Storm, as an artillery fire-control officer, West had won the Bronze Star for decisive actions that saved a nearby unit that was pinned down under enemy fire.) But, surprisingly, the Army actually filed 'aggravated assault' charges against LTC West for the interrogation! Ultimately, the lawyer (a former US Marine Corps JAG officer) representing LTC West was able to negotiate a "non-judicial punishment" under Article 15 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. The intrepid commander was fined $5,000 for saving his troops, and soon after retired from the Army with 22 years of service.
Living well is the best revenge
Having taught school for two years after his retirement, LTC Allen West is now a candidate for the 22nd Congressional District of Florida. His district covers the coastal areas of Palm Beach and Broward Counties, including some inland areas, with about 600,000 citizens. West is running as a Republican, but has made it clear that he is "beholden to no one." (You can hear the entire one-hour interview by clicking here.) West has an agenda that, not surprisingly, puts national security at the top of the list of issues. Other issues include energy independence (which he ties, quite rightly, to Middle East policy), education, healthcare, and illegal aliens. Allen West was articulate, patriotic, and still kept a sense of humor during a serious interview. I found him very personable; very smart, but not "brainy." (Having spent long periods of time in vehicles and foxholes with men of various backgrounds, I found West to be someone with whom I could get along easily on a deployment.)
But, here is the "money quote."
"I really believe that the American people want to get back to the basics. They want people who are about selfless service and not self-serving. ... And, with the Internet, blogs, and talk radio, the politicians cannot hide anymore."
West uttered this observation after talking about the "revolution" going on among voters, who lit up the phone lines last summer to put a stop to the Kennedy-McCain amnesty bill. That distasteful piece of legislation would've provided a "path to citizenship" for those that have entered our country illegally. To me, and to millions of other voters, it was just one more example of how the "Big Two" political parties have become virtually indistinguishable. (Disclosure: I'm the state PR coordinator for the Constitution Party of Tennessee. And, yes, I did try to "recruit" him during the interview.)
West believes that he can work from the inside to turn the Republican Party back toward its conservative roots. I wish him well, although the many disenfranchised Republicans that I've spoken to within the Constitution Party would claim that to be a lost cause. Regardless of party, though, there are certain core beliefs that nearly all Americans share. I feel that Allen West embodies those beliefs. He is a candidate upon whom traditional Republicans, moral "Dixiecrats," most Constitutionists, and even many Libertarians can agree. Why? Because he is not a politician, but a statesman.
How can one tell the difference? The answer lies in one of my favorite political sayings. "A politician works for the next election. A statesman works for the next generation." May God bless America with more statesmen, and fewer politicians.
© Tom Kovach
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