With great trepidation, I will wade into the waters of the upcoming Presidential primary, admittedly without picking a side. And you know why. Because if I did, at least half of you would stop following the work of Tennessee Stands. And that is precisely the problem that I would like to address here.
Stop it.
To me, the back-and-forth mudslinging so far between Trump and DeSantis is both off-putting and disheartening. But even more so, it saddens me the degree at which people actually seem to enjoy the show and engage in the chicanery. The base nature of politics disturbs me. Oftentimes, voters cast aspersions on politicians and decry the use of negative ads and political attacks. But there is a reason that political strategists employ those tactics. They work. And for a bit of self-reflection on the part of the voter, that isn’t the politician’s fault.
I speak from personal experience. I ran for state senate against a 16-year incumbent in a hotly contested primary and walked away with 49% of the vote. I know what it is like to fight in the political arena. And I know what it is like to have an opponent who emphatically refuses to step onto a stage and debate the issues while three political action committees spend thousands of dollars calling me names and making ridiculous comparisons between me and the likes of Nancy Pelosi (you know, because we have so much in common).
As a candidate, I cared about one thing, the issues. And as voters, that is exactly what we should be caring about now. In fact, it is the only thing. What is at stake is just too important for personality contests.
If I were you, here are some questions I would be asking. And not only would I ask them, but I would also demand answers.
Why did Trump support Fauci through the COVID charade and why does he still claim that Operation Warp Speed was a success and that “his vaccine” saved tens of millions of lives? He still stands by those statements to this day.
Why are credible men like Ken Cuccinelli (border Czar under Trump) supporting DeSantis and casting doubt on Trump’s ability to do the job at the border, citing multiple failures during his administration? And make no mistake, there is no more of a credible or knowledgeable authority on the border crisis than Cuccinelli.
Why is DeSantis not forthcoming on his stance on the Russia-Ukraine conflict? Seems that he might be on the wrong side of the issue and avoids a direct answer.
Why is DeSantis partnered up with Jeb Bush’s former campaign team and for crying out loud, why is he doing events in Tennessee with Governor Bill Lee? That does not inspire confidence in my book.
And why is it that neither Trump nor DeSantis is willing to platform on the dangers of globalist corporations and the influence of special interests in national policy? Money? Both Robert F Kennedy Jr and Vivek Ramaswamy have spoken on this issue at length and pledged to defend individual liberty against the growing influence of Marxist corporations.
As an aside from the conversation on candidates, may I also point out the glaring concern over election integrity which always seems to get lost in the shuffle in the heat of election season. My close friend and fellow co-host of The Freedom Matters Podcast, Kevin Kookogey, is of the opinion that we will probably never again see a Republican President in the White House. Why? Fraudulent elections.
And as much as I want to disagree with that assessment, I cannot find a solid argument as to why he is wrong. Consider Pennsylvania. Did voters really elect a man like John Fetterman? No. They did not. And Maricopa County, really? The gubernatorial election in Arizona is a complete sham. Keep in mind that these are not 2020 elections I am referencing. These are from the 2022 election cycle. Meaning, not much has changed.
With that said, does it really matter who we elect in the Republican Primary? I have serious questions as to whether we will get a fair shake in the general. Why should we expect different results in 2024. The same apparatus is in place and by 2024 they will have only learned how to execute their plans with more efficiency.
So, as much as we ought to be concerned with the nominees for President, if we are not willing to have serious debate around election integrity especially in the key suspect states (Arizona, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Georgia, etc) then we are only fooling ourselves.
Back to the matter at hand.
More than the right candidate, I am praying for a more informed electorate and one that is willing to make the issues the center of the debate. I implore you, if you really do care about the future of your children and their children, lay down the politics of personality and demand answers to the difficult questions. Do not commit your support to any candidate until the answers have been given and a plan has been submitted as to how these important issues will be addressed.
Demand more. And cheerlead less.
We are not fighting for the survival of a geographic entity. We are fighting for the survival of an idea—an idea that has shaped the world, an idea that has lit the path of liberty and justice for centuries. We fight to ensure that the flame of freedom, the flame that was lit at the birth of our nation, is never extinguished.
Let us remember that this is our fight, not just against those who seek to alter our way of life, but a fight for those who will inherit this land. Our children, our grandchildren, and their children after them. They must inherit not just the physical land of America, but the spirit of America—the spirit of liberty, of justice, and of unyielding resolve.
The politics of personality are a detriment to liberty and constitutional order.
With great trepidation, I will wade into the waters of the upcoming Presidential primary, admittedly without picking a side. And you know why. Because if I did, at least half of you would stop following the work of Tennessee Stands. And that is precisely the problem that I would like to address here.
Stop it.
To me, the back-and-forth mudslinging so far between Trump and DeSantis is both off-putting and disheartening. But even more so, it saddens me the degree at which people actually seem to enjoy the show and engage in the chicanery. The base nature of politics disturbs me. Oftentimes, voters cast aspersions on politicians and decry the use of negative ads and political attacks. But there is a reason that political strategists employ those tactics. They work. And for a bit of self-reflection on the part of the voter, that isn’t the politician’s fault.
I speak from personal experience. I ran for state senate against a 16-year incumbent in a hotly contested primary and walked away with 49% of the vote. I know what it is like to fight in the political arena. And I know what it is like to have an opponent who emphatically refuses to step onto a stage and debate the issues while three political action committees spend thousands of dollars calling me names and making ridiculous comparisons between me and the likes of Nancy Pelosi (you know, because we have so much in common).
As a candidate, I cared about one thing, the issues. And as voters, that is exactly what we should be caring about now. In fact, it is the only thing. What is at stake is just too important for personality contests.
If I were you, here are some questions I would be asking. And not only would I ask them, but I would also demand answers.
Why did Trump support Fauci through the COVID charade and why does he still claim that Operation Warp Speed was a success and that “his vaccine” saved tens of millions of lives? He still stands by those statements to this day.
Why are credible men like Ken Cuccinelli (border Czar under Trump) supporting DeSantis and casting doubt on Trump’s ability to do the job at the border, citing multiple failures during his administration? And make no mistake, there is no more of a credible or knowledgeable authority on the border crisis than Cuccinelli.
Why is DeSantis not forthcoming on his stance on the Russia-Ukraine conflict? Seems that he might be on the wrong side of the issue and avoids a direct answer.
Why is DeSantis partnered up with Jeb Bush’s former campaign team and for crying out loud, why is he doing events in Tennessee with Governor Bill Lee? That does not inspire confidence in my book.
And why is it that neither Trump nor DeSantis is willing to platform on the dangers of globalist corporations and the influence of special interests in national policy? Money? Both Robert F Kennedy Jr and Vivek Ramaswamy have spoken on this issue at length and pledged to defend individual liberty against the growing influence of Marxist corporations.
As an aside from the conversation on candidates, may I also point out the glaring concern over election integrity which always seems to get lost in the shuffle in the heat of election season. My close friend and fellow co-host of The Freedom Matters Podcast, Kevin Kookogey, is of the opinion that we will probably never again see a Republican President in the White House. Why? Fraudulent elections.
And as much as I want to disagree with that assessment, I cannot find a solid argument as to why he is wrong. Consider Pennsylvania. Did voters really elect a man like John Fetterman? No. They did not. And Maricopa County, really? The gubernatorial election in Arizona is a complete sham. Keep in mind that these are not 2020 elections I am referencing. These are from the 2022 election cycle. Meaning, not much has changed.
With that said, does it really matter who we elect in the Republican Primary? I have serious questions as to whether we will get a fair shake in the general. Why should we expect different results in 2024. The same apparatus is in place and by 2024 they will have only learned how to execute their plans with more efficiency.
So, as much as we ought to be concerned with the nominees for President, if we are not willing to have serious debate around election integrity especially in the key suspect states (Arizona, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Georgia, etc) then we are only fooling ourselves.
Back to the matter at hand.
More than the right candidate, I am praying for a more informed electorate and one that is willing to make the issues the center of the debate. I implore you, if you really do care about the future of your children and their children, lay down the politics of personality and demand answers to the difficult questions. Do not commit your support to any candidate until the answers have been given and a plan has been submitted as to how these important issues will be addressed.
Demand more. And cheerlead less.
We are not fighting for the survival of a geographic entity. We are fighting for the survival of an idea—an idea that has shaped the world, an idea that has lit the path of liberty and justice for centuries. We fight to ensure that the flame of freedom, the flame that was lit at the birth of our nation, is never extinguished.
Let us remember that this is our fight, not just against those who seek to alter our way of life, but a fight for those who will inherit this land. Our children, our grandchildren, and their children after them. They must inherit not just the physical land of America, but the spirit of America—the spirit of liberty, of justice, and of unyielding resolve.
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Gary Humble
Gary Humble