boforsenate

I started a new blog over at http://botheconservative.blogspot.com

I hope you'll check it out for news, updates, and commentary.

Well I guess this is supposed to be the time where I congratulate Bob Corker on his hard-fought campaign victory, but I'm not. I have a hard time congratulating someone who wins when the contest is on a far from level playing field. It would be like congratulating the Indianapolis Colts for beating a high school football team. I have often mentioned a website called Opensecrets.org where all the examples I had found over the last decade or so showed that whoever spent the most money in a campaign won. So it should be no secret that Bob Corker won when he spent more than anyone else. But enough on Corker and his campaign.

First, I can't thank people enough for all the encouragement, support, and prayers during this race. It has been very frustrating at times, but very rewarding as well. Now some might looks at the votes I got and think that 3,555 votes is a bit of a let-down for all the time I put into this race. But I look at it another way. Two years ago I wasn't thinking about running for office of any kind. I was just a guy who got up and went to work and lived life. It wasn't until the summer of 2005 that I made any public announcement as I handed out flyers to people who were attending a Phil Valentine "De-magnetize Tennessee" rally about illegal immigrants. I was a complete unknown with no record of any public service in any capacity. I was basically ignored by the media during the entire campaign. No matter how many times I would contact newspapers, TV stations, or radio shows, I could only get appearances on a few...and to those, most notably Steve Hilton's show on 97.7 FM, I'm extremely appreciative. I wasn't allowed to debate or appear on any candidate forums. Due to working a full-time job, I wasn't able to make as many appearances as I wanted to. I also know that people are very leery about contributing money to an independent, and all expenses came out of my pocket. I have also heard from some people today that they truly wanted to vote for me, but they were so concerned about Harold Ford winning, they decided to vote for Corker. Two years ago I was a complete unknown and then threw my name into one of the hottest Senate races in the country. So am I let-down with 3,555 votes? Not at all. To think this was accomplished with hardly any media exposure and almost no money, I don't have anything to hang my head about.

I know that a lot of the votes came as a result of people I've met over the last year or so who were willing to take their time to spread the word. I honestly can't thank each of you enough for doing that. And I truly thank everyone who voted for me. There were probably a lot of things I could have done differently in this race to get my name out, and I have learned a lot about the political process and campaigns. I dived in head-first to process I knew very little about, and did the best I could knowing what I knew. But like I said, I have become much better educated. I say this because I have an announcement to make.

The announcement is that I will be running again in 2008. Right now I'm just going to take several weeks and relax. I'm going to enjoy this time of year with Thanksgiving and Christmas, but after the start of 2007 I will get things going again. This time I won't be a complete unknown, and I will have had the experience of going through this process. I'll be running again because I have a bad feeling that the issues I ran on this time will be the same issues that need to be addressed for 2008. I said in an interview that if all that happens from my campaign is that I can sleep well election night knowing I voted for the one person I know is honest about what their beliefs are and will tell it like it is, then I'll be happy. It's great that 3,554 other people felt the same way about an unknown.

Again, thank you to everyone who spread the word, offered support and encouragement, and voted for me. We'll do this again in 2008!

I want to leave you for now with a pretty funny joke someone sent me -

While walking down the street one day a US senator is tragically hit by a truck and dies. His soul arrives in heaven and is met by St. Peter at the
entrance.

"Welcome to heaven," says St. Peter. "Before you settle in, it seems there is a problem. We seldom see a high official around these
parts, you see, so we're not sure what to do with you."

"No problem, just let me in," says the man.

"Well, I'd like to, but I have orders from higher up. What we'll do is have you spend one day in hell and one in heaven. Then you can
choose where to spend eternity."

"Really, I've made up my mind. I want to be in heaven," says the senator.

"I'm sorry, but we have our rules."

And with that, St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell. The doors open and he finds himself in the
middle of a green golf course. In the distance is a clubhouse and standing in front of it are all his friends and other politicians who had worked with him.

Everyone is very happy and in evening dress. They run to greet him, shake his hand, and reminisce about the good times they had
while getting rich at the expense of the people.

They play a friendly game of golf and then dine on lobster, caviar and champagne.

Also present is the devil, who really is a very friendly guy who has a good time dancing and telling jokes. They are having such a
good time that before he realizes it, it is time to go.

Everyone gives him a hearty farewell and waves while the elevator rises...

The elevator goes up, up, up and the door reopens on heaven where St. Peter is waiting for him.

"Now it's time to visit heaven."

So, 24 hours pass with the senator joining a group of contented souls moving from cloud to cloud, playing the harp and singing. They
have a good time and, before he realizes it, the 24 hours have gone by and St. Peter returns.

"Well, then, you've spent a day in hell and another in heaven. Now choose your eternity."

The senator reflects for a minute, then he answers: "Well, I would never have said it before, I mean heaven has been delightful,
but I think I would be better off in hell."

So St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell.

Now the doors of the elevator open and he's in the middle of a barren land covered with waste and garbage.

He sees all his friends, dressed in rags, picking up the trash and putting it in black bags as more trash falls from above.

The devil comes over to him and puts his arm around his shoulder. "I don't understand," stammers the senator. "Yesterday I was here and
there was a golf course and clubhouse, and we ate lobster and caviar, drank champagne, and danced and had a great time. Now there's just a
wasteland full of garbage and my friends look miserable. What happened?"

The devil looks at him, smiles and says, "Yesterday we were campaigning...... Today you voted."

If you are still undecided about who to vote for tomorrow, or if you honestly think a vote for me is a vote for Ford, please keep reading. I want you to think about these facts when you go vote tomorrow -

About Harold Ford, Jr.:

- He claims to support the war by constantly saying he voted for it, yet he also said last year on "Imus In the Morning" that if he knew then what he knows now he would have voted "no".

- He addresses "The War in Iraq" like it's not part of the bigger war we are in against the terrorists.

- While I don't want to doubt someones relationship with God, I find it strange that Ford is acting like an evangelical over the last month or two when he's part of a party that wants to remove God from everything.

- Ford comes from a family that has been mired in political corruption, so why should we think he's any different?

- Ford wants us off middle-eastern oil, yet he voted against drilling in Alaska and also for building any new refineries.

- Ford campaigned for John "I think the troops are stupid" Kerry in 2004, and also has had the ONLY President to be impeached come to Tennessee to campaign for him.

- He wants to act like he's tough on illegal immigration when this problem has escalated under his watch the past ten years while he's been in Washington and he never introduced any legislation to solve this problem. He likes to say how he voted for the toughest immigration bill, but I find it self-serving when this bill came up during an election year. Plus, he has yet to say what should be done with the millions of illegals already here and nothing about this issue is on his website.

- He has yet to come out with a position on Iran.

- He has never mentioned anything about the NAIS or the SPP.


About Bob Corker:

- Claims to be tough on illegal immigration yet has NEVER stated what should happen to the ones who are already here. He has also supported Bush's "guest worker" program and didn't post anything about it on his website until the Senate started talking about it last Spring.

- Was called "pond scum" by Bill Frist, yet Frist is now campaigning for him because he's a Republican.

- Was called "The king of liars" by Ed Bryant, yet Bryant now campaigns for him because Corker is a Republican.

- Van Hilleary claimed Corker's ads were "devoid of honor and integrity", yet Hilleary is also campaigning for Corker because he's a Republican. Hilleary also said "he obviously is not who he says he is".

- Corker has NEVER said anything about the NAIS or the SPP that I've seen or been told about when I've called him out on it.

- Corker also refers to the "War in Iraq" as a separate war we are in, and doesn't treat it like the major battlefield in this war we are in.

- Corker hasn't released a strong stand about Iran by any means.


This is what people have been force-fed via TV ads and the media. These are the "real" candidates. If you consider yourself a conservative and if you truly want to make a statement, I ask for your vote tomorrow. We have been pawns in this political game too long, and it's time we stand up and say "ENOUGH!". A vote for me is NOT a vote for Ford as some have said, it's a vote for real American values and also a message to this joke of a two-party system that we are tired of the garbage.

I really want to thank everyone who has spread the word of my campaign and also thank those who have supported me. I'm really looking forward to voting tomorrow because I know that I will be casting a vote for the one candidate who "gets it". I don't want to sound arrogant or egotistical because I know I've heard from a lot of people who "get it". I'm just happy that I can sleep well tomorrow night voting what's in my heart, and I ask for those of you who consider yourselves conservatives to do the same. Do not play into the game of the two-party and lesser of two evils system...vote with your heart and we can make a difference.

Today "superstar" politician Barack Obama was in Nashville campaigning for Ford. My question is, why is Obama considered some shining star? What has he ever done? I've asked people and have never been given a real answer. And don't you love how he's making race an issue? He told a black church today that "I know that all of you are going to work the next couple of days to make sure it happens, because I'm feeling lonely in Washington". I take it he said this because he's the only black Senator. Give me a break. The only people who are making race an issue in this election are Ford and his cronies. People who are real conservatives, such as myself, are often labeled racists and bigots. Have I ever ONCE mentioned anything about Ford's race? No. Has he or someone on his staff made statements or had press releases where race is an issue? Plenty of times. And one other thing I don't get, and please correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought there were laws about campaigning at a church? Doesn't that have some sort of impact on tax-exempt status? I know Ford dismissed this over the past week because he said something to the effect of that it wasn't Sunday and they just used the building, but today IS Sunday, and yet they were campaigning at churches? But hey, what do I know. After all, I have tried to play by the rules and actually do the right thing and be honest in this campaign. I don't care what race someone is, and I don't care what party someone is with...if they have their head screwed on straight I will support them. Can we PLEASE leave race out of this? It's just such a cheap tactic. My gut feeling is that by bringing race up, they are trying to "guilt-trip" people into voting for Ford. Like I said, I don't care what race someone is. If they are the right person with real vision and a backbone, I will support them.

Here is what I really don't understand. I'm writing this on Sunday night at about 10:00. The election is Tuesday, and during the football game that's on right now, all I see are ads where Ford is the wrong man and Corker is the wrong man. All weekend these are the ads I've seen. All weekend all I have been reading about from Ford and Corker's supporters are poll results. Do these candidates not realize Iran was conducting wargames this past week? Do they not realize that Russia is going to continue to sell weapons to Iran? Did they have anything to say about the verdict to hang Saddam Hussein? Of course not. If they did, I never saw anything on it, and to me that's a little more newsworthy than hearing for the hundredth time that Corker allowed 31,000 911 calls to go unanswered or that Ford is the most liberal Congressman from Tennessee. Voters should feel completely insulted by these "real" candidates and the lack of time they spend actually addressing issues and HOW they plan on dealing with them. Both "real" candidates have spent over $10 million for a job that pays $160,000. You really have to wonder about that. To me it's a lot of wasted money. The only reason a candidate would have to have an ad on every commercial break is because their message has ZERO substance to it.

This is all another example of why it's so important to vote on principle and not party. Until more of us break away from that mentality of throwing our votes away on a third party or independents, we will always get more of the same. Oh, and let me say one more thing, I wish those soldiers who captured Hussein had just shot him when they found him. I'm glad they got him, but next time one of our soldiers finds a brutal dictator hiding in a hole in the ground, just go ahead and put a bullet in his head. That way some traitor like Ramsey Clark won't have a chance to defend a madman.

Iran tests long range missiles, yet the unofficial blogs of Ford and Corker want to talk polls and neither candidate has given a clear-cut opinion on Iran.

In middle Tennessee, one of the biggest cocaine busts EVER in this area took place two days ago and several illegal immigrants were arrested over it, yet Ford and Corker still haven't stated what they would do with all the illegals already here.

The NAIS program received national attention in USA Today this week, yet not a word about it from Ford or Corker.

Ford and Corker still say "The War in Iraq" like it's a separate war when Iraq is the major battlefield of the entire war we are currently in.

Ford and Corker have yet to call this war for what it is, and that is a "Holy War". Our enemy calls it that, so why can't we?

Both Ford and Corker are doing what they can to appeal to the "religious right", yet neither has spoken out about the myth of "separation of church and state".

Both Ford and Corker are proposing ideas that are in complete violation of the authority granted to Congress in the U.S. Constitution.

Do you see a pattern here? We have the two "real" candidates who are NOT addressing the issues. they may act like they are, but there is no substance to their statements. Instead all we get is bombarded with ads of "he said this and he did that". Bill Clinton, who had who knows how many affairs, campaigns for Ford...Bill Frist, who called Corker "pond scum", campaigns for Corker. It is time for those of us who are sick of these games to take a stand. This week at my job I was working with a client who flew in that told me he supports MoveOn.org. Now one might thing we would be butting heads the entire time, but we didn't. Even though the two of us were complete opposites on our political views, we both could agree that the entire political process is one big game. Voters deserve to hear exactly where someone stands and on REAL ISSUES, and I hope I have done that during this campaign.

I want to thank everyone who has emailed me to say they voted for me during the early voting period. I love hearing from people like me who aren't afraid to vote on principle, and know that voting their heart is the right thing to do.

I wrote last night about Ford campaigning for Kerry in 2004 and how he would probably play this whole situation both ways, and that's EXACTLY what happened. Ford, after being briefed by his consultants I'm sure, issued a statement today about John Kerry's idiotic quote. Here's what Ford had to say -

"Whatever the intent, Senator Kerry was wrong to say what he said. He needs to apologize to our troops. However, Senator Kerry's words don't alter the fact that the stay-the-course strategy pursued by President Bush and supported by Bob Corker isn't working. We need a new direction in Iraq. I know how hard our troops work, and the sacrifices they make, for our freedoms. They deserve a plan for victory as good as they are, and as Senator I intend to see they get one."

I wonder how long it took all his consultants and advisers to come up with this one. The one thing I love about running as an independent is that I can be my own man. I say exactly what I think and feel without having a hired staff coaching me. Ford couldn't just release something saying Kerry was wrong, he also had to throw a "however" into it and use this as something to once again hammer on the failed strategy and blah blah blah. See how he wants it both ways? Let me sum up what Ford said in my own words - "I can't seem like a liberal even though I campaigned for Kerry because I need to seem more like a conservative Democrat, so I'll quickly switch the focus of my statement to something else and be able to appeal to both sides". He wants to be anti-Kerry and anti-Bush in the same statement. Sorry Harold, I don't buy it. After all, he Had Bill Clinton in Memphis today campaigning for him, and this is the guy that is responsible for gutting the military during the 1990's. Oh, and there was that little incident with a certain intern and the rape allegations from other women. Yes, that would definitely be someone I would want campaigning for me.

The part I truly don't understand about all this is the way the Corker camp is treating this. Sure, they're playing up Ford's ties to Kerry, but they have yet to bring up Ford's Kerry-ish position on the military in Iraq. As I have said many times, Ford said he would have voted "no" if he knew then what he knows now. Instead, the Corker camp wants to keep harping on Ford campaigning for Kerry. I bring this up because I hope it shows the difference between me and the "conservative" Bob Corker. Exposing Ford on his lack of a stand on the war is so easy, I've done it many times in this blog, yet Corker doesn't ever mention it. I have no problem doing it at all, because I respect our military too much to let Ford spout his soundbites.

Am I "attacking" Ford and Corker? I don't think so. When it comes to our military, I get very worked-up. What I'm sick of is seeing the war we are in being used as a game in this election year. Lives are at stake and I will not be quiet when I see someone playing politics from either party. I honestly wonder if the bulk of our troops would be home by now if people in Washington would just shut up and let them do what they need to do instead of being so selfish and using this war for political gain. War is not about being the nice guy, it's about one thing - winning. I love how a Chattanooga newspaper called me a "pro-war" candidate. I am definitely not pro-war, but if we go to war then we go all out to win and get our soldiers home. We have such a lack of leadership in Washington it isn't funny. This is why on 9/11 my reaction was to start Operation Glass Parking Lot and completely flatten the middle east and be done with it. Other countries don't take us seriously anymore. Why would Chavez talk the way he did on American soil? Why would that midget in North Korea conduct his nuclear tests? And why would Iran announce they were starting war games? They don't respect our power anymore. Why should they? They watch CNN and read the internet...they know that we have these morons in Washington who will attack the very country they are supposed to represent. Well I'm sick of it, and I know a lot of you are as well. I'm just so tired of reading about another soldier dying when this country could have ended all of this a while back. I don't want anyone in Washington with another plan or "stay the course". I want people who will say "do what needs to be done" and won't whine to the media. Our military deserves so much more than being used as pawns in the political game. This country sent them in to do a job, so LET THEM!

Oh, and Kerry did apologize. Yippee...I'm sure it means so much. I see it as sincere as when Dick Durbin compared our soldiers to Nazis.

Stop the presses everyone - John Kerry said something stupid! I know, a shock, eh? After all, he has NEVER said anything stupid before. I'm sure by now you've heard the quote where he said, "You know, education, if you make the most of it, you study hard, you do your homework and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well. If you don't, you get stuck in Iraq". Now, once he got called out on it, he tried to say it was a botched joke about President Bush. Well, considering Kerry has botched pretty much everything while in office, I wouldn't be surprised. If it was a botched joke about Bush, I find it funny that Kerry would say Bush didn't do well in school. Now correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't Kerry's and Bush's college grades made public during the 2004 election, and weren't Kerry's grades LOWER than Bush's? But now it's left to us to decide whether it was a slam against the troops, or it really was a botched joke. I honestly think that through his supposed botched joke the truth came out. It's no secret he hates the military and will do whatever he needs to drag them down. Look at what he did when he came back from Vietnam. How in the heck a guy like this is allowed to serve as a Senator baffles me. And here is something to remember when you go to vote next week - Ford HEAVILY campaigned for Kerry here in Tennessee. Let's even leave this most recent quote out for a moment. Those of us with our head on straight know Kerry has been anti-military his entire political career. The only time he voted for anything pro-military was when it was the popular thing to do, and then he would come back later on and try to spin it like he was misled or thought it was right at the time and blah blah blah. Ford supported this guy in 2004, so what makes me think that Ford is all of the sudden strong on defense? Absolutely nothing. Ford is a politician through and through who will construct his image to appeal to whoever he needs to for his own benefit.

Now another sad part about this is that I bet the best Corker's camp will come up with is to ask Ford to side with or distance himself from Kerry's statement. They won't come out and use this quote as a reminder of Kerry's anti-military stance and how Ford campaigned for him in 2004. If they do, you heard it here first. Remember, Ford did a very Kerry-ish thing when was asked on Imus in the Morning last year that if he knew then what he knows now, would he have voted for the military to go into Iraq, and he said "no". Ford wants to appeal to both sides, and it's pathetic that Corker won't call him out on this. I do, and remember that if Corker's people take this direction, you heard it here first.

I often speak of the lack of guts the Republican party has, and here's another example. I read today that Michael Chertoff, the Homeland Security Secretary, stated that "Without a temporary-worker program, getting control of the border by 2008 is very, very difficult". No, the only thing difficult about it is by doing nothing, which our government seems more than willing to do. I think it's pretty simple - take the money away from the TONS of worthless government programs and put that money towards building the fences and hiring more border guards. The only reason Chertoff would tout this "guest worker" garbage is to keep things moving towards this SPP plan I've been talking about. Makes one think, doesn't it? To hear the Homeland Security Secretary say that we'll have a hard time securing our border without Bush's guest-worker program shows complete incompetence...unless there's more to it. Again, I hate to sound like some nut-job conspiracy theory guy, but it really makes me wonder more about the SPP. And I still have YET to hear anything about this from Ford or Corker. Big surprise.

People have asked me many times what makes me different from the "real" candidates when I talk to them, and this is another example. I have no problem calling someone out on their garbage. Whether it's Kerry, Ford, or Chertoff, I have no problem. And it's time to have someone in Washington who will do this.

I will be SO glad when November the 8th gets here. No more ads flooding TV with messages that never mention issues, no more radio commercials where I get to hear Bob Corker keep going on and on about his construction business or Harold Ford wasting my time saying he will be patriotic every day (even though the very troops he voted to send into battle he now admits he shouldn't have), and no more coming home to have 10 new messages on my answering machine where someone is telling me who I should vote for, with no real talk about issues. I'm tired of hearing on all the talk radio shows how Ford said the GOP doesn't love God as much as Democrats, or how Corker is a racist for a TV ad that played last week. I'm tired of it, and I know a lot of you are too. Sadly this is the face of the two-party system. We have a Senate race here in Tennessee that some are estimating will see over $40 million in spending for a job that pays $160,000 a year. You really have to wonder why someone would spend MILLIONS for a job that pays what it does. I honestly think if you have the right message, if you take a real stand on important issues, and if you are blunt and honest, then the message will stick with voters. Someone told me not too long ago that if I had one-tenth the money that the "real" candidates had spent, I would be so far ahead in the polls it wouldn't be funny. Now I would love to think so, but who knows. I do know that I've only spent several hundred dollars of my own money so far, and I'm the only independent to place in a major poll. The reason is because all I'm doing is echoing how so many of us think and feel, and people have spread the word.

I'll be very interested to see if the winner of this election will follow a sad pattern. Go to the website www.opensecrets.org and take a look at the campaign spending. In every example I looked at, whoever spent the most money won. And this happened in the Republican primary here - Corker spent the most money and he won.

We have one week left. I have been asked several times in radio interviews if I honestly expect to win this race. If true conservatives would vote on principle instead of party, then yes I could win. If true conservatives had jumped on board and not become lemmings to the Republican party after Corker won the primary, then yes I would win. Now I know there are going to be a lot of conservatives voting next week who haven't even heard of me, so they don't know a real conservative is running. We have one week. I am trying to line up a couple of radio interviews over the next few days, and I know a lot of people have been taking time out of their own lives to help spread the word...and I can't express enough how much I appreciate this. If we can convince everyone we know who calls themselves a conservative to vote for me, then we can make a difference. We can at least send a message to the GOP that they abandoned us, and we don't have a party that reflects us anymore.

Voters of Tennessee deserve to be treated better than the trash we are being bombarded with in these ads. We deserve to hear ideas on real issues and to know HOW these ideas can be accomplished. I have done my best in my limited knowledge of the federal government to try and explain what I want to see done and how I would go about doing it. If we want true change, then we HAVE to break out from under the thumb of the two parties, and to send a message that money doesn't buy votes...the message does.

Will we see or hear ads this next week addressing exactly what to do about illegal immigrants? How about the NAIS? What about the SPP? How about a real stand on North Korea and Iran? I've spoken out about these issues many times. It's a shame that both party candidates stay silent.

When writing about the last two debates, I would usually go over each question asked and how Ford and Corker responded. But since the majority of questions asked tonight were ones that had been addressed in the previous debates, there's not much point in me going over every excruciating detail. However, I do have some comments to make.

Am I wrong in saying that Ford was sporting an American flag pin for the first time? I don't recall seeing it on the other two debates, but I may be wrong. I can say though that whenever Ford answered a question, he quickly found the camera and addressed it while Corker would address the person who asked the question as well as the audience. Also, Ford's gimmick of asking every young-looking person their age is a little played out. It sounds very condescending. But enough of that, here are some observations I had about their answers.

In the opening statements, Ford stated that we are in two wars. If he fails to see that Iraq is the major battlefield of the current war we are in and not a separate war, he shouldn't be in Washington.

When asked about the war on terror and how we should deal with North Korea and Iran, Corker could only state he supports the war in Iraq and Ford pitched the "three regions" idea. Neither one mentioned anything about North Korea or Iran. My idea would be to tell those two dictators to stop developing nuclear weapons or we will bomb you into annihilation.

When the topic of energy independence came up, why didn't Corker call out Ford for voting against building new refineries and drilling in Alaska? I sure would have.

When the question about healthcare was asked, Corker said we have a "moral responsibility" to make sure everyone has affordable healthcare. I guess that was left out of the copy of the Constitution I have. Just because something may sound like the right thing to do, if there is no authorization for it then it should not be done.

When a question about illegal immigration was asked, Ford said our borders are broken and we've especially known this since 9/11. My question would be this - If we have known this, then what legislation did you ever introduce to fix this problem? I'll tell you exactly what the answer is - NONE! Corker could only give a vague answer about the need for border security yet again never stated what to do with the millions that are already here.

Ford used the question about supporting a privatized social security account to pitch his horrendous idea for giving every newborn a $500 account. Wealth distribution at it's finest. For a guy who tries to stand up for the working people, why in the heck would he make them give newborns money?

A question was asked about changing the attitude of terrorists towards America. Corker basically gave the "winning of hearts and minds" garbage, while Ford said we need bilateral talks with North Korea. My thoughts? Yeah, we can change their attitudes real quick by wiping them off the face of the earth. These people don't mind dying for their cause so I say we help them out. Maybe one day we will have leadership that truly understands that no negotiations or appeasement can take place with psychopaths.

When asked about prisoner abuse and the new military powers bill, Ford said he supported the bill and then stated by treating the enemy prisoners fairly, then maybe the other side would treat any captured U.S. soldiers fairly. All I can say is that I wish I had a house in the fantasy land Ford lives in. He actually thinks that the psychos who behead people might quit doing that if we're nice to their people we capture? Give me a break. Let me be very clear - if we have captured someone who possibly knows where a bomb is going to go off or where some other kind of terrorist act is going to take place, then we can easily find out what they know. All it takes is a lot of electricity ans something very sharp. Let me put it another way, and this is borrowing from a quote from Barry Goldwater - I value the life of an American citizen that does their best to play by the rules, goes to work, and provides for their family over the ENTIRE middle east. That's why I have said before that on 9/12 we should have had "Operation Glass Parking Lot" and we wouldn't be discussing most of this garbage now. Corker stated he supported the bill as well, and what I found funny was both candidates mention about adhering to the Geneva Convention, which I've written about recently. So I guess we need to pay the prisoners for their work and provide a commissary where they can purchase toiletries and tobacco products. After all, that's what the Geneva Convention states.

One day I truly hope a debate matters. One day we might actually get to hear some honest answers to a question. We might actually get to hear a yes/no answer without being inundated with personal stories and vague references to the issue as the candidates use up all their allotted time. How long does it take to answer a question? I like to respond with a sentence or two because I like to actually answer the question.

So there you have it, the final debate between the "real" candidates. If you are as sick of this as I am, if you are tired of feeling like a used-car salesman is addressing an issue, and if you understand that we face some difficult times and need people in Washington who will actually look at issues in a "yes/no" fashion and never be afraid to speak exactly what's on their mind regardless of who they offend, I ask for your vote. I hear from so many people who are fed up with "politicians", and the only way we can truly make a change is to vote on what we value and believe, not which party candidate is the lesser of two evils. It's a shame I couldn't have been involved in the debate tonight, but it is what it is. I truly want to thank everyone who contacted the LWV and News Channel 5 to get me on this debate. To quote my favorite line from General Patton - "You're never beaten until you admit it". If you want to vote for the lesser of two evils then go right ahead and be a part of the problem. But if you truly want change to take place in this country, I ask for your vote. You know where I stand on the issues, I have made it abundantly clear. If you agree with me, then don't go to the voting booth thinking a vote for me is a vote for Ford. Vote with your heart and take a stand for what you believe in.

Over the last few weeks the voters of Tennessee have been subjected to attack after attack in Corker's and Ford's ads. Yesterday when I was on Steve Hilton's show, he asked me about these attack ads. I stated that while I do think it's important to know about a candidate's character to a degree, I think there are some real issues that could be discussed. I have yet to see an ad where Ford or Corker lay out a plan for illegal immigration. I have yet to see an ad where either of them mention the NAIS or the SPP. I also have yet to see an ad from either of them where they mention anything about governing by the limits the Constitution has given Congress. Instead, money is being blown on ads that are nothing but "he said this" and "he did that". This isn't going unnoticed by voters either. I have been receiving more and more email giving me support because people are completely disgusted by these attack ads which are NEVER followed up with a candidate's plan on the issues. And this isn't just from Republicans, I'm even hearing from people who have voted Democrat in the past. In fact, today I received an email that I think summarizes all of this very well. The email said that one individual and his wife were so disgusted by the recent ads that they decided to vote independent. The email never states if they voted Republican or Democrat in the past, just that they were disgusted by the ads that we are being bombarded with.

On a smaller scale, I have read many blogs and message boards where I have been called a bigot, a racist, and one even said I was "total scum". Did I feel the need to reply to try and set the record straight? No...and it's because I know the truth and I know what I stand for. I know I have been very critical at time of Ford and Corker in my blog because of what they have said, and I only think that's fair as long as I can show WHY and back it up with my position. I don't want to call either of them out on anything without giving my true opinion on whatever issue it is. When I call Harold Ford "Harold Fraud", is that a personal attack? I don't think it is because I show why I think he's a fraud. When I say Corker doesn't have any original ideas outside of the Republican Party platform, is that a personal attack? I don't think it is as long as I can offer a solution or different view. Voters deserve to hear about ISSUES that impact them, not all this garbage about who lied about this or who had dealings with this group. Sure, those things can matter to a degree, but what really matters is the vision each candidate has to offer, and for those of us voting to know EXACTLY where they stand on the issues.

I feel I have made it very clear where I stand on a variety of issues, either in the "issues" section of this site or in my blog. And yes, I do criticize other candidates' points of view, but I do want to explain exactly why and what my position is. When any of us vote, we deserve to know exactly where a candidate stands, and if there are contradictions to their stated position, we deserve to know that as well. That isn't an attack.

If anything, these attack ads only prove that both of the party candidates have questionable ties to various groups. It proves that it's time to break out from under the thumb of the two party system. It's time for real change, and it's up to us...the voters...to make that happen.

Here we are, less than two weeks away from the mid-term election, and the news here in Tennessee is all about the "racism" in the latest ad from the Republicans about Ford. I'm sure you've seen it by now. The ad is basically playing up on the fact that Ford attended a Super Bowl party where Playboy Playmates were present. The ad shows a white woman asking for Ford to give her a call...and all we hear now is that this ad is racist and Corker and the Republicans might as well don the white hoods and start burning crosses. Here's just a thought...can we stick to the issues? The Republicans want to throw this ad out there and Democrat sympathizers want to scream about how racist it is...but I would really hope both parties would actually say what they want done about illegal immigration or what we should do in the war we are in. Hey...maybe it's just me...maybe I should be looking at these ads and the responses to it as pertinent in the future of this country. I think Ford's record in Washington speaks for itself without the need to waste money on an ad like this. Honestly the ad looks like a cheap shot. If the Republicans are so void of ideas on the issues that they need to do an ad like this, you really need to ask yourself if you want to vote for a Republican. I am in no way saying Ford did the right thing by going to this party, but to make that a focal point of an ad is ridiculous. And I really don't see how it's racist. I guess it's racist because Ford's camp can't come up with a decent rebuttal.

What's really sad is this will all be a theme of the debate. The statewide debate is this weekend and with the ad and Ford trying to bushwack Corker's press conference in Memphis last week, I have a feeling that both of these guys will spend this hour making jabs at each other and not actually laying out their plans on specific issues. Then again, it is a debate, and it's not like you actually hear any REAL solutions to anything. But onto something else..

I truly want to thank Steve Hilton of 97.7 FM for having me on his show again today. I can honestly say he's one of the few shows I've been on where the person gets it. Steve is a good guy, and has a very common sense approach to the issues, and that's why I really appreciate his support. And also, I REALLY appreciate everyone who has contacted me and voted for me because of my appearances on his show. One of the first calls today was from someone who was saying I should drop out of the race and maybe run again in a few years because I might take enough votes away from Corker to give Ford the win. I asked the caller if he really thought there would be a difference between the two, and he said that it would matter with the Supreme Court. Now I didn't want to spend all the time on one call because it wasn't my show, so I didn't go into great detail. I did tell him that people need to vote with their heart and not for a party. But with the Supreme Court...I have no faith in them right now. I mean the Supreme Court had no problem defining eminent domain. And like I said on Steve's show, it amazes me how these courts that are supposed to adhere to the Constitution write "opinions" after a case is heard. Shouldn't they be fact? I would think so. I also want to say there was a follow up call where the person gave me their support and said they had already voted for me in the early voting. I want to once again state that if you truly want change, you have got to vote on principle and not party. We have got to send a message to the two party system that we are sick of their crap and aren't going to sit back and let it happen. I can't express enough how thankful I am for each and every vote. I'm a regular guy who gets up each day to go to work so I can pay my bills. I really thank everyone for their support and for stepping outside of the box and trying to make a difference. A vote for me is not a vote for Ford as some have stated, it's a vote for conservative values. It's time to put principle above a party. Thank you so much to everyone for their support.

I've talked about this before, but it needs to be repeated...especially with the story I heard today. Have you visited the website www.spp.gov? You should. SPP stands for "Security and Prosperity Partnership" of North America. Over the last year or so, I've heard a lot about these theories that our government is moving towards open borders with Canada and Mexico, and that's why there is really no border enforcement. This would be done to increase free trade and make it easier to find workers (for cheap labor which isn't ever mentioned), along with some other items you can find on that website. Now I really hate to seem like some conspiracy nut, but I really started to believe that this was coming to fruition last summer as I read more about it. Now today I heard a story where President Bush will meet with the new Mexican president in the next several days to discuss items such as free trade, building economically, and North American security. One little item was left out of what Bush is supposed to discuss, and that's securing our borders. Do you see how all of this is starting to add up? I mean I may be completely wrong, and I hope I'm not turing into some "Kennedy was killed to cover up his knowledge of UFOs" kind of guy, but all of this is starting to paint a scary picture, and it's something we ALL need to keep an eye on. Tom Tancredo, one of the ONLY people in Washington that truly seems to "get it", wants the SPP suspended until Congress can take a closer look at it. I guess I should feel like I'm in good company. It's not talked about much in the news, and I urge everyone to take a look at this issue for yourself. At the very least I have to wonder why Bush is so hesitant to do the will of the people and secure our borders...the SPP may be why.

Something else that REALLY concerns me, and it should concern all of us, the Army released a new Field Manual dealing with intelligence gathering...and it is frightening. It's not frightening because it endorses shocking prisoners or pulling out fingernails, it's frightening because it's another example of this government caving into the people who think we can all just hold hands in this world. You can read the article with a link to the new Field Manual here - http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=52499 Some quotes of interest from the story include "All the briefers were honest enough to state that every terrorist entity in the world is now fully aware of all of our techniques and all of our limitations and, therefore, is prepared to resist. The rationale is that the Army and the DoD (Department of Defense) want no bad press and doesn't want anybody in the world to think we are doing anything 'sneaky'." Another source said, "Sounds like we're all going to need good lawyers before we start questioning prisoners". Read it for yourself and see how our soldiers are trying to win a war with one hand tied behind their backs. In fact, I'd like to suggest a very good documentary about Iraq called "Gunner Palace". There are several scenes where soldiers are making jokes about their lack of armor for the SUV's along with other supply needs. How can we send our troops into battle and not give them everything they need and LET them do whatever they need to do to win? Why should we care if terrorists are shooting at our troops from a mosque? BLOW IT UP! Yeah, it would be a real shame to offend the people that want to behead us. It absolutely baffles me as to how our government can send soldiers into a war and not make it a priority to give them everything they need and allow them to do what they need to do. When you go into a war, it won't be pretty, and you do what you have to do to win. I am no expert on military history. But I also know that if you don't hit the enemy with full force then you end up losing more lives than you should, it seems pretty simple to me.

Also, another story I have mentioned before is the story of Jose Compean and Ignacio Ramos. If you don't know the names, they are two border patrol agents who have now been convicted by our own government for doing their job. What did they do? They shot a drug-smuggler in the butt. Compean was sentenced to 12 years in prison, and Ramos was sentenced to 11 years and one day JUST FOR DOING THEIR JOBS!!! These two men were employed by our government to guard our borders. They shoot a guy who is trying to smuggle 800 pounds of pot into this country, and they get sentenced to jail. WHAT IS GOING ON??? And to make it better, the scumbag who was trying to smuggle the drugs was granted immunity so he could come back into this country to testify! Our legal system sides with a cockroach who broke the law. This should infuriate all of us.

These are real issues that need to be discussed by the candidates in this race. Voters need to hear about the SPP. Voters need to hear about candidate's opinions on our military above the "Bush misled" or "stay the course". Voters need to know where the candidates stand on two border patrol agents sentenced to jail for just doing their jobs. This is why I ask for your vote. I will be a voice in Washington for these kinds of issues where others won't. How many more elections do we need to sit back and watch a typical politician win and go to Washington where they won't take a real stand for this country? I'm tired of it, and I know many of you are too. We have two weeks left, and that is plenty of time to make a difference.

I told myself after I found out I wasn't going to be on the statewide debate that I wouldn't post anything for a couple of days because I didn't want to vent. Sadly I didn't heed my own advice. I made a post last night I've deleted because I basically sounded like a grade school kid throwing a temper tantrum, and I shouldn't have. It was a combination of some emails I read last night where people expressed their frustration about issues, along with reading the story about Ford and Corker meeting up on Friday where Ford crashed Corker's press conference. I just wanted so badly to be able to participate in this debate, but you know what? The emails of support I've received after being denied the debate are truly energizing. We're only a couple of weeks away from the election, and I can't express what everyone's support means to me.

I have received emails from people handing out fliers, spreading the word, and even someone who made a yard sign for the campaign. You know, I often get asked what separates me from the other candidates, and I would say it's because I "get it". I understand that illegal immigrants are destroying this country. I understand that our Congress wastes TONS of money and exceeds their Constitutional authority. I understand that we are in a holy war. I understand that madmen and dictators only understand force and that when you go to war, you unleash your entire arsenal. It's not just me though, because there are SO many people I hear from who feel and think the same way.

I often hear about the need of a viable third party. Until more of us take a chance and vote outside of the two party system, this will never happen. If we are timid about it and think it will be a repeat of the votes for Ross Perot giving the election to Bill Clinton, true change won't take place. We have about two weeks left to band together and send a real message. I urge everyone to vote on principle and not party. Change won't take place until this is done.

I caught it on the radio tonight, so I am only going off my memory here. I was listening to Michael Savage's radio show and he kept playing the audio clip of a CNN reporter who apparently was with terrorists in Iraq, and gave a play-by-play as a sniper killed an American soldier. I'm sure it will be talked about after tonight, so please tune in for the details because I missed the name of the CNN reporter. This is unreal. Listening to the audio was absolutely infuriating. I can't believe that some reporter was with those cockroaches as they killed an American.

Originally I was going to post about the October 28th debate. If you want to read about what I have to say as to why I won't be there, please go to the main page at www.boforsenate.com and read the "debate" link. But honestly, I have a very hard time talking here about the debates when an American TV network would actually have a reporter covering our enemy killing an American soldier. I am beyond shocked and infuriated. What has happened to this country??? When I get a link to the story or audio, I will post it.

In the last debate, Corker and Ford were asked about how they view lobbyists and of course neither one said that lobbyists are the equivalent of a college alumni who buys a kid a new car and gives him cash if the kid will play for that college's football team...because that's exactly what they're like. In the debate, Corker brought up the fact that Harold Ford's dad was a lobbyist and lobbied Junior, and of course Harold got a little peeved and launched into his "leave my family out of this, let's keep the focus on me" rant. I read an interesting article about lobbyists and family ties this week on the USA Today website. You can read it here - http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-10-16-lobbyist-family-cover_x.htm

Here's my position on lobbyists, and I can guarantee you that Ford and Corker will not say anything close to what I'm about to say. I would NEVER accept anything from a lobbyist. I would not allow them to pay for a trip, buy me anything, absolutely nothing. The only thing I could say might happen is that someone might contribute to my campaign that is a lobbyist, but I can promise that there would be NO special favors or influence because of that. Lobbyists and the big-money special interest groups mean absolutely nothing to me. What matters to me is to make sure that I would legislate based on the authority of the Constitution, and that EVERY citizen of America would be seen as an equal within that authority. Just because someone has piles of cash to throw around and wants legislation done that would benefit whoever they represent means nothing to me at all. Lobbying is basically legal bribery. There is no way to justify it, it's just wrong and goes against all the values and principles our federal government is supposed to have. Now this doesn't mean I wouldn't listen to the concerns or issues involving a big corporation or some large group, but there is no way I would ever allow any gifts or money to influence my decisions. I make that promise. I would do everything I could to distance myself from lobbyists, I would rather here from the people of Tennessee and what concerns they have.

I also think a Senator should be more accessible. How many times has Bill Frist had any kind of town hall meeting in Tennessee to speak with people? I never see it or hear about it. Instead of wasting time meeting with lobbyists and special interest groups, shouldn't a Senator meet with the people that voted for them and listen to their concerns from time to time? It makes sense to me, but I'm not a "politician". For example, I have been to several anti-illegal immigration rallies over the last year, and I have NEVER seen Frist, Alexander, or any of the Senate candidates at these events except me. These weren't small rallies either. There were usually a few hundred people, and I would think it would be a good time for the people we sent to Washington to take a few minutes to hear from us, the ones who gave them the consent to govern us.

Do you ever feel like we're supposed to just act like good little serfs and till the land? I know I do, and I'm sick of it. I know there's a lot of people who feel the same way, and that's why I ask for your help and your vote.

I know I'm not the only one who feels this way, but I'm tired of "The War in Iraq" being referred to like it's a completely separate war from the one we are currently engaged in. When I was on the radio in Chattanooga last week, I said I think that anyone who does not look at Iraq as a major battlefield of the entire war we are in and wants to look at it as a separate war is being completely naive. But I will tell you what drives me completely nuts about all of this - the way Bob Corker and Harold Ford are treating this for their own personal gain.

Let's look at the facts involving Ford. He votes for military use, but then says he would have voted "no" if he knew then what he knows now, yet he still tries to say he supports the war. Sorry Ford, I don't buy your lies. Now he comes out with his big plan for the "war in Iraq" where he's being SO praised for his idea of dividing Iraq into three separate areas. This is not a novel idea, it has been around for a while, so people should really stop giving him credit for this. Michael Savage had a similar idea in a book that came out a while back. Ford wants Rumsfeld to resign because of how he's mismanaged the war and "dampened the morale of our troops". No Harold, let me clue you in on something - it's members of your party like Murtha and Dick Durbin who have "dampened the morale". Did you say Dick Durbin was acting like a traitor for comparing our troops to Nazi's? I didn't think so. Oh yeah, and didn't you do a lot of work for John Kerry when he was running for president? Yeah, the same John Kerry who compared our soldiers to terrorists when he tried to say that our troops were kicking in people's doors in the middle of the night for no reason, and let's not forget all the lies he spread when he came back from Vietnam about what he witnessed. Ford also wants to focus only on finding Bin Laden, because in Ford's little world all terrorism would cease if we captured him...at least that's the way he makes it sound. I wonder if Ford has any concept of war and that it's us against them. I pray for our troops and their families all the time because I can't imagine what they are going through, and one thing they DON'T need is to hear the supposed "leaders" of this country calling them Nazi's and also they don't need to hear anything from some used-car salesman who claims to support the war yet would now vote against military use.

And what about Bob Corker? Well a story came out today where Ed Bryant joined Corker in criticizing Ford about his position on Iraq. Here's one quote from that story that Bryant said - "Congressman Ford's shifting positions on Iraq and his vague call for a 'new direction' clearly shows he's moving closer and closer to the cut and run position of John Kerry," said Bryant. "Ford is shamelessly drifting from one point of view to another for the sole sake of politics over principle, and Tennesseans can see through this charade." Ok, first off I think I can even agree with the Ford supporters that the "cut and run" is a wee bit old, and doesn't hold much water. I've heard Ford say this and that should be done, but I haven't heard anything like John Murtha has said, so to claim that about Ford's stance is just the use of a Republican buzz-phrase. I have several things to say though about what Bryant said. First, for Ed Bryant to side with Corker still amazes me after all the things Bryant said about Corker during the primary. Second, is Bob Corker so weak with his position that he needs to bring in Ed Bryant to talk for him? Third, how is calling for a new direction moving closer to the cut and run position? Granted I don't agree with Ford's opinions on a new direction, but I do think something needs to be done and I'll get into that in a minute, yet I'm not calling for cutting and running. And finally, who in the HECK does Ed Bryant think he is for saying "Ford is shamelessly drifting from one point of view to another for the sole sake of politics over principle, and Tennesseans can see through this charade"??? Sounds to me like the pot calling the kettle black, does it not? I mean it wasn't that long ago that Ed Bryant had some very negative things to say about Bob Corker, yet now I'm supposed to think Corker's the right man for the job because Ed Bryant vouches for him. Please don't insult my intelligence like that. It's as bad as Bill Frist campaigning for Corker after what Frist had to say about Corker in the 1994 Senate race. But then again, Frist caved on the immigration "reform" by siding with Bush and also thinks the Taliban needs to be part of the new Afghan government. Maybe instead of Bryant trying to do nothing but expose Ford, he should have helped Corker formulate his stand on the war. I hope everyone who reads this sees what a joke both of the party choices are for this election.

So my position? First, I think the battle in Iraq is a major battlefield in the war we are in and not a separate war. As much as I would love to see Bin Laden's head on a stick, I also know that him being found won't put an end to the war. We are fighting against the most dangerous enemy this country has ever known. Even the Nazis didn't want to die for their cause. We are engaged in a war against people who consider it an honor to die for their cause. So how do you defeat this? You help them get to that honor quickly. They can't be reasoned with, they can't be negotiated with, no amount of appeasement will solve anything. They are completely driven to destroy you, your family, your way of life, and this country. It's not that they hate us for our freedom, they hate us because we aren't Muslim. When we defeated Germany in world War II, this country bombed them into submission. When we defeated Japan in World War II, this country dropped two atomic bombs on Japan to force them to surrender. My position is that we sent our troops into Iraq and tied one hand behind their backs. This entire war has been fought trying to spread democracy instead of just winning. I am all for liberating people and them having a better life...I really am. But at the same time I want our soldiers to stay alive and for them to be able to do whatever is needed to stay alive and for this country to be safe. When Fallujah became a problem it should have been leveled by bombers. When contractors' burned bodies were hung from a bridge as the people celebrated, the area should have been flattened. Bullies and madmen only understand one thing - force. Is this me being a hate-monger? Is this me being insensitive? I really don't care. When people want to kill me, my family, and those I care about then I want them exterminated.

Corker and Ford are truly clueless about what's going on. You go to war to win, not to play "the nice guy". It's not about any party, it's not about elections, it's about our very existence and way of life. Corker and Ford don't take this issue seriously...neither one will say what needs to be said and they waste their time pointing fingers about who is wrong. If you agree with what I'm saying, please head to my "news" section and contact News Channel 5 and the LWV and send them an email to get me on the statewide debate on October 28th.

Here we are less than a month from the election that decides who will fill Bill Frist's seat in the Senate, and we have yet to hear from either Corker or Ford on some VERY key issues. Sure, some may have been vaguely mentioned in the debates, but we have not been given ANY specifics at all. Now I will say that one issue was mentioned with some details by Harold Ford in the last debate pertaining to North Korea, but his statements really displayed his ignorance. He said that we need to have bilateral talks with North Korea and get the U.N. involved. I think that anyone who looks to the U.N. as part of the solution to any issue really lacks the understanding it takes to govern. So the U.N. is putting sanctions on North Korea...yippee...I'm sure it will make a HUGE difference and solve all the problems with them testing nuclear weapons. Of course the Corker camp is silent on this. I'm sure they're waiting to see what the Republican talking points memo for this week has to say about it before issuing a vanilla press release. When will ANY leadership of this country remember that you can NOT have negotiations with dictators and madmen? It just can't be done. All one has to do is look back to Neville Chamberlain and what he accomplished negotiating with Adolf Hitler...which was NOTHING. Oh sure, Chamberlain was praised for being such an intellect and diplomat...meanwhile Panzer divisions kept rolling through Europe. So now we have this half-pint dictator in North Korea testing nuclear weapons, and the best we can get from our "leaders" is to have the U.N. impose sanctions. Oh I'm sure Kim Jong is shaking with terror. The ONLY thing people like him understand is force. I am NO war monger at all. However, leaders like him will constantly give the world their middle finger as long as they think they can get away with it. So the U.N. is imposing sanctions...does anyone think this will really solve anything? If you do, I would love to live in your world of rainbows and butterflies where everyone can get along...a place where the rivers flow with chocolate and the children pluck gumdrops from the trees. We should have aircraft carriers off the coast of North Korea. And if the rest of the world doesn't approve...then so what. Thugs and bullies only back down when they get a good punch in the jaw. Sadly this country has sat back for too long while other countries have stuck their middle finger out at the rest of the world, so they all think they can just do what they want. They look at us as a joke. You know why? Because we have a government that voted on using the military in Iraq, yet now SO many of them want to complain and whine and cry about it. Oh, I don't only blame those who voice their objections against the military in Iraq even though they voted for it (like Harold Fraud), I also blame the "leadership" for actually LISTENING to these people and being too scared to do what is needed to get our troops home as soon as possible. What I would love to know is why isn't Bob Corker calling out Ford in these debates for saying he would have voted "no" on the military in Iraq if he knew then what he knows now? Ford should be begging for forgiveness from the families of the fallen soldiers, yet he never has. Corker should have the guts to call him out on it, but he doesn't. I've done it. I've mentioned it in several of the radio interviews I've done and would have NO problem saying it to his face. But back to North Korea, Ford approves sanctions and Corker doesn't say anything.

How about the NAIS? I mentioned this on Steve Gill's show last week, and he didn't have anything to say about it. I have YET to hear one word on this issue. Ford claims to address the "real" issues that effect Tennesseans, and I have heard from MANY livestock owners that this will impact. Yet not one word from Ford or Corker. This program infuriates me, and I can't believe it hasn't even been mentioned.

What about the plan on what to do with the millions of illegal immigrants that are already in America? Absolutely nothing. And again I have to say that neither candidate is serious about this. They only mentioned it on their websites after it hit the news when the Senate brought up their immigration "reform" bill last Spring. Before that, both Corker and Ford were silent. I basically launched my campaign in the Summer of 2005 when I attended an anti-illegal immigration rally that was done in Nashville. I printed off a bunch of fliers and passed them out. That was my first appearance announcing myself as a candidate. I take this issue VERY seriously. I guess that Corker and Ford do when they know it's a talking point.

If you haven't yet, please go to my "news" section and email News Channel 5 and the League of Women Voters about the statewide debate in two weeks. Please contact them and ask that I am included. If you want this state to hear from a candidate that is blunt, honest, and has no problem calling out these party hacks on the lack of a stand they take, then take some action and email.

First, I really want to thank everyone who has contacted me after the two radio appearances I did this week. One thing I want to always do is correspond with everyone who sends me an email asking questions, so if I haven't got back to you yet, I will. I spend a couple of hours online every night answering emails and I will respond to any questions people send me. Thank you so much to everyone for their interest and support.

I appeared on Steve Gill's show this morning, and before me was someone named Frank Cagle. If you don't know who he is, he's someone who has been deemed "newsworthy" over the last couple of days. Mr. Cagle is a writer for The Metro Pulse which is sort of an alternative newspaper in Knoxville. Cagle considers himself a conservative, so it was HUGE news (and I say that very sarcastically) that he came out this week endorsing Harold Ford. His reason? Well you can read the entire article here - http://www.metropulse.com/articles/2006/16_41/frank_talk.shtml

To sum it up, he thinks a vote for Corker just sends a message to the Republican Party that we conservatives will put up with their garbage, so by voting for Ford it will throw a monkey wrench into the system. Now I have said in a previous blog that if you consider yourself a conservative and you know about my campaign yet don't vote for me, you may need to re-evaluate your values. Is this a bold statement? You better believe it is. So what is my opinion on Mr. Cagle's endorsement? Read this, it was sent to me in an email from someone who contacted Frank Cagle. Cagle was asked why he wouldn't support me instead of endorsing Ford, and here's what he said -

"Maybe someday we will have a three-party system, but at present I'm not ready to just do a protest vote"

A couple of things here. First, until more people cast "protest votes", we will NEVER have a three party system, we will always be held hostage by this two party system. Second, I have to completely agree with the person that sent me this email as to how ridiculous Cagle is acting when he stated that Cagle is basically endorsing Ford for a protest vote against the Republicans, but won't actually support a TRUE conservative because I would be a protest vote. Does that make any sense at all? It makes about as much sense as Mr. Cagle made on Steve Gill's radio show this morning. I was on Steve Gill's show today, and before me Frank Cagle was on. I listened to him, and I had a very hard time making sense out of what he saying. I guess I understand his point to a degree, but I do have to say that I only think he did this endorsement of Ford to be deemed "controversial" and "newsworthy". Think about it, if he came out and said "I am going to support the only real conservative in this race, and that person is Bo Heyward" it probably wouldn't make many headlines. But for a conservative to endorse Ford? Oh yeah, he's getting headlines and interviews. Now I understand he's trying to send some kind of message to the Republicans since he's a "media figure", but in endorsing Ford, Mr. Cagle has become part of the problem and not part of the solution.

Now before anyone thinks I'm just taking shots at Frank Cagle because he endorses Ford and not the ONLY conservative in this race, let me say this - I don't want his support. Seriously, I really don't want him to cast a vote for me even if he changes his mind. If he wants to vote for Ford, fine by me, go ahead and sell-out to the two parties, I don't need it. I only want the support of people with REAL conservative values who truly "get it". By that I mean I only want people to vote for me because they identify with what I stand for, and I know there's a lot of us out there. I don't want the support of someone who will cave in to this two party system which basically means the lesser of two evils. His endorsement of Ford is as much of a joke as Ed Bryant and Van Hillary endorsing Corker. Bryant and Hillary both called Corker a liar and accused him of all sorts of things during the primaries, yet now support him. Why? He's a Republican, and party means WAY more than principles. I think it was a few days ago that Bill Frist came into middle Tennessee for a Corker fund-raiser. Yeah, the same Frist who called Corker "pond scum" back in 1994, yet now he's good enough to attend a fund-raiser for. Why? Because Corker is a Republican, and that's really all that matters to these spineless wimps.

So let me just say this - To any of the bloggers, the talk-show hosts, or journalists that call yourself conservatives but would either vote for Corker ONLY to keep Ford out of the Senate, or endorse Ford to send a "message" to the Republicans, I don't want your vote or support...I really don't. You are all part of the problem, and if you can't honestly take a stand for what you believe in...and I truly think I reflect those values...then don't go around crying when this country starts going down the toilet. You only have yourselves to blame.

I was able to watch the second debate between Ford and Corker tonight, and of course I have a few comments I'd like to make. Again, these aren't direct quotes but they're pretty close to what the candidates said.

The opening remarks were started by Bob Corker who talked about how he grew up in Chattanooga, started a business, etc. He then spoke about big ideas. Ummm...where? I haven't seen these "big ideas" in his campaign yet. Ford followed up by saying that we need to be involved in bilateral talks with North Korea and involve the UN. I say we need a few aircraft carriers off the coast of North Korea and forget the UN.

The candidates were given three minutes to respond to a question, and whoever had the rebuttal was given one minute. Why it would take three minutes to answer some of these questions is beyond me.

The first question went to Bob Corker, and he was asked how he thinks we should end the war in Iraq so we can bring the troops home. He tried to wiggle his way out of his "stay the course" statement from Saturday, and said we needed a new strategy which would include focusing on hotspots, securing Baghdad, and disarming the militias. Did he say HOW? No. Ford brought up Corker's "stay the course" remark from Saturday and again spoke about his three region idea that is neither new or original. My response? We shouldn't have sent our troops in to fight a war with one hand tied behind their backs. If the enemy runs into a mosque, blow it up. If we unleashed what our military is capable of from the start, I don't think we'd be in this mess.

Next Ford was asked about missing votes. An ad from the Corker campaign says that Ford has missed at least 365 votes. He said that he missed these votes because he was out campaigning. So he missed 365 votes in the last year or so? Wow, I wish I had a job where I could do that. Heck, I had to cancel an appearance in Knoxville for next week because I can't take the time off work. I don't know about you, but any job I've ever been at, they would fire someone who was constantly missing work, and that's what I would have said to Ford. His answer was insulting. Then he went on to say we didn't have a plan after taking Hussein out of power, so my question for him would be "Then why in the heck did you vote for it?" Corker spoke about his work ethic with his business and as Mayor.

Up next was the topic of the fence at the border, and it went to Corker. Is he for it? Ahh...I really don't know. He spoke about being at mile 6 (for his ad) and talked about allowing people to work here only if they're legal, so the issue of the fence was never addressed. Ford said Corker hired illegals and we need to adopt the 41 recommendations of the 9/11 commission. So guess what? NEITHER of these guys gave a yes or no answer. I never believe a word these guys say when it comes to border security, and this is further proof. My answer? Yes, I support it and want it to extend across our northern and southern border. Simple, isn't it?

Ford was then asked about the national debt. He said we need to eliminate pork spending (which I find extremely hypocritical of him to say), and that we need to let medicare negotiate with drug companies. Again, I know I sound like a broken record, but where is the authority in the Constitution to have ANYTHING to do with healthcare? Corker said that Ford wanted more government spending and then talked about his dealings with the INS, so we got no answer from him about the debt. I've stated this MANY times how we need to eliminate EVERY federal program that is not based on Constitutional authority. That would be a great start.

Abortion was the next topic, and Corker was asked where he stands. Come on, haven't we already gone over this enough? He says he's pro-life and Ford says he's pro-life. I'm pro-life too, but still believe this to be a state issue.

Up next was Ford being asked about the bar exam. He was asked how many times he took it, did he pass it, and does he call himself a lawyer. He said he took it once but failed it because he was too busy being a Congressman. He claimed his remark about being a lawyer was basically taken out of context, and then wowed the crowd by pulling a rabbit out of a hat. He might as well have, because he started talking about Iraq again and didn't give a straight answer about him addressing himself as a lawyer. Corker rebutted by talking about his dealings with the INS again???

Corker was then asked about minimum wage. He said he wants to lessen the burden on small businesses, I guess so they can pay employees more money? And then stated something about making healthcare affordable. Ford said he supported a minimum wage increase and then stated he has worked for BELOW minimum wage before. Really? I kind of have a hard time believing that. I mean that's illegal isn't it? Basically Corker never said he would support an increase, but at the same time tried to sound like he supported one. My response is that I am against minimum wage because, yet again, the Constitution does not give Congress the authority to dictate to businesses how much they have to pay someone. And I would have also told my story about when I was working for minimum wage when an increase went into effect and how the place I worked raised all their prices. Where do people who support minimum wage increases think all this extra money comes from? Do they think some magic fairy sprinkles pixie dust on a business and they all of the sudden have extra money to give their employees?

The next question went to Ford and it was about keeping gas prices low and if he supported drilling in Alaska. He really made no sense here. I mean he went on and on about funding both sides of the war, but really said nothing and didn't answer about drilling in Alaska. When Corker gave his rebuttal, Ford yelled out he supported drilling in Alaska. Gee, I find that kind of weird considering he voted AGAINST drilling in Alaska. Oh wait, I do call him Harold Fraud sometimes. I completely support tapping our own resources until other sources of energy are found.

Look, in case you can't already tell, these guys basically played the game of soundbite politics. There were a couple of questions after these, one of which I found pretty amusing. Ford was asked what attributes he feels he has to be able to govern, and Corker gave a rebuttal. They both talked about being able to work with either party. Gee, maybe it's just me, but I would state attributes such as honesty, integrity, ability to be able to adhere to the Constitution, things like that.

The only other really entertaining part was when the topic of lobbyists came up. You want to talk about dodging the question, both of these guys were doing their best tap dance to distract people. Corker brought up something about Ford's dad being a lobbyist, and of course Ford took this as a personal attack and went into a rant about "leaving families out of this". I love how every time someone brings up Ford's family, and especially when they NEVER mention the alleged illegal activities, that person is accused of a personal attack. Not like it matters, neither one of these guys said they don't deal with lobbyists and to me, lobbyists are one of the major factors involved in government corruption. We all know that, yet these guys would NOT distance themselves from them.

I've watched debates a lot over the years, and I honestly never put any stock in them because the candidates rarely say anything that would sway me. Most people I believe already have their minds made up when the debates take place, so it comes down to a bunch of "playing for the cameras". This is why I ask again for your help in getting me on the October 28th debate to have someone involved who won't play this game, someone who will TRULY speak his opinion with yes/no type answers. Please head over to my "news" section and contact the LWV and News Channel 5 to ask that I am able to participate. I'm amazed that Tennessee is being looked at as such a crucial state in this election, and the two candidates on the debate tonight are all most people in this state will know of. Corker just comes across as too vanilla, too "party line" kind of guy. Ford comes across as an arrogant hot-shot, and he has the Bill Clinton thumb-pointing technique down.

I can't believe that one of these two guys will actually win this election when they both offer nothing.

I watched the debate from Memphis last night and two thoughts hit me over the course of the debate. Number one, these two guys are going to decide issues for the future of this country? And number two, I wish I had been allowed to participate. Both of them are so clueless about the federal government, all I can do is chuckle and shake my head because both of them will only give this country more of the same. I've got some observations about the debate, and I know I'm going to be paraphrasing the Q&A, but it's all pretty accurate.

Bob Corker was asked about his take on the Ford family and the "political machine" they are, and the question seemed to hint at the corruption involved with the Ford family. Corker made ZERO sense when he answered this question. I honestly don't know what point he was trying to make if any. Ford became quite defensive, and even interrupted Corker. Now I do have to say, it's no secret that several Fords have been involved in government corruption, but I really thought this question was a complete waste of time.

Bob Corker was asked about rising tuition costs, and I honestly have no idea what point he was trying to make. In the response, Ford spoke about his ridiculous idea of giving free tuition to those who would do government service after college. I've written about this before, it's an idiotic idea. Now my response to Ford would have been "Can you please specifically state where in the Constitution you have authority to legislate this?" At least in Corker's rebuttal, he stated education is best handled on the local level, but NEVER mentioned this isn't an issue the federal government has no authority to legislate. I would have stated the Constitution gives ZERO authority to the federal government in this area.

The next question asked was one that should scare people. Corker was asked if he would support a military response against Iran or North Korea if they don't cease their testing of nuclear weapons. Corker said all options should be on the table. Ford used this time to talk about his plan for Iraq and even had to be asked the question again since he never answered it. Neither one of these wimps said what I would say, and that would be "Yes, I would completely support a military response as long as our military wasn't fighting with one hand tied behind their back". Neither one of them would take a position, and the way events are unfolding that should really make people wonder about these two people who are trying to be "leaders" of this country.

Next, Ford was asked about Social Security. He stated it should go to the people that need it most, whatever in the heck that's supposed to mean. Corker didn't present any ideas about it, and seemed very vague while hinting he supported Bush's plan. My answer would have been what my "issues" page says - there is no Constitutional authority to legislate Social Security and it needs to be phased out. I loved how Ford took this time to speak about his plan to give each newborn $500. And where is this money going to come from? Me and you. For a guy who tries to talk about wasteful spending, this should show how full of it he is. Again, a complete violation of Constitutional authority.

Next was the subject of Bob Corker's tax returns. All I can say is "yawn". I mean come on, isn't there anything else just a wee bit more important to talk about?

Both Ford and Corker said they would support a Constitutional Amendment to ban gay marriage. And my response would have been that it is a state issue. Personally I am against gay marriage, but I can't legislate based on emotion, it has to be based on the authority the Constitution grants.

Then it got interesting. Corker was asked if Bush lied when we went to war with Iraq. Corker said that Bush didn't lie, he just had bad intelligence. Ford followed up by saying "no president would ever do that". Yeah, this coming from a guy who has REPEATEDLY said Bush misled us about Iraq. Corker then stated he never said "stay the course" when dealing with Iraq which is a complete lie. He has said that on several occasions. I'm not going to cut and paste from other blogs out there that cite these things, but both of these candidates told complete lies and I would have called them out on it. I would have also told about the evidence showing Hussein was working with Al-Qaida. You can read that at http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=23264

The next question was directed to Corker, and didn't make much sense. It sounded like the topic was "how to ensure higher education to minorities". Corker was a little confused, and Ford took the chance to once again tout his ridiculous "free tuition" program. My response? Again, no Constitutional authority, and also state the fact there have been MANY people who worked their way through college. Imagine that, actually working for something. Yes, student loans can be expensive, I know this because I'm still paying mine. Was it worth it? You better believe it. I have my own house and car, and really can't complain. I'm not rich but I'm not starving either.

Ford was then asked about a bankruptcy bill he voted against. Again, no clue what point he was trying to make and Corker responded with talking points about affordable healthcare. Honestly, I probably would have responded by saying the question and the responses were pretty confusing since no one seemed to be making a point.

The next question went to Bob Corker about healthcare. Both he and Ford don't understand that healthcare is not a right, it's a service and the federal government needs to stay out of it. I would have responded by saying that our government has been trying to do some kind of major healthcare reform for YEARS and yet it's still a problem. They can't fix it, and plus, they again have no Constitutional authority to do so.

Next was Ford being asked about the national debt. He brought up Medicare (what that has to do with it is beyond me) and talked down about all the pork. Please...do I even need to get into how hypocritical his response was? Corker really didn't give any specifics, but neither candidate said what I would have, and that's to stop foreign aid, stop the ridiculous amount of spending on AIDS research, and analyze every program that money goes to and get rid of EVERYTHING that does not have Constitutional authority.

Up next was abortion, and Corker was asked about his flip-flop, claimed he's now pro-life and Ford responded with a statement that made no sense. Again, a state issue.

Ford was asked about his church ad, and was asked if faith determines his decisions. We basically got a recap of the ad, he started church the old-fashioned way by being forced, etc. Corker also reiterated one of his ads where he spoke about his mission trip to Haiti. Now I will never know what is truly in a man's heart, only God does. I would have only said that yes, my faith in my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ does determine my decisions. I may not always make the right choice, but I try.

And the final topic was the borders. Ford said both sides of the aisle should be held accountable (funny how he left himself out of that) and he also brought up the information about one of Corker's job sites having illegals working there. This has been a HUGE issue for years, yet Ford never spear-headed any legislation about it. He only started to speak about it once the Senate brought it up last Spring. And the party that Corker is a part of doesn't look like they will do much of anything. Don't believe me? Read this - http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15149231/ I swear it seems like our government is nothing but talk.

The closing statements were pretty bland, but one thing Ford said actually made me laugh out loud. He said that a new energy strategy will help us win the war on terror. Funny how this comes from a guy who has voted against building new refineries or tapping our own oil resources. But what's really pathetic about his statement is that a new energy policy won't really help us win. What will help us win is exterminating the cockroaches who want to kill us. What this involves is not fighting a war while trying to be "sensitive" or "politically correct".

That was the debate in a nutshell. I'm sure if you read pro-Ford blogs they will say he won, and if you read pro-Corker blogs they will say Corker won. My opinion is that we all lose because both of these guys offer nothing. But what I found really funny in an almost sad way was how both of them acted like they were friends. Please don't treat me like I'm an idiot. I've seen the TV ads and heard the radio ads...both of you are trying to tear the other guy down. Oh I know, they tried to act like they were taking the high road, but I have no respect for someone who is that two-faced. Yes, let's all put politics aside and just discuss the issues since all we've done to this point is talk bad about the other person. Give me a break. Corker came across as a good ol' boy who I think fails to really understand the big picture and won't break off the Republican talking points memo, and Ford came across like he's some arrogant hot-headed big-shot.

After watching the debate, I am so glad I filed to run. At least I know that when I vote next month, I'm actually voting for the one person that I know where they stand.

Please continue to visit my "news" section and email the LWV and News Channel 5 to help get me on that state-wide debate. I am the only independent who appeared on a major poll, and I think Tennesseans deserve to hear from other candidates that are not a part of this joke of a two-party system.

Thank you to everyone for your support in this campaign.