{"id":2948,"date":"2010-01-19T10:59:02","date_gmt":"2010-01-19T15:59:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kevinbryant.com\/?p=2948"},"modified":"2010-01-19T10:59:02","modified_gmt":"2010-01-19T15:59:02","slug":"powdersville-town-hall-observations-by-james-moore","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kevinbryant.com\/kbarchive\/powdersville-town-hall-observations-by-james-moore\/","title":{"rendered":"Powdersville town hall observations by James Moore"},"content":{"rendered":"

Going into Thursday I had never witnessed a town hall meeting.\u00a0 I wasn\u2019t sure what to expect before the gathering took place.\u00a0 Mostly I had built a fantasy from ignorant imagination that put politics out of my realm and on a higher pedestal than my way of life.\u00a0 I used to think that I couldn\u2019t make a difference because those men up on Capitol Hill would never listen to my small voice mixed in with the sea of Americans that have and have been standing before me.\u00a0 As I involve myself I see that I can make a difference.\u00a0 Politicians are no different than you and me.\u00a0 I have set back and let television develop a larger than life portrayal of those in power.\u00a0 That is far from the case.\u00a0 These men and women are our neighbors.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The average good hearted man doesn\u2019t want to be controlled; therefore he doesn\u2019t want to control others.\u00a0 I feel that since there hasn\u2019t been the real need for control those men have taken a step back and let the machine run itself.\u00a0 If it isn\u2019t broke then don\u2019t fix it.\u00a0 Our founding fathers, through struggle, put guidelines into place as long as everyone plays by the rules America should run itself.\u00a0\u00a0 Well that hasn\u2019t been the case, and those good men have stood by for too long.\u00a0 With my eyes, I have seen those men waking up.\u00a0 I am also proud to say that I am represented by one of those men and his name is Senator Kevin Bryant.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Arriving thirty minutes early at the fire station where the meeting was to take place there was a little worry that I was at the wrong place.\u00a0 Even though the men inside were setting up the seating area, the parking lot was empty.\u00a0 I wanted a crowd and was afraid that I wasn\u2019t going to get one.\u00a0 After waiting in the parking lot for several minutes the decision was made to go ahead and take a seat.\u00a0 Inside the building it was easy to tell that my schedule was correct.\u00a0 Taking a seat two rows back from the podium it didn\u2019t take long before the occasion to be put into motion.\u00a0 Other hopeful Congress candidates use the meetings as a platform for making themselves known to the public.\u00a0 The best place to meet people that are going to vote is within activities where citizens are keeping themselves involved.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0First I was greeted by Mr. Duncan who will be running for Congress. He was a good model of what you would think a politician would act like.\u00a0 He was personable by taking time and talking all while introducing his character.\u00a0 By giving off a clear and bold approach he let it be known that he was a conservative that would be fighting for the constitution that he proudly displayed a copy of from the inside pocket of his jacket.\u00a0 Unhappy with the way things were being run, Duncan did seem like he was a fighter.\u00a0 The only problem was that he also seemed that he wasn\u2019t too far from going up there and rubbing elbows with the problem at hand.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Second I was greeted by another Congress hopeful, Mr. Cash.\u00a0 He had nothing bad to say about Duncan.\u00a0 He thought Duncan was a great guy, and hoped he came in second.\u00a0 Mr. Cash was our local boy who was also a small business owner.\u00a0 By sitting down Mr. Cash got eye level opposed to Duncan who stood the entire conversation.\u00a0 It felt that the seated approach was more personal than the dominating stance.\u00a0 Sitting can be perceived that you believe you are on the same level as your listener.\u00a0 He made a true statement that we have to get involved, or are country would be gone.\u00a0 At the time Cash seemed more passive than Duncan who came off as someone that would make his voice know, but my thoughts of that are most likely far from the truth.\u00a0 His character was just different.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0As the crowd began to fill in Senator Kevin Bryant arrived and the preparation for the meeting commenced.\u00a0 The first thing a noticed was the black and yellow pin that displayed a coiled snake.\u00a0 It was the \u201cDon\u2019t Tread on Me\u201d\u00a0icon that I have seen all over the recent rallies.\u00a0 It is the mascot for the conservatives and Tea Party members.\u00a0 Senator Bryant was elected in 04 and reelected in 08.\u00a0 He is a member of the Finance, Agriculture, Medical Affairs, and General committee.\u00a0 Being a pharmacist allows him extensive knowledge from experience in the medical side of issues.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Senator Bryant led us in\u00a0 the pledge of allegiance before beginning the meeting.\u00a0 After some introductions were made our meeting was underway.\u00a0 The Senator was just returning from Columbia where the frontline for the fight against our states Freedom was being held.\u00a0 Transparency has been on the lips all around Washington and the meaning is even meeting resistance in our backyard.\u00a0 Senator Bryant let us know that we were the first county government to post spending on-line, and contrary to what you might have heard it isn\u2019t that expensive to do.\u00a0 There is also opposition from our officials in the name of the Cornhusker Kickback.\u00a0 This battle comes from the alleged Nebraska politicians selling their vote on health care for the benefit of not being responsible for their Medicaid spending.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Talking on the topic of Health Care, Senator Bryant was not opposed to the idea.\u00a0 He just didn\u2019t think we needed the one that was on the table at this time.\u00a0 What congress is doing with Health Care at this time is unconstitutional.\u00a0 To stand our ground on the Federal decisions of Health Care some of our state officials want to declare our state sovereignty.\u00a0 On the other end of that issue it is being said, by some SC state officials, that it is a waste of time to declare our sovereignty.\u00a0 Confusingly, when it was set in motion to vote for the declaration the same one\u2019s that said it was a waste of time put in place a filibuster.\u00a0 By placing the filibuster they have now extended what they said was a waste of time in the first place.\u00a0 So if it is such a waste of time why is it that they are wasting more time on the issue?<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0To have the political courage to cut spending or to be able to justify tax increases was something Senator Bryant thought our officials needed.\u00a0 It has been an eye opener for the Senator to see how reckless money has been spent.\u00a0 In 2006 SC received 1.6 billion in new money.\u00a0 Most of that has been spent.\u00a0 We need to save money and be watchful of Pork Barrel products.\u00a0 In two and a half years 212 million was spent in architect fees.\u00a0 The Terry Program that was first set in place to retain seasoned teachers has since then transferred to encompass all state employees.\u00a0 Some guilty consciences would understand if they lost it.\u00a0 It\u2019s extra money to put back into our budget.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Right now there is nothing stopping someone from placing a pipe into the river and taking the water for any reason.\u00a0 That is a topic for attention.\u00a0 Also, he would like to see a 24 hour waiting period for pregnant women seeking an abortion.\u00a0 Offering the mother to view the ultrasound before such process is another thing the Senator would like seen.\u00a0 Another topic of discussion is voter I.D. pictures to prevent voter fraud.\u00a0 Our Senator is also looking for the impeachment of Governor Sanford.\u00a0 Senator Bryant doesn\u2019t feel that Governor Sanford is going to be too effective for the remainder of his term.\u00a0 House decided not to, and now it would be up to the Senate and a unanimous vote to keep it from going to committee.\u00a0 There is also not a lot of pity given to the smoker\u2019s tax since it is a lot of smokers that have to use government funding to help keep them alive when the drug finally takes a toll on their body and they are not financially stable to support the care themselves.\u00a0 Do you want to help pay for someone that has intentionally damaged their body for a majority of their life?\u00a0 There was also light given to the fact that Education Administration has felt no pain from cuts, but opposition to such high salaries can get you labeled as a person who is anti education or anti kids.\u00a0 The most remarkable thing that I was given knowledge about was unemployment.\u00a0 There has been 300 million dollars paid out for unemployed people who quit or were fired.\u00a0 That just doesn\u2019t make sense to me.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0My first town hall meeting was an enjoyable experience.\u00a0 I felt that I was in the know, but it is information that is available for anyone.\u00a0 All you have to do is get involved.\u00a0 If we stay uninvolved we will wake up one morning and not recognize the country that we live in.\u00a0 Our children and youth are at risk of losing the country that has become who we are.\u00a0 We are at risk at losing our identity, and becoming something our forefathers fought hard to keep us away from.\u00a0 America is the last bastion for Freedom around the world, and once it\u2019s gone dark days will follow.\u00a0 To stop this change there has to be opposition.\u00a0 For you to oppose something you have to have knowledge that it is going on.\u00a0 Knowledge of what is going on can only come with participation and community involvement.\u00a0 Those good hearted men and women can stand by no longer thinking that America is going to run itself.\u00a0 There is a war against our constitution, and only Americans can make sure that nothing ever happens to the groundwork that we built our prosperous nation upon.\u00a0 Hope for the best and prepare for the worst.\u00a0 It is time for us to get our preparations in order.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Going into Thursday I had never witnessed a town hall meeting.\u00a0 I wasn\u2019t sure what to expect before the gathering took place.\u00a0 Mostly I had built a fantasy from ignorant imagination that put politics out of my realm and on a higher pedestal than my way of life.\u00a0 I used to think that I couldn\u2019t […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-2948","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-uncategorized","7":"entry"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2gEQ0-Ly","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kevinbryant.com\/kbarchive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2948","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kevinbryant.com\/kbarchive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kevinbryant.com\/kbarchive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kevinbryant.com\/kbarchive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kevinbryant.com\/kbarchive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2948"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.kevinbryant.com\/kbarchive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2948\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kevinbryant.com\/kbarchive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2948"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kevinbryant.com\/kbarchive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2948"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kevinbryant.com\/kbarchive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2948"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}