Editor's Note: This is Part 2 of John Webb's series about his run for Congress. Part 1 is "An Average Joe Runs For Congress."
This is not the story I wanted to tell. It is hard to write about my campaign. I lost and lost big in the primary. John Campbell got 50% of the vote, Sukhee Kang got 31% of the vote and I got 16%. My 16% was more than 17,000 votes. Here are a few comments about the campaign.
Meeting the Public: I was out five to six times a week meeting with different groups. The Republican Women of Orange County and the Tea Party groups were very nice. If you want to get into understanding politics in Orange County I would find one of their meetings and attend. You will be warmly welcomed by each group. These are people who care about the political process and are willing to work for their beliefs. The members of these groups do not sit and complain,
or ignore the process; they step up and work to make a difference. These are the doers who are a joy to meet.
Professional Politicians: This is a club of people who have worked together for years and they are not receptive to going against their own. They are however, friendly and approachable. You owe it to yourself to find these people. It will change your thoughts on many aspects of politics. Attend the Central Committee meetings of your party; they are the grassroots of politics. I had thought these
people were above average, they are not. Politicians are just average people.
The Press and Radio: I never figured this out. If you have money you can buy your way onto most shows and into the press. Without money there is a way, but I can’t explain it.
Money: Money first and money last. You are familiar with the story of the tree falling in the forest. The question, if nobody is around to hear it, does a tree make a sound when it falls? I was often reminded of this. After hundreds of meetings where people would tell me how much they appreciated the run, expressed concern about how little their Congressman was available, and applauded my ideas, I had reached only a few thousand people. The incumbents were able to send one mailing (cost over $100,000) and reach every mailing address in the District. They could make general comments, paint themselves in a positive image, avoid specifics and ask for votes. Without money and the ability to question their mailers, I was a tree falling in the forest. Nobody could hear me.
People who helped: I’m not going to mention names for fear of forgetting someone. I was amazed how people were willing to help. I had several very small females on sign duty for hours at a time, holding a six-foot long sign with my name on it. I don’t know how they did it. But they did and then returned again and again to help. I had a guy and his family spending their weekends, planting signs on streets in South Orange County because he believed in the message. An attorney from Tustin offered to help with the campaign, and then come to Washington with me. Why? I had expressed concern I might vote for something not authorized in the Constitution. He offered to make sure it didn’t happen. He was willing to give up his business for two years to make sure I had help. The most amazing thing was one evening I was approached by an elderly man, who was obviously having a hard time making ends meet. He stuck something in my jacket pocket, while I was talking to someone else. I turned to him and said “thank you.” He apologized for interrupting me and turned to walk away. I stopped him and thanked him again. He said, “I don’t have much money, but I believe in what you are saying.” He then walked away. After the meeting I reached into my pocket and pulled out a single, worn dollar bill. I felt like a fool, sitting in a dark car after that meeting, crying because someone cared that much. Politics will make you humble. To truly represent the people, you must meet the people. I will forever have a warm feeling for the people I met at these meetings. Not everyone was receptive, but they were all serious about this country.
Fundraising: I was a failure at fundraising. It is critical for a campaign, unless you have millions of your own money. Once elected, groups will raise money for you, and you have the name recognition. I believe money was the reason for my loss. I found that fundraising is the same whether it is for charity or politics. People want change, but don’t understand it cannot happen until people band together in spirit, in thought and in donating to their cause. During the campaign I wrote a check for a charity and made the wistful comment, “I wish I was a charity." The charity volunteer said it didn’t make much difference: There are so many calls on people to give, people tune it all out after a while. Fundraising was my biggest failure.
Citizens: I met so many amazing people during the campaign. Some I hope to keep in contact with in the future. There was an ex-Communist PhD who found God and became a Conservative. His story is amazing, including attending school with Barack Obama. There were many people who would approach me after a meeting to offer advice. Some of it was so insightful, and it was offered without strings. One of the best things about this country is the people. Of course I knew this, but the experience of being a candidate renewed my admiration for the American People. Rich, poor, working class, retired and families all shared the same basic thoughts. People want to provide for their families, take part in their communities and worship their God. All they ask is for their candidates to share the same goals.
My campaign for Congress was a lesson in life, a lesson in politics and a lesson in money.
It was above all else a reaffirmation of the greatness of this country and of our people.
I strongly recommend each of you to run for an office at some point in your life. If you start when you are younger, you can make up for a lack of money, by working yourself up the political ladder. From the school boards, to the water districts to city government, each is an experience in government.
More diversity, a larger the number of candidates and more thought processes will give us better government.
I am against term limits, but suggest we vote people out after they have been in office for a while, and make room for a different thought process.
We grow stronger when constantly reviewing our priorities.
"What we learned from Richard Nixon is that political careers take strange turns." Indeed, like Romney, Nixon lost too. Then he even lost the California governorship. As did Reagan, who lost till he beat Carter. Two of the conservatives star Presidents went through losses. Are you saying that the conservatives now are different? That if you lose one election, your principles are no good and to be discarded like a used contraceptive? But wait a minute, Ryan lost too, remember? So how come he is still on your list? "So far as Romeny goes, he will probably go down as the most qualifed man ever to run for President and not get elected.....or will he somewhere in the future." Which makes you non-renewal of your faith in him even more puzzling. That you would not pick the "most qualifed man ever" over an inexperienced Rubio or Ryan.
There is no longer a Primary Election in California; there are now two General Elections with someone achieving 50% having to run twice. Expect this to change in the future when the Democrats have continuing full control of the state. A Contitutional Primary has only Party Elections without any General Election voting including Initiatives or Referendums. The Democrats, the party of big government and private sector suppression, is well on the way to dismantling California and has accomplices in the Republican Party who can be "persuaded" to support the Democratic Party.
So today 20% of the people own 80% of the wealth, manufaturing is down to 11% of GDP and all the other horror stories. But the political parties are regurgitating the same old rhetoric that got us to where we are now. So the idea of stepping up, while valid, is a very sacred and deep commitment than just mere words or swimming downstream deeds.
Did you run against John Campbell? Naturally you must know that as an incumbent that Campbell has never debated an opponent in an public forum during election season, right??? He never debated Steve Young who ran against him several times. He never debated Beth Krom. And he never debated Suhee Kang. heh. Always unavailable. Seem to me that avoiding public political debates for high offices during election season is about as unamerican as an incumbent could get. High school kids running for homeroom president are forced to debate. Yet some of those who make our laws shun them. Political candidates should be forced to debate their opponents the critical issues that face our State and Nation. Don't you think? Don't they owe that to the citizens and taxpayers? This is just another reason why I think our society is doomed. When politicians can refuse to engage in debates with their competition and get away with it by being reelected anyway - we are doomed as a society.
Copy & Paste from Financial Times.... California: The Golden State is nearly a tie for the number-two spot, and we are constantly surprised it isn’t at the top of the list given the fiscal issues present there. Municipality balance sheets are in shambles, the state already has high tax rates, and many residents are staying close but merely hopping the border into more tax advantageous states like Nevada. Yes, the weather can be great, the people creative, and they still have one of the most productive economies around, but we haven’t seen a decrease in the flow of residents out of the state which is always a cause for concern.
Back in the 60's the hippies put on Occupy Education. Part of that nonsense was street theatre. Is that what your blog is - street theatre? Or is it Patch putting on this playtime and you are the guy in the barrel - the despised Republican either way!
What is the hold up on Afghanistan? Why a 2014 withdrawal? Does this country have extra money to waste? Extra lives to eliminate? The Taliban are going no where!! They live there.
The Patch opens their blogs to anyone who would like one. If you have trouble getting it to work, a quick note to Martin will get you a resource who is interested in every point of view. No one is the Republican in the barrel. I did support McCook, a man who I find to be interested in the community. He is a retired business executive who has another thought process. I've said before that I favor a change in every office, every few years. Not knowing the background of the person who used the word moron, I'm not sure of their qualifications. Maybe they could enlighten us as to why he stands to judge a man. This country is in trouble. I have ideas which I will continue to express. My friend Shirpathi is right, every now and then I lash out, but my motives are good. I strongly believe the middle class gets hurt under President Obama. I wasn't born middle class, I worked my way up into the middle class. I plan to fight to make sure we, the working people, stand a chance in this society.
Yet from the other sides of their mouths they tell us that big government pension benefits are sancrosanct promises make on behalf of the taxpayers that cannot be broken and are legally binding. I guess my question to you is "How long will the American people tolerate this two-class system - one side to whom the rules never apply and the other side to whom the rules always apply?" One nation under God my ***.
White House opening bid asks for $1.6T in tax hikes. President Obama has called for a $1.6T tax increase, a $50B economic-stimulus program, and the power to raise the federal debt limit without congressional approval as part of a deal to avert the fiscal cliff. It's a "step backward," says Mitch McConnell. Or its the White House's opening gambit. Oh well, just 4 more years!!!
You're sounding a lot like Bagdad Bob, Mr. Webb. :^)
I appreciate talking with you but I already posted 10 days ago that the Republicans would fold on a business site I frequent. As I help people out with their finances I am up to the minute on business matters. The remainder of that post also said the administration would kick the can down the road. Business as usual as GM builds two, 2 BILLION dollar plants in China.
Detroit staring at bankruptcy. With 2-3 weeks to receive $30M of state aid from Michigan in order not to run out of cash, Detroit is again teetering on the brink of bankruptcy. The aid is contingent on the city implementing the provisions of a deal in April, when Michigan agreed to provide $137M, but those measures haven't been enacted. Financial mismanagement, political corruption, and a massive population hemorrhage are among the causes of Detroit's woe.