Tom Kawczynski - Off the Record

I have a personality that sometimes can seem extreme.  Maybe it is because I can be something of a perfectionist, but those closest to me know that I can be difficult.  I put hours, days, weeks, months, and even years into things that matter to me.  I try to do what others don't because I feel things matter.  But, the truth is no person can do anything alone, and having balance is crucial to keep perspective.

There are times when I'm tempted to be at two political meetings per day in perpetuity.  But I would lose myself, and find myself drifting in rhetoric apart from reality.  That is my battle, and thanks to the tireless and mostly thankless effort of the girl, and others, I remain somewhat grounded.  But, the challenge I face is the opposite that I think many (though not the readers of this blog) encounter.

The world is a complex place, but if you are going to participate, you should make an effort to understand what is happening.  I'm doing some planning for future campaigns and important ideas, and one theme that keeps coming up as important to me is what should be the personal responsibility of the citizen and voter.  You cannot force anything, but what I would ask is this:  take 11 minutes per day and try to learn a little about your world.

It could be local, state, national, international or anything.  I just know it is important people have context to understand what is happening.  Act based on knowledge, not ignorance or the promises of any politician.  It impacts you anyway, so you owe it to yourself.  Plus, if everyone did just this, I think those who are elected would be much less able to take advantage of our inattentiveness.

One of the privileges of having been involved in grassroots politics for an extended period of time is that I get invited to see many things that happen behind the scenes.  Not everything, of course, but enough to understand how people think and what motivates them.  It is those things which worry me.

We live in a society replete with metaphors.  We exaggerate casually, and tend to insert drama into everything we say.  I hope that it is only this that I observe when I listen to so many people describe those whom they disagree with in such a hostile fashion.

I don't believe this a nation where we are truly at war with one another, where a neighbor who views things differently is an enemy, where a party that acts in opposition is traitorous, or that people are that awful.  As much as anyone, I believe there are systemic problems that may very well destroy our economy and our way of life, if not corrected.  But I don't think that we, the people, are each other's enemies.

I have many friends who are committed and passionate Democrats.  I have more friends who are Republicans with the same vigor.  They can all be good people, who disagree, and who look for different solutions to problems.  I find that they all are willing to listen to me because I treat them seriously and with respect.  I make my arguments for limited government and personal liberties, and they know what I believe trumps who I associate with, and we value each other.

I do a lot of work with the Tea Party movement, but if they think that change will come by castigating that very large of percentage of Americans who disagree with them as enemies, then they are fools.  If you accept that you cannot persuade someone your ideas are correct when reason is on your side, then you cannot believe in self-governance for people because you are admitting that people can't make those judgments.  It is arrogant, it is divisive, and even in success, it will spring a failure far worse and more radical than what it seeks to remove.

The left is no better, and their current attempts to ram through policies they know that most people don't support only ups the ante in a turf war that keeps growing.  New institutions, allies, spending, and manipulation.  We make new political classes that lack the civility of the parties, and simply seek to force their ends.  Is persuasion truly dead and impossible?  I know so many who think so, and I sometimes feel like one of the last voices of reason.

I am so happy to be an independent because I stopped playing that game.  I am going to say what I think, what I support, and dump the labels.  What does being a conservative mean anyway when one person is a constitutionalist believing in truly limited government, one person wanting a protective theocracy, and yet another a free market extravaganza.  Useless, misleading, and even if most people think they like the term, who can truly tell me what it means?

I imagine, to some, I probably come off sounding like an apologist.  I'm not.  I'm a realist.  I know that for most people, politics is just looking at issues that affect their lives and looking for solutions.  That is the conversation I'm having with people, and I hope we find our future there together.

As the weeks go by, you will probably see me writing more often, but less on this particular blog.  I enjoy sharing my personal thoughts and some of my opinions, but I will be very busy in making sure that The Point gets off to a strong launch.

It is an exciting time.  I've never run a business before, but what I like about it is the idea that my labor will be going to a benefit defined by me.  The realist inside knows that it will be difficult to make a profit anytime soon, if ever, given the state of journalism.  Yet, I think we have a good model, an important purpose, and I so much enjoy working on my own terms.

I've been peering through spreadsheets and flowcharts, setting up forms, and talking about accountants, lawyers, and regulations.  I've learned more about the tax code than I wanted to know, and it does convince me that all these hurdles really only make business more difficult.  In spite of these issues, I find myself in a very good mood.

I like the feeling of making something happen.  If you're sick of being stuck in some job that isn't you, I'd suggest you do likewise.  I know many people find the satisfaction in their lives from things that have nothing to do with work, but if you feel that your work just doesn't allow for expression of who you are, a lifetime is a long time to waste toiling for someone else's vision.

I take my own thoughts very seriously.  Perhaps too seriously, some have argued.  I worry about the future and what it will bring, finding that more knowledge simply brings more things for concern.  That said, I do not believe we accomplish anything by refusing to act, and it is something that is important to me.

I think we spend too much time looking to higher branches of government for solutions to what are essentially local problems.  In reality, everything can be treated as a local issue, and you will probably hear me talk about this motif much more in the coming months.  But for now, I want to share a few projects that I have been working on with partners.

Yesterday was an exciting day as my partners and I completed our Operating Agreement for The Point Press.  When complete, we will have an engaging news source for the Pittsburgh area that is going to really explore the political, social, and economic issues of our community with depth and fearlessness.  Bringing light to what actually happens in these processes is among the most important things that we can do for our own protection in society, and I'm happy to have a great team to work with on this development.  Expect to hear more in a few weeks.

Since I enjoy writing so much, I am very seriously considering trying to put together a book all about the Tea Party.  I think there would be a great number of people interested in learning about the historical foundations, the modern revival, how it has brought new people and groups together, and how it is reforming the political process.  Having been here through much of this, I have a unique perspective to share, and I wonder if writing about this would be of interest.  Let me know your thoughts.

Other than that, there have been a good number of thought provoking conversations, many of which are with the girl who is behind so many of my ideas.  While she and I sometimes disagree, we challenge one another, and make each other better and stronger for the contest, both in terms of what we think and what we feel for one another.  I'm fortunate to enjoy more than most, but for all of us, it is a reason to keep talking to anyone who will listen, and more importantly, listen to everyone who talks.

Being a historian gives you a different perspective on things than many other observers.  We often celebrate our past, wrap it in symbols and glory, but do we understand it?

America was a nation founded on act of sedition, a choice of violence, and many years of armed conflict between citizens and the government which claimed to represent them.  Where we know George Washington as the founder of our nation, history might have easily remembered him as a traitor to the Crown in the Royal Colonies of America.  Had the British won, this would have been true.

When you pause and think about that, it really makes you have to consider what is right and what is wrong.  I think each person has to find that answer for themselves, but what I know I cannot accept is blind loyalty to any nation, party, or ideal.  We are rational people with rational minds, and must always reserve to ourselves the choice for how we would live, and what we will and will not accept.

I am neither an extremist nor a zealot by nature, but as the state encroaches further on the liberties of all men, I know that violence can only escalate as people seek to defend the right to make choices that are being taken from them.  This is the ground of conflict for this next generation:  liberty vs. security.

The sooner we realize that the old left/right paradigm no longer applies, the better we will be served.  The choice is whether or not we will seek to have a state that handles all of our needs at the price of individual liberty, or whether we will embrace liberty with the cost being inequity that is inevitable.  Intelligent people can make arguments for either, but as people feel that they are either losing or being deprived of basic rights, anger will rise and so too will even greater polarization.

This is what history suggests is happening in America today, and though no future outcome is certain for good or for ill, we should all make the effort to be aware of what we support and what we want our future to look like.  We create that through our actions and what we are willing to do today.  The time to get involved is now, while it is a matter of choice, and while words and actions can still accomplish much.

Today is a very happy day.  I rescued a dog today from an animal shelter and I'm excited to welcome Haley into my home.  She's a nine year old Lab/Australian Shepherd/Collie mix and as cute as can be.

People don't usually adopt older dogs because they fear getting attached and then having to face the suffering that comes with that loss.  I understand that, but I feel like everyone who can give love deserves a place, and I connected instantly with this girl.  She has cataracts in her eyes so she can't see so well, but I'm happy to help guide her around my house.

Still, I'm the lucky one.  I grew up as someone in a house without pets, and I think I missed something important because of that.  There is something so encouraging in the unquestioning support and love that comes from a faithful friend, and I find it teaches me to be a better person.  Maybe dogs are simpler than we, and maybe we read what we want to see, but I know how it makes me feel to have someone there.

What I have learned from Grace, Haley, and other dogs who have entered my life is how to appreciate things better, and to take more from life.  We make our lives complicated, but maybe we shouldn't.  Maybe we would all be happier if we simply accepted what came, and always faced life with a positive attitude.

To that end, I encourage those who can and who have it in their heart to consider either rescuing a pet of your own, or helping those doing work in the same way.  There are many quality causes out there, and I'd like to thank the good people at the Butler County Humane Society who have taken excellent care of Haley to this point and who have many other friends who could use a forever home.

One fun thing about being an independent is getting to call things as I see them.

For those who have been following political news, you'll know that CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference) was held today.  To the surprise of many there, none other than Ron Paul won the straw poll.  His congratulations:  a smattering of boos.

Here's what I don't understand, and one of the biggest reasons why I'm glad not to be a Republican anymore.  How can you claim to be a conservative, that believes in limited government, and then argue that government should regulate how we choose to live our lives and that we should dictate to others how they should live not just here, but also in other nations?  Anyone who has spent more than ten minutes studying the history of the places on Earth of which we are most frightened cannot help but discover our long and nefarious involvement there.

It is this hypocrisy that makes honest people sick.  If you want government to be big where you want it, and small where you don't, you might as well call yourself liberal because the philosophy is the same.  And to those who would call this moral relativism, that is only true if you believe that group identities should be given higher priority than those of individuals.  The founders didn't believe that, and more people are waking up to realize that.

Wait until the next election cycle.  It is no accident that more Americans are becoming independent each day, and when the Republican Party fails to follow the mandate that exists, to get big government out of Washington, then it will be the true victim.  The Democrats, current unpopularity aside, will survive because they know what they believe in:  government designed to solve social problems.

If you are a conservative, by your own definition, then I ask this:  What do you believe the purpose of government should be, and who believes as you do?

I haven't written in a while and I apologize for that.  Several things have been keeping me busy, but I have been watching many events and want to comment upon them.

I feel somewhat uneasy about the future.  When you look at what is happening both domestically and internationally, the financial framework that has basically been used globally since WWII has never looked so shaky.  For instance, the European Union is facing a serious challenge in how it handles the question of Greece, running now with rampant debt and inflation.  Struggles like this could lead to dissolution of many structures, such as how nations are talking about reclaiming their sovereignty and leaving the Eurozone.

I wonder what America will do as we approach a similar crisis.  The problem, in its simplest form, is we spend much more than we collect.  While politicians are presently talking about a spending freeze, a good idea, that will hardly solve the larger issue.  Between entitlements, medical care costs, and other commitments, non-discretionary spending, alone could account for more than the revenue gathered.  When you couple that with a national debt where interest payments are becoming a larger and larger chunk of the budget, it becomes clear that the crisis will soon be upon us.

Our government must do three things:  cut spending, control costs, and increase revenues.  This means there will be bitter medicine, and we need to understand this.  It means that we have to make sure we can afford whatever programs we have, that we need to try to do less, and that we will have to pay something to get back to even.  It may mean taxes for that purpose.  I don't know, but I do know this:  What the government has been doing to this point, issuing additional debt through the Treasury will stop working as other nations (such as China today, selling another $45 billion in US Notes) will refuse to buy bad debt.

We live in what will be a difficult time, but it is also one of opportunity where we can and should explore new ways to handle things.  I'm not writing any solutions because I don't have any; but I do think everyone should be aware of these things.  When you feel the pain with interest rates rising next year, inflation continuing to grow, and unpopular tax increases on the table, at least you'll have some idea why.

Like much of the wintry Mid-Atlantic, we've been buried under a blanket of snow here in Pittsburgh.  I've probably spent at least two hours shoveling in my new involuntary exercise plan.  But, it is interesting to see people actually interact outside their cars.

We live in a bubble world.  Our house is a bubble.  Our car is a bubble.  Our friends are a bubble.  We put ourselves in certain circles, whether they be tangible or mental, and don't see what exists outside them.  I thought about this today as bubbles bursting had people laughing and skidding on snow.  Traffic had ground to a halt, there were problems everywhere, but it was fine because everyone was okay.

I look to burst bubbles too.  I try to reach out between different groups and ideas to force people to rethink how they see both themselves and this world.  When I think on ideas, I always try to see them through the eyes of the other.  I recognize that I can't ever have a full substitute for experience, but even the difference in perspective matters.  It brings new insights and increased empathy.

So, while we play in the snow, or try to get out of it, think of when was the last time you actually talked to someone who you don't talk to, and give it a chance.  It's interesting to learn about the people and the worlds you didn't know ever existed, sometimes just a snowbank away.

These are going to be the colors for my brother's forthcoming wedding (Congratulations, James!), but that isn't why I'm sharing them tonight.  After looking over what was said at the State of the Union Address last night, it has me thinking about what I think should happen.  Here's my tri-color strategy for improving America with our current government.

White:  We start with a blank slate, taking all the bills pending off the table as America neither wants nor can afford them.  The issues remain salient, but anything that will be passed will require real communication involving both parties as well as the people themselves.  Call it a white flag of truce or surrender, but there is something better to be found, and I know this Congress lacks the resolve now to carry forward with anything discussed previously.

Green:  People need more green in their pockets, and since we have an administration that is committed to being involved, why not involve one of their favorite items:  green technologies.  Use green technologies to upgrade the national infrastructure, revitalize our industry, and create both blue collar and white collar jobs so people can have some green in their pocket.  Wall Street does not create wealth.  Jobs, small businesses, and factories do.

Black:  After spending to create jobs, focus on getting this nation into the black.  Now that the debt ceiling is about to rise to $14.1 trillion dollars, we absolutely must get this down or America will be bankrupt.  This is not a partisan issue; it is a national security issue.  Cut all other spending and allocate toward debt reduction.

This isn't what I think will happen, but if Congress and the President had vision and a willingness to work together for the good of America, this is the best I can imagine they could accomplish together.