Donald K. Allen for President

Top of the Week

July 7, 2008

I participated in the fourth “Independents’ Day” gathering of independent and third party candidates in Washington, DC this weekend, and it was a very productive event. We were able to meet and discuss our platforms with thousands of visitors to the Nation’s Capital, and hand out campaign cards.

One individual we talked to works for a Democratic member of Congress. Very informed and responsive, this person discussed several important issues concerning all Americans. I asked about the North American Union, joining Canada, the USA, and Mexico into one borderless country. The reply was, “What’s wrong with that?” I can now believe in all sincerity that Congress is proceeding with this plan without ever asking the opinion of the citizens of America. Every member of Congress must be aware of the agreements that Presidents Clinton and Bush have made with the two recent presidents of Mexico and the prime ministers of Canada. It’s high time that every citizen who loves the USA and cherishes our legacy of democracy and the patriotism of our Founding Fathers, speaks up and stands up to oppose this plan. Our country will lose the sovereignty that hundreds of thousands of Americans have fought and died for, and we will become subject to international law and the whims of the United Nations.

I told the Congressperson’s employee that I am for a 12-year cumulative term limit for Congress, and that it is ridiculous that people are spending 30, 40, and sometimes 50 years in office. That brought a heated response, stating that it takes at least 12 years to become effective in government and that John F. Kennedy was in Congress 13 years before he became President. This defense is simply not viable. The premise is that if JFK hadn’t first spent that time in Congress, he wouldn’t have been such a great President, is simply absurd. What about Lincoln? If you can get a college degree in four years, surely you can learn the workings of Congress in a shorter period than that, most likely in the first six months.

I just heard on CNN that President Bush has approved funding a half billion dollars for Mexico to help them fight drug trafficking. This is another indicator that Congress is selling out our country. Put the money into a fence/wall and THAT will effectively stop the drug traffic across out southern border. Send the money to Mexico City and you’ll never see it again or the effects it was intended for. Congress essentially just borrowed more money from China to turn around and give it away. Insanity! Thomas Paine said, “Anyone could grasp the nature of politics and government; all that is required is common sense.” It’s obvious that Congress is void of any hint of common sense and is predominantly driven by the need to put themselves first and you, me, and our country last.

Overall, people were very receptive. On July 4, when we were on the corner of 14th St. and Pennsylvania Ave. at Liberty Plaza, an open-windowed tour bus pulled up to the stoplight. I thought this was a great opportunity and I began handing campaign cards through the windows to the passengers. By the time I got to the end of the bus a lady up front was excitedly yelling, “Hey, I know your wife, Paula!” It was an acquaintance of Paula’s from Youngstown. The bus driver then asked for more cards so that the people on the other side of the bus would get them. What a coincidence! It was a fun start for a busy day.

We experienced another coincidence this weekend. My wife read “A Thousand Splendid Suns” and “The Kite Runner,” by Khaled Hosseini, both set in Afghanistan. Last week we watched the movie, “Charlie Wilson’s War,” about how Congressman Wilson and our CIA helped the Afghans resist the Soviet invasion of their country. Saturday, when Paula visited the National Art Museum in Washington there was a special display of Afghanistan’s “Hidden Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul.” We had a tasty Afghani lunch that day in the museum’s café. Hosseini’s two books should be required reading in our schools.

After years of fighting, death, and destruction in their country, the Afghans hoped for a “change they could believe in” when the Taliban moved in to take control. It was a change, alright, but definitely for the worse as severe restrictions were implemented throughout the country and thousands more were killed offhand and for the most innocuous violations of Taliban law. As we Americans may experience in the next administration, the change you can believe in may prove economically and socially devastating, and detrimental to our country’s sovereignty.

Two ladies I met had very differing views on immigration. One was pro-wall, and the other thinks we should have a very simple and easy immigration policy modeled after Canada’s. She wants a totally open door to everyone, including the illegals that are already here. She seemed not to care that it is costing American taxpayers well over 300 billion dollars a year to provide services, education, and other programs for them.

A lady, who said she was a Polish Jew, talked with me at our campaign canopy. She explained that Mother Earth is the most important force among us, and that we need to treat her with respect. She was also very knowledgeable about Masonry, and saw from my ring that I was a Mason. Shortly thereafter she left, and I saw her cross the street and disappear around a building. Moments later she was back with my campaign card, telling me that my last name is an indication that I may be “the One!” She said that “All” equals 33, which is the level of Masonry that is highest. She was convinced that she could see unique signs in my family name, and was very happy and excited about it. Her enthusiasm was encouraging.

I handed a card to a young man and his girlfriend as they were passing by and he stopped and came back to ask me what I would do about illegal immigrants using our health services free of charge. He said he’s a doctor who works in a city hospital and has been delivering many babies to Hispanic illegals. His major concern is that with so many of these babies being born here that they would eventually create a major voting block that could sway the outcome of future votes for more social programs, taking our democracy away from us, in effect. I assured him that I would create a secure fence/wall to minimize illegal immigration and instigate a guest worker identification program that would allow us to know who was in this country and where they were. Having a baby in the USA is not a step toward family citizenship until that child achieves majority. The mother must return home with the baby until the baby is 21, when he or she is eligible to claim citizenship.

We were staying at the Madison Hotel and there were several members of the National Education Association (NEA) there also, who were attending their annual meeting. They had a teleconference that day with Senator Obama. The NEA traditionally endorses the Democratic candidate for President. Paula talked with an educator who expressed concern that teachers often have children in their classes with emotional and psychological problems due to dysfunctional families, and the teachers are blamed for the children’s poor performance. As I have previously stated, we must vastly improve mental health services in this country to include even elementary school children. An early start could mean a stable future for our country.