Free Time: Randall Hodgkinson
5:33 p.m. Monday, October 27, 2008
Hello, my name is Randall Hodgkinson and I am the Libertarian candidate for United States Senate this year. You probably haven't heard much about me-I don't have millions of special interest dollars to buy TV ads, so I am particularly grateful for this station's commitment to bringing you information about all of this year's candidates.
I've never run for political office. I'm a fifth-generation Kansan, born and raised in Hutchinson and graduating with honors from Wichita State. I currently live with my family in Topeka and work as an attorney representing poor persons before the Kansas state appellate courts. I enjoy working in court to protect my clients' rights and that experience would help me be effective representing the people of Kansas in the Senate.
The top three priorities for Congress should be fiscal responsibility, environmental sustainability, and protection of personal freedom. These are the issues that I think are most likely to contribute to the continuing viability of our nation into the next century.
The current administration and Congress have put our nation into record amounts of debt-more than ten trillion dollars. We recently had a great debate about whether we should spend hundreds of billions of dollars to bail out irresponsible Wall Street firms. But with such a huge national debt, our nation is paying hundreds of billions of dollars of interest every year and much of it goes overseas.
There is mounting evidence of global climate change and the potential for disaster stemming from that change. And, in any case, increased economic and national security our nation will not come from expanding reliance on dirty energy sources. Instead, we should focus on increasing efficiency and encouraging moves to cleaner energy sources. America should do the right thing, right now for our children and their children.
The current administration has not just whittled, but often hacked away at our Constitutional rights and the Rule of Law. And Congress has not served as a check on this unprecedented attack. Constitutional rights are not obstacles for the government to overcome; they are the very principles that make our nation the most free on Earth. When my kids say the Pledge of Allegiance, the phrase "with Liberty and Justice for All" should not just be words.
As I indicated before, you won't be seeing any TV commercials from me. But when you do see the ads for my opponents, I hope you will consider who paid for those expensive ads and consider whether you think those special interests are looking out for you. If you are satisfied with Congress and our country's direction now, you have two Washington insiders on the ballot this year that will likely continue that direction. If you would like to see America move in a different direction, if you would like to choose a regular Kansan this year, I hope you will look down the ballot. My name is Randall Hodgkinson and my Web site is at randallforsenate.org. Thanks.
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