Originally published November 8, 2009 at http://towneforcongress.com/economy/towne-for-congress-invites-dent-and-callahan-to-debate-2

Jake Towne, running as an independent private citizen for United States Congress in Pennsylvania’s 15^th District encompassing the Lehigh Valley and parts of Berks and Montgomery counties challenged Republican incumbent Charlie Dent, and Democrat challenger John Callahan to a public debate on the issues facing the district and the nation.

In his letter, Towne noted a great need for a healthy public debate on topics ranging from our health care, the wars abroad, the economy, and the stability of the dollar. He related that many people in the district are hurting financially, and they want answers from their candidates for government now.

Towne is a Lehigh Valley native raised in Nazareth and holds a chemical engineering degree from Lehigh University. He returned home earlier this year from a nearly 4-year stint in Shanghai, China working in the semiconductor industry to run for Congress. His experiences living abroad have given him a deep appreciation for America’s freedoms and quality of life.

Towne strongly believes that the actions of career politicians in Washington, DC, are leading our country down a path of both moral and economic ruin. He has created a novel-yet-simple plan of transparent and accountable government called the “Our Open Office” concept which can be read in detail at the campaign website, www.TowneForCongress.com.

Last week Towne raised over $2700 from 74 donors in a single day in an online “money bomb” created by grassroots supporters not affiliated with the campaign. This week he will be interviewed by Judge Napolitano at the FOX News studios in New York. Two weeks ago, Towne was part of a panel of FOX’s Freedom Watch show taped on the campus of Drexel University. Towne extends an invitation to any local group to invite him to meet their members, listen to their concerns, and explain his campaign. Talks given to past groups can be viewed at [link edited for length].

Contact: Campaign Manager Jessica Roth

Email: [link edited for length]

Website: TowneForCongress.com

November 8, 2009

Dear Congressman Dent and Mayor Callahan -

I respectfully challenge either of you to a debate concerning our congressional race. I am open to either one-on-one debate or debating both of you at the same time.

While I can understand a reluctance on your parts to a debate so early before the November 2010 election – and that since you both are members of political parties that use the optional primary system so additional challengers are still possible – there is a great need for a public discourse on the troubles facing our nation. We are the only three candidates currently registered with the FEC.

The times we live in are not normal. The dollar is in crisis and unemployment is rampant. Civil liberties are restricted more with each passing day. We have apparently endless wars continuing in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. I am traveling the district and the people are hurting. Congress’s solutions of more spending through the stimulus plan and more taxation via the Cap and Trade bill on energy and even our health care seem dubious at best.

Regardless of our differences in views as candidates, we owe it to the public to debate on these issues. Mayor Callahan, per the FEC you began your campaign on July 31, 2009. As of today, your website only contains an email sign-up. Why have you been unable to provide a website to the people with your stances on the critical topics facing our nation after 3.5 months as a candidate?

Congressional races should not be similar to sports teams duking out a popularity contest, we should have a healthy debate on the issues – for the good of the PEOPLE.

Reply if you like by simply confirming whether you are open to one-on-one debate with me, or a group debate between the three of us FEC-registered candidates, or both. After the next ten business days, I will deem no reply as a negative to both questions.

Respectfully,

Jake Towne

2010 Candidate for US Congress, PA-15
Liberty, Sound Money, the Rule of Law, and Accountability
TowneForCongress.com

“If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace.” – Thomas Paine, “The American Crisis,” 1776

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Jake Towne is running for U.S. Congress in Pennsylvania’s 15th District in the 2010 election as a citizen unaffiliated with any political parties. Jake also writes at www.LibertyMaven.com, www.NolanChart.com and www.CampaignForLiberty.com. A novel campaign website where you can comment on articles and start discussions is available at TowneForCongress.com. [Reach the Author Here!]

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We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

As always, unlike the NFL, the author grants full permission to allow any accounts of, rebroadcasts, retransmissions, repostings of this article to your blog or anywhere else in order to promote the Restoration of our Republic.

Veritas numquam perit. Veritas odit moras. Veritas vincit. Truth never perishes. Truth hates delay. Truth conquers.

Tu ne cede malis sed contra audentior ito. Do not give in to evil but proceed ever more boldly against it.

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Other Recent Articles by the Author

Jake Towne to Nancy Pelosi – Are YOU Serious?

Abolish the Federal Department of Education!!!

Jake Towne’s Iraq War Plank

On the Dollar – Congressman Charlie Dent Answers a Question from Jake Towne

America’s Military Empire (UPDATED)

THE OPEN OFFICE – An Open Letter to Congressman Dent

Jake Towne’s Bailout and Corporatism Plank

Jake Towne’s Veterans Plank

Jake Towne’s Plank on the Federal Reserve

Helen Thomas and Chip Reid berated White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs the other day for pre-selecting questions for Obama’s “town hall” and “controlling” the press. It appears that the honeymoon (I call it the “Obamagasm”) is coming to an end. Gibbs seems to be out of his league as Obama’s Press Secretary. I’ll be surprised if he makes it through Obama’s first and hopefully only term.

There is one particular forbidden health care question for Obama. I would love to hear his answer to the following question:

“Mr. President, you are considered a Constitutional scholar. Could you educate the American people a bit and tell them what section, article, or amendment permits the federal government to provide health care?”

Sure, he would dodge the question, but it is one dodge that I long to hear.

On Monday, Ron Paul’s son Rand Paul held another money bomb campaign fund raiser. The goal was to break $100k. The goal was met. This is huge news and a great sign that the Ron Paul wing of the Republican Party is not going anywhere. Rand Paul raised over $100,000 in about a month without an official fund raiser. Senator Rand Paul has a nice ring to it.

There was high drama last Friday afternoon on the House floor during the debate on the narrowly passed Cap and Trade bill. The Republicans kept pointing out that the legislation will lose more jobs and put a higher tax burden on the American people.

Prior to the Cap and Trade debate members of the Congressional Black Caucus requested a moment of silence for Michael Jackson, who died the day before (as we all know). The request was granted. Later, during the Cap and Trade debate Tom Price (R-GA) requested a moment of silence for all of the people who will lose their jobs due to the bill. The Democrats objected. No moment of silence was held. This was a genius move by Price to demonstrate that the Democrats seem to care more about a dead pop star than thousands of American jobs. Unfortunately and unsurprisingly, most of the news outlets didn’t make the connection.

In more local personal news I purchased my first handgun for my birthday (yesterday). I took an NRA class a few months ago in preparation for owning a firearm. It feels damn good to rack the slide on that 2nd Amendment. Now I join millions of other gun owners searching for scarce ammo at reasonable prices.

I don’t believe we’ll see any fundamental action from Obama on gun control for awhile (if ever). The path he must travel toward gun control is littered with political land mines, some of them placed there by his own party. Then again so is immigration reform and he is starting to kick up the dust on that again.

And now a few random thoughts and quotes for the week:

• When it comes to paying attention to the unraveling of America, ignorance is not bliss, it is willful neglect.

• If I turn on the news tomorrow and hear anything about Michael Jackson I’m going to moonwalk off a cliff!

• Will it take 99 more Al Frankens winning for Americans to wake up and realize their govmt is a joke?

• Our task of creating a socialist America can only succeed when those who would resist us have been totally disarmed. – Sarah Brady

• “A woman who demands further gun control legislation is like a chicken who roots for Colonel Sanders.” – Larry Elder

• “I ask you sir, who are the militia? They consist now of the whole people.” – George Mason

• One of my favorite gun rights bumper stickers: Guns only have two enemies: rust and politicians.

• White House to offer new breakfast cereal: Obamaganda. Ad slogan: “Obamagasms for Obamaganda: A free carbon credit in every box!”

• Senate version of Cap and Trade will probably have a provision forcing everyone to hold their breath for 60 min/day.

Have a great Independence Day weekend!

May the number of fingers on your hand today equal the number of fingers on your hand on Sunday!

A Libertarian’s New Year’s Resolutions

by Harry Browne

1. I resolve to *sell* liberty by appealing to the self-interest of each prospect, rather than *preaching* to people and expecting them to suddenly adopt my ideas of right and wrong.
   
2. I resolve to keep from being drawn into arguments or debates. My purpose is to inspire people to want liberty — not to prove that they’re wrong.
   
3. I resolve to *listen* when people tell me of their wants and needs, so I can help them see how a free society will satisfy those needs.
   
4. I resolve to identify myself, when appropriate, with the social goals someone may seek — a cleaner environment, more help for the poor, a less divisive society — and try to show him that those goals can never be achieved by government, but will be well served in a free society.
   
5. I resolve to be compassionate and respectful of the beliefs and needs that lead people to seek government help. I don’t have to approve of their subsidies or policies — but if I don’t acknowledge their needs, I have no hope of helping them find a better way to solve their problems.
   
6. No matter what the issue, I resolve to keep returning to the central point: how much better off the individual will be in a free society.
   
7. I resolve to acknowledge my good fortune in having been born an American. Any plan for improvement must begin with a recognition of the good things we have. To speak only of America’s defects will make me a tiresome crank.
   
8. I resolve to focus on the ways America could be so much better with a very small government — not to dwell on all the wrongs that exist today.
   
9. I resolve to cleanse myself of hate, resentment, and bitterness. Such things steal time and attention from the work that must be done.
   
10. I resolve to speak, dress, and act in a respectable manner. I may be the first libertarian someone has encountered, and it’s important that he get a good first impression. No one will hear the message if the messenger is unattractive.
    
11. I resolve to remind myself that someone’s “stupid” opinion may be an opinion I once held. If *I* can grow, why can’t I help *him* grow?
    
12. I resolve not to raise my voice in any discussion. In a shouting match, no one wins, no one changes his mind, and no one will be inspired to join our quest for a free society.
    
13. I resolve not to adopt the tactics of Republicans and Democrats. They use character assassination, evasions, and intimidation because they have no real benefits to offer Americans. We, on the other hand, are offering to set people free — and so we can win simply by focusing on the better life our proposals will bring.
    
14. I resolve to be civil to my opponents and treat them with respect. However anyone chooses to treat me, it’s important that I be a better person than my enemies.

— Harry Browne

The debate explores issues that you haven’t heard much about from the two major party candidates. That is quite refreshing in and of itself. Grab your beverage of choice, sit back and watch the debate below.

Matt Tanyi, who played Barr, said it was important that students heard a different set of views.

“All you ever hear about is Democrats and Republicans. This opened my eyes to the need for an opposing view point,” said Tanyi, who’d never heard of Barr before the mock debate.

As Barr, Matt criticized government spending habits and talks of going to war with Iran.

“The government is money hungry. It’s going to spend as much money as it can get out of you,” Tanyi said. “Just because a country may have weapons of mass destruction is no reason to go to war. America is not the world’s police.”

The debate was put on by the school’s advance placement U.S. government and politics class.

Teacher Andy Nester said the debate helps students better understand the candidates.

“They learn the passion behind how these different groups believe the government should operate,” Nester said. “And when the students hear these things coming from their peers, it’s believable to them.”

The teacher, Andy Nester, deserves praise for including at least one of the third party candidates in the mock debate. That is more than can be said of the debates sponsored by the Commission on Presidential Debates, which strictly limits the participation of third party candidates with thoroughly un-American and unfair requirements.

At least one student came away impressed with libertarian positions.

Jenny Clark, a senior at the school, she said learned a lot by listening to the debate.

“It helped me learn more about the Libertarian Party,” said Clark, 17. “You don’t see Bob Barr out there, but after listening today, I realize I agree more with him than the other candidates.”

This one comment gives me hope for the future of our country, but it also demonstrates the very real problems of excluding other voices in the heavily watched debates.

The single most beneficial element of Ron Paul’s primary campaign was his ability to participate in the debates alongside the other GOP candidates. All of the primary debates were sponsored on a single channel, usually a cable news channel which limited viewership. Paul’s debate excerpt videos went up on YouTube in mere minutes following the debates giving millions of Internet political junkies freedom food for their brains. In turn, Ron Paul’s Internet assisted grassroots viral campaign allowed him to earn millions of donation dollars during the now famous (and widely imitated) supporter-initiated “money bomb” single-day fundraising events.

Now imagine if Barr were allowed to participate in those horribly boring debates between Obama and McCain. Those debates were watched by millions more than the primary debates. It’s hard to imagine Barr not winning over a significant number of closet libertarians like Jenny Clark. One wonders how many more Jenny Clarks are out there in the shadows merely accepting the status quo two of choices, neither of which come close to representing their views.

It may be anecdotal, but I feel this mock debate strongly illustrates that debate access is the key to third party growth. Ron Paul’s decision to not run as a third party or independent candidate killed my first hope of hearing a libertarian voice in the general election debates. Bob Barr’s failures in campaign strategy murdered my second hope for the same.

I may be dead and gone before it happens, but I will continue to hold hope that someday that beautiful message of liberty will thoroughly wash over the masses compelling them to restore the Founding Father’s version of America. A version where the Constitution once again becomes the supreme law of the land.

This is truly short notice. One wonders how many people will show up. No word yet on television outlets picking it up. Since it is scheduled for tomorrow it seems unlikely any will.

Invitations have been sent to Obama, McCain, and McKinney but they have yet to confirm.

This is being reported by Ballot Access News and it is on Barr’s public event schedule.

See the press release for more information.

I’m happy to see Root participating in this one. It suggests that Barr not appearing at the other debate due to scheduling conflicts was legitimate and not some matter of ego. Of course, we might be subjected to Wayne Root yelling “Bang!….. Bang!” following every answer (for those that witnessed him at the Libertarian Convention you know exactly what I mean).

Congress’ powers are enumerated in Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution. A number of specific powers are listed (e.g., coining money, establishing a post office, raising armies), but nothing is mentioned about intervening in private markets and managing large portfolios of assets. According to James Madison, the powers of Congress were carefully enumerated so that the federal government “can only operate in certain cases.” Unfortunately, over the years Congress has become so used to exercising plenary authority that no one even discusses the basis of its power to act. Questions of constitutionality were not raised by congressional leaders, the mainstream media, or by the presidential campaigns of John McCain and Barack Obama. The people’s fundamental law received the silent treatment.

Enumerated powers aside, the national debate also ignored the bailout plan’s lack of standards for directing the broad grant of discretion to the Treasury Secretary. Under separation of powers principles, legislative power typically cannot be exercised by members of the executive branch or the judiciary. The Supreme Court, however, permits some delegation by Congress. But with this act, the Secretary of the Treasury is given czar-like power over a large segment of the private market.

Americans should be concerned that a constitutional discussion was completely absent from the national debate about the bailout package.

Undoubtedly, the bailout package will have long-term effects on the American economy. The greatest impact, however, is the loss of any real constraint on government power. If the Constitution is not consulted or debated when the government seeks to acquire and manage billions in private assets, then we may safely assume that there are no limits on Congress’ powers. Untrammeled government authority — not economic stabilization — will be the lasting legacy of this Wall Street bailout.

Read the rest…

The troubled presidential debate for third-party candidates scheduled for Sunday at Columbia University in New York was canceled Friday after none of the four candidates had committed to the event.

“Due to circumstances beyond our control, several of the candidates decided not to participate in the debate at the last minute,” said Lauren Salz, a student with the Columbia Political Union, which was hosting the debate.

Independent Ralph Nader, Libertarian Party nominee Bob Barr, Green Party candidate Cynthia McKinney and Constitution Party nominee Chuck Baldwin were expected to participate in what was billed as a “historic” event.

Barr claimed a conflict while McKinney opted for an online debate originally scheduled for that evening. Baldwin was reluctant to travel to New York. Nader was willing to participate, aides say, but, seeing the debate falling apart all week, held back.

McKinney, it turns out, also had another reason for staying in her hometown of Atlanta, said her running mate, Rosa Clemente. McKinney is attending the Black Panther Party annual reunion.

It’s a shame.  I would have at least liked to see either Balwin or Barr (if not both) up on stage spreading the message of liberty.

Now there is a report from the Miami Herald that not a single third party candidate has confirmed they will show up. Cynthia McKinney has said she definitely won’t be there. Both Nader and Chuck Baldwin are being wishy washy about it.

The only confirmed participant is the moderator. So everyone, myself included, may have been a premature with criticism of the Barr campaign regarding this event.

WASHINGTON — Just a few days after seeming to agree to appear at a third-party presidential debate, none of the candidates is actually committed to attending the event Sunday at Columbia University in New York.

Green Party nominee Cynthia McKinney is a definite “no,” saying she’ll participate that night in an online debate, appearing remotely via Web cam. The Constitution Party’s Chuck Baldwin didn’t get the invitation until Thursday afternoon, and his campaign manager isn’t promising anything. Libertarian Bob Barr was a no-show from the start, saying he had a scheduling conflict, and independent Ralph Nader, the biggest draw, is hedging his bets.

In fact, the Barr campaign has reiterated that they are open to the idea of participating in an event like this, but it needs proper timing and planning. Again, from the Barr campaign blog:

We are open to the idea of a third party debate if Bob’s schedule permits and it is organized properly with details laid out clearly to the campaign more than a few days before the debate is supposed to take place.

Perhaps some of the recent criticism of Barr and the campaign was unwarranted.

…official invitations for the debate just went out this week — mere days before the event is to take place. Given that the proposed event is intended to take place less than 16 days before the election, it is a little absurd to assume that candidates, in the peak of a presidential campaign, have time to drop all pre-scheduled activities and run off to New York for a hastily planned event.

The Barr campaign, which has a very fast paced travel schedule, had already made campaign commitments in other parts of the nation that can’t, and won’t, be dropped for an event that another campaign put together at the last minute without prior coordination.  There is good reason why the Commission on Public Debates puts out their schedule well in advance; it gives the campaigns a chance to put it on their calendar.

Contrast that with the fact the invitations to this hastily conceived event are still in the mail.

All along, the Barr campaign has said it would be willing to debate any third-party candidate if the debate was going to be at the national level. Otherwise, the Barr campaign has a campaign plan and they are going to stick to it.

The Barr campaign blog follows this up with the following:

Please understand that we cannot help the events surrounding the organization of this debate. Bob will continue to do as he has been doing for the last few weeks, visiting battleground states and spreading the message of Liberty.

Looking at the comments to the blog entry from the Barr campaign, It looks like Barr is losing some formerly staunch supporters over this decision. Others are heartened by the decision and view the debate as an opportunity to preach to the choir rather than campaign for new votes.

I can see both sides but I must admit I lean on the side of wanting Barr to participate in the debate. Although this desire could be more selfish than practical because I think Barr could earn some votes by actually campaigning face to face.

This is equivalent in strategy to shunning your base while seeking new votes. That is a balancing act in any campaign, but I think for Barr it is a particularly dangerous strategy when a good portion of his base isn’t already completely devoted to him. In the end he could lose more votes from his brittle base than he gains from courting the undecided.

Check out the transcript in the live blog application at the bottom of this article.