1. What kind of childhood and family upbringing did you have and where did you live during those years?
I’ve lived most of my life in Delaware, with a few years in Jersey when I was a kid. It’s kind of funny - I grew up in two places where people have no accents, even though they have accents almost everywhere else.
The only complaint I have about my childhood is that my parents didn’t do anything that I can complain about now. They were always around, and stayed married. Both of them are passed away now, I’m sorry to say.
2. How would you describe yourself politically and what measures would you take to correct this nation's current path were you suddenly put in charge?
Conservative, socially and economically. I’m Christian, so I’m pro-life and not in favor of gay marriage. I think our economy will go the way of Greece if we don’t control our spending, and it worries me a lot the way the Dems (and sometimes the Republicans) spend money we don’t have on social programs whose main goal is to essentially buy votes. Some social programs are important if they are run well, but that doesn’t seem to be the priority.
If I were put in charge (which would be a great idea) here are a few items I’d aggressively pursue:
- Get rid of Obamacare, since it is costing more and covering less
- Undo every executive action put in place by Obama
- Build our military back up
- Eliminate entire agencies that aren’t getting enough accomplished, such as the EPA
- Require that voting privileges are only extended to taxpayers, since anyone not paying any taxes cannot be objective. Or possibly instead just give everyone one vote for people a citizen, and taxpayers qualify for a second vote.
3. What are your favorite hobbies and sports?
I used to like basketball, racquetball, and taekwondo, but I’m getting older I don’t really have anyone to do them with anymore. So now I mostly just go the gym and try to stay healthy.
I like chess, too, but there’s no one to play against except once in a while when I get together with my brother in New Hampshire.
4. How would you describe your current life ,family, etc?
I’m lucky enough to be married to Abbey (yes, Abbey on the board), and we’ve got a great marriage and a great daughter. Abbey invited me to join the board. Our daughter just finished college and started working about 6 months ago.
5. Who are your heroes past and/or present? Feel free to include family members if desired and tell us why they are/were so special.
Here are three favorite heroes of mine
1. Julius Erving – One of the greatest NBA players ever, inventor of the tomahawk dunk, and did it all with a ton of class. Michael Jordan was following Dr J’s footsteps, except without the class.
2. Nikola Tesla – One of the greatest geniuses ever. Invented AC power, and induction motors. And created wireless about 100 years before cell phones.
3. My great-aunt Donna – She graduated college back in the 20’s when women didn’t do that, taught Latin, was her church organist, and kept her own small farm going even when she got up into her 80’s. Oh yeah, and she could make a blueberry pie that unfortunately will never be duplicated ever again. (but I’d kill someone to get a piece J )
6. Favorite television shows and/or movies and why?
Favorite show ever – Get Smart (if you remember it). Some of the jokes you can see coming a mile away and they’re still funny. Other favorites – Sherlock (the British one with Benedict Cumberbatch), the Jesse Stone tv movies, and Silicon Valley. I like absurd comedies and analytical mysteries.
Favorite movie – Chariots of Fire. Other favorites - the Lord of the Rings movies, Office Space, and Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
7. How do rate President Obama's policies to date?
Let’s see – he came into office with a ton of political momentum, and his party owned both houses of Congress. The country had just fallen into its deepest economic crisis since the Great Depression, and lots of people had just lost their jobs or life savings. He decided to spend all his time and effort on… Obamacare. “Screw the unemployed and the homeless, I want a legacy”, is what I think he was thinking. And in his second term he decided “screw Israel, I want a legacy agreement with Iran”. And he seems to be unafraid to step on the Constitution to get his legacies.
Apparently, stepping on the Constitution is the only thing he’s unafraid of. Put Obama in a room with Vladimir Putin, and in 30 seconds he will need to go change his designer suit.
In short, I think that Obama has totally redefined how bad and how damaging to the country it can be if the wrong man is elected President.
8. Would you support impeachment of Obama and if so why? How great a punishment would you support were he found guilty?
I’d love for Obama to be impeached, but with only a year left I don’t think it’s worth it, since it might be a rallying point for Hillary, or Biden. Besides, he trampled on the Constitution because Congress and the media let him, but there aren’t a lot of clear-cut criminal things to impeach him on. Better he leaves, and hopefully we can get Carson or Rubio into the office.
9. Should this nation rise up against the current tyranny to save itself from great future disasters?
This nation SHOULD rise up and elect a leader like Winston Churchill, but the people who would do that are becoming outnumbered by millions of Neville Chamberlain types. And “give me some free stuff” voters. I’m afraid that it will take some kind of crisis to shake most of the voters out of their assumptions that we can’t be attacked and our economy can’t fail. Hopefully not.
10. Do you support our military, if yes, why and how much?
I totally support our military and I think that they don’t get nearly the support they deserve. I’m a member of a volunteer group of buglers that agree to go to military funerals, upon request, and play Taps live (instead of them playing a recording).
11. Have you ever visited other nations and experienced foreign cultures in their native lands?
I’ve been to Canada, Bermuda, UK, Spain, and Italy on vacations, but the only time I’d say I got to experience a foreign culture is when I went on a business trip for about a week to Japan. That felt more like experiencing their culture, I think, because it wasn’t in a tourist area. It was in a small city in southern Japan where there were very few people speaking English or even signposts in English. Great sushi, and a memorable experience.
12. What truly scares you or gives you cause to wonder about yourself and your family's future?
Here’s my list of the things that scare me about the future, in order:
1. That we could elect a narcissist bum like Obama.
2. That we might elect an influence-for-rent phony like Hillary.
3. That Iran will probably have a nuclear weapon soon. Possibly worse - North Korea and Pakistan already have them.
4. That good morals are scoffed at in our country now, and bad morals are celebrated. For example, who does the media treat better: Ben Carson or Madonna? And who does the NFL treat better: Tom Brady or Tim Tebow?
Interview with "Russ"
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Originally Posted by NightTrain
