Blog Archives - Tim | Reedy

Game On

1/10/2014

PA House Reps. Ryan Aument and Gordon Denlinger both announced that they are running for the vacant PA Senatorial District 36 seat. News flash. They are only running in the sense that they are busy trying to convince local GOP committee members that they should get the endorsement of the party. Once the endorsement is secured by a pre-determined number of votes among the committee, the local GOP will almost insist that the loser bow out of the race. The result? Registered GOP voters that reside in district 36 will be able to choose between...one and only one person.

Since I began meeting with people (now approaching 80) over the past year about a potential run for Congress, almost everyone has told me that having choices in elections, especially in primaries, is paramount.

On numerous occasions, however, I have been told that one must cater to, cowtail to, smooze and not upset any local committee member if they ever want to run for public office. I was also told to wait in line, like at a deli counter, for my chance. I have been told that a certain person has already been chosen to succeed Rep. Pitts, so therefore, I should think twice about running in the future. Start small. Get in the queue. Your number will be called in time.

Forget the fact that I want to bring a choice to the people by having open primaries. Forget the fact that I want the candidates to have open, honest discussions with other candidates. Forget the fact that I want all candidates to take their message to the voters directly.

Aument and Denlinger are playing within the rules created by the local GOP. However, when they say that they are running for office, it is a joke. Rather, they are running for the approval of some 200 people who seem to hold the all the cards. You want to know why we can't get candidates to run for office? It's because the deck is stacked against them before the cards are even dealt. In Lancaster County, primary candidates are "selected - not elected". There have been those rare occasions where open primaries have been held; however, in those instances, there were so many candidates that the committee could not get a consensus of choosing one candidate over the others. The result? The candidates had to campaign and take their message to the voters. Novel idea.

- BELIEVE that choices in elections allow for open discussions and problem solving
- ACT by encouraging candidates to stay in races beyond the endorsement process
- SERVING others is why we hold elections and not merely to fill a parties' coffer

Over the past year, I was informed on numerous occassions that if I ever wrote a blog post like this that I would be branded as someone who is not a team player and would have no chance in local politics.

Fear is always an opponents last resort. By posting this, I'm letting the world know that I am not scared. I have a wonderful wife and children and God has blessed me beyond belief. No matter what the establishment thinks about me, talks about me, does to me, they can't take those blessings from me.

Game on.

A Tuppence a Day

1/8/2014

tuppence (definition) - a bronze coin of the United Kingdom equal to two pennies

Recently, people have been asking me how I would fix Washington. My firm belief remains that the present Members who all shared in creating this dysfunction cannot solve or fix the problems. In other words, the elected officials who made the problems can't obtain viable solutions to them. Don't buy into someone's campaign who says that since they are now in charge of a committee or subcommittee, then things will get done. Someone who is part of the problem is only concerned with being in charge of it and not actually fixing it, but I digress.

I try and live my life with one foot in the past and one foot in the future when faced with problem solving. To answer the question posed to me above, I look to the past. In this instance, I go back to the years 1965-1966 for a possible answer...

...nearly every Friday afternoon in the last two years of Walt Disney's life, he would stop by the studio office of the Sherman brothers, two of his key songwriters. As the story goes, Walt would enter the room and say, "Richard, play the song." Without hesitation, Richard Sherman and his brother would sing the first song that they wrote for the movie Mary Poppins called "Feed the Birds".

As the first notes began to be played, Walt Disney would walk over to the studio window and gaze outside, all the while listening to the song. In my mind, I can picture the scene as these words were sung:

"Come feed the little birds, show them you care
And you'll be glad if you do
Their young ones are hungry, their nests are so bare
All it takes is tuppence from you"

As the song ended, Walt would walk past the piano and on his way to the door, he would say, "that's what it's all about". What Walt was saying to the Sherman boys is that it doesn't take much, sometimes just a penny or two, to do an act of kindness...

In order to fix Washington, which feeds itself on name calling from the left, right, the progressives and Tea Party, we must first focus on ourselves. Specifically, we as individuals must learn to be kind to one another. Instead of posting derogatory words against the President on Facebook or sending emails ridiculing Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, first start by doing an act of kindness, like the song suggests above. Your calm demeanor and pleasant smiles at strangers, which doesn't even cost a penny, will have a lasting affect. Maybe not overnight, but as kindness towards one another spreads, the citizenry will become apt to demand and begin honest, solution-oriented dialogues. Most importantly, those Facebook posts and emails will subside due to lack of fuel.

- BELIEVE that kindness begins with you
- ACT by doing a simple act of kindness each day, such as a warm smile or opening the door for someone
- SERVE others just as Christ served us

Washington, DC at the present is polluted with many factions that have their sole purpose of gaining or remaining in power. Until we elect new leaders that want to be kind toward each other and who truly want to solve problems in order to help "We the People", we will continue in our present state. Since the new leaders come from the people, the people must be kind. And who makes up the people? - You.

So the next time you reach in your pocket and feel a penny or two, remember these words: "come feed the little birds, show them you care...all it takes is tuppence from you."

And if I'm wrong about beginning to fix Washington this way, at least people may smile at you more, which isn't all bad.

Thank You Nick

1/4/2014

Nick is one of my two nephews. Yesterday, he sent an email to his uncle Tim (me) and aunt Tina (my wife) inviting us to his basketball game on Saturday morning. I proudly witnessed him make a cross court pass to one of his open teammates who put the ball through the hoop with five seconds remaining that propelled his team to a two point win in overtime. Although there were no TV cameras, newspaper reporters or advertising banners in sight, the win was nonetheless just as important to those fifth and sixth graders as a win is to an NBA player.

As I looked around the gymnasium, I observed the following people who were giving of their time, energy and talents: dads, moms, siblings, clock operators, cousins, volunteer coaches, referees, friends, aunts and uncles. There were other people who were there in spirit and still supportive of the youth: school district personnel who opened the gym, jersey sponsors, custodial staff, just to name a few.

Everyone mentioned above is an inspiration to me as they have made a commitment to the next generation. How? Just by helping them participate in a game. That's it. No fanfare. Little money. Just their time and their personal contact. Most importantly, their willingness to give up something all of us seem to never want to part with these days - our time.

Having us see him play was so very important to him that he did the only thing an 11 year old could do - he asked us to be there. Bottom line? We went to Nick's game because he asked us to go. We listened. We reciprocated his personal contact.

As I look ahead to the 2016 election, I want to thank my nephew Nick for solidifying in me what a voter most longs for: personal contact. More importantly, Nick's act of reaching out to others is why I am so very pumped up about our future - the kids of today get it.

BELIEVE that our nation's future is bright
ACT by volunteering and participating in kids' lives
SERVE your community now, which serves your community in the future

Although only 11, his simple invitation to watch a somewhat meaningless basketball game on a frigid January morning is the solution to what ails this nation - personal involvement in the next generation.