Voters generally roll their eyes in boredom when someone announces their intentions to run for Public Office. This is because politics in Washington are the same as they always were, or perhaps became worse in recent years, despite the forces of change that went to Washington.
People become even more weary of politics when they see a candidate proclaiming to be “an everyday Joe who understands the little guy,” yet this same candidate earned a degree from an Ivy League school, lives in a $1.4 million house, earns a six digit income, and has thousands or millions of dollars to self-finance a campaign.
You see, the Founders wanted that young, energetic people (with little or no “government experience”) should become elected to the federal Government and then move on. According to the law, 25 years of age makes a person eligible to serve in the House. Age 30 makes one eligible to serve in the Senate, and age 35 to serve as President. Once this is done, it is time for public servants to pack their bags, leave Washington, and make place for younger and newer energy to replace the former ones.
This is what the Founders wanted. However, the average age of current House members is 56, and the average age of Senate members is above 60. They are there longer than anyone can remember. Even worse, most members end up serving themselves rather than the public after being in Washington for so long.
With this, I would like to ask you the following :
1) Do you wonder why our Ivy League Senators and Representatives are out of touch with everyday Americans?
2) Do you wonder why people with experience in messing up local and State governments, destroyed Washington, and took this country to hell in a hand basket?
3) Do you wonder why taxes and living expenses keep going up for all of us, while the millionaire lawmakers back in Washington take the option and vote for themselves annual pay raises?
4) Do you wonder why those sitting in Washington since four recessions ago are busy with Health Care, while real people throughout America are going crazy trying to find a job and/or an income for their families?
5) Do you wonder why those on Government aid can’t move ahead on the economic ladder? Why small business owners are frustrated? And why successful people are fuming against Washington?
Well, I am not surprised. With our current system of electing the same type of people over and over and over again, things can get only get worse. Therefore I ask: Maybe it’s time that America sends people to Washington from different routes than those currently wasting time in our nation’s Capital?
1) How about trying someone who is currently at the age that our Founders intended should start serving in Washington, as a House member, meaning age 25?
2) How about sending to the US House of Representatives a person that proudly has NO experience in messing up Americans, aka “Government Experience”?
3) How about sending to Washington someone whose top annual income didn’t exceed the national average of approximately 42,000 dollars? That is an income that a huge amount Americans outside Government can relate to.
4) How about, rather than sending to Washington an Ivy League type, we elect to the US House someone who, granted, didn’t get a B.A. or M.A. yet has received a High School diploma, in addition to a few years of Higher Education, which is all-in-all an educational background that a majority of Americans have?
5) How about, rather than electing well-connected people with well-known family names, we elect a person who was born to poor immigrant parents, who divorced when this person was two years old, yet despite these childhood challenges, this person is with God’s help working to make a good life in America for his family?
Based on all this, I am considering running for NY’s 17 Congressional District, a seat held the last 22 years by the same person.
Despite the fact that this district is overwhelming tilted to the Democrats, I will not explore the Democratic line, because I am Independently Conservative on most issues, yet in an era where voters are looking for bi-partisanship, I am confident that a candidate’s party line will not play much of a role in voters’ decision who they will ultimately elect.
I am aware of the difficulties in winning this election. However, difficulties are not enough of a reason to deter my exploration of doing something positive. I am therefore taking the following two weeks to see and hear ideas from people across this districts, and yes… from people all across America! Perhaps I am not from your Congressional district, but neither is Nancy Pelosi. Her actions, nevertheless, out of San Francisco, still had a negative effect on you and your district. Therefore, regardless where you live, I will gladly welcome your constructive input and monetary contribution which will God-willing help me succeed in this endeavor.
If you like the idea of me serving in the US House for just a few years, say… two-three terms, please give me your support and contribution. Please also text and/or email to two friends the name of my site and ask them to check it-out.
Thanks for reading.
Friends of Yossi,
P.O. Box 401 Tallman, NY 10982
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8 Responses
excellent article, he has my vote
Where do you stand on the death penalty? I notice you oppose it for murder of a police officer. I think a true conservative would support the death penalty for all murders.
Is there anything you support it for?
Mr. Gestetner’s arguments and facts are both flawed. The reason many governmental offices were held by young people at the time of the founding of the American Republic was that life expectancy was under 40 years! Yet that did not keep Americans from electing experienced people to Congress. Here are the names and ages of the people who represented New York State in the first session of the First Congress, March 4, 1789:
Senate
Philip Schuyler 55
House of Representatives
William Floyd 54
John Laurance 38
Egbert Benson 42
John Hathorn 40
Peter Silvester 54
Jeremiah Van Rensselaer 50
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The second problem I have with this introduction is the attempt to fan resentment — resentment of the very voters he should be courting. Why should someone who worked hard enough in high school to get into a top university be denigrated? Why should someone who has had success in life sufficient to buy a nice home be set up for ridicule? $1.4 million is not out of line for a nice home in the frum part of the 17th Congressional district I live in. And a six figure income is essential to be even in the bottom of the middle class in New York City.
I do not expect to be voting for Mr. Gestetner. And I doubt many in my frum community will be, either.
Your ideas sound nice, and I’ll encourage you to run. Your report after you failed to win will be even more interesting. You will see that to become a viable candidate you need to reach individuals, and that costs money – a lot of money. Only after your campaign has gained serious traction will the press then even cover you. You will be exposed to lawsuits trying to remove you from the ballot – and you need money for lawyers to fight back. You will find that your opponents will dig up a speeding ticket from 8 years ago and make a big deal of it. You will be attacked for everyone that supports you and their uplinked association.
I welcome that article, it should make an interesting read.
Do you even know who your running against?
Congressman Engel has only been kind to the people of Rockland County. He has “brought the bacon home” so to speak for many Rockland County organizations such as Hatzolah, yup, that new ambulance driving around,that was from him. Chaveirim, you know that big truck that has all the equipment inside so that the members can respond quickly? That was bought with funds requested by Congressman Engel. You know the nice clinic in New Square with the clean bathrooms and fresh paint? Guess who requested funds for it?
When you find out which Ivy League school Congressman Engel went to please post it, because last I checked Hunter-Lehman College is not an Ivy school.
You want regular everyday people like school teachers to run for office, Congressman Engel wasn’t an NYC public school teacher before he ran, was he? Wait! he was a school teacher!(1969-1977)
You want someone to run who grew up in a poor neighborhood to hard working parents right!?
Well you got Congressman Engel on that one! He grew up in the affluent City Housing Projects of the Bronx. His father was an Iron Worker but he probably was very rich, because all politicians come from rich families.
At what time in a persons career do we decide that he can no longer serve the people. What happened to the American dream. Who decided that the people are no longer being represented? In the last election 79% of people in the 17 congressional district approved of the job Congressman Engel is doing.
I think that Mr.Gestetner is trying to jump on to the Scott Brown bandwagon without first reading what he’s writing. Non of the above applies to our Congressman so why run against him. I think labeling all politicians under one label is closing close on bigotry and ludicrous.
Do your self a favor and Wikipedia Congressman Engel, and then write your article.
#2. You know that this fellow stands against the death penalty. I guess from his Website. Well, in that case, I fully agree with you that someone who opposes the death penalty should definitely NOT be voted for. We also have NO idea where this guy stands on anything else. Since he is for criminal’s rights, he probably is also “pro-choice”, i.e. anti-life. One who is not shaken enough by murder of innocents, has no value for human life…
I like all this talk about Ivy League this and Ivy League that when the Representative from the 17th CD went to CUNY and New York Law School, both of which are far from the Ivy League.
To thecommissioner (#5) True he was a school teacher many years ago. He has been there way too long. Yes every polotician brings home the bacon but that wil happen with who ever replaces him. Too many poloticians are there way too long!