John MankoSome coding, politics, beer, art, and music. :)

I decided to run as a delegate because our area needs the representation. The last two days canvasing have been awesome. Everyone is really nice, and very supportive. I don’t know of any other delegate that has come out of my town, which is interesting. I think I’d be the first (how can I find out for sure?).  I think we represent an intersection of the valley that is often overlooked. I’ve met Romney, Santorum, and Paul supporters. This is going to be an interesting primary election in PA. As I get more into the delegate process, I’m gaining a better understanding of the important of this role. I hope I get elected. Heck, I hope I get on the ballot. Anyway, national polls have Romney as first and Paul as second, but Santorum had the big day yesterday. Gingrich will do well in the south east, so this thing is definitely going to the convention.

Here is our district:

CD17 Map

Check out this interview with Max Boot (Council on Foreign Relations) .  Listen to the entire thing, but I really wanted to point out the interview starting around 30:40. It’s pretty telling and very scary what Max says:

The US military presence abroad has underwritten the expansion of liberty and freedom and free markets over the course of the last 60 years. It is our Army, our Navy, our Air Force, our Marine Corps which defend liberty around the world and prevent conflicts from breaking out. Their most important role is not even to fight wars; it’s to deter adversaries and prevent aggression from occurring. They have kept the peace, in large part, in places like Europe and Asia which have known nothing but war in the past, and they have allowed for the peaceful expansion of those regions, all of which has been very much to America’s benefit. The defense budget is actually very cheap by comparison with what we get for it. We’re spend now well under 5% of our Gross Domestic Product, roughly half of what we were spending during much of the Cold War. And for that, we basically underwrite global security which allows us to be the most prosperous nation in the world and benefit from this international trade of which we are much a major part.

Much like Rome did when they conquered land, or the mafia does for “protection”. He’s basically saying that our military is used to prevent competition and allow for max profits – NOT to fight wars for defense.

Listen here:

Here is the original audio broadcast:
http://www.wbur.org/media-player?url=http://onpoint.wbur.org/2011/12/13/an-in-depth-look-at-ron-paul&title=An+In-Depth+Look+At+Ron+Paul&pubdate=2011-12-13&segment=1&source=onpoint

IOWA: GINGRICH 22% PAUL 21% ROMNEY 16%

Here are some pictures from my Yosemite hike. Click on images to enlarge.

I am just a new boy,
Stranger in this town.
Where are all the good times?
Who’s gonna show this stranger around?
Ooooh, I need a dirty woman.
Ooooh, I need a dirty girl.