MAKING SENSE OF THIS

The purpose of this entry is to try, for my benefit and possibly yours, to make sense of the campaigns of the other six candidates, which are revealed by the candidates' positions on issues  stated on their respective campaign websites (and which I copied and pasted in the entries (i) "Press release" re Rep. DeMarco's issue positions, (ii) "Press release" re Will Brooke candidacy, and (iii) Positions of Beason, Mathis, Palmer and Vignuelle).

I think it is helpful to break this down into (i) what the candidates want, (ii) what the Average Person wants, and (iii) the View From The Top.

What the candidates want

The candidates are virtually the same in advocating for  (i) repeal and replacement of Obamacare, (ii) reduction of the Federal debt, (iii) smaller government, which is less intrusive and less of an impediment in the economy, (iv) improving the education system, (v) pro-growth energy policy, (vi) "pro-life" policy and values, (vii) Second Amendment rights, and (viii) a strong national defense.  On these issues and on other issues which some, but not all, of the other candidates mention, I discern virtually no disagreement.

What the Average Person wants

I think the Average Person wants (i) affordable, quality health care, (ii) a robust economy with lots of jobs, (iii) a good education system, (iv) a country which does not go bankrupt, (v) plentiful amounts of energy, but with some protection of the habitability of the Earth, and (vi) a strong national defense.  Many Average Persons are "pro-life" and many Average Persons are "pro-choice."  Many Average Persons want stricter gun control laws.

The Average Person has mixed views about government.  On the one hand, the Average Person many times finds the government outrageous, overly intrusive, unfair, and objectionable.  On the other hand, many Average Persons get important support from the government, including Social Security and Medicare benefits (which are greater than what they paid in); student loans; small business loans; and mortgage guarantees which lower interest costs.  Also, the Average Person wants laws that protect them, such as consumer product safety laws, food safety inspections, and protection against financial and mortgage lending fraud.

I don't think the Average Person is an Environmental Extremist.

The Average Person thinks family is very important.

View From The Top

There is stupendous power and wealth to be had in Washington DC.

There are two vying political parties which engage in massive, four year cycle slugfests, in order to capture the huge prize of  the Presidency and the power and riches the Presidency can bring to the winner and his or her supporters.  The two parties also vie to capture seats in Congress and the riches and power those bring.

The winners and their supporters participate in influencing the collection and dispensation of trillions of dollars in the Federal budget and the regulation of large parts of the economy and other elements of national life. Supplicants come on bended knee to the winners in order to receive favored treatment which the winners can dispense.  The supplicants make campaign contributions (or contribute to favored charities of the winners or find other ways to show their gratitude).  The lawmakers can name post offices and get other buildings named after themselves.

Tens of thousands of lobbyists, and thousands of big campaign funders, and other players, jockey around between the two political parties, to try to be in the most advantageous position with the winners to partake of the power and wealth that Washington DC offers.  Many of the lawmakers go on to become lobbyists themselves and acquire monetary riches that way.

How much these People At The Top care about the rest of the country in their quest for power and riches is unclear.

I think there is a failed Congress which cannot bring itself to say to the Average People, "Average People, we have pursued our personal, selfish interests much too much and have failed you."