This is something of a brief biography or background on myself:
editI was born in the United States of America, specifically in New York. I am of English, French, Dutch, Native-American, and Irish ancestry and my family name traces it's roots to the area near Glastonbury, England
I was always interested in history and at the age of 6 I wrote a book about President Washington (as well as I could at that age). My first hero was Davey Crockett. I was a Democrat growing up and have always been interested in political discussion. Even though I was young I read the paper often and supported Mondale in 1984 (at 10 years of age) and Dukakis in 1988 even though I could not vote. Since my early youth I saw the destruction of my hometown's industries and asked why our factories were in ruins to anyone I could. I developed a 'Buy American' attitude then and still hold that because I believe doing so (even if it has a foreign name if it is made here like some Toyotas for example) I would be supporting a fellow citizen's job.
In 1992 I supported Ross Perot for President and since it was my first chance to vote, was quite proud to have cast it for him and his reforms. In 1993 I entered college here in New York. My area of study was a combination of Political Science and History. I was impressed by the work of Dr. Sander A. Diamond] (who wrote "The Nazi Movement in the United States, 1924-1941") and developed my interest in studying both the tyrannies of Nazism in Germany and Communism in Russia as Independent studies. While there I came into first contact with political correctness and wrote about this for the school newspaper as I believed its spirit was in opposition to open debate and free speech. I eventually became managing editor of that paper and contributed to its wide success on campus. It was then I began to listen to Rush Limbaugh and agreed with him on some issues becoming a Republican in 1994. I was over joyed that they had won Congress that year and looked to the reforms they would bring. The only part of the Republican program I did not agree with was their economic beliefs overall (free-trade etc.) and on the issue of abortion or the right to privacy-I believe Roe v. Wade got it right, although I might be considered a moderate here as I oppose partial-birth abortion, support the right of states to restrict minor's (parental notification) and allow father's to have some say.
In 1996 I voted for Ross Perot and joined the Reform Party at that time believing that it represented more of what I believed. Their stance against NAFTA and the Republican Party's and Clinton's stance in favor helped me to make my decision to join them. I stayed a member of that party the rest of my college years graduating in 1997 with a B.A. degree in Political Science and History, with independent studies in Russian and German history.
In 2000 I voted for Buchanan whom I had admired for his book "The Great Betrayal" and "A Republic, Not an Empire" though I disagreed with him on the abortion issue which was irrelevant for the Reform Party. After that election I became a Republican again because the Reform Party had ceased to function properly and was infested with inner turmoil, though I believe they still hold the best positions on many of America's modern problems.
While working for the Department of Defense in 2001 in Arizona at Ft. Huachuca, I learned of the horrible attack on the twin towers and the Pentagon during my morning drive to work. My first thought on returning home was to call my parents back in New York and to join our Armed Forces to do my part against those who had attacked us and killed so many innocent people. I went to the recruiters to join the U.S. Army and to do my part on behalf of the country I so love, but I was told due to an operation I had when young, I was not accepted at MEPS, and was greatly disappointed. That said I supported President Bush as he waged the war on terror and believed him when he said we needed to go into Iraq. Since then I've learned much about the lies about WMD that lead to that war and became aware that Mr. Bush and the Republican Party was in my opinion wrong on: Social Security, Trade, the War, Immigration (the leadership anyway), the medicare 'reform', and their basic idea of government and what it could do or was all about. They were not my true home philosophically, so I have returned to my original party the Democratic Party with whom I share many beliefs though not all. Though I do not like the Clinton wing of this party nor Hillary (she is my Senator), I do like the John Edwards "One America" philosophy and the policy's of the 21st Century Democrat's which are:
Quality public education for all children
- We believe all children deserve a top quality education and we oppose voucher schemes because they drain funds from our public schools.
Universal healthcare coverage
- We are committed to reforming our health care system so that all Americans have access to the highest level of care.
Corporate accountability
- We think major corporations ought to be held responsible for their actions and should be regulated to ensure that their power does not undercut the authority of our government.
Fair taxes and responsible social policy
- We support a fair and just tax system and we oppose the Bush tax cut which serves only to help America’s wealthiest citizens.
Good jobs, living wages and secure pensions
- We defend the rights of workers to organize for fair wages and good working conditions and we oppose attempts to privatize or undermine our social security system.
A clean and sustainable environment
- We believe our environment must be protected and we support the advent of new technologies to encourage continued preservation.
Civil and human rights for all
- We support equal opportunity for all Americans regardless of race, gender, age, ethnic or religious background or sexual identity.
Clean election laws
- We believe everyone should have the opportunity to attain public office—not just the very wealthy. We support laws that would limit the use of private money in elections.
That is my story in brief. --Northmeister 15:45, 17 February 2006 (UTC) (updated - --Northmeister 04:44, 27 May 2006 (UTC))