Thread: What I Believe-Note: Marshall Adame is a likely 2008 Democra

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What I Believe
Marshall Adame



Marshall is a retired US Marine Vietnam veteran who became an Aviation Management/Logistics consultant in 1992.


Marshall: worked in the Kuwait recovery of 1992-93.

Was the Senior Aviation Logistics Manager for Kaman Aerospace in Egypt US Government programs for four years.

Was in Iraq from mid-2003 until late-2006.

In 2003 Marshall was the US Coalition Airport Director for Basrah Int'l Airport in Iraq.

In 2004 he was VP for Aviation Development with The Sandi Group Int’l, Iraq.

In 2005 Marshall was a Department of State US Diplomatic Advisor to the Iraqi Ministry of Interior and with the Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRT) where he was on the staff of the National Coordination Team (NCT) in Baghdad.

Marshall returned to the USA in September 2006.

He is currently on staff as a Senior Analyst for a DOD project.

Marshall and his wife Becky (3rd grade teacher) have been married for 37 years and have four children, Paul, Veronica, William and Benjamin, and eleven grandchildren.

Their sons William and Benjamin, served in Iraq in the US Army. William was wounded in action on July 2nd 2006.

Marshall and Becky reside in Jacksonville North Carolina. marshall_adame@yahoo.com

Note: Marshall Adame is a likely 2008 Democratic candidate for Congress in NC and is a supporter of John Edwards for President


author's email



Marshall Adame
February 26, 2007
I believe in the Constitution, The Bill of Rights and the resilience of liberty and freedom in America. Short of a world wide catastrophic event, not relative to one country warring against another, the Bill of Rights should never be suspended or made ineffective through legal redefining or amendment.

Liberty cannot be protected by curtailment or suspension of personal rights and freedoms.

America is strong because we are free, not free because we are strong. Greater freedom will manifest greater strength.

With the exception of the Office of President, the voters determine political office term limits, but no elected official should remain in any single office more than eight consecutive years. The health of our governance should take precedence over one’s personal ambitions.

When one keenly knows his way through the halls of power, he has likely lost touch with the common man.

Elected officials are servants, not kings, and to lose sight of that is to become ineffective and useless to one’s constituency.

One of the highest responsibilities of any US Congressman or Senator is to protect the interest of their respective district, State and its citizens. The need to maintain an understanding of critical concerns and requirements of one’s district should compel any representative to remain closely in touch with the district he/she represents. The interest of an elected official's district should not be sacrificed for the sake of political expediency, or personal advantage. The congressional staff of any congressman should, for practical reasons, consist of persons from the District he/she represents. Accountability to the voters will ensure good government.

Constitutional powers and responsibilities of the individual states must be protected.

For example, all U.S. representatives from my state, North Carolina, should be working in concert to ensure the progress and future prosperity of North Carolina and its citizens. What is good for the State of North Carolina is good the country.

Freedom of speech and freedom of the press are fundamental to personal liberty and a free society. There is no constitutional protection against being personally offended. Political correctness, when mandated, is damaging to truth, justice and the American way. Natural civility should be an inherited behavior in society. When it is not exercised, it must be tolerated. Civility should be a social norm, but not mandated through criminal law.

No member of the press should ever be compelled by the US courts to reveal a source of news which, when made public, does not compromise national security. The courts must be able to demonstrate a direct violation of US law prior to compelling any such disclosure. Freedom of speech and Freedom of the press, as defined in our Constitution, require no further definition.

Any member of the Federal Government who willfully or knowingly releases information which has been rightly classified as Secret, Top Secret or higher should be accountable as provided by existing law.

We are a country governed by our laws, and no individual or group is above the laws of the land or legally outside its parameters.

We are, as a people and a country, measured by how we protect and care for the helpless and hopeless among us.

It is incumbent on a country and it’s people to ensure the welfare of it’s mentally and physically handicapped, particularly when the handicap exist from birth, i.e., Autism, Down Syndrome, Deafness, and physical deformities which prevent normal motor, or mental operation. Those handicapped as the result of war or other military service should be assured that society recognizes the sacrifice and the obligation that it bears as a result.

Poverty in America exist at a staggering level. Over sixteen million Americans are living below the poverty level. We, as a people, cannot not allow this to go unaddressed. To do so would be unconscionable and detrimental to our future as a people and as a country.

A citizen’s personal land and property are sacred and should never be violated or taken for reasons relative to the generation of revenue or private development. Government does not have the moral right to deprive any citizen of his property without just compensation, or for private development.

No Federal tax should ever be levied against personal property or personal income being inherited, through reason of death or living will, by a family member in all cases.

Food, clothing and prescription medicine should never be taxed by the Federal government.

The American People desperately need a comprehensive, universal health care system designed to care for the sick and injured, not primarily for those most able to pay. According to the new U.S. Census Bureau report, the number of uninsured people in America has increased by 1.3 million to 46.6 million, including 400,000 more children and yet the United States spends more on health care than any other industrialized country on earth, including countries that provide health care coverage to its entire citizenry. We have a responsibility to our country to do better than we are doing now.

Active duty and retired military income should not be taxed by the Federal or State governments.

The supposed “War On Terror” has morphed into a war on the personal liberties and rights of the American People. The premise, that in order to protect our freedoms we must be willing to sacrifice our liberty, is absurd and serves only the interest of those who would undermine our Constitution for expediency’s sake.

The Patriot Act and the Detainee act have served to allow the executive branch of our government the power to declare US citizens as “Terrorist” without recourse, thereby stripping them of their constitutional rights as American citizens. Congress has not formally issued a “Declaration of War” and yet we are being reminded daily that we are a nation at war, and therefore government intrusion into our private lives is justified. This is disingenuous. In the enactment of this legislation, the use of the word "Patriot" was in itself a calculated act of cunning.

The supposed “War on Terror” should not be a war on those Americans who disagree with the government’s execution thereof. The present Administration has turned the “War on Terror” into a war against any nation, people, or individual who disagree with the means and methods of its pursuit. As a retired US Marine, this is unacceptable to me. The politics of fear, endorsed by the current Republican administration, must end.

Allowing torture of any enemy prisoner or detainee, at any time, for any reason, is surrendering our historical values and principles as Americans. To become like our enemy, in an effort to defeat him, puts us on the same moral plane our enemy embraces. Moral conscience is relevant, or it is not.

We must always choose the moral ground that is representative of American values and our sense of right and wrong. Because our enemy is immoral does not grant America the choice to be like minded. In WWI American soldiers were tortured, but we did not torture. In WWII our soldiers were tortured and even used for scientific experimentation, but we Americans did not torture our enemy prisoners. During the Korean conflict, our fighting men were tortured by the enemy, but we did not torture our enemy prisoners. During Viet Nam our POWS were savagely tortured, but we did not torture enemy prisoners. American values are solidly embedded in the souls of its citizens and are not subject to the whim of any U.S. President or to the U.S. Congress for that matter.

In order to defeat our enemy, we cannot justify becoming like him. Where then would our victory be?

We cannot continue to blame all of the failures of the current Republican Administration on the 9/11 tragedy and its aftermath. At some point the egregious failures of the Republican leadership must be acknowledged by the American people.

North Carolinians are patriotic and independent. Freedom and Liberty are fundamental to the nature of our southern existence. Depending on the government for our total existence is foreign to the spirit of independence that lives in North Carolina. It is my belief that most of the country feels the same way.

THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY

The Democratic Party has, to some extent, gone away from its own tenets, being unduly influenced by extreme elements which have wrongly placed the principle of “Common Good” into a box filled with fringe causes which, when rightly articulated, do not rise to the level of “common” good and panders to a constituency less concerned with the National Common Good than with their own narrow interest.

The Democratic Party is “The Party of The People” and should, overtly and within the halls of power, reflect that image and manifest that reality. Personal rights, liberties and freedoms are paramount to the strength of our nation as the leader of the free world and the primary example to that part of the world not yet free. The Democratic Party should be known for those principles and values.

At this time in our history, the Democratic Party and those like minded are the real hope for America’s domestic and international recovery. Our beliefs and our fundamental tenets of Democracy are the hope for America and her future. America needs the Democratic party, and to overcome during this time in Americas history, the Democratic party needs America.

PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATION

The United States Standing in the world community relative to primary and secondary education is dismal. The practical and productive education of our children in public schools has been sacrificed to those who have made the public schools into institutions of social experimentation and internationalization. Our children are not excelling academically, as a rule, and our teachers are abandoning their profession in droves. Our teachers are an unappreciated national resource.

In regards to Primary, Secondary and High Schools, federal tax support should be focused on public school systems which make their announced primary mission the academic advancement of its students through the studies of Reading, Writing, Math, Sciences, U.S. Government, U.S. History, Geography, Social Studies and the Arts. All other subjects being elective or secondary.

The Federal Department of Education has become ineffective, bureaucratic and overreaching in its perceived mandate. It should either be wholly restructured or dismantled. Ideally, individual State Education Departments should be mandating school curriculum for their respective state. Elected state representatives are far closer to the local demands of their constituency, and should therefore carry a greater burden for decisions regarding school curriculum than the federal government.

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

The Federal government is too big in the wrong places.

Federal and State assistance to feed and house Americans living in poverty is essential to good government and social stability.

The Federal Government should not usurp the constitutionally provided rights and powers of the individual states under premise of the “Common Good” without majority consent of those State governments.

The National Guard should never be used to fight wars on foreign soil.

Foreign Aid should be cut by 1/3 immediately across the board and carefully reassessed from that point.

U.S. participation in the United Nations should be temporarily restricted to matters of peacekeeping, poverty, world hunger, elementary education, genocide and natural disasters.


Unilateral negotiations directly with UN member states, regarding industrial and economic issues relative to U.S. interest, should be conducted at all levels. Current U.S. financial and human contributions to the UN should be utilized in this unilateral effort to bring common ground and rational resolutions to the mutual interest issues with member states desiring U.S. involvement or assistance.

The economic, political and social barriers between The United States and Cuba should be removed. Diplomatic relations, economic assistance and social interaction should be immediately reinstated. The United States has a great interest in maintaining healthy and vigorous social and economic ties with her neighbors. Most Cubans, living in Cuba, have family ties in the United States and most Cubans, living in America, have immediate and extended family ties in Cuba.



The primary contributor and reason for the long held animosity between the U.S. and Cuba has been the official U.S. sanctions which have negatively affected both.

Maintaining the current sanctions against Cuba, for historical reasons, or to placate a small politically active group of Cuban exiles living in America, is not productive and serves to fuel the anti-American hopes and dreams of certain South and Central American Governments. These Anti-U.S. governments, Venezuela and its president Hugo Chavez for example, have leveraged their ill-will campaigns towards the U.S. on Cuban government participation. Castro’ s time is ending and America must take the initiative to ensure Cuba’s future as a free people.

Friendship, economic and social ties with the Cuban government and its people will serve to de-fuse the Anti-U.S. sentiment, encourage prosperity and increase the possibility for democratic movements and better relations with other nations as well. In countries like Cuba, prosperity energizes freedom.

There are certain Countries on earth who's governments do not wish America well. I believe the countries I have named below, either are already acting on that ill-will, or given the right circumstances, through support or direct action, will act utilizing the tactics of terrorism:

Saudi Arabia , Iran , Syria , Venezuela , North Korea , Pakistan , Lebanon

I believe the primary financial support for world wide terrorism comes from two primary sources, Saudi Arabia and Iran. Regarding the Saudis, I do not believe that support for terrorism comes directly from the government itself. I believe government authorities of Saudi Arabia are aware of its prominent citizens who are funding world wide terrorism, and who may even may be providing aid and shelter to Osama Bin Laden. Iran’s government, I believe directly aids world wide terrorism. It is possible that the Saudi Royal family and the government of Saudi Arabia cannot act against those individuals and groups for fear of becoming victims themselves.

Additionally the Saudi government has an official policy of persecuting Christians, Jews and Hindus. The US Government has never called the Saudi Government to task on this. The US State Department and the present administration of George Bush Jr. strives to be all things to all people. This position is not only dishonest, but it speaks hypocrisy to those countries with whom we associate diplomatically.

Canada and Mexico are our closest neighbors and should therefore enjoy a special status and relationship with the United States. Expanded diplomatic presence, defense and law enforcement assistance, vocational educational development, immigration, economic, trade and business development assistance through education and consultation can be offered to Mexico. Boarder security cooperation can be negotiated and expanded to include training, equipping and mentoring Mexican authorities even to include Mexico’s coastal and Southern boarders. Greater US – Mexico partnerships will usher in greater understanding of each country’s concerns and a willingness to assist in each others objectives. Canada and the United States should enjoy free trade exclusive of any international treaties or agreements. By sharing certain arrangements with Canada and Mexico, America’s first “un-drawn” line of defense can begin at the outside boarders of those countries.

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (DOD)

The failed leadership and mismanagement of the Department of Defense (DOD), particularly in the Middle East, is unconscionable and inexcusable. Congressional oversight has been irresponsible and lax.

The current administration has abused its privilege of leading our military men and women.

Worldwide deployment of the U.S. Military personnel and equipment should be immediately reduced by 1/3. This includes Europe, Asia and The Middle East. Military assistance programs in Europe should be hosted on European Military bases.

All exclusive U.S. Military bases in Europe, without military airlift capability facilities, should be closed over a two year period. U.S. military presence in Japan should be restricted to the U.S. Naval Base Yokosuka, U.S. Air Force Base Yokota and Kadena Air Force Base Okinawa. No base closures should be executed in South Korea. All US Military base closures in the United States and her territories should be halted immediately. Any country desiring a permanent US Military presence on their soil, with a few exceptions, should be willing and required to fund 75% of the costs related to the US presence. Any country not willing to enter into a Status of Forces agreement, protecting our servicemen and women, should not have a permanent US military presence.

ILLEGAL ALIENS

There are an estimated eleven to thirteen million Illegal aliens living in the United States. The greatest majority of the illegal aliens in America today are Mexican citizens who arrived from across our border with Mexico. Some arrived yesterday, and many thirty and forty years ago at the open invitation of American agricultural interest. Some, having arrived many years ago, have immediate relatives (children, grandchildren, spouses, etc.) who are natural born U.S. Citizens. Although now politically popular, the notion that we can send all those millions of people packing is not only unrealistic, it is an impossible task. In this case, practicality and in deference to the millions of US citizens who would be adversely effected, we must find an accommodation, a middle ground, in the effort to resolve this issue.

To strengthen our borders and our relationships with our neighbors is the only real solution. High fences running for miles and deep trenches, although necessary in some areas, will not be sufficient to the task. The task will require total cooperation and assistance from the Mexican Federal Government. To negotiate a plan and method for cooperation will be the truest path to successfully securing our borders with our friends and neighbors from the South. I am always amused by the clamor about our border security, particularly when the border with Canada is rarely mentioned. The United States Agriculture groups and certain industrial entities have welcomed “illegal” Mexican workers for over eight decades and encouraged them to remain in America where they were finding security, prosperity and acceptance.

Government authorities need to develop a viable physical border security plan which will provide a reasonable level of physical border security, but should also initiate cooperation programs with the Mexican and Canadian governments which will solicit mutual assistance and security.

All nineteen of the 9-11 hijackers came across the Canadian border, a favorite crossing place for illegal Europeans and Middle Easterners. No Hispanic, having legally or illegally arrived from Mexico, has ever been charged with Terrorism. A comprehensive and serious program of securing our boarders should be the priority. Trying to hunt down millions of people living in America, some having been here for four and five decades, is a fools folly serving political interest and which will cost more than it will ever save. The human, as well as the economic, toll would be incalculable.

MARRIAGE

No married couple in the United States, who were married in any of the fifty states, were required to obtain the Federal Governments permission to be married.

The Individual States license and validate marriage. It is an American tradition founded in law and social norms. The Federal government has no business allowing or preventing any part of a marriage contract. The individual States should retain the authority over legislation regarding marriage. No federal law should exist regarding the validation or definition of marriage. It is and should remain a State issue.

FAMILY

Family is the glue which binds and stabilizes society. Preservation and support of the family unit is, or should be, an important personal issue for Americans. The love of country is built into the very fabric of the family and how it perceives the world relative to the country’s interest.

No person under the age of 18 should be allowed a “voluntary” medical treatment without parental or legal guardian consent. The notion that the State or the Federal Government has more responsibility for a child than the natural parent, or legal guardian is foreign to American tradition and social norms.

To love and care for my own family is the highest calling, and to do that through teaching, example, charity, understanding, giving and unconditional acceptance is the boldest adventure.

RELIGION

I believe that most, but not all, of the founding fathers of our country were of the Christian faith. I am a Christian.

I believe mandated religion has no business in government and government has no business in religion. Historically, America has utilized religious symbols of faith in ceremony, on our currency, and public buildings. Although primarily Christian in nature, other faiths are often represented as well. These forms of public, faith based, representations are, in most cases, historically and socially engrained in the fabric of America, and should not be restricted. To do so is the height of discrimination and bigotry. Liberty requires tolerance.

Religion cannot and should not be mandated in a free society.

The practice of religion should not be restricted in a free society.

Any religion which does not advocate violence, or does not seek to intrude on, or usurp the freedom or liberty of any other segment of society, or individual, should not be molested, or discriminated against by any individual, other segment of society, or by government.

Any religion which recognizes and practices the restraints exercised in a civil society, where the rule of law prevails, and abides by that law, should not be molested by any other segment of society, weather social, religious or governmental.

Any organization which cloaks itself in religion, but advocates violence and seeks to dominate, undermine society, or hurt it’s citizens, in any way, should be recognized for what it is, violent and criminal in nature and should be dealt with in that respect.

In the historical perspective, governments, controlled or dominated by any religion, have been repressive, tyrannical and have denied its citizens basic liberties and freedom which, in the American existence, are considered “inalienable”.

GUN CONTROL

With the exception of certain automatic weapons and other specific weapons of war, the Federal Government should refrain from legislating gun control in America.

I believe it is the constitutional right of any law abiding U.S. citizen to own and privately hold personal weapons in his/her home, property and, in some cases, on his/her person.

Any gun control legislation, excepting afore mentioned, should be the sole domain of the individual States, and then, within the limitations and restrictions as provided in the US Constitution which guarantees the individual right to bear arms.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Marshall is a retired US Marine Vietnam veteran who became an aviation management/logistics consultant in 1992.

He worked in the Kuwait recovery of 1992-93 and was the senior aviation logistics manager for Kaman Aerospace in their Egypt US Government Aviation assistance programs from 1998 through 2002.

Marshall arrived in Iraq in 2003 where he was the Coalition Provincial Authority Airport Director for Basrah International Airport, In 2004 he became VP for Aviation development with an International commercial company.

In 2005, while in Baghdad, Marshall received a Diplomatic appointment from The Department of State (DoS) and was assigned as a US Advisor for logistics to the Iraqi Ministry of Interior. He later was joined the DoS Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRT) where he served on staff of the National Coordination Team (NCT) in the Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq. (Logistics, City planning, Governance Capacity Building, Government Liaison).

Marshall is currently serving as the Sr. Analyst for an Army Defense contractor in the Northeastern United states.

Marshall, 54, and his wife Becky (Formerly Becky Ortiz), a 3rd grade teacher, have been married for 37 years and have four children, Paul, Veronica, William and Benjamin, and eleven grandchildren.

Two of their sons, William and Benjamin, have served in Iraq in the US Army. William was wounded in action on July 2nd 2006.

Home: Jacksonville NC. Marshall and Becky reside in Jacksonville North Carolina. marshall_adame@yahoo.com

Marshall Adame is a very likely 2008 candidate for the North Carolina 3rd US Congressional District seat.

Marshall is a strong supporter of John Edwards for President of The United States in 2008.

some of what the guy says is true , but as far as immigration, bull, make it illeagal to hire them and they will leave, little by little , they will go back to their own countries. never say never, it can be done.

Mr.Marshall has some good points but he is wrong on the illegal immigration issue."We just can't send those people back" is the standard p.c. statement for illegal alien apologists and their enablers.

Enforcement of immigration laws will cause illegal aliens to self-deport by attrition.They seemed to have gotten here by themselves alright.What's to say they can't return by themselves by attrition when our laws are finally enforced and the jobs and benefits dry up ?

I'm a little confused, what was the purpose of posting this?