Two Degrees of Separation and a Double Sawbuck

Let's begin this serious discussion of American politics as any such discussion should begin, with a couple quotes from Mark Twain. He wrote, "America has no native criminal class, except perhaps the Congress." He also wrote, "Everyone talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it."

Now let's combine those two: "Everyone talks about Congress, but nobody does anything about it." Stop after you read the next sentence, and lean back in your chair and think. How many times, just in the last month, have you smacked your forehead in disgust over something you've seen or heard from a Member of Congress?

Okay, sorry for upsetting your digestion if you just ate lunch, but this is important. What are you going to DO about Congress? Not somehow, someday, or maybe – but right now? There are concrete steps you can take to improve the quality of Congress – right now, without leaving your keyboard. Are you with me?

Most people reading this column have read the columns of Congressman Billybob (and his alter ego, J. Armor, Esq.) many times. You know where I'm coming from, and what I believe in. If you need a current reminder, go to this website and visit:

If you are satisfied that my experiences, knowledge, and skills will improve the quality of the Congress, here's what you can do on the spot:

Six degrees of separation refers to the idea that we are so interconnected in this world that with just six connections from one person to another, any person can reach any other in six jumps. It is also referred to as the Kevin Bacon Game. Only two jumps are needed here.

As a student of Congress and of elections, I am certain that I cannot be elected as the new Congressman from the 11th District of North Carolina unless I can get the commitment of at least 2,000 smart and able volunteers in western Carolina. (That is roughly from Asheville west into the triangle under Tennessee.) By definition, only 1 of every 435 Americans lives in each congressional district, give or take a few. So only 0.25% of you can sign up to help directly. Please do that right now – and we continue on for the other 99.75% of the readers.

Given the odds, only a few of you have close friends, colleagues, whatever, who do live in this District. For all the rest, think about close associates who think like you, respect your judgment, and might – themselves – know people who live in western Carolina. Based on past experience, about 20,000 people will read this column.

If – and this is purely hypothetical – all 20,000 of you sent an e-mail to at least two and no more than five people you know well, recommended me, and passed the word along, what would be the result? Within two weeks, I would have that critical mass of at least 2,000 volunteers. Of course, most of you will move on to the next thing on your screen, and not "do anything about Congress," not today, not now. But if enough of you do ....

Think about people who live and work in eastern Tennessee, north Georgia, upstate South Carolina, north Alabama, eastern Kentucky, and southwestern Virginia. All those places are just a stone's throw from here. Think sales people who have this territory as part of their assignments. Think people who have retired here, for the low cost and natural beauty. Think people who are associated with the Cherokee – the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation is here. Think people who love mountains, because the Great Smokies – one of the nation's principal natural destinations – are here. Think golf nuts (we have hundreds of golf courses). Think lovers of waterfalls (we have hundreds of those, too). Think NASCAR fans (a lot of races are run hereabouts, and the whole sport began in these mountains with shade tree mechanics reboring their engines, and outrunning the "revenooers" with cargos of white lightning).

Right now, with your fingers still on the keyboard, send out no more than five e-mails to your choices for "Two Degrees of Separation," your guesstimate of people who will pass on the word so it will reach into the 11th District. Ask each of them to send the message on, to a small number of others. And be sure for each e-mail to recommend them to the website above, and send a copy the message to me so I can follow up:

There, that wasn't so hard, was it? As an optimist, I would hope for copies of 5,000 messages. As a pessimist, I'd hope for 250 copies. As a realist, I'll wait and see.

Successful campaigns must have two things. First is a minimum of dedicated and able volunteers. The other is money.

A "Double Sawbuck" is $20. When I started selling newspapers at the age of 15, that represented ten days of hard work, every day. Nowadays, that just ain't much money. Twice times a movie ticket, plus a bucket of popcorn and two overpriced drinks. A fast-food dinner for the family, with maybe enough left over for a couple ice cream cones.

If you are like me, and like most citizens of the Internet, you sit down at the keyboard with your credit card in your pocket. You do that even if you're sitting there in your bathrobe with a pair of fuzzy slippers on your feet. Why?

Because the Internet is not just a window on the world, not just a cornucopia of intellectual delights; it is also a shopping mall that offers everything you can imagine, and then some. Like Clint Eastwood as The High Plains Drifter riding into a new town, you have your credit card easy on your hip, ready to fire when necessary. Good.

Click on the website. Click on the "response link" on the right side middle of the first page. Use our secure server to contribute what you choose. And be certain to leave your name and address. I have special ways of saying thank you that require snail mail. No, your name and address will NEVER be given to anyone else for any reason. And if I do not win the election, I will burn the list and eat the ashes. Is that sufficient protection?

I am well aware of the parable in the Bible about the "Widow's Mite." It was the smallest coin in the realm, yet it was all that she could give. And so it was a welcome gift. I only have a small list of people who can and will "max out" under the Federal Election Commission rules and give $2,000. That list is small because I have restricted it just to individuals and just to those who don't ask for favors in return.

All the rest of the necessary money must come from thousands of smaller contributions. One hundred people who give a double sawbuck equal one more maximum donor. It all adds up. No one wins with just large contributions. No one wins with just small contributions. It takes both.

If you know me well, so you didn't have to do a great deal of reading to come up to speed, this has taken about five minutes. In return I offer you sixty years of experience at the local, state and national level, compressed into two years of excellent work in Congress.

There, now you've done something about Congress, rather than just talking about it. Doesn't it make you feel good? - 30 -

About the Author: John Armor is an author and columnist on politics and history. He currently has an Exploratory Committee to run for Congress.

Yep, it's bad timing for this to be posted just as the quarterly FReepathon is getting underway. So I revise what the article says, as follows:

Any contributions you make to our campaign, please send at least twice as much to FreeRepublic at the same time. In all fairness, the value of FreeRepublic to America is easily one hundred times the value to America of having one, card-carrying FReeper elected to Congress.

But if that ratio is applied my campaign will get contributions of a dime or so, and those just won't feed the bulldog. So please think in terms of 1 to 2.

John / Billybob

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As the article says, please make recommendations to people who are in the District, or likely to know folks who are. Also, send a modest contribution now, while you're thinking of it. LOL.

John / Billybob

John, I have been reading your Web site and thinking about what to say to you about your decision to run -- it's a little overwhelming.

All I can really say is, I am so proud of you for doing this, and America needs more men of principle and scholarship like you. What a privilege it is to know you!

As soon as I start working, I am going to start contributing to your campaign. I surely wish there were more I could do. But I want to urge you to go all the way -- advice which I am sure you don't need -- and please know I will be praying for you and asking God to bless your campaign in every way possible.

Congratulations, and best wishes! I'll stay in touch.

Paul

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