Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas Coming to Macon County?

You reply, “Of course not, they’re both long dead.” But this may actually happen, with different participants.

The seven Lincoln-Douglas debates in Illinois in 1858 set the pattern that live debates are the best way for Americans to judge among candidates. Just one person in D.C. represents solely Western Carolina: your 11th District Congressman. You deserve a debate among the candidates.

The official candidates for the 11th (alphabetically) are: John Armor, Michael Morgan, Heath Shuler, and Charles Taylor. Normally, civic organizations don’t invite candidates to speak, to avoid favoring one over the others. But, there’s a non-partisan opportunity here.

Get together with ALL other civic organizations in your community. Pick a local hall. Invite ALL the candidates to attend. Make it Friday at 7pm, Saturday at 2pm or 7pm, or Sunday at 3pm, so a maximum of citizens can take part. Perhaps your local newspaper editor should run the debate.

I’ll be there with bells on, as my sainted Mother used to say. I believe the others will also come, and you will have a fine event.

www.ArmorforCongress.com Paid for by Curtis Mathews, Treasurer, Armor for Congress

The mods can move this to Vanity or Announcements if they see fit. I put it in News and Activism because I thought a few key posts as I progress into a knock-down, drag-out race for Congress might be instructive.

The filing deadline here is tomorrow, noon. It looks like there will be exactly the four candidates named, with Charles Taylor being the long-term incumbent, but beleaguered with scandals this time.

This is an exercise in practical appliation of political science. If the three challengers all show up, will that smoke out and force him to participate, even though his natural incentive is to avoid debates. Think back to Ronald Reagan in New Hampshire, "Mr. Green, I paid for this microphone."

This ad will run as soon as possible in seven of the fifteen counties in the 11th District of North Carolina. Depending on the feedback from this one, I'll run it in the other eight counties. I'll report back on the results.

If this effort works for me, it will work for others who are facing similar uphill races against entrenched incumbents.

John / Billybob

Since these will NOT be broadcast, they will not be as time-limited as the usual televised debate. Plus, if my encouragement of the local newspaper editors to be the MC's works, that will guarantee ample time for all comments.

I know these editors. Republican and Democrat alike, they will be similar to the legislators in Vermont I testified before, decades ago. Those folks made sure that everybody got his "say-so."

This is my way of guaranteeing an excellent campaign opportunities before relatively large audiences, with a minimum of money and staff time required to make it happen. If it works, it will be well worth the time and expense of the ads.

John / Billybob

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