The Truth Will Set You Free
By: BJ Lawson
It seems that my opponent has been claiming at the polls that I am distorting his record.
Perhaps that claim might work with people lacking access to the Internet, but we have worked to run a fact-based campaign focused on the issues, and documenting assertions.
This campaign is not personal, nor is it personally directed against our incumbent. It is based upon the issues, and his voting record that tends to serve the corporations who fund his campaigns as opposed to the people.
Bankruptcy reform? He voted for the banks. Repeal of Glass-Steagall? He voted for the banks. Bailout? He voted for the banks. Distortionary agricultural subsidies? He voted for big agriculture. NBAF? He votes for government contractors. Civil liberties? The harshest criticism of H.R. 1955 is from his colleague Rep. Dennis Kucinich.
The above facts are well-documented.
So if my opponent must resort to distortions in defense, it should come as no surprise that he might distort on offense.
One of his favorites is that I want to cut veterans’ benefits.
Why on earth would I want to do that?
One of our great disgraces over the past eight years is the rampant privatization of our military. This privatization has affected not just soldiers on active duty, but families living in base housing, as well as the way we treat our veterans.
I have no intention of cutting veterans’ benefits, and am committed to honoring those who have served our country. Especially in healthcare — I’m more than a bit familiar with the VA system, and while they have a relatively advanced computer system, there is great room for improvement.
I’m off to vote, and work the polls. To paraphrase Gandhi, it’s time to be the change we want to see in our community, and by extension the world.
November 4th, 2008 at 7:47 am
My wife and I just returned from voting at Crossroads Ford. We are democratic-leaning independents, but the 2 republicans we voted for are Lawson and McCrory.
November 4th, 2008 at 7:48 am
LOL, Truth in POlitics? No such thing!
Jiff
http://www.decrypt.net.tc
November 4th, 2008 at 8:28 am
BJ,
Whether you win today or not, I sure hope you’ll be running again in two years. Price may be able to get back into office by lying about you, and riding on Obama’s coattails, but sooner or later he’s going to have to face the public and answer for his record.
-jcr
November 4th, 2008 at 9:58 am
We are behind you all the way B.J.
November 4th, 2008 at 10:19 am
Go BJ!! The lies will not stick to such an honest man.
November 4th, 2008 at 10:47 am
Whatever happens BJ - you ran one hell of a campaign. Let’s hope it’s not your last.
November 4th, 2008 at 10:58 am
The country is behind you all the way — good luck today!
November 4th, 2008 at 11:54 am
Good Luck and all the best!! Whether you win or lose, you have my future support!
November 4th, 2008 at 12:16 pm
if Price steals this I’ll start campaigning for Lawson 2010!
November 4th, 2008 at 12:20 pm
B. J.
~~~~~~BEST OF LUCK IN TODAY’S ELECTION, IF TRUTH AND HONESTY ARE THE NECESSARY REQUIREMENTS TO WIN,………THEN YOU SHOULD WIN IN A LANDSLIDE!~~~
ALL OF THE “CAMPAIGN FOR LIBERTY” FOLKS HERE IN GUILFORD COUNTY ARE PULLING FOR YOU!!
Goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ALL THE WAY…..B.J.~~~!!!!!!!
November 4th, 2008 at 12:40 pm
BJ - I so badly wish I could vote in the NC 4th this year, and I agree with many of the others: if Price manages to ride Obama’s coattails (which, let’s face it, is the only way he will win), I truly hope you’ll run again in 2 years, and hold him accountable for everything that happens between now and then (and let’s just say I’m not optimistic).
GOOD LUCK!!!
November 4th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
I just left the polls at New Hope Community Center in Orange County. Even though the precinct is nearly 80% democratic, to my understanding, there were a surprising number of voters open to Lawson message of “Against the Bailout, Against the Patriot Act.” A number of the Democrats greeting voters there had voted for Lawson. At the very least we are opening eyes and ears.
On a side note, Mrs. Price showed up for two hours and directly came to me, charging that the Lawson campaign had called her husband a “liar,” referring to the UNC debate. I politely asked point blank if Price had voted for the bailout twice; her response was that he voted for the bill that passed, and the rest was not up for debate. I don’t understand how a matter of public record could be so distorted.
November 4th, 2008 at 1:34 pm
Bryan,
I would have apologized to Mrs. Price. Something along the lines of “Madam, I’m deeply sorry that your husband is a liar and a weasel. ”
I really wish you’d gotten that exchange on video.
-jcr
November 4th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
BJ - Best of luck to you on the big day today. I only wish that my neighborhood hadn’t been gerrymandered into the 13th district so I could vote for you. But I have family and friends in the 4th district and have talked to them about you and what you’re trying to accomplish.
November 4th, 2008 at 2:56 pm
BJ - Best wishes from Texas. I hope you realize how many eyes you’ve opened through your campaign. Good luck today.
November 4th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
Voted for BJ this morning. (And Ron Paul, too)
November 4th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
Paul Ray…you can’t write-in Ron Paul in North Carolina…it won’t be counted.
BJ, may God bless you…win, lose or draw, you’re a good man and you are a force to be reckoned with!
November 4th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
Whatever happens, this will be Prices’ LAST election.
This is just your beginning.
The Democrates will not back him again against you in another race period.
His voting record shines like a neocon. I dont think he can hide it agian past the obamamonster-hype. Keep the website going.
I hope you take what you learned and spread the knowledge far and wide.
CFL needs more wingmen like yourself.
Cheers from London.
November 4th, 2008 at 4:23 pm
Adam, I am aware that my vote for Ron Paul won’t be counted. But that’s my pick for President.
November 4th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
Good Luck BJ,
Freedom lovers around the country are rooting for you. I’m in Boston and will happily donate again if you run in two years. I know it has been a lot of work and I hope your family has been able to handle the sacrifices that you have made for us. Thank you!
November 4th, 2008 at 4:52 pm
Voting slow here at the Bible Church in Chapel Hill. Talked to a lot of Dems. Some were receptive to the message, many were not. But I think I was able to change a few minds. Most pushback I got was from what I would call a “Bush Republican” asking how we could support surrender, etc. Remembering that I was representing Lawson for Congress, I held my tongue. It’s not like the guy was gonna go in and vote for Price, anyway!
November 4th, 2008 at 7:33 pm
Dear Dr. Lawson,
I want to thank you for spending almost a half hour with me on the phone on election day. Please know that the woman at Southwest Elementary School did a wonderful job in trying to put me together with you, and in telling her story as well.
I struggled in my decision regarding the US 4th Congressional District race. I could be accused of letting fear dominate my decision.
re: healthcare
That millions of individuals were without healthcare was invoked repeatedly during the DNC convention in 2004. Hillary Clinton failed to implement a solution in 1992. Again and again, either the executive branch failed to obtain the necessary legislative support, or the elected executive demonstrated no interest in rectifying the problem.
I asked you what would become of a dear friend, a young woman with breast cancer currently employed in the Triangle and receiving BC/BS from her employer. I feel that not sketching hypothetical profiles of individuals in different states of health weakened your vision statement, hence the question. You noted that she would be able to keep her insurance with her employer and we spoke about creating an equal playing field between those who receive employer-paid insurance and those who do not.
But for all the concern about returning control of heathcare provision to the patients and providers, who pays for healthcare that is accessible and affordable to all? What is the mechanism to achieve that? Money freed up from the elimination of the personal income tax? How much money in routine care expenses does an individual need to save? What do you mean by routine care versus preventive care? How does an individual determine what their needs are when picking out an insurance policy? I do not own a crystal ball. Lower premiums on the front end simply means that I am willing to assume the risk of higher out of pocket expenses on the back. Do you know whether you will develop prostate cancer, CAD, or be injured in an MVA 10, 15, 20 years from now?
If you decouple insurance from employment, then what is the price of the insurance product? Is there a price control? How do individuals exert bargaining power? Is the insurance provider a public or private entity? Does the provider become a passive accounts payable clerk with no say as to eligibility for benefits?
And if insurers contribute to the distortion by “corporate care,” how does a national market for health insurance providers cede control back to the patient and their provider?
I don’t know how you make health insurance more affordable. I don’t know what “noncorporate” care looks like. I don’t know how you can have both individual choice and control and universal access.
You invoked the spectre of a senior citizen having their dialysis cut off so children would be fully funded. I’m not worried about a Soylent Green scenario. I’m worried about the millions without insurance today. I understand how a single payor scheme leaves the insured with no alternative means of appeal. I know about the wait lists in Canada. But I’ve seen documents from a multinational pharmaceutical company that extols the benefits of having five insurance companies trying to set Rx prices rather than one. Doesn’t a single payor have enormous negotiating power versus multiple insurers?
And frankly, wouldn’t the closing of Bojangles and the Cook Out as a threat to public health be appropriate? Are they any less threat to the public health than a bathhouse in NY or SF in the 1980’s?
You state goals but I have no idea how you get there. And I can’t afford to deprive my presidential choice of the legislative support he needs to implement universal health care. Hence my reluctant vote for Mr. Price.
re: abortion
You state that the US Supreme Court overstepped its bounds in extending a blanket rule over the republic regarding abortion. You assured me as a physician you would not allow the return of coat hangers in dark alleys, and would fight for sex education, etc. Unfortunately, by arguing that you want this issue to be resolved at the state level, I cannot be assured that citizens residing in another part of our country will be so enlightened. And I will not leave women dependent upon the wisdom of their local community, unless you propose to live out of a suitcase as you travel from state to state providing erudition.
re: gun control
I am interested in seeing the data you mentioned. I support an “evidence-based” approach. But I am concerned with the juxtaposition of armed college students, presumably trained to carry and use firearms, and the prevalence of alcohol on campus. In essence you are arguing that current gun control measures are a bust?
re: civil liberties
While the Patriot Act and its unholy spawn disturb me as much as they disturb you, I recall over twenty-five years go that gay men, IV drug users, and Haitians were considered pretty much disposable. My father was one of them. You can’t be free if you’re dead. My community was facing annihilation long before many of your supporters worried about their liberties. At the risk of being self-indulgent, in the words of Bruce Willis in Die Hard, “welcome to the party, pal!”
One can say that the individual is an endangered minority, but if I wanted to marry another gentleman I could not. You are married. You have a bag of rights, responsibilities and privileges by being married that I cannot obtain. If you would agree to get government out of the marraige business, I’d like to have seen you state that explicitly during your campaign. Every election, a candidate always says that there are bigger fish to fry. Tyranny is a present danger, but that other fish has been there forever, and it isn’t going to go away. If you love the Constitution as much as you say you do, then may I remind you that I’m being short-changed as concerns the 14th amendment.
Thank you again for speaking with me today.
Jeffrey Bergman
Durham, NC
November 4th, 2008 at 7:42 pm
You are a true American, BJ.
Cheers from California, please, run again in the near future.
WE all need you.
November 4th, 2008 at 7:45 pm
I have never been prouder about voting for a candidate than I was when I cast my ballot for you today. Win or Lose - I implore you to keep on fighting the good fight. You have my support.
November 4th, 2008 at 8:10 pm
BJ
Your campaign is run exactly the way campaigns should be.
-David Carlson
http://www.davidcarlsonpolitics.com
November 4th, 2008 at 8:33 pm
BJ
I wish you all the luck. You have people from across the United States supporting you. I bet that has David Price shaking in his pants.
Let’s hope our district chooses correctly!
November 4th, 2008 at 9:22 pm
BJ,
It’s a shame that people don’t take the time and really research the candidates. If that was the case, you would’ve been the clear winner. I know what a great leader you are and that by voting for you, I voted for real change!
November 4th, 2008 at 10:03 pm
BJ, you ran an amazing campaign. Please don’t get discouraged. Please keep fighting for Liberty. The movement needs leaders like you! Freedom is popular, but it can take a while to catch on in some parts of the country.
Thank you for your efforts and putting up a good fight.
In Liberty,
Matt Wolf
Bloomington, IN
November 4th, 2008 at 10:10 pm
BJ,
Congratulations on running a great campaign. You should be very proud of what you have accomplished in the cause of liberty and constitutional government. No matter the outcome, I hope you will continue. You have many supporters around the country! I’m in Florida, but I used to live in Chapel Hill. My husband is a neurosurgeon who did his residency training there. I am proud to say that over the last few months, I have turned him into a Ron Paul supporter. Today we both voted for Chuck Baldwin, in lieu of Ron Paul. I wish we could have voted for you, too! Best of luck!
November 4th, 2008 at 10:45 pm
What a pleasure to watch you run a transparent and truthful race.
The Wake County stats are a sight to behold.
It was our pleasure to vote for you and we look forward to doing it again in 2010!
Dan & Michelle Johnson
Cary, NC
November 4th, 2008 at 10:51 pm
BJ,
The people of District 4 have spoken, and they speak not you, but to the Constitution. They really don’t want the Constitution representing them. The Constitution is a drag- it doesn’t even provide a living wage. Itdoesn’t provide free health care. It doesn’t understand the War on Terror and our national interests. Ect. So, the Constitution needs to head back to Washington with David Price to get back to what the Constition has been serving as for many years- as toilet paper for Washington.
I am so proud to have had the opportunity to vote for you. I hope you will run again. You have fired the first few shots in the war to reclaim our country, and we need people of your caliber and courage.
November 4th, 2008 at 11:24 pm
Seriously: thank you B.J. Lawson. I sincerely hope to see you against Price or running for something again in 2010. We’ll be there for you. You did us Ron Paul supporters proud even if you didn’t win against an entrenched democrat incumbent in a democrat year.
November 4th, 2008 at 11:33 pm
Thank you BJ for your considerable efforts to supplant David “Can’t Afford the” Price. I wish you the best of luck in future endeavors and hope to see you campaigning again in 2010!
November 4th, 2008 at 11:41 pm
BJ,
You have been a true inspiration to me and a great advocate of freedom for us all. I am very sad at the outcome of things, but I wanted to thank you for all of the sacrifices you have made and encourage you to keep heart and not give up. As someone mentioned above, should you choose to run again, I’ll be there with you - that is a promise.
Jonathan
Sacramento, CA
November 4th, 2008 at 11:54 pm
BJ - I am not officially registered with either party, but usually fall on the Democrat side for the most part. Today, however, after meeting you in line to cast my vote, I voted for you. The restults are out and I was part of a minority, but please know that I’ll be looking for you next time around. I was deeply impressed by your genuineness, and I decided with that one handshake that no matter what party you represent we need more people like you leading our country.
I’ll be campaigning for you in two years. Start planning your next campaign now!
November 5th, 2008 at 12:01 am
Good Job
November 5th, 2008 at 12:04 am
You have planted the seeds of liberty. It is a slow-growing oak among the thorns of socialism.
Thank you.
November 5th, 2008 at 12:34 am
B.J., this West Virginian was watching your race with the greatest of hope. You ran one heck of a campaign, and you gave David Price a race like he hasn’t had in a long, long time.
Thank you for carrying the torch. I look forward to donating to your campaign two years from now.
November 5th, 2008 at 12:47 am
Thank you for all your efforts BJ, and for representing the cause of liberty with such class & dignity.
November 5th, 2008 at 12:51 am
BJ you ran a very spirited campaign, great job! The R3VOLUTION will still be here in 2010 and we will be back with a vengeace!!!
November 5th, 2008 at 12:58 am
I am not sure what the numbers actually came out to but I see where it says Price won. Don’t give up B.J. because I feel a good portion of the Republican losses were due to the past eight years and mostly really the first 6 of those. You represent what we want as a direction of the Republican party. Right now it is not good to be running as a Republican but we will change the party. I wonder what the results would have been if Ron Paul would have been the Republican nominee, especially after the economy going in the tubes.
I hope we see you run for office again. If so I will give what I can again. It was not much this time but I will be better prepared next go around. In time you will win. Thank you for running.
November 5th, 2008 at 1:02 am
Thank you so much BJ!!!!!!!!!!!!
I cannot imagine the sacrifices that you, your family and your business endured to allow you to campaign so long trying to climb such a steep hill. Your campaign proves that politics does not have to include personal attacks to be successful. It is my fervent hope that you will be willing to build on your successful campaign in two years and take another shot at Mr. Price in an off-year election when he’ll be ripe to be sent packing! Dan’s comments above are right on target and I won’t try to add to them.
You encouraged and inspired me from the first day I learned about your platform and I would very much like to hitch my wagon to your train again very soon! I was proud to represent you at a couple of my local polling locations the past few days and would be honored to do so again.
Yours in liberty (and higher taxes for the next couple of years!)……….
Best regards,
Rob
November 5th, 2008 at 1:10 am
Paul Ray Says:
November 4th, 2008 at 10:51 pm
“BJ,
The people of District 4 have spoken, and they speak not you, but to the Constitution. They really don’t want the Constitution representing them. The Constitution is a drag- it doesn’t even provide a living wage. Itdoesn’t provide free health care. It doesn’t understand the War on Terror and our national interests. Ect. ”
BJ: I cannot tell you how many people eschewed my offer of a free Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution saying something along the lines of “I don’t need that!” who then turned to those offering a Democratic Party sample ballot and asked…something along the lines of…”Now tell me how I’m supposed to vote!” No individual thoughts required I guess!
I’m willing to start tomorrow to overcome this and other challenges that we face in trying to remove David (and his) Price from serving in our House of Representatives!
From one who’s Peace, Liberty and Prosperity bound……..
Best regards again,
Rob
November 5th, 2008 at 1:47 am
BJ,
You ran a great race. Two years from now, Obama’s coattails are going to be rather threadbare, and I sure hope you’ll run again.
-jcr
November 5th, 2008 at 2:13 am
BJ,
I hope that the political enviroment will be more favorable to you in 2010. It was probably the most difficult time to try to unseat a Dem. You gave him a race though and im sure he is not looking forward to you again.
I wan’t to thank you for lending your time to try to serve your district and the country. I wish everyone on every ballot had your passion for liberty and the constitution. Most politicians forget that they serve us not corporations and parties.
Best of luck to you in all that you do(hope running in 2010 is already in your mind)
Stephen Frazier
Ringgold, GA
November 5th, 2008 at 3:18 am
Outstanding race BJ. Thank you so much for running. Maybe next time. Stay involved. The people need you.
November 5th, 2008 at 7:00 am
BJ,
Thanks for running.
Ronney
November 5th, 2008 at 7:59 am
BJ,
Thank you for fighting for freedom here in the 4th. We must remain vigilant in our effort to restore liberty and justice for all. This was merely a test. You sir, have inspired people across the country to come together in the name of The Constitution.
I hope that you will remain an active and visible presence in the district. Thank you for the opportunity to stand up with you and fight the good fight. Price will have to actually have to run with out the aid of blind straight party zombies.
June 18th, 2009 at 10:02 pm
Bailout 2008 by David Jeffrey
Like a bloodied warrior,
laying broken and torn.
Like a dying soldier, hopeless and forlorn.
But the blood, it be green,
the color of money.
And the soldier is an economy,
and it is anything but funny.
Broken are it’s people and shattered are their dreams.
Thanks to the ultra rich and their full proof schemes.
It is a tragedy with more pain to come.
Finance will be Hell, and their wills will be done.