Mayor Dedor

February 28, 2012 • Blog, Life, Politics • by
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Three days ago was yet another anniversary in my life. It is the day that I lost my campaign for Mayor of Mason City, Iowa. Oh, you didn’t know that?

Back when I was 18 years old (yes, you read that right), I decided that I wanted to be crazy and run for public office. I still lived at home. I was a student at North Iowa Area Community College. A freshman. Did I mention I was still living at home?



I get two questions a lot when talking about the campaign.

First, why did you do it?

I wish there were a simple answer for that question. The great thing with time is that things get simpler. Stories and reasons get softened and a clearer understanding often emerges. Why did I run? Because I had a passion for policy. I had a passion for my community. And I had ideas I wanted to share. All those things, and I wanted to win. I truly did believe that when I announced my candidacy that November afternoon in Southbridge Mall, that I could win.

The second question I get a lot is, when are you going to run again?

That question is a lot like the one I get now, “When are you going to write another book?” The answer to both questions ironically is: When I have something to say. Of course, when it comes to politics, I will always have something to say. That is a passion that will never die. But do I ever see myself running again? Who knows. I love the idea, but not sure I love what it does to life, families and the people involved. I will say this: I learned a lot!

Looking back, nine years hence, I am still tremendously honored that I received the 612 people who voted for me. I had that many people in my town of 30,000 who believed in what I believed. Trusted me with the community’s future.

I carry this experience with me wherever I go. My campaign slogan nine years ago was, “The Time is Now.” It’s interesting to me that my new slogan is, “Believe in Possible.” I did back then. Nine years later, the torch still burns bright.

Book Review: No He Can’t

November 7, 2011 • Blog, Books, News, Politics • by
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I am a political junkie. There, I have admitted it. I am also conservative, but not a Kevin McCullough conservative. He is a far-right member of the spectrum and spends the entire book telling the reader that everything our current president has done and is doing is wrong and destroying America. For a McCullough fan this book is gold. For someone interested in quality journalism, this book misses the mark by a wide margin.

I believe there are many different types of politicos but it probably boils down to these two: Those who want to Win and those who want to win. You read that right … they are the same phrase, but one with a capital W and one without.

McCullough is of the capital Win category. He thinks his ideas are 100 percent right and based on the book, leaves no room for wiggle-room in the conversation. And don’t get me wrong, I criticize President Obama quite a bit but I am also one to understand that our 44th President was dealt one of the worst political hands in history.

However, this book comes at a very interesting point in his first term: he is stalled. President Obama passed the healthcare reform, but basically nothing else has happened. The title of this book, No He Can’t, is a play off of his 2008 campaign slogan, “Yes We Can!” And McCullough does an excellent job critiquing how little has changed in Washington, much of it because of the divisive nature of both parties.

What did I learn from it? History is and always will be our nation’s greatest teacher and it seems that our country as a whole has lost that focus. McCullough makes a surprising point early in the book when he say, “When it comes to a president’s ability to influence the nation’s economy, Democrat John F. Kennedy and Republican Ronald W. Reagan had something in common. They both believed that if government spending could be restrained, and the largest marginal tax rates were reduced, then economic recovery and growth would become a bipartisan by-product of the habits of a free market.” That line more than any other stuck out to me as a stinging critique of President Obama.

Why You Should Read It:

  • There actually is really great information here, but you have to take it with a grain of salt.
  • As any person in politics or rhetoric knows, if you want to win/Win, you have to know what the other side is thinking.

What You Can Expect to Walk Away With:

  • You will definitely learn some things that have not been reported in the mainstream media.
  • A frustration at the state of our country.
  • A fire to do something about it.
(*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”)

Review: The Kennedy Detail

June 8, 2011 • Blog, Books, Politics • by
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As I wrote in my last book review, I am a huge history buff. I have never been big into the Kennedy Assassination and its ever-revolving door of conspiracy theories. Every year or so I get into it and read some of the latest and I will admit, they all make me think.

But this book, The Kennedy Detail by Gerald Blaine, was something I randomly found and am glad I picked up. I’ve never made a secret about my interest in politics, my run for mayor or my general interest in news.

I have attended events where the sitting president was speaking, as well as events with the sitting vice-president and the speaker of the house. Each time, I got to experience first-hand what present-day Secret Service protection is like. I must say, reading about how it worked in the early 1960′s was interesting if not surprising.

For instance, I have always been surprised, and even more so after reading this book, about the open-air car that President Kennedy always rode around it. One fact that slips through American history textbooks is that the car Kennedy used in 1963, had a hard-top that could be installed which undoubtedly would have saved his life on that day in November.

The book obviously focused on the agents assigned to the Kennedy family detail, and though that, the reader gets to see how active President Kennedy was and how kind he was to the agents who were charged with protecting him. He often joked with them. Additionally, Jackie comes off as a sincerely genuine and caring person to the agents.

Overall, the goals of the book is to give the readers a sense of life inside the Kennedy Detail and put to rest each and every conspiracy theory that says the Secret Service was either to blame, or was at fault.

Why You Should Read It:

  • If you are a fan or have any interested in Camelot, this is a unique insight into the story
  • History and conspiracy theories have not been kind to the Secret Service in regards to the Kennedy Assassination. There will always be unanswered questions about what happened at Parkland Hospital, but this clears up what happened in the protection detail.
  • You get to see the inner-workings of our security and how antiquated it was to deal with threats in the 1960′s.

What You Can Expect to Walk Away With:

  • A deeper understanding of President Kennedy’s passion for the people
  • An appreciation for the agents who in a split second will give their lives for those they protect
  • A few answered questions that put to rest some of the craziest conspiracy theories around
  • And finally, you will see how important protecting the president was to Kennedy’s agents, how devastated they were, which for me, puts to rest that they – in any way – were not involved

I have previously reviewed other books in the history category including Decision Points, The Revolutionary Paul Revere, and Team of Rivals.

Review: Founding Brothers

May 25, 2011 • Blog, Books, Politics • by
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This marks the first book I have read, cover-to-cover on the Amazon Kindle and while it is not relevant the review of the book, here are a few quick thoughts on the Kindle:

  • I love that it is light! Seriously light!
  • The battery life is incredible.
  • It has a wonderful note taking and highlighting feature, but it is hard to use, and hard for me with my preferences to go back and review them.

Now onto my thoughts on the actual book; Founding Brothers by Joseph J. Ellis.

I am a huge history buff (although I’m not quite sure what qualifies as a “buff”) so I will just say that I enjoy reading and learning about and from history. This book was a random find and I must say, I learned a lot about a few of the Founding Fathers, interestingly named the “Founding Brothers.”

This story, most of it non-fiction, covers the lives of the major players in the revolution from the Declaration until each man returned to private life.

The great thing about this book is that it is detailed on a few of the major players and how connected their lives and their fortunes actually became. We all have learned that Thomas Jefferson and John Adams were rivals, but also probably each others’ best friend.

When it comes right down to it, the biggest negative about this book is that sometimes the write seems to use big words every-other-word just because he can. I’m a simple reader and want good writing, but also easy-to-digest information.

One random detail: Did you know that back in the late 1700′s it was against the law to have a duel, but if you called it a “meeting” or something similar, you were safe from the law? That is, unless someone was actually killed.

One of the early chapters chronicled General (and then President George Washington’s) career: “‘True to his word, on December 22, 1783, Washington surrendered his commission to the Congress, then meeting in Annapolis: ‘Having now finished the work assigned me,’ he announced, ‘I now retire from the great theater of action.” In so doing, he became the supreme example of the leader who could be trusted with power because he was so ready to give it up.’”

Finally, the careers of these men are historic and should be studied. They are members of a small class of Americans and world-wide patriots.

Why You Should Read It:

  • If you are a fan or have any interested in early American history, this is arguably one of the best books to give a good overview
  • You will learn little facts about our Founding Fathers you never knew before
  • You will get an early glimpse into the beginnings of party politics

What You Can Expect to Walk Away With:

  • You will have a deeper understanding of the issues of the day
  • You will see where the debate over slavery began, and how the early Congress’ inaction brought about the Civil War 70 years later
  • A deep appreciation for the early Presidents and the battles they had to wage

I have previously reviewed other books in the history category including Decision Points, The Revolutionary Paul Revere, and Team of Rivals.

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