My name is Bud and I’m a political junkie. It all started at the age of 8 when I felt a certain sadness as the adults around me cheered the resignation of President Richard Nixon. I don’t remember falling to hard for President Ford but I definitely felt the malaise as Jimmy Carter came to the Oval Office. I still remember staying up every night to watch Nightline and see how many days are citizens were being kept hostage in Iran. My political action started shorted afterwards (see below) and although their are times I promised to get off this drug it has truly kept my glued my entire life.
(1) My first campaign activism was for Assemblyman Yevoli. He was the first and last Democrat that I actively supported.
(2) My first political speech came during the anniversary of the Kennedy Administration where my long speech to Newsday was cut to one sentence, ” He was young, good looking and got shot that’s why he why was so popular”.
(3) The first campaign I ran for was as my class President where I promised a whaling party at my house if I won. This was one election where even the dead bodies couldn’t put me over the top and I believe my parents were very happy with the loss.
(4)Reagan Bush campaign put my in to full political throttle. As I started Student’s for Reagan Bush and Young Republican’s at SUNY Albany. My activism though was burned out by those that were more interested in politics then political change.
(5) When I attended Bryant University I made my first promise to take a break from the political world but Amy Carter’s visit to our school and her support of the Sandinistas in Nicaragua abruptly ended that break. I started the Young Republican’s at Bryant University and had a Conservative Column in the local school paper.
(6) Graduation lead me to NYC and getting involved in the Young Republican Club of NYC. Within a year or so I became President of this club but do to heinous acts of certain individuals my desire in politics soon faded away.
(7) It wasn’t until the Tea Party grew that the fire reignited in me. I formed two different Tea Party groups and started to attend political action training groups. I even ran for the school board with more support then I expected.
(8) Today those Tea Party groups have dissipated but I continue to be glued to the networks coverage of the political races, donate monies to the campaigns, write articles in local papers, and am taking a whole new look on how I might get involved.
Today I can openly say I’m a Political Junkie and this is one addiction I don’t think I will quit in this lifetime. For through political change I still believe we can make this world a better place for us all.