AZUSA – the conservative candidates who took the stage at Azusa Pacific University on Thursday night had a clear message for their audience: stop screaming at the television, stop complaining to your friends, and do something.
“I have been complaining about the way things are … I have been blaming the liberal progressives for the state of our country for the state of our economy … they are not the only ones to blame for our problems … I have been waiting and hoping for change from our politicians,” said candidate David Miller. “Not anymore.”
Instead, Miller, a small business owner, decided to run for Congress himself. he is running as an American Independent in the 26th District, vying for the seat long held by David Dreier, R-San Dimas.
Miller is among the candidates supported by the Los Angeles Constitutional Congressional Coalition (LACCC), a new group formed to send lawmakers to Washington who believe in extremely limited government, in line with what members view is the literal reading of the Constitution.
What does that mean? Essentially that the federal government should not go beyond the duties defined by the Constitution, coalition manager Jorge Abrego said.
Abrego blasted candidates for promising to bring their constituents services that “we should be providing for ourselves” such as college tuition for doctors, or lunch money for poor children.
“That is not operating under constitutional values,” he said.
On immigration, the federal government should be protecting the borders from foreign invasion no more.
“We should not try to solve the economic crisis of foreign countries,” Abrego said, a statement that elicited applause from the crowd.
“Health care, really? I have yet to read in the Constitution that it is there,” added Miller. “The job of a congressman is to go to Congress to protect our rights and liberties … not to pick the pockets of somebody in the next district so he can bring pork to us, or the other way around.”
Headlining Thursday’s event was Republican strategist and former talk show host Michael Reagan, the adopted son of President Ronald Reagan.
He told the crowd that many of their children may not even know what is in the Constitution that they are holding so valuable.
“We are losing our freedoms in this country and we don’t even know it,” he said.
He also told a story about his father’s long indecision about what to write in a letter for a time capsule to be opened on the country’s tricentennial.
The former president thought long and hard about the decision and how it would be perceived among people in the future. the younger Reagan told the audience they should take their decisions as seriously.
“The decisions we make now will affect people in 2076,” he said.
“Now is the time to truly be engaged,” he added.
While many in the audience described themselves as Tea Party coalition members as well, LACCC leaders say their group is about more than rallies, it’s about getting people elected.
The coalition is backing eight Southland candidates in November.
In addition to Miller, it is backing William Cushing, a Libertarian English professor, against Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Pasadena; Republican Edward Schmerling, a technology consultant, against Rep. Judy Chu, D-El Monte; Republican Robert Vaughn, a county employee, against Rep. Grace Napolitano, D-Santa Fe Springs; and American Independent John Smith, a program manager in the aerospace industry, against Linda Sanchez, D-Lakewood.
Cushing told the crowd his primary campaign promise is to always ask three things when presented with legislation: is it constitutional, under the literal understanding of the Constitution? will it do no harm? and are there other less governmentally invasive ways to fix the problem at hand?
The event had a decidedly un-Tea Party feel. no one held up colorful signs, and absent were any hoots and hollers at the relatively tame town hall.
The crowd of about 200 was far less than the 2,500 organizers had hoped for.
Still, La Verne resident Jill Trimble was impressed and inspired.
“I had never heard of this group, but it’s awesome,” said Trimble, who came to hear Reagan. “The focus is not on party lines, it’s on the Constitution. I don’t see a lot of negativity. People are turned off by negativity.”
Trimble, 58, said she only recently got involved in politics, working on Meg Whitman’s gubernatorial campaign, but she plans to volunteer for LACCC.
“We need a change. This country is going in the wrong direction,” she said.
rebecca.kimitch@sgvn.com
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