On this page:
Is Your Favorite Celebrity on the Hollywood Hypocrite A-List?
Tea Party in the Belly of the Liberal Beast
Transgender Activist and Political Polymorph Midge Potts
Youth Promote Freedom and Fiscal Sanity with im2moro
Is Your Favorite Celebrity on the Hollywood Hypocrite A-List?
Tea Party in the Belly of the Liberal Beast
Transgender Activist and Political Polymorph Midge Potts
Youth Promote Freedom and Fiscal Sanity with im2moro
Is Your Favorite Celebrity on the Hollywood Hypocrite A-List?
Fearless Journalist Exposes Matt Damon, Spike Lee and others
Jason Mattera recently released his third book, Crapitalism, on the hypocrisy many elite celebrities and public figures exhibit as they sip champagne and live off of money acquired through corruption and lies. Politico has called Mattera "D.C.'s bad boy reporter”. In his books, Hollywood Hypocrites and Crapitalism, Mattera fearlessly exposes cronies for what they are, and reveals some of the most shocking hypocrisies of our time. In this CampusTown.US interview with Mattera, he gives us a sneak peak of the revelations in his books, and talks about some of the trials and tribulations he has faced since exposing some of the world's most powerful bad guys.
Why is Hollywood Hypocrites so relevant to this generation?
Our culture is infatuated with celebrities, and thus, celebrities have a lot of influence, especially come election time. Unfortunately, far too many young people take their cues on whom to vote for because they’ve heard their favorite actor or musician endorse the candidate. So, in Hollywood Hypocrites, I investigated whether or not those wagging their fingers sanctimoniously in our faces about the environment, or progressive taxation, or gun control actually abide by those same standards (spoiler: they don’t). I couldn’t care less that celebrities engage in political activism; more power to them! But don’t be a phony. And, as my book demonstrates, there are a lot of phonies in Tinseltown.
Do you think there is a correlation between the hypocrisy in Hollywood and the cultural decline we’ve seen in recent years?
No. Cultural decline is the direct result of broken families. Movies would suck without violence and foul language. Don’t raise your kids to be hooligans, and society will be just fine.
Crapitalism exposes a lot of corrupt, rich cronies who tend to play dirty. Are or were you afraid of the backlash or demonization you might receive from the people you’re exposing?
Never. I was taught from a very early age not to fear other men. And growing up in Brooklyn, NY probably helped solidify those beliefs. In any event, I would’ve loved the ‘Crapitalists’ I expose (there are 27 of them) to push back. Let them try to defend their crony and corrupt ways.
What are some of your favorite insults you've received for you work?
Hmm. I think it would have to be when Bob Beckel of Fox News basically challenged me to a knife fight on air. He went apoplectic after I confronted IRS crook Lois Lerner on camera about her involvement in terrorizing conservative groups. I accepted Bob’s challenge, but with a twist: I’d debate him live on The Five. He backed down rather quickly. It turns out that Bob Beckel is all suspenders and no pants.
How has tax dollar Crapitalism caused inflation and increases in tuition making education exponentially more expensive than it used to be for students?
Colleges know they can raise tuition astronomically, year after year, and there are very little consequences because Uncle Sam will continue to subsidize student loans and increase the dollar amount for Pell Grants. Tuition has been distorted by government intervention, very similar to how government activism messed up the healthcare market. Consumers, in this case students and their parents, have been shielded from the true costs. And as a result, prices have soared. But don’t look to Congress to make things right: Academia is a great breeding ground for Obama Zombies (my first book).
Would you agree that the government adopts policies that deliberately raise the prices of healthcare, food and tuition, then offers citizens help to afford them, so they look like the heroes while they are causing, or at least enabling the financial crises in the first place
That’s part of it. Leftists do fancy themselves as the champions of the middle class, but as the last six years have shown us, the redistribution of wealth that’s taking place is flowing from the middle class on up to those who have political access. But the larger truth is that politicians adopt policies that increase the role of government because it also increases the power of the politician. They literally think America would fall apart if it weren’t for their dictates. They are a narcissistic bunch, for sure.
Was there a particular event in your life that opened your eyes to the wildly hypocritical lies that Americans have been told by the government through educational indoctrination and culture?
Great question. I wasn’t into politics in high school. I played basketball something like 10 hours a day. It wasn’t until I was in college that I realized how intolerant and bigoted leftists were to those students who held a combination of conservative and Christian beliefs. The words “diversity” and “tolerance” on the campus didn’t mean fostering debate and introducing the student body to a variety of viewpoints; “diversity” and “tolerance” meant demanding that everyone ascribe to a leftist worldview, or else.
How are Crapitalism and Hollywood Hypocrites similar and how are they different?
They’re similar in that they are both, admittedly, fantastic books :) For the specific differences, I encourage readers to pour over both of them. Crapitalism zeros in on those cronies ranging from professional sports to big business to politics who would rather have us fund their loony ideas than win their way to the top the old-fashioned way, through hard work and competition. And in Hollywood Hypocrites, I detail just how important Hollywood’s megaphone and money were to the election of Barack Obama, as well as call out many A-listers for their jaw-dropping duplicity.
On an individual level, in your opinion, what are some of the best ways for the average citizen to counter the corruption that is destroying this country?
Much of the “crapitalism” that I reveal is orchestrated at a local level, either through a city council or a state legislature. It’s much easier for us to raise holy hell with statewide officials than it is with those who hold federal office. Let’s not forget that sunlight is the best disinfectant. In Crapitalism, I name names, report facts, and rain down shame on those who would poach our profits to pad their wallets. The information should be weaponized so that we can collectively flush these crapitalists down the toilet. Today's media landscape makes it easier, with so many social media tools at our disposal. Knowledge is power.
As a teaser, what are some of the most shocking things Crapitalism and Hollywood Hypocrites reveal?
Jay-Z is a complete fraud when it comes to “social justice”. Wait until you see who this dude’s business partner is. Beyond shady! Rep. Maxine Waters of California found an interesting way to cash in on her endorsement, and brought her whole damn family along for the ride. It pays (literally) to be a Waters. Spike Lee’s history of hateful and racially incendiary remarks goes back further than people realize. Bruce Springsteen, yes, The Boss, classifies himself as a farmer on state tax forms to avoid New Jersey property taxes. Tesla’s Elon Musk is corporate welfare addict. We are part of his business plan whether we like it or not. Musk illustrates today’s “entrepreneur”, one who relies on government subsidies and mandates to keep his businesses profitable. There’s so much revealing info on some pretty big players in both books.
Who are some of the other big names Crapitalism and Hollywood Hypocrites expose?
Harry Reid, George Soros, John Podesta, Al Gore, Zygi Wilf (owner of the Minnesota Vikings), Leonardo DiCaprio, Arianna Huffington, Michael Moore, Matt Damon, and many more.
Many people on the left accuse the right of being crony capitalists who hate and constantly oppress “the little guy.” Your books clearly illustrate that the middle and lower class are truly victimized by the crony capitalism of the proponents of big government and the hypocritical finger-pointers on the left who take advantage of the system and live glamorously on the hard-earned money of the taxpayers. Do you think the average American is ready to accept that they have been used and lied to by their government and the left?
The opportunity is there for Republicans to make their case to voters, to show that they are the ones looking out for the middle class. And now that they have a majority in both chambers they should take steps to end the insider dealings on Capitol Hill that Americans have come to despise. Republicans have, unfortunately, this knee-jerk reaction to defend big business. I get it. Democrats are known for deriding profits and are always prattling on about redistributing someone else’s hard-earned money. But Republicans shouldn’t automatically back big business. Big business today, rather than serve as a beacon for free enterprise, is usually hitting up the government for special subsidies or onerous regulations that help crush the competition.
Of all the Hollywood Hypocrites and Crapitalists you expose, which do you find the most threatening to American prosperity?
Those in the green energy sector or “clean-tech” or whatever you want to call it. The business model is terrible. If the government spigot ever turns off for that industry, it’ll fall apart. And that's why the "green" leaders -- Tesla’s Elon Musk, GE’s Jeffery Immelt, Al Gore business partner John Doerr, and others I profile, are demanding that Uncle Sam (read: you and me the taxpayer) shell out big bucks to keep those entities viable, via lucrative tax credits, direct subsidies, and politically-imposed mandates.
Thanks for being our guest.
Jason Mattera recently released his third book, Crapitalism, on the hypocrisy many elite celebrities and public figures exhibit as they sip champagne and live off of money acquired through corruption and lies. Politico has called Mattera "D.C.'s bad boy reporter”. In his books, Hollywood Hypocrites and Crapitalism, Mattera fearlessly exposes cronies for what they are, and reveals some of the most shocking hypocrisies of our time. In this CampusTown.US interview with Mattera, he gives us a sneak peak of the revelations in his books, and talks about some of the trials and tribulations he has faced since exposing some of the world's most powerful bad guys.
Why is Hollywood Hypocrites so relevant to this generation?
Our culture is infatuated with celebrities, and thus, celebrities have a lot of influence, especially come election time. Unfortunately, far too many young people take their cues on whom to vote for because they’ve heard their favorite actor or musician endorse the candidate. So, in Hollywood Hypocrites, I investigated whether or not those wagging their fingers sanctimoniously in our faces about the environment, or progressive taxation, or gun control actually abide by those same standards (spoiler: they don’t). I couldn’t care less that celebrities engage in political activism; more power to them! But don’t be a phony. And, as my book demonstrates, there are a lot of phonies in Tinseltown.
Do you think there is a correlation between the hypocrisy in Hollywood and the cultural decline we’ve seen in recent years?
No. Cultural decline is the direct result of broken families. Movies would suck without violence and foul language. Don’t raise your kids to be hooligans, and society will be just fine.
Crapitalism exposes a lot of corrupt, rich cronies who tend to play dirty. Are or were you afraid of the backlash or demonization you might receive from the people you’re exposing?
Never. I was taught from a very early age not to fear other men. And growing up in Brooklyn, NY probably helped solidify those beliefs. In any event, I would’ve loved the ‘Crapitalists’ I expose (there are 27 of them) to push back. Let them try to defend their crony and corrupt ways.
What are some of your favorite insults you've received for you work?
Hmm. I think it would have to be when Bob Beckel of Fox News basically challenged me to a knife fight on air. He went apoplectic after I confronted IRS crook Lois Lerner on camera about her involvement in terrorizing conservative groups. I accepted Bob’s challenge, but with a twist: I’d debate him live on The Five. He backed down rather quickly. It turns out that Bob Beckel is all suspenders and no pants.
How has tax dollar Crapitalism caused inflation and increases in tuition making education exponentially more expensive than it used to be for students?
Colleges know they can raise tuition astronomically, year after year, and there are very little consequences because Uncle Sam will continue to subsidize student loans and increase the dollar amount for Pell Grants. Tuition has been distorted by government intervention, very similar to how government activism messed up the healthcare market. Consumers, in this case students and their parents, have been shielded from the true costs. And as a result, prices have soared. But don’t look to Congress to make things right: Academia is a great breeding ground for Obama Zombies (my first book).
Would you agree that the government adopts policies that deliberately raise the prices of healthcare, food and tuition, then offers citizens help to afford them, so they look like the heroes while they are causing, or at least enabling the financial crises in the first place
That’s part of it. Leftists do fancy themselves as the champions of the middle class, but as the last six years have shown us, the redistribution of wealth that’s taking place is flowing from the middle class on up to those who have political access. But the larger truth is that politicians adopt policies that increase the role of government because it also increases the power of the politician. They literally think America would fall apart if it weren’t for their dictates. They are a narcissistic bunch, for sure.
Was there a particular event in your life that opened your eyes to the wildly hypocritical lies that Americans have been told by the government through educational indoctrination and culture?
Great question. I wasn’t into politics in high school. I played basketball something like 10 hours a day. It wasn’t until I was in college that I realized how intolerant and bigoted leftists were to those students who held a combination of conservative and Christian beliefs. The words “diversity” and “tolerance” on the campus didn’t mean fostering debate and introducing the student body to a variety of viewpoints; “diversity” and “tolerance” meant demanding that everyone ascribe to a leftist worldview, or else.
How are Crapitalism and Hollywood Hypocrites similar and how are they different?
They’re similar in that they are both, admittedly, fantastic books :) For the specific differences, I encourage readers to pour over both of them. Crapitalism zeros in on those cronies ranging from professional sports to big business to politics who would rather have us fund their loony ideas than win their way to the top the old-fashioned way, through hard work and competition. And in Hollywood Hypocrites, I detail just how important Hollywood’s megaphone and money were to the election of Barack Obama, as well as call out many A-listers for their jaw-dropping duplicity.
On an individual level, in your opinion, what are some of the best ways for the average citizen to counter the corruption that is destroying this country?
Much of the “crapitalism” that I reveal is orchestrated at a local level, either through a city council or a state legislature. It’s much easier for us to raise holy hell with statewide officials than it is with those who hold federal office. Let’s not forget that sunlight is the best disinfectant. In Crapitalism, I name names, report facts, and rain down shame on those who would poach our profits to pad their wallets. The information should be weaponized so that we can collectively flush these crapitalists down the toilet. Today's media landscape makes it easier, with so many social media tools at our disposal. Knowledge is power.
As a teaser, what are some of the most shocking things Crapitalism and Hollywood Hypocrites reveal?
Jay-Z is a complete fraud when it comes to “social justice”. Wait until you see who this dude’s business partner is. Beyond shady! Rep. Maxine Waters of California found an interesting way to cash in on her endorsement, and brought her whole damn family along for the ride. It pays (literally) to be a Waters. Spike Lee’s history of hateful and racially incendiary remarks goes back further than people realize. Bruce Springsteen, yes, The Boss, classifies himself as a farmer on state tax forms to avoid New Jersey property taxes. Tesla’s Elon Musk is corporate welfare addict. We are part of his business plan whether we like it or not. Musk illustrates today’s “entrepreneur”, one who relies on government subsidies and mandates to keep his businesses profitable. There’s so much revealing info on some pretty big players in both books.
Who are some of the other big names Crapitalism and Hollywood Hypocrites expose?
Harry Reid, George Soros, John Podesta, Al Gore, Zygi Wilf (owner of the Minnesota Vikings), Leonardo DiCaprio, Arianna Huffington, Michael Moore, Matt Damon, and many more.
Many people on the left accuse the right of being crony capitalists who hate and constantly oppress “the little guy.” Your books clearly illustrate that the middle and lower class are truly victimized by the crony capitalism of the proponents of big government and the hypocritical finger-pointers on the left who take advantage of the system and live glamorously on the hard-earned money of the taxpayers. Do you think the average American is ready to accept that they have been used and lied to by their government and the left?
The opportunity is there for Republicans to make their case to voters, to show that they are the ones looking out for the middle class. And now that they have a majority in both chambers they should take steps to end the insider dealings on Capitol Hill that Americans have come to despise. Republicans have, unfortunately, this knee-jerk reaction to defend big business. I get it. Democrats are known for deriding profits and are always prattling on about redistributing someone else’s hard-earned money. But Republicans shouldn’t automatically back big business. Big business today, rather than serve as a beacon for free enterprise, is usually hitting up the government for special subsidies or onerous regulations that help crush the competition.
Of all the Hollywood Hypocrites and Crapitalists you expose, which do you find the most threatening to American prosperity?
Those in the green energy sector or “clean-tech” or whatever you want to call it. The business model is terrible. If the government spigot ever turns off for that industry, it’ll fall apart. And that's why the "green" leaders -- Tesla’s Elon Musk, GE’s Jeffery Immelt, Al Gore business partner John Doerr, and others I profile, are demanding that Uncle Sam (read: you and me the taxpayer) shell out big bucks to keep those entities viable, via lucrative tax credits, direct subsidies, and politically-imposed mandates.
Thanks for being our guest.
Youth Promote Freedom and Fiscal Sanity with im2moro 9/11/13
In 2010, a group of four students - Audrea Taylor, Caleb Taylor, Luke Andersen and Blake Andersen - started im2moro, a San Diego-based nonprofit with the goal of inspiring Millennials to unite and make an impact. Ever since, im2moro has been reaching campuses across America with a message of personal responsibility, Constitutional values, self-governance, and the value of liberty.
While the Baby Boom generation was a generation of labels - Democrat, conservative, Republican, Libertarian, liberal, etc. - the Millennials are not a generation of labels, they are a generation that tends to stay away from labels, which is why im2moro is a label-free, political affiliation-free organization. "im2moro crosses party lines, uniting the next generation to regain control of our future," says im2moro President, Audrea Taylor. "Our mission is to engage our generation to stand up and speak out to promote and protect the constitutional principles that made our nation great. We believe that the answers to the challenges facing our nation lie with the next generation. We believe the Millennial generation will be the one to lead in the new movement of freedom and liberty."
In a time when students are growing more curious about politics as a whole, im2moro believes it is vital that the right information reaches students. In 2008, 85.9 percent of college freshmen said they had been discussing politics in recent election years. However, recent statistics show students are growing more liberal, and less politically involved, despite the growing engagement in political conversation on campuses. Students are discussing politics more, but taking part and making impact less. Fortunately, liberty-oriented student organizations are popping up around the country to address this issue. im2moro is just one of a number of student activism organizations that started in recent years. Turning Point USA recently hit the political activism spotlight as a student activism base and news source. Tea Party Youth and Young Tea Party Patriots make up the national youth wing of the Tea Party movement. Patrio was stated by a group of high school students in Florida just this month. Junior Factor Nation is a source for online talk shows, all hosted by young activists. These organizations all have one thing in common: they seek to reach and impact the next generation with a message of liberty.
Why is it so important to im2moro and other organizations that students get politically engaged? What does any of this have to do with students? According to Audrea, “There are many challenges inherited by our generation. A staggering 16 (almost 17) trillion dollars in national debt, a healthcare system that is already affecting our lives through layoffs and replacement of full-time jobs with part-time ones. We have a government that's growing out-of-control and printing money at staggering rates--a government that has lost respect for the 4th Amendment protection of citizen privacy. These are a few of the issues facing the Millennia generation. However, there is hope if we set aside our labels as Libertarians, Democrats, Republicans and unite around principles, ideas that have built and currently sustain our way of life like the power of free markets, a constitutionally limited government, personal responsibility, sanctity of private property, sound money and respect for life.”
Through their efforts, im2moro hopes to bring together young people of all backgrounds and demographics to change the direction in which this country is heading. They are hopeful, says Audrea: “At im2moro, we absolutely believe there is hope for our nation, for our future. The solution lies with us.”
By Lyda Loudon
While the Baby Boom generation was a generation of labels - Democrat, conservative, Republican, Libertarian, liberal, etc. - the Millennials are not a generation of labels, they are a generation that tends to stay away from labels, which is why im2moro is a label-free, political affiliation-free organization. "im2moro crosses party lines, uniting the next generation to regain control of our future," says im2moro President, Audrea Taylor. "Our mission is to engage our generation to stand up and speak out to promote and protect the constitutional principles that made our nation great. We believe that the answers to the challenges facing our nation lie with the next generation. We believe the Millennial generation will be the one to lead in the new movement of freedom and liberty."
In a time when students are growing more curious about politics as a whole, im2moro believes it is vital that the right information reaches students. In 2008, 85.9 percent of college freshmen said they had been discussing politics in recent election years. However, recent statistics show students are growing more liberal, and less politically involved, despite the growing engagement in political conversation on campuses. Students are discussing politics more, but taking part and making impact less. Fortunately, liberty-oriented student organizations are popping up around the country to address this issue. im2moro is just one of a number of student activism organizations that started in recent years. Turning Point USA recently hit the political activism spotlight as a student activism base and news source. Tea Party Youth and Young Tea Party Patriots make up the national youth wing of the Tea Party movement. Patrio was stated by a group of high school students in Florida just this month. Junior Factor Nation is a source for online talk shows, all hosted by young activists. These organizations all have one thing in common: they seek to reach and impact the next generation with a message of liberty.
Why is it so important to im2moro and other organizations that students get politically engaged? What does any of this have to do with students? According to Audrea, “There are many challenges inherited by our generation. A staggering 16 (almost 17) trillion dollars in national debt, a healthcare system that is already affecting our lives through layoffs and replacement of full-time jobs with part-time ones. We have a government that's growing out-of-control and printing money at staggering rates--a government that has lost respect for the 4th Amendment protection of citizen privacy. These are a few of the issues facing the Millennia generation. However, there is hope if we set aside our labels as Libertarians, Democrats, Republicans and unite around principles, ideas that have built and currently sustain our way of life like the power of free markets, a constitutionally limited government, personal responsibility, sanctity of private property, sound money and respect for life.”
Through their efforts, im2moro hopes to bring together young people of all backgrounds and demographics to change the direction in which this country is heading. They are hopeful, says Audrea: “At im2moro, we absolutely believe there is hope for our nation, for our future. The solution lies with us.”
By Lyda Loudon
Tea Party in the Belly of the Liberal Beast
12/12/11
Lucas Scanlon is the founder and president of the Harvard University Tea Party [a member of TeaPartyStudents.org]. Scanlon, who is pursuing a Masters in Public Administration at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, recently sat down with CampusTown.US to discuss his motivations for starting a Tea Party at Harvard, his experiences with mostly liberal colleagues, and his hopes for the future of the student Tea Party movement.
----------------------------------------------------
Why did you pick Harvard?
Scanlon: I came to Harvard because I want to serve publicly some day. My dad was an Army Ranger, and although he proudly served between Korea and Vietnam, he didn't want me to go to war. He and my mom couldn't have children for almost 10 years, so when we finally came along, he did everything he could to keep me from harm's way. He and my mom found a way to allow me to go to school and get my undergrad.
After I began working, I began a routine of going to work, coming home and taking care of my family. After a while, both my wife and I started to feel that we wanted to do more. I had a sense that just doing my job well and taking care of my family wasn't enough. I felt like I should do something as a citizen.
The Tea Party came along, and we decided to go to a meeting. We voted straight ticket Republican, but when we saw the Tea Party people, they seemed conservative, and they understood what their issues were. We were curious, so we went to a meeting. It was at a bar-b-que restaurant, only about 22 people in the room. Those 22 people were common folk, but from all different backgrounds, races, and economic levels. The people were respectful, and they spoke about meaningful stuff. They told us they needed help, that there just so happened to be a chapter in our neighboring town of Cypress that needed a new president; the old president had to take a job out of town. I was comfortable with project management, so I went to the next Cypress meeting, and shortly thereafter, I was the new president.
I was willing to take on that role in part because of a quote from Benjamin Franklin. I'm paraphrasing, but I believe it was that because "If you had the capability to do something, then you had the responsibility to do it." From the moment I read it, I knew my life had changed. I couldn't get it out of my head. Part of why this resonated with me had to do with the practical responsibility of how I grew up. I grew up on a sail boat. On a boat, if you see something wrong, you fix it. You don't ignore it, because someone could get hurt. That was bred into me at a very early age. You can't walk by responsibility. Consequently, when I saw that I had an opportunity to help the local Tea Party, I did it.
After I led that Tea Party, I realized that I had an opportunity to do something even more. In my group, I focused on education. I actually got in a disagreement with a woman in my very first meeting. She didn't care about education, the only thing she wanted the group to do was to get Republican votes. I wouldn't back down, and she left. Good. A few months into my service, I realized I wasn't interested in being a "politician" as a career. I decided I would like to serve for a time, and then go back to taking care of my family. My dad did his part in serving. I can't do the military, but I can do my part in some way.
After I made the conclusion that I wanted to serve, then I realized that I didn't know much about economics. I decided that if I was going to have an opportunity to make decisions about the economy, I had better learn something that would help me understand the issues. I knew Harvard had one of the top Government Schools in the world, and I knew with this program, I could also take finance from both Harvard Business School and MIT's Sloan Business School. I've had the good fortune to be able to take coursework from all over Cambridge. I hope I can put it to good use.
Do you have many conservative friends there that you feel share your beliefs?
Scanlon: There are approximately 12 people whom would label themselves as conservative. I don't know everyone in the other programs, so there may be more, but those twelve are the only twelve I know. That's out of about 800 students.
What I find more surprising is that when I get down to discussing actual issues, more often than not, the person who thinks they are left because of one social issue, or maybe two issues, that person is actually conservative economically and in their view of government. I can think of a few people who will swear up and down that they are Democrats or liberal, but who are really conservative in 90 percent of the things they believe.
I think the common view it that it's "cool" to be left. Obviously, this school is known as the capital of "intellectual left" thinking. Hence most people who think that view is important come here. Many colleagues come from areas that are politically left, or their families are part of unions that were left. Basically, they grew up and formed some world views. I, and other conservatives that are here, will tell you why we think a conservative view is good. My wife ran a little experiment: she would ask someone who was left or a Democrat why they were a Democrat. So far, not one person has been able to answer the question apart from their families were Democrat. I wish I was kidding. She really did that experiment, and we really did get those results repeatedly and consistently.
Were you raised with your political views? How did you gain the political footing you have today?
Scanlon: No, I wasn't raised with a political view at all. Although I voted every election, I basically didn't agree with the Democratic platform on a few issues, so I voted straight ticket Republican. My parents were very Democratic, and I didn't know it until I was in my mid-thirties. We just never discussed it.
What is the best advice you could offer someone maybe a little younger than you in an environment similar to yours where most of his/her peers mostly have different views making it hard to be open out of fear of mockery?
Scanlon: It's really hard to hate someone you know. Most people will form an opinion, and then as they grow up begin to form "reasonings" that reinforce that opinion. Then at some point, you get confronted with someone who thinks the polar opposite than you. What are you going to do? I am a Christian, and that is a part of my world view. God created all of us, even those with whom we disagree. I can't "hate" someone or belittle them to make my platform stronger. At that point, I'm no longer relevant, and I'm not being a good neighbor or a productive citizen.
For example, the Occupy Movement. I agree that bankers have not been equitable with the American people. I agree that the government is not working in it's current form. I agree it's good for people to demonstrate. I do not agree with how their demonstration has physically and economically hurt others. I do not agree that it is the bankers that put our economy in it's current situation - they had a hand for sure, but you have to start at the lawmakers who pushed issues like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to reduce [loan] documentation to levels that created huge systemic risk. I do not agree with their tactic of shouting down anyone who doesn't agree with them. I think it's childish and it is not a form of power - it is repressive by it's very nature. I do not agree that the government is somehow responsible for "bailing out" individuals of their school loan debt or all their debt.
I could not disagree with Occupy more ardently on these points, but I don't hate them. It's very easy to bash them. At the end of the day, they are people trying to make a better life for themselves. I can't reject them for that.
Therefore, to those who are younger, when people hate you - it's their issue, not yours. It's better to walk away. If you can't find common ground, then agree to disagree. If you can't do that, then determine if this fight is something that will result in something good if you go the distance. If the result isn't clearly valuable, then walk away.
Do you experience a lot of harassment or mockery when you speak your mind?
Scanlon: Only in jest from most. Actually, the people that have been the most hurtful have been the Republican groups. They don't even want to speak with me, which makes no sense to me. I feel like I'm more Republican than they are. I don't think "the old guard" understands why they are Republican, or they feel threatened by the Tea Party for their seat. We aren't interested in politicians doing anything other than what they said they would do in the first place. If you've got a problem with that, then again, that's your issue. It also comes to mind that some may be afraid of the "common people". Yup, I'm common, hopefully with enough common sense to get in to the real issue, strip it of its political bias, solve it, and move on. Period.
Do you see your situation with your particular environment as an advantage or disadvantage as a Tea Party activist?
Scanlon: This may sound "high-minded", but as a Tea Party person, we talk about the Federalist Papers. In those papers, Madison described something called a "faction". He would call the Tea Party a faction, just like Occupy and any other political organization you can recognize. He essentially reasoned that factions, if there were just a few, would destroy a republic. His solution was to allow for many factions, and that the abundance of factions, all striving for the same scare resource (money, media attention, influence in communities), would eventually balance themselves out.
Harvard is a place in which a deeper conversation is supposed to be taking place. However, we are all still just people. People tend to "reason" according to their previous beliefs, not facts. The same is true here. So far this year, I've only had a few meetings. I've spent most of my time trying to get the student group official (which it now is). However, of the few meetings we have had, people who are very left and people who are conservative have come. The Tea Party is about having real discussion that will give people reason to reach new conclusions and take their place in serving their community. At each meeting, every person was glad they came, and even though they may have come in disagreeing with me or the Tea Party, they left with an understanding of how the core message of the Tea Party works in America. This is even from people who were almost in tears when they asked questions because the animosity they felt against the "Tea Party" was so real and personal. It was real, and it was personal to them. I understood that. I spoke to that pain.
In each of these situations, I was able to give my colleagues a broader view. That's hard to do in an environment in which everyone thinks they are hot stuff. It's very difficult to do this in an environment as left as this one. However, when people get to know me, then they are willing to listen. One of my colleagues actually said that when she heard there was a Tea Party group on campus she thought about who it might be. She actually picked people out of her various classes. Then she found out it was me. At that point, she said she didn't know what to do because she liked me. I couldn't imagine a higher compliment. I'm not trying to push an agenda. I'm trying to be a friend first, and then when the opportunity presents itself (usually when I'm asked), then I explain. If I'm presenting in a meeting, then I'm just going to stick to the reason why the Tea Party believes in constitutionally limited government, free markets and fiscal responsibility. The message takes care of itself. I think it makes sense. I think that message works in any environment.
What do you see as the future of the Harvard University Tea Party?
Scanlon: If we care more about votes than we do about truth, then we will lose the truth. If we allow ourselves to hate, then we are no better than those we accuse.
If the Tea Party takes time to understand that the Constitution is designed to wait for a change in public opinion that is expressed in decades, not years, then I think we can have more of an impact. Yelling doesn't solve anything. Making it cool to understand what our liberties are and what infringement looks like - that is where we can really effect change. We need common people who are willing to serve in public office for the right reasons. Once they get there, we need them to be courageous enough to remember why.
There was a Frenchman [de Tocqueville] who came to the states to study America back in the early stages of our nation. His report back to his constituents was that every single one of our statesmen was the quality of the best of France. That's a huge statement. We aren't there today, not even close.
I hope someone reading this, both men and women, will plan ahead, study and prepare, and set some time in their lives aside to live for more than just their families or themselves. American hasn't seen selfless service in a long time. Abraham Lincoln studied law in a cabin. He failed the bar numerous time. One of his life's dreams was to rid the world of slavery. We need leaders. We need the youth of America to prepare, pick their mountains, and climb for the right reasons.
Abraham Lincoln guided the country through uniting after the war. He told his men that the people who fought today would be their brothers tomorrow. It's easy to dismiss those we disagree with. It's not easy to find common ground, to extend respect and, if need be, to agree to disagree. We are all Americans. We need to start acting like it again.
By Lyda Loudon
----------------------------------------------------
Why did you pick Harvard?
Scanlon: I came to Harvard because I want to serve publicly some day. My dad was an Army Ranger, and although he proudly served between Korea and Vietnam, he didn't want me to go to war. He and my mom couldn't have children for almost 10 years, so when we finally came along, he did everything he could to keep me from harm's way. He and my mom found a way to allow me to go to school and get my undergrad.
After I began working, I began a routine of going to work, coming home and taking care of my family. After a while, both my wife and I started to feel that we wanted to do more. I had a sense that just doing my job well and taking care of my family wasn't enough. I felt like I should do something as a citizen.
The Tea Party came along, and we decided to go to a meeting. We voted straight ticket Republican, but when we saw the Tea Party people, they seemed conservative, and they understood what their issues were. We were curious, so we went to a meeting. It was at a bar-b-que restaurant, only about 22 people in the room. Those 22 people were common folk, but from all different backgrounds, races, and economic levels. The people were respectful, and they spoke about meaningful stuff. They told us they needed help, that there just so happened to be a chapter in our neighboring town of Cypress that needed a new president; the old president had to take a job out of town. I was comfortable with project management, so I went to the next Cypress meeting, and shortly thereafter, I was the new president.
I was willing to take on that role in part because of a quote from Benjamin Franklin. I'm paraphrasing, but I believe it was that because "If you had the capability to do something, then you had the responsibility to do it." From the moment I read it, I knew my life had changed. I couldn't get it out of my head. Part of why this resonated with me had to do with the practical responsibility of how I grew up. I grew up on a sail boat. On a boat, if you see something wrong, you fix it. You don't ignore it, because someone could get hurt. That was bred into me at a very early age. You can't walk by responsibility. Consequently, when I saw that I had an opportunity to help the local Tea Party, I did it.
After I led that Tea Party, I realized that I had an opportunity to do something even more. In my group, I focused on education. I actually got in a disagreement with a woman in my very first meeting. She didn't care about education, the only thing she wanted the group to do was to get Republican votes. I wouldn't back down, and she left. Good. A few months into my service, I realized I wasn't interested in being a "politician" as a career. I decided I would like to serve for a time, and then go back to taking care of my family. My dad did his part in serving. I can't do the military, but I can do my part in some way.
After I made the conclusion that I wanted to serve, then I realized that I didn't know much about economics. I decided that if I was going to have an opportunity to make decisions about the economy, I had better learn something that would help me understand the issues. I knew Harvard had one of the top Government Schools in the world, and I knew with this program, I could also take finance from both Harvard Business School and MIT's Sloan Business School. I've had the good fortune to be able to take coursework from all over Cambridge. I hope I can put it to good use.
Do you have many conservative friends there that you feel share your beliefs?
Scanlon: There are approximately 12 people whom would label themselves as conservative. I don't know everyone in the other programs, so there may be more, but those twelve are the only twelve I know. That's out of about 800 students.
What I find more surprising is that when I get down to discussing actual issues, more often than not, the person who thinks they are left because of one social issue, or maybe two issues, that person is actually conservative economically and in their view of government. I can think of a few people who will swear up and down that they are Democrats or liberal, but who are really conservative in 90 percent of the things they believe.
I think the common view it that it's "cool" to be left. Obviously, this school is known as the capital of "intellectual left" thinking. Hence most people who think that view is important come here. Many colleagues come from areas that are politically left, or their families are part of unions that were left. Basically, they grew up and formed some world views. I, and other conservatives that are here, will tell you why we think a conservative view is good. My wife ran a little experiment: she would ask someone who was left or a Democrat why they were a Democrat. So far, not one person has been able to answer the question apart from their families were Democrat. I wish I was kidding. She really did that experiment, and we really did get those results repeatedly and consistently.
Were you raised with your political views? How did you gain the political footing you have today?
Scanlon: No, I wasn't raised with a political view at all. Although I voted every election, I basically didn't agree with the Democratic platform on a few issues, so I voted straight ticket Republican. My parents were very Democratic, and I didn't know it until I was in my mid-thirties. We just never discussed it.
What is the best advice you could offer someone maybe a little younger than you in an environment similar to yours where most of his/her peers mostly have different views making it hard to be open out of fear of mockery?
Scanlon: It's really hard to hate someone you know. Most people will form an opinion, and then as they grow up begin to form "reasonings" that reinforce that opinion. Then at some point, you get confronted with someone who thinks the polar opposite than you. What are you going to do? I am a Christian, and that is a part of my world view. God created all of us, even those with whom we disagree. I can't "hate" someone or belittle them to make my platform stronger. At that point, I'm no longer relevant, and I'm not being a good neighbor or a productive citizen.
For example, the Occupy Movement. I agree that bankers have not been equitable with the American people. I agree that the government is not working in it's current form. I agree it's good for people to demonstrate. I do not agree with how their demonstration has physically and economically hurt others. I do not agree that it is the bankers that put our economy in it's current situation - they had a hand for sure, but you have to start at the lawmakers who pushed issues like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to reduce [loan] documentation to levels that created huge systemic risk. I do not agree with their tactic of shouting down anyone who doesn't agree with them. I think it's childish and it is not a form of power - it is repressive by it's very nature. I do not agree that the government is somehow responsible for "bailing out" individuals of their school loan debt or all their debt.
I could not disagree with Occupy more ardently on these points, but I don't hate them. It's very easy to bash them. At the end of the day, they are people trying to make a better life for themselves. I can't reject them for that.
Therefore, to those who are younger, when people hate you - it's their issue, not yours. It's better to walk away. If you can't find common ground, then agree to disagree. If you can't do that, then determine if this fight is something that will result in something good if you go the distance. If the result isn't clearly valuable, then walk away.
Do you experience a lot of harassment or mockery when you speak your mind?
Scanlon: Only in jest from most. Actually, the people that have been the most hurtful have been the Republican groups. They don't even want to speak with me, which makes no sense to me. I feel like I'm more Republican than they are. I don't think "the old guard" understands why they are Republican, or they feel threatened by the Tea Party for their seat. We aren't interested in politicians doing anything other than what they said they would do in the first place. If you've got a problem with that, then again, that's your issue. It also comes to mind that some may be afraid of the "common people". Yup, I'm common, hopefully with enough common sense to get in to the real issue, strip it of its political bias, solve it, and move on. Period.
Do you see your situation with your particular environment as an advantage or disadvantage as a Tea Party activist?
Scanlon: This may sound "high-minded", but as a Tea Party person, we talk about the Federalist Papers. In those papers, Madison described something called a "faction". He would call the Tea Party a faction, just like Occupy and any other political organization you can recognize. He essentially reasoned that factions, if there were just a few, would destroy a republic. His solution was to allow for many factions, and that the abundance of factions, all striving for the same scare resource (money, media attention, influence in communities), would eventually balance themselves out.
Harvard is a place in which a deeper conversation is supposed to be taking place. However, we are all still just people. People tend to "reason" according to their previous beliefs, not facts. The same is true here. So far this year, I've only had a few meetings. I've spent most of my time trying to get the student group official (which it now is). However, of the few meetings we have had, people who are very left and people who are conservative have come. The Tea Party is about having real discussion that will give people reason to reach new conclusions and take their place in serving their community. At each meeting, every person was glad they came, and even though they may have come in disagreeing with me or the Tea Party, they left with an understanding of how the core message of the Tea Party works in America. This is even from people who were almost in tears when they asked questions because the animosity they felt against the "Tea Party" was so real and personal. It was real, and it was personal to them. I understood that. I spoke to that pain.
In each of these situations, I was able to give my colleagues a broader view. That's hard to do in an environment in which everyone thinks they are hot stuff. It's very difficult to do this in an environment as left as this one. However, when people get to know me, then they are willing to listen. One of my colleagues actually said that when she heard there was a Tea Party group on campus she thought about who it might be. She actually picked people out of her various classes. Then she found out it was me. At that point, she said she didn't know what to do because she liked me. I couldn't imagine a higher compliment. I'm not trying to push an agenda. I'm trying to be a friend first, and then when the opportunity presents itself (usually when I'm asked), then I explain. If I'm presenting in a meeting, then I'm just going to stick to the reason why the Tea Party believes in constitutionally limited government, free markets and fiscal responsibility. The message takes care of itself. I think it makes sense. I think that message works in any environment.
What do you see as the future of the Harvard University Tea Party?
Scanlon: If we care more about votes than we do about truth, then we will lose the truth. If we allow ourselves to hate, then we are no better than those we accuse.
If the Tea Party takes time to understand that the Constitution is designed to wait for a change in public opinion that is expressed in decades, not years, then I think we can have more of an impact. Yelling doesn't solve anything. Making it cool to understand what our liberties are and what infringement looks like - that is where we can really effect change. We need common people who are willing to serve in public office for the right reasons. Once they get there, we need them to be courageous enough to remember why.
There was a Frenchman [de Tocqueville] who came to the states to study America back in the early stages of our nation. His report back to his constituents was that every single one of our statesmen was the quality of the best of France. That's a huge statement. We aren't there today, not even close.
I hope someone reading this, both men and women, will plan ahead, study and prepare, and set some time in their lives aside to live for more than just their families or themselves. American hasn't seen selfless service in a long time. Abraham Lincoln studied law in a cabin. He failed the bar numerous time. One of his life's dreams was to rid the world of slavery. We need leaders. We need the youth of America to prepare, pick their mountains, and climb for the right reasons.
Abraham Lincoln guided the country through uniting after the war. He told his men that the people who fought today would be their brothers tomorrow. It's easy to dismiss those we disagree with. It's not easy to find common ground, to extend respect and, if need be, to agree to disagree. We are all Americans. We need to start acting like it again.
By Lyda Loudon
Transgender Activist and Political Polymorph Midge Potts
9/26/11
Photo by Ben Schuman
Midge Potts is a sweet individual and a complex mix of both genders and multiple political philosophies. A Navy veteran who fathered a child, Potts now lives as a woman raising her daughter near Springfield, Missouri. Potts ran as a Republican in the GOP primary for Missouri's 7th District Congressional seat in 2006. She also ran as a Progressive Party (Green Party) candidate in the 2010 Missouri Senate election. She has been arrested several times at anti-war protests. In this interview, Potts discusses her often surprising views on the national debt, corporate taxes, and President Obama.
What is the biggest misconception about transgender people you want to clear up?
Potts: The biggest misconception is that gender identity has anything to do with sexual orientation. Trans people were not necessarily gay or lesbian when they were in their former bodies. Me, personally, I've always been attracted to women more than men. I'd say I'm bisexual. Most people, though, think that, if you're a trans woman, you like men and, if you're a trans man you like women, and that's not always the case. In fact, I've met a wide variety of trans people from being asexual, to bisexual, and everything else in between.
You're all over the map politically, but you are concerned about the national debt. Why?
Potts: Here's what I've been telling people about the debt, especially people on the liberal side who say we can keep funding programs and it doesn't matter how much debt we rack up. I believe the debt matters because anyone who can do simple math can see that, if you continue to raise the debt year after year, a bigger piece of the fiscal pie goes to paying interest. That's completely economically unfeasible by any standard, in your own household or in government. Interest will eventually swallow up the whole pie. If we don't do something about it soon, America is going to fall and not be able to afford to pay for anything. College kids today will never see their Social Security benefits. We could very quickly become a third world country. We have to find a way to reduce the debt by having surplus budgets. Republicans say we need to cut social programs, but the thing we need to cut first is military spending. We shouldn't be maintaining 800 military bases in 150 countries to maintain a global empire. Bring the troops home. Also, I've sat in a lot of congressional appropriations hearings and a lot of times I would hear generals tell the senators or representatives that the military didn't need a lot of the hardware that was being built, but lawmakers on both sides of the aisle would vote for it anyway just to protect jobs in their districts.
You also say that corporate taxes are too high. That's pretty surprising coming from someone associated with the Green Party who believes that America's "corporatist culture" warps our minds, skews our politics, and reduces us to crass commercialism.
Potts: I'm definitely anti-corporate. But it does concern me that some people think the solution to our budget problems is to raise taxes on corporations. The bottom line on that is that corporations never really pay tax. They simply raise the prices on goods and services and the tax is really paid by us. The people who say we should raise corporate taxes are really saying let's just raise prices on consumers. My solution would be, not just cut corporate taxes, but eliminate them entirely and at the same time eliminate all corporate tax credits and all corporate welfare. Big corporations get subsidies that small businesses don't.
Do you want to eliminate private business altogether and have the government take over all economic activity - every factory, every farm, every job? Should all goods and services be provided by government entities? Is complete socialism or communism your goal?
Potts: No. I fight tooth and nail to expose the damage corporations are doing to the American political system. I don't think corporations should have rights as "persons" under the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, and I wouldn't have bailed out the big dinosaurs in the auto and financial industries. I also don't like the global companies that pretend they're still American or how corporate executives are given high positions in government regulatory agencies. But I'm not anti-business. I'd rather give money to innovative start-up companies and find a way for America to transition to locally-owned business and locally-produced goods. I'm fine with regional companies with 100-500 employees. I'm for policies that help local and regional businesses and farmers. I'm a green libertarian. I'm definitely not for complete government control of all business.
That makes you like a lot of people, then. You like free markets but not everything business does. You've lectured on several college campuses about "Transcending Traditional Politics". What do you try to get across to your students?
Potts: Transcending traditional politics goes hand-in-hand for me with transcending stereotypes. I ran for Congress as a Republican in 2006 partly because the media and other people try to say Missouri is a red state with the implication being that everyone in southwest Missouri would hate me as a transgender woman and nobody would vote for me. I wanted to prove them wrong because I grew up here and I know that most people everywhere truly want to live and let live. It's usually the haters who are the loudest, so they get the most attention. When I was campaigning, I went to town festivals and 4th of July celebrations and talked to regular people. I was actually quite accepted. I got 7 percent of the vote in the Republican primary in one of the most conservative parts of the country and came in third out of four candidates. So basically I go into colleges now and teach college students to overcome their stereotypes so they can have a dialogue and build bridges with people instead of keeping the same old adversarial attitudes. We need to meet each other and see who we really are instead of just accepting the stereotypical frames the media gives us, that it's red versus blue or everyone who's a Republican hates gays, etc. Traditional politics keeps us penned in to this language, but Republicans and Democrats don't even agree amongst themselves. We're all independents. Most people do not fit snugly into any one political stereotype, so I try to shatter those stereotypes just as I try to do on gender variance. It's time to get past all the slurs, like tea-bagger, so we can get to the real issues.
How does the libertarian diamond [World's Smallest Political Quiz - link] fit into this? The diamond shows that politics does not fall neatly along a liberal versus conservative, left-right spectrum. I've seen email threads from people who thought they were liberals but were floored to find out they're libertarian after taking the quiz.
Potts: I took the quiz again recently and came out right on the line for libertarian-left. I scored 100 for personal freedom and 50 for economic freedom. I hand out the quiz and suggest people take it. It's definitely an effective tool.
When you look at the tea party, what do you see?
Potts: That's another misconception being put forward, especially by the left-wing media - that tea party people are all fascists, or all of one mind. That's so far from the truth because what I've seen here in southwest Missouri when I've gone to tea party events is a wide variety of people who are just disgusted by the current U.S. government. I believe the tea party can be part of a peaceful Ghandian or Martin Luther King-style people power revolution to break down the current government we have, which is obviously corrupt and out-of-control with spending. The federal government should be the smallest part of all our government. The largest part of our government should be citizen participation on a local level.
Local control over local issues - education didn't start out as a function of the federal government. What would you do with the federal Department of Education?
Potts: Personally, I home-school my daughter. She was totally left behind by the public education system. She was bullied, spit on, and beat up, but the school had a dogmatic zero-tolerance policy so they punished her. She couldn't do her multiplication tables even in 5th grade. The public school kept passing her with D's and even F's a lot of the time when they should have held her back. It's complicated, but I would audit the Department of Education and initiate a serious discussion in America about dismantling parts of it. The Department of Education’s biggest failures are forcing dogmatic federal mandates on communities, and allowing a teacher "tenure" to be a barrier in holding educators accountable. The root reason we have public education is to turn people into automatons that can make change and work at fast food places, or enlist in the military and follow orders like robotic clones. I would find ways locally to involve parents more and look at what children really need. People don't all learn the same way; they're individuals.
Who will you vote for in the 2012 presidential election?
Potts: I voted for Ron Paul in the 2008 Republican primary and wrote in [Green Party candidate] Cynthia McKinney in the general election. I'll vote for Ron Paul again in the Republican primary this time, but I'm not backing anyone at the moment for next November. I'll vote for the candidate I see embracing global empire the least, but I don't know who that is, yet.
Why aren't you an automatic vote for Barack Obama?
Potts: [laughs] If anybody knows anything about me, they know I've protested the policies of Barack Obama as much as anybody in this entire country. I'm libertarian-left but Barack Obama is neither libertarian nor liberal. He does not represent me. His health fix is just an insurance subsidy program and has nothing to do with healthcare. He kept the military budget at record levels and is clearly a global imperialist. He lied about the financial meltdown and wanted to do all those corporate bailouts. I considered running for the Democratic nomination for Congress but I just can't because Obama has so straight-up lied to the American people so many times about so many things. He's not what he appears to be at all. Martin Luther King would be appalled.
How would you sum up your politics?
Potts: I consider myself an independent. That's why I'm OK with running in different parties. In fact, next year I'm going to file in the Libertarian Party primary. I have differences of opinion with probably most of the groups on the left and the right. I disagree with any group that says 'we're going to tell you how it is and we're not interested in what you have to say.' I always have something to learn and I'm willing to change my opinion. Even when I have a belief I've held for years, if somebody shows me valid evidence, I search a little deeper and try to find the truth. I embrace pretty much all philosophies as a way that I can get more information to find what the real truth is. The media and the politicians of this country have made a concentrated effort to hold back any alternative thinking and any third-party participation in the political debate. But one size does not fit all. People are individuals.
What is the biggest misconception about transgender people you want to clear up?
Potts: The biggest misconception is that gender identity has anything to do with sexual orientation. Trans people were not necessarily gay or lesbian when they were in their former bodies. Me, personally, I've always been attracted to women more than men. I'd say I'm bisexual. Most people, though, think that, if you're a trans woman, you like men and, if you're a trans man you like women, and that's not always the case. In fact, I've met a wide variety of trans people from being asexual, to bisexual, and everything else in between.
You're all over the map politically, but you are concerned about the national debt. Why?
Potts: Here's what I've been telling people about the debt, especially people on the liberal side who say we can keep funding programs and it doesn't matter how much debt we rack up. I believe the debt matters because anyone who can do simple math can see that, if you continue to raise the debt year after year, a bigger piece of the fiscal pie goes to paying interest. That's completely economically unfeasible by any standard, in your own household or in government. Interest will eventually swallow up the whole pie. If we don't do something about it soon, America is going to fall and not be able to afford to pay for anything. College kids today will never see their Social Security benefits. We could very quickly become a third world country. We have to find a way to reduce the debt by having surplus budgets. Republicans say we need to cut social programs, but the thing we need to cut first is military spending. We shouldn't be maintaining 800 military bases in 150 countries to maintain a global empire. Bring the troops home. Also, I've sat in a lot of congressional appropriations hearings and a lot of times I would hear generals tell the senators or representatives that the military didn't need a lot of the hardware that was being built, but lawmakers on both sides of the aisle would vote for it anyway just to protect jobs in their districts.
You also say that corporate taxes are too high. That's pretty surprising coming from someone associated with the Green Party who believes that America's "corporatist culture" warps our minds, skews our politics, and reduces us to crass commercialism.
Potts: I'm definitely anti-corporate. But it does concern me that some people think the solution to our budget problems is to raise taxes on corporations. The bottom line on that is that corporations never really pay tax. They simply raise the prices on goods and services and the tax is really paid by us. The people who say we should raise corporate taxes are really saying let's just raise prices on consumers. My solution would be, not just cut corporate taxes, but eliminate them entirely and at the same time eliminate all corporate tax credits and all corporate welfare. Big corporations get subsidies that small businesses don't.
Do you want to eliminate private business altogether and have the government take over all economic activity - every factory, every farm, every job? Should all goods and services be provided by government entities? Is complete socialism or communism your goal?
Potts: No. I fight tooth and nail to expose the damage corporations are doing to the American political system. I don't think corporations should have rights as "persons" under the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, and I wouldn't have bailed out the big dinosaurs in the auto and financial industries. I also don't like the global companies that pretend they're still American or how corporate executives are given high positions in government regulatory agencies. But I'm not anti-business. I'd rather give money to innovative start-up companies and find a way for America to transition to locally-owned business and locally-produced goods. I'm fine with regional companies with 100-500 employees. I'm for policies that help local and regional businesses and farmers. I'm a green libertarian. I'm definitely not for complete government control of all business.
That makes you like a lot of people, then. You like free markets but not everything business does. You've lectured on several college campuses about "Transcending Traditional Politics". What do you try to get across to your students?
Potts: Transcending traditional politics goes hand-in-hand for me with transcending stereotypes. I ran for Congress as a Republican in 2006 partly because the media and other people try to say Missouri is a red state with the implication being that everyone in southwest Missouri would hate me as a transgender woman and nobody would vote for me. I wanted to prove them wrong because I grew up here and I know that most people everywhere truly want to live and let live. It's usually the haters who are the loudest, so they get the most attention. When I was campaigning, I went to town festivals and 4th of July celebrations and talked to regular people. I was actually quite accepted. I got 7 percent of the vote in the Republican primary in one of the most conservative parts of the country and came in third out of four candidates. So basically I go into colleges now and teach college students to overcome their stereotypes so they can have a dialogue and build bridges with people instead of keeping the same old adversarial attitudes. We need to meet each other and see who we really are instead of just accepting the stereotypical frames the media gives us, that it's red versus blue or everyone who's a Republican hates gays, etc. Traditional politics keeps us penned in to this language, but Republicans and Democrats don't even agree amongst themselves. We're all independents. Most people do not fit snugly into any one political stereotype, so I try to shatter those stereotypes just as I try to do on gender variance. It's time to get past all the slurs, like tea-bagger, so we can get to the real issues.
How does the libertarian diamond [World's Smallest Political Quiz - link] fit into this? The diamond shows that politics does not fall neatly along a liberal versus conservative, left-right spectrum. I've seen email threads from people who thought they were liberals but were floored to find out they're libertarian after taking the quiz.
Potts: I took the quiz again recently and came out right on the line for libertarian-left. I scored 100 for personal freedom and 50 for economic freedom. I hand out the quiz and suggest people take it. It's definitely an effective tool.
When you look at the tea party, what do you see?
Potts: That's another misconception being put forward, especially by the left-wing media - that tea party people are all fascists, or all of one mind. That's so far from the truth because what I've seen here in southwest Missouri when I've gone to tea party events is a wide variety of people who are just disgusted by the current U.S. government. I believe the tea party can be part of a peaceful Ghandian or Martin Luther King-style people power revolution to break down the current government we have, which is obviously corrupt and out-of-control with spending. The federal government should be the smallest part of all our government. The largest part of our government should be citizen participation on a local level.
Local control over local issues - education didn't start out as a function of the federal government. What would you do with the federal Department of Education?
Potts: Personally, I home-school my daughter. She was totally left behind by the public education system. She was bullied, spit on, and beat up, but the school had a dogmatic zero-tolerance policy so they punished her. She couldn't do her multiplication tables even in 5th grade. The public school kept passing her with D's and even F's a lot of the time when they should have held her back. It's complicated, but I would audit the Department of Education and initiate a serious discussion in America about dismantling parts of it. The Department of Education’s biggest failures are forcing dogmatic federal mandates on communities, and allowing a teacher "tenure" to be a barrier in holding educators accountable. The root reason we have public education is to turn people into automatons that can make change and work at fast food places, or enlist in the military and follow orders like robotic clones. I would find ways locally to involve parents more and look at what children really need. People don't all learn the same way; they're individuals.
Who will you vote for in the 2012 presidential election?
Potts: I voted for Ron Paul in the 2008 Republican primary and wrote in [Green Party candidate] Cynthia McKinney in the general election. I'll vote for Ron Paul again in the Republican primary this time, but I'm not backing anyone at the moment for next November. I'll vote for the candidate I see embracing global empire the least, but I don't know who that is, yet.
Why aren't you an automatic vote for Barack Obama?
Potts: [laughs] If anybody knows anything about me, they know I've protested the policies of Barack Obama as much as anybody in this entire country. I'm libertarian-left but Barack Obama is neither libertarian nor liberal. He does not represent me. His health fix is just an insurance subsidy program and has nothing to do with healthcare. He kept the military budget at record levels and is clearly a global imperialist. He lied about the financial meltdown and wanted to do all those corporate bailouts. I considered running for the Democratic nomination for Congress but I just can't because Obama has so straight-up lied to the American people so many times about so many things. He's not what he appears to be at all. Martin Luther King would be appalled.
How would you sum up your politics?
Potts: I consider myself an independent. That's why I'm OK with running in different parties. In fact, next year I'm going to file in the Libertarian Party primary. I have differences of opinion with probably most of the groups on the left and the right. I disagree with any group that says 'we're going to tell you how it is and we're not interested in what you have to say.' I always have something to learn and I'm willing to change my opinion. Even when I have a belief I've held for years, if somebody shows me valid evidence, I search a little deeper and try to find the truth. I embrace pretty much all philosophies as a way that I can get more information to find what the real truth is. The media and the politicians of this country have made a concentrated effort to hold back any alternative thinking and any third-party participation in the political debate. But one size does not fit all. People are individuals.