I have been to several protests in solidary with New York State health care workers, recently mandated by Dr. Richard Daines, state health commissioner, to take both the annual flu shot and the H1N1 shot. This was not even a legislative action, it was a mandate from the state health commissioner. Stroke of the pen, law of the land. Does the phrase "evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism" come to mind for anyone else?

During the course of several of these and other events I have come into contact with a number of people who had serious reactions to the swine flu shots given back in 1976, one man told me he was out of work for two years as a result, another woman told me she has some mobility issues to this day.

I just made my FaceBook account for the campaign, and I was exposed to this YouTube Video which tells Desiree Jennings' flu shot story. She received this year's regular flu shot, and she now suffers from a rare neurological disorder as a result, the condition is called dystonia. It effects every aspect of her life, she has trouble walking, talking, and eating, amongst pretty much everything in between and it is permanent.

Is it anywhere near likely you will suffer any of these effects from the annual flu vaccine, the H1N1 vaccine, or any other vaccine? No. For the vast majority of people, the vaccine is perfectly safe as far as we can reasonably determine with any medical certainty. But I only mention these side effects to call attention to a larger issue. When the government, especially some administrative person, not your legislature, makes a mandate where you must take anything into your body, something must be done to stop them. I can't say this issue is why I decided to run, but it played a part. Washington, Albany, and governments all over the United States, are starting to act like governments all over the world, in a word, unlimited.

These people are playing fast and loose with the powers of government, they think that they can just put whatever mandate they want down your throat, or, up your nose, or in your arm. We as a people, whether you decide to support me or not, need to stand up to tyranny wherever we find it. We must stand up to it when it effects others, not wait until it is at our door. Thomas Paine said, "He that would make his own liberty secure, must guard even his enemy from opposition; for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach himself." This precedent started with the children in the public schools, but at least there the parents had a religious exemption. It has extended to the health care workers. Who next? Police? Teachers? Everyone? When will we as a people stand with one voice and tell all government "BACK OFF!"? I for one have already taken this position, and I stand with all who do, whether they support me in 2010 or not, whether they live in my district or not. Wherever anyone seeks relief from tyrannical government, they will have a friend in me.

Luckily, a state supreme court judge has issued a temporary restraining order on the NYS mandate, while further arguments are heard on a number of law suits relating to it. I do pray the judge does the right thing and forbids this altogether, and if not, and even if so, Congress must act to remind the state that the 1st, 4th, 5th, and 14th amendments apply to them too! And while we're at it, let's remind them about the 2nd!

I mentioned before, that children must be vaccinated to attend public schools. I was reminded of this while arguing this with a few people. I also mentioned they had a religious exemption and I know a number of people who have exercised this, and they have some of the healthiest, smartest, best looking kids I've ever met. This religious exemption does not apply to the NYS health workers. Practicing Jewish and Muslim people won't even eat swine, or anything which derives from it, and we expect them to be injected with swine viruses? If this isn't a violation of the First Amendment, then I don't know what is. Additionally, and really, more importantly, why are we requiring children to be injected with vaccinations to begin with? This should be the parents choice. It is not a question of safety, it is a question of Liberty, it is a question of choice. Why are these things questions at all?

The fact that I even need to debate this subject with anyone makes me sit back and shake my head sometimes. What has this country come to? Where people find themselves angry with their government, only to realize the reason they have the government they have, is because the people in the country vote these fools and tyrants into office. A man named Robert A. Heinlein once said "The human race divides itself politically into those who want to be controlled, and those who have no such desire.". I suppose my question to all who read this is, which side of that division do you stand on? Because at the end of the day, the real fight is not right vs. left, Republican vs. Democrat, the people vs. the government, white vs. black, citizen vs. immigrant, or health care workers vs. New York, the real fight is those who want to be controlled vs. those who have no such desire. The sooner we who love freedom realize that these false paradigms are what is tearing this country apart, the sooner we can join together against those who love control, and all start enjoying the freedoms so many men and women have died to protect.