Why I'm a Candidate:
This election is about the future and the decisions we make today will define that future. There are two competing visions the voters of Austin have to choose from. There is a vision that believes government can solve all our problems. And there is another one that believes in personal freedom and that government is an impediment to individual progress. Samuel Osemene believes government is the problem not the solution to individual progress. This election is about new direction, new ideas, new energy and new optimism. Limited government interference in our personal lives promotes individual excellence.
Governance:
The declaration of independence states all men are created equal and are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights: and among these rights are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness: that to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed: that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it and institute new government… The powers possessed by democratic republican governments were given to them by the consent of the governed. These powers are not possessed merely as a result of the submission of the governed to the powers these governments are able to exercise over the population. Governmental powers reside with the people. History has shown governance is not good if it is bereft of adherence to certain fundamental values of rule of law, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness and when any government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to abolish or alter it. When elected to the city council, rule of law will be upheld, life will be protected, liberty will be defended, and the pursuit of happiness will be promoted. This is because elected officials should owe their moral authority to the wishes of the people. Anything outside that would be tantamount to imposition. The moment the lines of rationality are crossed, one should expect the fruits of foolishness to emerge, which are not palatable.
Liberty & Freedom:
Alexander Hamilton in federalist #25 said " it is a truth which the experience of all ages has attested that the people are commonly most in danger when the means of injuring their rights are in the possession of those whom they entertain the least suspicion". Another great political philosopher Jean Rousseau said usurpers of human freedom always bring about or chose these times of trouble taking advantage of public panic to pass destructive laws that people would never adopt when there is no public panic. The city of Austin took advantage of public passion for road safety and convenience to adopt ordinances that limit the freedom of movement. When a government passes laws to curtail the freedom of movements of its citizens by installing cameras on public routes in the name of reducing auto accidents, the government is no longer a government of the people but a government by imposition. Freedom of movement is God's given right.
John Locke in "treatise of civil government" said human beings living in organized societies under civil government have many rights that are conferred upon them by the laws of the state. These rights are called civil rights because the state through its political processes gave these rights to its citizens. These rights may be taken away by the state the same way they were given. These civil rights are alienable rights because citizens exercise them at the mercy of the state. The right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are not civil rights. These are natural human rights given to the living and the unborn by the creator. Thomas Jefferson recognized these rights when he said government should promote public welfare with the understanding that the pursuit of happiness is God's given right. He also recognized when government becomes a provider of public goods and the life of citizens depends on government hand-outs, the security and freedom of the people are in danger.
Economic Growth:
I believe one of the best ways of promoting economic growth is by cutting taxes. When elected to the city council, tax cuts will be one of my top priorities because this will encourage businesses to invest in the city. The more tax a government imposes on its citizens, the lower the incentives to invest. This will discourage many businesses to invest in the city due to these tax burdens. Austin is a highly educated city and the resources needed by investors are here. Small businesses will be supported and given incentives to grow. The economic inequality in the city will be reduced because more jobs will be created for the citizens of Austin. The quality of life will also be improved. Yes, government cannot improve individual quality of life but should promote policies that will improve quality of life.
Property Taxes:
When elected to the City Council, I will propose a property tax cap for those that are fifty-five years old and up. I will also propose a City Ordinance that will protect family homes that are more than thirty years old from taxation.
Rule of Law:
This is one of the hallmarks of western civilization. The hallmarks of rule of law are freedom from the exercise of arbitrary power and equality before the law. This means the exercise of power must ultimately derive its validity from the consent of the governed. The absence of arbitrary power connotes that no man is above the law. And no government can deprive any citizen of personal property without due process of the law. When elected to the city council, rule of law will be protected. Rule of law must be seen not only as a rule of fairness but as a governance tool useful only when translated from a mere theoretical concept to the realms of practical reality of governance. It is an incontrovertible proposition that without the rule of law, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are in danger.
Private Property:
Jean Rousseau said freedom is a consequence of man's nature and man's law is to attend to his own self-preservation. Since man is motivated by self-preservation, any government that deprives man the means of self-preservation, in this case the pursuit of happiness should be abolished or altered. Power has been used and applied arbitrarily in confiscating private property in the name of eminent domain. Another method that has been used consistently to confiscate private property is increase in property taxes. Many old neighborhoods such as the ones in East Austin, Travis Heights, Tarrytown, and Allendale have been affected by this taxation without representation. History has shown any government that sustains itself through arbitrary taxation and unjustified confiscation of private property is an enemy of the people. The poor and the middle class are the ones that suffer when government irresponsibly over-tax its citizens.
Protecting The Environment:
As a candidate that believes in natural rights, protecting the environment is an exercise of natural right. Nature preserves life and the destruction of it is unconscionable. We should be the caretakers of the environment. Emission should be controlled in order to protect our planet. Any government that does not protect the continuation of life on earth is irresponsible and out of touch with reality. I believe every human being wants clean air, clean water and the preservation of natural life. And protecting the environment is a task that must be done when elected to city council because it is the right thing to do.
The Homeless:
The city of Austin has not done enough in addressing this issue. The downtown area is the face of the city. The idea that Austin has ignored the plight of the homeless should be looked upon with disgrace. We now live in a city where poverty confidently and menacingly walks the street. Where many people are forced to put faith in sheer providence. We are a better city than this. When elected to the city council, I will propose setting up a commission that will look into this problem and recommend to the city council how to deal with it. One of the solutions could be to relocate the homeless shelter and make it more humane by providing permanent accommodations to these our fellow citizens. The ARCH was built to address this issue but the policy of letting these men and women only to spend the night and letting them out during the daytime to wander around the city is disgraceful. These are God's children. I will suggest a permanent site where these citizens will call home and have the opportunity to build on the skills they have and learn new ones to better improve their way of life. City Team Ministries is one organization I would like to bring to this city or at least model after to achieve this goal. The city has to work with many charitable organizations in this city to finance projects like City Team or to improve how shelters like ARCH care for our citizens. The city has to prioritize instead of proposing ordinances that would penalize these people for soliciting money in order to sustain life. These are somebody's mother, father, son, and daughter...
Bio:
My name is Samuel Amechi Osemene and I have been an Austin resident for almost 20 years. I'm married with twin daughters, Dora and Nora. I earned my Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Texas at Austin and will be earning my Masters degree in Political Science in May 2008. I served in the United States Navy and received an honorable discharge. My military experience contributed to my sense of loyalty, commitment, dedication, and the desire to serve the people. I'm currently employed by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. My life has been dedicated to public service. I'm involved in my community as a leader and a follower in different areas of human endeavor. When elected to the City Council, I will apply common sense to common problems. This election is about the future. The future of Austin is in our hands.
We Are Hopeful!
I believe this city will rise again! In order to move this city forward; let us discard the habit of low expectations that have been forced upon us by those that doubt our resilience. Let us recapture the mood of optimism that defined this great city. Let us join together to ease the pains of today while working for the gains of tomorrow. Let us set aside cynicism created by the dangerous policies of the past and strive for the good society that we are known for in the world. Let us recapture our place as one of the best places to live in the world by voting for Sam Osemene. I urged the residents of this great city to embrace the challenges we are facing today with courage, grab the opportunity of changing these irresponsible and dangerous policies with vision and enter into tomorrow with abiding faith, hope and confidence. We should always be guided by the understanding that we have been given this opportunity to change incompetence because providence has seen it fit to trust the responsibilities of guiding the future of this city upon us. We should take a cue from other cities where public servants know that their jobs are secured to the extent that they make accountability their forte. Policy makers have constructed cocoons around themselves by implementing policies and exhibiting behavioral patterns that emphasized their own exalted status and the ordinariness of the people. In the process of gaining our rightful place and reclaiming this city from these cabals, we must conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. This struggle is not going to be easy. but with your determined effort and sense of dignity of purpose, this city will rise again. God Bless America, Austin and you. Thanks.
