Tho is awesome, but did his campaign get over the DUI in January?Originally Posted by Rocco
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If the reports I hear are true, tonight was the defining night of the race to this point, and Tho came out on top.
I wouldn't say he is the next Ron Paul in Florida. As I had all the campaign lists that covered his region and he was either from somewhere else, or did not sign up for e-mails, volunteer, or donate. On the other hand there are Ron Paul supporters elsewhere in Florida that truly were Ron Paul supporters running for office. Tho strikes me as someone just working us.
http://m.newsherald.com/news/crime-p...h-dui-1.265894
A 24 year old in Panama City, FL of all places with a DUI and no record is no Ron Paul. Voters do not want a young man with a recent criminal record, sorry but Liberty candidates need to live a cleaner lifestyle without drugs or adultery as this has taken out two past liberty leaning republicans with one being a Congressman in Florida and now this.
State House candidate charged with DUI
By MATTHEW BEATON | The News Herald
Published: Tuesday, January 21, 2014 at 20:40 PM.
PANAMA CITY — A state House candidate was arrested and charged with driving under the influence last month but says he plans to stay in the race, despite the “great embarrassment.”
Tho Bishop, 24, was pulled over by the Florida Highway Patrol at 11:32 p.m. on Dec. 27 while driving on Laurie Avenue and booked into the Bay County Jail, according to law enforcement records. He received a DUI uniform traffic citation and refused to submit to a Breathalyzer test, which results in a one-year automatic loss of license.
The Panama City Beach Republican is running for state House District 6 this year, which includes most of Bay County. The district is represented currently by the term-limited state Rep. Jimmy Patronis, R-Panama City.
Bishop said Tuesday he would not speak about the case and had a lawyer handling it for him. He said he was “contesting the charges.”
Despite a possible trial and sentence looming over his head, Bishop said he was staying in the race because he saw no other strong candidates who could represent the county and make a difference.
“If I thought that there was someone in this race who could do the job that I think Florida needs, that I think Bay County needs, I’d be glad to step out, but I don’t,” he said, “so I’m going to fight on.”
Bishop said he can’t change what happened, but he would if he could. He said the arrest doesn’t alter who he is or why he’s running.
“It’s a very difficult personal thing. It’s a great embarrassment,” he said.
Bishop, who touts libertarian economists Frédéric Bastiat and Ludwig von Mises as his influences, said he took the “constitutional” approach by refusing to cooperate with law enforcement after he was arrested. He said U.S. citizens have the right to have a lawyer present to advise them and not say anything self-incriminating.
Bishop has not been a fundraising force since he entered the race in July, taking in just $2,750 in donations so far. He came back to the county to enter the race after working in Washington, D.C., as a U.S. House Finance Committee staffer. He said he never gave up his Bay County residency.
Once the case wraps up, Bishop said he could talk about it, but for now, he’ll stay in.
“I’ll continue on with the race,” he said.
Last edited by Okaloosa; 04-09-2014 at 05:14 AM.
Quite frankly, you are severely misinformed in regards to Tho. I cannot think of any new candidate running currently with deeper connections in the liberty movement. Tho graduated from LVMI, he has written for mises.org in the past and he has consistently outlined a pro liberty platform. During the Paul campaign Tho was working on Capitol Hill, and he was very much a part of the liberty crowd during his time there. I have SEVERAL pictures of Tho with Ron during his time in congress, here are a few:
As far as the DUI, listen, I wouldn't be putting my neck out for Tho if I didn't believe he was one of the most talented people in our movement. The DUI was a mistake, even Tho would agree that it was a stupid mistake, but that mistake does not represent the man and what he brings to the table. This is somebody who has a plan (outlined by compromise above) to take on the Tallahassee establishment and accomplish real conservative goals. This is somebody who articulately and passionately advocates for our ideas in a way that very few candidates can. In 10 years people won't remember the DUI, and those that do will chalk it up to youth, but what they will remember is electing a libertarian reformer to go fight the battles that the GOP establishment in Florida has refused to fight. Writing Tho off as not truly with us or not someone who lives a clean lifestyle is a *serious* mistake.
Last edited by Rocco; 04-09-2014 at 11:47 AM.
"I attended last night Republican Roundtable for their House candidates' first forum -- an Infidel in their midst? Not really since I know and respect Thelma Rohanand Melissa Rogers Hagan as well as several local Republicans. It was enlightening. Of course, they all hate Common Core and decry the ACA. The winner might have been dark horse Tho Bishop for FL House - District 6, obviously the candidate of choice for Burnie Thompson, who I also met last night. Enlightened!" -Jamie Shepard, the Democrat nominee for District 6.
Burnie Thompson, FWIW, is the most popular conservative radio host in the area, and he has endorsed Tho.
Burnie Thompson live tweeted the event, and revealed some of Tho's pro liberty positions in the process!
"The situation in Nevada going on demonstrates just how important groups like the Oath Keepers are and why I am proud to be a member. When Federal agents and law enforcement overstep the bounds of the Constitution and common decency, it is important for concerned citizens to be willing to stand up and say "No!".
My thoughts and prayers are with the Bundy Family and I hope the example set by them and those who have come to their aid will inspire people across the country to stand up to tyranny and restore this republic." -Tho Bishop
Tho has just shared with me a thank you from Ron Paul printed in the acknowledgements (page xvii) of his monetary policy anthology. If this doesn't prove Tho is one of us, I don't know what does!
http://tobybaxendale.com/ron-pauls-m...icy-anthology/
I'd like to thank Rocco for his support here.
I wanted to get involved in the forum and introduce myself to the community here.
As Rocco has mentioned, I am a proud Austrian-libertarian Republican who is running for State House in Florida. Prior to this race, I worked for the Financial Services Committee as Deputy Communications Director and worked quite closely with Ron Paul's office during the 112th Congress which was without a doubt the highlight of my time in Washington. I also took great joy in having a bust of Rothbard sitting on my Congressional desk (a fun inside joke between me and Dr. Paul's staff.)
But of course, when it comes to politics one's "Austrian cred" must come secondary to campaign viability. And for the first time since I decided to take a chance and give this a try, I can say with great confidence that this is a very winnable race for the liberty movement.
As Okalossa has highlighted, I was pulled over for a DUI following a Christmas Party at the end of last year. It was a devastating episode and forced me to re-evaluate not just this race but many things about my life. At the time, another young Republican candidate had recently entered the race and after my arrest I strongly considered dropping out and hoped that his youth implied a greater sympathy to liberty than my other competitors had demonstrated. Unfortunately he may, philosophically, be the worst of the bunch. Not only was his first move as a candidate to hire Mitt Romney (and FL AG Pam Bondi's) campaign manager, but at the recent candidate forum - the first event of the campaign that featured all four candidates talking about policy - he said expanding "public-private partnerships" was one of his top economic priorities.
Luckily that idea plays about as well in Bay County as it does on the Ron Paul Forums.
Prior to Tuesday's forum, the bulk of my campaign was based on the endorsement of an influential radio show host in the area - Burnie Thompson - and a small but dedicated group of volunteers. The forum, however, has completely changed the direction of this race. I had multiple people who came in supporting other candidates told me flat out that they changed their vote that night, and after demonstrating a grasp of policy and passion that was unmatched by the other candidates, the campaign has generated a very serious buzz.
Of course it's as easy to speak optimistically of a campaign on a forum as it is for the Fed to expand its balance sheet - so I will not be encouraging anyone here to donate to my campaign until after our fundraising numbers come out for this month. But after April month, I will be able to demonstrate a massive jump in fundraising and likely able to identify a few notable endorsements.
But until I can prove the viability of my campaign, I want to do everything I can to demonstrate my passion for liberty. I will be glad to answer any questions, discuss any points or share any personal stories you'd be interested in.
Last edited by ThoBishop; 04-12-2014 at 06:51 PM.
Also, to answer the past question about what my Facebook banner was an image of, it was an old, iconic and adorably tacky statue of King Neptune which used to stand in Panama City Beach. It, along with an old amusement park whose similarly kitschy rides I have also used for other things, were actually a part of an area of the beach that was particularly devastated by the housing bubble.
The amusement park, for example, was closed and the land sold to make condos (even though the beach was littered with half-occupied towers already). I use it as an example amongst people I grew up with of how the Fed directly impacts the lives of people in Panama City - in other words, "Alan Greenspan Killed Miracle Strip Amusement Park!"
Also, since I do consider sniffing out Republicans who are "working" Ron Paul supporters for money to be a very valid cause - I'd like to present this in response to Okaloosa's (again, very valid) concern about "Tho Bishop from Florida" not appearing on campaign donation records:
My legal name is Norman, though I have always gone by "Tho" (and will be on the ballot as such.)
How is your fundraising doing? Are you having any moneybombs?Also, since I do consider sniffing out Republicans who are "working" Ron Paul supporters for money to be a very valid cause - I'd like to present this in response to Okaloosa's (again, very valid) concern about "Tho Bishop from Florida" not appearing on campaign donation records:
My legal name is Norman, though I have always gone by "Tho" (and will be on the ballot as such.)
Prior to last Tuesday, it was pretty much non-existent - but our fundraising goal for April is $10,000 of local money and I think we are going to reach that goal.
I have talked with Rocco about arranging a moneybomb at the end of May. If I reach my campaign goals between now and then, I think I will be able to make the argument that this is one of the most winnable elections for a strong liberty candidate in the entire country.
We have you on our liberty candidates website, and I have read some of your articles on mises.org. You are certainly a great person for the liberty movement, which is why I was disappointed when I heard about the DUI. I was doing much crazier stuff when I was your age and living overseas, but you have decided to run for a position where you life choices will be under a microscope.
People are willing to accept mistakes, but you need to live a virtuous life as long as you want to live in the public spotlight. You owe it to yourself and the people you are about to represent. Good luck Tho, and keep fighting for liberty. If you have a money bomb, I will send a donation and give you some promotion on our social media.
Find liberty candidates to support:
http://www.candidates4liberty.com
WHENS THE NEXT MONEY BOMB? YOU GOTTA BE THE NEXT JUSTIN AMASH OUT OF FLORIDA. WE NEED TO LINK.
When Tho confirms it I'll announce it on here, you folks will be some of the first to know
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"There was madness in any direction, at any hour. You could strike sparks anywhere. There was a fantastic universal sense that whatever we were doing was right, that we were winning.
And that I think, was the handle. That sense of inevitable victory over the forces of Old and Evil. Not in any mean or military sense; we didn't need that. Our energy would simply prevail. We had all the momentum; we were riding the crest of a high and beautiful wave." ~ HST
PM me plz.When Tho confirms it I'll announce it on here, you folks will be some of the first to know
Tho just got finished with a meeting of some very prominent businessmen in the Panama City Beach area, the first bit of a LOT of positive fallout from the candidate forum was his invite to this event. From what he has told me, it went very well!
"I'd like to thank John D. Shook and Jean McDougall for inviting me to a meeting of the A-Team.
It was an honor to be able to talk with business leaders from across Bay County and it is always exciting to see what can be accomplished when you bring a group of talented, dedicated and principled people together." -Tho Bishop
Today Tho debuted his inaugural column at SteveDeace.com!
http://stevedeace.com/news/culture-war-washington/The GOP’s Future: Less Jeb Bush, More Tony Stark.
Guest post by Tho Bishop on May 1, 2014
Editorial Note: The views of guest contributors do not necessarily reflect the viewpoints of The Steve Deace Show. By publishing them we deem them worthy of consideration.
The nation is $17 trillion in debt. The Federal Reserve has loaded its balance sheet with questionable investments and has maliciously abused the dollar’s position as a reserve currency. We face an economy that is failing to create jobs while simultaneously inflating treacherous debt bubbles in industries like auto and student loans. Overseas, a combination of misguided military efforts and US surveillance has destroyed American credibility to the point that even our closest allies in Europe are refusing to follow our lead against Vladimir Putin. Not since the Carter Administration has faith in this country been so low.
But in spite of all of this, I remain optimistic about this country.
My hope is grounded in my belief in the potential of my generation – the Millennial generation. Though young Americans are often dismissed by conservatives for their naivety, often a product of the historic enthusiasm my peers had for President Obama’s 2008 campaign, the first generation of voters who have grown up in the internet age are better informed than average voters. While Democratic strategists believed 2008 would forge a life-long alliance between Millenials and the left, this generation has shown to be less moved by sterile political talking points and blind party affiliation.
Though liberals may have not yet realized it, the reality is that the indefensible ineptitude of the Obama Administration has backfired on the Democratic Party. Instead of a generation that fully embraces progressivism, Obama has done more to breed cynicism of government than any political figure since Ronald Reagan.
Another surprising catalyst for anti-government sentiment? Hollywood.
Any progressive who has come to realize that Emperor Obama has no clothes has to be longing for the 90’s, when the White House was occupied by the most articulate spokesmen for a benign government since JFK. I speak, of course, of Aaron Sorkin’s Jed Bartlett Administration. The West Wing was NBC’s hour long infomercial to the potential of big government policy. It portrayed a White House devoted to the public good, an administration beyond personal scandal. If we were forced to sign up for Bartlettcare, there would have been no broken websites. If you liked your health insurance – you really would be able to keep it!
But fictional White House policy is no longer written by Lawrence O’Donnell. Instead, pop culture has given us two very different visions of Washington politics. The vicious, amoral capital depicted in Netflix’s House of Cards and the comedic ineptitude (and in this author’s experience, more accurate) depiction of HBO’s Veep. Though the two shows give very different takes on the state of American politics, both are extremely effective at undermining the central tenant of progressivism – the ability of government to improve the lives of its people.
This cultural attack on government is not isolated to Washington-based shows. While do-gooder Leslie Knope brings a certain Bartlett-esque quality back to NBC in Parks and Recreation, it is the bacon loving-libertarian Ron Swanson that is the fan favorite. Meanwhile, though its crass language and desire to offend may make it utterly unpalatable to many traditional Republican voters; no vehicle has done more to highlight the absurdity of big government policy than Comedy Central’s South Park. If we turn our attention to “tween” targeted television I could write a whole article on how Disney Channel’s Phineas & Ferb really is a love letter to Ayn Rand’s Objectivism.
But the small government message is not isolated to the small screen. This year’s smash hit, Captain America 2, was a deliberate critique of the Obama Administration. This is not the first time Ron Paul-esque libertarianism has been highlighted in Marvel’s ultra-successful film series. In Iron Man 2, Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark defiantly tells an obtuse Congressional committee “I have successfully privatized world peace!”
George Washington is credited with having said, “Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master.” A generation that understands the inherit truth of that statement is a generation that can change the growing tide of statism in this country. This explains why Senator Rand Paul, the most consistent critic of government in national politics today, is the most attractive Republican candidate amongst young voters.
While the problems we face as a nation are too big for even the Avengers to defeat singlehandedly – for us to restore an America that is truly exceptional, we must value every small victory we can get. Ronald Reagan’s greatest gift to the conservative movement was his sense of optimism for the future. These cultural trends should be cause to restore some degree of hope amongst the political right.
The GOP is perfectly positioned to “win the future”. All the party must do is reject the technocratic “conservatism” of leaders like Paul Ryan, and instead embrace the libertarian roots of conservatism embodied by Senator Paul.
We need a Republican Party that looks less like Jeb Bush and more like Tony Stark.
Tho Bishop is an economic analyst for Bishop & Associates, a political consulting firm. Prior to that, he served as Deputy Communications Director for the House Financial Services Committee, where he worked closely with Rep. Ron Paul’s staff during the 112th Congress. He has been published by the Ludwig von Mises Institute, the Financial Services Committee blog, the News Herald and has appeared as a guest on multiple radio programs.
He is currently a Republican candidate for the Florida State House, District 6.
Read more at http://stevedeace.com/news/culture-w...3XIdZZvqj7r.99
Tho and candidates like him need social media presence! He's off-rip under 40. If he's really the next Ron Paul of Florida's state House word should travel from campuses throughout the state.
Social media presence is not something you can get overnight unless there is some major event that get major news coverage and draws people to your Facebook page.
Even if that happens, your likes will be from all over the place and not necessarily people who will support and spread your message. Most will be disengaged. To build up a good following of like-minded people takes time, precision targeting, and money. You want to avoid fake likes and like farms, which is easy to do if you know what you are doing.
Find liberty candidates to support:
http://www.candidates4liberty.com
Status update on campaign?
THE FUTURE OF THE GOP = R[∃vo˩]ution 2.0: Rand Paul 2016
He lost this one.
https://www.facebook.com/ThoBishopFL
http://enight.elections.myflorida.co...on/?add=260061
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