Organizing For America Inspiration - As Submitted

I was inspired by Senator Bob Dole, coming to my small town in Kansas (yes, the Dorothy and Toto jokes remain the same.), campaigning for the state House early in the 1960’s.  Dressed in a fine suit, having his attractive assistant handing out Dole pineapple, being strong in stature and talking with people he knew not inspired me to check out public service.

My best friend’s father had a framed hand signed letter from President John F. Kennedy in his home office, thanking him for things he had done.  I spent considerable time looking at that letter.

My Grandmother had a picture of President Eisenhower and his wife above her telephone stand which included one of her bibles written in German that came with her to America.  She taught me how important it was to support our country and pray for our leaders.  It didn’t matter to her his term in office was over.  She still prayed for the Kansas President every morning.

Being asked to campaign for the Democratic Presidential candidate in the early 1970’s, folding flyers and door knocking, made me feel I was part of an organization much larger than anything I had experienced before.

Time came when I was selected to attend Boy’s State.  My Senator and high school counselor encouraged me to run for Governor.  That surprised me, but in hindsight, is inspiring.

After a 32 year career in the computer industry, I became disabled and lost my job.  My money was drained on expensive medications and soon later had to file for government assistance, something I was paying in to since the age of 15, maxing out the required taxing for many years.

After years of recovery, I was able to start giving back.  In my 50’s I joined the AmeriCorps VISTA, volunteer in service to America, program.  I was assigned as a field organizer for NAMI, national alliance on mental illness.  My position was going in to communities, bringing people together to start a self-sustaining support group.

After contracts were completed, I continued to serve.  I was an alumni of the Corporation of National and Community Services.  I worked 2 inaugurals and MLK days of service in Washington, DC.  I paid for all of my expenses to be part of that organization much greater than myself.

On the first trip, I worked making care packages for our Military at RFK stadium.  The second trip was to be a greeter at the National Mall, giving directions and talking with people from other countries.

I was on the Metro, headed to meet a friend in Silver Springs, MD. when the call came to become a founding member of OFA.  I accepted without reservation.

Today, my eight month old granddaughter, Madison Hope Conyers, wears her ‘Organizer in Training’ uniform I purchased from the OFA store for Christmas.

Today, my health is failing.  I have no regret of the deeds I attempted to do, at the best of my ability.

My granddaughter will be taking my place.

Thank you.

Randy Conyers

Randall (Mott) Conyers

randallcrandall@yahoo.com

RandallConyers@yahoo.com

Wichita, KS 67230

316-618-4660

Call the political satire what it is. Call it a vehement expression of disapproval, downright nasty.

Quote from the newspaper article

Republican Sen. Mary Pilcher-Cook from Shawnee spoke out against the amendment in the Senate, saying it would make lobbyist filings "exponentially more complicated." We want to make it easier for citizens to participate in the political process, not make it more difficult, Pilcher-Cook said.

Response via Facebook, very irradiated mood.

Randall Mott Conyers Had to be briefed on this for states that passed similar law. Made to be a HUGE issue. No, could not be intimidated. Advocate to Registered Lobbyist, if required, and filing reports is a piece of cake, meaning even I can do it (and have done it). 

Political satire... How difficult is it to change a roll of toiler paper? Ask Sen. Mary Pilcher-Cook

Bob Brookens Randy: That's not satire.

Bob, I am unhappy. Call it a vehement expression of disapproval, downright nasty. I would prefer to read a censure from the late Bill Meier. In hindsight I could have consulted with FB friend Eric Meyer before making a keystroke. I did not and have no regret.

John Hanna and other FB friends. Bob Brookens and I know each other. He can sing. I can not. Our children are friends. They have gone on many trips together from the Rockies to Mexico. From time to time, I have been known to write my opinion. My time is short and do not have time to submit to newspapers. I have higher priorities coming up soon.

But I do want to say this, a man of many words.

There are good people in the Senate.  They are hard working men and women who are problem solvers.  Besides politics, they understand business.  They can look at a profit and loss statement and find ways to generate revenue, not looking at line items under expenses without thought.  It has been instilled in me, for all entities, it is good to make a profit, without the expense of hurting your people.  That applies to the lowest on the pay scale to the most high.  You don’t start slashing through the numbers just to make ends meet.  You look at how you can generate more revenue.  You look at the impossible and make it so.  You look at improving your services, more clients, finding niche markets, etc.  If you have to experiment, you experiment.  If it doesn’t work, that’s okay.  You cut your losses short and try again.

During the process, if you don’t make a mistake, you are not doing your job.  You are not considered a failure.  The finger of blame is not pointed.  When reporters ask, “What does it feel like making 999 mistakes?”, you reply in the way of Thomas Edison, “Young man, I have not failed.  I have found 999 ways how not to make a light bulb.”  You don’t give up.  You don’t continue to beat a dead horse.  You look down deep and find that entrepreneurial spirit that is in each of us.  You become an inventor, the kind that is recorded in history. 

You take the knowledge of IBM and use a similar mindset.  To keep the story short, IBM could not make a personal computer for public consumption.  Follow that story and you’ll find success.  I had the privilege of looking at the computers in Boca Raton, FL that were built, proving they didn’t work for the marketplace.  I got to talk with the developers.  I could not find a failure on any team.  I did not see people losing their jobs because of making a mistake or having a disagreement with upper management.  What I saw was success.  Profits were made.

If you want to call Governor Brownback something besides his name, call him a Robert Fulton, the perceived failure who was not.  Gov. Sam has thick ears and the smarts to keep waving and smiling.  He’s not stupid and he isn’t dumb.  He knew to take the advice of others, who were perceived to be smarter, very influential and has the art of persuasion. A decision was made.  Relative to economics, Arthur Laffer can be very influential and knows how to persuade.  He’s got the best jokes on the speaking circuit.  Heck, even I like to hear him talk.  I’ll view him on YouTube, because I want to.  I’ll be the first to say his advice found a way that didn’t work.  Am I going to call him a failure or mistake? No.  Am I going to call Brownback a failure or mistake?  No. 

You don’t become a worry-wart and fear what could happen if it doesn’t work.  How many letters did I receive from a US Senator that ended with talking more about worrying if my great ideas didn’t work?  Certainly, it more than once. Did I feel like a failure?  No.  I found things that Senator Brownback gave reason to and told me he was not in favor of it. He worried about if it didn’t work.  Did that stop me from suggesting other ideas? Absolutely not. 

Here’s the bottom line.  Revenue is down.  The Senate has a legitimate correction that has a major impact on stopping the bleeding.  It needs to be made so.  No one is a failure.  No one made a mistake.  It is part of the process to make things better.

You put down that slashing knife.  I want to see the dramatic opposition stop to all things and get the problem fixed.  No excuses.

Lastly, I would like to state before having a procedure done this Thursday, I have thick eyes.  I’ll do my best to read the posts.  My Illness has affected my eyesight, like the other things the Doctors are going to explore for. But what I can do is type without eyes and have periods when the brain has cognitive thinking.  If you read to this point and don’t understand, read it again.  If you still don’t like it, read it one more time.

It’s an experiment of words.  If my words are not understood, I will write again. I will attempt to make the necessary fixes and publish again.  I am not going away.

The motivation behind Mott goes rogue. Writing during March Madness

The Fedora Hat for the "DC look" during Kansas Medicaid Expansion Hearings until vote is taken

Granddaughter Madison showing off her version of the pink fedora while watching Grandpa write his correction written testimony.  Playing by Sandlot rules.  Go Grandpa!

Who said family genetics were not important?

Once you believe your hearing testimony in person or written form is over, its the end of the chapter. But my generation grew up with playing by sandlot rules.  In our Senior Citizen years, nothing has changed.  We still play by what we know.  Some have learned how Democracy works, giving them 2 sets of ground rules.  Some have chosen one over the other and some that will play either way.  I prefer the vote to making rules as you play the game, but that doesn't stop me from playing. I can play either way.  Sometimes you think you are playing by one set while your opponent is playing by the other.  There is no need to be dis-respectful.  You merely adjust. The end of the chapter becomes the beginning to the next.