Exclusive Interview with Candidate David Kimmel

Here is our first exclusive interview with a 2010 candidate for NYS Assembly, David Kimmel. We hope to continue this conversation with Kimmel and get a chance to interview other candidates all across NY-23. We thought this interview included some fascinating information. To find out about Kimmel's New Year's Resolutions, his thoughts on Janet Duprey and Doug Hoffman, how he thinks NYS CO's should be treated, and his musings on dirtbag politicians, read on below!

Buggs Buddy Question: Mr. Kimmel thank you for agreeing to take the time to participate in our interview and congratulations on your decision to run for public office. I am sure our readers are very interested in learning more about your issues and your priorities, but first we need to know who you are as a person. Can you first give us a little bit of background on who you are, where you grew up, what you do now, and tell us what your first experience in politics was?

David Kimmel Response: I’m a city kid. I grew up in Downtown Flint, Michigan. I lived across the street from a house of ill repute and next door to a half-way house. I got mugged more times than I can count until I learned to fight for myself. We moved from there to a little town called Owosso and from there to Lansing. I spent most of my adult life in the military – first the Marines and then the Army. I served in special operations in both branches. My post military jobs have been in technology. I currently own and operate my own technology integration company. My first experience in politics was volunteering for a mayoral campaign for a woman in Evansville Indiana. I worked the phones.

BB: What made you decide for run for the New York State Assembly?

DK: I’m tired of sending people to Albany who have no vision and can’t get anything done. I decided to run for Assembly because I have a vision and can get things done. At some point I would love to expound on this idea of “vision” for your readers.

BB: Karen Bisso, your campaign manager, told us that your intention in this race is to "shake up business as usual" and "offer the citizens of the 114th District a common sense, real solutions option the North Country can be proud to send to Albany." Can you tell us what your core message will be? What are your common sense, real solutions to our problems we face today? Specifically, I am sure our readers would like to know what three issues you want to work on.

DK: You bet. Like I state on my bio page, I have seen New Yorkers respond to crisis. I have seen the best in our folks. We’re not the problem. Government is. I know that sounds like campaign rhetoric, but it’s true. My core message is three-fold.

1) Shrink the size of government. There are different ways we do it, but one way in particular is to privatize routine information technology tasks. I will discuss others later in the campaign.

2) Create a business friendly environment. We have to send a clear signal to the business world that we are open for business. Apparently Albany didn’t get that memo. Albany lawmakers decide who the winners and losers are through incentive. This is a Socialist principle, not a free-market one. Another way is to freeze fees. I will announce an initiative to address this Monday night. This is so important to small businesses that it can’t wait until the election. While this flies in the face of convention, I’m going to reveal a no-brainer opportunity that my opponent should not pass up. It’s so important that I don’t even care if she tries to claim it as her own idea.

3) Market the 114th Assembly District. I have a very specific plan to accomplish this. It is at the core of my message on vision. I will reveal this within the next 120 days.

BB: We understand that you have just started your campaign. Can you tell us what the response is like so far and what do you have planned on the campaign trail for the rest of the winter? Do you anticipate that you will be able to raise the necessary campaign funds to win? Have you raised any money since starting your campaign?

DK: Sure. The response has been very positive, so much so that I’ve asked my team to be leery of the possibility of groupthink. The response has renewed my belief in the great people of the North Country. I mean literally only one guy said he wanted to see literature before making a decision about whether he would support me or not. I’m going to spend the next 90 days visiting small groups and individuals. I’m going to open my home to anyone who wants to sit down over a cup of coffee and tell me what’s on their mind. I’ve already booked some radio shows, and have most of the next two weeks booked for engagements. I anticipate that I will raise a lot of money. I’ve raised about $1100 so far, and really believe that we will continue to see success in our fundraising efforts.

BB: What do you think are the main differences between yourself, Paul Maroun, and Janet Duprey? Why should someone consider voting for you rather than these other two candidates in the Republican primary?

DK: I don’t want to speculate concerning Paul Maroun since I don’t believe he has stated his intentions publicly. (Goodness knows I wouldn’t want anyone throwing me in the ring if I hadn’t made a decision.)

As far as Janet Duprey, our views on social issues are dramatically different. However, there are so many things to fix in the fiscal realm that my campaign will lead with a fiscal agenda of necessity. Janet has painted herself as a fiscal Conservative; however, her support of Dede cannot be reconciled with her claims. Dede supported card-check. That is not only anti-business, but anti-American. (Well, she claimed to be against it, but in an AFL-CIO survey she said she would support it.)

Janet lacks tenacity. Our next Assembly member should aggressively advocate on all fronts for the North Country. As recently as January 2nd she is quoted in the Adirondack Daily Enterprise as saying she's helped constituents deal with serious problems with state bureaucracy. That's not tenacity, that's making time. What she should be doing, and what I will work for, is the elimination of state bureaucracy. We can either work to reduce and eventually eliminate bureaucracy, or we can help people navigate it. I would focus on eliminating it. She introduced so-called tough legislation which she billed as part of her plan to clean up Albany stating: "If you commit a crime you won't get a dime." The bill, A01057, looks good but only addresses tow of the most difficult sections to convict in the penal code. You can apparently Rape, Murder, molest children, and engage in or with a prostitute. This is feel-good election year legislation. It doesn't even address two crimes committed by people the North Country previously sent to Albany.

BB: You are obviously running for the Republican nomination for state assembly, but you also describe yourself as a conservative. Can you tell us what conservatism means to you? What core conservative principles do you subscribe to, and what, if any, place do you think there is for moderate or more liberal Republicans in the GOP today?

DK: What I mean by Conservatism is that I don’t want the government meddling in my personal affairs. I should be free to worship God as I understand Him. I should be able to own as many weapons as I want, automatic or otherwise. If I own my house outright, I should not have to pay the government on an annual basis to live there (property tax). Our men and women in uniform are heroes. I’m talking about our CO’s, our troopers, our sheriffs, our police, and our firefighters, and our military. We should pay them commensurate with the incredible sacrifice they make for us each and every day, because they are the keepers and sustainers of our liberty and freedom. We should be especially embarrassed by the paltry amount we pay CO’s and sheriff’s deputies.

I believe that unfunded mandates, whether from the federal government, or from the State deny us our 10th amendment rights. I believe we are a great beacon of hope for the world, and we naturally attract the disenfranchised and down-trodden. We should welcome anyone who loves liberty and freedom, but we should do so while asserting our sovereignty. This is especially important since we have ten U.S. Land Ports of Entry within the 114th Assembly District.

I believe it is the duty of government to pass laws that open markets and enable free trade instead of restricting them. I want judges to support the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, and not rewrite them or legislate from the bench. I believe our founders got it right some 200 years ago. I embrace the sanctity of life and the traditional definition of marriage. Finally, I believe it is the responsibility of government to promote the general welfare of the people, not to provide it.

The second half of your question is more about party politics. My focus is going to be on providing real solutions and real results for all the people of the 114th Assembly District. The views that I hold will inform some of my solutions, but they are not the sum total of my parts. What I mean is: I really think we can get a lot done if the people are our first and only priority. I can find common ground with just about anyone, even if they don’t share all of my views and values. I want to start there. I’m going to let the Party bosses figure out how to address the philosophical issues within the Republican Party. I won’t be taking my marching orders from them anyway. I’ll be taking them from the people. Someone accused me of being naïve about this. I’m not though. Some of the most Conservative people in New York are Democrats in Central New York. The idea that I should take marching orders from party politicians won’t fly. It can’t. Janet Duprey’s support of Dede Scozzafava is a perfect example of why that approach doesn’t serve the people.

BB: What is the main thing you want voters in the 114th to know about you and your candidacy? Is there anything else you want our readers to know about you and this race?

DK: I will provide real solutions and real results because I believe first and foremorest that it is possible. As I will state substantially in my announcement on the 4th, I have the audacity to believe that détente is not a foregone conclusion. People called Reagan a fool when he stated his belief that Soviet Communism could be defeated. Lincoln’s Cabinet said he was off-track when he shared with them his desire to issue the Emancipation Proclamation. Our leaders must have faith in the extraordinary and the vision to see it through. Otherwise we should not send them to Albany.

BB: Do you have a favorite candidate for NY-23 in 2010 or a favorite candidate for New York State Governor? If so, why do you think they are the best candidates? If not, what kind of candidates do you think the people of NY-23 and New York State are looking for?

DK: I worked on Doug Hoffman’s race. I think he’s a good man. I’ve said that publicly, so I’ll say it again. I thought John Faso would have been an excellent choice for Governor in 2006. I think he’d be a good choice now too. He seems like a good egg. For now though, I’m going to stay in my lane. The folks in the 114th Assembly District deserve all of my attention.

BB: A lot of people are apathetic to politics whether they are registered as a Democrat, Republican, Independent, or not even registered to vote. Why do you think that is? How do we begin to solve our states problems in Albany? Do you think it is possible for public officials and state leaders in Albany to regain the voter’s confidence, and how would you do that?

DK: This one is easy. Career politicians often turn out to be dirt-bags. We’re all tired of it. They’re often so careful that it’s hard to actually know what they stand for. About the time you think you have them figured out, they pull a fast one, and you realize the person you thought you were voting for is not the person in office. Now before anyone gets worked up about this, I’m not saying my opponent is one.

My opponent thinks we should have a Constitutional Convention. So does Minority Leader Kalb. I think that the career politicians would start abusing the new Constitution even before the ink is dry. This sounds cynical but please we’ve institutionalized corruption so much here in New York that we actually plan to re-write every twenty years. Our US Constitution has served us well for over 200 years, but New York’s solution is to change the rules. This is sort of like changing laws to accommodate criminals. So I’ve got a better idea. When our politicians screw up, let’s hold them accountable. When they screw up repeatedly, either through wrong action or inaction, let’s throw the bums out. I think if we do that a few times it would help restore voter confidence.

BB: Did you have a New Year’s Resolution for 2010?

DK: More like goals… 1) Read the Bible every day, 2) Tithe 10% of my income consistently, and 3) Win the 114th Assembly race!

Buggs Conclusion: Mr. Kimmel, Thank you again for your time and for answering our questions. We look forward to following your campaign in the weeks and months ahead. You can learn more about Mr. Kimmel and his candidacy by visiting his website, www.votekimmel.com. Best of luck to you and your team!

UPDATE: We heard from Karen Bisso, Kimmel's campaign manager, that their kick-out announcement was a real hit tonight. Karen said Kimmel "tackled big government, government bureaucracy, taxes and fiscal responsibility. An added bonus... a surprise guest was there." I wonder who the guest was?