10,000 Front Doors

I’d been talking to Bobby, a late 60’s retiree on her porch; waiting for the other shoe to drop. Now it did.  She needed me to fix her property taxes.  Forget that Congress has nothing to do with this, that’s what she wanted. Still this would have been fine except for the reason she wanted the help.  She wanted it because “she was done paying for property taxes” now that she didn’t have any kids in school.   That kind of entitlement wasn’t the sort of thing I respond well to.  So yeah, I lost a voter.  Here’s how it went.   **Quick note!  No pod next week!! Connect with me on social instead!** Tweet at me: @BrianofNJ Clubhouse: @BrianReynolds FB: BrianReynoldsofNJ Email: BrianReynoldsofNJ@gmail.com 10,000 Front Doors Copyright 2020 Brian Reynolds. "Principles in Action" Copyright 2019 David Hilowitz, provided by a license from the Free Music Archive.

Bobby gets rocked back on her heels when I explain to her why it is that Social Security earns a negative rate of return... and not just because of inflation. The fund loses money in real dollars. (07:05)   Bonus: I explain to you why everybody should be calling bullshit on the solutions both parties provide for social security.  Tweet at me: @BrianofNJ Clubhouse: @BrianReynolds FB: BrianReynoldsofNJ Email: BrianReynoldsofNJ@gmail.com 10,000 Front Doors Copyright 2020 Brian Reynolds. "Principles in Action" Copyright 2019 David Hilowitz, provided by a license from the Free Music Archive.

Bobby was built like Tinkerbell’s grandmother but made from iron shavings and raw nerve.  I liked her immediately but I got the sense she was getting ready to club me in the head with a skillet.  Smart, uncompromising, and in command of her facts, this retiree wasn’t going to yield an inch; and she was ready to ask me what I was going to do for her. Tweet at me: @BrianofNJ Clubhouse: @BrianReynolds FB: BrianReynoldsofNJ Email: BrianReynoldsofNJ@gmail.com 10,000 Front Doors Copyright 2020 Brian Reynolds. "Principles in Action" Copyright 2019 David Hilowitz, provided by a license from the Free Music Archive.

There's a lot of talk about unity and it's absence in our politics these days.  This podcast talks about the last time I saw us experience it.  Sadly, it wasn't a happy day. Tweet at me: @BrianofNJ Clubhouse: @BrianReynolds FB: BrianReynoldsofNJ Email: BrianReynoldsofNJ@gmail.com 10,000 Front Doors Copyright 2020 Brian Reynolds. "Principles in Action" Copyright 2019 David Hilowitz, provided by a license from the Free Music Archive.

For a series of episodes you've been listening to stories about talking to tow voters at opposite sides of the healthcare debate.  Now I want to talk about what they have in common.  Fear.  A huge fear that after decades of not seeing the government act in their interests that a major change to healthcare is a bridge too far.  I lay out what they have in common and why that commonality is a big, big problem. Tweet at me: @BrianofNJ Clubhouse: @BrianReynolds FB: BrianReynoldsofNJ Email: BrianReynoldsofNJ@gmail.com 10,000 Front Doors Copyright 2020 Brian Reynolds. "Principles in Action" Copyright 2019 David Hilowitz, provided by a license from the Free Music Archive.

This episode will aggravate some of you because this is where I see the left going off the rails. The left does a great job of seeing the reality of our collective need to change but it does a terrible job of getting back to first principles when looking for solutions. Here we have the continuation of a conversation with a well-intentioned candidate for office who has a blind devotion to a certain kind of healthcare reform. Then I show up and point out the things that seem perfectly obvious. Tweet at me: @BrianofNJ Clubhouse: @BrianReynolds FB: BrianReynoldsofNJ Email: BrianReynoldsofNJ@gmail.com 10,000 Front Doors Copyright 2020 Brian Reynolds. "Principles in Action" Copyright 2019 David Hilowitz, provided by a license from the Free Music Archive.

It had been years since that night talking to Ken at the town hall. My thinking on healthcare had evolved a great deal. Now I was running for office and it was time to test out some of that thinking with someone on the other end of the political divide.  I needed to challenge someone from the far left.  I needed someone so deeply committed to medicare-for-all that I knew any challenge to it would be seen as blasphemy.  Where to find such a person?  Luckily I was speaking at a rally on climate change. Tweet at me: @BrianofNJ Clubhouse: @BrianReynolds FB: BrianReynoldsofNJ Email: BrianReynoldsofNJ@gmail.com 10,000 Front Doors Copyright 2020 Brian Reynolds. "Principles in Action" Copyright 2019 David Hilowitz, provided by a license from the Free Music Archive.

More and more we seem to understand one another less and less.  When I went to the Obamacare town hall back in 2009 I met Ken, who was not a fan of the ACA.  For two hours we stood on line next to one another and he never told me the truth about why he didn’t want the healthcare law to pass. It wasn’t until I saw him speak that night that I really understood what was going on with him. Tweet at me: @BrianofNJ Clubhouse: @BrianReynolds FB: BrianReynoldsofNJ Email: BrianReynoldsofNJ@gmail.com 10,000 Front Doors Copyright 2020 Brian Reynolds. "Principles in Action" Copyright 2019 David Hilowitz, provided by a license from the Free Music Archive.

Ken had strong feelings about Obamacare. I couldn't have possibly expected him to know that I had just recently been wiped out becasue I didn't have healthcare at the wrong time.  I couldn't have expected him to know that I'd worked for years doing everything right, just to see it all slip away becasue it cost me so much to not lose my head (literally).  What I could expect from Ken was a better arguement than the one he broke down and shouted at me. Tweet at me: @BrianofNJ FB: BrianReynoldsofNJ Email me: BrianReynoldsofNJ@gmail.com Clubhouse: @BrianReynolds 10,000 Front Doors Copyright 2020 Brian Reynolds. "Principles in Action" Copyright 2019 David Hilowitz, provided by a license from the Free Music Archive.

In 2009 I went to a Congressional Town Hall on Obamacare. As crazy as the insurrection was a few weeks ago, this was very nearly that crazy.  It was where I came to a lot of formative thinking about the political climate we all live in today, becasue that was where a lot of our current fights started. Tweet at me: @BrianofNJ FB: BrianReynoldsofNJ Email me: BrianReynoldsofNJ@gmail.com Clubhouse: @BrianReynolds 10,000 Front Doors Copyright 2020 Brian Reynolds. "Principles in Action" Copyright 2019 David Hilowitz, provided by a license from the Free Music Archive.

In this third and final part of the immigration conversation I had with the tough talking Jersey native, we get to the issues with how the United States handles people at he border, the challenges with lazy Americans, and I share a couple thoughts on how to fix some problems. Tweet at me: @BrianofNJ FB: BrianReynoldsofNJ Email me: BrianReynoldsofNJ@gmail.com Now I'm on Clubhouse (who knew that was a thing!): @BrianReynolds 10,000 Front Doors Copyright 2020 Brian Reynolds. "Principles in Action" Copyright 2019 David Hilowitz, provided by a license from the Free Music Archive.

Harsh, crass language doesn't make some one wrong.  It makes them harsh and crass.  This was on full display when talking about immigration with a number of people.  But Anthony wasn't just people, he was Homo Sapien "Profanitus".  A hard charging, tough talking native of New Jersey, and he was used to getting his way. This conversation was direct. Tweet at me: @BrianofNJ FB: BrianReynoldsofNJ Email me: BrianReynoldsofNJ@gmail.com Now I'm on Clubhouse (who knew that was a thing!): @BrianReynolds 10,000 Front Doors Copyright 2020 Brian Reynolds. "Principles in Action" Copyright 2019 David Hilowitz, provided by a license from the Free Music Archive.

There was bound to be a conversation I had where someone used a lot of blue language, this is Jersey after all. This is that episode.  This is a conversation with Anthony.  He had a lot of strong views about immigration.  We connected over what President Trump got right, which isn't something that gets talked about enough.  I also talk about my views on the point we seem to miss about people who show it at our borders.  They show up to wait. Tweet at me: @BrianofNJ FB: BrianReynoldsofNJ Email me: BrianReynoldsofNJ@gmail.com 10,000 Front Doors Copyright 2020 Brian Reynolds. "Principles in Action" Copyright 2019 David Hilowitz, provided by a license from the Free Music Archive.

You make your submission to the Board of Elections and they only take submissions for a few days.  As you sit there with Board employees counting your signatures you can't help but chat with other candidates.  When I was there the Green Party candidate from another congressional district asked me, "Why are you trying to split the Democrat ticket?" Here's what I said back. Tweet at me: @BrianofNJ FB: BrianReynoldsofNJ Email me: BrianReynoldsofNJ@gmail.com 10,000 Front Doors Copyright 2020 Brian Reynolds. "Principles in Action" Copyright 2019 David Hilowitz, provided by a license from the Free Music Archive.

  I had to hand in my paperwork to the Board of Elections at 2:30pm on June 4th.  In the room with me were a bunch of other candidates from other districts, a few state employees, and enough ego to stun a team of oxen in their tracks. Tweet at me: @BrianofNJ FB: BrianReynoldsofNJ Email me: BrianReynoldsofNJ@gmail.com 10,000 Front Doors Copyright 2020 Brian Reynolds. "Principles in Action" Copyright 2019 David Hilowitz, provided by a license from the Free Music Archive.  

I didn't invent the idea that community colleges can be part of the solution to the cost of higher education but that isn't the interesting part of my education plan.  What's interesting is the idea of attacking the cost of running schools instead of the cost of giving an education.  What's interesting is creating a stand-alone endowment. What's interesting is why the parties seem to lack new ideas for the problem. Tweet at me: @BrianofNJ FB: BrianReynoldsofNJ Email me: BrianReynoldsofNJ@gmail.com 10,000 Front Doors Copyright 2020 Brian Reynolds. "Principles in Action" Copyright 2019 David Hilowitz, provided by a license from the Free Music Archive.

It didn't take long for me to realize that, had life gone another way, I could have been in that room while an angry mob was banging on the door. My thoughts on that in this special episode. Tweet at me: @BrianofNJ Email me: BrianReynoldsofNJ@gmail.com 10,000 Front Doors Copyright 2020 Brian Reynolds. "Principles in Action" Copyright 2019 David Hilowitz, provided by a license from the Free Music Archive.

  We're in the back half a a four issue arc on the cost of college. In the first two I talked with Tom and Alexis who were sending their daughter off to university and expressing some anger at the cost. In these second two episodes it's all about my solutions, why we need them and what other candidates, and parties, are getting wrong. Tweet at me: @BrianofNJ Email me: BrianReynoldsofNJ@gmail.com 10,000 Front Doors Copyright 2020 Brian Reynolds. "Principles in Action" Copyright 2019 David Hilowitz, provided by a license from the Free Music Archive.  

Part 2 of (I'm guessing?) 4. This school costs too much? Start by asking where the money goes. Tweet at me: @BrianofNJ Email me: BrianReynoldsofNJ@gmail.com 10,000 Front Doors Copyright 2020 Brian Reynolds. "Principles in Action" Copyright 2019 David Hilowitz, provided by a license from the Free Music Archive. 10,000 Front Doors, is a memoir about walking neighborhoods and asking for votes while running for Congress in 2018.

College. Hideously expensive, but is it overpriced?  Tom and Alexis didn't think so, so they were happy to send their daughter off to school but wanted me to tell them how I was going to lower the cost. Just another day on the campaign trail. Tweet at me: @BrianofNJ Email me: BrianReynoldsofNJ@gmail.com 10,000 Front Doors Copyright 2020 Brian Reynolds. "Principles in Action" Copyright 2019 David Hilowitz, provided by a license from the Free Music Archive. 10,000 Front Doors, is a memoir about walking neighborhoods and asking for votes while running for Congress in 2018.

  When you talk to your family about running for Congress, don't forget it isn't all "West Wing" and "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington".  It's a long-distance job that's going to cost a lot of time and money to commute to.  Not everybody is going to like that. 10,000 Front Doors Copyright 2020 Brian Reynolds "Principles in Action" Copyright 2019 David Hilowitz, provided by a license from the Free Music Archive. 10,000 Front Doors, is a memoir about walking neighborhoods and asking for votes while running for Congress in 2018.  

Step 1 of running for Congress: get on the ballot. Should be easy right? Wrong.  Not only that but you need to tell your family.  My family wasn't thrilled. 10,000 Front Doors Copyright 2020 Brian Reynolds "Principles in Action" Copyright 2019 David Hilowitz, provided by a license from the Free Music Archive. 10,000 Front Doors, his memoir about walking neighborhoods and asking for votes while running for Congress in 2018.

This episode continues the conclusion of the conversation with Paul about guns. We talk about what a "bump stock" is, why it's a problem, and hint at the challenge of passing a law about guns in America. 10,000 Front Doors Copyright 2020 Brian Reynolds "Principles in Action" Copyright 2019 David Hilowitz, provided by a license from the Free Music Archive. 10,000 Front Doors, his memoir about walking neighborhoods and asking for votes while running for Congress in 2018.

Join Brian Reynolds as he continues the audiobook for 10,000 Front Doors, his memoir about running for Congress in 2018 and the people he talked to while walking neighborhoods and asking for votes. This episode continues the conversation with Paul about guns in America.  The two talk about: high capacity magazines the need for gun owners to take a bigger role in reform of our laws The reality that our problem with guns isn't just one problem   10,000 Front Doors Copyright 2020 Brian Reynolds "Principles in Action" Copyright 2019 David Hilowitz, provided by a license from the Free Music Archive.

This Episode: GUNS My conversation continues as I talk to Paul, a gun rights advocate, about why so many Americans kill one another and where the solutions to that problem lies. 10000 Front Doors is a podcast about the people I talked to when I ran for Congress as an independent in a district where 52% of the voters register independent. 10000 Front Doors Copyright 2020 Brian Reynolds "Principles in Action" Copyright 2019 David Hilowitz, provided by a license from the Free Music Archive.

  GUNS. (part2) I start my conversation with Paul, who told me right away that 2A (the second amendment) was a critical issue for him.  Music for 10,000 Front Doors is by David Hilowitz and is provided under a license from the Free Music Archive.  

I just listened to the next episode and I don't want to send it out on Thanksgiving.  Instead, let me tell you how thankful I am for you, listener.   10,000 Front Doors Copyright 2020, Music is Principles in Action, Copyright 2019, David Hilowitz.  Provided through a license with the Free Music Archive.

GUNS. My campaign started less than three months after the attack on Stoneman Douglas High School.  It was a white hot issue that I knew I'd be forced to wrestle with.  Sadly, I knew that a lot of people were not going to want anything more that a ten word answer on the subject, and if any topic deserves more than ten words it's this one. Music for 10,000 Front Doors is by David Hilowitz and is provided under a license from the Free Music Archive.

  The end of my arc about the people I have the hardest time communicating with and how that impacted my campaign. Music fro 10,000 Front Doors is by David Hilowitz and is provided under a license from the Free Music Archive.  

I've talked about liking unreasonable people.  Now we move to the unreasoning.  They are my kryptonite.  This episode gets into my experience with a conspiracy theorist and then turns to my painful separation from the catholic church. Music fro 10,000 Front Doors is by David Hilowitz and is provided under a license from the Free Music Archive.

Being able to have a productive argument is a skill you have to learn.  I learned it through thousands of hours of happy confrontation with these two men. Tweet at me! @BrianofNJ Music for the 10,000 Front Doors podcast is "Principles in Action" by David Hilowitz.  You can find him at http://davidhilowitz.com/

Lots of people asked me to tell stories about the nuts I talked to when I ran for Congress.  I can't do that.  Nuts are out there to be sure, but it's punching down. Instead this country needs people that can admit when a good point has been made against them. For me a good argument is like a steel trap I can't escape. It's partly becasue of the work of two old friends. Tweet me! @BrianofNJ "Principles in Action" by David Hilowitz. http://davidhilowitz.com/

"Why?" that's the question every body asks sooner or later.  Starting here and moving through the next couple episodes I answer that question.  I also try to paint you a picture of how I think about issues and arguments, since the rest of the book is going to be my conversations (sometimes contentious) with the people I met.   Music for the 10,000 Front Doors podcast is "Principles in Action" by David Hilowitz.  You can find him at http://davidhilowitz.com/

This episode concludes the "false choices" arc of the podcast.  In 2018 the Senate race in New Jersey got ugly, very ugly.  In the race between "Bob and Bob" no one was left feeling like they were voting for the best and the brightest.   Music for the 10,000 Front Doors podcast is "Principles in Action" by David Hilowitz.  You can find him at http://davidhilowitz.com/

Leading up to the election of 2018 there were two hot-button issues that came to dominate the door-to-door conversation.  The first of those was the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh.  Here's why that nomination, wasn't about that nomination.

  I ran for Congress as an independent.  Now I'm telling the stories of the conversations I had talking to voters on their doorsteps as well as other people around me during the campaign. These stories are being collected as a book and this pod is my work to get those stories in order and add a few more that won't make it into the writing. You can enjoy them individually but I recommend taking them in order. Music for the 10,000 front doors podcast is "Principles in Action" copyright 2019 by David Hilowitz.  You can find his work HERE.  

We voters are often given false choices.  I was really tired of that.  Last election cycle I decided to do something about it and ran for Congress.  Now I'm telling the stories of the conversations I had talking to voters on their doorsteps as well as other people around me during the campaign. These stories are being collected as a book and this pod is my work to get those stories in order and add a few more that won't make it into the writing. You can enjoy them individually but I recommend taking them in order. Music for the 10,000 front doors podcast is "Principles in Action" copyright 2019 by David Hilowitz.  You can find his work HERE.

I’m just like you.  I’m frustrated with these people running America.  Unlike you I made the decision to put my life on hold and run for Congress.  I’m not a Republican, I’m not a Democrat.  I’m just a guy who took the time to knock on 10,000 front doors and talk to whoever answered regardless of party.  Here's what happened next.