2024 RNC Presidential Debate - Questions & Responses
BTW... We Had a Great Time at the IOWA State Fair!!
Below are my answers to the questions asked of the Presidential Candidates during the RNC Debate in Milwaukee, WI on August 23,2023
Introductory Song lyrics- "Rich Men North of Richmond"
Well, I've been selling my soul. Working All day, overtime hours for bullshit pay
So, I can sit out here and waste my life away
Drag back home and drown my troubles away.
It's a damn shame what the world's gotten to for people like me and people like you.
Wish I could just wake up and it not be true
But it is,Oh, it is.
Living in the new world with an old soul
These Rich Men North Of Richmond
Lord knows they all just want to have total control.
Wanna know what you think
Wanna know what you do
And they don't think you know
But I know that you do.
'Cause your dollar ain't shit
And its taxed to no end
'Cause of Rich Men North of Richmond
I wish politicians would look out for miners
And just not minors on an island somewhere.
Lord, we got folks in the street, ain't got nothing to eat
And the obese milking welfare.
Well God, if you're 5 foot 3 and you're 300 pounds
Taxes ought not to pay for your bags of fudge rounds.
Young men are putting themselves 6 feet in the ground
'Cause all this damn country does is
Is keep on kicking them down.
Lord, it's a damn shame
What the world's gotten to
For people like me and people like you.
Wish I could just wake up and it not be true
But it is, Oh, it is.
Living in the new world with an old soul
Lord, these Rich Men North of Richmond
Lord knows they all just want to have total control.
Wanna know what you think
Wanna know what you do
And they don't think you know
But I know that you do
Cause your dollar ain't worth shit
And it's taxed to no end
Cause of Rich Men North of Richmond.
I've been selling my soul, working all day
Overtime hours for bullshit pay.
1) Question:
a) Why is this song striking such a nerve in this country right now?
Answer:
The lyrics of this song are a reflection of the feelings and beliefs of Main Street Americans regarding the Federal Government and their mismanagement and abuse of power toward the very people they have sworn to protect and serve. Basically it resonates with Americans nation-wide because it is a wake-up call for Washington on behalf of the American people. Americans are fed up with the Federal Government who mistakenly seems to believe they are somehow "entitled" and above all other citizens. In reality, Americans see them as dishonest, unethical, immoral people who are destroying the nation we love.
b) What do you think it means?
Answer:
The meaning is crystal clear to everyone except those in Washington. This nation was founded as a Democratic Republic with Free Market Capitalism and Fair Price Discovery, not a Socialist, Marxist, Fascist or Communistic nation. Americans are fiercely independent, brave, freedom loving, God respecting, and Patriotic to this Nation and what it stands for, and will fight to defend and protect our freedom, this nation, our lives and our families. We have never bowed the knee to any man or government and never will. Washington needs to wake up. The Federal Government is increasingly embracing the Socialist, Marxist, Fascist, Communistic form of government. Americans are sick of being drug in this direction. This is not who Americans are or want to be and they will resist it as strongly as necessary to get the country back as a Democratic Republic with Free Market Capitalism and Fair Price Discovery.
2) Question:
Why are you in a better position to turn this country around than the other candidates?
Answer:
I am the candidate of the people and for the people. I come from Main Street America. I have seen my fellow Americans struggling to make a living and get ahead in this country only to be pushed down by an ever growing Big Brother Government. One who has no regard for how their wanton spending crushes the very life blood out of every day Americans through ever increasing taxes and high prices for food, gasoline, and housing.
I have worked along side these Americans. Watched them strike for better pay while eating beans and cornbread the unions give them. I have taught poor children in rural schools whose home-life was so bad they were found sleeping on the busses, eating school breakfasts and lunches as their only meals, because they did not want to go home. I have taught along side teachers whose great compassion for these poor children knew no bounds. These children came to school so filthy and smelling so bad, the other children would not play with them. These teacher bought school clothes with their own money, bathed them before school in the gym showers, who had no hot water, dressed them in the clothes they bought so they were clean and the other children would play with them. At the end of the day, these women changed the little ones back into their filthy rags so their parents would not confiscate the new clothes. The next morning the ladies would repeat the process.
I have seen my neighbors, farmers and ranchers join together in old dilapidated fire trucks, all their township could afford, to fight fires racing across the prairies whipped up by the winds. Fighting the fires that threatened their homes, livestock and crops. I have seen these same friends and neighbors get out in blizzards with 40 below zero, gale force winds to take feed and hay to their livestock for weeks at a time.
I have driven across this country seeing American flags flying, and crosses gleaming, on homes and throughout small towns displaying American's love and belief in this nation and everything she stands for. I have seen signs displaying Americans discontent with politicians in Washington DC. Most Americans would just like the Federal Government to get out of their lives and just leave them alone. We are proud and independent and don't want Big Brother invading our privacy and trying to tell us what to think, how to live, and what to do.
I have been to Washington DC and worked with various agencies and departments in the Federal Government including our military. Working alongside good, honest, honorable people working hard on behalf of this nation. I have seen corrupt politicians who once in office live like parasites. Incompetent and corrupt, sucking the lifeblood out of this nation. Making laws for themselves which are not the same as those for Main Street Americans.
I have worked with foreign governments on behalf of this nation and watched their respect for our nation decline as our "leadership" becomes increasingly demanding, immoral and unethical...increasingly incompetent, lying and deceiving at every turn.
I know the hardships Main Street Americans are facing because I am one of them. I know this nation and what she stands for because I am part of it. I know the American people and what they want and need. I am the candidate who can turn this country around and instill the leadership, integrity and a better quality of life for her people. I can return her to the Nation she was designed to be....free and democratic. A beacon of hope and light for the rest of the world. A God respecting nation who is governed by the people and for the people, adhering to the original intent of our Constitution. A nation in which all Americans are free from oppression by the government. A nation free of corruption, with a ethical legal system. A nation in which all citizens have equal opportunity to succeed and achieve their hopes and dreams.
3) Question:
Alexander Diaz, Catholic University of America - Polls consistently show that young people's number one issue is climate change. How would you as both President of the United States and leader of the Republican Party calm their fears that the Republican Party doesn't care about Climate Change?
Answer:
Alexander, we do and should care. As you and I both know God created all that has been created in a state of perfection. He loves everything He created, and takes great delight in it. He created Adam and Eve in a perfect state as well. They were created as perfect beings both in mind, body and soul. They were designed to be eternal. Never to be sick, grow old or die. They loved each other and God perfectly. He put them in charge of all He had created, to take care of it and be good stewards of the world He made and everything in it.
God did not want Adam and Eve to be like robots so He gave them a free will. He wanted them to make their own choices and decisions. God wanted them to choose Him and remain perfect and eternal but when He, their creator, told them one thing He did not want them to do as a test to see if they would choose Him or go against Him, they chose to go their own way and believe the lies Satan told them instead of God and what He had said would happen which was to lose their perfect, eternal state and die. Since we are all descendants of Adam and Eve, we have inherited their sin (anti-God) nature.
When they rejected God, they turned over the authority God had given them to rule and take care of God's creation, to Satan. Satan is jealous of his creator, God. He hates God and everything God loves. Since the deed to the world was, at that moment in time, transferred from Adam and Eve to Satan, he has been wreaking havoc on God's creation and all of mankind. Basically everything God loves.
In the not too distant future Satan's time will be up. His lease on the world which was transferred to him from Adam and Eve will be expired. At that time God will return and redeem His claim on His creation and kick Satan out and lock him up for 1000 years. God will then restore His creation to its original perfection and beauty. Before that occurs however, Satan knows his time is short (he reads the Bible too) and because he hates God so much, he is going to do as much damage as he can to our world and us to hurt God as much as possible.
So what can we do in the meantime? We can do the best job possible to take care of our world, God's creation. Don't pollute, keep the air and water as clean as possible, protect all of the animals.... in the oceans, sky and on the land. Love our beautiful world and everyone and everything in it until God returns. Remember, after the Flood in Noah's day, God gave us the rainbow and said He would never destroy the earth with water again and seed time and harvest would continue until the end of all things when He destroys the world with fire. So, it will not be mankind who destroys the earth and all of creation, it will be our creator, God, who is good and perfect. From that fire, and after the Great White Throne Judgement, He will make a new heaven and new earth. This will be the new home for God and His children for all eternity. He will be our Father and we will be His children. Perfect and good as He is perfect and good.
If you want to learn more, study your Bible, visit the Ark & Creation Museums in Kentucky, listen/watch online Bible teaching Pastors such as Dr. David Jeremiah, Joel Osteen, Dr. Charles Stanley with In Touch Ministries, Dr Tony Evans, etc.
Here is a song that will encourage you about our world's future... It is one of my favorites.
You can also e-mail me at Paij@paijforpresident.com if you have additional questions. TTYL
4) Question:
Are you bought and paid for?
Answer:
No. I am a Main Street American. I have no money.
5) Question:
...The question was basically, what are your views on Abortion and laws regulating it.
Answer:
So, a lot of these questions get into God's territory. While I believe neither Americans nor God want a pastor to be the President of the United States, when the national issues are anti-God, God's people need to take a stand and act as the nation's conscience. If we do not, God will hold us, His people, accountable for not speaking up when we stand before Him at the Bema Seat judgement.
With that in mind, here is my response. God hates abortion. God views conception/when the egg and sperm join, as human life (His creation) and its destruction is murder which is punishable by death. God hates the shedding of innocent blood which in His view is what happens in an abortion. God swears by Himself, He will destroy any nation who sheds innocent blood. That means, He absolutely will do it. For a specific discussion and Biblical references verifying these statements, view John MacArthur's sermon on this topic. Abortion and Immorality
Therefore I am against abortion and will veto any law endorsing abortion at any stage.
As far as laws on abortion are concerned, this nation cannot legislate the condition of the human heart. If people hate each other, hate their children, hate God and His laws, they will stand before Him at the end of time at the Great White Throne Judgement, be judged by Him and thrown into Hell for eternity. Revelation 20:11-15. If this nation continues down the path of legalizing abortion, God will destroy it. This is not God's first rodeo. If you study the Bible, you will see countless examples of nations that have thumbed their nose at God and He has destroyed them for the shedding of innocent blood. God hates it. So, if you want God to destroy America, just keep it up and He will do it.
6) Question:
America has an increasing crime crisis. Cities are in decline. People are moving out as homelessness, drugs and crime move in. These problems accelerated during the COVID crisis and are still rising.
1) How much of what we are seeing happening around the country is the result of the COVID lock-downs, increase in gun violence, decrease in law and order?
2) How much of what we are seeing happening around the country is the result of increased Gun Violence?
3) How much of what we are seeing happening around the country is the result of decrease in Law & Order?
Answer:
While Biden's Mandate for COVID lock-downs only exacerbated the existing situation, the real cause of these issues of national decline run much deeper. The real issue America has been contending with since the 1960's is the effects of Ideological Subversion, introduced in the United States by the USSR KGB as a plan to subvert and destroy this country and everything it stands for (Democracy, Freedom, Capitalism, Free Markets, Rule By the People and For The People) from the inside out. If you are not familiar with this concept, you can view the below links with Tomas Shuman, aka Yuri Bezmenov, a KGB defector, explaining it, as well as his lecture on this topic in Los Angeles where he explains the tactics in detail. As a child I can recall my parents talking about this when Americans first became aware of it and then again when I was briefed by the DoD after starting to work in the Aerospace industry supporting our military. It is real and if you are old enough to have known the America in earlier times and look at it now, you will see what this cancer has done to us.
Ideological Subversion Interview
Ideological Subversion Lecture
Our country has gone through the Demoralizing stage. We are now close to the end of the Destabilizing stage which results in all of the problems identified in the question above. We are now on the verge of entering the Crisis stage. If we allow ourselves to fall into Crisis, it will be extremely bad for us and our nation. As I have said this nation was founded as a Democratic Republic with Free Market Capitalism and Fair Price Discovery. Main Street Americans as well as the majority of our military are fiercely independent, brave, freedom loving, God loving, and Patriotic to this Nation and what she stands for, and will fight to defend and protect our freedom, this nation, our lives and our families. Americans will never allow this nation to be turned over to a Socialist, Marxist, Fascist or Communistic government and will fight anyone who tries.
We now see the damage Ideological Subversion is inflicting on our nation. We are in decline with an increase in homelessness, drug use, mental illness, declining economy, disregard for each other, disregard for law, corrupt legal system, increasing self-centeredness, destruction of the one man & one woman family, hatred of each other, disregard and hatred for God. We are becoming increasingly immoral, engaged in sexual/gender perversion, and all kinds of violence. These are the results of the progression of the Demoralization and Destabilization stages of Ideological Subversion which also has a by-product of rejecting of God. God will not stay with a nation who hates Him. He will leave and take His protection and Holy Angels with Him, and let us have our way as described in Romans 1 starting in verse 18.
Today we see an increasing number of Americans who are confused, don't know who they are, what they are, why they exist, and have no hope. This is the by product of the Socialist, Marxist and Communists people and their influence in our nation. These are people who have been subverted by this propaganda. We have allowed them to take positions of power in mass media, our educational system, religion, government and they are now trying to infiltrate our military. I would imagine our adversaries around the world are having a field day, gleefully watching our demise and waiting for us to implode and self-destruct.
Luckily, Americans are now starting to wake up and see what this Ideological Warfare is doing to our country and are starting to push back and demand change. With our new understanding of this present danger there is still hope we will beat and eradicate this cancer that has invaded our nation.
For our own good we must prevent our nation from falling into Crisis. If we fall into crisis, we will be in such disarray, we will be more vulnerable to an invasion and takeover by an outside force. This is why it is imperative we immediately return our nation to the Democratic Republic it was designed to be and elect a President and Congress who uphold our Democratic values and will fight and eradicate Ideological Subversion and the Socialist, Marxist, Fascist, and Communistic government which is now permeating our nation.
7) Question:
If former President Trump is convicted in a court of law, would you still support him as your parties choice?
Answer:
It would depend on the crime he committed and for which he was convicted If it was a felony, No. If it was a misdemeanor, yes.
Increasingly, Americans are seeing corruption in our legal system. If the court and proceedings were later found to be corrupt and a mishandling of justice was committed, I, as President, would ensure the conviction records are expunged, reinstate those falsely accused, investigate, prosecute, and convict those responsible for the mishandling of justice and sentence them to the maximum penalty the law allows. This nation is based on the rule of law. Unbiased justice equally performed on all her citizens whether they be a president, judge, lawyers, or an elderly, poor widow.
8) Question:
Did Mike Pence do the right thing by moving forward with the certification of the election (2020 Presidential election)?
Answer: If he had no other legal choice and followed the law, yes.
If legally, he could have delayed the certification due to extenuating circumstances or legal question regarding the validity of the election, then he should have deferred the certification of the vote until those questions & concerns had been resolved.
9) Question:
The US has committed nearly $77 billion in aid to the Ukraine war. The administration is now asking Congress for $24 billion more. Regardless of the specifics of that plan, would you not support the increase of more funding to Ukraine?
Answer:
The United States supports any freedom loving nation who is resisting their take over by another nation. Therefore we should support Ukraine in their fight against Russian aggression.
However, as President I would not approve committing any money or weapons being sent anywhere without seeing, and agreeing to the details of how, when, where and for what purpose American's money would be spent. The money or weapons used in these instances must be used wisely and not blindly thrown at the problem.
10) Question:
China has the biggest navy in the world, the biggest army in the world. Now they have warships off the coast of Alaska. They are threatening Taiwan. In coming years China will have 1,500 nuclear warheads, its believed. The US just arrested two sailors accused of spying for China within our military.
As President, how would you deter China?
Answer:
I would open lines of communications with China to discuss issues between us and work to resolve them peacefully.
I believe the Biden Administration has utterly decimated any hope his administration may have for working with, or peacefully coexisting, with countries like China and Russia. Before the ink was dry on his swearing in papers, Biden and his team were traveling to those countries and making demands, insulting them directly, and kicking sand in their faces.
This shows Zero Statesmanship.
After this display of Biden's bravado, China and Russia started building up their military at a faster pace and going on the defensive. Why? Because naturally they are unsure of what we are up to by taking such a combative stance ... are we wanting peace or war? I believe we would have done the same if they had acted similarly toward us.
From what I have seen, this administration has poked Russia and China at every opportunity. Belligerently thumbing our noses at China by allowing our foolish Congressional and government officials to travel to Taiwan promoting LBGTQ+ and every thing else that flies in the face of China despite the fact that China had warned against it. Basically telling China, we don't care what you say, we are Americans and we will go where we want and when we want.
Think if Russia or China had done this to us with Cuba. How would we have reacted? We would have been outraged and started escalating the building up of our arsenal just as they have done. I believe this situation is a disaster waiting to happen and it could have been, and should have been, handled much better.
The United States should always have a strong defensive system and practice nuclear deterrence by maintaining a strong nuclear presence. With that being said, Russia and China exist in our world and we need to be able to co-exist with them... peaceably if possible but ready to fight if required. We are a peace loving nation. We are not aggressors. Under my administration we will not be the first to attack but we will always be ready to counter any attack and strike back.
As President I will open lines of communications with my counter-parts in these and other countries to make sure we have clear communications between us and assure all nations the United States has no intention of initiating an attack on anyone.
Additionally, we need to understand that other nations have their own agendas and are not only curious about us, but there are those who are jealous, hate us, and don't trust us. They know we are strong and inventive and want to steal our technology and national secrets so they can develop technology to use against us. As a result they spy on us, try to steal our intellectual properties, try to subvert us, and want to steal our national secrets and intelligence data and hack our communication systems. This is nothing new. They have been trying to do this for years.
With this knowledge, we don't need to panic and be afraid but to educate ourselves. Our best protection is to be educated and cognizant that these activities exist and our need to protect ourselves against them. How do we do this?
All Americans and American businesses need to strengthen our cyber security protection at home and on the job. Be wise to scamming, phishing,and deception tactics and protect ourselves against them. We do not have to allow them to use us. We can resist and not take the bait.
Protect our national classified data and documents from unauthorized access. Ensure no one gains access to our national secrets unless they have a US security clearance, have been trained in classified data proper handling and storage and have a need to know. Classified information should be physically guarded and kept in a classified facility. No one is to ever take classified information to unauthorized, non classified areas regardless of who they are. Classified information is never to be discussed outside of a government approved classified area which is TEMPEST approved. No thumb drives, electronic transmitting/receiving devices including watches, fitbits, cellphones, laptops, computers, etc are allowed in classified areas. During classified meetings, no classified notes are to be taken and removed from classified facilities. Keep it secret and keep it safe. Don't become a pawn to be used by our adversaries.
Americans should also be cognizant of intellectual property theft. Mark your intellectual property data as such and store it in a safe and secure location with limited access. If you believe your intellectual property has been stolen, report it to the appropriate authorities including the FBI.
Americans should be very careful of what we post and say online. Remember the internet is a word-wide web and not everyone is your friend. Be careful what you post about yourself, your friends, and your family. Our adversaries build profiles on us based on what we post, who we are, who our family members and friends are, where we live, where we work, where we go, what we do for a living. Protect your information from those you do not know because they may want to use it against you.
11) Question:
As President would you authorize lethal force on our southern border?
Answer:
If known criminals were crossing into the United States, and were threatening our citizens or resisting our authorized government agents efforts to stop them, yes., I would authorize authorized government agents to use lethal force as a last resort. I would not authorize the use of lethal force to stop men, women, and children trying to cross our border unless they were aggressive and threatened our lives and safety.
12) Question:
Would you support sending US Special Forces over the border into Mexico to take out fentanyl labs and drug cartel operations?
Answer:
Only as a last result. As President, I will respect Mexico's sovereignty and work with my Counterpart in Mexico as well as collaborate with those designated and authorized by the Mexican Government to eliminate these parasites. I will also ensure our border states, their designated authorized personnel and our nationally authorized agents such as Border Patrol, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers and agriculture specialists, Air and Marine Operations agents, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations Special Agents and Enforcement and Removal Operations, etc. are appropriately manned, funded and have the tools and equipment they require to implement a concerted plan to stop this and all unauthorized, illegal entry entering our nation.
In regard to illegal drugs coming into our nation, I would also implement an educational plan for all Americans on drugs and their destructiveness to us and our country. A program similar to the Just Say No program implemented by the Reagan Administration.
13) Question:
Almost 7 million migrants have crossed our southern border during the Biden Administration. What would you do about the 7 million who are already here? How would you handle them? What would you do? Would you send them back?
Answer:
Following is my high level, draft plan, subject to change as we get deeper into unwinding this mess.
After closing all US borders to illegal entry, I will use the existing agencies and others to be created as required, to locate these people to determine the following:
- who they are,
- where they are from,
- why they are here,
- how they crossed our border,
- who brought them in,
- what are their future plans,
- where their families are located,
- do they have family members who are American citizens and if so who they are and where they are located.
As these individuals are located they will receive an ID by our authorized agents and be moved to temporary holding areas based on their responses, needs and intents.
- Criminals, lawbreakers, drug dealers, cartel members, etc. would be dealt with as appropriate under the US legal system.
- People who have US families who are willing to take them in will be sent to/picked up by those families and they must obtain temporary Visas or start the application for US citizenship.
- People who do not have families but want to become permanent US citizens will have to start that process. If that number exceeds our legal limit for entry they will have to re-enter this country when they, and we, can accommodate them.
- Those who have no idea why they are here or what they want to do will be exported.
14) Question:
The National Report Card was the weakest ever for American school children exposing chronic absenteeism, deep declines in reading & math for 15 and 13 year olds.
As President would you have a responsibility to fix this crisis as we see it? How would you deal with the crisis?
Answer:
Again, this crisis is caused as a result of allowing Ideological Subversion to infiltrate and take over our nation. If you watch the Tomas Shuman's lecture in Los Angeles ( link is provided in Question # 6 ) you will hear him discuss what Ideological Subversion does in the educational system and how it destroys our ability to think, perceive and act as educated, analytical beings and makes us, in essence, a nation of idiots.
As President, would I have a responsibility to fix this crisis?
As President I can point out the underlying problem and its solution, but only the American people can wake up and realize it as the problem and start working with me to reverse it and get us back to our original foundational roots including a stellar education, the backbone of a strong nation. Parents are the ones who rule the public schools. They know their children best. The Federal Government should not be in charge of the educational system. It is subservient to the states and the children's parents.The Federal Government can suggest and assist but will not be allowed to dictate or have leverage over the schools.
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Lightning Round
1) Question:
President Biden will be 82 years old on Inauguration Day. Nearly 70 percent of Americans say that he is too old to serve. Should presidents have to pass a mental and physical test in order to serve?
Answer:
No. The American people elect the President and they are wise enough to determine whether or not the candidate is physically and mentally fit.
2) Question:
Faith is on decline in this country. Is there a role for the President of the United States in changing that? What would you do to change it?
Answer:
The President has a unique position in this nation. That individual is the single mouthpiece to the people of this nation and the world. The President has tremendous influence on the American people and represents us to the world. Who we are and what we are like. If the President is a liar, a cheat, immoral, a drunkard, a homosexual, a drug pusher, a brute, a warmonger, a thief, greedy, unforgiving, that is who and what the world thinks we are and how we will see ourselves. On the other hand, if the President is just, respects and loves God and abides by His laws, loving, kind, defends the innocent and oppressed, champions justice, acts wisely in making decisions and stands for these values even in the face of fierce opposition, that is how the American people will see themselves and the world will see America.
So...yes, the President has a tremendous role to play in our nations belief in God.
America is nothing without God.
Look around....Have we reached the point in this nation, where we have the audacity to believe we live in this great country and are so wealthy, so blessed and so prosperous due to ourselves alone and our own oversized egos?
The only reason we have what we have today is because our founding fathers were Godly people and knew this country could not survive without God. They sought His guidance constantly.
Do you think God is pleased with how arrogant we have become? How we have had the nerve to think we did it all ourselves? How we have told God to ____ off and that we do not need or want Him and to get the Hell out? Blatantly chipping every symbol and law of His, every remembrance of Him out of and off of our government buildings? Even removing George Washington's Bible from his hand as he stands at the entry to Federal Hall? What an affront to our Creator.
God will not remain nor continue to bless a nation who rejects Him. If America wants to stand on our two big feet and shake our fists at our Creator and curse His name, He will leave and leave us to our own sick, twisted selves as described in Romans 1. Wake up America. Ideological Subversion may be a cancer eating us from the inside out, but even worse would to have God as our enemy.
3) Question:
As President would you support some mandatory military service?
Answer:
No. It is not needed at this time. If we get our nation back to a Democratic Republic and remove all LBGTQ+ people from our military ranks and leadership positions, we will have so many men and women enlisting we will have to put them on waiting lists.
4) Question:
We have been hearing a lot of testimony in Congress, and people are taking this more seriously and we are hearing there are things going on that people aren't aware of.
If you were President,would you level with the American people about what the government knows about these possible encounters?
Answer:
Yes. The American people are not a bunch of sniveling, scared rabbits. They can take the truth and deserve to know the truth. Americans do not panic and run around like frightened children. Upon hearing the truth they take appropriate action to prepare themselves, their families and their country for whatever the challenge might be.
As President I will verify what I have learned is accurate and if it is a threat, what the nation needs to do to prepare. I will convey this information to the American citizens as soon as I know about it. If it involves classified information I will state that and not discuss the classified parts. This is not because I don't trust Americans but because other nations listen in and it would compromise our national security.