Bruce Senator:
CLASS OF 1973
Villa Park High SchoolClass of 1973
Villa park, CA
Bruce's Story
Some will recall my education included Taft Elementary, Peralta Jr High, and Villa Park High; later attending California State University Fullerton where I attained dual Bachelors degrees in Marketing and Accounting.
However, life is not what we expect many times, and with that my route diverted from business into the 'hellish' (if not bottomless pit) of standing up against abusive government. And yes, it is 'hellish' ... and a bottomless pit.
While I have provided marketing and marketing-management services in a variety of fields (of which I am proud of the creative programs developed), some of the most interesting events over the past many years come outside the business world. I will touch on those below.
As we all know, life has many ups in addition to pits and falls. I will not dwell on life's difficulties but instead touch on a few highlights; which by the way, are quite interesting.
INTERESTING POINTS IN TIME:
I - Nicaragua 1988:
An early highlight came in early 1988 at a time when the Reagan administration was pushing hard to send American armed forces into Nicaragua. Their goal was clear. To put American military forces with their training and importantly, technology, up against those of Cuba and the (now former) Soviet Union. At that time I was volunteering in the political offices of Bill Press, who was running to win the nomination for the Democratic Party in a bid for the United States Senate. Some of you may recall Bill Press obtaining the Feb 1, 1988 release of James Denby, the CIA operative who was shot down ferrying arms for the Reagan-backed Contras. Upon winning Denby's release Mr. Press and Mr. Denby went to Washington, D.C. to lobby against, and successfully so, further funding to arm and support the Contras. I wrote the analysis Mr. Press used on both the Capitol steps and importantly, disseminated to the press corp in addition to members of Congress. That analysis laid the framework on (a) the mode of how to proceed with the Sandinista government and Soviet Union, (b) the timeliness that such actions take place immediately, (c) bringing in the U.S. State Department (which the Reagan administration distrusted - except for George Schultz, Secretary of State), and most importantly, (d) the withdrawing by the Reagan administration of the National Security Council (NSC) from conducting covert military operations against the Sandinista regime.
Well it all worked. My research and analysis together with the dogged efforts by Bill Press did what was unexpected. Congress voted down a key Contra funding bill. The White House called off the NSC. The State Department was given the green light to negotiate, and together with oversight from the United Nations (and interestingly, President Jimmy Carter), free elections were held in 1990 at which Violeta Chamorro was elected President. There was a peaceful transition from marxist government (Daniel Ortega) to democratic government, and without sending in American military personnel. Nicaragua stayed in their Democratic party's control until 2007 when Daniel Ortega was re-elected as a socialist, non-marxist, president; in a free and fair election.
II - Affordable [Health] C...Expand for more
are Act and its Individual Mandate - 2011-2012:
Another highlight came in early 2011 when I was asked by associates of the pro-democracy groups (I affiliate with) to conduct a legal analysis of the Affordable Health Care Act and specifically its 'individual mandate'. Upon completion and revision, it was disseminated throughout key members of the Obama administration, Congress, and the media. Shortly thereafter my findings were used in government pleadings before the three (3) federal courts of appeal in arguing that (1) Congress did act within its Constitutional powers, and (2) the individual mandate component acts as a new form of tax, the type of which has not been previously known.
As we all know these arguments were made before the U.S. Supreme Court beginning March 26, 2012. During oral arguments on the individual mandate issue, at least two justices vociferously responded against these positions. That evening a correspondent from National Public Radio (NPR) was discussing the days' proceedings, and was downtrodden over the responses from those two (2) Justices. In her discussion she read, verbatim, the synopsis from the cover page of my legal analysis. As we all know, on June 28, 2012 Chief Justice Roberts wrote the majority opinion finding, as my research articulated in February 2011.
NOTE: The legal analysis dealt solely with the lawfulness of the actions taken by Congress. It did not delve into the construction of this comprehensive legislation which touched upon many areas of federal statutory and regulatory law. As a comment on this I will only state the following. "Any shortcomings as to the crafting of this comprehensive legislation rests with those members of Congress who decided to NOT participate, and instead acted to abdicate their responsibilities. Had they used their skills and participated, the legislation would have been crafted to be more efficient in its execution, and more effective in its end-result; that being to provide a better health care system whereby individuals and families live healthier lives, and when catastrophic illness occurs, neither individual nor family, nor business are destroyed. For over 60 years Congress debated while the health care system in this nation left many people, families, and businesses literally destitute. Now at least we have an opportunity to try something new. This new health care scheme at least deserves its full and fair opportunity to stand on its own, without members of Congress wasting valuable time to undermine if not destroy it."
CURRENT AFFAIRS:
I pincered my thoracic spine July 25, 1988. Since that time, like when a 'gimpy ankle' buckles over, my thoracic spine buckles whereby I can smash to the ground if I fail to catch on something to steady myself. Such a buckling and smashing down July 29, 2011 led to severe lumbar spine damage as multiple disks protruded into the spinal cord; the deepest some 6mm. Currently I am recuperating from lumbar spine neurosurgery, and it has been a long and slow recovery. Hopefully I can get to a point were I can offer marketing, marketing-management, and legal research services in the not to distant future.
Thanks, Bruce Senator
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