Narrative

         Please vote for Richard “RPT” Torregano, #44, US Representative for La 6th       

                                                Congressional District

A famous scientist once said, “God does not play dice with the universe." He also said that “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is insanity." The scientist was Albert Einstein.

The US “middle class” keeps electing Democrats and/or Republicans to Congress expecting a change in the outcome of the policies towards “middle class” Americans, yet these policies rarely make a difference to “middle class” Americans. Can election results be manipulated by the fraternity brothers of the Democratic and Republican parties and other outside sources (like the Russians & Chinese)? Historically middle-class American voters just haven't had a practicable, reliable, reasonable, qualified alternative candidate, so the electorate is resigned to make the same bad choice over and over. Somehow voters believe a change is coming because special promises were made. However, the DNC and RNC have brought a few of these special promises to fruition. Therefore, given the policies, platform, and Congressional proposals listed on this web site, I present the US middle-class electorate a qualified, reliable alternative to this insanity. The Republican and Democratic fraternity brothers represent the insanity, the political status-quo.  I say, "the status quo must go".

The lack of jobs in America is a result of “big business” constantly being allowed to move their operations to more profitable locations outside the borders of the United States. Neither party has done much to change or oppose the loss of manufacturing jobs in the US. There is less representation of the Middle-Class, by the Middle-Class, for the Middle-Class than ever before. The Middle-Class is constantly being pushed aside, set aside, and squeezed. The American middle class needs a change in the status quo, a way for innovative ideas to become policy. So, this is one reason I have suggested an alternative to allowing jobs moving outside of the US, by creating the “Co-operative Business” model, employee-owned businesses, with the Federal Government providing the stimulus and financial help (through the SBA) to bring back these jobs to America, and ensuring that these Co-operative Businesses can compete with the imports through "fair trade" and not “free trade.” American manufacturing and production will compete based on "Quality" and not on  "Price".

Without Change there can be no Progress

As an example, manufacturing the same products over and over the same way might be easy and efficient, but if change is not implemented at some point in the manufacturing process, eventually competition and innovation will sooner or later cause that manufacturing company to lose its competitive edge, lose its market share and maybe its entire business. Without change, there can be no progress and without progress comes stagnation, which is problematic.

Although no matter how clever, how accurate, how responsive in solving American economic problems, America's current Congressional representatives will not have the insight, the will, the courage or the majority support, to pass the necessary policies, bills, proposals that will help the American Middle Class. With the proposals listed on this website (RPT501.com), there is no question that the representation in the US Congress will not support or vote with the required 50% + 1 approval rating to pass any of the listed proposals/ideas presented on this web site. Both congressional organizations (Republican & Democratic which are no more than fraternal organizations) will not support any of the listed proposals, policies, or ideas if these policies/proposals are not originated at the top of the Republican and Democratic organizations (the DNC and the RNC). The management officials of the Democratic and Republican organizations would argue there would be no need for a "top-down organization" if policies and ideas would start at any level in the organization. Policymakers in both the Democratic and Republican organizations will not allow just anyone to make new policy changes other than at the top because to do so would lead to chaos, an unmanageable organization, and/or a possible reduction in electable candidates.

I am an independent, a “No Party' candidate, and as an independent candidate, I am therefore able to make my own policies, follow my heart and mind and make independent decisions. Hence, no-one is telling me which policies to support or not to support. Therefore, I can also support other proposals (either Democratic, Republican, Independent, Libertarian, or any other party) without fear of reprisal. Granted, I may never get the votes needed to support any of the proposals listed on this website, due to the partisan members of Congress. , I do have a method of getting these proposals passed, but not within the first two years.  If I could manage to convince approximately 130 to 160 new independent congressional representatives to run for Congress within 4 years, and eventually obtain 35 independent Senators, this could possibly direct Congress and the country toward better economic opportunities and better political policies for the middle class. Again, without change, there can be no progress.

President Kennedy asked, “what can you do for your country”?  Kennedy left the question wide open. I respond by saying, you can run for Congress and oust the “status quo”.  

I need your help, l need your support, I need your vote, so help me help you and all middle-class Americans!!

Please vote for Richard Torregano, #44, for US Representative, 6th Congress District

Born at Hotel Dieu Hospital, New Orleans, Nov 06, 1952

The ancestors on my mother’s side arrived from Germany in 1720 and settled in Thibodaux

Graduated Holy Cross High Scholl -1970

Joined US Marine Corps Nov 1973 -1977

Radio Battalion Marine/Intercept Operator  - Top Secret Clearance

Joined Lousiana Nationa Guard  1980

Graduated University New Orleans 1986

Graduate Academy of Military Science  (AF Reserve - Officer’s Schools) 1987

Graduate Louisiana Tech University 1992

Worked as Electronic Technician (Instruments, VFD, 4to20 ma circuits) for numerous companies 

Retired in 2017

Married 3 times

Have run for US Representative office 3 times and once for La state office

EDUCATION:

JAN 90 TO JULY 92 LOUISIANA TECH UNIVERSITY, Ruston, Louisiana

BS Degree in Electrical Engineering Technology (EET). Area of study included analog and digital design application courses with calculation that employed trigonometry and algebra rather than calculus. 

MAR 89 TO JULY 89 KESSLER AIR FORCE BASE, Biloxi, Mississippi 

Computer-Communications Maintenance Officer - AFSC 33S3 (4945B). Area of study was the technical management of resources and personnel and the maintenance of computer and communications equipment. 

SEPT 84 TO AUG 87 UNIVERSITY OF NEW ORLEANS, New Orleans, Louisiana

BA Degree in General Studies, Minor: History. Coursework included 15 hrs of study in Calculus and 12 hrs of study in Business Management.

      Independence of Congressional Representation

I don’t understand the lack of independent representation (representatives not tied to a political party) when it comes to the 50 state legislatures and the US Congress. Our country was founded on the idea of “independence” when this country decided to separate itself from England and its king. During the framing of the Constitution, it was decided to have a separation of church and state, another idea of independence. During the early years in the growth of this country, it was the independence of the individual (frontiersmen, trappers, homesteaders, cowboys) that helped forge the boundaries of the United States. Americans believe today and fought for in the past, the independence of our country, and the independence outlined in the Declaration of Independence.

So how did it become that the current status “the status quo” would only have two parties (fraternal organizations of Democrats & Republicans) representing the American public in state legislatures and US Congress? Is it just the money that determines the type of representation in the US?  I find it hard to believe that “independent representation” would not be the standard or a large percentage of the overall representation in Congress and all 50 state legislatures given this country’s history for independence. It is as if America was still leaving in the 1800s, where political party affiliation was so important given the divide between urban and rural areas, given the divide between north & south, given the divide between rich & poor. 

Given that Congress is dysfunctional, what if 10% of both houses of Congress were other than Republican or Democratic representatives? This would allow both Democrats (45%) and Republicans (45%) to convince the other independent representatives (about 5%) to reach a compromise to have any laws/bills passed in US Congress. This proposition could overcome gridlock.

   Global Warming
I support (as listed on the website rpt501.com) a 10-year crash program for the development of fusion and new fission technology. No matter what the US does or doesn't do, it will have little or no effect on global warming. The United States represents less than 5% of the global population. What effect will the other 95% of the world’s growing population have on global warming? Alternatively, the US uses about 14% of the total of 15.1 billion tons of fossil fuel. China uses about 31% of the total global amount. About 15% of US total commercial AC energy generation is from nuclear power. So how will 14% of total fossil fuel usage make a difference when the other 86% will continue to use fossil fuel in transportation vehicles and due to the price of fossil fuel and lack of new technology for creating commercial AC power? If the US reduces its dependence on fossil fuel, the price of fossil fuel is sure to drop, which will only reinforce the economic utility for other countries to use fossil fuel. Conversely, fossil fuel reduction can only be realistically applied to commercial AC power production. Transportation fuel will still require fossil fuel and trying to convert all cars and trucks to electric or hydrogen gas will be problematic for the suppliers of electric/hydrogen, the suppliers of cars/trucks, and supplies of commercial electrical power. The US does not have the reliability nor the capacity due to the age of the electrical grid to supply recharging of electric vehicles on a daily basis. Nor does the US have the manufacturing capability of supplying hydrogen gas. Therefore, the US must take the lead and invest and develop its nuclear and fusion power technology within the US and show its feasibility of such technology to other countries. The US could then export this technology, knowledge, experience, workforce, and monetary funding to help other countries use this technology thereby reducing the need for fossil fuels globally. The US must rapidly develop fission and fusion power for commercial AC power. But the US should not put all its eggs in one basket in regards to transportation fuel, so the US should have electric, hydrogen, gasoline, diesel, propane/methane gas vehicles (trucks & cars) because of the energy diversity and it would be difficult for any energy manufacturer to manipulate these normally inelastic commodities.

   Elimination of the Filibuster in the US Senate

Now the time has come, to eliminate the tactic of this procedure (the filibuster) because it seems infantile, childish, and foolish as a means to interrupt the voting process in the US Senate because it’s the specific duty of the Senate to vote on bills that make it to the floor of the Senate and not to hinder the process of progress and the work of Congress. If the members of the Senate are so knowledgeable, democratic in its ideals, responsive to critical issues, and desire to fix what is wrong with this country, how can it still allow the tactic of the “filibuster”?

   Abolition of the Electoral College - prevent a future Constitutional crisis

The US Constitution needs an amendment to (Article II, Section 1, Clause 3) to eliminate the Electoral College because it suppresses the idea of “one person, one vote” and that each vote is just as important as the other. Because of the Electoral College there exists the creation of the “swing states” which put special emphasis on political campaigns in these designated states, while most other states are ignored. Because of the way the Electoral College casts its votes, a large segment of the voting public in each state is nullified, allowing the election of a President without the majority of the popular vote. I don’t think the creation and creators of the Electoral College had this process in mind. In fact, I believe the Electoral College was created as an easy means in determining the election of a President before there was an easy method to provide voters’ results in a presidential election in the 1700 and 1800 hundreds. The Electoral College represented “a man on a horse with a sealed vote” to be delivered in Philadelphia from around the 13 original states. However, the Electoral College procedure still exists, even with 21st century improved and sophisticated communications. The US no longer needs the Electoral College and must implement the long standing principle of “one man - one vote” which is employed in all other state elections. Why should the method of choosing a president be any different than when choosing a US Representative or US Senator, which is actually a state election? However, the elimination of the Electoral College would require an amendment to the Constitution.

The Democrats want to eliminate the Electoral College because the party thinks there are more democratic voters than republican voters which would benefit the Deomocratic Party with the immediate opportunity to run this country and implement its agenda. The Republican party wishes to keep this process since it has benefitted the Republican party more than the Democratic party and the Republican party can focus its particular agenda on “swing states” rather than dealing with the entire US electorate. However, I employ the elimination of the Electoral College because of the idea of “one man - one vote” and that campaigning for President should be evenly divided across the country according to the individuals running and issues concerning the middle class (majority of voters)  and not because of the outcome of the “swing states''.

    Number of Supreme Court Justices - outcome of 2020 elections

Due to the recent Supreme Court appointment of Judge Barrett in 2020 by President Trump, if the majority of the US Senate become Democratic as a result of 2020 elections, the democrats will try to “pack the court” with liberal minded justices to offset the conservative majority of the Supreme Court. The process of “packing the court” is a process affirmed by Congress and signed by the President. But without a democratic president (Biden) this probably couldn’t happen because it would take ⅔ of Congress to override a presidential veto (if Trump was president). “Packing the court” could mean the appointment of 4 to 6 additional supreme court justices and these appointees need not be members of the bar association or have a legal degree. In fact there have been about 65 justices, out of a total of 114, without a legal degree. The addition of Supreme Court Justices without legal education could mean a further erosion of the middle class values and opportunities for the middle class. In fact, the middle class Americans should realize neither the Democratic or Republican parties expressly represent the “middle class” and middle class values (values of hard work,  limited spending,  better economic opportunities,  conserevative ideas,  and expansion of the middle class). The Democratic Party is more interested in identity politics (a tendency for people of a particular religion, race, social background, etc., to form exclusive political alliances) and special interest groups (an organization with a shared interest in advancing a specific goal or idea) and the Republican Party is more interested in big business and big money (allowing many US jobs to move outside of US borders) and therefore middle class Americans are being pushed aside and the divide between Republicans and Democrats have left Congress dysfunctional and ineffective and unresponsive to middle class Americans needs. Better hope for a Republican president or keep the Senate with more than 50 Republicans in Congress in the 2020 election otherwise middle class Americans will suffer and that should not happen.

Sedition

OK, I had enough….. Any and all individuals overtly committing the physical act or rioting should be charged with sedition. 

Sedition is a serious felony punishable by fines and up to 20 years in prison and it refers to the act of inciting revolt or violence against a lawful authority with the goal of destroying or overthrowing it.

The Brandenburg v. Ohio U.S. Supreme Court decision in 1969 maintains that seditious speech, including speech that constitutes an incitement to violence, is protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution as long as it does not indicate an "imminent" (about to happen) lawless action.

OK, so it seems that American citizens have the right to incite violence which is protected by the 1st Amendment, however, once there are physical acts of violence committed, these overt actions are outside the protection of the 1st Amendment and those people who commit these acts need to be charged with sedition. 

Real Stuff but Questionable

Global Temp Rise:  due to thermal heat of combustion engines   not just from CO2 emissions    

At any one time, there could be as many as 1 billion fossil fuel vehicles running globally. The average temperature of an internal combustion engine is about 2,200 degrees Fahrenheit. Could it be that all these internal fossil fuel engines, running at the same time, could contribute to an increase in the rise in global temperature? Then you must also add all the heat produced by global fossil fuel commercial power plants. So this seems to suggest that global warming is more a global problem than a particular immediate US problem. Rather than CO2 emissions alone, it seems to be a combination of problems that produce global warming. Also, it appears to be a common solution to reduce the amount of fossil fuel by the reduction of internal combustion engines. However, if the preferred choice of transportation is electric vehicles, there will be a need for an increase in electrical power to charge these electric vehicles, which will mean more commercial electrical power plants. Renewable energy will never produce the amount of power required to run this country or any industrialized country or any country with a large population.

Rubber in the Water

Millions of tires are replaced each year on cars mainly due to "wear an tear". So the question is, "where does all this micro-particle & rubber go"? Where does all that finely shaved rubber and other materials from these tires go? Since the rain from road-ways drains into culverts, streams, rivers, and eventually into the oceans, once the rivers and oceans gobble-up this stuff, what happens to this rubber and material? Is it eaten by fish and crustaceans? Is it getting in the food chain? Does it float or sink? Is it choking life at the bottom of rivers and oceans? 

Black Holes

Believe "Black Holes" (the phenomenon of space-time) is a natural feed-back mechanism that makes the universe a finite space rather than an infinite, constantly expanding space. The black hole sucks up and reduces space objects into pure energy. As the universe tries to expand, it puts pressure on the outer surface of the universe. The universe responds by creating "Black Holes" to reduce all objects in the universe, maintaining almost a relatively constant size, keeping the area of the universe somewhat limited, keeping the universe somewhat finite. This feedback mechanism is much like a differential pressure relief valve attached to a balloon that tries to maintain a constant size of the balloon. As the pressure increases due to an increase in temperature or there is a reduction of the external pressure, the valve relieves pressure on the balloon to maintain the size of the balloon (finite size). So, is space the only physical feature that is infinite, that has no limit, I say, "No". Another dimension surrounds our universe and our universe can not encroach on another dimension.