I’ve decided not to pursue politics at this time. I apologize to all the people who supported, mentored, and guided me towards this path. To all the people who donated to the draftstu movement, the amount of support was humbling, but I asked the team to close it down. I will pay back all who donated. Despite the ’24 election so far away, this is my last chance to walk away before direct mailers go out in January, an action triggering my inability to pull out of the race and still have enough money to pay people back. The team’s goal was raising 30 million over the next year for a US Senate run out of Ohio. Boggles the mind how in politics, that amount of money seems matter of fact.
I initially gravitated towards politics because I felt I had something to offer in terms of leadership/courage and because it logically progressed from my non-standard journey. But when I centered myself and removed my anger and ego, I realized I didn’t have a strong desire to struggle through another broken bureaucracy. If I pursued politics to validate my supporters or to prove my haters wrong… either way… it was about them and not me.
My life up to this point has centered around leadership, bias for action, and work ethic. Going forward, my plan is remaining self employed while studying, speaking, and writing about leadership, courage, and war. For those who are interested, my speaking engagements, book signings, and/or other events can be booked through my website.
I am not pursuing a PhD. I believe formal education should only lead us to a departure point of self education. I believe I have reached that point in my understanding, maturity, and experiences. Validation of more degrees is not something I’m willing to invest in with my resources.
Ultimately, I want to move forward on my own terms. I don’t know what ’23 will bring, but I’m prepared to face the unknown. In the short term, my goals are spending more time with my kids, learning an instrument, and building a cabin on my farm. I’m sick of being angry, trying to prove something, or illustrating shortfalls that I now realize many people will never acknowledge. If the country ever needs strong leadership again, come find me on the farm with the school buses.
Great to read you are doing well.. with all the stuff that has gone on the last 20 or more years, as america suffers from: " the fundamental transformation" your opinion, on the failed withdraw from afghanistan, hit the nail, directly square. As a former Marine, 75-78, active. E4, i was confident that we were led, by officers, that had the mission, the focus intact. Its my belief, that change, the change you saw, started with the obama admin. And his stated goal, " to fundamentally, transform, america" that requires first, a change at the top, and, if you look at what he did, obama, he fired, every top level leader, not only in the military, but in the gov…
Good call. As much as I would like to see our representation to be more representative of us, I believe our leadership is too far gone to the ways of the elite. America 2.0, or 3.0, or whatever we decide to call it, begins at the foundation, we the people. Choosing to participate in the problem only continues to keep the problem strong enough to remain a problem. I get amped up every time I subject myself to the evening brainwash, to an unhealthy state. I have found a lot of peace with my little house in the mountains with my little homestead. We need to build resilience on an individual level in order to gain the strength to…
Stu,
Don’t worry about disappointing other people. We all wanted you to run for office, because we recognize the stand-up man you are.
My only wish and hope for you is that you find happiness and peace in your life.
Spending time with your kids and building a cabin on your farm sounds like a great plan!
You have nothing left to prove to anyone. You have given more than enough and far more than most.
Just be happy, Stu. I think I can speak for all of your supporters when I say that’s what we all want for you.
Ad much as we the people want to see good, honorable people in office, it feels as though gaining political power corrupts. I'm not saying that would happen to you, on the contrary. Which is why I think you made the right choice. The more corruption we see the more we the people seem to want to get as far from it as possible, like your farm. Until we the people are ready to come together, the corruption will continue. This is exactly what out forefathers warned us about. Keep talking to the people willing to listen. Eventually more will see that we can't all be wrong.
As disheartening as is it is to see the corruption in our current govenment force good men to leave the prospect of holding office, I can't blame you for putting yourself and your children first. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like this nation wants to be saved, and in turn perhaps doesn't deserve to be. Weak men have won, corruption has been chosen, and those of us wanting a better future for our children are faced with the reality that noone is coming to save us. I hope, with every fiber of my being, that some day, the "sleeping giant" that we've heard about for years will actually awaken. Until then, please don't stop inspiring future good men. Thank you for…