Candidate for
Director; San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District

Candidates such as Ralph who fill out SmartVoter forms must take an oath

The provisions of the oath are two-fold.
1. The statement shall not, in any way, make reference to this office, or another candidate's qualifications, character, or activities. Moreover the statement shall not contain any false, slanderous, or libelous statements, nor any obscene or profane language, statements or insinuations.
2. The candidate, or designated preparer accepts full responsibility for the truth and accuracy of the material posted on their Smart Voter pages.

The above two provisions may explain why incumbents rarely fill out Smart Voter forms, when they're a candidate, or fill them out only briefly, as a candidate, being accustomed to violating these two terms once in office. Likewise, members of the news media rarely run for public office, fearing they may have to reveal past violation of these standards.

Ralph also signed the voluntary "California Code of Fair Campaign Practices," which "encourage every candidate for public office in California to follow the basic principles of decency, honesty and fair play, free from unethical practices which tend to prevent the full and free expression of the will of the voters." Elected officials, who are not candidates in November, 2006, members of the press, and others, did not sign this oath for this election, are free to be indecent, dishonest, unfair, and unethical.

The SRVFPD Board position is by law Non-Partisan

Ralph's registration record in three political parties in the last 21 years proves that he is non-partisan representing a wide spectrum in our Valley. One Board Member, The Honorable Roxanne Lindsay, is highly partisan as the head of the local office of a partisan multi-term Member of Congress. Ms. Lindsay also accused Ralph in "The Times" article of 9/29, pg. A4 of not being a serious candidate (In the 2004 SRVFPD race, of 4 candidates for 3 openings, Ms. Lindsey came in 3rd, barely beating out Ralph.) As previously pointed out, Ms. Lindsey, as a non-candidate incumbent, is not bound in 2006 to be truthful; Ralph is bound by two such oaths to the truth. Continued untruths will be dealt with severely. Lindsey is quoted in the article, "Ralph is the eternal candidate." The truth is that Ralph had never run for elected public office in his life until 2000; considers to do so patriotic, and to not give up on the first try having "guts" as our U.S. Marines have. Jews may call "guts", "Chutzpa", Latinos have a slang word for it, not politely used in mixed company, beginning with a "c." See the quotes of persons admired toward the middle of Ralph's Philosophy. Ralph would certainly ask Roxy when he next sees her, if he is not being taken as a serious candidate, why did the San Ramon Valley Fire Fighters Association Union, Local 3546, spend all of the money to mail out an 8-1/2" X 11" multi-colored post card from Sacramento (Where they say they never even heard of Ralph.)

Ralph's Philosophy Is To Reduce Un-Needed Expenses

Ralph's philosophy is that the government that governs best, governs least, that the Most Effective, Responsible, and Responsive Government is Government Closest to the People. All elected officials are required to take an oath to obey the rights and limitations of the Federal and California Constitutions.

Ralph believes, as is stated in the Constitution of the USA, that, as our Founders put it; "All men (and women) are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with the Rights of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness." Ralph believes we have deviated from these principles, on local, State and National levels. It is Ralph's philosophy to restore those principles.

There are a great many expenses (Examples: Decorating Department vehicles with expensive ornamentation, Slick glossy newsletters intended to advertize incumbents at election times), which could be eliminated in favor of increasing compensation of beginning Firefighters. This newsletter, "Fire Line" is sent twice a year to every residence in the SRVFPD, at taxpayer expense. The content of "Fire Line" is totally under control of the Board of Directors. The incumbent candidate's name is on the mailing address side of "Fire Line," that reached District voters mailboxes abut the time Absentee Ballots from Martinez also reached voters mailboxes, about 18 business days before the November 7 Election Day, granting a free political advertisement to the incumbent, at taxpayer expense, a violation of state law. Absentee Ballots were sent out by the Election Office in Martinez beginning October 10, thus it's quite apparent this timing was not accidental, but deliberate. Ralph had alerted Board Attorney Bill Ross of this impending violation of state law, yet the Board went ahead with impunity.

Firefighters are Most Courageous and Patriotic of Citizens

Last year, when Deena Burnette, widow of Tom Burnette, who couageously died while attempting th wrest control from terrorists of Flight 93, destined for SFO, revisited San Ramon, Ralph had the opportunity to speak with her at length. She and her children now live in Little Rock, AK with her parents.

She grinned broadly when Ralph said he had passed through Little Rock on the Interstate many times, back when the Arkansas Razorbacks, with their fans yelling "Sui Pig," year after year beat his Alma Mater, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, in their annual football game.

Ralph asked Deena who she considered patriots. Of course she acknowledged her late husband, and those who died on 09/11/01 and the days following. She added, however, that our country has always had patriots, from our Founding Fathers on. Each war has had its battle cry, and its patriots.

Then too, she said, Firefighters, Police, and ordinary citizens who give of themselves by donating to the American Red Cross, work overseas in the Peace Corps, or Doctors Without Borders must be considered patriots. Ralph and Deena parted agreeing every day was "Patriot Day" for Americans.

Here are Quotes by the World's best Known Citizens on Courage and Patriotism

"No arsenal, no weapon in the arsenals of the world, is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women." Ronald Reagan

"In the beginning of a change, the patriot is a scarce and brave person, hated and scorned. When that person's cause succeeds, however, the timid join the person, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot." Mark Twain

"Si se Puede." ... Cesar Chavez

This year, 2006, marks the 50th anniversary of the book "Profiles in Courage," written by the youngest person to ever become President, John F. Kennedy. Those of us who were adults during his presidency, regardless of political affiliation, likely recall by memory, his most famous quotes, "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country."; "We are not here to curse the darkness, we are here to light a candle."; "Ich bin ein Berliner." A lesser known quote by President Kennedy is, "Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names."

"The greatest discovery of my generation is that man can alter his life by altering his attitude." ... William James

"No person was ever honored for what he received; the honor has been for the reward he gave." ... Calvin Coolidge

"We have nothing to fear, but fear itself." ... Franklin Delano Roosevelt

"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift; that's why they call it the present." ... Eleanor Roosevelt

"If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen." ... Harry S. Truman

"Kites rise highest against the wind; not with it." ... Sir Winston Churchill

"Nothing will work unless you do." ... Maya Angelou

"Success seems largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go." ... William Feather

"our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." ... Confucius

"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." ... Thomas Alva Edison, The Wizard of Menlo Park

"Success is often achieved by those who don't know failure is inevitable," ... Coco Chanel

"At the touch of love everyone becomes a poet." ... Plato

"Poems are made by fools like me, But only God can make a tree." ... The final two verses of the poem "Trees" by Joyce Kilmer

And finally, quoting himself, Ralph offers

Recognizing that problems in our country and our world are not solved by demagogues, but by visionaries, Ralph had copyrighted last year a four line poem, which since has won several awards. The poem follows:

VISION
"Vision without action is merely a dream.
Action without vision just passes the time.
Vision with action can change the world.
The world needs visionaries now!"

copyright 2005, Ralph Hoffmann, All Rights Reserved

We are beginning to see visionary patriots, of the type Twain referred to above, as initially being hated and scorned, emerge on the world scene.

Ralph believes the public's and the small businessperson's interests are best served when the bloated Federal Government is in gridlock; an evenly split House and Senate, and a lame-duck president, will be less able to waste the public's money.

Likewise, a more representatively balanced San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District (SRVFPD) Board of Directors will be less likely to waste the public's money. The SRVFPD has a very high rate of taxation per capita. Under 5 minute average response times and competitive Firefighter salaries and benefits can be maintained without the current waste. The fault of our highly expensive Fire Protection District lies clearly with the District's top Management, the Board of Directors, and their poor human relations in the fair treatment of its Firefighters. There would be no need for the firefighters to have the San Ramon Valley Fire Fighters Association Union, Local 3546, thus saving Union dues, arbitration of grievances, and protracted compensation negotiations, if treated fairly. The monies saved could be passed on, for the most part, in higher pay for our Firefighters.

Without a politically aware citizenry, our democratic Republic will be lost. The filing timing of this race, completely legal, is instructive. On the normal filing deadline for this race of August 11, two candidates with similar professional credentials had filed for the two open positions, at the Election Office in Martinez, hoping no one else would file, and there would be no election. Just in case, a third person, with somewhat of a business background had taken out filing papers, but not returned them. One of the incumbents had decided not to re-file, although didn't make that fact public (there is no requirement that an incumbent who doesn't intend to file make that known, of course) The one incumbent not filing by law extended the filing period for this race until Wednesday, August 16, at 5 pm. Ralph was aware the fourth person had taken out filing papers, but had not submitted them, and why. Ralph filed for Director on the 15th. The two original filers were angry, as they would have simply walked onto the Board, and the voting public would have had no choice for whom to vote. Sure enough, after Ralph filed on the 15th, as expected, the fourth person, with business credentials of sorts, completed filing on the last day, August 16, with the obvious intent to dilute Ralph's vote. Had Ralph not filed on August 15, the 4th person, of course would not have filed either, and no race would have been on the ballot for Director, SRVFPD Board, with only two candidates for two vacancies. Ralph's filing was the proverbial fly in the ointment. Bear in mind, nothing of what is described above, was even hinted at in any news media. Without the vigilence of personal savvy in our political systems' workings, our Republic would be lost. The above may be considered a lesson in Politics 101, or "Brooklyn Street Smarts."

The question might be raised, Why did Ralph file for this job

1. The first reason is the usual one, Ralph wants to be elected Director, of the SRVFPD Board.

2. The second is also simple. Ralph believe the District wastes huge amounts of taxes. He believes the public's taxes can be lowered, average response times of under 5 minutes retained, and a much happier group of Firefighters employed, if only the Board of Directors, as Top Management, would improve relations with its rank and file Firefighters.

3. There is a third reason. It involves non-discrimination. During the American Civil War, in a speech by President Abraham Lincoln, entitled "The Emancipation Proclamation," slaves, mostly Black, were freed. Subsequent Amendments to the Constitution gave Black males the right to vote and hold office. In 1920, after lengthy efforts by mostly women beginning in 1846 women were given the right to vote and hold office. Other minorities, such as Asians & Pacific Islanders, and Latin Americans had to fight to gain the right to vote and hold office. Laws were passed, such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Americans with disabilities Act of 1990, making it illegal to discriminate against U.S. Citizens on the basis of Sex, Race, Disability, National Origin, or Age. Laws are one aspect, facts another. Each group above has had to fight, mostly their own battles, to gain equality. We still have slavery in our country, and each of the above groups is under-represented as elected members of government.

The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) and Abbott Laboratories (Each possibly not with the purest of motives) have declared October 5, 2006 as Bipolar Disorder Awareness Day. (Bipolar Disorder is the Politically Correct term for what, in years past, had been called Manic Depression.)

Probably the most profoundly harmful event in our country's political system involved a person who had a history of, but by all indications had recovered from Bipolar Disorder. At the Democratic National Convention of 1972, George McGovern was selected by convention delegates as its presidential candidate. The delegates then selected two-term U.S. Senator Thomas Eagleton of Missouri as its vice presidential candidate.

Two weeks later, a member of the press discovered Eagleton had been hospitalized years earlier for apparent Bipolar Disorder. Eagleton was forced to decline the nomination of vice presidnt. His political career was ruined. McGovern later lost the Presidential General Election by one of the widest margins on record.

Most harmful to our democratic Republic, from that time forth, neither party has dared use the time-tested method of selecting presidential and vice presidential candidates, instead using a much more costly, and faulty system of state primaries and caucuses. States with earlier primaries or caucuses have greater leverage in selecting the ultimate party running mates, than those making later choices. California has usually fallen into the later category.

Ralph may also, depending on with whom he speaks with, have a history of Bipolar Disorder, possibly in the past combined with the dual self-diagnosis of high bottom alcoholism. The condition may date from a period of over-work under extremely hazardous conditions for 2 weeks on my job in 1968. Ralph therefore, at the slightest hint of a problem, take precautionary measures, the antithesis of denial. Ralph has suggested transportation by ambulance to the County Psyc. Hospital, and spent a few days investigating what is now known a JMMC Pavilion - Concord. Ralph usually abstains from alcoholic drink, preferring tap water. Ralph takes a prescribed product of Abbott Labs, and has purchased their common stock.

Ralph's submitted a written vignette of my life experiences to a branch of the US Department of H&HS, gave a filmed interview to an international group of over 100 member organizations, appeared on the CCTV Program, "Mental Health Perspectives," served on the County Mental Health Commission, including Chairing it for two years, testified on numerous occasions before the County Board of Supervisors, as well as a consultant to Ralph's own Supervisor, served on the Board of Directors of Mental Health Consumer Concerns, written letters to both the "Times" and "Herald" on the subject of Mental Illness, had an article by a Staff Writer appear about Ralph on the subject of mental health, and is writing a biographical text, already copyrighted, which contains histories and accomplishments of what Ralph believes to be the largest collection, in one book, of persons having, or accused of having, a mental illness.

It's instructive to note the persons in Ralph's book who we now know for a fact have had a "Serious and Persistent" Mental Illness: President Abraham Lincoln, Sir Winston Churchill, Prime Minister of Great Britain, Col. "Buzz" Aldrin following Neil Armstrong as the second man to walk on the moon, by a few minutes, Nobel Prize Winner in Mathematics John Nash, Sitting Congressman Patrick Kennedy (RI). That's just a very few of the hundreds of men and women in Ralph's book, who fall into this category. They certainly aren't people to be scared of, or discriminated against. They all are persons of distinction and accomplishment who, if anything, should be envied because they have accomplished far more than anyone reading this. Most certainly, nobody's perfect. It's just that a great many people have all kinds of secrets about themselves, they don't have the "guts" to share. They, of course risk the secrets they've been hiding in their closet, be exposed, and their public service csreer, ruined.