Pursuit of Happiness

"The Right of the Citizen to travel upon the public highways and to transport his property thereon, by horsedrawn carriage, wagon, or automobile, is not a mere privilege which may be permitted or prohibited at will, but the common Right which he has under his Right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Under this Constitutional guarantee one may, therefore, under normal conditions, travel at his inclination along the public highways or in public places, and while conducting himself in an orderly and decent manner, neither interfering with nor disturbing another's Rights, he will be protected, not only in his person, but in his safe conduct." II Am.Jur. (1st) Constitutional Law, Sect.329, p.1135.

The NTSB Doesn't Get It

A.B.A.T.E. OF PENNSYLVANIA RESPONSE TO THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD’S RECOMMENDATIONS OF 9-11-07

On 9-11 the NTSB issued recommendations to states to require all motorcyclists and their passengers to wear Department of Transportation federal motor vehicle safety standard (FMVSS) 218-compliant helmets.

A.B.A.T.E. of Pennsylvania, the Alliance of Bikers Aimed Toward Education, has expressed their opposition to the NTSB safety recommendations. Accident prevention saves lives, not federal mandates. Greater penalties for right-of-way violations and stricter laws for inattentive driving would be more effective. Motorist need to pay greater attention to the action of driving. Being behind a wheel of an automobile is NO time to multi-task.

Pennsylvania already has a helmet law. The General Assembly passed Senate Bill 259 in 2003. That legislation modified the existing mandatory motorcycle helmet law to provide qualified adult motorcycle operators and passengers with the option to decide what is best for themselves. Pennsylvania Senators and Representatives supported a minimum of two year riding experience or successful completion of an approved motorcycle rider education program as condition for optional helmet use by motorcycle operators 21 years of age or older.

While the law does allow freedom of choice in the use of helmets it also contains safeguards for those not yet trained or skilled enough to make an informed decision on helmet safety. Enactment of the freedom of choice bill on helmets represents what our founding fathers intended when they wrote the Constitution….that government works best with the consent of the governed.

Facts not fiction…

Since the helmet modification Pennsylvania has experienced a sharp rise in motorcycle sales and a dramatic increase in biker tourism. In 2003 there were 263,696 registered motorcycles. In 2006 that number increased to 335,720. In 2005 there were 205 motorcycle fatalities.

In 2006 the fatality rate decreased to 187.

Between 2000 (before helmets were made optional) and 2005 (after), motorcycle registrations in Pennsylvania increased 48.3%. Fatalities in motorcycle crashes also increased, but only 36%.

A study by the State Legislative Budget and Finance Committee in 2006 found an 8.6% decrease in motorcycle fatalities, per 10,000 registrations, from 2000 to 2005.

Most motorcycle fatalities in 2005 involved bikers who wore helmets. Only 42.6% involved known non-helmeted motorcyclists, and the report does not say what portion of them died of something other than head trauma.

Conclusion: The NTSB implies in its recommendation that thirty state governments have somehow "got it wrong" when it comes to the validity of universal mandatory helmet laws. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Most of these states have had, at one time or another, a universal mandatory helmet law, yet considered the results and modified their laws accordingly.

A.B.A.T.E. of PA believes that state legislators have more intelligence than the NTSB gives them credit for. A.B.A.T.E. of Pennsylvania states, “Nothing illustrates individual freedom more than bare-headed bikers, and many federal authorities detest freedom. We believe they will do anything to suppress it. “ The NTSB reached its recommendations with little or no input from the motorcycle community. This is just another incident of bureaucrats in Washington trying to ram regulations down the throats of all fifty states. We’ll have none of it.

Fred on Tour - Come out and Show Support

Fred is going to be traveling around the country in the coming days.. Below is the schedule of events. Please check back often for more information on upcoming events.

http://www.fred08.com/BusTour/EventList.aspx

Bikers in New Hampshire, Iowa and South Carolina are invited to attend these rallies and let Fred know you support his candidacy!

Fred Riding Into Race Sep 6

I had the pleasure of being in on the conference call where the announcement of when and how was made. Sep 15 in Lawrenceburg there will be a big "homecoming" event.

WASHINGTON - Former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson will make the long-awaited announcement of his Republican presidential bid using an Internet Web cast next Thursday, his political director said Thursday.

Thompson will then travel to Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina - key states in the nominating process - before ending his launch with a homecoming event in his hometown of Lawrenceburg, Tenn., on Sept. 15, according to a statement provided in behalf of Randy Enwright, Thompson’s national political director.

Thompson told his supporters of his plans during a 4 p.m. conference call.

Thompson, 65, is known more for his acting career, most recently as a star of the popular NBC series "Law & Order," than his eight-year stint as a senator and many more as a lobbyist and Washington, D.C., political operative.

Thompson shows up as No. 2 in most national polls behind former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, with strong organizations in Iowa and New Hampshire, and Sen. John McCain of Arizona are the other leading contenders in what will become a nine-member field.

But he has faced criticism in recent weeks, even from some supporters, for delaying his formal announcement and shuffling his staff as well as lower-than-expected fundraising.

Bikers for Fred Now Organizing - State Coordinators Needed

Bikers for Fred is preparing for the launch of the official campaign and we are actively seeking those who would wish to be state or regional coordinators in this grass roots effort. State coordinators will establish a network of state leadership, a calendar of key events to ensure Fred, or surrogates, or Bikers for Fred leadership, that can participate in key events and other activities.

If you haven't studied Fred's positions and ideas, please visit the newly redesigned www.ImWithFred.com and spend some time with Fred. Learn about the principles of Federalism and how Fred applies them to his vision and ask yourself, how many of those principles parallel the freedom that bikers know, love and want to protect.

Is this the year that the American Biker makes their vote a recognized factor in a presidential race? We at Bikers for Fred feel Fred D Thompson is the (almost) Presidential candidate who will become the nominee. Join us!

Email mrfreedommc@gmail.com with Bikers for Fred in the subect line.

Thompson OUT! (Tommy that is)

Bike riding Tommy Thompson has called it quits in the Race for the White House.


http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2007/08/thompsons_out.html

Tommy Thompson Is First Victim of Iowa Straw Poll
Former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson dropped out of the race for the 2008 GOP presidential nomination tonight, a day after he finished a disappointing sixth in the Ames Straw Poll in Iowa.
Tommy Thompson, the four-term governor of Wisconsin and Cabinet secretary in the Bush administration, pulled out of the Republican presidential race Sunday, a day after placing sixth in the Iowa GOP straw poll. (Getty Images)
"I have no regrets about running," Thompson said in a statement released by his campaign. "I felt my record as Governor of Wisconsin and Secretary of Health and Human Services gave me the experience I needed to serve as President, but I respect the decision of the voters."

Fred's Panhead Chopper

1972 photo of potential Republican Presidential candidate Fred Thompson's Old Skool chopper that looks to have been made from a 1963 Harley Davidson Panhead. This bike was built by John Hopkin's, a Nashville bike builder who hails from Lawerenceburg. This photo was taken in 1973 when Sam Goodman, owner of S & G Custom Cycles, did some engine repairs on the bike in Columbia.

Biker with a Monkey on his Back

Now who's breaking the helmet law here? Man, Monkey or Both?

Bikers for Fred on Bikers for Fred (You Tube)

Bikers for Fred on You Tube

Thanks to Kleinhac for posting the "Bikers for Fred video! I don't know how to embed it so I'll just provide a link!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nQoTy2be34

Welcome to Bikers for Fred

Election time is here again.... damn, ain't it a bit early? OK, so the campaigns have gotten underway like since the day after Bush got sworn in. McCain, Guiliani, Romney, Ron Paul, Hillary, Obama, etc... almost household names already. But do you know anything about them? Do they have a political philosopy of freedom? Ron Paul is one who supports freedom in many respects but is he electable? I think not as a Republican candidate and certainly not as an independent. The rest, just look at their history. You won't like like what you see as it relates to the one thing bikers know more about than most, freedom and individual liberty.

Tennessee bikers and Fred Thompson actually have a relationship that dates back to his first campaign for Senate. Many bikers volunteered for his campaign, rallies and fundraisers were held, his campaign benefitted from the support of Tennessee bikers and he understands our positions on government intrusion into matters of personal liberty.

Do you really want Hillary's "Universal Health Care"? Obama's expansion of entitlement programs or anyone's amnesty for illegal aliens and open borders. Me neither. We need less government that is more responsive to the needs of the citizens. I believe Fred Thompson is the man for the job.

I will post items of interest and link to Fred stories on other sites so that you may get to know him through the eyes of a fellow biker and freedom loving citizen. Thanks for dropping by.

Bikers for Fred!