IG Team

IG Team

Ken Armstrong

Ken Armstrong is a writer for Stage, Radio and (soon) Film but that’s only by night – by day he runs his small architectural-services practice with his working-partner Anthony Reape.  Ken has been a keen observer of American matters from across the water for practically all of his 45 years, both from his home in Ireland – where he is now settled – and from all the other places where he has spent time throughout his life.  He is on-board to provide an occasional ‘outside-looking-in view’ on Amercian Governmental matters.  Expect equal measures of ignorance and honesty in his contributions.

Mike Cavin

Josh Gillespie

Joshua Gillespie, a graduate of Purdue University, has been involved in politics for some time working in Washington, D.C. and in Indiana. He now resides in the Indianapolis area where he is President of Gillespie Total Strategies, LLC and is married with two children. You can read more of Josh’s bio at www.gillespietotalstrategies.com.

Jeff Hagen

Zee Harrison

I am a black woman born in the UK yet consider myself an ‘internationalist’ – someone who doesn’t feel restricted nor emboldened by borders or affiliations of any kind.

I have worked in various countries in different positions: management, creative arts, policy making and worked on a self-employed basis within my own businesses. I am an intrepid traveler who is fascinated by social and cultural customs and norms.

I may be the only contributor here who does not believe in any form of the supernatural, i.e. no belief in any god or gods, witches, goblins, heaven, hell, afterlife, ghosts, and so on. Makes for some interesting conversations, at least! I write about such things on my blog: black woman thinks.

Inside Government is a wonderful idea which is sorely needed – it is addressing the fundamental information gaps within the US populace: how government functions and why. Although my background is not based in the US political arena I aim to approach things as an outsider – a position I have much experience of!

My contributions here will be monthly and no doubt asking more questions than answering them. I will also use comparisons, where relevant, with the British system of government and how things might be improved.

Just for balance here, I would not describe myself as a conservative, nor am I pro either major political party. Governments should serve the people and not vice versa. If people are encouraged to remain ignorant then it is difficult for them to challenge decisions which may be harmful to their rights, their liberty and their freedoms.

David Lamb

When not posting on Killer Buffalo or attending high school, David writes for Grind Mode Magazine and The Political Inquirer. David endorsed and campaigned for Former Alaskan Senator Mike Gravel until his 2008 presidential bid ended in defeat. He did not endorse another presidential candidate.

Matt M.

I am a 45 year old single male born in Fort Worth, Texas and currently living in the suburbs north of Dallas, Texas. I come from a large, very close-knit family, most of whom still live in north Texas but range as far as California and Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Together, we represent a typical cross section of Americana in our careers, beliefs and diversity. Personally, I have a background in management, both within a large publicly traded corporation and in small, family owned businesses.

My immediate family is, and has always been, conservative and I am no exception, although I have never considered myself a hard-line party member. I believe in supporting the candidate whose beliefs, morals, family values and plans for the future of our country most closely reflect my own, despite his or her party affiliation. The fact that I have always voted Republican is a reflection, in my opinion, of the direction the Democratic party has taken over the last thirty to forty years as much as it is a reflection of my views aligning with those of Republican candidates.

However, this site is not about party affiliations or personal agendas. It’s sole purpose is to become a resource for those who would like to become more involved in the voting process, the political process in general and who would like to be more knowledgeable in how our government works. After all, if we hope to affect real change in the way our system of government works we must all educate ourselves in the laws and system of government that we expect our politicians to uphold when we elect them to public office. Knowledge is power, and the more we educate ourselves the more powerful we become.

It is in this spirit that I, like my fellow bloggers assembled in this impressive group, will report on a factual, rather than personal, basis the rules and laws that make up our system of government and how they might affect our lives in terms of current events. It is my hope that when events occur in our government that threaten to affect change in our lives, whether in a positive or negative manner, this site will provide the means of understanding those changes and what they might mean to each of us. After all, if we are well-informed then we are well-equipped.

Bob O.

I am 44 years young, married with 6 children (2 are hers, 2 are mine, and 2 are ours), and a very staunch conservative. My father was in the U.S. Army for 23 years starting his career off in Viet Nam. After he retired from the Army, I served in the U.S. Air Force for 6 years as an Airborne Hebrew Cryptologic Linguist flying around on the RC-135 Rivet Joint Reconnaissance platform. My primary responsibility was the Middle-East and Israeli Tactical Air. Having this background, I am also very pro-military and have a unique perspective regarding the Middle-East.

After leaving the Air Force I worked in various positions related to health care in various organizations: I was a claims processor and supervisor for a large national health insurer; a billing manager for a large national clinical laboratory; a litigation consultant for a large international accounting firm; and a health care consultant specializing in qui tam lawsuits and compliance for a large national consulting firm.

I currently work for a large multi-state physician group practice and am in my second year of working on a Ph.D. in Public Health specializing in Epidemiology. What I hope to bring to this blog is my experience, knowledge, and research abilities in order to provide a non-partisan look at our government for those who are seeking answers. While I may lean conservative, I am a firm believer in our Constitution and Bill of Rights and will look to answer any inquiries or provide answers based on a strict interpretation of the Constitution without personal opinion.

Matthew S. Urdan

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