John Shaw
Independent Candidate - Florida House Of Representatives
About John Shaw
 I was born in Leon County, Tallahassee, Florida on September 16, 1985, and have resided here to this day, aside from a 4-month stay in the Wakulla County Jail in 2003. To learn more about why I was imprisoned, please click here. Aside from getting into the political scene, I have my own computer business here in town, where I do my best to assist people in their everyday computer needs. Essentially, that is what I enjoy doing - fixing computers! My primary source of income comes from webdesign, though. I work for a great guy here in town, Dr. Mark Moore, who owns several dot-coms. It's fun to patiently, logically tackle every technical issue that comes through my door. All work and no play makes John a dull boy, though, and that's where the real fun takes place. I love to dance. My sister and I were active members of the Tallahassee Irish Step Dancers for a few years, and since then have enjoyed entertaining and dancing with the locals at the yearly Downtown Getdown functions. I enjoy video games and all kinds of music. My father, Craig, has been a lawyer of the Florida Bar for almost 30 years, and my mother, Mary, is a published and best-selling author. I have one sister, Emily, and she's the best sister a brother could have. I really consider her my best friend.
I first got on a computer when I was about 5. My kindergarten teacher noticed that I excelled in math, so during nap-time she would send me down to the media lab with a 5 1/4" floppy disk to play "Number Munchers." Instead, though, I was more intrigued with the games on there like "Chess" and "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?" My
love for computers grew from there, and eventually I got my own when I was
10. The next year, though, it broke, and I was devastated. Determined not
to let a great thing go 6 feet under, I opened it up, and fixed it. Ever
since then, I've been fixing computers, monitors, printers, networks, websites,
A/V systems, you name it. I started making a business out of it when I turned
19 or so, and have been doing so ever since. You may have spotted my blue
'91 Mustang around town, which sports a large back-window
advertisement featuring my face, my services, and my unbeatable price.
I went to Leon High School, and was an active participant in Drama and Thespians. I learned quickly on that being on-stage wasn't my passion, so I was usually in control of the sound and light booth. I was the DJ for most of the pep rallies, and I won the Drama Club's 2003 Thespian of the Year award for my services behind the scenes. I maintained above a 3.0 GPA throughout my attendance. I did not graduate from Leon, and instead received my G.E.D. I never pursued college.
About My Decision to Run for the House of Representatives
A lot of folks have asked me why I'm running for State Representative. This is, oddly enough, not an easy question to answer.
Very simply, I'm running for State Representative because I feel as though there is a major issue in our country that is not being addressed - and along with that, there are major issues that are being addressed inappropriately. Legislators that are currently governing our country and state are in a very difficult position, too; current drug policy is not something that is a politically safe issue to talk about, especially when talking about change. Attempting to change our nation's drug laws could prove detrimental to a politician's career, which is precisely why there is so little effort to change anything. It is for this reason that I am taking it upon myself to help those in office be able to talk about it without hesitation. I am supremely confident that the majority of politicians in office know in their hearts that this drug war has failed, and it's time to address a new initiative.
Along with that, it is my assertion that the people of the state of Florida, as well as the rest of this country, are ready for a new approach to politics. I believe it is important to acknowledge these wishes by running for office with no party affiliation.
Some people might say that a lack of any sort of political experience will immediately eliminate any chance I have of winning. I wholeheartedly disagree with this; in fact, I believe that many of those who have climbed the political ladder from the bottom up are morally corrupt. I am confident that my constituents will take this into consideration on the day of elections in November.
I look forward to being able to make this decision one of the best decisions I have ever made.
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