A Little R+R

For most of the campaigners in this neck of the woods, Sat. in Scottville marked the end of the “Parade” season. This parade was really small, a fire engine, a nice band, a church float and a couple of other participants. But there were a bunch of kids. Goeff Hansen also was there and some of his crew.



The parade was pretty short also. The amazing thing was that there were people out watching. The word does get around about these things, and the kids were there with their bags for candy and we gladly filled them. For the size and length of it the people there enjoyed it. Usually we have to be a little careful how much candy we give out. This time however, the kids that were there were getting handfuls.

The kids after all are what the Christmas parade was all about, and at the end. Santa and crew came in all his glory. As it should be, we were just the warm up act for the Headliner. Santa.

Campaigns and the campaigners now put up their gear and turn towards their families and friends. As with Thanksgiving we try to remind ourselves this Christmas what we are campaigning so hard for -- family, hearth and home and the freedom to make and enjoy our lives and raise our kids to do the same.

Marve Engle County Commissioner from the 5th District is hosting the 5th, Fruitport's "Old Fashioned Christmas 2009” Just for that reason. Details below Pictures.




















OLD FASHIONED CHRISTMAS 2009

SPONSOR’S

Fruitport Lions Club, Fruitport Schools, Fruitport Township, Village Inn,
Englewood Farms, Fruitport Foods, and Copies and More

EVENT

An old time holiday celebration with hayrides, outdoor lighted Christmas
Trees, carols being sung by the fire, chili and hot chocolate served at the VFW
And Santa will stop by.

*All Free as a gift to children young and old.

WHERE

Englewood Farms at the corner of Sheridan and Airline Rd’s

WHEN

December 16 & 17 6:00 to 8:00 pm

Trees lit at 6:00 pm December 16

Choir sings at 7:00 pm

Chili and hot Chocolate served at the VFW with

Marshmallows by the fire for roasting

Anyone (family, group or business) wishing to decorate a tree should contact Copies and
More (865-6370) before December 10 to be put on the list of participants. If you would
like to participate with a tree but don’t have time to decorate it, a $50.00 donation to the
Fruitport Lions will be given dollar for dollar to a local group to decorate the tree for you.

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This is not a partisan affair, but rather a celebration of community and friendship and a nostalgic look back at what Christmas used to be like. From the results of the first one last year – A look at what Christmas can be again. All are welcome.

Time for all to take a little R+R

Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative

Blizzard in the "Five Counties"

Blizzard in the “Five Counties”

Politics is not immune to the effects of the ravages of West Michigan’s winter storms.

Cancellations due to our recent Blizzard included, Oceana’s planned “Cap and Trade” forum to be put on by the Randall’s out of Chicago. Then the Mason County Republicans had to cancel their Executive Business meeting. At the other events held or attended by “Five County” Republicans attendance was spotty yet due to conditions, those attending had that special camaraderie such weather and events occasion.

Muskegon’s Carmen Group was held for the 70th consecutive time, but only 4 showed up. Muskegon GOP had its 2nd and final day of ringing the Salvation Army Bell at Wal-Mart on Henry and while a couple of Politicians couldn’t make it for various reasons, a full crew braved the weather and all went well as the pictures below show.

The last Pic is of Kay Punter hoisting a youngster up to the kettle to make a donation; which reveals that even in these economic times the goodness of people is still there and they are passing it on to their chiledren. I missed taking pictures of the last two bell ringers, Don Sheff and Doug Thorstenson. Also Jim Riley did yoemans work being there every hour for two days to make sure everyone made it and was set up with the right stuff. He also took pics of everyone. I would like to echo his, the event chairman Jim Riley’s sentiments; and thank all those that stood for an hour or more in the cold and rang the Salvation Army Bell. Thanks also to the Salvation Army for the tireless work they do year-round.

Click to enlarge Pics.







That evening Holly Hughes held a fundraiser at Hagger’s Hideaway in Lakeside. It was good to see the turnout despite the terrible weather. All were warm and cozy and the Evans cooked up a fine Spaghetti and meat ball dinner with all the trimmings and plenty of volunteered deserts. I along with everyone had a good time meeting with the old and new faces there.

Click to enlarge Pics.







Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative

1stTeddy,then IKE, now ???

The Country is crying out for a reform candidate, someone to stop the corruption. From City Hall to the White House..

Remember Teddy breaking up the Monopolies? And rooting out the corruption they spawned?



Remember IKE warning of a Military Industrial complex and the corruption they foster?



Who now will we remember?



Obamanomics. Wrong title, great book.

Such a selfserving name, I almost overlooked the book. Thanks to PJTV however I didn’t. Below is a Bill Whittle interview with the author of Obanomics Timothy Carney.

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http://www.pjtv.com/?cmd=video&video-id=2796
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This guy is singing my tune. When I say I’m angry with Big Government; I always throw in Big Business and Big Labor. They have always seemed to work most efficiently together. What they create so efficiently is corruption. I wrote a blog about it and coined the term Trimopoly describing how, since monopolies were outlawed, big business seemed to gather in three’s. Home Depot, Lowes, and Menards, comes to mind. I googled it and I really seem to be the first to use that term. Pat Pat Pat.

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http://tinyurl.com/ykto7mr
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As the Obamanomics points out in the video, Big Business after it reaches a certain size finds government regulation an affordable way to stop smaller business from competing.

I have not read the book but will in the near future. As I listened to the part of the interview about the pharmas and government colluding in order to get everyone insured and having the medications paid for by the government; I couldn’t help but think the title of the book if written a couple of years ago could have been called Bushonomics: hence the “self-serving” I said earlier.

Everyone from the Greeks to our Founding Fathers who wrote the Constitution; understood that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. The Constitution was written to establish a new way to guard against that corruption. Through the checks and balances of the 3 branches of government, free ballots of the powerful, along with the Bill of Rights enshrining individual freedom; we had a good run of Citizen Government.

From President Dwight David Eisenhower onward it became known that the checks were breaking down and Big Business along with Big Government were corrupting the system.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8y06NSBBRtY
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The President’s warning was the first national example of this corruption in a new form since the Days of Teddy Roosevelt breaking up the monopolies.

Now with Obomonomics, a case is made and it seems clear that Big Labor has joined that exclusive club and the corruption is becoming apparent if not unstoppable.

Perhaps it is now time again for a Republican (spurned on by the Tea Party people or not) to step up and fight against the corruption that is wrecking America. We have danced around it and starts are being made such as on the Internet with Breitbart and the ACORN boondoggle; but a comprehensive coordinated attack needs to be done.

The Tea Party has spawned a political action arm called the Independent Caucus or Icaucus. They seem to be headed in the right direction.

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http://www.ourcaucus.com/
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There are a series of videos at I Caucus which show the effect of some 35,000 lobbyists in Washington and how much money they through around to both parties. Corruption?? You be the judge. – Please.

The briber and the bribee are both at fault do not forget. The Candidates are not victims either. They are paid well and have good fringes. The corruption comes in the same way as the book Obanomics claims that Big Business along with Big Government through regulation squeezes out the little guy, the Citizen.

In my home town, if you want to be a candidate in my state representative district race you are told that it will be a ½ million dollar effort. The state party also will tell you that they will definitely not help any candidates out until after the primary. So unless you have a hundred Thousand $$$ to spend or unlimited time to trade for that money; the idea of an ordinary citizen having the wherewithal to compete is effectively taken off the table.

Some are trying to do this but the effort to overcome the obstacles is huge. Campaigns now are run by paid volunteers. Some candidates even are paying people to walk in parades with them.
If you trade time for money to overcome this, ask yourself how many face to face encounters does a candidate have to make to counter a campaign blitz of paid volunteers going door to door and County wide mailings at a few $1,000 a pop, and all the other media promotions? The Candidate that wants to overcome that should start going door to door today - every day - over and over then declare their candidacy for the upcoming election in 2014. Remember that a lot of these Citizen candidates have to actually work for a living and maintain a family - so maybe a 7 year effort is required and 2016 would be more realistic. Gee I think I might join the PTA instead.

When I see a Grassroot type of Candidate I take their hat off to them for their sincerity in their effort if not always for their cause.


Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative

Campaigns Volunteers and Christmas

Campaigns are really starting to ramp up as most of the candidates have filed and the primaries are going to be crowded in our neck of the woods, in the “Five County” area. The “Five County” Parties are starting to do their thing too. In fact bottomuppolitics.com is my way to help the parties share their ideas on how each hopes to GOTV (get out the vote).

In Muskegon we had a busy day indeed. In the morning the regular Thursday Carmen Group was held and good talk was had as usual.



Then starting at noon for one hour shifts Republicans rang the Salvation Army Bell at Wal Mart on Henry St. Jim Riley set it all up, Susie made the Signs, and I was kept busy helping Jim keep track of the volunteers. The volunteers were the ones that really carried it off. As you can see from the photos the GOP presence as an asset to the community was felt. This election year we had plenty of volunteers. There will be another “GOP Bell Ringing” next Thurs. 12/10 see Calendar for details. Below are pics of the volunteers.







We as Republicans should be celebrating the cornucopia of choices and Candidates we have this election cycle. The Republicans in the “Five County” area are showing that they are the Party of new faces and good ideas.

In the mix; there are political veterans that bring a wealth of experience and there are new fresh faces who do not yet bring other assets. Depending upon your own way of thinking, experience or its lack is either a good or a bad thing. It really boils down to the person who is running. Their integrity and honesty, or let’s say the appearance of those traits in a candidate along with the message, is what will translate into picking up the 30% of the voters who call themselves independents.

I went to a Christmas parade in Ludington Friday night, I walked with Goeff Hansen – below is a picture of his crew. It was cold and windy and snowy. Thankfully the parade was fast furious and short. There was however a lot of people and children watching and getting candy and a lot of people in the parade.

Sat. I was in the Whitehall/Montague Christmas parade and most of the candidates were there. This one was at noon and a lot warmer, and longer. One thing to be said about the “newcomers” to politics is their excitement and enthusiasm for the contest they have entered. It shows up in their volunteers also. Below is a picture of Ken Punter and his lively crew, then Bill Cooper and his crew. The next is of Senator Wayne Kuipers whose crew also showed a marked enthusiasm. The last pic is of Goeff Hansen getting his crew together before the parade. We were all glad to see Tammy up and about after she had been sick for awhile. She is waving from the car.




Let me here add that in all the crews I saw a lot of young people. That, made me feel good.


The Republicans all seem to reflect a basic conservative message of lower taxes, less government; I really don’t see a Scozzafava in our midst. That is a good thing. It will be up to us as voters to meet and study the candidates so we can help the party choose in the primary the best candidate to win the general.

This 2010 election from bottom to top is crucial to the Republicans. We need to hold our term limited seats and pick up new ones such as the 91st which has Ken Punter and Holly Hughes in the Republican Primary. It is important for us to field candidates that reflect the people’s desire to cut back on the intrusiveness of government. Click Candidates for a list of Republicans in the "Five Counties" and state wide. The candidates need to find ways to resonate with that angst out there in the public about BIG Everything, Big Government, Big Labor and Big Business.

In an election cycle especially this election cycle I welcome crowded primaries. Let me explain. The general election this November will be about which candidate best offers the voters a way to help make government more accountable to the people. I believe it is about a basic struggle between those expecting government to fix everything to those with an idea that the government should help people to help themselves. ( David Cameron and the British Conservative Party call it Facilitation). That is done best by the government simply getting out of their way and not hindering them with over regulation, fees, high taxes and intrusive laws and rules. Candidates need to help get people to want to take back their own freedom.

I write this blog for the purpose of showing by example how easy it is to join in a campaign for a local candidate of your choosing. The candidate is happy with any help you want to give. I like to pick local candidates, ones that are close by because I have a better chance to get to know them. Simply put just by trying to figure out which candidate you prefer puts you on the right track to becoming an informed citizen. Come parade season next year all the candidates will be scrambling to get as many walkers in the parades as they can and volunteers to help with other things.

I personally like to help directly. Walking in a parade was the first time I volunteered to help a candidate. With my limited funds I also like to buy things to donate to a local campaign. For example I’m “old school” and love campaign buttons, so for around $20.00 I can have 10 made or more if I so chose and give them to a campaign if they don’t have them. I get these buttons made (sometimes while I wait) at Shirts N Stuff in Cloverville. Buttons I feel are more apt to be worn elsewhere than T-shirts. Be sure to Ask the Candidate first to get their right logo, permission etc. I feel more connected by doing this than if I was to give out $20 in cash. One time I gave them a candidates business card and Shirts N Stuff did the rest the other time I gave them a piece of literature with the candidates logo on it and they did the rest. No set up or art fee. If you order more they will give you discounts.

Another reason I like volunteering is the camaraderie that can happen. Fred Bertsch who lives in Whitehall had a “get warm” party for Ken Punter’s crew after the parade and we all went. See pics below. There was hot and cold cider, coffee and donuts and most of all good campaign talk. Plus the kids got to see the animals on the acreage. This is a great way to get to know a candidate.



Don’t get me wrong, sorry to say, cash is still king in campaigns. Candidates always are desperate for money, so don’t hesitate – donate lol. But – keep in mind that the money is there to help get voters behind your candidate. A volunteer by definition is already there.

For this and other ways to volunteer and to get involved in the political process which is what makes our democracy work, please click this link to my site -- “How Can I Help”
Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative

Busy Oceana County Republican Meeting

I attended the Oceana Co. Republican business meeting Tues. and not only enjoyed the well attended affair but learned a few things. Below is the only Picture I have of Juanita Pierman the Oceana County Chair. She is the lovely lady in the yellow slicker. This was a pic I took at the recent Oceana County Fair. Other Candidates were there as you can see. They all are huddled around our Republican Presidential Candidate for 2032. We are already as you can see teaching him the ways of a Community Organizer.



County Chair, Juanita Pierman ran the meeting in a very relaxed yet business like way.
A topic that garnered a lot of discussion was the “Cap and Trade” seminar they are sponsoring for Next Wed, Dec. 9th please see Calendar for details.

Juanita passed around a sign up sheet for volunteers to help out at the event to be ushers and help sign up the people who attend. I signed along with another fellow Muskegonite who will be attending and giving me a ride Jim Riley, of MuskegonPundit fame.

I think Juanita who was the main force behind this was pleased with the number of volunteers.





Bob Springstead the State Party Committeeman along with Barb Vanderveen the State Party Vice Chair were there also. Of interest to me was the notion that a County Chair handbook is being written and from talking with Barb and previously with Faith in Ottawa Co. hopefully this will be a useful document. A document that will help the State understand that they need to play a part in helping or facilitating the County Chairs accomplish what they will be told they need to accomplish.

After the meeting I talked with Barb about accessibility and ease of use with Voter Vault. I was also able to put a plug in for my pet project which is the enlargement of Precinct Delegates. My specific idea to Barb was that in the handbook for County Chairs it be recommended that the Chairs give to each elected PD a welcome package. This should include a handbook of what a PD’s duties are and a way to do those duties. I suggested that the State Party should provide online a digital map of every precinct in the state, a map large enough with the street names and boundries of the Precinct visible to the naked eye. Again this would help the County Chairs put together a welcome packet.

I also put in a plug to loosen up access to voter vault by PDs perhaps through the OK by the County Chairs. If you can’t trust the County Chairs who can you?

I was excited to see that Barb actually wrote down the part about a welcome packet for the new PDs as part of the County Chairs duties. She listened about the State’s duties that I mentioned above but whether the State will is another question.

The election season was definitely in the air with an assortment of candidates and their reps present. Juanita passed along all the information she was given by those not able to attend without bias. The Starting Block again provided lunch which was good with soup and sandwiches and a couple of desserts due to a miscommunication from the Chair. It was agreed that some miscommunication may be a good thing. Lol

The Meetings for Jan and Feb. will not be held. The next meeting for the Oceana County Republicans will be in March. The regular meeting time (the first Tuesday of the month at noon) will try to be maintained. The meeting place which was normally Sully’s will have to change as Sully’s will not be coming back. Keep track of my Calendar as I will update info as soon as I get it.

Giving a Selfish Thanks

As I give thanks this holiday for what I have, I give special thanks for the spin Freedom places upon my life and how I think about what I do.

To explain better what I mean by “spin”, let me quote William Bradford the first governor of the Pilgrims at Plymouth.

"And so assigned to every family a parcel of land, according to the proportion of their number for that end . . . This had a very good success; for it made all hands very industrious, so as much more corn was planted then otherwise would have been by any means the Governor or any other could use, and saved him a great deal of trouble, and gave far better content. The women now went willingly into the field, and took their little-ones with them to set corn, which before would a ledge weakness, and inability; whom to have compelled would have been thought great tyranny and oppression."
He hit the nail on the head. The spin Freedom gives to work is extraordinary. If what I make is my own to do with as I will, not only will I work harder to produce more, but will be more likely when giving some of it up to make sure it is used wisely.

Also do not make the assumption then that the spin is all in your head. The simple idea that the control over our own life is in our hands is a powerful inducement to do well. When there is no middle man to blame for our failure, there is no buffer between the cause and effect of what we do. We are forced to become responsible for our actions or perish. Victimhood becomes leverage to work harder, smarter, to do more; not to us victimhood as leverage to do less and force others to do more for us.

Bradford went on to write about the end result of this test of the use of personal property.

"By this time harvest was come, and instead of famine, now God gave them plenty, and the face of things was changed, to the rejoicing of the hearts of many, for which they blessed God. And the effect of their planting was well seen, for all had, one way or other, pretty well to bring the year about, and some of the abler sort and more industrious had to spare, and sell to others, so as any general want or famine hath not been amongst them since to this day."
I am selfish this Thanksgiving day and in my pride over all that I have I will find some to give to others with the selfish admonition of “There but for the Grace of God” go I. With this selfishness founded in faith as Governor Bradford said about Plymouth back in his day; I say in mine. “…general want or famine hath not been amongst them [or me] since to this day.”

Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative

As a special gift. click the link below and read Lincoln's eloquent proclomation for a National Thanksgiving. He gave thanks to be alive, the union intact, industry and our lively hood intact but above all else -- Thanks to God.

Keep in mind that without founding our selfishness in Godly principles we now have along with Thanksgiving - Black Friday and along with Christmas - the day after. Now read Lincoln's speech while keeping in mind pictures of people being trampled on Black Friday.

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http://www.classicallibrary.org/lincoln/thanksgiving.htm
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