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.
-----link-----
http://www.classicallibrary.org/lincoln/thanksgiving.htm
--------------
Friday, November 27, 2009
Thursday, November 26, 2009
I Don't Get It
Gran Torino.
I watched the movie Gran Torino starring Clint Eastwood last night for the 1st time. It took me until late the next day to come to the startling conclusion that the end of the movie ---- wait a minute now ---- if you haven’t seen the movie quit reading because the end of the movie is the only really surprising thing in it. ---------------
I’m serious don’t read further till you see it.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Really
Ok. The movie portrays Clint Eastwood portraying a Korean War/torn vet who has managed to live out his later years hating everyone because he killed an enemy Chinese kid. He lives alone, he takes his anger out on anyone who tries to get close. His family doesn’t much like him, only his barber and a few drinking buddies tolerate him.
He is portrayed as the typical clichéd redneck who went to war and did his duty and killed people. The movie carries out the cliché that he is miserable because of it. As he get older his neighborhood deteriates around him and he is the remaining white old guy around, too stubborn to move, or pretty much so. Of course Gooks move in next door and he hates it.
The cliché continues as he seemingly breaks up a fight between a Gook gang and his gook neighbors children. He didn’t break it up for the obvious reasons, the fight moved to his property and he was protecting his own with the shotgun and a wad of chewing tobacco of course.
Throughout the film, the Chinese family is getting through to him and he befriends the boy who acts like a pussy. Through the film he Mans Up the kid and he gains respect and learns to fight for his rights and his own self defense and to protect his family. The PC flags should be going up. Don’t worry the ultimate sacrifice for this way of thinking will be paid in due course.
All is well and good; until finally the boys daughter is beaten to a pulp and I would suppose raped by the gang and the kid is now fully capable and anxious to put to practice what Clint has taught him. It is time to kill the gang. Even the Priest in the story is starting to agree with Clint.
Then, and now again I ask that you not read further if you haven’t seen the movie. Then Clint finds himself in a dilemma. He has become politically correct enough to know that killing is wrong and we should not do it – supposedly for any reason- after all what he did in Korea was so awful. What then should he do? The gang has just machine gunned and shot gunned the neighbor’s house, with blood and guts all around. What should he do? The boy is screaming vengeance.
Well to save the kid and teach some great moral lesson to the rest of the neighborhood, he does the suicide by cop routine. After all it would be more PC to commit suicide than to kill those that have killed his friends and people he cares about and have wrecked his neighborhood. The movie ends with the church scene and the Chinese and the Euro/Caucasions are in the church paying homage to the guy who killed himself for them and the idea of togetherness. The two groups are sitting on opposite sides of the Church. Of course the bad gang members are carted off to jail. So everything is fine and back to normal. How great the next 20 years will be in the hood huh.
I couldn’t get away from the solution to an impossible situation Clint faced. Is it preferable to kill yourself as the only way for the justice system to overcome the PC barrier to justice?
I guess I just don’t get it.
Anybody think of changing the justice system?
There are lots of ways to look at this movie. I see that the star seems quite honest to himself in his name calling and if I knew Chinese, the mother probably was giving back as good as he was dishing out. Could the beautifully PC ending been as good if both were not so honest? Do we not love the wayward son for the coming back? Do we not have to rise to such extremes to see justice prevail when the system will not? Is taking our own life to see justice done the only way left?
Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative
To be fair, here is Ebert on the movie
-----link-----
http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081217/REVIEWS/812179989/1023
--------------
For perhaps a better discussion about from Polywood on PJTV
-----link-----
http://www.pjtv.com/video/Poliwood/Eastwood_rocks_the_PC_boat_in_Gran_Torino/1211/
--------------
I watched the movie Gran Torino starring Clint Eastwood last night for the 1st time. It took me until late the next day to come to the startling conclusion that the end of the movie ---- wait a minute now ---- if you haven’t seen the movie quit reading because the end of the movie is the only really surprising thing in it. ---------------
I’m serious don’t read further till you see it.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Really
Ok. The movie portrays Clint Eastwood portraying a Korean War/torn vet who has managed to live out his later years hating everyone because he killed an enemy Chinese kid. He lives alone, he takes his anger out on anyone who tries to get close. His family doesn’t much like him, only his barber and a few drinking buddies tolerate him.
He is portrayed as the typical clichéd redneck who went to war and did his duty and killed people. The movie carries out the cliché that he is miserable because of it. As he get older his neighborhood deteriates around him and he is the remaining white old guy around, too stubborn to move, or pretty much so. Of course Gooks move in next door and he hates it.
The cliché continues as he seemingly breaks up a fight between a Gook gang and his gook neighbors children. He didn’t break it up for the obvious reasons, the fight moved to his property and he was protecting his own with the shotgun and a wad of chewing tobacco of course.
Throughout the film, the Chinese family is getting through to him and he befriends the boy who acts like a pussy. Through the film he Mans Up the kid and he gains respect and learns to fight for his rights and his own self defense and to protect his family. The PC flags should be going up. Don’t worry the ultimate sacrifice for this way of thinking will be paid in due course.
All is well and good; until finally the boys daughter is beaten to a pulp and I would suppose raped by the gang and the kid is now fully capable and anxious to put to practice what Clint has taught him. It is time to kill the gang. Even the Priest in the story is starting to agree with Clint.
Then, and now again I ask that you not read further if you haven’t seen the movie. Then Clint finds himself in a dilemma. He has become politically correct enough to know that killing is wrong and we should not do it – supposedly for any reason- after all what he did in Korea was so awful. What then should he do? The gang has just machine gunned and shot gunned the neighbor’s house, with blood and guts all around. What should he do? The boy is screaming vengeance.
Well to save the kid and teach some great moral lesson to the rest of the neighborhood, he does the suicide by cop routine. After all it would be more PC to commit suicide than to kill those that have killed his friends and people he cares about and have wrecked his neighborhood. The movie ends with the church scene and the Chinese and the Euro/Caucasions are in the church paying homage to the guy who killed himself for them and the idea of togetherness. The two groups are sitting on opposite sides of the Church. Of course the bad gang members are carted off to jail. So everything is fine and back to normal. How great the next 20 years will be in the hood huh.
I couldn’t get away from the solution to an impossible situation Clint faced. Is it preferable to kill yourself as the only way for the justice system to overcome the PC barrier to justice?
I guess I just don’t get it.
Anybody think of changing the justice system?
There are lots of ways to look at this movie. I see that the star seems quite honest to himself in his name calling and if I knew Chinese, the mother probably was giving back as good as he was dishing out. Could the beautifully PC ending been as good if both were not so honest? Do we not love the wayward son for the coming back? Do we not have to rise to such extremes to see justice prevail when the system will not? Is taking our own life to see justice done the only way left?
Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative
To be fair, here is Ebert on the movie
-----link-----
http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081217/REVIEWS/812179989/1023
--------------
For perhaps a better discussion about from Polywood on PJTV
-----link-----
http://www.pjtv.com/video/Poliwood/Eastwood_rocks_the_PC_boat_in_Gran_Torino/1211/
--------------
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Forrest For the Trees
Forrest through the trees.
As with all things, it pays to step back once and awhile to better see the whole picture. My email is overflowing everyday with earnest attempts at chronicling the liberal takeover of freedom. I wrestle with all this avalanche of great blogging raw material and get lost in the minutia of it all.
Finally I get back to the purpose of this blog and everything else I do; elect Republican candidates and in the process try to steer the Party into a more conservative mindset. This is done by actually doing something. While blogging has its purpose and helps form and shape the debate; it is the debaters who are what is important. Without electing our candidates all the rest is superfluous.
I started blogging with my original blogsite, http://conservativeinmuskegon.blogspot.com in the beginning I wrote in philosophical terms trying to better define my conservative thoughts. That website is where I comment on the national political scene from time to time. I then started http://bottomuppolitics.blogspot.com in which I tried to put my conservative ideas into practice. It was through that blogspot I began to get involved in the workings of day to day politics. It is where I learned the importance of local candidates and local politics in the grand scheme of things. It is where true to my blogs name I’m learning Politics from the Bottom up. I've recently started http://bottomuppolitics.com trying to include the "Five Counties" of Mason, Newaygo, Oceana and Lake in my shpere.
I learned above all that politics is hard work. Let me just say that in politics as in everything else you get what you pay for. The currency in which you pay the price for results in politics is personal effort. This blog is about my personal efforts trying to get Republicans elected and steer the Party into a more conservative attitude.
I started by finding the contact #s for the County Republican party. Then I started attending meetings and making friends. I listened and learned, I also researched the elected officials that attended the meetings. I became a Precinct Delegate. It didn’t take long to figure out that candidates are always looking for volunteers. I soon decided to get gung-ho about politics.
My whole problem was and is, I’m not a people person, I’m not a joiner, I feel left out in a room full of people. I soon learned that by hanging out with candidates and politicians who are usually natural people persons, I started learning to be at least functional around and within groups.
I found a County candidate and worked my butt off for her. Anything needed doing I volunteered for. Over the course of time I became a big part of her campaign. But the work load was huge especially for a rookie like me. Putting out yard signs, going to all the parades, helping organize the parades, all the meetings and forums and dinners and luncheons and breakfasts I attended with her was staggering. The trick was; no matter how busy, I had to continually think of what else or what better I could be doing. The real trick in that was seeing the forest through the trees. The question always must be; is what I’m doing the best use of my time to help my candidate get votes.
Keeping my focus on the goal and not getting lost in the minutia is the key I’m using in my journey through politics. The quandary is that, other than the candidate themselves; the minutia is where the hard work is and where the real success of a campaign and electing candidates lies. The minutia however is also where the vast majority of my time is spent.
My personal slogan in politics as well as campaigns is; “What can I Do Today”. If I find something constructive to do that is a good thing. If I find two things and have to choose between them that is even a better thing. I can’t get into a debate about the goodness of one thing. They all are good. I get to pick the best one. “SNAP - goes that steel trap mind”. Lol
Right now I’m doing a project in my spare time involving going through lists of dead people and scratching them off of voter vault, and updating some other lists for a County party. This will help make better use of campaign monies so we won’t be sending envelopes etc at 50 cents a pop to deceased people. Notice however I said “spare time”. My first obligation is to do anything that is more personal in regards to voters and candidates. I have a section of North Muskegon in which I’m doing a lit drop for Goeff Hansen. That is more upfront and personal than updating a database, however both are important and need to be done. You see what I mean about prioritizing? “SNAP – goes that steel trap mind”. If an opportunity comes up to talk with a group and set up a lunch, or a meet and greet I will drop both of the above until I get that done.
If we can get our heads out of our butts and organize 2010 around what’s important we can make a difference. If we can use the part below our butt and put all our boots on the ground then we can use our minds to decide what’s important. Elect Republicans.
Regards, Bob Carr
I have been remiss In blogging lately and putting up pictures. Again prioritizing and perhaps a little laziness thrown in helps explain it. Below are some pictures. Again I will start taking more pics and posting them. I’ve gone to the Oceana and Newaygo meetings and didn’t take any I apologize.
The picture below is of Muskegon GOP’s meeting there were 25-30 people there a good turnout at the AMG building.
Next is a picture of Jim Riley at a lunch we had. I call it Genesis. I’m hoping to turn this into a possible start of a “Conservative Study Conference”. I don’t have a clue if it will work or not. Yet.
Next four pics are from my going to Ludington to help State Representative Goeff Hansen and his crew do a lit drop. The first pic was in the morning and it was chilly. The next is of one of the interesting things you see when doing this stuff. What a tree – this could be a new logo for growing something from the “Bottom Up”. Last couple of pics were at our noon lunch break at Scotty’s. I handed out over 200 palm cards - I would guess all told we may have done 1500.
On the way home with Goeff we stopped in Pentwater and Representative Hansen presented retiring Pentwater Chief of Police Mike Schuitema with a resolution praising his accomplishments. The Police Chief was a Vietnam Vet., and a 38 year veteran of the police service ranging from Kent County to Pentwater. Part of the neat thing in volunteering in politics is that I get to sit in on this kind of thing now and then. See pics below.
I recently donated a Campaign Banner for Ken Punter in his bid to run for the State Rep seat in the 91st District. We put it up at the Musk. HQ last nite below are Ken and his Wife/campaign manager Kay beside the Banner. The banner will be taken down for parades and events etc. It is always my opinion that my small donations do more good and get better milage at the local level rather than the National.
As with all things, it pays to step back once and awhile to better see the whole picture. My email is overflowing everyday with earnest attempts at chronicling the liberal takeover of freedom. I wrestle with all this avalanche of great blogging raw material and get lost in the minutia of it all.
Finally I get back to the purpose of this blog and everything else I do; elect Republican candidates and in the process try to steer the Party into a more conservative mindset. This is done by actually doing something. While blogging has its purpose and helps form and shape the debate; it is the debaters who are what is important. Without electing our candidates all the rest is superfluous.
I started blogging with my original blogsite, http://conservativeinmuskegon.blogspot.com in the beginning I wrote in philosophical terms trying to better define my conservative thoughts. That website is where I comment on the national political scene from time to time. I then started http://bottomuppolitics.blogspot.com in which I tried to put my conservative ideas into practice. It was through that blogspot I began to get involved in the workings of day to day politics. It is where I learned the importance of local candidates and local politics in the grand scheme of things. It is where true to my blogs name I’m learning Politics from the Bottom up. I've recently started http://bottomuppolitics.com trying to include the "Five Counties" of Mason, Newaygo, Oceana and Lake in my shpere.
I learned above all that politics is hard work. Let me just say that in politics as in everything else you get what you pay for. The currency in which you pay the price for results in politics is personal effort. This blog is about my personal efforts trying to get Republicans elected and steer the Party into a more conservative attitude.
I started by finding the contact #s for the County Republican party. Then I started attending meetings and making friends. I listened and learned, I also researched the elected officials that attended the meetings. I became a Precinct Delegate. It didn’t take long to figure out that candidates are always looking for volunteers. I soon decided to get gung-ho about politics.
My whole problem was and is, I’m not a people person, I’m not a joiner, I feel left out in a room full of people. I soon learned that by hanging out with candidates and politicians who are usually natural people persons, I started learning to be at least functional around and within groups.
I found a County candidate and worked my butt off for her. Anything needed doing I volunteered for. Over the course of time I became a big part of her campaign. But the work load was huge especially for a rookie like me. Putting out yard signs, going to all the parades, helping organize the parades, all the meetings and forums and dinners and luncheons and breakfasts I attended with her was staggering. The trick was; no matter how busy, I had to continually think of what else or what better I could be doing. The real trick in that was seeing the forest through the trees. The question always must be; is what I’m doing the best use of my time to help my candidate get votes.
Keeping my focus on the goal and not getting lost in the minutia is the key I’m using in my journey through politics. The quandary is that, other than the candidate themselves; the minutia is where the hard work is and where the real success of a campaign and electing candidates lies. The minutia however is also where the vast majority of my time is spent.
My personal slogan in politics as well as campaigns is; “What can I Do Today”. If I find something constructive to do that is a good thing. If I find two things and have to choose between them that is even a better thing. I can’t get into a debate about the goodness of one thing. They all are good. I get to pick the best one. “SNAP - goes that steel trap mind”. Lol
Right now I’m doing a project in my spare time involving going through lists of dead people and scratching them off of voter vault, and updating some other lists for a County party. This will help make better use of campaign monies so we won’t be sending envelopes etc at 50 cents a pop to deceased people. Notice however I said “spare time”. My first obligation is to do anything that is more personal in regards to voters and candidates. I have a section of North Muskegon in which I’m doing a lit drop for Goeff Hansen. That is more upfront and personal than updating a database, however both are important and need to be done. You see what I mean about prioritizing? “SNAP – goes that steel trap mind”. If an opportunity comes up to talk with a group and set up a lunch, or a meet and greet I will drop both of the above until I get that done.
If we can get our heads out of our butts and organize 2010 around what’s important we can make a difference. If we can use the part below our butt and put all our boots on the ground then we can use our minds to decide what’s important. Elect Republicans.
Regards, Bob Carr
I have been remiss In blogging lately and putting up pictures. Again prioritizing and perhaps a little laziness thrown in helps explain it. Below are some pictures. Again I will start taking more pics and posting them. I’ve gone to the Oceana and Newaygo meetings and didn’t take any I apologize.
The picture below is of Muskegon GOP’s meeting there were 25-30 people there a good turnout at the AMG building.
Next is a picture of Jim Riley at a lunch we had. I call it Genesis. I’m hoping to turn this into a possible start of a “Conservative Study Conference”. I don’t have a clue if it will work or not. Yet.
Next four pics are from my going to Ludington to help State Representative Goeff Hansen and his crew do a lit drop. The first pic was in the morning and it was chilly. The next is of one of the interesting things you see when doing this stuff. What a tree – this could be a new logo for growing something from the “Bottom Up”. Last couple of pics were at our noon lunch break at Scotty’s. I handed out over 200 palm cards - I would guess all told we may have done 1500.
On the way home with Goeff we stopped in Pentwater and Representative Hansen presented retiring Pentwater Chief of Police Mike Schuitema with a resolution praising his accomplishments. The Police Chief was a Vietnam Vet., and a 38 year veteran of the police service ranging from Kent County to Pentwater. Part of the neat thing in volunteering in politics is that I get to sit in on this kind of thing now and then. See pics below.
I recently donated a Campaign Banner for Ken Punter in his bid to run for the State Rep seat in the 91st District. We put it up at the Musk. HQ last nite below are Ken and his Wife/campaign manager Kay beside the Banner. The banner will be taken down for parades and events etc. It is always my opinion that my small donations do more good and get better milage at the local level rather than the National.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
My goal -- A Merger
Bob Carr My goal.
I first started my entry into blogging and politics at about the same time. They complement each other. It is a good combination, each feeding the other. As I ventured out into my community through my blogging, I realized the role politics plays was crucial, if I wanted to see things change.
Behind the blogging and political activity lay my conservative view of how the world can best be helped. Not through larger government but by a stronger and better informed, invested and freer citizenry.
I knew that simply writing or blogging about what needed doing was not enough. Being human, I needed a motive or framework to get myself motivated to go out and practice what I preach. I needed an excuse. Blogging I soon realized gave me that extra reason.
Through blogging I met up with a fellow blogger who gave me the encouragement I needed and he also introduced me to local politics. The debt I owe this man is large and has continued to increase to the point where I can only hope to repay his generosity by returning in kind what he has done for me - any other way would be cheap and insulting.
As I became more active in my neighborhood my life became more reality based.
I became more involved with the County Republican Party, which I used in conjunction with my blogging to better equip me to be a benefit to my community.
I soon realized that by getting physically involved, I better understood the problems that I had blogged about earlier. That constant interplay between writing and experience continued to help me in both my blogging and my interaction with politics.
Soon through those two venues, I learned to venture out in the community; until now, I am starting to consider it my community. This is not in the sense of ownership but of a mutuality of concerns and a sharing of dreams with my neighbors.
I am meeting more and more people in my own neighborhood and at the same time through my continued blogging I am meeting people in other neighborhoods, in other counties.
Blogging and politics - those are the tools that I use; and I use them because I find I like to use them. Finally in my life I am doing what I consider important and at the same time something that I feel at home with. Finally something I want to get good at, not just to make a buck.
My goal in politics is to turn the Republican Party into an organization that is a direct benefit to the community. From Governor on down to Precinct Delegate or perhaps better befitting the title of this blog “Bottom Up Politics” from the Precinct Delegate on up to Governor I can envision a party that through its actions helps the people and neighborhoods in which we all live.
Of course we need to win elections, but just as in my case where blogging and social activism merge to stimulate each other, our Party needs to get active in the community and prove that we can be a benefit to it by our Actions, not just by our campaign literature and emails, and yes not even our blogs. Lol
While what the National and State party do and how they do it are important, I have little to no control over that. I can however make a difference at the local level. Even I can afford the dues to join the County Party. Even I can afford to donate some time to something I think will make a small difference in my neighborhood.
Our party is making progress in Muskegon County and across the fruited plane of West Michigan of the Five Counties; of Lake, Mason, Newaygo and Oceana also. Along the same lines I am trying to take the actions of these counties and merge them through my blogging. By going to the different County meetings I am able to blog about the different ideas they come up with that I consider to be good ways to introduce ourselves back into the community.
Some ideas so far have been the “Flag Giveaway” at the various County Fairs, which Muskegon picked up from Oceana. Lake County last year put up “Join the GOP” signs and now Muskegon is in the process of getting 100 made. The idea of supporting a food truck for the needy is also making its way around the counties, through the help of Candidate Bill Cooper and his program “Thanks a Million”. Which by the way I think is an excellent use of campaign monies.
The latest idea ripping through the “Five Counties” was recently put on in Ludington through the Mason County Republicans. This was a Forum about Cap and Trade. This was informative and instructive about how the current legislation in front of Congress will affect our lives. Tom and Gretchen Randall through WinninGreen put on this professional presentation.
From the success of this event, Oceana County has just announced that they too will be putting on the same forum, slated for Dec. 9th. From a recent Newaygo County Meeting I learned that they too along with Lake County are looking at doing the same. Muskegon has set up a committee to also do the same.
Also at Muskegon’s County meeting Jim Riley will again be organizing his Salvation Army Bell Ringing at Wall Mart Dec 10th. Jim would be happy to share his info with the other counties.
For all of these events please see the link below for a calendar of events on my web site Bottom Up Politics.
-----link-----
http://bottomuppolitics.com/calendar_2.html
--------------
The Bottom line is that for good things to happen we need to get involved in both our communities and politics. We need to merge the two.
Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative
I first started my entry into blogging and politics at about the same time. They complement each other. It is a good combination, each feeding the other. As I ventured out into my community through my blogging, I realized the role politics plays was crucial, if I wanted to see things change.
Behind the blogging and political activity lay my conservative view of how the world can best be helped. Not through larger government but by a stronger and better informed, invested and freer citizenry.
I knew that simply writing or blogging about what needed doing was not enough. Being human, I needed a motive or framework to get myself motivated to go out and practice what I preach. I needed an excuse. Blogging I soon realized gave me that extra reason.
Through blogging I met up with a fellow blogger who gave me the encouragement I needed and he also introduced me to local politics. The debt I owe this man is large and has continued to increase to the point where I can only hope to repay his generosity by returning in kind what he has done for me - any other way would be cheap and insulting.
As I became more active in my neighborhood my life became more reality based.
I became more involved with the County Republican Party, which I used in conjunction with my blogging to better equip me to be a benefit to my community.
I soon realized that by getting physically involved, I better understood the problems that I had blogged about earlier. That constant interplay between writing and experience continued to help me in both my blogging and my interaction with politics.
Soon through those two venues, I learned to venture out in the community; until now, I am starting to consider it my community. This is not in the sense of ownership but of a mutuality of concerns and a sharing of dreams with my neighbors.
I am meeting more and more people in my own neighborhood and at the same time through my continued blogging I am meeting people in other neighborhoods, in other counties.
Blogging and politics - those are the tools that I use; and I use them because I find I like to use them. Finally in my life I am doing what I consider important and at the same time something that I feel at home with. Finally something I want to get good at, not just to make a buck.
My goal in politics is to turn the Republican Party into an organization that is a direct benefit to the community. From Governor on down to Precinct Delegate or perhaps better befitting the title of this blog “Bottom Up Politics” from the Precinct Delegate on up to Governor I can envision a party that through its actions helps the people and neighborhoods in which we all live.
Of course we need to win elections, but just as in my case where blogging and social activism merge to stimulate each other, our Party needs to get active in the community and prove that we can be a benefit to it by our Actions, not just by our campaign literature and emails, and yes not even our blogs. Lol
While what the National and State party do and how they do it are important, I have little to no control over that. I can however make a difference at the local level. Even I can afford the dues to join the County Party. Even I can afford to donate some time to something I think will make a small difference in my neighborhood.
Our party is making progress in Muskegon County and across the fruited plane of West Michigan of the Five Counties; of Lake, Mason, Newaygo and Oceana also. Along the same lines I am trying to take the actions of these counties and merge them through my blogging. By going to the different County meetings I am able to blog about the different ideas they come up with that I consider to be good ways to introduce ourselves back into the community.
Some ideas so far have been the “Flag Giveaway” at the various County Fairs, which Muskegon picked up from Oceana. Lake County last year put up “Join the GOP” signs and now Muskegon is in the process of getting 100 made. The idea of supporting a food truck for the needy is also making its way around the counties, through the help of Candidate Bill Cooper and his program “Thanks a Million”. Which by the way I think is an excellent use of campaign monies.
The latest idea ripping through the “Five Counties” was recently put on in Ludington through the Mason County Republicans. This was a Forum about Cap and Trade. This was informative and instructive about how the current legislation in front of Congress will affect our lives. Tom and Gretchen Randall through WinninGreen put on this professional presentation.
From the success of this event, Oceana County has just announced that they too will be putting on the same forum, slated for Dec. 9th. From a recent Newaygo County Meeting I learned that they too along with Lake County are looking at doing the same. Muskegon has set up a committee to also do the same.
Also at Muskegon’s County meeting Jim Riley will again be organizing his Salvation Army Bell Ringing at Wall Mart Dec 10th. Jim would be happy to share his info with the other counties.
For all of these events please see the link below for a calendar of events on my web site Bottom Up Politics.
-----link-----
http://bottomuppolitics.com/calendar_2.html
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The Bottom line is that for good things to happen we need to get involved in both our communities and politics. We need to merge the two.
Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Wow. Mike Nofs wins Michigan’s 19th state senate special election.
Wow. Mike Nofs wins Michigan’s 19th state senate special election.
Here is the SOS link.
-----link-----
http://miboecfr.nictusa.com/election/results/09SG1/07019008.html
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As if that wasn’t enough good news for Republicans, Virginia And New Jersey have elected new governors, Bob McDonnell and Chris Christie respectively.
-----link-----
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_election_rdp
http://wcbstv.com/breakingnewsalerts/chris.christie.nj.2.1290144.html
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The other major race with national attention was NY’s 23rd. Owens a Democrat won against a Conservative party candidate by 2 points.
The striking thing in these races was that the media picked the New Jersey governor’s race as the “nail biter”. McDonnell won by 18% in Virginia in a walk off; and Christie became governor of New Jersey by 5%, overcoming a “conservative spoiler”.
The real “nail biter” was in New York’s 23rd where a Conservative 3rd party candidate with no name recognition and not backed by either party lost by only 2%. Doug Hoffman that Conservative candidate one month ago was in single digits in the polls. Hoffman and his ever increasing list of supporters claimed that Deede Scozzafava the Republican candidate was no different than the Democrat. As Hoffman’s support grew Deede quit campaigning and threw her support to the Democrat Ownes!!!??? Scozzafava left her name on the ballot and garnered 5% of the vote.
If we are to call Hoffman the spoiler in the race; then turnabout is fair play. Deede was indeed in the end the real spoiler in this race by taking away 5% of the vote from Hoffman by backing the Democrat and letting the Democrat Owens win.
The winner in New Jersey, Chris Christie gave a rousing acceptance speech which for us in Michigan echoes what our Republican candidates are saying about our 2010 election being about keeping our children from leaving the state.
------snippet from acceptance speech-----
"Tomorrow we will take back New Jersey back for our families. Tomorrow we will take back New Jersey for our friends," Christie said. "Tomorrow we begin to build that greater New Jersey for our children and grandchildren. I want my children to raise their children in this state. I want your children to raise their children in this great state.
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"I will tell you, the campaign we just went through was easy compared to the tasks that will face us to fix this state. There are no easy answers to these difficult questions.
"Starting tomorrow, we are going to pick Trenton up and turn it upside down."
We at “Bottom Up Politics” think Lansing needs to be turned upside down, what say you. If we do it together we can come this time next year have a hand in the shaking up of Lansing. The 19th is a good start.
All of these races point to the fact that it truly is the “economy stupid”. Whether it is about jobs, taxes or out of control spending of our tax dollars, or waste and or corruption; I think it obvious the people have flat out said “Enough is Enough” big government.
In our state, the really great news is that Mike Nofs won the 19th. Back in April I drove down to Jackson when he announced and met the man. Right from the start he had a plan and his focus was Jobs First. This guy meant business. The other thing I picked up was that Nofs was a hard worker. People kept telling me that. Below is a link to that article in April.
-----link-----
http://bottomuppolitics.blogspot.com/2009/04/mike-nofs-makes-his-official.html
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From then till now I met Mike Nofs a couple of times and went door to door with him, Goeff Hansen and Darwin Booher (two other State Senate Candidates). During that last visit it was obvious from talking to some of his staff that the tide had turned in their favor and the Griffin campaign was floundering. It was intimated that the Dem. Party was trying to highjack the Griffin campaign in an effort to resurrect it. I guess they failed.
Mike Nofs victory was truly staggering. So far the vote total was 20k vs 11k.
While Mike gets the credit for tirelessly campaigning and stating his message clearly, the above margin of victory was gotten through the efforts of the State Party. The adopt a precinct program set up by the state and their busloads of volunteers did the trick that was needed to get out the vote. From our area Goeff Hansen and Holly Hughes were in the 19th manning the GOTV phones along with many others. From Muskegon, Jan Koens made the trip a few times and went door to door. He was not alone.
On a sadder note, Jan Koens lost his bid for the non partisan North Muskegon City Council. Jan remains however one of our hardest working party functionaries as District 2 and Muskegon County Republican Treasurer. I see this as a blessing in disguise for Jan as this would of narrowed his focus and tied him up for the 2010 or 12. We all have to keep our eye on the bigger picture.
The state party of which I am often critical finally got its act together in the Nofs election. That was great to see.
When the Mainstream media spins this as not a referendum on Obama, take it from the loser in the 19th, Democrat Marty Griffin.
-----quote-----
“What can I say? It’s a Republican year. The Obama euphoria is over,” said Griffin, who was at a Jackson restaurant with subdued supporters.
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The above came from the FREEP
http://www.freep.com/article/20091103/NEWS15/91103087/1318/
As you can see in the article Marty has plenty to gripe about. His seat that he was defending was a Democrat seat. The Democrats won it last time in a close race but lost it in a landslide by 26%, an unheard of number for a competitive district. And the Republicans have widened their Senate control to 21-16.
By the way Tim Walberg must be licking his chops as he looks over these results. Walberg is up and running already to take back the seat he lost in 08, by such a narrow margin.
-----Walberg Link-----
http://www.walbergforcongress.com/Home.aspx
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Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative
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