Time to Play Our Part

Michigan Senate Race Heating Up.

The biggest battle on the political front for the control of government in 2014 will be for control of the US Senate.  Republicans need to pick up 6 seats without losing any.  Only 5 for a tie but the tie breaker is the President of the Senate – Joe Biden, hence the need for a 6 seat swing.

Sounds pretty tough but two Democrat seats seem pretty safe for Republican pick ups.  There are 4 other Democrat Senate seats up for grabs in states that Obama lost last time.  So it seems there is a chance.

 

None of the political elite gave Michigan’s Democratic seat a chance of changing hands and becoming Republican until longtime Democrat Sen. Carl Levin said he wouldn’t run this time.  This only let Republican/conservative dreamers like myself think Republicans had a chance.  My dreamer status was born out in 2012 with my failed attempt to help defeat Dem. Debbie Stabenow with my “Dump Debbie” buttons campaign.  May have been a small attempt but qualified me for “Dreamer” Status.

Well since Former Mi. Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land threw her hat into the Republican Primary ring after Levin’s retirement, things have been going her way.  It was first thought that this primary would be jam packed with Republicans forming their well know circular firing squad.  A strategy that worked so well for the Democrats in the past.

I love Pete Hoekstra but he had enough and said so.  Then his heir apparent Congressman Mike Rogers decided not to run.  There were a couple others that while they said they were flattered decided that they weren’t up to it.  Finally the Tea Party favorite Rob Steele bowed out.  Now the coast seemed to be clearing out.  Oh yeah, the parting of the seas.

If this holds true, wouldn’t it be great to be fighting the Democrats instead of ourselves?  What a novel concept.

Terri Lynn Land has many of the necessary attributes to make a success of this race.

 

1.     1.  Name recognition state wide from her terms and electoral success as Michigan SOS.

2.     2. Her fundraising ability seems to be getting impressive.  Last report was $1 million of her own and another $1 million plus from over 1500 contributors.

3.    3.   Her campaign prowess is indeed impressive.  In a blue state with a winning Democrat governor, state wide she out polled Democrat governor Jennifer Granholm who won the governorship.

With all of this happening her poll numbers have been running slightly behind Democrat Peters, but the tide seems to be turning.

 

Maybe the Powers that be in the Senate know something we don’t.  Since this whole Obama Care debacle and the polls showing other Dems losing ground perhaps Terri Lynn’s “win ability” is becoming apparent.

More than just a pipe dream for political dreamers like myself.

Politico just put this article out there 11/12/13 by James Hohmann which states that there is to be a fundraiser to be held by 13 Republican Senators in Washington headed by Mitch McConnell.   The article is titled “Michigan Senate race 2014: A Land-ing pad for Senate Republicans”

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http://www.politico.com/story/2013/11/michigan-senate-race-2014-a-land-ing-pad-for-senate-republicans-99746.html

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For those still interested in political divisions within the Republican Party, please note that Senator Rand Paul is on the list of those supporting Terri.  He however was on the stump for Cuccinelli in NY in which Cuccinelli lost by half of the votes garnered by the Libertarian candidate.  Hopefully Libertarians have learned to listen to Rand Paul and will come out for Land.  I think from Cuccinelli's race at least the establishment has learned that they need to support their parties nominee.  They didn't in Virginia and lost a governorship.

With just under a year till the election it is far too early to predict in the fast changing world of politics, but it is rare to have a Republican seeming to be riding a perfect storm made up of many things beyond her control. 

I know that I for one have suffered under a Democrat Michigan for too long.  Our last two elections have turned the tide with a Republican Senate, House, Governor, SOS, and AG.  Guess what, Mi. is turning around?  What do you think?  

I think it’s time to have a US Senator from Michigan.  If you want to get rid of Obama Care there seems no better way to do our bit in helping to take over the US Senate.  

For 2016 you can guess what the next step would be.

It’s time now to start turning America around.

In Michigan we have a chance to do that in a big way.

Regards, Bob Carr

Live Dangerously Be a Conservative 

Take Back Our Country.

What does that mean?

During that last election we had those yard signs and they were popular, perhaps more so than any one candidate’s signs.  We didn't have enough.

What basic fire do those words ignite in so many people?

That answer is as varied as there are people who say it.

Just before I moved from Muskegon to Oceana County a Black lady I knew asked me “Take the Country back from who?”  I simply told her “not from you but from big government”.  I could tell that she couldn't quite wrap her mind around that idea.  The idea of the government as the problem and not the solution to the problem.  She I feared thought that I wanted to take the Country away from her.  I didn't

When most politicians are asked, “What can we do to combat the power of Big Government: our loss of Individual Freedom?” ; they simply shrug and say it’s too complicated and there is nothing they can do.

 

Taking this question down to the local level, it becomes what can we do to get the government back to its original role in the constitution and out of our lives?

Simple, Stand Up For Our Rights.

That Black Lady Understood that.  When I talked of our/her rights and fighting for them, we had common ground.  From there we began a real conversation.  We talked not about high and lofty things but upon the trouble and frustration we both saw in the over reach of government, no matter at what level.  That is how we connect with others, find what bugs them about government and talk with them about it.

We all need to step back and in a clear head look at the big picture and once we get that in mind base our individual actions upon that.  Goal setting is so important in any endeavor.

That goal is to create a limited government whose main purpose is to help individuals achieve their goals.  This government needs to have a bureaucracy albeit smaller that is there to help individuals not hinder them.  To only be called upon for suggestions to help an individual, not to arbitrarily decide and demand through the threat of force what an individual may or may not do.  We as individuals need to learn to take care of more of our own problems and demand that the government stop interfering with our efforts to do that.

To stop this increasing loss of our freedoms we need to stand up for those freedoms where ever and whenever they are demeaned by government restraint.  We need to fight for our right to take care of ourselves and demand the government leave us alone. For too long we have forsaken our duty as responsible citizens.   It is time to put our foot down and demand from our legislators (our representatives) that they put back and mend the fences that used to confine the government.  It is time that we demand of ourselves the time and effort it takes to do in our daily lives what we can to keep government accountable to us and not themselves.

This takes constant work and takes up time.  We need to start at the local level and go to our township/city/village/school board meetings.  No one can go to them all but if we go to one a month we will find the one that is the best fit for us then specialize in it.  Perhaps at some point become one of its members.

The more we interact with bureaucracy the better we can understand it.

But be careful to not become that which you wish to change.

But beyond that, we need to start talking with the local leaders in the professions.  They have earned a position of responsibility within our community.  We need to remind them.  Talk with a lawyer about the rule of law.  Ask him/her the difference between administrative law and judicial law, then ask why the two are different?  Why shouldn’t there be a check and balance on the bureaucracy by the judicial system?  Always ask them what we can do about it.  Keep them thinking.

Talk to doctors about the Affordable Care Act and its effect upon them.  Again ask them what can be done about it?

Talk with others; the Pizza shop owner, the barber, the auto parts store manager, the farmer big and small.  Ask them about the over burdensome regulations upon them, under which they have to try to make a living, and whether they could do a better job without them?  Time to get these leaders thinking that change in regulations is necessary and most important that there is public support (you) for that idea.  Remind them to talk with their other professionals and then their legislators and support the idea of getting rid of regulations.

Self-Governance means me and you.

Even though it requires a lot of work especially to start, think of the rewards in the long run for ourselves and our children that a freer less regulated system can provide.

Joel Salatin in the introduction to his book “Everything I Want To Do is Illegal” he asks the following question.  “If a little girl wants to make cornbread muffins and sell them to families in her church, why should the first question be “but is it legal?”. “As a culture, we should praise such self-motivated entrepreneurism.  We should be presenting her with awards and writing stories about her creativity.”  Notice the “We” in the quote.  That means you and me.

If we are to live in a free country, we need to make it free.  If we are to live in a country ruled by reason and the Rule of Law where everybody has equal rights and freedom from the arbitrary decisions of government upon those freedoms, we have to continually earn it.  We have to work at it, in short; it is You and I that have to  ---

Take Back Our Country.