I like to play at “Live Dangerously, Be A Conservative”.
This guy doesn‘t play, and hasn’t for a long time.
-----link-----
http://whoisakindele.info/2008/11/gop-can-revive-itself-through-education.html
---------------
I’ve been following and highlighting him for 6 months now and this latest blog shows that he is one of the Conservative Stars on the Horizon and in the Trenches. His expertise is Franklin like. But his knowledge of the sin of public schools is becoming legendary.
As a Party we need leaders that are young enthusiastic and most importantly able to simply, logically and in a common sense way, demonstrate unequivocally the failed liberal ideas, then give easy to understand Conservative Solutions. We need it NOW and in the neighborhoods where the most damage is being done. I call this stark method of communication a new language I‘m christening as “Conservativeese”, it really not that new, it used to be called common sense.
Leaders on the Right are emerging who speak and believe in this new language. I’m learning it by immersing myself with you tubes of Sarah Palin who became famous for it. Bobby Jindal who put it to use and resurrected Louisiana. Ronald Reagan and Newt Gingrich who sequentially took over the government in the recent past using this same language and message.
Akindele’s no-nonsense, old school, honest, in your face with a reality check method, works because he offers obvious common sense solutions. It is the same language. Same message.
I was going to cut and past highlights in this article where Akindele address the failure of the liberals to stop the break down of our public school system, and explains how they have fought tooth and nail against making any change. How they say one thing then another. This guy is really on the cutting edge of the education issue. If you check out his blog you will see that he is also creating on the ground, real solutions. Not that he needs it but a “Two Bottom Up” award from Bottom Up Politics.
I will let you draw your own conclusions. To do so. Read it.
In order to bring this down to the parameters of “Bottom Up Politics” I will say thatIn Muskegon there is an effort underway to start up an Academy by Bishop Wells and others. I think Akindele would agree that at this point any competition against the public school monopoly is good. I need to find out more, do some footwork, do some talking and help if I can. Now I have some home work to do for this blog.
Newt Gingrich has come up with his concept of a “tri-partisan majority” in which a majority of Liberals, Conservatives and Independents believe in on an issue. Well the education issue, as Akindele agrees is an issue that transcends race and class. We have a chance here to change the system for the better and in the doing win a lot of converts. Republicans had been making inroads until we reverted back to our default Country Club Top Down Leadership mode. But as Akindele points out all parents want their children to have a chance at the best we have to offer. I also think that this issue should transcend the division within our own party. We have a golden opportunity let’s use it.
My one cut and paste I will do from Akindele’s article is something I too believe.
-----snippet-----
“It‘s time to stand up and take education on.”
------------------
Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Conservativeese My new language
I will apologize as this post is mainly about National figures, but as you read through it try to keep in mind how this all could be translated into local precinct politics. Especially the emphasis on the enthusiasm within the message. Not so much the messenger. I wrote the majority of this as an email then decided as I kept discovering gems on youtube that this would make a good blog entry. I've always loved what Bobby started and kept on doing in Louisianna, and well Newt and his message have been my favorites since GOPAC days.
Here is a link to the Greta / Bobby Jindal interview on fox.
-----link-----
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,451213,00.html
--------------
I have always been impressed by Jindal since he came to my attention during Katrina.
-----link to old blogs-----
http://conservativeinmuskegon.blogspot.com/search/label/Jindal
---------------------------
He rose from a state rep to governor because he was a doer and not a talker. It sounds like he has become a pretty good talker as well. I haven’t heard anyone since Newt and of course Reagan before that give such a good direct and specific explanation of how Conservative solutions will and have worked. His state is a prime example. With Newt as party chair now, with Palen as Governor or Senator in 2010 and no bad missteps, Jindal and Palen (or vice versa) would be an awesome conservative ticket. Bobby would say though that as long as the message gets across and it's solutions implemented he wouldn't care. I would believe him on that too.
But this is what I’m talking about as far as the message for now at least has to be what we have to fire up the base so we can get an organization up and running way before the 2010 election. I’m going to inundate myself with the way Jindal and Gingrich can put The Conservative message into simple direct solution based language everyone can understand. I’m going to see if I can get a CD on how to learn “Conservativeese” in 12 easy lessons. Think I’ll start with Newt’s youtube channel.
-----link-----
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=newt+gingrich+&search_type=&aq=f
--------------
Check out how Newt blows Allen out of the water, on the first video.
More on Jindal this time his interview by Laura Ingrahm. And what an interview it is. If you don't get enthused by this you're not a conservative, or you're too high up in your ivory tower or something. This is a two part series.
-----Part 1------
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQW5mD3b7gY
-----------------
“When you’re in a hole stop digging” Great stuff. Substance over bitching. Principle over substance, Principled solutions work. "act like we talk" I'm sold.
------link-----
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ET7yMWBRgZ4&feature=related
---------------
Great stuff.
Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative
edit in a story from Right Michigan that fit really well.
-----link-----
http://www.rightmichigan.com/story/2008/11/13/7227/8438
--------------
LD
Here is a link to the Greta / Bobby Jindal interview on fox.
-----link-----
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,451213,00.html
--------------
I have always been impressed by Jindal since he came to my attention during Katrina.
-----link to old blogs-----
http://conservativeinmuskegon.blogspot.com/search/label/Jindal
---------------------------
He rose from a state rep to governor because he was a doer and not a talker. It sounds like he has become a pretty good talker as well. I haven’t heard anyone since Newt and of course Reagan before that give such a good direct and specific explanation of how Conservative solutions will and have worked. His state is a prime example. With Newt as party chair now, with Palen as Governor or Senator in 2010 and no bad missteps, Jindal and Palen (or vice versa) would be an awesome conservative ticket. Bobby would say though that as long as the message gets across and it's solutions implemented he wouldn't care. I would believe him on that too.
But this is what I’m talking about as far as the message for now at least has to be what we have to fire up the base so we can get an organization up and running way before the 2010 election. I’m going to inundate myself with the way Jindal and Gingrich can put The Conservative message into simple direct solution based language everyone can understand. I’m going to see if I can get a CD on how to learn “Conservativeese” in 12 easy lessons. Think I’ll start with Newt’s youtube channel.
-----link-----
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=newt+gingrich+&search_type=&aq=f
--------------
Check out how Newt blows Allen out of the water, on the first video.
More on Jindal this time his interview by Laura Ingrahm. And what an interview it is. If you don't get enthused by this you're not a conservative, or you're too high up in your ivory tower or something. This is a two part series.
-----Part 1------
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQW5mD3b7gY
-----------------
“When you’re in a hole stop digging” Great stuff. Substance over bitching. Principle over substance, Principled solutions work. "act like we talk" I'm sold.
------link-----
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ET7yMWBRgZ4&feature=related
---------------
Great stuff.
Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative
edit in a story from Right Michigan that fit really well.
-----link-----
http://www.rightmichigan.com/story/2008/11/13/7227/8438
--------------
LD
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
What Can I Do Now? Here’s What.
What Can I Do Now? Here’s What.
This site “Bottom Up Politics” do to my interest in politics will focus as a journal of my attempts to try to help our County Party organize itself along local lines to first shape our message into one of service to the community through common sense solutions to everyday problems. Show our neighbors that Republican can make things work.
Second, thru those solutions gather a base of precinct delegates to come up with and implement those solutions. As the base is built it will be ready to function as a political unit when the time comes. Below is what I did today to further those goals.
Started out blogging on my other blog and catching up on news of the real world. That is where I came up with a link from Right Michigan (see top of my side bar) to Suburban Voice.
-----link------
http://suburbanvoice.com/2008/11/11/livingston-county--the-life-raft-for-republicans.aspx
----------------
At that point I received a call from Hope Mitchell (SP) from the City telling me she talked with Tom Van Bergum (sp) from the County Equalization bureau in regards our talk yesterday about a County wide Precinct Map. I immediately call up Tom and then went down to his office in the South Campus across from Logan’s Print shop (see side bar- “stores I like close by”). It took most of the morning but we came up with 3 copies of all the precincts in the county highlighted in color with all the streets clearly labeled on a 3x4 foot map. $20 @.
Then I went to John Koens office (our county party Treasurer) to let him know and show him the maps. He reimbursed me for the one I bought for the HQ then he also bought one more for his own office which is by the way in Jerry Van Workems Muskegon Office. So I have one left for me to put up in my house. I also ordered 5 hangable city metro area maps for an even better depiction of the city Ward/Precinct system. Then home I started to go but hunger for food and a favorite restaurant I have blogged and followed from their beginning got in the way.
That was “Mia & Grace Bakery and Bistro”. They are still flourishing. There lunch business seemed brisk, and the people were animated by the décor and flavor not only of the delicious food but of the Bistro and all of it’s appointments. I had my (little lol) snack of a “Texas Pecan Pie Bar” warmed up. That was really rich and decadent and all you could hope for. Then the main meal was of course Pecan Crusted Chicken which was placed upon mashed potatoes and some other mixture of vinegar and greens and other secret stuff with gravy circulating the entry creating an appealing picture as well as flavor. Milk and coffee cost around $20. Later I will try to scan in the flyer that was on each table listing in a professionally colorful way the other specialty shops around the downtown area. This will make a good addition to my “Resource Link” section on my side bar, lower down.
On my other site, I had blogged earlier about the link above for The Suburban Voice in which I said I’d contact them. Well they didn’t have a contact # on their site so I called the Livingston County HQ and talked with a young man Phill Kraft. Who said he was the Executive Director of the County party. Different from the County Chair etc. Livingston County was a “Victory Center” They also had paid staff. He said that they had tried to set his volunteers up through the precincts as I am attempting and it was a miserable failure. He ended up getting the volunteers he needed through the walk in people at the HQ who were enthused by the election etc. Their volunteers mainly did the election stuff like stuff bags, make lit drops and do the phone bank thing.
I’m hoping to organize along the lines of community involvement and then later to help with the 010 election. The point is that volunteers will be doing something at least for now for the community and only later for a short time the gruesome work of elections. Hopefully we can add some fun to that picture as well.
Getting back to my plan. I now have the County Precinct Map, I will soon get the City Metro, and I already have and copied off the individual precinct maps to hand out to the current precinct delegates and future precinct delegate designates. All this I can put on our new table under the sign Kay and I put up for volunteers. I will now write up a cover letter to explain it all. 2 days ago Kay brought in the Volunteer sign up card she designed. I also talked with John Koens who said he could print up precinct lists of Republican voters to give to precinct delegates/designates who would want them to use. I would like to get this on the agenda for the next meeting this Monday.
Now I’m off to recycle some old 4x4 political signs for backing for the maps I just had made. Plus I need to do some straightening up and fixing up of the “Volunteer Table” and fix up the wires in the back. And put up Marve’s big sign in the window.
Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative
This site “Bottom Up Politics” do to my interest in politics will focus as a journal of my attempts to try to help our County Party organize itself along local lines to first shape our message into one of service to the community through common sense solutions to everyday problems. Show our neighbors that Republican can make things work.
Second, thru those solutions gather a base of precinct delegates to come up with and implement those solutions. As the base is built it will be ready to function as a political unit when the time comes. Below is what I did today to further those goals.
Started out blogging on my other blog and catching up on news of the real world. That is where I came up with a link from Right Michigan (see top of my side bar) to Suburban Voice.
-----link------
http://suburbanvoice.com/2008/11/11/livingston-county--the-life-raft-for-republicans.aspx
----------------
At that point I received a call from Hope Mitchell (SP) from the City telling me she talked with Tom Van Bergum (sp) from the County Equalization bureau in regards our talk yesterday about a County wide Precinct Map. I immediately call up Tom and then went down to his office in the South Campus across from Logan’s Print shop (see side bar- “stores I like close by”). It took most of the morning but we came up with 3 copies of all the precincts in the county highlighted in color with all the streets clearly labeled on a 3x4 foot map. $20 @.
Then I went to John Koens office (our county party Treasurer) to let him know and show him the maps. He reimbursed me for the one I bought for the HQ then he also bought one more for his own office which is by the way in Jerry Van Workems Muskegon Office. So I have one left for me to put up in my house. I also ordered 5 hangable city metro area maps for an even better depiction of the city Ward/Precinct system. Then home I started to go but hunger for food and a favorite restaurant I have blogged and followed from their beginning got in the way.
That was “Mia & Grace Bakery and Bistro”. They are still flourishing. There lunch business seemed brisk, and the people were animated by the décor and flavor not only of the delicious food but of the Bistro and all of it’s appointments. I had my (little lol) snack of a “Texas Pecan Pie Bar” warmed up. That was really rich and decadent and all you could hope for. Then the main meal was of course Pecan Crusted Chicken which was placed upon mashed potatoes and some other mixture of vinegar and greens and other secret stuff with gravy circulating the entry creating an appealing picture as well as flavor. Milk and coffee cost around $20. Later I will try to scan in the flyer that was on each table listing in a professionally colorful way the other specialty shops around the downtown area. This will make a good addition to my “Resource Link” section on my side bar, lower down.
On my other site, I had blogged earlier about the link above for The Suburban Voice in which I said I’d contact them. Well they didn’t have a contact # on their site so I called the Livingston County HQ and talked with a young man Phill Kraft. Who said he was the Executive Director of the County party. Different from the County Chair etc. Livingston County was a “Victory Center” They also had paid staff. He said that they had tried to set his volunteers up through the precincts as I am attempting and it was a miserable failure. He ended up getting the volunteers he needed through the walk in people at the HQ who were enthused by the election etc. Their volunteers mainly did the election stuff like stuff bags, make lit drops and do the phone bank thing.
I’m hoping to organize along the lines of community involvement and then later to help with the 010 election. The point is that volunteers will be doing something at least for now for the community and only later for a short time the gruesome work of elections. Hopefully we can add some fun to that picture as well.
Getting back to my plan. I now have the County Precinct Map, I will soon get the City Metro, and I already have and copied off the individual precinct maps to hand out to the current precinct delegates and future precinct delegate designates. All this I can put on our new table under the sign Kay and I put up for volunteers. I will now write up a cover letter to explain it all. 2 days ago Kay brought in the Volunteer sign up card she designed. I also talked with John Koens who said he could print up precinct lists of Republican voters to give to precinct delegates/designates who would want them to use. I would like to get this on the agenda for the next meeting this Monday.
Now I’m off to recycle some old 4x4 political signs for backing for the maps I just had made. Plus I need to do some straightening up and fixing up of the “Volunteer Table” and fix up the wires in the back. And put up Marve’s big sign in the window.
Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative
Monday, November 10, 2008
Summing Up, and Starting New
Getting back in the swing of Blogging is nice. It feels good.
This election was long and hard. Karen’s campaign was a grueling mix of dinners and meetings and parades and candidate forums and benefits you name it we did it, but for me the real grind was not knowing what I was doing and making it up as I went. Hardest to bear was hoping it was good enough.
I used for my motto, “What Can I Do Today?” I made lots of mistakes, but I was usually there to admit them and do what I could to fix them. I mean I was a rookie. I didn’t even have a cell phone to start. I didn’t know any of the players at the county level or city for that matter. Everything was a crash course.
I tried to run the County Headquarters as well thinking that I could help Karen our County Clerk through the offices there. I think I did make a difference in that regard as I talked a lot of people into taking her yard signs. These were people that I would of missed in the canvassing we were doing.
Everything I did seemed like a crash course, I had nothing to judge my performance by. Karen being the nice lady she is kept giving me compliments, and Larry when he was in from Texas worked hard to help me get the signs out. Mildred her mother was awesome in the sign department also.
All of the behind the scenes efforts with the local media, churches, nonprofits, and all the other organizations, plus the plethora of other important connections to be made, seemed at the time overwhelming. The Obama Tide was too much for all of that. At best in normal years our Muskegon County is a battle for a Republican to win. Karen won county wide in the election of 2004 by only 500 votes out of 60-70,000 votes. This year despite superior candidates in several slots we lost all county wide including Karen’s and Holly Hughes failed to win the 91st State House Seat.
Though Karen’s loss was least of all the candidates due to our heavy work in the city areas, it was still a loss and one of the saddest moments of my life. I know I could of done better, but I also know I gave all I could. That thought is why I know I will try again with the same conviction and a deeper insight into how the system works, and a surer hand in trying to work it.
Still a rookie I have learned a lot about people and how a campaign works and needs to work with people, and through people to be effective. People have to be enthused, excited about something in order to do what they would normally not do. That is what the Republicans lack. In Muskegon by and large I can vouch for that lack. That lack is what I will try to bring back for the next two years to our party.
As with the national and it looks like the state party our County party for better or worse will get new leadership. I will do all I can to try to foster a change in enthusiasm.
As with the campaign I will succeed through effort - by doing. By trying to do what I think is best. I will cooperate as much as possible but will DO something when all else fails or other dither. By trying as many different approaches and gimmicks as I can, knowing that most will fail. I hope my ego will not get in the way. My “do it my way or the highway” approach doesn’t work but seems my default mode of operation. I can and I will learn to control that.
Life “Real Life” intrudes but I will minimize that. Soon I will have to start to make a minimum of money to live and my house will need fixing in some pretty major ways. This too I will handle as need be. But always I will have my eye on the prize. 2010 then 2012 to get Michigan back in Conservative hands and a Young, Common Sense Conservative President and a fighting chance in the US House and Senate.
Pipe dreams? Back In the day I used to smoke a lot of pipe dreams and I can spot fantasy a mile away. I just hope I have the energy and wherewithal left to do all that I can see in front of me.
Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative.
PS. Kay Punter and I spent most of the day at HQ reorganizing and cleaning it and it is now ready to start receiving volunteers for the next election. We are talking about a separate Precinct Delegate Drive since they won’t get on the ballot till late in 2010, I’m calling it a Precinct Delegate Designate Drive. We are trying to come up with things that volunteers can do. John Koens our treasurer came by and we talked about what it would take to keep the HQ open money wise. If I build it well they will come and I won’t have problems that way. I hope to stress the idea that our efforts should pay for themselves. Being Republicans we understand that we have to be good stewards of other peoples money. When we elect a new County Executive Committee at the upcoming County Convention, and they elect new officials, we hope to have a suggested format to start with that they can change as they see fit. I do hope to start getting back into my neighborhood. Hope to let it serve as a model of how I think we can organize precincts. We’ll see. Hope to get back to normal blogging. This site will reflect the emphasis I’m putting into politics. This started as a political action site afterall.
Every day “What Can I Do Today?”
This election was long and hard. Karen’s campaign was a grueling mix of dinners and meetings and parades and candidate forums and benefits you name it we did it, but for me the real grind was not knowing what I was doing and making it up as I went. Hardest to bear was hoping it was good enough.
I used for my motto, “What Can I Do Today?” I made lots of mistakes, but I was usually there to admit them and do what I could to fix them. I mean I was a rookie. I didn’t even have a cell phone to start. I didn’t know any of the players at the county level or city for that matter. Everything was a crash course.
I tried to run the County Headquarters as well thinking that I could help Karen our County Clerk through the offices there. I think I did make a difference in that regard as I talked a lot of people into taking her yard signs. These were people that I would of missed in the canvassing we were doing.
Everything I did seemed like a crash course, I had nothing to judge my performance by. Karen being the nice lady she is kept giving me compliments, and Larry when he was in from Texas worked hard to help me get the signs out. Mildred her mother was awesome in the sign department also.
All of the behind the scenes efforts with the local media, churches, nonprofits, and all the other organizations, plus the plethora of other important connections to be made, seemed at the time overwhelming. The Obama Tide was too much for all of that. At best in normal years our Muskegon County is a battle for a Republican to win. Karen won county wide in the election of 2004 by only 500 votes out of 60-70,000 votes. This year despite superior candidates in several slots we lost all county wide including Karen’s and Holly Hughes failed to win the 91st State House Seat.
Though Karen’s loss was least of all the candidates due to our heavy work in the city areas, it was still a loss and one of the saddest moments of my life. I know I could of done better, but I also know I gave all I could. That thought is why I know I will try again with the same conviction and a deeper insight into how the system works, and a surer hand in trying to work it.
Still a rookie I have learned a lot about people and how a campaign works and needs to work with people, and through people to be effective. People have to be enthused, excited about something in order to do what they would normally not do. That is what the Republicans lack. In Muskegon by and large I can vouch for that lack. That lack is what I will try to bring back for the next two years to our party.
As with the national and it looks like the state party our County party for better or worse will get new leadership. I will do all I can to try to foster a change in enthusiasm.
As with the campaign I will succeed through effort - by doing. By trying to do what I think is best. I will cooperate as much as possible but will DO something when all else fails or other dither. By trying as many different approaches and gimmicks as I can, knowing that most will fail. I hope my ego will not get in the way. My “do it my way or the highway” approach doesn’t work but seems my default mode of operation. I can and I will learn to control that.
Life “Real Life” intrudes but I will minimize that. Soon I will have to start to make a minimum of money to live and my house will need fixing in some pretty major ways. This too I will handle as need be. But always I will have my eye on the prize. 2010 then 2012 to get Michigan back in Conservative hands and a Young, Common Sense Conservative President and a fighting chance in the US House and Senate.
Pipe dreams? Back In the day I used to smoke a lot of pipe dreams and I can spot fantasy a mile away. I just hope I have the energy and wherewithal left to do all that I can see in front of me.
Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative.
PS. Kay Punter and I spent most of the day at HQ reorganizing and cleaning it and it is now ready to start receiving volunteers for the next election. We are talking about a separate Precinct Delegate Drive since they won’t get on the ballot till late in 2010, I’m calling it a Precinct Delegate Designate Drive. We are trying to come up with things that volunteers can do. John Koens our treasurer came by and we talked about what it would take to keep the HQ open money wise. If I build it well they will come and I won’t have problems that way. I hope to stress the idea that our efforts should pay for themselves. Being Republicans we understand that we have to be good stewards of other peoples money. When we elect a new County Executive Committee at the upcoming County Convention, and they elect new officials, we hope to have a suggested format to start with that they can change as they see fit. I do hope to start getting back into my neighborhood. Hope to let it serve as a model of how I think we can organize precincts. We’ll see. Hope to get back to normal blogging. This site will reflect the emphasis I’m putting into politics. This started as a political action site afterall.
Every day “What Can I Do Today?”
Sunday, November 9, 2008
FACILITATE
Facilitate
I received a wonderfully written article in the mail on rebuilding the GOP.
---link-----
http://www.rebuildtheparty.com/index.php?signup=yes
-------------
This made a lot of sense. It admitted that the Dems had us outnumbered on the ground at election time and before. I agree. As I sat next to my Democrat poll challenger I must agree that we were out personalled and out smarted. This was a young graduate of law school that I could find no fault with other than her left leaning ideas.
She was not a “commie pinko” lol. She was an intelligent sharp witted common sense young person. She was dedicated to her goal of winning the election. I too was dedicated, but not prepared. As I talked with her, she told me how she liked going out to register voters. I had registered none, our county party had nothing set up to do that. She showed me her notebook which explained what to do in any situation at the polling booth. I had no such literature.
She also received hourly text messages from her headquarters to find out the vote totals and she also entered them into a form to be later sent to headquarters. I wrote a couple #s on scrap paper to look good, but I had no one to give them to.
I learned a lot this election cycle. My first. The one thing I come back to as I try to figure out what can be done in the future and present is that, like the article, we as a party need to make better use of the internet and increase our membership within the younger generations. (all generations for that matter). That is obvious. What has also become obvious to me is that our whole emphasis has to switch from the macro to the micro. Not the other way around. We need to find ways to get the public to believe then later become enthused in the message of the Republican party. We need a clear alternative, a common sense alternative to the Democrat Party.
The Democrat Party showed the power of the internet, we need to play catch up. Again Obvious. But let us do them one better. Let us put the emphasis on what we do not on the elections. Again it is obvious we need to win elections and we need to get voters to vote for Republicans. Let us then concentrate on how to win over those voters. Let’s emphasize organizing ourselves at the very local level. I’m talking the neighborhood, or Township or Precinct level, call it what you will. Organize ourselves around the dinner tables to do worth while things in the community. We should proudly state we are Republicans, then practice what we preach. We all know of the Lions Club, VFW, Eagles etc. Why not a community Republican Club?
We can do this with the idea of “Make Do, Make it Now, and Make it Work.” If we find ourselves alone in our efforts, we will need to go out to churches and other charitable places that are trying to make a difference, add your touch, find other like minds. Make a point of getting together with them and come up with your own. Start something new. This is where the real change can take place. This is where the internet can be utilized. Exchange emails and form networks of other like minded people. Set up blogsites for example for your neighborhood. This is what I mean by using the technology to “facilitate” the personal efforts of the grassroots.
Then it is vital that the next step up, the County Party in my case, will step up with any help they can to help “facilitate” the local efforts. The County could also be there with literature about real ideas based on past efforts to “facilitate” the growth of these individual efforts. I would look kindly on a County Republican Party that helped me in my efforts that way, instead of doing nothing or acting all worried and paranoid that they might lose their power of something. I would be more inclined to donate to them and join them if the were “facilitators”.
I would not look kindly either, on finally recruiting someone into helping out at the Rescue Mission with me on behalf of the Republican Party to have him tell me that he has started to get bombarded with email pleas by Tom Cole and the NRCC and all the other Republican Fundraisers. With all thelr condescending crap about how important they are and how vital it is that they donate money. That will not help me or my efforts. Neither will it help the party in the long term.
It is possible to overstate the obvious. The money etc. will come if we actually are making a difference in the community. When people see that what we are doing is real and substantive, they will bend over backwards to help us. I have seen it within our own Muskegon Republican Party. Our caution should be in not overreaching our goals, and our egos.
Small simple and honest our efforts should be. Isn’t that after all what we claim we want for our government to be? For the government to “facilitate” our efforts not to hinder them.
If not then -well- we can enlarge our mailing lists to allow us to email all that crap out to thousands of more people and wait for someone else to start a new party. Perhaps a Party that means something
Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative
PS. Here is a link to a couple of people who are trying to do what I have been talking about and are in the process of actually doing it. I’ve talked with them and they are sincere but just starting. Check back to their site every so often and see what they are trying to do. See if this is what will change minds. I wish them luck and if I can “facilitate” their efforts I will.
-----link-----
http://www.chrisbeckforsupervisor.com/index2.html
---------------
I received a wonderfully written article in the mail on rebuilding the GOP.
---link-----
http://www.rebuildtheparty.com/index.php?signup=yes
-------------
This made a lot of sense. It admitted that the Dems had us outnumbered on the ground at election time and before. I agree. As I sat next to my Democrat poll challenger I must agree that we were out personalled and out smarted. This was a young graduate of law school that I could find no fault with other than her left leaning ideas.
She was not a “commie pinko” lol. She was an intelligent sharp witted common sense young person. She was dedicated to her goal of winning the election. I too was dedicated, but not prepared. As I talked with her, she told me how she liked going out to register voters. I had registered none, our county party had nothing set up to do that. She showed me her notebook which explained what to do in any situation at the polling booth. I had no such literature.
She also received hourly text messages from her headquarters to find out the vote totals and she also entered them into a form to be later sent to headquarters. I wrote a couple #s on scrap paper to look good, but I had no one to give them to.
I learned a lot this election cycle. My first. The one thing I come back to as I try to figure out what can be done in the future and present is that, like the article, we as a party need to make better use of the internet and increase our membership within the younger generations. (all generations for that matter). That is obvious. What has also become obvious to me is that our whole emphasis has to switch from the macro to the micro. Not the other way around. We need to find ways to get the public to believe then later become enthused in the message of the Republican party. We need a clear alternative, a common sense alternative to the Democrat Party.
The Democrat Party showed the power of the internet, we need to play catch up. Again Obvious. But let us do them one better. Let us put the emphasis on what we do not on the elections. Again it is obvious we need to win elections and we need to get voters to vote for Republicans. Let us then concentrate on how to win over those voters. Let’s emphasize organizing ourselves at the very local level. I’m talking the neighborhood, or Township or Precinct level, call it what you will. Organize ourselves around the dinner tables to do worth while things in the community. We should proudly state we are Republicans, then practice what we preach. We all know of the Lions Club, VFW, Eagles etc. Why not a community Republican Club?
We can do this with the idea of “Make Do, Make it Now, and Make it Work.” If we find ourselves alone in our efforts, we will need to go out to churches and other charitable places that are trying to make a difference, add your touch, find other like minds. Make a point of getting together with them and come up with your own. Start something new. This is where the real change can take place. This is where the internet can be utilized. Exchange emails and form networks of other like minded people. Set up blogsites for example for your neighborhood. This is what I mean by using the technology to “facilitate” the personal efforts of the grassroots.
Then it is vital that the next step up, the County Party in my case, will step up with any help they can to help “facilitate” the local efforts. The County could also be there with literature about real ideas based on past efforts to “facilitate” the growth of these individual efforts. I would look kindly on a County Republican Party that helped me in my efforts that way, instead of doing nothing or acting all worried and paranoid that they might lose their power of something. I would be more inclined to donate to them and join them if the were “facilitators”.
I would not look kindly either, on finally recruiting someone into helping out at the Rescue Mission with me on behalf of the Republican Party to have him tell me that he has started to get bombarded with email pleas by Tom Cole and the NRCC and all the other Republican Fundraisers. With all thelr condescending crap about how important they are and how vital it is that they donate money. That will not help me or my efforts. Neither will it help the party in the long term.
It is possible to overstate the obvious. The money etc. will come if we actually are making a difference in the community. When people see that what we are doing is real and substantive, they will bend over backwards to help us. I have seen it within our own Muskegon Republican Party. Our caution should be in not overreaching our goals, and our egos.
Small simple and honest our efforts should be. Isn’t that after all what we claim we want for our government to be? For the government to “facilitate” our efforts not to hinder them.
If not then -well- we can enlarge our mailing lists to allow us to email all that crap out to thousands of more people and wait for someone else to start a new party. Perhaps a Party that means something
Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative
PS. Here is a link to a couple of people who are trying to do what I have been talking about and are in the process of actually doing it. I’ve talked with them and they are sincere but just starting. Check back to their site every so often and see what they are trying to do. See if this is what will change minds. I wish them luck and if I can “facilitate” their efforts I will.
-----link-----
http://www.chrisbeckforsupervisor.com/index2.html
---------------
Friday, October 31, 2008
Jack and Thomas and Me
Whenever I get lost in my thoughts and lose my connection to my basic beliefs, I can always go back to Thomas Sowell.
His book “Conflict of Visions” was a watershed for me, it has helped me in all areas to frame the context of my thoughts.
His recent writings have truly helped me to steer a steadier course through these troubled and confusing times. He is my beacon of conservative thought. Below are links to his last 3 articles.
-----link-----
http://townhall.com/columnists/ThomasSowell/2008/10/29/taxing_times
-----link-----
http://townhall.com/columnists/ThomasSowell/2008/10/30/a_perfect_storm
-----link-----
http://townhall.com/columnists/ThomasSowell/2008/10/31/obama,_powell_and_popularity
---------------
Going from the philosophical to the everyday thoughts, from the “Save the World” to the “What specifically can I do today” to make a difference type of thinking almost always leads me into so many different streams of thought that I easily become confused as to purpose without going back to my basic footings. These lie in conservative thought and those thoughts are best manifested for me in the writing of Thomas Sowell.
I have volunteered to be a poll challenger for this election. I have no idea what I am getting into. I just know that an election free of intimidation are a necessary ingredient of the type of government I want to be a part of. Being a poll challenger seems the most direct way to accomplish that and answer my question, “What Can I Do Today”. Of course after that, there are a myriad of things to attempt along those lines, but for now today a “poll challenger” is what is on my plate. That is what I’ll do, then something else. I will not fall into the trap of thinking something better, as that assumes perfection which may easily talk me out of doing what is good but imperfect today. This journey of mine is simply constant vigilance of the freedom I have that others have won for me and my accepting the responsibility to stand up for those ideas that will ensure my children the same if not more freedom to pursue their happiness.
Along those lines another more direct and closer to home inspiration for me has been Jack Hoogendyk and his race against the bespectacled Carl Levin. A staunch conservative in his views and voting in the State House Jack has been a long time voice of reason in Lansing. Through the efforts of Arlene Helms, Jack will be coming to Muskegon Monday. The Boortman’s will be hosting him along with Karen Buie and Holly Hughes at Toast N Jams in the old K mart plaza on Henry. Although this is not yet written in stone, I believe it will happen. (EDIT--This has been confirmed, click here)I will post again when I get the actual confirmation and I will correct the name spelling etc and provide full details as soon as I get them.
Let’s all make an effort to attend and show our support for a good cause.
Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative
PS. If you want to be a poll watcher or poll Challenger let me know give me a call anytime at 231-728-3455. Call soon, as the election is Tues.
PSS Have to run, just got a call that we are setting up on a street corner to hold up signs for Karen Buie to catch the morning traffic. Forgive my loose grammer and spelling as I gotta go.
His book “Conflict of Visions” was a watershed for me, it has helped me in all areas to frame the context of my thoughts.
His recent writings have truly helped me to steer a steadier course through these troubled and confusing times. He is my beacon of conservative thought. Below are links to his last 3 articles.
-----link-----
http://townhall.com/columnists/ThomasSowell/2008/10/29/taxing_times
-----link-----
http://townhall.com/columnists/ThomasSowell/2008/10/30/a_perfect_storm
-----link-----
http://townhall.com/columnists/ThomasSowell/2008/10/31/obama,_powell_and_popularity
---------------
Going from the philosophical to the everyday thoughts, from the “Save the World” to the “What specifically can I do today” to make a difference type of thinking almost always leads me into so many different streams of thought that I easily become confused as to purpose without going back to my basic footings. These lie in conservative thought and those thoughts are best manifested for me in the writing of Thomas Sowell.
I have volunteered to be a poll challenger for this election. I have no idea what I am getting into. I just know that an election free of intimidation are a necessary ingredient of the type of government I want to be a part of. Being a poll challenger seems the most direct way to accomplish that and answer my question, “What Can I Do Today”. Of course after that, there are a myriad of things to attempt along those lines, but for now today a “poll challenger” is what is on my plate. That is what I’ll do, then something else. I will not fall into the trap of thinking something better, as that assumes perfection which may easily talk me out of doing what is good but imperfect today. This journey of mine is simply constant vigilance of the freedom I have that others have won for me and my accepting the responsibility to stand up for those ideas that will ensure my children the same if not more freedom to pursue their happiness.
Along those lines another more direct and closer to home inspiration for me has been Jack Hoogendyk and his race against the bespectacled Carl Levin. A staunch conservative in his views and voting in the State House Jack has been a long time voice of reason in Lansing. Through the efforts of Arlene Helms, Jack will be coming to Muskegon Monday. The Boortman’s will be hosting him along with Karen Buie and Holly Hughes at Toast N Jams in the old K mart plaza on Henry. Although this is not yet written in stone, I believe it will happen. (EDIT--This has been confirmed, click here)I will post again when I get the actual confirmation and I will correct the name spelling etc and provide full details as soon as I get them.
Let’s all make an effort to attend and show our support for a good cause.
Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative
PS. If you want to be a poll watcher or poll Challenger let me know give me a call anytime at 231-728-3455. Call soon, as the election is Tues.
PSS Have to run, just got a call that we are setting up on a street corner to hold up signs for Karen Buie to catch the morning traffic. Forgive my loose grammer and spelling as I gotta go.
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