Limbo

Life Goes On

My life in particular is caught in a state of limbo.

I’m suspended between Muskegon and Oceana Counties.

35 days ago I bought a house in Oceana Co. I gave the sellers 45 days to move out. They said they hoped they would move out sooner. They haven’t. Winter is coming on. My new house needs a lot of work inside and out. As I sit in my old house typing this I don’t know what to do next.

The internet out there is dial up or Hughes net. Hughes Net is a satellite feed, while the speed is almost compatible to my current DSL from Frontier, I will be limited to 200 – 300 megabytes daily, depending on whether I want the $60 or the $70 plan. Ouch. I have Netflix and get movies in the mail that won’t change, but Netflix offers older movies and tv shows for free on demand. I use that a lot, with Hughes net I won’t be able to do that. Bummer. As far as the limits, movies have up to 2000 megabytes each.

I’m wondering if I can still put pictures into my blogs or if I’ll have to post them 1 or 2 a day?

Maybe my next campaign will be to get high speed internet out to the boonies. High Speed without the limits.

The limbo I’m talking about is well illustrated in political terms. Last Monday I went to the Muskegon County GOP Caucus Lunch. Tues I drove up to Hart for the Oceana County GOP Business meeting. After that meeting Oceana held it’s County Convention and elected it’s new leadership. Muskegon will hold theirs later.

Here is the new Republican leadership for Oceana County

Juanita Pierman , County Chair
John Hendrixson, Co Chair
Al Docter Treasurer
Andy Sebolt Secretary

All had previously served in their positions except for one new face.
John Hendrixson was also elected to the Oceana County Road Commission. Congrats to John and all the other members.

I also brought up the idea of ringing the Salvation Army Bell for Christmas as we do in Muskegon. Juanita took charge of that.
Here are a couple pics of the meeting.
click on any pic to enlarge




Another limbo thing is Carmen’s. I went to our 126th consecutive breakfast last Thursday. Rob LaMielle from Oceana came also. He and I finally decided that at least the two of us will have our first “Carmen’s” in Oceana County in Hart at the Moratz Bakery on Main St. katty corner from the County building at 8am Tues. I don’t think this will be our permanent home but it will be a start. We are inviting others.

There are also social things which I’m turning down. One is being a chaperone for a bunch of kids on a bus that Morning Bear and our Love Community Garden is organizing to go to Fruitport’s Old Fashioned Christmas Days Dec 15th and 16th. Bill Cooper’s Dad Ron will be driving the bus. I would here like to thank Marve Engle as being the one who came up with the idea for the Old Fashioned Christmas and has had it on his property since it’s inception. Due to some nasty politics in Fruitport he was squeezed out. I hope the Supervisor of Fruitport doesn’t ruin it.

Hey a little Snark here and a little Snark there and pretty soon we’re talking politics.

I’ll miss this stuff. Where I live there is only 1 precinct in the entire township. Completely rural, a complete set of new community problems I will have to learn.




As far as Carmen’s in Muskegon (my pride and joy), our group is increasing. I counted 15 all together Thurs. Sen. Elect Goeff Hansen came very late as a few of us were walking out the door, but it was good to see him.



Goeff had just returned from Lansing that morning. Wed. was a heavy working day for him as the transition is taking place. The Freshman Senators are all getting assignments and Goeff was pleased that he got to be assistant President Pro Tempore. While not perhaps the most important of positions, it gives him a seat at the leadership table, Sen. Hansen seemed pleased with it.

As I looked through the rest of the leadership Linked below I see some familiar faces that I’ve met through Goeff recent campaign such as Mr. Meekoff and Mr. Booher to name a couple. Goeff should fit right in. Right now Sen. Elect Hansen with his wife and they are preparing for a well deserved and much needed vacation. When asked where they were going, he only said they were headed West and that no one will know where they are going.

-----link-----
http://www.senate.michigan.gov/gop/readarticle.asp?id=3477&District=99
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Well done Goeff.

Mr. Hansen seemed quite tired, yet as we stood outside Carmen’s it became apparent he was excited about the prospects of getting things done. If you remember he was a member of the state house and in the minority with a Democrat Governor, and the Republicans only had a simple majority in the Senate. Today he has a leadership role in the Senate which has a Super majority and with a House of Reps controlled by the Republicans backed up by the weight of a Republican Governor.

Like I said in my previous post Wowdeedowdee.

Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative

PS did I mention what my new kick will be? You know how I love political buttons. Well I coined a new one and will be getting it made at Shirts n Stuff in Cloverville. It’ll simply say “Dump Debbie”. As we get closer to 2012 more people will understand Who Debbie is. LOL.

Wowdeedowdee

Election stuff.

WOW

US House Majority,

Michigan House and Super Majority in the MI Senate

The Governor, SOS, AG, Majority in the State Supreme Court.

Only one Democrat State Senator out of the box West of Lansing and North of Saginaw.

Muskegon however retains its “Sister City to Detroit” image.

However cracks are appearing even in this urban Mecca we call Muskegon.

The cream on top of this avalanche, the unexpected upset of all time -- Alan Jager is our new Muskegon County commissioner. Wowdedowdie what a nail biter, if I remember correctly Alan won by a scant 51 votes.

Across the board Republicans gathered more votes than in the past.
Holly Hughes resurrected herself with a win after losing the same race in 2008. She has to feel pretty good about that.
Marve Engle and Bob Scolnik won easily with greater margins of victory than last time.

I would like to give a tip of the hat to John McNally who ran for the 92nd state rep seat even though he lost, and I’ll tell you why.
Mr. McNally received the highest % of votes that anyone has ever gotten out of the 92nd. Before that Bob Cutler in 2004 had 34%; Marianne Darnell-Harris in 2006 garnered 29% and Jim McCormick had only 26% two years ago in 2008.

John McNally, a strict conservative with ties to the Tea Party stepped forward when no one else would and ran to win. He started late in the cycle but once he decided to run he RAN. More correctly he walked and walked and walked up and down the precincts. He worked hard and his message resonated with more people than before in this predominately Blue district.


Here is the Muskegon County Clerks link for the 2010 Election.

http://co.muskegon.mi.us/election/allresults.stm

Here are the results from 2006 to compare.

http://www.co.muskegon.mi.us/clerk/elections/archiveresults/elections_2006g.stm

Notice for example that in the race for the 34th state senate race Goeff Hansen won Muskegon County by 1,800 votes and carried the district easily. Note also how in 2006 Gerald VanWoerkom lost Muskegon by 5,000 but hung on to still carry the district.

I helped Hansen so I’m prejudiced, but I saw all the work Goeff has put into this campaign. From 2 years ago when no one in Muskegon hardly knew his name, he and his staff led by Pete Wills ran hard and never let up. Two other contenders dropped out leaving Rep. Hansen an unopposed primary. The mark of his campaign was that they did not slow up because of that. Like all winners, the Hansen Team took that early victory and worked all the harder to keep the ground they had gained.

While I’ve had some disagreements with the campaign, the mantle of managing this victory sits squarely upon Pete Wills head. As with Goeff, Mr. Wills never quit, never stopped pushing and always kept their eyes on the goal.

But I digress.

The county clerks site is fun to roam around in, see for example how your precinct voted.

http://co.muskegon.mi.us/election/municip_viewer.asp

Simply click on the township where you live and find your precinct.

Here is a link to the State Secretary of State website, same thing but for the entire state.

http://miboecfr.nictusa.com/election/results/10GEN/

One last thing before some pictures.

Since the beginning of the Tea Party the name of Ray Franz has been on my radar. As I travelled up and down West Mi on the Tea Party circuit, I kept running into Ray at Tea Party meetings and rallies. Rep Franz had lost to Democrat Scripps in 2008 and had started running for 2010 shortly after his loss. Ray’s natural conservative tendencies were a perfect fit for the Tea Party.

What I liked about Ray compared to the other “Johnny come Lately” Tea Party candidates was that he was there as a member not so much as a politician. He has been part of the Ludington, Manistee and Benzie groups. Through the likes of Ray, the Northern West Michigan Tea Parties have pretty seamlessly merged with the Republican County Parties.

Back when winning back the Mi. State house was just a whispered dream, Ray Franz and the 101st district was usually mentioned as a bell weather as to whether we could actually do that. For me it was a natural fit. I did what I could to help his campaign. And a :-) to Jennifer his Campaign Manager both times, victory must feel sweet to her as she caught the brunt of the fallout from Ray’s previous defeat from all the second guessing arm chair pundits.

Through my five county website and through helping Senator Elect Hansen (boy that sounds nice), I became acquainted with Jon Bumstead who ran for Goeff Hansen’s current 100th State House Seat. What a victory he had. Nearly 2 to 1. Jon even won Lake County a heavily Blue county. Kudos to him, the Runnels and their foot soldiers one of whom comes to mind, Andy Sebolt who knocked on a lot of doors.

Appreciation for the work the North Counties contributed to the Hansen and Bumstead campaings is in order. Three cheers.

As some of you know, I’m moving up to Oceana County. This was not a political decision but I found the perfect house for me and my finances. However I have previously gotten to know some of the players up there and I’m hoping I can fit in. The county chair and mayor of Pentwater has taken me under her wing a little and has introduced me around. This lady has a Chicago background; gee I guess if she fit in I have a chance. Lol.

Once I move finally move in which will be around the end of November, I will get to working again on my five county web site, and start setting the stage for the 2012 elections. Wow lots to think about there, for example who will run for the US Senate against Stabenow? I imagine it will be a crowded field and fun to watch. All the township and county races will be coming up also.

Well enough for now and I apologize for not blogging more as the election took up the majority of my time.

Below are some pics from the Hansen Team Victory party in Hart.

Regards Live Dangerously Be A Conservative

Parity in Elections ???

Parity in Elections ???



The Republicans have finally closed the funding gap with the Democrats in this cycle of elections on the national level.

In 2006 the Dems raised over $200 million more than the Republicans.

This year according to the latest figures the Republicans have spent nearly $90 million more than the Dems.

We all have heard on the news the recent flurry of complaints from leading Dems about how they are being outspent.

In 2006 the Republicans relied on their party war chests and not the “Will of the People” while this year there has been a plethora of funds being raised by third party groups on behalf of Republican Candidates through yup you guessed it, the “Will of the People”. Lest you think I’m too naïve - read on.

Politico in its article by Jeanne Cummings entitled, “Dems Getting Outspent? Not so fast.”, points out how this cycle there seems to be a pretty level financial playing field compared to recent elections where the Dems out spent the Republicans by a wider margin.

-----link-----
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1010/44216.html
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The Republicans in the past whined and cried just as loudly as the Dems are crying now. That’s human nature I guess. The important point in this all is to understand that the “Will of the People” is driving this difference.

Of course the big unions and big business will put in huge amounts, they always have one way or another; it is the donations from the “Will of the People” that has tipped the scale in the last few elections.

If you think that’s not the case Remember -- http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-confidential/Massachusetts-The-Scott-Brown-moneybomb-keeps-exploding-81539122.html
In a sense that Money bomb as the article presciently reminds us, is still exploding across the country. This was a Tea Party fueled event. It is my contention that the Tea Party is the driving force behind this recent Popular Uprising on behalf of Republicans and the recent fullness of their war chests, and the rise of third party groups backing the Republican/Conservative cause.

You may call me naïve; however it seems the ultimate in naiveté to think that this popular uprising nationwide has not had any effect upon business. Do remember the way the Liberals have blackmailed and coerced business into a position where business has been afraid to show support of anti liberal causes. This popular uprising has allowed the business community to come out of the “Conservative/ Free Market Closet” and stand up for what it believes in nearly as openly a way as the Liberal/socialist groups have been fighting for theirs.

Think not? Think that Liberals don’t want to take over and control all business?
As Spock would say! Remember.




Remember Maxine Waters and her slip of the tongue as she was haranguing oil execs? This was before the 08 election, as the video explains and asks what will happen if the Dems gain control. Again a case of prescience, or simply a correct reading of the writing on the wall?


Following through with this Maxine Moment and the idea of Socializing and “taking over all your businesses” not to mention of small business and minority businesses having to come and kow tow to the government to get loans, I am reminded of Hyek’s great book The Road to Serfdom.

http://www.amazon.com/Road-Serfdom-Documents---Definitive-Collected/dp/0226320553/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1288189235&sr=1-1

The “Will of the People” is rising again as in 1776 or 73 (snicker) when the partying began. We fought for our right to govern ourselves and not have a King do it through his feudal lords in front of which we would have to grovel and ask to do what we wanted. Now we are being put in the same predicament, a group is trying to rule our lives through onerous legislation and regulation. Instead of calling themselves Lords the bureaucracy is now calling them Czars.

For example on a personal scale where I live I have to grovel in front of a government employee if I want to change the color of my house and guess what? I also have to pay a fee to this feudal lord to help protect the system. If I find a good used toilet and want to install it, I again have to grovel and pay $45 for the privilege in my own house. Recently my grass was too long and the city charged me $135 to cut it. I live on a 50’x35’ sized lot and my house is roughly 35x 30’ – not much to mow. The list goes on and in Mi. the government is trying to take over control of our own personal well water from which we drink. But I digress. lol

The 2010 election lays the groundwork to Take America Back but the 2012 election is when the real work of repealing this mess can truly start. We have two years to do all we can to make that happen. To prevent the election fraud we need to apply to become poll workers in all contested polling precincts and also poll challengers/watchers. We need to find and back good conservative candidates willing to do the hard work and make the tough political decisions necessary to Take America Back.

Warning if you think the 2010 election is getting nasty, wait until the Liberals lose this one and they see their power being actually taken away --- Well I wouldn’t be surprised to see what we are seeing in France erupt here.

Thank God, the Tea Party has usurped that anger for now at least. But after this election and the Left in 2012 facing a loss of power, their antics up till now will seem like child’s play. If the conservatives have the ability to keep the “Will of the People” on their side by sticking to their principles and making things better, we will be able to ride it out if not???

I for one will do what I can to help keep the political Conservatives in line with the “Will of the People” through The Tea Party or any other vehicle I can come up with. I am ever hopeful and remain ever vigilant.

Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative

Second Chances

Second Chances


As a Conservative I’ve always believed in the doing of things as directly as possible. I believe for example in donating my time and money directly to a candidate and not some nebulous National Campaign Committee.

This method not only gives the candidate the full use of my time and money without it being filtered and siphoned off by some bureaucratic apparatus; but it gives me more leverage with the candidate in question and helps me to get involved with all my senses and not just those required to write a check.

Having said that however; as a Conservative I believe in the Constitution, which is after all a blueprint for the formation of some nebulous government. So, as did our Founding Fathers I understand the benefit of a national organization, albeit strictly limited to certain concrete purposes. I also understand the efficiencies of scale that a larger group can offer.

I write this as a preamble to making a plea to donate to the Senate Conservatives Fund (SCF).

----link-----
https://senateconservatives.com/takeamericaback .
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For further information on the SCF, go to

-----link-----
https://senateconservatives.com/site .
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I have a system to my donating to political things. Roughly I split it up 50/50. Half of the money goes to local candidates and the rest to the big boys. Before I would donate almost all my efforts to local candidates; however this time due to the historic nature of this election, I’ve decided to give to some national causes. As to the Historic nature, I’m talking about not only having the Republicans win back the House and hopefully the Senate, but to have Conservative Principles at the core of that resurgence. To have insurgent Conservatives elected in large enough numbers to force a debate on changing how this Nation will be run. In fact I believe that resurgence can’t happen without those coalescing Conservative Principles.

We need the Why before the How.
This is paraphrasing Paul Chaney's marketing blog

-----link-----
http://www.mpdailyfix.com/know-the-why-before-the-how-of-social-media/
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Again prarphrasing, "Unless you understand why you’re doing something, it makes little sense to learn how." What I'm talking about is politics and politics is all about people. We can't get lost in the consultants spreadsheets or we will lose track of the Why people need to hear to make the effort to get out and vote. Politicians forget this as they get lost in the How of elections.

Conservatives are all about the Why. If we keep focused on that we will not find ourselves in front of the cart.


As a Conservative I have learned that donating to the National Republican Campaign Committee (NRCC) does not guarantee that my donation will go to conservative causes. The opposite in fact appears to be the case a lot of the time. That is why I was intrigued by Sen. Jim DeMint and his efforts to set up a PAC exclusively for the purpose of electing Conservatives to the Senate – not just Republicans in name only, but those who believe and are willing to fight for Conservative principles.

I first donated when Sen. DeMint got behind Marco Rubio in Florida. I hoped this would grow and it has. SCF is now backing around 10 Conservative Candidates. There have been many upsets of the Political Class along the way and as we just learned with the two victories in Alaska and Delaware, we are on the crest of a wave. These Primary victories are what I’m calling our first chance and by and large we did well.

Our second chance comes with the general elections in November. The damage inflicted so far has been within the Republican Party. The paradigm the Mass Media, the Democrats and establishment Republicans state is that we were able to win some of the primaries but we will lose the general election because the voters en mass do not support Conservative Ideals.

Now we have our second chance to prove them wrong. In order to do that however we need to find ways to donate our time and money to honest Conservative Candidates. If we think we can overcome the wealth and manpower of the Unions, trial lawyers etc with a check for $10 – Forget about it.

This anger at Big Government and all the meddling they do in our lives has given rise to the Tea Party movement and other Conservative groups. These groups have made a huge difference in the primaries; however they carry with them the danger of becoming too large and too orientated on growing the group vs. the hard work of enacting the causes they believe in. One is way easier than the other. Promoting the group involves a keyboard, and endless planning committee meetings, the actual work of enacting causes takes time and money and arguing on street corners and in the local restaurants etc.

We as Conservative need to concentrate our energies on principle based policies then back candidates who will enact those policies. On a national scale the Senate Conservatives Fund above does just that. Senator DeMint has set up a PAC with one goal in mind. Elect Conservative Senators by raising money and giving it directly to their campaigns. I’m in – Hope you are too.

Six weeks till November and the time we’ll Remember.

Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative

PS. Locally, don’t forget your candidates from State offices on down to County Commissioners. They all would welcome your help in time and or money.
Give them a call.

*** Caution Alert ***
We must be careful not to get complacent and work smart and together.

-----link-----
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703466704575490043018544042.html
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In this excellent Wall Street Journal article Steve Malenga writes about the “Why” of Chris Christie’s election in NJ and how it is resonating wherever else it is used as in Califorinia. The warning not to be complacent comes with the dollar amount that the unions are going to put into this election - $100 million and all the boots on the ground that will buy.

-----quote from article-----
Of course even with its influence waning, labor can be a powerful electoral force. The AFL-CIO, SEIU and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees have announced plans to spend about $100 million on the November elections. While that's less than 2008, when unions gave $73 million in direct contributions to candidates and spent another $80 million independently on campaigns, the money represents a formidable commitment that could be a factor in close races.
Still, what we are seeing this year may mark a historic shift in American politics. If candidates around the country can repeat Mr. Christie's strategy of winning office by taking on public unions, we could be witnessing a change akin to what happened in the late 1970s, when tax revolts in a handful of states created a nationwide momentum that eventually elected Ronald Reagan.
---------------------------

Bottom line we now have a wedge into the union vote led by the Christie model, we need to use it.

Again Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative

The Human Factor.

The Human Factor.

What is the common thread that runs through the social unease that we see today in almost all aspects of our life? I’ll give you a hint; that “thread” was there since Moses led his people on their long desert outing so many ages ago. Here is another hint. Americans tried to codify it in our Constitution with the words “We The People”.

I’m sure most of your answers are right although the terminology might vary. “The Human Factor” is what I call it. Better yet, the disregard for the “Human Factor”. If you called it “Individual Liberty” you are nearly there.
Remember also that the phrase “We the People” was not an afterthought or a phrase thrown in somewhere in the Constitution to embellish another point. “We the People” was the first phrase written extra large in the Preamble – it was the whole point of the Constitution.

----- preamble US Constitution -------
We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
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I am not a Libertarian, I realize as did our Founding Fathers that there is a place for government, that there has to be laws and police and military and roads; however, I also understand that we need these things for one purpose and that is to “secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity,…” All else limits the People’s liberty.

So the answer of “Individual Liberty or Freedom” is almost there. However, don’t forget the “We” in “We the People”. We, understanding the need for a government for the reasons stated in the preamble also understand the need to limit that government which is what “We” did in the body of the Constitution.

In using the phrase “The Human Factor” I am trying to expand the scope of “We the People” to include all of society not just government.

For example, yesterday I hooked up to Direct TV after a self imposed exile from TV for over two years. After the flush of watching the Lions and the Tigers live and the Crimson Tide put down Joe Pa; I managed to watch a type of reality show I think the name of was “Undercover Boss”. The story was about the head of a Waste Management co. going undercover and doing the actual work of his lowest employees. He rode the back of the garbage truck, he sucked up and cleaned out their porta potties, he picked up loose garbage from the garbage disposal sites (at which he was fired), worked at the weigh in station for the garbage trucks etc.

Though it was fun to see a “Suit” cleaning out the porta potty, the main thing I (and the COO) took away was the disconnect there was between the boardroom and those who have to carry out their edicts. The built up and institutionalized disconnect from the “Human Factor”. Several examples come to mind.

The woman (think some one’s mother/grandmother) having to carry around a can to go to bathroom in so she wouldn’t have to break the route on her garbage truck and fall behind. Another example was the middle management guy who took advantage of an employee by having her do the jobs of 3 people so he could look good. The COO also realized his responsibility for going along with and rewarding these practices.
That all shows how “Big Business” tries to stifle the “Human Factor”

I see this disregard however all around me. “Big Labor” is equally at fault for disregarding the “Human Factor” the workers. Perhaps it is morally even more disgusting in that they claim to be the sole guardians of the workers or in my terms, “The Human Factor”.

“Big” government, business, labor, media and Political Parties all make up this ever-increasing hostility to the “Human Factor”. We all sense it as we talk to machines over the telephone; get the runaround from city hall or tech support person at Verizon. As the COO from Waste Management found out, every company disregards the “Human Factor” and the bigger the company, government, union, media or party the more layers there are to help disregard it.

As you probably know, I’m involved in local politics. Even at the local level, the Politicos seem to think of the voters as pretty stupid and unable to grasp basic concepts. I too catch myself falling into that trap. The trap is they (me) think of our basic concepts are the only ones and those of the others as not worthy of our efforts.

With the advent of the new media myself and the public is learning to put up a defense to this trashing of the “Human Factor”. The Tea Party movement is the current face of that (self) defense. This movement however carries its own seeds of destruction with it. The Tea Party needs to listen to its own credo about limited government; in this case “de-centralized” power. The Tea Party needs to also pay attention to the “Human Factor”, it must never grow out of its grass roots.
Politico writers JAMES HOHMANN & KENNETH P. VOGEL wrote the below linked article about the problems consolidation of Tea Party groups is causing.

-----link-----
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0910/42043.html
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From my personal perspective I agree with the following 3 paragraphs lifted from the politico article.

------politico article quote-----
Activists insisted the energy level in the decentralized movement remains high, but it is manifesting itself in countless local tea party group’s efforts to sway elections.
“It’s stronger. It’s just disbursed,” said Roger Wood, 58, who owns a small printing business in Pittsburg, Ks. “It’s hard to count the number of organizations now.”
Wood himself cofounded the Southeast Kansas Conservative Group, which will host a Constitution Day barbecue to support a candidate running for state legislature next week.
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I’ve been to DC rallys and to Lansing Tea Party rallies and local events as well. I didn’t go this year because I was too busy and I went to the State GOP convention where I could put into practice what I’ve learned in the Tea Party. I partied last year now I’m getting to work.

“Big” business and labor must pay attention to their workers, “Big” government and the Parties must pay attention to it voters and Precinct Delegates. “Big” Tea Party needs to pay attention to the local Tea Parties. “Big” media needs to pay attention to the alternative media. All the “Bigs” if they want to stay big need to allow the grass roots to rule from the Bottom Up.

Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative.

The "Year of the Elephant"

For the “Year of the Elephant” to become a reality Republicans have to pick up a net gain of 39 seats in the US House. That is a lot of races to try to follow. Our National Committeeman from Michigan Saul Anuzis puts out a newsletter that is really good and to the point. In that newsletter he highlighted a map of the districts nationwide that we need to win.

http://www.40seats.com/

That started me thinking and researching. I wanted to find a way to tell how the effort to win back the US House was progressing and maybe a cheat sheet for the upcoming Nov. elections.

Then I came across the site below.

http://www.keyhouseraces.com/content/master-list-ranking-races

This site is great.

As far as you or me helping out these candidates; any of the tight races across the Republic could use our help. Since my site is called “Bottom Up Politics” I will focus on the Michigan races. From the site above I find there are three races that are winnable. Three Michigan races needed to win the US House back.

They are the 1st district (the UP) with (Rep) Dr. Daniel Benishek vs. (Dem) McDowell, the 7th district with (Rep) Tim Walburg vs. incumbent (Dem) Mark Schauer and lastly the 9th with (Rep) Andrew (Rcoky) Raczkowski vs. incumbent (Dem) Gary Peters.

As the article states, the most winnable is the 1st district followed by the 7th and lastly the 9th which if it ends up in the Republican column may well signal not only control of the House but a landslide across the board.

Below is Benishek’s ranking from the website above.

http://www.keyhouseraces.com/content/spotlight-mi-1st-congressional-district-1

Next is Walburg’s.

http://www.keyhouseraces.com/content/spotlight-mi-7th-congressional-district-0

Lastly Rocky’s.

http://www.keyhouseraces.com/content/spotlight-mi-9th-congressional-district

This sight is pretty awesome. Take some time and look through it.

The “Year of the Elephant” is upon us and with our help it may come to pass, which could set up a winning coalition for the 2012 elections.

Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative.