Hamburg Clerk Replacement Race

This February, there will be a new elected Hamburg Township Clerk to replace Matt Skiba, who was recalled.

The township committee decides the candidates. They are members of the executive committee who live in the township. They must be a minimum of two and no more than five. Most of the county executive committee is not on the committee and do not decide this.

There will be an election between the candidate picked by the township committees of the Republicans and Democrats, as well as independents who wish to file. The democrats have their candidate. Annette Greve-Koeble (or sometimes listed as Annette Koeble). I've heard the name, but I don't know her. She's the county democrats treasurer. She and her husband donated to the county democrats, Mary Andersson's campaign, and Granholm's campaign. That's the limit of my knowledge Nothing really sticks out, although I wonder about someone who thinks Granholm is a good governor.

The Republicans township committee had a meeting last night. I was not there, as I'm not on that committee living in Greek Oak. There are five people on the committee. The rumor is that they trimmed their list to three people for interviews.

On a similar note, the Hamburg Township board of trustees hired Jim Neilson today to take the spot of Skiba. He will be clerk till February when there is an election. Right now it is up to the township committee to decided if Neilson is their person, or somebody else is their person. It's going to be an interesting decision. The deadline is 4PM Monday.

A lot of ramifications will happen depending on the decision. I just hope whichever decision it is will be the right one.

Obama lecturing about debt is like the Detroit Lions talking about winning

Who the hell is Mr. Obama to say anything about debt? He makes Bush look like a moderate spender. From Reuters

BEIJING, Nov 18 (Reuters) - President Barack Obama gave his sternest warning yet about the need to contain rising U.S. deficits, saying on Wednesday that if government debt were to pile up too much, it could lead to a double-dip recession.

With the U.S. unemployment rate at 10.2 percent, Obama told Fox News his administration faces a delicate balance of trying to boost the economy and spur job creation while putting the economy on a path toward long-term deficit reduction.

This is from the guy who voted for the bank bailouts and Bush's bad spending as a senator. He was even worse as the punk-in-chief, as he bankrupted GM and Chrysler after bailing them out, pushed through nearly a trillion in the stimulus failure, and he just got his trillion dollar plus healthcare takeover through the house. That's all in addition to the regular record deficit budget.

Son, when you correct those problems, then you can say something about the debt. Until then, you can sit down and shut your mouth.

The rise of the Open Carry of firearms

I caught this in the Argus today. Open Carry made the news today.

From the Argus

An Ohio man was ordered at gunpoint to lie on the ground in July after someone called 911 to report that he was walking down the street with a handgun, which was holstered. One of the responding officers told him, "You cannot just walk down the street with a weapon."

The Constitution says otherwise.

"If one chooses to carry a weapon in Michigan, one can do so without a license," Brian Jeffs, president of Michigan Open Carry Inc., said. "There's no law that says it's illegal."

Livingston County Prosecutor David Morse agreed, saying, "You're granted the right through the Constitution."

Michigan Open Carry, a nonprofit organization that promotes the lawful carrying of a handgun, recently participated in a luncheon sponsored by the Christian motorcycle club In God We Trust M/C in the hopes of educating the public about openly carrying handguns. It's a movement that has grown nationwide since 2004, Jeffs said.

However, there are numerous incidents — some of which have led to lawsuits — in which police officers and the general public misunderstand or just plain don't know about the right to carry a weapon openly.

Any law-abiding citizen of Michigan who can legally possess a firearm may openly carry that firearm in a holster in all places not explicitly exempt by law without a concealed pistol license. Those exempt places — where weapons cannot be carried — include banks, churches, courts, theaters, sports arenas, day-care centers, hospitals and establishments under the Liquor Control Act, which would include bars and stores that sell alcohol.

A person may not, however, brandish the weapon. A Michigan attorney general opinion from 2002 states that to brandish is to "waive or flourish menacingly" or "to display ostentatiously." A person also may not openly carry a weapon in a vehicle unless that individual has a concealed pistol license.

Personally, I don't care to participate in open carry, although I understand it. I don't want the attention on me. I prefer concealed carry. I can understand why someone would open carry. It does not have the same restrictions as concealed carry.

County GOP chair and Undersheriff Mike Murphy's comments here made the paper.

Murphy said as an officer he has no problem with individuals exercising their right to openly carry a gun. However, he believes doing so should be a concern for everyone in the community.

"Everyone should be concerned for reasons such as, you don't know if they are mental or have ill intent," he explained.

Murph and I briefly discussed this issue before. He's supports concealed carry, but isn't a fan of open carry. That aside, everyone who buys a firearm from a dealer has to go through the background check. All pistol buyers also need to get registration. He knows that. I think the big reason is that his department gets a few calls over it, and that becomes a hassle. There aren't calls over concealed carry. To use an old CPL saying, concealed means concealed.

The calls to the police over this are from ignorance and uninformed citizens. That's expected. Most people don't know that open carry is legal. Many cops don't know it is legal. Many attorneys don't know that it is legal. Even I did not know until last year that it was legal. I thought it was considered brandishing. It's not, and an AG opinion clarified that.

I wrote about Open Carry last year. The open carry movement has come a long way since that time with their activism. That's not bad. Right now, open carry does not look like it will be a test case in court. That's a good thing.

However while I support it as a right, you won't see me open carry. I don't like drawing attention to myself, especially if I'm armed. I don't want the bad guys to know I'm armed. I don't have a problem with those who do open carry. I assume, as I do of most people until proven otherwise, that those who open carry are law abiding citizens. That's their decision, and I support that.

Five years in prison for not buying government approved insurance

Forget tea parties, I want a pitchfork party. THIS is what I hate about big government most of all. It always comes with a gun pointed at you, handcuffs, and prisons. We put too many people in jail to begin with in this country, and this will only add more.

From Ed Morrisey - There's a youtube clip too.

It’s very fair to send people who disregard the federal mandate to buy health insurance to prison, Nancy Pelosi says, because otherwise they’ll assault citizens … with a bill for medical services … or something.

Stone: Do you think it’s fair to send people to jail who don’t buy health insurance?

Pelosi: … The legislation is very fair in this respect.

Morrisey comments

Of course, the other option is to make people responsible for paying their own bills. Nothing requires us to pick up the tab for people in clinics or emergency rooms, especially those who can afford to pay their way. This is the point that Pelosi and her statist colleagues seem to forget

This most of all is why I oppose the so called reform. This is why I oppose insurance requirements by law of any sort whatsoever, including auto insurance. At least no auto insurance is only a ticket if you drive. If you don't do things the government way here, you get a gun pointed at your head, handcuffed, and sent to club fed.

If you don't like Morrisey's source, The Hill reports the same thing.

he nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation reported that the House version of the healthcare bill specifies that those who don’t buy health insurance and do not pay the fine of about 2.5 percent of their income for failing to do so can face a penalty of up to five years in prison!

The bill describes the penalties as follows:

• Section 7203 — misdemeanor willful failure to pay is punishable by a fine of up to $25,000 and/or imprisonment of up to one year.

• Section 7201 — felony willful evasion is punishable by a fine of up to $250,000 and/or imprisonment of up to five years.” [page 3]

That anyone should face prison for not buying health insurance is simply incredible.

And how much will the stay-out-of-jail insurance cost? The Joint Committee noted that “according to a recent analysis by the Congressional Budget Office, the lowest-cost family non-group plan under HR 3862 [the Pelosi bill] would cost $15,000 by 2016.”

Obama’s bill only provides subsidies to help pay this enormous sum after families making about $45,000 have paid 8 percent of their income for insurance and after those earning a household income of about $65,000 have kicked in 12 percent.

Five years in prison by the feds. Five years for not complying with this. People who don't pay for the stay out of jail insurance are so much of a threat to society that they need to be locked up for five years in club fed next to murderers, rapists, and child molesters. What the hell is going on here? I can shoot someone in the leg and get far less jailtime than that. Felonious assault is 4 years. I know of rapists who get less than 5 years.

The only winners from this piece of trash house bill is the insurance industry whose coffers swell, government for their ability to increase control, and the prison building industry, to deal with all the new threats to society. We already have over 7 million people in the corrections systems of this country, why not add more? I'm sure the democrats AG candidate Gretchen Whitmer who is a Blue Cross heir, loves this legislation.

This bill needs to die, fast.

You got to be kidding me

This is a joke. Charlie Crist, the establishment supported (NRSC) economic liberal governor of Florida and senate candidate now wants us to buy this.

From The Hill

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist (R) is now denying that he endorsed the stimulus package, the same package he promoted at a rally with President Obama in February.
......
"Well, I didn't endorse it," he said.  "You know, I didn't even have a vote on the darned thing. But I understood that it was going to pass and I wanted to be able to utilize it for the benefit of my fellow Floridians."
It's true that as governor Crist didn't have a vote on the package, but he has reportedly said that he would have voted for it if he were in the Senate.

What the hell? He may not have "endorsed" it, but he certainly supported it, and in political terms, they mean essentially the same thing. In fact, Crist supported it so much that he campaigned with Mr. Obama in support of the stimulus bill, which has been an absolute failure and waste of almost 1 trillion dollars.

Here's Charlie Crist in May of 2009. From the Orlando Sentinel.

Gov. Charlie Crist, now a U.S. Senate candidate, said Tuesday he would have made the “pragmatic” decision to vote for the $787 billion federal stimulus bill, differentiating himself from fellow-Republican opponent Marco Rubio and the man he is trying to replace — Mel Martinez.
Speaking to a politically mixed crowd in Daytona Beach, Crist emphasized his support for the bill as practical and pragmatic, though it would have meant crossing party lines. Only three Republican senators backed the stimulus bill, and Martinez wasn’t one of them.
Now Florida stands to get about $15 billion over the next two years through different stimulus grants.
“A lot of that $15 billion dollars you sent to Washington, D.C., and my view is we ought to get it back," Crist told his audience. "Florida deserves her fair share.”

15 Billion back out of 700billion+ spent, much of that by Floridians. That doesn't even make sense. The bottom line is that money should not have been spent in the first place. Pragmatism and Practicality is not spending money that is not there. Decisions like this are reasons why the GOP lost bad in 2006 and 2008, and in the case of NY-23, the GOP only got 5% of the vote because there wasn't a dimes worth of difference between DeDe Scozzafava and Bill Owens. It was so bad there that the so called republican Scozzafava endorsed the democrat.

Now Charlie Crist isn't quite as bad as Scozzafava, but he's not what is needed in DC. We do not need big spending economic liberals and big government - from either party. The NRSC, once again, has ignored the people outside the beltway with its recruitment AND primary endorsement of Crist. Nothing new for them. They endorsed Arlen Specter for re-election and got all the establishment behind him. Then Specter switched parties when the people of Pennsylvania had enough of him and the polls showed him getting sent home in the primary. Sounds similar to the 5'er in Scozzafava who was thoroughly rejected by the people of the 23rd district in New York.

There is a choice in Florida, unlike New York-23rd's special election. Marco Rubio, a recent state rep from democrat leaning Miami-Dade county Florida. Rubio would help bring fiscal conservatism back to Washington. His win would also send a strong message to party leadership on what is expected of them. Change or cronyism? That's the choice.

The races outside of Michigan

Outside of Michigan, we had several races out there.

Virginia was a blowout. Straight down the line.

Bob McDonnell is a strong conservative. He's no liberal, not even a moderate. However, he won 59%-41% in a state that has two democrat senators, went for Obama, and twice for democrat governors. The GOP needs to study how he won. It could be a very good template for running elections.

It wasn't just conservatives areas McDonnell won. McDonnell won almost all areas in liberal Northern Virginia. He lost Arlington and Alexandria which is the most liberal part of the state, but he won Fairfax County, which voted for John Kerry. He won the outer suburban and competitive counties of Loudoun and Prince William. In central Virginia, he even won Albemarle county which surrounds Charlottesville, which is the Ann Arbor of Virginia. (Cities are like their own counties in Virginia)

The Lt Governor, Bolling, won 56%-44%. He didn't win Fairfax County, but it was still a solid win. He got 48% in Fairfax which is more than good enough to win statewide.

The Attorney General candidate, Cuccinelli, was arguably the most conservative. He won 57-42%  He ran even with Bolling in Northern Virginia and did well downstate as well.

I don't know how many incumbent delegates lost, but barring recounts the GOP took races by 2% in Va Beach,1% in Lynchburg, 1% in Fairfax County, 1% in Prince William, 5% in Fairfax and Loudoun. There was probably some coattails there. Some were saved from defeat, or picked up democrat seats due to that. They didn't get all the close ones, but they got a lot of them.

For the state house/senate special elections, I don't know much about most of the districts.

Alabama had a special election for their state house. The last democrat won with 60%. The open seat went 53% democrat.

Georgia races:
State Senate 1 - Republican unopposed except by another Republican (They use the Southern runoff system)
State House 75 - Dems 60%, GOP 40%  - Clayton County, which is 70%+ democrat
State House 139 - All GOP running
State House 141 - Independent and Democrat will run off. Two Republicans split vote. One dem ran.
State House 159 - All GOP running

Missouri House 73 - Went Democrat. 60%
New Jersey was the big exclaimation point. Chris Christie, a moderate (true moderate, not liberal) Republican defeated incumbent limosine leftist and Goldman Sachs slappy Jon Corzine in a close election. 49% for Christie, and 45% for incumbent Corzine. I didn't see a lot of incuumbents defeated there for state assembly, but some open seats went GOP as well.

Couldn't find anything in New Hampshire 11th.

South Carolina 48th - 72% Republican win.

Washington State Races
9th District - 55%-45% Republican  (Eastern Washington)
15th District (Yakima) - 69%-30% Republican
16th District (Walla Walla) - 58%-42% Republican
California's 10th District stayed democrat. 15% lead or so last I saw. John Kerry and Obama both won the district by 20%

And then there's the aberration and major defeat. New York 23.

First off, whoever the GOP county chairs are that picked the 5%'er. DeDe Scozzafava, need to be relieved of their duty. They FUBARED.  Job number one for special elections that should be won is this. Pick a candidate that fits the district. What is worst of all about this is that the blueprint was there for a winner. He won several times there. His name is John McHugh. Someone who was cut from similar cloth of McHugh is the ideal candidate for this independent district.

They picked a RINO. A RINO who was supported by the NRCC with $900,000, who dropped out when the district polls sagged, and endorsed the democrat Bill Owens. This RINO did not fit the district. There was a Conservative Party candidate, Doug Hoffman (who is a Republican), and he got a lot of the support from those who refused to back the RINO. Hoffman also had a major flaw. He doesn't live in the district. Hoffman was relatively unknown and got his name out by taking this campaign and nationalizing it. That's a big risk and it did not pay off. It normally does not in special elections. In New York, this led the ballot. No governor race. No senate race. Just this race in this rural New England like district. People, especially in rural areas, tend to be resentful of outsiders coming to their district and telling them who to vote for. This district, also has strong dairy interests and a military base. McHugh took care of that, and ran 20%+ ahead of McCain and Bush. Hoffman's a good guy, but he did not fit the district either. He didn't live there.

There was no primary. Scozzafava would never have won a primary. Hoffman (who ran as the Conservative party) might have won it one on one, but in a primary, there probably would have been other candidates who would have beaten Owens. One that fits the district. Picking candidates when there is no primary is a great responsibility in special elections. Blowing this embarrased the party. 5%. Ouch. That hurts. That's bad even in Detroit. Lesson 1. Pick a candidate for your district. Lesson 2, be very cautious about nationalizing elections and running against a candidate who emphasises local issues. Local usually wins.Bill Owens was smart and downplayed Obama and the national issues. It's rather easy to double down on that when the main threat does not live in the district.

Is all this a referendum on Obama? No. I think it is a referendum to a degree on big government statism and the left wing push by the incumbents and a referendum on national politics to an extent, but the local matters still rule the day.

Virginia had 8 years of democrat rule. It had enough in spades.
New Jersey has been dominated by democrats. They had enough of Corzine.
Rural New York didn't like outsiders pushing them, nor candidates which were not a dimes worth of difference between the republican and democrat. Two rebellions there.
Michigan 19th had enough of Granholm lackeys and also really liked Nofs.
Hamburg had enough of the drama.

Livingston Results (UPDATED) - Skiba was destroyed, Anderson and Vieau projected winners in Brighton Schools

Hamburg Township sent a message with an exclaimation point. I predicted Skiba would be gone by a 60-40 percentage. I was way off.

Hamburg's precincts are in, and the result is clear. With all precincts in, the numbers are this.

Skiba Recall:
Yes - 4227 - 79.21%
No - 1104 - 20.71%

I don't think this changes much of what goes on with that board. I think several people need the heave ho, and getting rid of one person isn't going to do it. It does send a message, and while I think Pat Hohl and Phil Semprevino love the result, they need to watch it themselves, as I think they too would have been recalled if they were all. ANYONE would have been recalled in Hamburg if they were on the ballot. The best thing the board can do now is man up, keep their traps shut, work together and do their jobs.

The next step if things go like I think they will, is for the Livingston County Republican and Democrat parties to pick candidates to run in a special election. I am not on the county executive committee (I'm on district instead), so I have no official say in the decision. I will make my calls and use the limited influence that I have to hopefully persuade the committee to not take this race for granted, and pick someone who will do a good job and do his or her part to make the township no longer the embarassment of the state. I'll also add that right now, I'd pick the democrat to at least cover the spread in Hamburg, because the board has left a big opening.

In other races, the Brighton School Board race is very close. Barring recounts, Bill Anderson and Miles Vieau win. Joe Carney has been defeated as an incumbent.

So Far:
1. Bill Anderson - 1650
2. Miles Vieau - 1173
3. Randy Swain - 1115
4. Joe Carney - 923
5. Muriel Kaier - 776
6. Keith Van Hentenryk - 480
7. Frank Lucas - 190


Pinckney Bond outside of Hamburg
Yes - 676
No - 796

In Hamburg
Yes - 2286
No - 2315

Total:
Yes - 2962
No - 3111

Pinckney Millage outside Hamburg
Yes - 948
No - 526

In Hamburg
Yes - 3060
No = 1553

Hamburg Police Millage
Yes - 3217
No - 2278

Hamburg Parks Millage
Yes - 3528
No - 1955

Brighton Schools is too close to call. I think a possible recount may happen for the bonds. Other than that, it's fairly clear who wins/loses today in Livingston County.

Nofs blows out Griffin

This is a blowout in the 19th district.

Calhoun County Results - 100% in.
Mike Nofs - 10919
Marty Griffin - 5184
Other - 998

Jackson County Results  - 89% in
Mike Nofs - 8041
Marty Griffin - 5690
Other - 472

This one is over.

It's a blowout in Virginia for the GOP. Jersey is too close to call with Christie (R) having a slight lead. NY-23 is also too close to call with Owens (D) having a slight lead.

Nothing yet on Hamburg. I'm still predicting 60/40 recall.

Update

VERY LOW turnout in Green Oak. I was number 34 at about 1PM. There were about 250 if you count all the absentees. That's still not much.

I took a drive around. Hamburg turnout seemed low (although higher than Green Oak) in all but one station where there was a lot of cars. Genoa Twp has low turnout (similar to Green Oak) as well. If that continues to be the case - Advantage Joe Carney.

I did see two very interesting signs related to Matt Skiba's recall election. It simply said "No Recall...Joanna Hardesty." Someone was highly offended by one of the signs and put up something about "Illegal sign, not authorized."

Good old Hamburg. It's always interesting if nothing else.

Biased tripe in the 3rd most leftist media outlet

If I want to find a good left wing biased media source, I can always count on MSNBC with that little wuss Keith Olberman, The New York Slimes, or the standard setters in the media, the AP/Associated Press. Those three set the standards of leftism.

Normally, I don't even comment on it anymore because it is what it is. They don't even pretend to hide it anymore. It's like reading the original Kevins aka "Communications Guru" stories.

Liz Sidoti and the AP already prepared the spin in case of Republican win tomorrow. I don't count chickens before they hatch, so we'll wait and see what actually does happen.AP article

WASHINGTON – For Republicans, an election win of any size Tuesday would be a blessing. But victories in Virginia, New Jersey or elsewhere won't erase enormous obstacles the party faces heading into a 2010 midterm election year when control of Congress and statehouses from coast to coast will be up for grabs.
It's been a tough few years for the GOP. The party lost control of Congress in 2006 and then lost the White House in 2008 with three traditional Republican states — Indiana, North Carolina and Virginia — abandoning the party.
So even if political winds start blowing harder behind them and even if they can capitalize on Democratic missteps, Republicans still will have a long way to go over the next year because of their party's own fundamental problems — divisions over the path forward, the lack of a national leader and a shrinking base in a changing nation.
The GOP would overcome none of those hurdles should Republican Bob McDonnell win the Virginia governor's race, Chris Christie emerge victorious in the New Jersey governor's contest, or conservative Doug Hoffman triumph in a hotly contested special congressional election in upstate New York.

That's a crock of Bullshit.Wins there, the 19th senate district here at home, and the other special elections would be a check on Obama's power, Granholm's power, or the other state districts. It also is something the GOP could brag about.Virginia and New Jersey are NOT republican states. Virginia, despite its reputation for being Republican, has long been competitive. Chuck Robb was a senator there in the 80's long before Jim Webb and Mark Warner. Doug Wilder won there long before Mark Warner. New Jersey has long been democrat, but has a few republicans in power like Tom Kean and Christie Whitman. Winning in those states is a big deal, as was losing them. The 23rd district is a swing district, but and the GOP may "win" (Hoffman is a Republican) despite the clustermuck and bone headed decisions of leadership.

Wins there wouldn't mean we're back, but it is a start. A good start and something to build on, and a starting point of what kind of candidates that should run depending on the districts.

There's more.

"It's going to be a difficult road to walk, to work with relatively new entrants into the political system and to work with them to show them that, by and large, we are the party who represents their interests," House Republican leader John Boehner told CNN on Sunday, arguing that there's "a political rebellion" taking place in the country.
Others are more blunt.
"Right now there's no central Republican leader to turn to, and there's no central Republican message," conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh told Fox News on Sunday. "The Republican message is sort of muddied. What do they stand for? Right now it's opposition to Obama."
A debate is waging over whether that's enough — or whether the party has to be for something, anything really, to be able to claw its way back to the top. Similar hand-wringing happened in the GOP ahead of the 1994 midterms. Just weeks before those elections, Republicans came up with the Contract with America — and ended up taking control of Congress.

Boehner was one of the screw-ups when he backed the bailout. Remember his talk about the "crap sandwich?" This political rebellion that he talked about is against crap sandwiches like that which you supported, and which Obama is pushing right now with 1800 page (anything 1800 pages is bad) health care bills that the Congressional Budget Office is estimating at a trillion bucks. If the bailout was a crap sandwich, which it was, why vote for it? This is why so many conservatives have become independents and have no loyalty to the GOP. They've had enough with both parties and are dropping out, which showed in the 2008 massacre.

There does need to be a return to the Contract with America. I've been saying that for years. That aside, Rush's quote about no central leader sounds like a complaint, but I don't see it as a bad thing. The problem with most people is that we look for leaders. Don't look for leaders. Be the leader. Conservatives and their close libertarian cousins are independent thinkers and that is a big reason why there's always infighting of some sort. The premise at the core of the matter is generally less government and more freedom. Nobody likes to be dictated too, and that will initiate a conflict.

Here's some major league bullshit.

Heading into the 2010 elections, the GOP also faces a very real split between conservatives who want to focus on social issues — which tend to work best during peaceful, prosperous times — and the rest of the party, which generally wants a broader vision, particularly given recession.
Proof of a divide is in the special election in New York's 23rd Congressional District. Potential 2012 presidential hopefuls trying to solidify their conservative credentials, Sarah Palin and Tim Pawlenty, endorsed Hoffman, a conservative third-party upstart, over the GOP-chosen candidate, moderate Dierdre Scozzafava. Badly trailing in polls, she ended up dropping out and — in a slap at the GOP — endorsing Democrat Bill Owens

First off, Scozzafava is no moderate. John McHugh, who vacated the seat was more of a moderate (Socially conservative, economics in the middle). Scozzafava is a leftist. She's tied to Acorn through one of the third parties in New York, the "Working Families" Party. She's supportive of card checks, eliminating secret ballots with unions. She was endorsed by the teacher's union and the leader of Daily Kos, an extremely far leftist. In addition, she supported the stimulus packages. Now, I didn't even get to the social issues. Pro-abortion (dealbreaker) and supportive of gay marriage (don't agree with it, but not a dealbreaker issue with me). She is pro-gun, so there's one issue where she's mainstream. Take all of that combined, and you have a "Republican" to the left of most democrats, and not a dimes worth of difference between her and Bill Owens. She even endorsed Owens after dropping out of the race, which she had no reason to do outside of the fact that her own district rejected her.


Secondly, social issues aren't the big issue here. The AP has their head up their arses with this line of thought. The big issue is Obama's health care plan, the stimulus package, card check, ACORN, and fiscal leftism. Too much spending. More taxes. Small government. That's the big issue. The same thing is going on in the Florida primary between grass roots conservative Marco Rubio and establishment supported and stimulus package supporting Charlie Crist.

Adding to the party's woes: No one — or rather everyone — is speaking for the GOP.
Fiery talk show hosts like Limbaugh and Glenn Beck have become the angry white face of the party, filling a vacuum created by Bush's departure as the its standard-bearer and the lack of one single person to emerge as its next generation leader.

This site needs a eye-rolling icon picture for that pile of donkey crap. There's no elected position called spokesman for the GOP. Limbaugh speaks for himself. Beck speaks for himself. I speak for myself. That's it. Here in Michigan, we have elections and vote for candidates who speak for themselves. I don't worry about "central leader" because I'm nobody's follower. Got that AP. We vote for candidates. Want me to spell it out for you?

Also, the party's power center is mostly limited to the South, the one region McCain dominated last fall; Obama won almost everywhere else — including making inroads in emerging powerhouse regions like the West, although Republicans still solidly control several lightly populated states in the area.

Uhhhhhhhh.....we'll find out more on that tomorrow. Tomorrows big congressional race....New York. Also heavily Democrat New Jersey is up for grabs tomorrow. Virginia, which is mostly southern, but not the DC burbs (at least in culture) is up for election tomorrow too. The polls show it even in Fairfax County of all places. 08's over. Bush is off the ballot. Obama has shown himself to be just another politician who says one thing and does another.

And demographic, cultural and, perhaps, economic changes in America tilt in the Democrats' favor. Consider that Hispanics, a part of the Democratic base, are the nation's fastest growing minority group. Consider that more states than ever are permitting same-sex unions; Maine will vote Tuesday on whether to allow gay marriage. Consider that the emerging new industry — so-called "green jobs" — is focused on the environment, a core Democratic issue.

Right now in this economy, jobs period, green or not, is the big issue, and the dems are delivering jack and squat. Gay marriage? That's been on ballots for years. Nothing new. The gay obsessed media goes ape over it though. The gun issue has moved to the right more and more. Abortion is STILL moving more to the right than it was. Those are bigger than the gay issue. 

Still, Republicans sense opportunity — at least in the short term. The bloom is off the Obama rose, and the public is giving the Democratic-controlled Congress low ratings.
Economists say the recession is over but jobs aren't reappearing and unemployment is still expected to hit 10 percent. The war in Afghanistan continues, and the public is deeply divided over it. Obama's expansion of government and budget-busting spending isn't sitting well with most Americans. And independents are tilting away from Democrats.

If the jobs aren't appearing, than the recession is NOT over. It may be "technically" over in the minds of the economists, but nobody at home gives a damn about what they say. They care about working. Period.

On another note, I should mention a dark horse race I forgot to mention earlier. California Congressional district 10. The democrat is expected to win big here, because of the district. I forgot about it, and unfortunately, the GOP candidate here is on his own. David Harmer is facing Lt Governor John Garamendi. The district was last held by Ellen Tauscher. It's a San Francisco Bay area district and John Kerry won it by 20%, and Gore by 14%. It covers parts of Contra Costa, Solano, and Alameda Counties. If this one goes Republican, I'll be shocked. Garemendi is up in the polls by 10%, but this is a special election. If the GOP base goes out and the dems take it for granted, there will be a possible upset. If Garemendi works like it's too close for his liking, he'll win.

Election 09

Tuesday is the first semi-major election day since Mr. Obama and his people took over Washington. There are no federal races outside of the special election in New York's 23rd district, however, so other dynamics besides the federal issues do matter.

The biggest ones to watch are Virginia and New Jersey. Their state elections are Tuesday. Virginia usually shifts opposite of the white house in its state government. Doug Wilder was governor when GHW Bush was president. George Allen and Jim Gilmore were governors during the Clinton years. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine during the GW Bush years. In New Jersey, Jon Corzine, gazillionaire leftist democrat and Goldman Sachs crony is in big trouble. It IS New Jersey, so I suspect he will survive and win at the last minute because it is so democrat leaning of a state, but we'll see what happens there.

In Michigan, we have the special election for the 19th district. It's a good national bellwether district, so it is watched closely. It went for Gore, Granholm twice, Bush once, and Obama. Mark Schauer won it first with the original borders. The second winner will be either Mike Nofs or Marty Griffin. Nofs isn't as fiscally conservative as I am, but he's a lot better than tax raising Griffin, and Schauer.

Most of the state has school board and city municipal elections. There are tax measures in several areas that need to be voted on.

Here in Livingston County, we have the following:

Brighton Schools - The budget situation here is crisis, and one of the biggest problems in Joe Carney. He things the district needs to spend, spend, and spend, and then have the state pay for it. It doesn't work that way. My support goes to Miles Vieau for one of the spots. That's easy. The second spot I'm not sure about. The Argus endorsed Bill Anderson. I have a LOT of hesitation there, because he supported that big enhancement millage, which in fact contributed to his defeat four years ago. He's better on fiscal matters than Carney, but that's not good enough. Some of my local republican friends and acquaintances (Anderson's probably their favorite) probably don't care for that, but what will happen when there is big pressure? Will Anderson back another millage? Miles Vieau did not do so.

I'm actually leaning towards Keith Van Hentenryck. He wasn't quite good enough to get the Concerned Taxpayer's Group endorsement when he last ran (I was on the panel for his interview. I'm no longer with the organization, although I still trust their judgment), but he wasn't bad either. He seems like a true independent who won't follow any side or clique.

Howell and Brighton City have their own elections. I haven't followed things enough there to have an informed opinion to say yea or nay.

Hamburg - There's a millage on the ballot there. Also, the big recall election of Matt Skiba. I have mixed views on this except to say that I'm glad I live in Green Oak instead. If Pat Hohl and Phil Semprevino were also being recalled, I'd probably support sending them all home. Skiba could be doing a better job, but he never had a chance in the first place. He is a friend of Cindy Pine, and that automatically with that board made him Persona Non Grata. At the first chance, they wanted him gone, and they were going to make his job as difficult as possible and then recall them. Even a Big Ten video replay judge could see it....well, maybe not them. Because of this, I'd probably reluctantly vote no as the least worse choice. That aside, I predict this passes with at least 60%. Skiba has not defended himself well enough. I am quite curious though about the recall campaign being able to stay under $1000 with the number of bigger signs.......

Other important elections are in our major cities like Detroit, Lansing, Ann Arbor, Flint, and Grand Rapids.

There are other special elections that are below the radar of Virginia, New Jersey, New York 23 Congress, and Michigan 19 State Senate. On November 3rd, we have:

Alabama - House District 65
Georgia - Senate District 1, House Districts 75, 129, 141, 159
Missouri - House District 73
New Hampshire - House District 11
South Carolina - House District 48
Washington State - House Districts 9, 15, 16


I don't know much or anything about those districts, but they were mentioned by the Republican State Leadership Committee. In special elections, throw out the normal rules anyway on elections, because it is about turnout. Anyone can win a special election, even Democrats in Livingston County. (and I think they have a damn good shot in Hamburg, gift wrapped by people with R's by their name - although I never see them at the GOP meetings....)

It will be an interesting day. We need to make sure the good guys vote.

Granholm signs budgets

The budget has been signed.
From Peter Luke

"The budget is signed. State government will not shut down," Granholm said in a conference call with reporters. "This is the state budget we have, but it is not the budget we need."
Granholm blasted the Republican-controlled Senate's "extremist" ideology that she said fails to consider revenue options to restore funding for the eliminated Michigan Promise college scholarship, the 11 percent cut state aid to local governments, and 8 percent cut to Medicaid providers and the $127-per-pupil reduction she ordered last week in K-12 education.
"It is a budget I don't agree with and don't support," Granholm said.
"It makes cuts that are too deep and are too painful for kids going to college, families keeping their families health and keeping their streets safe."

The budget is largely the product of a September agreement by House Speaker Andy Dillon, D-Redford Twp., and Senate Majority Leader Michael Bishop, R-Rochester Hills, to close a $2.8 billion spending gap for general state services and schools -- half through cuts and half through using federal stimulus dollars. Granholm's efforts to insert nearly $700 million in new revenue into the agreement was rejected.
Dillon said Friday in a statement that Bishop broke his word to seek a middle ground approach that would include revenue to restore 2010 cuts after they took effect. Bishop has said repeatedly that there were no votes in his caucus for higher revenue beyond that already passed. Those include capping tax credits for low-wage families and film production in Michigan. The Senate tied the revenue to cuts in the Michigan Business Tax.

This is a lesser of two evils budget. It's a continuation, gimmick budget with no reforms. This is a George Bush budget. It's better than John Kerry or the tax increases, but that's not saying much. Why? Because we have no reforms, no structural changes, and the same problems going to happen next year and the year after. Already a 300+ billion shortfall is projected for next year.

I do get a laugh out of Granholm, the Matt Millen of Governors, once again blaming the GOP, when the democrats control two full branches of the Michigan government, and nearly control the 3rd.

The best news is that she's gone after next year. We can't do worse.

Brian Rooney running in wrong district (Congress, District 7)

Maybe I could move to the 7th district in run. I have more ties to the district as one of the GOP challengers. Brian Rooney, who is part of the Steeler's Rooney Family, and has a brother Tom in Congress, has decided to move from Canton to Jackson and run in the district.

From CQ Politics

Attorney Brian Rooney is filing the paperwork Friday to join the 2010 race for Michigan's 7th Congressional District seat. And he is seeking to join his brother, freshman Florida Republican Tom Rooney, in the House
Brian Rooney, an Iraq War veteran, is bidding to challenge incumbent Mark Schauer, a first-term Democrat. He plans to do a formal campaign launch next week, likely Thursday, in the 7th District city of Jackson, where his campaign will be headquartered. Then the following week, he'll head off on a tour around the southern Michigan district, which also includes the city of Battle Creek and suburbs of Ann Arbor.

But to get to a general election matchup against Schauer, Rooney would have to outrun former one-term Rep. Tim Walberg in the Republican primary. Real estate exec Marvin Carlson is also in the race and Bill Martin, CEO of the Michigan Association of Realtors, has expressed interest in the contest, as well. Walberg lost the 7th District seat to Schauer by 2 percentage points in 2008 and is seeking a rematch.

Outside of my anti-carpetbagging bias, I have nothing at all against Brian Rooney, but I do know a bit about the 7th district. Guys from Wayne County, Canton aka Detroit (in the minds of the district) start off with two strikes. Many people in this district have been there for generations going back to the old railroad days (my family roots in Michigan started in Marshall with the railroads). It is not a good district to be a carpetbagger (the 9th is probably more open for that). It's also a large district stretching from Battle Creek to Salem from West to East, and from Grand Ledge and Eaton County to the stateline from North to South. Outside of the Grand Ledge/Delta Township near Lansing and Scio Township/Dexter and Saline areas near Ann Arbor, most of the people to the district are not newcomers to the area. Even some of the newcomers are going to ask why he isn't running in Canton. I don't see that selling in the key rural areas or small cites/suburbs in the district such as Coldwater, Adrian, Tecumseh, Battle Creek, Eaton Rapids, Spring Arbor, Marshall, Hillsdale, Jonesville, or especially in the very independent Jackson area.

Canton is actually two districts away to the east. It's in the 11th district currently represented by Thad McCotter. To the direct west is Ypsi, represented by John Dingell in the U shape district. It does not become the 7th District until it goes north to Salem or West to Scio Township. I would not be surprised to see Schauer or even Walberg or Carlson have an ad or press release welcoming Rooney from Pittsburgh or Canton to Jackson. The 7th District does not have a large transient population. People settle in the 7th District.

In addition, Canton in Wayne County, is represented by a Democrat state rep in Dian Slavens. It is part of an open seat state senate district where Bruce Patterson, also from Canton, is termed out. Patterson can not run again. Why is Rooney not running for State Rep or State Senate instead until there is redistricting after 2010. Redistricting may change McCotter's district.

Another problem for Rooney. Base. Rooney works for Thomas More Law Center. It's a conservative Catholic organization based in Ann Arbor. It is a counterbalance to the ACLU, particularly on religious issues. It's most known for pro-life support. However, who are the 7th's district litmus test pro-lifers and religious conservatives going to support? Someone from Canton? Or the more well known Tim Walberg from Tipton in Lenawee County. How do you out pro-life Tim Walberg, who's from the district?

CQ Politics already mentioned it:

UPDATE: The Walberg campaign was quick to dub Rooney a "carpetbagger" for only recenty moving to the district. "We do not need a lawyer from Wayne County when we have Tim Walberg," Walberg supporter Mark Behnke, the mayor of Battle Creek, said in a statement released by the campaign.

I disagree, if you take out the 7th District aspect.We do need Brian Rooney. We need Rooney to run against Dian Slavens or run for Bruce Patterson's open district both based in his home of Canton. Carpetbaggers don't sell in the 7th, and he won't get past Walberg, no matter what the NRCC would like.

Clustermuck in upstate New York

There's a special election coming up in upstate New York, Congressional district 23. It's a close district, but has gone republican for congress for a long time. Moderate incumbent John McHugh left to take a job as secretary of the Army.

The special election in New York has no primary. That was a problem here. What happened was County Party Chairmen Committees handpicked the candidates. That's a big responsibility and one that should not be taken lightly.

Now right now, there is not a lot of tolerance on the right for fiscal liberals. I know upstate NY is a moderate area, and I would not be balking at a moderate being picked. Unfortunately, the republican picked was possibly most liberal of the three candidates, including the democrat.

Dede Scozzafava was endorsed by Daily Kos. She is pro-abortion, and pro-gay marriage. If she was fiscal conservative and social liberal, there probably would have been some balking not the same. She ran on the "Working Families" line in some state races. (NY can have people run under multiple parties). That party is tied to ACORN through their executive director Bertha Lewis. Scozzafava supported Obama's stimulus package, and has supported tax increases and card check. What's the difference between her and the democrat Bill Owens? Nothing. In fact, there are rumors about her switching parties which she considered in the past. Talk about being dealbreakers. 

Many Republicans, including more moderate ones, have refused to support Scozzavava. As moderate Mary Matalin said in Politico

“We can disagree or compromise on marginal issues, but not freedom-quashing, government-grasping ones, like tax increases, anti-democratic card check, etc. Holding on to a seat won on those principles is worse than losing it,” she said. “Conversely, losing seats to articulate, conservative Democrats has proved to be the best defensive line holding back Obama’s expansive ambitions.”

-----------

Now liberal republicans (providing they aren't rumored party switchers) would have been less of a problem awhile back. While some recent polls have Republicans beating democrats on a generic ballot and winning big with independent voters, the same polls also have only 20% of the population self-identifying as republicans. The people identifying as Conservatives have not changed much in years. The problem is that we are coming off of four years of big government Republicanism from 2002 to 2006, followed by big government bipartisanship from 06 to 08. Bush supported big government, and Obama supports big government on steroids. Both supported the banks bailout, which was the straw that broke the camel's back. We have a nearly 12 trillion deficit and the democrat senate wants to raise the debt ceiling even higher. GOP leadership in Washington hasn't shown that they gotten it yet. STOP SPENDING MONEY. When given the choice between democrat lite and democrats, people are going to vote for the real thing.

While there needs to be a big tent, we can not dillute the brands so much that there isn't a dimes worth of difference between the two parties. There needs to at least be basic principles of less government and more freedom. I understand that you can't run a Tom Coburn clone in the NY-23 district. It's rural and small city New England in character. Coburn doesn't sell there. However, polling shows that Scozzafava isn't selling either....in NY-23. She's being rejected THERE, not in Oklahoma. The democrat is currently leading with under 40% and 25% are breaking to the Conservative Party candidate, Doug Hoffman, who is also a republican, but did not have the chance to run in a primary that didn't exist. He's a businessman and not a professional politician (and the only pro-life candidate). 

In a three way race, a candidate can win with 34% if things break right, which they may very well do. If fiscal conservatives want to send a message, one will be given with a Scozzafava loss. A bigger one will be given with a win by Doug Hoffman. Doug's website is here

I don't usually support 3rd party candidates anymore for any major office. I usually vote for one in a minor office every election, often the university trustees section. That's it. Republicans can usually make their choice in primaries. A primary would have avoided this. Scozzafava would never get past a Republican primary for Congress, not even in New York City. Fiscal liberalism needs to be given the heave ho in the Republican Party if we expect congress to flip.

One last point. Scozzafava was not picked in a primary but by a committee of local county leadership there. That's often what happens in vacancies for township offices. It shows the importance of good county party leadership, and the responsibility given to the party leadership to pick good candidates who can win.

Here in Livingston County, Michigan, we may very well have to have our county party leadership make that decision in the clustermuck known as Hamburg Township if Matt Skiba is recalled (which I expect to happen). That one won't be easy, and I hope the LCGOP does things the right way to try and remedy the embarrassing shenanigans going on there in my county and by those running under the R banner (but whom I never see at GOP events).

So, how do you avoid a Scozzafava situation? It's simple. Make sure you have good leadership on county, district, and state levels of the GOP. Precinct delegates elect all of the above. It all comes back to us.

Texting while driving. We don't need more laws.

This is in the Argus. Good intentions, but I don't support it.

Reading, writing or sending text messages while behind the wheel of a moving vehicle would be banned in Michigan under legislation approved by a House committee this morning.
Responding to concerns about the potential for overly-zealous enforcement, however, the legislation was scaled back from its original version and would not allow police officers to base a traffic stop on suspected texting alone.

Violating the prohibition would be a civil infraction, punishable by fines of about $100 and would not result in penalty points on an operators license.

Rep. Lee Gonzales, D-Flint, said Michigan needs to move quickly to join nearly two dozen other states which have banned texting while driving, a practice he said is “worse than drunk driving.”

I can't support this. I'll give Gonzales some credit for scaling this back from being a primary offense and points so it isn't as bad as it was, but we have too many laws as it is. The problem in today's society is that too many people, especially on traffic matters say that there ought to be another law. Both parties are equally guilty in this area.

Texting while driving is dumb. I don't do it, and don't think others should do it. However, should it be illegal? Or should dangerous driving be illegal - which it already is. Current laws already rectify the problems that can be caused from texting and driving.

Reckless Driving:
1) A person who drives a vehicle upon a highway or a frozen public lake, stream, or pond or other place open to the general public, including, but not limited to, an area designated for the parking of motor vehicles, in willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property is guilty of reckless driving.
(2) A person who violates subsection (1) is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 93 days or a fine of not more than $500.00, or both.

Felonious Driving
257.626c Operation of vehicle on highway or public place; conduct as felony; penalty.
Sec. 626c.
A person who operates a vehicle upon a highway or other place open to the general public or generally accessible to motor vehicles, including an area designated for the parking of vehicles, carelessly and heedlessly in willful and wanton disregard of the rights or safety of others, or without due caution and circumspection and at a speed or in a manner that endangers or is likely to endanger any person or property resulting in a serious impairment of a body function of a person, but does not cause death, is guilty of felonious driving punishable by imprisonment for not more than 2 years or a fine of not more than $2,000.00, or both.

Careless Driving
257.626b Careless or negligent operation of vehicle as civil infraction.
Sec. 626b.
A person who operates a vehicle upon a highway or a frozen public lake, stream, or pond or other place open to the general public including an area designated for the parking of vehicles in a careless or negligent manner likely to endanger any person or property, but without wantonness or recklessness, is responsible for a civil infraction.

Tailgating.
(1) The driver of a motor vehicle shall not follow another vehicle more closely than is reasonable and prudent, having due regard for the speed of the vehicles and the traffic upon, and the condition of, the highway.

Turn Signals are the law. Impeding traffic is against the law.  Crossing the double yellow line is against the law. All these things are common when drivers are texting instead of looking at the road. We have enough laws. We don't need more laws.

Cox has highest lead in general election poll (45% Cox, 30% Cherry)

Now this is real early, but the results are so far promising. EPIC/MRA, a democrat leaning polling firm, has all GOP candidates leading Cherry in the General election except Rick Snyder. The taps were posted by Wood TV in Grand Rapids. Some interesting results.

Direction (US).
35% - Right Direction
58% - Wrong Direction

Direction (Michigan)
17% - Right Direction
75% - Wrong Direction

Democrat Primary:
33% - John Cherry
5% - Alma Wheeler Smith
3% - George Perles (Yes, that Perles)
3% - Don Williamson
2% - John Freeman
54% - Undecided

Republican Primary:
29% - Pete Hoekstra
28% - Mike Cox
14% - Mike Bouchard
3% - Rick Snyder
2% - Tom George
24% Undecided.

Positive/Negative Obama
48% - Positive
51% - Negative

Positive/Negative Granholm
33% - Positive
66% - Negative

Matchups:

45% Cox
30% Cherry
25% Undecided

40% Hoekstra
33% Cherry
27% Undecided

39% Bouchard
31% Cherry
30% Undecided

34% Cherry
32% Snyder
34% Undecided

Once again. This is a democrat leaning polling firm. This isn't Strategic Vision. This isn't even Mitchell. From this firm, Cox leads by 15, and the rest have leads of at least 7 outside of Rick Snyder. The results are good if you are not a democrat or Rick Snyder. The problem with Cherry is that he's Michigan's version of Al Gore in a bad economy. After eight years of an administration, there's usually fatigue. Reagan was the exception, and the VP Bush won in 1988. Gore had a good economy, and he still couldn't win because he turned into a gun grabber when he went national. Dick Cheney didn't run in 2008, but probably would have done no different than McCain.

Posthumus could have won with a little more help as the 12% expected loss turned into 4%. Still wasn't a win. Engler broke the 8 year jinx with a third term however. Milliken's first choice lost in the primary after 12 years. Blanchard himself lost when he wanted a 3rd term. After 8 years, usually it's trouble.

And unless things change in the next year, it's big trouble for Granholm/Cherry. Cherry isn't following Clinton who had a good rep thanks to the 1994 Republicans and their work on the economy. Cherry's following the Matt Millen of governors.

I actually partially agree with Mr. Obama on something. Holy Smokes.

As obviously known from my prior postings, I'm not a fan of Mr. Obama.That includes how he acts as a person, how his people runs his campaign, and his policies that 99% of the time results in more government and less freedom. This is one of the 1% exceptions (or at least halfway agreement).

From the AP

WASHINGTON – Pot-smoking patients or their sanctioned suppliers should not be targeted for federal prosecution in states that allow medical marijuana, prosecutors were told Monday in a new policy memo issued by the Justice Department.
Under the policy spelled out in a three-page legal memo, federal prosecutors are being told it is not a good use of their time to arrest people who use or provide medical marijuana in strict compliance with state law.
The guidelines issued by the department do, however, make it clear that federal agents will go after people whose marijuana distribution goes beyond what is permitted under state law or use medical marijuana as a cover for other crimes.

Quite simply, this should not be an issue for the feds. It should fall to the states. We have the 10th Amendment for a reason, and despite poor court decisions in Wickard v Filburn and Gonzales v Raich, policies not spelled out in the Constitution including Bill of Rights and 14th Amendment (Civil Rights) belong to the states and the people. I'd go further and say that drug policy that does not cross the borders are state issues and should be policed as they see fit.

If I smoke a doobie (and no, I don't smoke pot), it's none of the business of the feds. There's more important things they should worry about, like a balanced budget without raising taxes.

Less Government, more freedom.