Joe Schwarz and Andy Dillon are in

It's an interesting day today. We had the oral arguments of McDonald v Chicago. If I can find audio of that case, I'll be listening to it. If not, I'll settle for the transcript. I want to at least see the text before I comment on the case and the commentators of the case. I won't speculate on the decision.

In gubernatorial news, Andy Dillon is in. If you think Lansing and the house majority is doing a great job right now, vote for Andy. I'm not voting for him. He is better than Joe Schwarz though, but who isn't?

Speaking of the Second Amendment and other issues, Joe Schwarz just won't go away. He's back, and this time running as an independent. He has the exploratory committee out at least. From Politico.

Former Rep. Joe Schwarz (R-Mich.) said Tuesday that he’s forming an exploratory committee to help raise funds and begin building a structure and staff for an independent campaign for governor.

“We’re forming an exploratory committee as soon as possible – my attorney is working on it right now,” Schwarz told POLITICO, adding that it should be finalized within 48 hours. “We’re trying to take this in a logical sequence because this simply hasn’t been done before in Michigan.”

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0310/33771.html#ixzz0h3OqGtdz

Expect to hear a lot about this. The media loves this guy. The Lansing elite loves this guy. They refer to him as a "statesman." I refer to him as an arrogant politician who thinks his you know what doesn't stink. The public didn't care for him, and that was shown in the 2006 primary when he was shown the door. It was also shown in 2002 gubernatorial race where he got 20 some odd percent in the primary. I could have done that.

If you have doubts about Joe's leanings, Schwarz took money from the democrats top guy. Jon Stryker, the radical rich leftist. He also took money from well known democrats James Byrum (of the same family), Dennis Hertel (former house leader), Phil Power (UM Trustee, leader of Center for Michigan, and former Argus owner), Lana Pollack (ex-State Senator), and Rick Wiener (Granholm's Chief of Staff) was listed as well.

As Schwarz no longer is a RINO (for supporting leftist democrats like Mark Schauer) and is running as a arrogant version of John Anderson independent, we need to remember that this guy isn't an outsider who wants to clean up the mess. He's the insider of insiders, and is part of that close knit group of people that thinks he knows what's best for you. He's with the Center for Michigan crowd, the con-con wonks, the commissions, the cocktail parties, etc.

Schwarz is one of the people behind this con-con push. From 2006. That includes eliminating safeguards against government power. The "Citizens for Michigan" proposals are listed here in my comments on the con-con

That doesn't get to Schwarz's 2002 campaign stances where he was against the 2nd Amendment, calling the concealed carry supporters "bubba who straps on a 9mm". He voted against it. At another point, he said he didn't have a problem with "Calhoun County" residents with guns, but had a problem with "Wayne County" people with guns. I didn't hear that one first hand, but heard that he made that comment from at least three sources. The bubba quote was on several occasions. Schwarz also called pro-lifers zealots and ripped them in a debate against Posthumus over in Rochester in 2002. I was there. He also at the same even campaigned on increasing property taxes.


We've had budget problems for 10 years. Schwarz was there for part of that and could have helped stop this without tax increases if he chose to do so. He didn't.

The good thing about this is that Schwarz will take more votes from democrats than republicans. He's a more arrogant version of John Anderson. Which republicans will he take votes from outside of Calhoun County? Tax hawks? He supports increases. Gun Owners? They despise him. Pro-lifers? I don't think so? Spending cuts? Nope. Club for Growth went after him for a reason. National defense? Not an issue in a gubernatorial race.

We need change in Michigan. Change does not mean electing an arrogant insider who will try and pass himself off as an outsider. Joe Schwarz is part of the problem. We don't need Lansing elites running the show. I'd frankly prefer more Granholm to this guy, and there's no way I'd give her a 3rd term.

Joe Schwarz for Governor? What a joke.

That's what Joe Schwarz is. A joke. From Skubick's blog

But Dick Posthumus got the GOP nomination and now Schwarz is left to flirt once more with running for governor but as an independent candidate.
He's been here before, lots of times.
"The climate for an independent is about as good as it's ever going to be," he correctly surmises as the voter anger and dissatisfaction with republicans and democrats is off the charts.
That's why Schwarz reveals, "I think about it every other day. Persons have asked me to consider it and we talk about it, yes."
"Money is the question," he again correctly deduces.
Ross Perot had money, ran as an independent for president and got 19% of the vote and helped to elect Bill Clinton president the first time.
Former wresller Jessie Ventura got himself elected governor in Minnesota and he was as independent as you can get.
In other words, it can happen but Schwarz needs guys like Phil Powers, who talks a good game about changing the culture in Lansing, to open his check book to launch such a bid.
Time is running out. Schwarz is not getting any younger but his ideals and approach to government are not out dated and could have appeal to an electorate that wants a government that works for them and not the two political parties.
But Schwarz is still a realist and says there's only about a 50-50 chance his flirtation with an indepenent candidacy will turn into something more than just that.

I've vote democrat before I'd vote for Schwarz. People like Joe Schwarz are the problem. Joe Schwarz is disliked by most of the electorate but loved by the Lansing elite. He's no moderate. He was a RINO in a true sense, but now left the party. Good riddance. My definition of RINO is different than most. A moderate republican is someone like George W Bush (Fiscal liberal, social conservative) or like former senator Bill Roth in Delaware (Fiscal conservative social liberal). A liberal Republican is Rudy Giuliani. Those aren't RINO's. They are moderate or liberal republicans. There is a difference. A RINO is someone who goes out and campaigns against Republicans, like Joe Schwarz did.

Joe Schwarz is also one of the two most arrogant pols I've ever seen in my life. He knows everything, and he'll tell you himself. Anyone that remembers his 2002 gubernatorial campaign understands that. In 2002, he campaigned on being pro-abortion (calling pro-lifers zealots), opposing guns (this was the guy who railed against "Bubbas who strap on a 9mm"), and supported an increase in taxes. He said he didn't "give a shit" (exact quote) about the votes of pro-lifers or pro-2nd amendment advocates. At the gubernatorial debate in 2002, I saw people who were a lot less conservative than I am, walking out after the closing remarks of Schwarz with steam coming out of their ears because Schwarz was so insulting. He didn't even say "bubba" or "zealot" or how he didn't "give a shit" about their votes, either that time.

In 2002, he lost 80-20 in the primary to Dick Posthumus. In 2004 primary for congress, he won only because the conservatives split the vote. He didn't break 30%. He got knocked out in 2006 despite endorsements from all of the Republican establishment including Bush, and even the NRA for some reason which I still don't get. Hey, I didn't think Schwarz gave a shit about their votes......

Joe Schwarz is also one of the big pushers for the con-con, and also was part of the panel that wants to eliminate tax safeguards like Headlee, raise property taxes, giving the governor more power, and making judges the arbitrator for allowing recalls.

We've had budget troubles for years in Lansing. Joe Schwarz was part of that problem. He won't be the solution.

I'd rather have the democrats win than Schwarz, whether he runs as GOP or Indy.

Jim Berryman, others challenging Tim Walberg in 7th District

From the AP

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Democratic state Sen. Jim Berryman said Tuesday he will run for Congress in Michigan's 7th district, setting up a potential rematch against Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Tipton.

Berryman, who was defeated by Walberg for a state legislative seat in 1988, will be making his second run for Congress. He was defeated by Rep. Nick Smith, R-Addison, in 1998 after briefly campaigning for the Democratic nomination for governor.

Berryman, 60, a former Adrian mayor, said he decided to enter the race after being encouraged by voters in the south-central Michigan district.

Interesting matchup. Berryman was the State Senator for what is now mostly Randy Richardville/Bev Hammerstrom's district. It was a true swing district that elected populist democrats and strong conservatives. Tim Walberg is from the same area and beat Berryman once. Walberg was actually replaced by a moderate (pro-life, semi-pro gun) democrat in Doug Spade when he left office. Spade has since been replaced by his brother. Lenawee County is a conservative county, but not necessary a Republican county, and Adrian itself tilts democrat. Berryman was clobbered (outside of Lenawee)in 1998 against Nick Smith with Geoff Fieger at the top of the ticket, but I can not count him out. He's a veteran campaigner and has won tough districts in the past. Nick Smith blew out Berryman by winning by 20% in Eaton and Jackson, and 12% in Calhoun. Berryman got 48% against Smith in Lenawee. I'm not going to count this guy out. However, do not underestimate Tim Walberg. He's never had an easy election and knows how to win tough races.

Joe Schwarz is also considering a run, and hasn't decided what party. What's interesting there is that the Republican establishment rallied behind him in his primary challenge, but the grassroots (fiscal, gun owners, pro-lifers) told him off. I doubt he'll get past the primary - in either party. Walberg will beat him again. Berryman's a loyal democrat and would beat him. Schwarz is a big mouth and that will cost him once again. He's strong in Calhoun and Eaton County where he was a state senator. He has strength about state workers and in Battle Creek, but he's weak elsewhere in the district.

Sharon Renier is trying again for a 3rd time as well.

The 7th district in general was nasty to Republicans in 06. I haven't done all the numbers crunching yet due to lack of time, but the populists turned against Bush and took it out on the entire ticket due to the lack of leadership and flat out hostility to old boys club challenges (Pence vs Boehner leadership race, failure to stop Bush from spending like a leftist) right now. Granholm won the 7th district, first time since Clinton pulled it off against Dole.

Walberg had enough strength in Jackson, Lenawee, Branch, and Hillsdale Counties to offset his losses in Calhoun (Schwarz anger, swing county), Eaton (Democrat leaning in gubenatorial years, republican leaning in presidential years), and Washtenaw Counties (Chelsea, Dexter moving left, Scio is a democrat stronghold).

I think this race will be determined by who the Republicans run in 2008. Will they run a candidate with a plan to clean up the clustermuck in Washington, or will it be the same old song and dance. If Walberg isn't handycapped from the top, he'll be fine. If he is, we're in trouble. That's all there is to it.