And So It Goes

Heard the rumor that Norm Shinkle is bowing out of the race for Michigan Republican Chair. Leaving Jack Hoogendyk and Ron Wiser. I've recently talked with Wiser and he seems a capable and intelligent person. Definately a cut above, above what I'm still not sure. Sounds too much like where we've already been with little success. He does sound like he is on top of the game at least as far as connections to the powers in the party and especially the fundraisers of the party. I just had a hard time feeling like I should be saying Hello Mr. Ambassador, Instead of Hi Ron. But that's just me.

I hear that Norm will be endorsing Ron Wiser and will have a place working for him. That will at least let the lowly PDS in the door. Norm I'm sure will see to that at least. So on the money and the elite and somewhat on the "back to local support level" things could be worse.

I wonder just what the emphasis will be under Wiser. I talked at legnth with him about what we are going to do with the county and township and Precinct efforts. I heard the same "wisdom" that I had heard during the last election. It didn't work then, from what I heard or didn't hear it probably won't work in 2010. We need to rely less on the off year out of power surge everyone is hoping for and put the effort into enlarging our base. We need a solid simple message and alot more feet on the ground. To accomplish that we will need real help in training and real hands on efforts. Not a two hour seminar in Lansing, but emails on all the how to recruit PD-candidates possible and how to's on putting on mini fundraisers and community service efforts.

I assume that this will get done on a piece meal effort as in the last election. I was hoping for some help. Guess It's back to the old Standby, What Can I Do Today?

I hope to see where Jack Hoogendyk is at now and see if there is any hope for a more conservative message to fuel our next efforts. If I sound discouraged, maybe it's that I just shoveled for 3 hours or maybe it was remembering all that I shovelled last election.

Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative

AWHILE AGO 1619

Just found this blog. Mover Mike. Check it out.
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http://www.movermike.com/time-for-our-own-strike/
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As the nation goes so goes the state and the county and our neighborhoods.
There is a shake up in the Parties of all of the above. The battle is for who controls the party at whatever level. The bureaucrats or the workers. Such things as open dealings vs. not so open dealings are at stake.

This battle has been going on since the dawn of time.

The quote below sums up the battle in the early days of this country of ours.
“On June 30, 1619, when the Jamestown Legislative Assembly instituted a representative form of government, rules stated that only colonists of English descent would be given the right to vote. This denied Poles the right to governmental representation in a colony they helped to sustain and grow. As a result they organized what became the first labor strike in American history. Their slogan was “No vote. No work”.

Nowadays the reason to have a strike, protecting our Civil Rights, Our Voice in the system remains the same. These very rights have been outsourced by the voice of the Bureaucracy of whatever kind. We simply elect people that were supposed to oversee the bureaucracy, but finally the bureaucracy oversees the elected officials. The voter has become redundant.

Perhaps it is time for us the People to reassert ourselves by planning our own strike against the bureaucracy.

The power of the Purse is the key. The Poles above realized that. Those that have a hand in creating wealth should have a share of that wealth. They should have a say in how that wealth is used.

As I believe Mover Mike was saying. If our government won’t listen to us then we must do something. We must strike. As we’ve seen recently, the price of gas for our cars has plummeted. Why? Demand has gone down. We the people found ways to use less gas. We voted with our pocket books.

How else can we “vote” with our checkbooks?

School choice. Vouchers.

Stop buying from the “Big” things, shop the “little” things. Benson Drugs instead of Meijers. While you’re in there buy the milk on sale and some potatoes and a couple pounds of hamburger from the Meat Block.

What will this do besides save you time and gas money? It will start to erode all the “big” stuff that has come about with “big” business and “big” government getting in bed together. Big labor practices, along with the monopolizing of the pricing and quality structure of the products offered for sale by the “big” three any thing. Whether they be cars or sewing machines or shingles for your roof.

The more pressure we can put on these “Trimopolys” as I call them, the better chance we have of influencing the products they make. The better chance we will go back to the customer is always right type of idea. In government we get a better chance to have the government working for us and not us being a slave to “big” government.
That brings us back to the old story of whether an army of Davids can really make a change against all the Goliaths that are out there.

That then finally brings me back to my “Take Muskegon Back” blog. Politics is the last bastion upon which all our freedoms are built. The use of the Freedoms we have is crucial. We must use the freedoms we have or they will be overridden. Overridden in the courts, and in our bureaucracies.

I have a right to build my house. Just try and do it and see how many restrictions have been put upon that simple right. Unless you are a licensed electrician, carpenter, plumber, architect, HVAC person, and environmental impact person. You can’t even begin to get an ok to do that from the government.

We no longer have many rights. Only what rights we can buy from others are allowed. Anyway I digress.

I have secretly been playing with the idea of a “Protect March”. Picking a favorite store or business of mine and have a “Protect March” for it. Bring favorable “grass root” attention to what they are doing for the community simply by the services they provide. The quality of personal service they provide. Let me know if you think that is a worthwhile thing to do. For example a march “For Benson Drugs”

Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative

PS. As the Poles had the right to share in the shaping of their government, we as the other half of “free enterprise” have the right to do our part in shaping our economy, and hence our government.

As a friend of mine says. “It’s the spending stupid” What better way to control spending, than controling our own. Why pretty soon we might start to do something really radical and complain about how the government is spending the money we give them. Then maybe voting accordingly.

IS THIS FACILITATING OR WHAT ?????

Needless to say, if you follow this or my "Bottom Up Politics" blog you know how adament I am about using the Precinct Delegate approach as the means to enlarge and invigorate our Base. We have had a hard time recruiting PDs because we treat them as the low man on the totem pole. Usually make fun of them if anything. We should be doing exactly the opposite. We should elevate them, we should get out of their way and help them, we should get their ideas THEN form our marching orders. We should have groups in every precinct. We need to listen to the PDs. and the Candidates at the Township level. It's a two way street brother.
Check out the following link I got from Norm Shinkle who is running for State Chairman. See the top of my right side bar for updates on that race.

It's a long read but well worth the time.

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http://www.shinkleforchair.com/Contents/file/The%20Way%20Forward.pdf
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I hope Jack forgives me, but Norm just seems like he is talking my story. He seems to have a real plan and the focus is on the right thing. This is my opinion.

This guy is after my heart. After reading the last article in the MRPWATCH site at the top of my side bar. I wish Jack H. would join with Nrom S. and together they could have a chance against Wiser and his money.

The Main thing is to Elect Republicans. What we've been doing didn't work, we need change and Wiser isn't it.

Jack and Norm could unite the base as never before.

Think I'm on this bandwagon.

Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative.

POSSIBILITIES

Check this out.
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http://apnews.myway.com/article/20081207/D94TPC680.html
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How do we do that here in Muskegon?
Ideas?
Try the sound of this headline.
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http://www.lanewslink.com/
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Hope it doesn't take a Hurricane for a Bobby Jindal to come out of the woodwork in our neighborhood.

I'm hoping that it will be as easy to start as Ringing a Salvation Army drive and a hundred other things just as easy. Then some officials who will battle selflessly for what is right and make a stink shoveling up the mess the failed liberal policies have left behind. They will also have to paint a nice picture of the future as we do the dirty of the cleanup. Yup give us hope. Not in the word but in the deed. It really isn't so hard to do the work Americans don't seem to want to do anymore, it is actually quite fullfilling in it's reward.

Let's put on our thinking hats and pick up the shovels and start digging.

Muskegon County Republicans win in sweep. Like I say let's start digging, at the worst it'll be good exercise for our heads and our hearts.

Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative

PS. Any ideas or comments? Bob Carr glhotdogs@verizon.net. 231-728-3455

COUNTY CONVENTION

A County Convention to Remember.
Tues Dec. 2nd The Muskegon County Republican Party called it’s Precinct Delegates to Convention. A larger than normal number showed up. My count was well over 60. We filled the Blue and Gold Room at MCC where it was held.

As promised Norm Shinkle showed up and did some politicking as promised. Wiser must of got wind of it and he didn’t come but sent a surrogate to speak for him.

We soon got down to the business we were there to conduct which was for the Pds to select a new Executive Committee. That soon became controversial. Some of our group are strong backers of Ron Paul and they fought for inclusion in the Executive committee and after much discussion they were included. There inclusion is important as they represent some core Republican ideas. We as a Party represent our base and now more of our base will be represented.

The bright spot for me came after that as we filled vacancies in the Precinct Delegates. Chris Beck, his son Drew, and Dan Churchill were present and voted into new Precinct Delegate positions. I felt Chris and Dan who both ran a good campaign in Fruitport Township for Supervisor and Trustee respectively would make excellent Pds. Chris’ son Drew is 20 and studying Political Science and after the meeting told me how interesting the meeting was. You could tell this guy will be an asset to us.
I also nominated Larry Hibnar from Precinct 3 in Musk. Hts. In absentia to be a precinct Delegate and he too became one. Below is a picture of him on the right standing next to Jim Riley who set up the “Adopt a Kettle” program.


click to enlarge
The next day Larry was volunteering. Enough said.

Craig Pirrotta brought along Doug Thorstenson who also became and was eager to become a Precinct Delegate. There were others I believe but until I can come up with the list from our Secretary Stuart Peterson, I will leave them unmentioned.

All in all I was really pleased with the turnout and the decisions the Party came up with. Even the arguments were civil. As Norm Shinkle whispered to me (I paraphrase here) “It’s a good problem when people are fighting over who will get on the Executive Committee”.

CARMEN GROUP Update
This morning at our regular Thurs. 8 am Carmen Group meeting at which I was late (I humbly appologize), a lot of ground was covered. Possible officers of the party were discussed, but mainly how we can set up the party to get and keep more people involved. The types of things we need to do to make this Party of ours a better thing.

Let me remind everyone reading this that the Carmen Group is just a bunch of “regular meeting goers” getting together over breakfast to keep in touch and to float their own ideas out to see what others think. This is not a place where policy is made, far from it. Just a gab session.

Jim Riley’s “Adopt a Kettle” was an example of how easy it is to actually do something for the community and the party at the same time. How with some thought and action by one person, several volunteers can get involved and be a part of the community and the party. All agreed it was a good thing.

For me the main focus for the party is to make sure that.
1. There is always something that volunteers can do. If someone comes to us cold and wants to volunteer, we need the infrastructure in place to direct them to someone and something they can do.
2. We make every effort on gaining volunteers.
For our County Party I’m hoping and others seemed to agree on a structure based upon Committees. I hope to see permanent committees, like Memebership, Lincoln Day, etc. plus the ability to set up on the fly others for more specific goals. Come to the Ex. Committee meeting Dec. 15th and be a part of this taking shape. We have a fresh slate to work with.
Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative
Ps. The best laid plans of mice and men will come to naught without the people (volunteers) to carry them out. The best and most active volunteers are the ones who have a part in making those plans.

Ring a Bell ???

Help Ring The Salvation Army Bell.

Jim Riley of the Muskegon County Republican has organized a two day contingent of “Bell Ringers”. The first one has come and gone successfully. It was the day after Thanksgiving. They must of avoided the thundering herd as they are all alive to talk about it with friends and family.

The next and last day is Wed. Dec 3rd. Times are from noon-8pm. Please feel free to contact Jim at 231-557-0012. The more the merrier. Most slots are filled with one person. The slots are 1 hour long. It is nice to have someone extra there to take turns ringing the bell. If not be sure to say hi to them when you shop Wal-Mart.

Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative

County Convention and Jeb Bush

County Convention.

Norm Shinkle has confirmed that he will be at the College by 6:30 for sure. As a candidate for State Party Chairman, you may be interested in meeting him before the Convention starts at 7:00. You’re welcome to come. I will post a note or meet you at the front entrance. As I’ve said in an earlier post, he is a “grass roots” type of candidate. He thinks the PD’s are an important part of the Party, not an afterthought.

I’m hoping to have 3-6 people to nominate as Precinct Delegates to fill our vaccancies in our pool of Delegates. New blood and all of that. I hope this works well for them. I hope they can all become PD’s . I’m hoping to get some recruitment and technical advice from Mr. Shinkle to help make this happen.

Two of these ran and lost in the Township races. A Third I hope to talk with tonight won. A couple others are friends that want to get involved. Two more possible are related to the first two. They all show desire to do something to help the party. That has to be a good thing.

In our case I define the “grass roots” as the townships. If that includes some who may not go along with conventional wisdom but have a desire to help the Republican Party that too is a good thing.

Below is a link to an interview in Newsmax of Jeb Bush and his ideas of how to rebuild the Republican Party. Some good ideas.
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http://www.newsmax.com/headlines/jeb_bush_interview/2008/11/30/156557.html?s=al&promo_code=723F-1
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For us the PD’s of the party the following quote is useful.
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You’ve got to do the hard work. That means grass-roots organization. It means listening to the base of the party. It means voter registration. It means turn-out operations. It means recruiting candidates that look like the population we’re trying to attract to our cause. Those things seem to have waned in the last couple years.”
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He further elaborates.
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The party must hold fast to its convictions. “We can’t be Democrat-lite. We can’t just ‘get along,’” he told Newsmax. “We have to actually be proposing solutions to what appear to be intractable problems as it relates to education, healthcare, infrastructure. Across the board there are ways that we can show that we are truly on the side of the people that are concerned about the future of the country, without abandoning our principles.” ……..

Bush cited Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal as “a great example of a governor who is leading by example, and has a passion for reform. That should be the model across the country.”
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Our township candidates and PD’s are the ones we have to draw from to create the new “Bobby Jindals” the ones who will lead this party by example.

It starts by getting involved. In your community and in your party.

Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative