Saturday, May 22, 2010

2010 Lincoln Day Remarks


When we last met a year ago, we were just learning what an
Obama administration would look like.  A trillion dollar
stimulus had passed, two American car companies had been
nationalized, creditors paid with pennies on the dollar while assets and ownership were shared with powerful friends.  The president’s apology tour was playing to fawning crowds around the world; old allies were rebuffed while new tyrants were courted.  The White House began what would become a yearlong process to pass Obamacare, by hook or by crook, mostly by crook.   The administration reserved its strongest words for patriotic groups, while would be terrorists were simply identified as “misguided” and quickly provided with legal assistance from our own Justice Department.  Businesses and individuals who operate on a profit motive were dismissed as greedy and un-American and have been served notice that this administration will punish such behavior with increased regulation and higher taxes.  And US states that take responsibility for their own safety and welfare by clamping down on illegal immigration, when Washington won’t, are held up for presidential ridicule both foreign and domestic.  Speaking of illegal aliens, a majority of the American people are awakening to the fact that a socialist in the White House may not be all that good for the long-term prospects of these United States.

New elections, beginning last fall in Virginia, New Jersey, and Massachusetts, and again this spring, continue to spell defeat for the Obama agenda and Democrats in general.  The electorate is fed up with politicians overspending, overreaching, and overstaying their welcome.   They are looking for honesty, integrity, and conviction in dialing back the excesses of government and seek those with the ability to make clear distinctions between want and need.   

Across Michigan and here in Saginaw County, Republicans are poised to make substantial gains across the political spectrum.  With the help of about 50 new precinct delegates, thanks to the TriCity 912vers and other tea party groups, conservative candidates will get the necessary help to organize and deliver the votes on August 3rd and November 2nd.  For the first time in many years, Saginaw Republicans are fielding candidates in 10 of the 15 county commissioners districts.  We even have a primary in the 95th!  Although interparty primary’s can be wasteful and counterproductive, the fact that we even have them proves that we are just as viable and energized as ever before.

In case time gets short at the conclusion of our program, I would like to thank members of the executive committee in particular, Helene Wiltse, Don Milne, Randall Norton and Greg Ostrom for their assistance in putting together today’s program.   I would also like to take this opportunity to thank our elected officials for the many hours they put in in serving the people of mid Michigan.  The time they spend away from family and friends, in the pursuit of quality service and good government is a testament to the caliber and dedication of each of these individuals.  I encourage you to assist them and other candidates for office in any way that you can.  

Friday, May 14, 2010

Republicans On The March

The Saginaw News reported this week that the 30 candidates running for 15 county commissioner seats, constitutes the largest contingent since the 1990's.  The News blames an "anti-incumbency mood" for the number of challengers and I don't disagree.  Currently the Democrats have a 11-4 majority on the Saginaw County Board of Commissioners and their party have controlled the board for the last thirty years.  Three of their seats will be contested with Democrat primaries.  Republicans are putting up challengers in 10 of the 15 districts, the largest number put up by the GOP in years.  While they say that all politics is local, I maintain that in addition to the anti-incumbency mood of the electorate, the local voter is also extremely disgusted with Washington's expansion of government and unbridled spending, which will hurt the Democrats more than the Republicans.  In other words, it's looking like a strong year for Saginaw County Republicans.

Monday, May 10, 2010

Idiots on Parade

"We're Democrats because no one else will do it."  That's the take away message I get from Michigan Democrat hopefuls running for governor, attorney general, and secretary of state, who were in Saginaw last week for a fundraiser.  Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero, Speaker of the House Andy Dillon, and State Senator Alma Wheeler Smith all vowed to fight to retain the governor's mansion for Democrats despite the fact that Democrat Governor Jennifer Granholm has nearly buried our state over the course of the last eight years.  Here's a sample from the gang who can't shoot strait:

"We're the party who looks after Main Street and not Wall Street," said Bernero.  Mr. Dillon answered that with an unhelpful retort for either Mr. Bernero, other Democrat candidates or himself, by saying "no other state has lost more jobs or more people under eighteen who have moved away while pay rates have plummeted."  I guess that's how Democrats look after Main Street.  Not to be outdone, Sen. Smith may have uttered the most inane statement yet to come out of the mouth of a Democrat; "Government does what business does not do and we do it well."  Wow!  Unbelievable.  In other words, government has taken over parts of the automobile industry, healthcare, education, job training, banking, insurance, etc., only because the private sector doesn't do these things very well, if at all.  Really Alma?  Can't wait to not vote for any of these folks in August.  

Friday, May 7, 2010

Tax Revolt Continues

If you have been following the exploits of New Jersey's terrific new Republican governor Chris Christie, then you are well aware of his war on spending and bloated public sector expenditures. Just this week, New Jersey voters concurred with Christie and voted down property tax hikes, to increase school budgets, all across the state. State school boards haven't witnessed that type of rejection since 1976, when voters turned down roughly 50% of school district requests.

Score one for Jersey's tax revolt - NYPOST.com

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Puss "N Boots

Two separate and totally unrelated events yesterday provided yet another window into the fractured soul of the Obama administration.  The walk-out by U.S. diplomats during Iranian president Ahmadinejad's speech to the U.N., and the daily White House briefing provided by press secretary Robert Gibbs.  While walking out of a room in a huff to show one's displeasure with either the speaker, the subject matter, or both, may be the tool of choice in the Obama foreign policy quiver, its harshest words were directed to those who represent true evil: private enterprise.  In a reference to the unfortunate and awful oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, Mr. Gibbs reminded us that the Obama White House would keep their "boot on the throat" of British Petroleum in cleanup and compensation efforts going forward.  Empty and toothless gestures for those who threaten nuclear proliferation and possible Armageddon.  Tough talk and true disdain for those who just lost eleven men in a tragic and accidental oil rig explosion.

Don't get me wrong.  I'm not in favor of eco-disasters like the one playing out along the shores of the Gulf coast.  On the contrary, drilling offshore has always been a risky business for both the driller and those who earn a living from the surrounding waters.  Physics tells us that oil and water don't mix.  But don't for a second equate the horrors of nuclear weapons, in the hands of Islamic extremists, with a temporary, albeit disastrous, economic and environmental mess.  One will get cleaned up.  The other could end human existence on our planet.