Weekly Musing 8-28-11
Saul Anuzis
MI: Republican National Committeeman

We FINALLY have definitive proof that Osama bin Laden is dead. He just showed up on the voter registration roles in Chicago.

U.S. Senate Race Wide Open!
“EPIC-MRA shows 37 percent gave Stebenow a positive job rating, while 54 percent gave her a negative rating and 9 percent were undecided…a fifth didn’t recognize the name of potential Republican rival Pete Hoekstra and only 27 percent had a favorable opinion of the former congressman.”

http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/6651f0026be44c5b8f844e4fe4947590/MI–US-Senate-Michigan-Poll/

2012 U.S. Senate Race – You Have a Choice
Clark Durant, Pete Hoekstra, Randy Hekman, Gary Glenn and Peter Konetchy are making their case to the people of Michigan.

I’m supporting Clark Durant. Here’s why:
http://www.thatssaulfolks.com/2011/08/11/devos-abraham-anuzis-durant-for-u-s-senate/

I am not and will not be part of the campaign nor will I be a paid consultant of any kind (a questioned asked by some of my friends). I believe Clark is the right man at the right time to send Debbie Stabenow packing!

Follow Clark Durant on Facebook here:
http://www.facebook.com/ClarkDurant

Durant for U.S. Senate webpage here:
http://www.clarkdurant.com/

Michigan Matters on U.S. Senate Race
Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson, Rocky Raczkowski and Sen. Carl Levin join “Michigan Matters” host and Detroit Free Press Columnist Carol Cain on WWJ-TV CBS Detroit.

http://detroit.cbslocal.com/show/michigan-matters/

Proof Obama is a Failure
“Obama has failed by his own standards. It’s the Obama administration, not the RNC, that said if his stimulus package was passed unemployment would not exceed 8 percent. It’s Obama who joked there weren’t as many “shovel-ready” jobs as he thought.

It’s Obama who promised to cut the deficit in half. It’s Obama who said if we passed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the health care cost curve would go down rather than up. It’s Obama who promised us recovery and prosperity, hope and change. What we’ve gotten instead is the opposite.”

http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2011/08/26/jonathan-alter-challenge/

Obamanonics vs. Reaganomics – One program for recovery worked, and the other hasn’t.
“The two presidents have a lot in common. Both inherited an American economy in collapse. And both applied daring, expensive remedies. Mr. Reagan passed the biggest tax cut ever, combined with an agenda of deregulation, monetary restraint and spending controls. Mr. Obama, of course, has given us a $1 trillion spending stimulus.”

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904875404576530412322260784.html

New national debt data: It’s growing $2.95 million a minute, even during his vacation
“Updated numbers for the national debt are just out: It’s now $14,639,000,000,000.

When Barack Obama took the oath of office twice on Jan. 20, 2009, CBS’ amazing number cruncher Mark Knoller reports, the national debt was $10,626,000,000,000.

That means the debt that our federal government owes a whole lot of somebodies including China has increased $4,247,000,000,000 in just 945 days. That’s the fastest increase under any president ever.”

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2011/08/obama-national-debt.html

The “Not Enough” Spending Excuse
“But after nearly three years and $4 trillion in borrowed “stimulus,” things have only gotten worse. Unemployment is stuck at 9.1 percent. Consumer confidence is approaching a record low.The stock market is tanking. National debt is increasing at a rate of $4 billion a day. Economic growth has almost vanished. America’s creditworthiness has been downgraded. The housing market is still depressed. Food and fuel prices are skyrocketing. In response, only 26 percent of the public expresses confidence in the president’s handling of the economy.”

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2011/08/25/the_not_enough_spending_excuse_111084.html

Bus Tour Obama flattens Denver Obama
“So that’s the Obama we have before us again. Except this time, in the context of a re-election campaign, his confrontation comes off as condescension; his pugilism as petulance; his sharp elbows as sorry excuses. An Obama constantly pointing fingers at his supervisors is unable to point his, and America’s, eyes to a higher plane.

As Republicans, we don’t yet know who our own 2012 nominee will be. But we know who the Democratic candidate will not be — Denver Obama. With a mile less in altitude, this new mountain seems like something we can climb.”

http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/2011-08-19-obama-bus-tour-denver-GOP-2012_n.htm

Obama and the Class Envy Card – See the Facts
“Barack Obama, the Left and the Democrats are determined to continue their never-ending and over-used drum beat of “raise taxes on the rich.”  While of little practical value in solving the nation’s overwhelming debt and deficit problem, this siren song aims to foster class envy, intimidate opponents and foment potential violence.  It is the action of a desperate administration and party attempting to obfuscate their abject failure in growing the economy and creating jobs.”

http://www.americanthinker.com/2011/08/obama_and_the_class_envy_card.html

Ten Conservative Principles
“Being neither a religion nor an ideology, the body of opinion termed conservatism possesses no Holy Writ and no Das Kapital to provide dogmata. So far as it is possible to determine what conservatives believe, the first principles of the conservative persuasion are derived from what leading conservative writers and public men have professed during the past two centuries. After some introductory remarks on this general theme, I will proceed to list ten such conservative principles.”

www.kirkcenter.org/index.php/detail/ten-conservative-principles/

100 Blogs That Will Make You Smarter
Reading blogs doesn’t have to be an exercise in futility or a waste of time. Your blog addiction can serve you well by with these blogs that are sure to make you smarter. These blogs bring you information about politics, education, technology, art, literature, an international perspective on life and culture, and much more. Become a regular reader of these blogs and who knows how intelligent you will be in the end.

www.onlineuniversities.com/blog/2008/11/100-blogs-that-will-make-you-smarter/

Useful & Interesting Self-Education Resource List
“The internet is an invaluable resource to self-educated learners. Below is a list of some of the most helpful sites out there including open-courseware materials, free libraries, learning communities, educational tools, and more.”

http://selfmadescholar.com/b/self-education-resource-list/

Stay In Touch…Feel Free to Share
My goal is for this to be a weekly political update…sharing political news and analysis that should be of interest to most activists.

Please share.

Feel free to follow me on Twitter and/or Facebook.

On Facebook at:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Saulius-Saul-Anuzis/117948079728

On Twitter at:
@sanuzis

Thanks again for all you do!

http://youtu.be/ihU9LOfRUr8

Weekly Musing 8-21-11
Saul Anuzis
MI: Republican National Committeeman

From the Democratic Party’s 1924 nominee John W. Davis, who, after losing to Calvin Coolidge but feeling that one of his problems was the strain of demagogic populism in the Democratic Party, said this:
“When will we get done with the fool idea that the way to make a party grow is to scare away everybody who has an extra dollar in his pocket? God forbid that the Democratic Party should become a mere gathering of the unsuccessful!”

Hacked!?!
You know your doing something right when the Democrats are working so hard to “hack” into my account. They succeeded in breaking into my Facebook account temporarily and once we got control of it, attempted (phishing) trying to break into my new account over 8,000+ times! Too funny.

And someone said “social media” is over rated:)

AP NewsBreak: Durant enters Michigan Senate race
‘He received the endorsement last week of three former heads of the Michigan Republican Party: current Republican National Committeeman Saul Anuzis, Betsy DeVos and Spencer Abraham, who held the Senate seat Durant is running until being upset by Stabenow in 2000. The trio of former GOP leaders didn’t mention Hoekstra in their letter of support for Durant, but they did take an indirect swipe at the former congressman.

“Clark Durant is not a creature of Washington,” they wrote. “It is his breadth of experience outside Washington that will allow him to be leader we need in the Senate.”

http://www.mlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2011/08/clark_durant_on_senate_campaig.html

Clark Durant for U.S. Senate
Michigan Republicans have a choice…and a good one. I personally like the idea of a “citizen politician” who represents the American way of life versus the “Washington way” which Debbie Stabenow embraces.

Read why I think Durant is our best chance for real change:

http://www.thatssaulfolks.com/2011/08/11/devos-abraham-anuzis-durant-for-u-s-senate/

2012 U.S. Senate Race – You Have a Choice
Clark Durant, Pete Hoekstra, Randy Hekman, Gary Glenn and Peter Konetchy are making their case to the people of Michigan. Pick a candidate and get involved, Michigan and our country needs a change here in Michigan.

Most Asked Question – Why NOT Pete Hoekstra
Since expressing my view that Clark Durant would make a better Republican nominee and ultimately a better U.S. Senator, activists keep asking my “why not Pete Hoekstra”. I like Pete. He’s served our state for 18 years in Congress.

However, I think we need a better contrast to Debbie Stabenow and the Obama policies if voters are to take us seriously. I want to offer Michigan voters a choice and as these commercials from the last campaign point out, Pete will have some explaining to do…rather than address an agenda for the future.

There is NO question Pete would make a better Senator than Stabenow. But Clark Durant offers a vision, a philosophy and a record worth fighting for. Ideas matter. Principles Matter. I’m for Clark!

Check out the Anti-Hoekstra Ads from the last campaign – Raising Questions

http://www.youtube.com/user/WashingtonDCPete?feature=mhee#p/u/2/wyrMVG2YdK0
Hoekstra’s Debt & DC

http://www.youtube.com/user/WashingtonDCPete?feature=mhee#p/u/3/apTr64A7-Q0
“Hoekstra Raising Taxes –Crazy”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FF4EmjbgY0g&sns=em
“Bailout & Debt”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Alowy-9g48c
“Pure Washington”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psp-PZTEuPI&sns=em
“Raising Taxes”

http://www.youtube.com/user/MikeCox2010#p/u/15/1eKjP5m9EF4
“Blueprint”
 
http://www.youtube.com/user/MikeCox2010#p/u/16/IM2fCHzDhgQ
“Bridges”
 
http://www.youtube.com/user/MikeCox2010#p/u/6/STbEhdCXakw
“Fighter for Life”
 
http://www.youtube.com/user/MikeCox2010#p/u/4/aCbSc_PpNeE
 ”Tough Enough”
 

National Journal: How Big A Factor is Clark Durant?
“One of the first tests both he and Hoekstra will face is in the money department. Hoekstra struggled to raise money in his gubernatorial bid, while Durant will have to prove that he can keep pace with the former congressman as well as with Stabenow, who has built a $4 million war chest. Support from Anuzis, who has connections to national Republicans, could help boost Durant’s chances of raising money beyond Michigan.”

http://hotlineoncall.nationaljournal.com/archives/2011/08/how-big-a-facto.php

MI Talk Radio with Michael Patrick Shiels
Here is a podcast of my interview this past week with Michael Patrick Shiels disucussing presidential politics, closed primary, U.S. Senate race – Durant v Hoekstra and more. Listen here:

http://www.citadellansing.com/MTN/MPS%20Podcasts/August11/(8.15)/Saul%20Anuzis%20(8.15).mp3

The stunning decline of Barack Obama 2011 edition: 10 key reasons why the Obama presidency continues to melt down?
“July was the worst month for the Obama presidency since the November mid-terms which saw his party emphatically drubbed in Congressional elections across the country. The president hit an all-time low with a Gallup poll at the end of the month giving him just 40 percent approval, with his rating among independents plummeting to just 34 percent. The outlook became even worse at the start of August, with dramatic falls in the stock market, and the historic decision by credit rating agency Standard and Poor’s to downgrade America’s debt.”

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/nilegardiner/100099871/the-stunning-decline-of-barack-obama-2011-edition-10-key-reasons-why-the-obama-presidency-continues-to-meltdown/

Despite Bachmann’s Success, the Real GOP Race is Now Perry vs. Romney
“Sure, Perry jumped into the race only one day ago and needs to prove he’s worthy of the national stage. Yes, Michele Bachmann is the one who boxed Tim Pawlenty out of the race with her triumph in the Iowa Straw Poll on Saturday.

But it is the governor of the great big state of Texas, not the Minnesota congresswoman, who poses the biggest threat to Romney from here on out. That’s because Perry boasts that killer combination of assets: the power to grab hold of voters — which Bachmann shares — plus a concrete record of creating jobs. It’s the rhetoric plus the results, the inspiration layered on top of the perspiration…

“The Republican nominee and the next president of the United States is going to be Rick Perry or Mitt Romney,’’ said Fred Malek, a top Republican money man who ran George H.W. Bush’s 1992 campaign. “Michele Bachmann has struck a real chord on the issues important to conservatives, but what we need is a governor with proven record of job creation, deficit reduction, and other accomplishments.’’”

http://nationaljournal.com/despite-bachmann-s-success-the-real-gop-race-is-now-perry-vs-romney-20110814

Boehner, Cantor: Mr. President, Let’s Get To Work
“The American people elected the new House Republican majority with orders to stop Washington from spending money it doesn’t have, and we listened. This spring, the House passed a budget that would cut spending by trillions of dollars and encourage private-sector job creation through economic growth — without raising taxes. Among its key components are tax reforms that broaden the base and lower the rates for everyone, while making the tax code more fair by closing loopholes.
 
Our budget also included real reforms that preserve and strengthen our insolvent entitlement programs, which are the biggest drivers of our debt. These kinds of reforms are “key to long-term fiscal sustainability,” according to S&P’s report. Unfortunately, the Democrats running Washington rejected both our budget and a “cut, cap and balance” plan the House passed recently that would also save trillions.”

http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/2011-08-16-republicans-jobs-unemployment-obama_n.htm

Rick Perry seen easier for Obama to beat
“The Texas governor, a social and fiscal conservative, is seen by Obama’s top election campaigners and fundraisers as easier to beat than the more moderate Mitt Romney in the presidential election.
 
“I was praying Perry would get in the race,” said a former White House aide closely linked to Obama’s campaign.”

http://news.yahoo.com/rick-perry-seen-easier-obama-beat-220657085.html

The Fall of the Midwest Economic Model — big companies and big unions. Not anymore.
“Michigan is an extreme example of what has afflicted the industrial Midwest. Big corporations were replaced by big government as the leading employer, and public-employee unions replaced industrial unions as the chief financiers of the Democratic Party. In effect, public-employee unions have been a mechanism by which taxpayer money, in the form of union dues, permanently finances a lobby with a vested interest in higher spending and less accountability. It’s a lobby that’s benefited from the Democratic Party loyalties of black voters, of Latinos in Chicago (the only large Hispanic presence in the Midwest) and of culturally liberal suburbanites.

This Midwestern model is unraveling before our eyes. The Midwest has not been hit as hard by foreclosures or unemployment as some other places, with Michigan an exception on both counts, but you have to look hard for green shoots of growth. They may be most evident in North Dakota, where low costs and light regulation have produced booms in energy and high tech.”

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903392904576509992605316426.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_LEADTop

Warren Buffett’s Tax Dodge – The billionaire volunteers the middle class for a tax increase.
“Mr. Buffett is one of the great stock-pickers of his time, and we don’t begrudge him a single dollar of his wealth. We only wish that, having already made himself rich, he weren’t so intent on making it harder for others to become rich too. If he’s worried about being undertaxed, we’d suggest he simply write a big check to Uncle Sam and go back to his day job of picking investments.”

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903918104576504650932556900.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_LEADTop

USA Inc – If our Government were a Business?
“USA Inc.is a non-partisan report that looks at the U.S. federal government (and its financials) as if it were a business. Mary Meeker, partner at KPCB and former financial analyst at Morgan Stanley, created and compiled the report with the goal of informing the discussion about our financial situation and outlook. USA Inc. examines the country’s income statement and balance sheet, aiming to interpret the underlying data and facts, and illustrate patterns and trends in easy-to-understand ways. The report also analyzes the drivers of federal revenue and the history of expense growth, and discusses basic scenarios for how revenue and expense growth might change to help America move toward positive cash flow.”


http://www.kpcb.com/usainc/

Decoding China’s Aircraft Carrier
An interesting read.
“the practical purpose of China’s aircraft carrier programme is more open to interpretation. Is the carrier a symbol, and nothing more? Or is the refurbished ex-Soviet vessel also the thin end of a wedge that will culminate in a bona fide Chinese carrier capability, with all the security implications that that entails? With many countries in the Asia-Pacific looking on with varying degrees of concern, there are important questions that need to be addressed”

http://the-diplomat.com/2011/08/13/decoding-china’s-aircraft-carrier/

100 Amazing How-To Sites to Teach Yourself Anything
Learning new skills and expanding your knowledge doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg. There are loads of free resources on the Web that can help you find instructional videos, tutorials and classes to learn a wide variety of skills from fixing basic car problems to speaking another language. With 100 sites to choose from, you’re bound to find something here that will help you learn just about anything you could want.

http://www.ratedcolleges.com/blog/2009/100-amazing-how-to-sites-to-teach-yourself-anything/

To The Point!
Tawas City, is a small town in Michigan located about halfway up on the shoreline of Lake Huron.

A Small Tawas City NEWSPAPER EDITORIAL…

More Than Money: The Good Life Parable
Ha…a cute video worth watching!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbD6j_1-kSk&feature=player_embedded

Stay In Touch…Feel Free to Share
My goal is for this to be a weekly political update…sharing political news and analysis that should be of interest to most activists.

Please share.

Feel free to follow me on Twitter and/or Facebook.

On Facebook at:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Saulius-Saul-Anuzis/117948079728

On Twitter at:
@sanuzis

Thanks again for all you do!

DURANT FILES SENATE CAMPAIGN PAPERWORK
“The American Way — Durant 2012″

For Immediate Release Contact: Adam Raezler
Thursday, August 18, 2011 Tel. (313) 719 – 8200
Email: clarkdurant2012@gmail.com

Today, Clark Durant filed the necessary paperwork to begin organizing a campaign for Michigan’s United States Senate seat.

Durant filed Articles of Incorporation and a Statement of Candidacy for “The American Way—Durant 2012.” The formal announcement is expected after Labor Day.

Clark Durant announced, “Today I’m filing the necessary paperwork to begin organizing a campaign for the United States Senate.

I believe we need to restore The American Way. I believe we need to put a stop to the Washington way.

The American Way is to invest, invent, innovate and produce. The Washington way is to tax, regulate, subsidize and borrow. The American Way leaves us prosperous, secure and with a bright future. The Washington way leaves us burdened with taxes, buried in debt and with a bleak future for our children.

The American people are fed up with the Washington way — and all those who do things the Washington way. Together we’re going to turn things around The American Way. And today, I am taking the first steps to launch that campaign. I expect to formally announce my candidacy after Labor Day.”
####
If you would like more information about Clark Durant’s United States Senate campaign, or to schedule and interview with Mr. Durant, please call Adam Raezler at (313) 719-8200.

You know your doing something right when the Democrats are working so hard to “hack” into my account. They succeeded in breaking into my Facebook account temporarily and once we got control of it, attempted (phishing) trying to break into my new account over 6,000+ times! Too funny.

And someone said “social media” is over rated:)

BEWARE:

My Facebook and Twitter accounts were hacked on 8/15/11 around 10:00pm.

I have reset my passwords but have to wait 24 hours for Facebook to clear the account.

The email address that was used is: obamademoc@aol.com

Please be vigilant…bank online soon!

Weekly Musing 8-14-11
Saul Anuzis
MI: Republican National Committeeman

Bachmann wins Iowa straw poll, Paul ends up second
“The result is the first indication of what Iowans think of the field of Republicans competing for the chance to challenge President Barack Obama next fall. But it’s hardly predictive of who will win the winter Iowa contest, much less the party nod or the White House.”

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_IOWA_STRAW_POLL?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2011-08-13-19-18-52

Rick Perry joins 2012 race
Governor Perry will be joining us at the Mackinac Island Conference September 23-25th. I’m looking forward to learning more about him. We have some great challengers emerging to take on President Obama and his leftist agenda.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0811/61294.html

http://www.migop.org/index.php/conference/information/

2012 “Closed” Presidential Primary is Set
Yesterday, Michigan Republicans at their State Committee meeting voted to adopt new rules for the 2012 Presidential Nominating process. The vote represented a consensus after months of debate and discussion, passing on a 92-17 vote.

The rules are almost identical to the 2008 rules, except they include a “fix” to deal with challenges and requires a “closed” primary where voter’s party preference will be publicly reported and available.

Setting the date of the primary was left up to the legislature. Michigan currently has a pre-determined statutory election set for February 28th. The rules allow the legislature to decide on a date somewhere between February 28th and March 6th.

2012 U.S. Senate Race – You Have a Choice
Clark Durant, Pete Hoekstra, Randy Hekman, Gary Glenn and Peter Konetchy are making their case to the people of Michigan. Pick a candidate and get involved, Michigan and our country needs a change here in Michigan.

Nothing is more important than stopping the Obama “euro centric” policies and defeating Debbie Stabenow is critical part of that objective.

Clark Durant for U.S. Senate
Hopefully you had a chance to read the letter we sent out in support of Clark Durant’s candidacy from myself, Betsy DeVos and Spencer Abraham. As former State Chairman who have been active in the conservative movement for years, we feel strongly that Clark represents the kind of leader Michigan needs in Washington. I’ve attached a link for your review or first peek at the letter.

Clark is a movement conservative who is articulate, a tireless worker, philosophically grounded and one of the best fundraisers I know. He can mount a campaign in the primary and general election like few others.

We have a year to go until the primary. This is a long campaign that will help determine America’s future. I can’t think of anyone else I’d rather have representing me in the U.S. Senate!

http://www.thatssaulfolks.com/2011/08/11/devos-abraham-anuzis-durant-for-u-s-senate/

http://www.ClarkDurant.com/

August 12 — Happy Cost of Government Day!
You Worked for It
“ATRF has calculated a Cost of Government Day. We determine this each year by adding the cost of government spending at all levels to a conservative estimate of all regulatory burdens—and then counting how many days of the year Americans work to pay the costs of government.

The Tax Foundation divides total federal, state and local taxes by total national income to come up with Tax Freedom Day. This year America worked until April 12 to pay all taxes.

When you include the costs of federal deficit spending and the regulatory burden this year, however, you don’t reach the Cost of Government Day until Aug. 12. Americans will work for 103 days to pay for federal spending, 44 days for state and local spending and 77 days to cover the cost of the regulatory burden.”

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904007304576498683254344262.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_LEADTop

Appeals court rules against Obamacare
“The U.S. Appeals Court for the 11th Circuit, based in Atlanta, ruled 2 to 1 that Congress exceeded its authority by requiring Americans to buy coverage, but it unanimously reversed a lower court decision that threw out the entire law.

The legality of the individual mandate, a cornerstone of the healthcare law, is widely expected to be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court.”

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/12/us-usa-healthcare-idUSTRE77B4J320110812

Why did Bernie Madoff go to prison?
To make it simple, he talked people into investing with him.  Trouble was, he didn’t invest their money.  As time rolled on he simply took the money from the new investors to pay off the old investors.  Finally there were too many old investors and not enough money from new investors coming in to keep the payments going.  Next thing you know Madoff is one of the most hated men in America and he is off to jail. 

Some of you know this.  But not enough of you.  Madoff did to his investors what the government has been doing to us for over 70 years with Social Security.  There is no meaningful difference between the two schemes, except that one was operated by a private individual who is now in jail, and the other is operated by politicians who enjoy perks, privileges and status in spite of their actions. 

 Do you need a side-by-side comparison?  Well here’s a nifty little chart.  

BERNIE MADOFF
SOCIAL SECURITY

Takes money from investors with the promise that the money will be invested and made available to them later.
Takes money from wage earners with the promise that the money will be invested in a “Trust Fund” (Lock Box) and made available later.

Instead of investing the money Madoff spends it on nice homes in the Hamptons and yachts.
Instead of depositing money in a Trust Fund the politicians  transfer it to the General Revenue Fund and use it for general spending and vote buying.

When the time comes to pay the investors back Madoff simply uses some of the new funds from newer investors to pay back the older investors.
When benefits for older investors become due the politicians pay them with money taken from younger and newer wage earners to pay the older geezers.

When Madoff’s scheme is discovered all hell breaks loose.  New investors won’t give him any more cash.
When Social Security runs out of money the politicians try to force the taxpayers to send them some more; or they cancel S/S to all those who paid into it.

Bernie Madoff is in jail.
Politicians remain in  Washington

‘The taxpayer: That’s someone who works for the federal government but doesn’t have to take the civil service examination.’ 
     
“If you put the federal government in charge of the Sahara Desert, in five years there’d be a shortage of sand.”      ~ Milton Friedman 

Stay In Touch…Feel Free to Share
My goal is for this to be a weekly political update…sharing political news and analysis that should be of interest to most activists.

Please share.

Feel free to follow me on Twitter and/or Facebook.

On Facebook at:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Saulius-Saul-Anuzis/117948079728

On Twitter at:
@sanuzis

Thanks again for all you do!

A Letter From Betsy DeVos, Spence Abraham, and Saul Anuzis
________________________________________

August 11, 2011

Dear Michigan Republicans:

We write you at a time of great peril. Our nation is facing an unprecedented series of challenges both from without and from within.

On the international front, we continue to stand—often alone—as the world’s defender of liberty and freedom in the age of terror.

At home, we confront the greatest fiscal/economic challenges since the Great Depression. Simply put, our nation’s economy is a mess. Washington’s appetite for spending has placed us on a glide path to ruin. Record deficits and an unsustainable national debt are destroying jobs and life savings. Our kids are shackled with debts they can never hope to pay.

How did we get here? We all know the answer. The people we’ve sent to Washington have too often failed us. Too many have forgotten why they were sent to Congress and instead become part of the problem. They’ve spent money we don’t have. They’ve forsaken their commitments to the people and replaced them with a commitment to special interests.

And now, as we reach a tipping point, many say the answer is more of the same: more spending and debt. And, of course, higher taxes on working Americans. Two such people are the President and our U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow. Even with the stock market in disarray and our credit rating downgraded, they want a bigger federal government, Obamacare, higher taxes and more regulations.

Next year these two incumbents will ask to be re elected. We strongly believe that must not be allowed to happen. The future of our nation is too important, and the times too critical, to stay on the course that the President and Senator Stabenow have been following. We need new leadership at the White House and Michigan needs a new US Senator.

That is why we are writing you today. We strongly believe that the strongest candidate we can run for Senate and the person who would make the best Senator for Michigan in these difficult times is Clark Durant.

Clark is a strong constitutional conservative. He believes in limited government and the rule of law. He is committed to upholding the sanctity of life. He favors a strong national defense. And he knows that the only way America will overcome our economic troubles is by allowing the free enterprise system to flourish and to let people keep more of what they earn.

But it is not just what Clark believes that counts. It is his breadth of experience “outside” Washington that will allow him to be the leader we need in the Senate.

Here are just a few examples of what Clark has achieved:

• He’s served as a Vice President of Hillsdale College and helped found its indispensible publication Imprimis.

• He has been a successful businessman. At the request of Transportation Secretary Elizabeth Dole, he transformed a floundering, near bankrupt public railroad and privatized it, turning it into a successful, profitable private venture, paying taxes not spending taxes.

• President Reagan named him, and the U.S. Senate confirmed him, to serve on the board of the Legal Services Corporation. As Chairman, he didn’t ask Congress for more money, he sought to break up a monopoly which was denying poor people access to justice and sought efficient ways to deliver more services with fewer tax dollars;

• He represented Michigan on the 1984 Republican National Committee Platform Committee where he helped draft the party platform on which President Reagan ran for and won his landslide re-election.

• At Governor Engler’s request, he ran for both the Michigan Supreme Court and later the State Board of Education. As a President of the State Board of Education he worked with Governor Engler to shake up the state education establishment, create charter schools, and bring more accountability and higher standards to the state’s public school system.

Clark Durant has taken tough jobs and achieved success. He has challenged the establishment and forced it to reform. He has succeeded in both the public and the private sectors. And, most importantly, he has shown himself to be a true “man for others”.

In the early 1990’s Clark Durant was one of the first to recognize the deficiencies in our inner city public schools. Recognizing that kids trapped in these hopeless situations were seeing their futures extinguished without being given a fair chance to succeed, Clark decided to do something about it. At the invitation of Detroit’s then Archbishop Adam Maida and a group of caring community leaders and businesses, Clark founded the Cornerstone Schools. Through his service as the founding Chairman, Clark led the effort to create urban schools which challenge, inspire and educate students to achieve a 95% high school graduation rate. From the first grade, inner city students master the basics (reading, writing and arithmetic), learn foreign languages, play violin, and are given opportunities to expand their horizons. Over the years, many Cornerstone graduates have attended college, including Ivy League schools, and have become successful citizens. Many, in fact, have become doctors and engineers. Through his vision, entrepreneurship and tenacity, Clark created opportunities for parents and children—a real alternative to failing schools.

The Cornerstone School experience illustrates how education pioneers, compassionate conservatives, and education entrepreneurs have gone into America’s inner cities and founded schools which often deliver near-miraculous results. Students from low-income, rough neighborhoods are given an escape hatch from the wasteful, bureaucratic big-city public schools and earn a pathway to college and middle class American life. This is what happens when the dynamic of freedom and free markets (empowerment through choice) are combined to truly lift our fellow citizens out of poverty. This is a lesson the Washington establishment needs to learn. This experience also shows you the kind of vision and courage that Clark Durant possesses.

And this is the kind of leadership we need in the US Senate. We need someone who will take on the system and set us on a new course for the future.

Clark Durant is not a creature of Washington. Rather, as a true conservative, Clark has devoted himself to demonstrating how freedom and empowerment works at the local level to transform lives, strengthen communities and provide hope for every person to maximize their potential.

Our voice in Washington needs to speak loudly and clearly for Michigan. It needs to rise above the voices that speak only the language of Washington. Our voice should not be afraid to speak loudly about what’s right and about the problems we face. It must speak clearly about the need to end the illogical cycle of trying to address problems with the same failed approaches. Clark Durant will be Michigan’s strong and clear voice in Washington

Debbie Stabenow certainly is not that voice. Debbie Stabenow arrived in Washington nearly 16 years ago and has consistently voted for more spending, more onerous regulations, and bigger government. After nearly two decades in Washington, she is now one of the leading voices in the choir.

The expense of the annual federal budget has increased more than $2 trillion; in fact it’s more than doubled, since Debbie Stabenow was elected.

In fact, the annual deficit is now equal to the size of the entire federal budget when Debbie Stabenow first was elected.

Here are some other facts:

She voted for the infamous Bridge to Nowhere, which came to symbolically highlight pork barrel spending excess.

She voted numerous times to raise the debt ceiling. For example:
• In 2002 she voted to increase the ceiling to $6.4 trillion.
• In 2004 she was a yes vote when the debt ceiling was increased to $7.4 trillion.
• Again in 2004, she supported an increase to $8.18 trillion.
• In 2006 she backed a debt ceiling increase that brought the limit to $9 trillion.
• In 2008 she was a loud and clear yes vote to raise the debt ceiling to $11.3 trillion.

Debbie Stabenow’s record on taxes is just as out of touch. Like the President she favors higher taxes as the solution to our economic problems.

We say enough is enough.

We don’t need more spending and taxes; more debt and red ink. We need leaders in Washington who will challenge business as usual and take on the status quo. We need proven conservative leaders like Clark Durant in the Senate.

Recently, Arthur Brooks, President of American Enterprise Institute, penned an insightful essay for the Wall Street Journal’s editorial page which puts the recent debt ceiling debate in clear context:.

“But before they succumb to too much caution, budget reformers need to remember three things. First, this is not a political fight between Republicans and Democrats; it is a fight against 50-year trends toward statism. Second, it is a moral fight, not an economic one. Third, this is not a fight that anyone can win in the 15 months from now to the presidential election. It will take hard work for at least a decade….No one deserves our political support today unless he or she is willing to work for as long as it takes to win the moral fight to steer our nation back toward enterprise and self-governance. This fight will not be easy or politically safe. But it will be a happy one: to share the values that make us proud to be Americans.”

Please join us and support Clark Durant to be Michigan’s new voice in the United States Senate. As our nation is at a tipping point, we need Clark Durant to wage a positive campaign for America’s future.

We hope you join us.

Betsy DeVos – Spence Abraham – Saul Anuzis

Abraham, Anuzis and DeVos have all served as Chairs of the Michigan Republican Party. Each was elected to multiple terms at the helm of the MRP. Abraham’s election to the US Senate in 1994 marks the only time during the past 40 years Michigan has chosen a Republican voice in the Senate.

Not paid for by any candidate or candidate’s committee.

Clark Durant is the President of The New Common School Foundation whose purpose is to create an urban public school prototype of educational excellence that enhances excellence in teaching, learning, personal responsibility, and community involvement.

He served for 19 years as the Founding Chair and later CEO of the Cornerstone Schools in Detroit. Cornerstone seeks through an independent and two public charter schools to provide an excellent education for the children of the city. Over eleven hundred students now attend Cornerstone. As a result of his work at Cornerstone, he was named a “Michiganian of the Year” by the Detroit News and was awarded an honorary doctor of humanities from Lawrence Tech University.

In 2004 he was Co-Chairman of the Arnold Palmer Turning Point Invitational which celebrated Arnold’s 50th Anniversary of winning the US Amateur. More than $6 million was netted for Cornerstone and other organizations. In 2007 he championed the “Be a Tiger For Kids” event with the Detroit Tigers which raised another $1.5 million for Cornerstone partnerships of excellence.

He was elected to the State Board of Education in Michigan in 1994 and was President of the Board at the outset of his term. He led the adoption of a bold Vision, Philosophy, and Mission statement for the Board; he sought to strengthen standards and accountability, increase the understanding by students of our American founding and principles and explored new ways to think anew about public education.

In 1984, President Reagan nominated Durant to the board of the Legal Services Corporation. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate and served four years as chairman. He later served as one of four national co-chairs of Jack Kemp’s presidential run.

Upon the recommendation of then Secretary of Transportation, Elizabeth Dole, Durant served as the bankruptcy trustee of the Ann Arbor Railroad for five years during the 1980s. He turned a state-owned, state-subsidized railroad, with close to $100 million in claims, into a profitable private sector business with new management, improved track conditions and a framework for new labor agreements. His reorganization plan provided full payment for all court-allowed claims.

Durant is formerly the Director of the Private Management Group at Munder Capital Management. He practiced law for 20 years in civil, criminal, and corporate matters. He has been a member of the Federal Judiciary Advisory Board.

He has appeared on the McNeil/Lehrer and Today shows and numerous radio and television programs throughout Michigan. He has written op-ed material for the Wall Street Journal, the Detroit News, and the Detroit Free Press.

He has served on the boards of the Michigan Center for Theoretical Physics, Cornerstone Schools, the University of Detroit Jesuit High School and First Tee of Michigan. He is a member of the Skillman Foundation’s Excellent Schools Detroit board. Durant and his wife Susan have four children: Hope Loomis (husband Mike), Maggie, T. Clark (wife Taylor) and John. They have two granddaughters, Susan Elizabeth and Caroline Grace. For many years Clark was a Little League baseball coach . . . and hopes to be once again.