Weekly Musing 10-30-11

Saul Anuzis

MI: Republican National Committeeman

“The danger to America is not Barack Obama but a citizenry capable of entrusting a man like him with the Presidency. It will be far easier to limit and undo the follies of an Obama presidency than to restore the necessary common sense and good judgment to a depraved electorate willing to have such a man for their president. The problem is much deeper and far more serious than Mr. Obama, who is a mere symptom of what ails America . Blaming the prince of the fools should not blind anyone to the vast confederacy of fools that made him their prince. The Republic can survive a Barack Obama, who is, after all, merely a fool. It is less likely to survive a multitude of fools such as those who made him their president.” Author Unknown from the Czech Republic

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Michigan Makes POLITICO’s “Monthly 10″ Most Competitive U.S. Senate Races List!
Clark Durant, my endorsed candidate for the Republican nomination, continues to challenge the status quo – the Washington Way!

10. MICHIGAN
Pete Hoekstra’s political conundrum was crystallized earlier this month when he brought in Iowa Rep. Steve King to stump for him. It was a signal to wary conservatives that he’s one of them. But as The Macomb Daily opined: “It wasn’t an attempt to win over independent voters who aren’t necessarily big fans of incumbent Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow.” Hoekstra’s $1 million quarter may have put the fundraising demons to bed, but charter school co-founder Clark Durant’s $750,000 total was enough to get the front-runner’s attention.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1011/67016.html

http://www.clarkdurant.com/

How class warfare weakens America –
by Congressman Paul Ryan
“Ironically, equality of outcome is a form of inequality — one that is based on political influence and bureaucratic favoritism.

That’s the real class warfare that threatens us: a class of bureaucrats and connected crony capitalists trying to rise above the rest of us, call the shots, rig the rules and preserve their place atop society. Their gains will come at the expense of working Americans, entrepreneurs and that small businesswoman who has the gall to take on the corporate chieftain.

It’s disappointing that this president’s actions have exacerbated this form of class warfare in so many ways.”

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/how_class_warfare_weakens_america_2RiwAsufcsk9ulnS7xJBlK

THE COOK REPORT: Underwater – President Obama will struggle to win reelection if his approval rating doesn’t rise.
“The best barometer of how a president is going to fare is his approval rating, which starts taking on predictive value about a year out. As each month goes by, the rating becomes a better indicator of the eventual results. Presidents with approval numbers above 48 to 50 percent in the Gallup Poll win reelection. Those with approval ratings below that level usually lose. If voters don’t approve of the job you are doing after four years in office, they usually don’t vote for you. Of course, a candidate can win the popular vote and still lose the Electoral College. It happened to Samuel Tilden in 1876, Grover Cleveland in 1888, and Al Gore in 2000. But the popular votes and the Electoral College numbers usually come down on the same side.

In his 11th and most recent quarter in office (July 20-Oct. 19), President Obama averaged a 41 percent approval rating among registered voters, according to Gallup. His average for the month of September was the same. For the week of Oct. 17-23, the president’s approval was 41 percent with a disapproval rating of 51 percent. It’s worth noting that in the Oct. 17-23 aggregation of Gallup tracking, Obama’s job-approval rating among independents was only 38 percent. This was a group he carried by 8 percentage points over John McCain in 2008, 52 percent to 44 percent. Among “pure” independents, those who don’t lean toward either party when pushed, the president’s approval rating was 32 percent.”

http://www.nationaljournal.com//columns/cook-report/the-cook-report-obama-underwater-20111027

The 53%: We are NOT Occupy Wall Street
“Occupy Wall Street protesters might say they represent 99% of the nation, but there’s a growing number of Americans who are making it clear they are not part of the dissident crowd.

They call themselves the 53%…as in the 53% of Americans who pay federal income taxes. And they are making their voices heard on Tumblr blogs, Twitter and Facebook pages devoted to stories of personal responsibility and work ethic.”

http://money.cnn.com/2011/10/26/news/economy/occupy_wall_street_backlash/index.htm?iid=Popular

The Red State in Your Future
“The study looks at factors that affect state prosperity and economic outlook, such as tax burdens and population change. What’s clear is that red or red-leaning states dominate the top positions while blue states have the dubious distinction of dragging in last. In the economic outlook section, for example, the top 20 states are bright red or lean red, while eight out of the bottom 10 are very blue: New York, Vermont, California, Hawaii, New Jersey, Illinois, Oregon and Rhode Island.”

http://www.forbes.com/sites/merrillmatthews/2011/10/21/the-red-state-in-your-future/

Obama’s Mythical Political Skills Not Enough
“take a closer look at Obama’s rise and a hole in his resume quickly becomes apparent: Obama never had to fight for and win the votes of people who don’t agree with him. Both his biggest political setback and his biggest political accomplishment — his defeat by Bobby Rush in a 2000 U.S. House primary and his victory over Hillary Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008 — came during struggles within a liberal universe.”

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-10-24/obama-s-mythical-political-skills-won-t-save-him-ramesh-ponnuru.html

The Divider vs. the Thinker: While Obama readies an ugly campaign, Paul Ryan gives a serious account of what ails America.
“Rather than raise taxes on individuals, we should “lower the amount of government spending the wealthy now receive.” The “true sources of inequity in this country,” he (Ryan) continued, are “corporate welfare that enriches the powerful, and empty promises that betray the powerless.” The real class warfare that threatens us is “a class of bureaucrats and connected crony capitalists trying to rise above the rest of us, call the shots, rig the rules, and preserve their place atop society.””

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203554104577002262150454258.html

Obama’s Crony Capitalism: Where do the stimulus horror stories end?
“Among the most frequently heard criticisms from Democrats of President George W. Bush and the pre-2006 Republican majorities in the House and Senate was that corporations were being coddled even as they were sending American jobs overseas. Then President Obama proposed his $787 billion economic stimulus program and promised that it would bring unemployment down to 8 percent or less while saving or creating up to 3. 5 million jobs. It’s nearly three years later, the official unemployment rate is still above 9 percent (and could be double that when those who quit looking for work or are underemployed are counted)…Obama administration officials approved the transfer of jobs to Finland.”

http://washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/editorials/2011/10/where-do-stimulus-horror-stories-end

Happy Birthday Congressman Pete Hoekstra
Today, October 30th is Pete’s birthday. Wishing you and your family all the best and many more birthdays to come!

Stay In Touch…Feel Free to Share
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The Red State in Your Future

Voters around the country are concluding it’s better to be red than dead—applying a whole meaning to an old phrase. If you do not currently live in a red state, there’s a good chance you will be in the near future. Either you will flee to a red state or a red state will come to you—because voters fed up with blue-state fiscal irresponsibility will elect candidates who promise to pass red-state policies.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), 25 state legislatures are controlled by Republicans and 16 by Democrats, with eight split (i.e., each party controlling one house). There are 29 Republican governors and 20 Democrats, with one independent. And there are 20 states where Republicans control both the legislature and governor’s mansion vs. 11 Democratic, with 18 split (one party controls the governor’s office and the other the legislature).

Read more…

http://www.forbes.com/sites/merrillmatthews/2011/10/21/the-red-state-in-your-future/

Weekly Musing 10-23-11

Saul Anuzis

MI: Republican National Committeeman

F.A. Hayek on Liberty… “Perhaps the fact that we have seen millions voting themselves into complete dependence on a tyrant has made our generation understand that to choose one’s government is not necessarily to secure freedom.”

‎”The most basic question is not what is best, but who shall decide what is best.” – Thomas Sowell

Barack Obama’s disastrous first 1,000 days
“It is hard to think of a presidency in modern times that has done more to damage the United States both at home and abroad than the current one, with the possible exception of Jimmy Carter’s. Like his Democratic predecessor in the 1970’s, Barack Obama has left the world’s dominant superpower on its knees, with faith in US leadership now being questioned across the globe.”

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/nilegardiner/100110552/barack-obama’s-disastrous-first-1000-days/

Occupy Wall Street Is Certainly No Tea Party
“there are three key characteristics that separate OWS from the Tea Party: First, the Occupy protesters pride themselves on provocative resistance to law enforcement and in some cases violence. Second, they disrespect public and private property. Third, and most important, the Occupy movement lacks a coherent guiding philosophy.”

http://www.forbes.com/sites/mattkibbe/2011/10/19/occupy-wall-street-is-certainly-no-tea-party/

The Obamanomics Austerity Myth: Federal Spending Up 5% This Year
“In fact, in the first nine months of this year, federal spending was $120 billion higher than in the same period in 2010, the data show. That’s an increase of almost 5%. And deficits during this time were $23.5 billion higher.”

http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article/588254/201110170805/The-Austerity-Myth-Federal-Spending-Up-5-This-Year.htm

What Harry Reid Can Teach the GOP About 2012
“Reid won another term in the 2010 midterm election despite Congress’s widespread unpopularity, of which he was the leader, should serve as a lesson and warning for Republicans as the primary season begins.”

http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/morning-jay-what-harry-reid-can-teach-gop-about-2012_598372.html

The GOP Pro-Growth, Flat-Tax Competition


“Part of the stock rally is based on strong corporate earnings, the mother’s milk of stocks. So far for the third quarter, almost three-quarters of reporting companies have beaten estimates, with overall profits coming in about 14 percent ahead of year-ago. And investors are hopeful that Europe will solve its sovereign-debt and banking woes.

But the sudden stock rally could also be discounting a new GOP growth plan that will replace the dreary Obama tax-the-rich mantra.”

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2011/10/22/the_gop_pro-growth_flat-tax_competition_111780.html

COMING APART – A Great Read from the New Yorker – A Liberal’s Perspective
“For most of the decade after September 11th, liberals from New York and elsewhere felt marginalized, misrepresented, ridiculed, scapegoated, and, worst of all, ignored. For this treatment to befall that group of Americans who, by their own lights, got the decade mostly right—to be so reviled and so vindicated—inflicted a kind of painful pleasure. But the enduring problem for liberals, as for everyone else, is not whether history will judge them wise or foolish regarding the war on terrorism; it is, rather, the way that the past decade has splintered them away from other Americans. This fracture comes with a steep price: in today’s toxic atmosphere, liberals are no less cynical, shortsighted, and parochial than anyone else, and they understand their fellow-Americans just as badly as they themselves are understood.”

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/09/12/110912fa_fact_packer?currentPage=all

Key to Greatness is Working Memory, Not Practice
“In a series of studies, Hambrick and colleagues found that people with higher levels of working memory capacity outperformed those with lower levels — and even in individuals with extensive experience and knowledge of the task at hand.”

http://psychcentral.com/news/2011/10/06/key-to-greatness-is-working-memory-not-practice/30110.html

Adaptability Is Key for Social Media Success
“Among surveyed Fortune 500 marketers, 94% cite the ability to adapt quickly to change as the most critical enabler of social media success, followed by having an in-house social media champion (93%), clearly communicated executive support (90%), a solid education on social media (90%), and a culture of experimentation (88%). “

http://www.marketingprofs.com/charts/2011/6164/booz-adaptability-is-key-for-social-media-success

Fun Fact:
Chinese numerology and Feng Shui for 2011 This year we are going to
experience four unusual dates: 1/1/11, 1/11/11, 11/1/11, 11/11/11, and
that’s not all; Take the last two digits of the year you were born and
the age you will be this year and the result will add up to 111 for
everyone!!!!


Stay In Touch…Feel Free to Share
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For more information and related article go to Investors Business Daily at:

http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article/588254/201110170805/The-Austerity-Myth-Federal-Spending-Up-5-This-Year.htm

Why Conservatives Should Not Rally Around Google

For many conservatives, the recent Senate Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights hearing focused on Google might have appeared to take place in an alternative universe. A longtime big dollar Democratic donor and supporter of government marketplace intervention, Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt suddenly became a champion of free market competition and minimal government regulation. Meanwhile, Republican Senators took a tough line that laid the foundation for antitrust action against Google. How can this be explained—and where should conservatives stand in this debate?

First, it is worth noting that Google—often by its own admission—has engaged in violations of laws governing consumer protection, privacy, public health and intellectual property. Regardless of the debate about competition policy, Google has attempted to competitively benefit by overstepping the law—behavior aimed at giving it an advantage against rivals that respect consumer and property rights.

The examples are many. The Google Books service was built around “wholesale, blatant copying without first obtaining copyright permissions,” according to the ruling of a federal judge. Meanwhile, a consortium that was developing a competing service—but sought permissions from copyright owners—shut down. Similarly, Google expanded its YouTube video service by hosting pirated video segments.

Google’s promotion of illegal online pharmacies, which often deal in mislabeled or counterfeit medications, not only undermines property rights; it also, “put at risk the health and safety of American consumers,” according to the Department of Justice. Again, regardless of one’s position on pharmaceutical imports, it is hard to justify Google’s aiding and abetting offshore companies that violate drug patents and trademarks.

Google also has a very poor track record on respecting privacy rights. After violating the Federal Trade Act by exposing consumer data when it launched the Google Buzz social networking service, Google was forced to reach a settlement with the FTC. Google also admitted to collecting personal data from unsecured WiFi hotspots when it built its Street View service. To date, it has faced no sanctions for this practice.

While conservatives are right to remain vigilant against overreaching antitrust enforcement, there can be no doubt that Republican Senators on the Subcommittee, led by ranking member Mike Lee (R-UT), are justified in raising questions about Google’s competitive practices. Google’s rap sheet is simply too long to ignore. Interestingly, liberal stalwart Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) was the only Senator on the Subcommittee who wholeheartedly defended Google.

While Google aims to sidestep or minimize government action to bring its operations within the law, the company and its leaders have time and again promoted Democratic policies of government regulation and spending that favor its interests. Google, for instance, put considerable money and clout behind promoting Net Neutrality regulations. Just last Sunday, Eric Schmidt appeared on national television promoting Obama’s terrible stimulus spending plan and opposing government budget cuts.

All around Washington, Google is now trying to drape itself in the cloak of the free market to curry favor with conservatives. We should not be fooled. Google is no friend of the conservative movement.

In the Heritage Foundation’s adaptation of their First Principles Essays, they summarized Friedrich Hayek’s insights in the Road to Serfdom which “made it clear he was not advocating a system of pure lasses-faire, but one with a general system of rules that would enable individuals to carry out their own plans. Hayek’s contribution was to stress the importance of institutions – a market system, in a democratic polity, with a system of well-defined, enforced, and exchangeable property right, protected by a strong constitution, and operation under the rule of law, in which laws are stable, predictable, and equally applied.”

While antitrust enforcement has threatened marketplace competition in the past, it’s worth remembering that antitrust laws were developed by Republicans—and refined under the Rehnquist Court—to protect free enterprise. The telecommunications revolution began when Ronald Reagan enforced antitrust law and took the final step in dismantling AT&T’s government-sanctioned monopoly—and deregulating the industry. As someone who started a Competitive Local Exchange Carrier in Michigan and consults for Microsoft, I have first hand knowledge how important a limited and targeted regulatory structure can be. There is precedence for the conservative application of antitrust against companies that have benefited from growing too close to government protectors.

Weekly Musing 10-16-11

Saul Anuzis

MI: Republican National Committeeman

My daughter just walked into the living room and said: “Dad, cancel my allowance immediately, rent my room out, throw all my clothes out of the window, take my TV, and stereo, and iPhone, and iPod, and my laptop. Please take all of my jewelry to the Salvation Army or Cash Converters. Then sell my new car, take my front door key away from me and throw me out of the house.” Then disown me and never talk to me again. And don’t forget to write me out of your will and leave my share to my brother.”

Well, she didn’t put it quite like that.. she actually said..
“Dad I have decided to work for Obama’s re-election campaign.”

(NOTICE: For those of you who take things too seriously, this was just a cute joke.)

MSU 28 vs UM 14 – Wow, What a Game!
Fans from across the state came to East Lansing to watch a great football game. A good game all the way through…and a better (long) tailgate which is why I’m late getting this newsletter out this morning!

Top 10 Reasons Stabenow Must Go

1. Debbie Stabenow has done NOTHING for Michigan while serving in the U.S. Senate except – collect a paycheck. Senator Do Nothing might be a better way to describe her.

2. Debbie Stabenow supports the Obama jobs plan which includes nearly 100 tax increases on American taxpayers and does nothing to help job providers hire more workers.

3. Debbie Stabenow voted FOR Obama’s national healthcare, which has done nothing to improve health care, only increase it’s cost and stop businesses from hiring more workers.

4. Debbie Stabenow has supported every new onerous regulation, which has impeded Michigan business and increased unemployment in Michigan.

5. Like Obama, Miss Debbie is against wars while campaigning, but we recently set a record for the longest war in American history in Afghanistan. She votes to run up federal deficits after the elections are held and American men and women continue dying in ill-defined, ever expanding wars and military excursions.

6. On Miss Debbie’s watch, Detroit and Flint have become the #1 and #4 most violent cities in America.

7. Americans have lost confidence in the federal government to an all-time low on Miss Debbie’s watch.

8. Miss Debbie voted for the Frank-Dodd re-write of the banking law which forces fees on debit and credit cards and will soon result in checking account fees.

9. Miss Debbie has opposed every effort to increase domestic energy production forcing the cost of a gallon of gasoline to reach all-time highs.

10. Miss Debbie panders to labor bosses who have sent jobs overseas with their excessive demands. It’s time to bring American jobs back to America, and that won’t happen with Senator Do Nothing in Washington.

Why Reagan succeeded and Obama Failed
“Senator Gramm’s central point is abundantly clear when we examine two presidents: one resolved to limiting government and freeing Americans to achieve, and the other resolved towards centrally planning and limiting the rewards to those who work hard and take risks. Government policies matter.”

http://detnews.com/article/20111006/MIVIEW/110060494/Wolfram–Why-Reagan-succeeded-and-Obama-failed

CAN OBAMA WIN? NOT THIS WAY
“The point isn’t that Obama won’t win but that in order to do so he will have to follow the time-honored Democratic route of rampaging around the Great Lakes and squeezing home in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. It’s also not as if he doesn’t have anything to say to voters in these areas. With his rescue of the auto industry, he can claim to have saved many thousands of jobs in the Midwest, for example. But given his lowly poll ratings in many of these states, it’s going to be a challenge.”

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/johncassidy/2011/10/can-obama-win-not-this-way.html

Good Warning to Our Side: How Obama’s data-crunching prowess may get him re-elected
We need to use every tool available in our campaigns nationwide. The Democrats continue to innovate in some areas that should serve as a wake up call to our side!

http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/09/tech/innovation/obama-data-crunching-election/index.html?hpt=hp_c2

New Mobile App Launched To Track Michigan’s Worst Roads, Bridges – Cool Idea – The Catch, How to then Pay for Infrastructure Costs
“Bad enough that MITA and the Michigan Transportation Team are launching a mobile application allowing residents to upload photos of dangerous potholes, roads or bridges — and compete for $500 to the state’s best-worst photo…You can find the link to MTT’s new mobile app at the link below.”

http://www.wilx.com/home/headlines/New_Mobile_App_Launched_To_Track_Michigans_Worst_Roads_Bridges_131288459.html

Life-Cycle Budgeting the Key to Infrastructure Success
“The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has concluded that using life-cycle budgeting to plan infrastructure projects, and to avoid situations such as the one in New Jersey, is the key to creating sustainable roads and bridges. A second CBO study showed that using life-cycle budgeting can reduce long-term maintenance costs by 40%.”

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=46745

The evangelical case for Mitt Romney —and against Robert Jeffress
After some “Christian leaders” took cheap shots at Mitt Romney and his religious beliefs, this article does a great job discussing what’s really important. This kind of demagoguery damages public discourse.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/guest-voices/post/the-evangelical-case-for-mitt-romney-and-against-robert-jeffress/2011/10/10/gIQA6KAvZL_blog.html

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/sanuzis

On Twitter at:
@sanuzis

Thanks again for all you do!

Weekly Musing 10-9-11

Saul Anuzis

MI: Republican National Committeeman

Michigan’s U.S. Senate Race Update
Liberal Democrat Debbie Stabenow is in for a race of her lifetime. The Michigan Republican Party has never been stronger or better funded. The MIGOP has an aggressive ground game planned for 2012 that will help candidates up and down the ticket.

Michigan Republicans have a VERY strong field of candidates led by Clark Durant, Congressman Pete Hoekstra, Gary Glenn, Randy Heckman, Pete Konetchky and several others. The statewide primary itself will help us get to know our potential Republican nominee and draw a stark contrast between the almost 20 year Washington insider liberal Democrat, Debbie Stabenow.

I’ve decided to support Clark Durant who announced the week before our GOP Mackinac Conference. He raised an impressive $750,000+ in just a few weeks! He is a solid movement conservative who will make us proud. Check out his website at:

www.clarkdurant.com

Christie & Palin Out! The Field is Set
New Jersey’s Governor Chris Christie and former Governor Sarah Palin announced formally that they will NOT be seeking the Republican nomination for president.

For all practical purposes that sets the field with Mitt Romney, Rick Perry, Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul, Michelle Bachmann, Jon Huntsman, Rick Santorum.

I posted a great op-ed below that was published in New Hampshire’s Union Leader discussing why Mitt Romney is the right candidate for those who consider themselves Reaganites. I agree.

Mitt Romney is a solid common sense conservative.

He admirably converted to a pro-life position and governed that way as Governor. His record has been praised and detailed by Massachusetts Right to Life. He supports the repeal of Obamacare and on day one will issue a waiver to EVERY state in our republic to allow them to implement their own state based programs. Romney’s impressive release of his foreign policy team of advisors and his program to restore America’s leadership worldwide is critical to our homeland’s security.

Most importantly, he’s a businessman who understands what it takes to design an environment to create JOBS in America. No candidate is better prepared or as uniquely qualified on this front as Mitt Romney, other than possibly Herman Cain whom I greatly admire. But Romney’s broad based experience and command of economics is critical for this time in our country. He’s the right man at the right time.

The ONE uniting factor amongst our “center-right” coalition in America is the need to defeat Barack Obama and his left wing social-Democrat policies. His spending, unfunded government mandates, record debt & deficits have put our republic on the brink of disaster.

We just can’t afford 4 more years of Obama.

America is NOT better off than it was 4 years ago… the bottom line is Obama has made it worse.

Union Leader: Mitt Romney is the right choice for Reaganites like me
“This record (Romney’s) stands in sharp contrast to that of Rick Perry, the governor of Texas, who recently threw his hat into the ring. Perry is a pay-to-play career politician. I saw the corrosion this type of politician causes when I arrived in Washington at the end of the Carter administration. That’s not the kind of background that can turn this country around…. Well, to paraphrase the late Sen. Lloyd Bentsen, I knew Ronald Reagan, and Gov. Perry is no Ronald Reagan.”

http://www.thatssaulfolks.com/2011/10/07/mitt-romney-is-the-right-choice-for-reaganites-like-me/

Brilliant! A Republican Jobs Plan for All
Newt’s 21st Century Contract is a document on which the entire GOP can campaign & win a generation of governing majorities

http://spectator.org/archives/2011/10/05/newts-new-contract

The Biggest Spender: Obama’s Change for the Worse
“All these programs do not look good for the future of America or its people, for as American Enterprise Institute’s Director of economic policy Kevin Hassett said earlier this month, the Obama administration’s position “throughout this recovery has been that the U.S. can have the highest corporate tax on earth, a big regulatory crackdown, and a vast expansion of labor-union power and still expect a positive jobs story because of cash-for-clunkers and green jobs. This jobs report indicates how much damage that view has done.”
In the end, the newest Obama proposals are proof that his recent centrist posturing was just that, posturing. The new proposals are a continuation of the old Obama policies, policies that sadly have extended the recession, stifled economic growth, and will, for some years, have weakened America.”

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204422404576597781965791022.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_BelowLEFTSecond

Why Job Providers FEAR Obama’s Policies
“This resort to divisive populism – laying the blame on “fat cats” and pillorying the president’s favorite villains – “millionaires and billionaires” – is exactly the wrong approach. It seeds the suspicion that the administration is more interested in campaigning and undermines the confidence that business needs if it is to invest in the face of new regulations, healthcare costs and an increased bureaucracy. Businesses sense that the administration no longer understands how this perceived hostility saps the animal spirits required for taking risks on expansions and start-ups. When governments are shown to be powerless or incompetent, ordinary people suddenly realise that their elected officials have neither the understanding, the political power and sometimes not even the will to do what is necessary.”

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/d49abc24-eb5a-11e0-9a41-00144feab49a.html#axzz1ZjXv3tIe

Great Information on Early GOP Primaries
Frontloading HQ has great articles, maps and the latest information as to what is happening with the presidential nominating process.

http://frontloading.blogspot.com/

Michigan 9/11 survivor: ‘The enemy failed’
A good friend Patrick Anderson, founder and president of Anderson Economic Group, was attending an economists’ convention in the World Trade Center’s Marriott hotel when the planes hit on September 11, 2001. He escaped before the Marriott collapsed underneath the falling towers. During the ceremonies here in Michigan, he gave a great speech to the Michigan legislature that I would encourage all to read…an never forget!

http://detnews.com/article/20110909/MIVIEW/109090413/Michigan-9/11-survivor–‘The-enemy-failed’#ixzz1ZRc3f4SN

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/sanuzis

On Twitter at:
@sanuzis

Thanks again for all you do!

Mitt Romney is the right choice for Reaganites like me
Union Leader
Gerald Carmen
October 7, 2011
Print Edition

I AM PROUD to call myself a Reaganite. I had the honor of working closely with then Gov. Ronald Reagan during his 1980 presidential campaign and then serving in his admin-istration. Ronald Reagan is rightly revered as a great President, a great American, and a great conservative who turned America around when it stood on a great precipice.

In 2012, Americans are atop an even more intimidating cliff. The coming election is the most important moment for our future as a nation. We will either elect a new President or keep the exceptionally flawed one we now have. We can’t afford four more years of Barack Obama. We need a true leader now, one who will continue down the path marked by Ronald Reagan’s footsteps, a conservative who can win next November and then successfully govern. In my estimation, Mitt Romney is the only candidate in the race with the credentials to carry the Reagan mantle, recapture the White House, and then turn around the American economy.

Romney is not a career politician. He’s a lifelong businessman. That is exactly what we need in Washington right now; someone who understands how jobs are created. But Romney has also been a public servant, one who accomplished a number of extraordinary things.

He has demonstrated true political skill by getting elected as a conservative in the liberal state of Massachusetts. He showed his mettle by governing as a true conservative once elected. As governor, he slashed spending, balanced the state budget and turned a deficit into a $2 billion rainyday fund, all managed while cutting state taxes on 19 different occasions. All this in one of the most liberal states in the nation.

As governor, Romney also fought the good fight on illegal immigration. He advocated securing America’s borders with a physical fence. He pressed for a mandatory biometric, tamper-proof employmentverification system. He fought against amnesty for illegal immigrants. He vetoed a plan to charge in-state tuition to illegal immigrants attending Massachusetts universities.

Long before Arizona enacted its tough new laws, he worked to get the Massachusetts state troopers into the business of enforcing federal immigration laws. In this, Romney was a true pioneer.

This record stands in sharp contrast to that of Rick Perry, the governor of Texas, who recently threw his hat into the ring. Perry is a pay-to-play career politician. I saw the corrosion this type of politician causes when I arrived in Washington at the end of the Carter administration. That’s not the kind of background that can turn this country around.

State spending in Texas grew under Rick Perry. So did state borrowing. When Perry first took office, Texas had $13.7 billion in outstanding debt. Last year, it was nearly $38 billion, almost tripling in 10 years. I wasn’t surprised to learn that back when Perry was a Democrat he enthusiastically backed Al Gore’s presidential campaign in Texas and before that had endorsed the candidacy of Jimmy Carter, who went on to become the worst American President of the 20th century.

Perry’s stance on immigration alone should disqualify him from ever getting conservative support. Back in 2001, he wrote about his desire for “a more seamless, transparent border” with Mexico. Amazingly, he’s called the idea of building a fence there “preposterous” and “idiocy.” Perry didn’t stop there. He turned on the biggest illegal immigration magnet in America by signing legislation that offered in-state tuition rates to illegal immigrants, making Texas the first state in the nation to do so. Illegal immigrants receive almost a $100,000 subsidy to attend the University of Texas under Perry.

Gov. Perry calls himself a Ronald Reagan conservative.

Well, to paraphrase the late Sen. Lloyd Bentsen, I knew Ronald Reagan, and Gov. Perry is no Ronald Reagan.

I care deeply about the future of this country. The No. 1 requirement to getting this country back on track is to beat Barack Obama in November. After that, we need to make sure the candidate who beats him will roll back his failed experiment in liberalism and return common sense, conservative leadership to the White House. Ronald Reagan proved that good leadership goes a long way in America— our people are strong and will respond quickly to Mitt Romney’s leadership.

America has been blessed with great leaders at critical periods in our history. During these difficult economic times, Gov. Mitt Romney is right leader to create jobs and restore America’s prosperity.

Gerald Carmen of Manchester was a three-term New Hampshire Republican Party chairman and U.S. ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva from 1984-86.

Durant Reports Stunning Fundraising Numbers

Beyond all expectations, Clark Durant announced today that he raised over $750,000 these last few weeks! Durant, whom many considered an under-dog challenger against 18 year Congressman Pete Hoekstra in the Republican primary, surpassed goals set by Hoekstra and others saying “we must raise at least $500,000″ to be considered credible.

Congressman Hoekstra is yet to release his fundraising numbers, but was rumored to have commitments of over $650K as Governor Snyder made personal fundraising calls on his behalf and the Michigan Congressional Delegation hosted a DC Lobbyist fundraiser for Hoekstra several weeks ago.

Friday, September 30th was the legal deadline for first quarter checks to be collected. Political observers are still waiting for numbers from Hoekstra, Glenn, Heckman, Konetchy, Boman and others.

There is an old saying in politics:

“It takes two things to win an election, money and everything else.”

Clark Durant has both! He’s right on the issues, putting together a strong campaign and clearly has the fundraising base to effectively compete against Senator Debbie Stabenow.

See the Durant for U.S. Senate Press Release Below:

CLARK DURANT RAISES $750,000 IN LESS THAN SIX WEEKS

Momentum Builds for “the American Way, not the Washington Way”

For Immediate Release Contact: Dick Wadhams
Tuesday October 4, 2011 Tel. (313) 719 – 8200

Email: clarkdurant2012@gmail.com
Website: http://www.clarkdurant.com/

DETROIT — Michigan Republican Senate candidate Clark Durant announced today that he raised over $750,000 during the final six weeks of the third quarter.

“I am truly humbled and encouraged by the outpouring of support,” Durant said. “There is momentum building to shake up Washington. Our supporters are sending a strong message that they want the American way, not the Washington way.”

Durant filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) on August 18 and formally announced his candidacy http://www.clarkdurant.com/2011/09/26/clarks-announcement-speech/ on September 23. The Durant third quarter FEC report due on October 15 will show he raised more than $750,000 during the six weeks he has been an official candidate. Most of the funds were raised in the final two weeks of the quarter as a response to a strong campaign announcement, an aggressive effort at the bi-annual Michigan GOP Mackinac Conference, and a strong message to change business as usual in Washington.

“Raising more than three quarters of a million dollars in such a short period of time sends a clear signal that citizens want change,” Durant said. “We are an insurgency campaign with some real momentum at our back. However, this is just a first small step on the long and challenging road to defeat Senator Debbie Stabenow.

“Probably Congressman Hoekstra will report larger numbers since he has been in the race longer and has the support of the establishment, but I am very pleased with our strong start to challenge the way politics has been done in the past.”, said Bob Lutz, Durant’s General Finance Chairman.

The Durant campaign finance chairman is auto industry leader Bob Lutz http://www.clarkdurant.com/2011/09/12/car-whiz-lutz-backs-durant-for-senate-spot/. Durant has been endorsed by former Senator Spencer Abraham along with former state party chairs Betsy DeVos and Saul Anuzis http://www.clarkdurant.com/2011/08/11/betsy-devos-spencer-abraham-and-saul-anuzis-endorse-clark-durant-for-senate/ and many grass roots activists.

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If you would like more information about Clark Durant’s United States Senate campaign, or to schedule an interview with Mr. Durant, please call Adam Raezler at (313) 719-8200.