Are Politicians Working For You?

Sometimes we look at how our representatives vote and we just scratch our heads. What were they thinking? Or maybe a better question is, "Who are they working for?" Sometimes looking at who funds their campaigns clears up all your questions.

In the presidential arena Sen. Clinton and Sen. McCain have a similar approach. They go after big money people and big money special interest PACs. Then they sprinkle in some small contributors, just for giggles.

Sen. Obama has taken a different approach. No money from federal lobbyists or special interest PACs. He takes money from thousands of small contributors. Obama has broken all records. He has received over 1 million individual contributions.

Mitt Romney had a different approach. Write yourself checks. Personally, if I want a new camera or bike or whatever, I just buy myself one. However, it seems to be increasingly popular for politicians to try to buy themselves an office. In my book, that is going too far.

Our state representative race for Manistee and the 101st district has these same approaches to campaign financing. Our current representative was an ex-lobbyist. His campaigns were funded mostly by out of district rich people and special interest PACs. All contributions can be seen online through the Sec. of State. Look for yourself. Our rep is from Manistee. See how many local people were willing to even give him a buck. They are as rare as hens teeth.

There are 3 Republicans vying for the open state rep. seat. Look at their contributions records. Mike McManus can't find money anywhere. He might as well drop out now. Ray Franz and Janice McCraner have the same approach. About 75% of their campaign funds come from writing themselves a check. The local people willing to support them financially - put together - would fit in my living room.

Dan Scripps is the top fund raiser in our state rep. campaign. And like Obama he is setting new records for contributions from local people he will actually represent. It is not big money, 10 bucks here and 20 bucks there, but it adds up. Scripps had almost 400 contributors by Dec. 31. Nobody in this district has seen anything like it. And it does add up. Dan Scripps raised more money than all three Republicans combined!

For me, where campaigns get their money is important. I don't have much time for people who try to buy themselves a position, or who are willing to sell themselves to special interest PACs. I want to see lots of local voters chipping in whatever they can afford to give. That is a real measure of the support and respect a candidate enjoys.

This is just one reason why I like Scripps and Obama.

William F. Buckley is Dead

William F. Buckley, a key conservative voice in America for the last half century, has passed away, persumably to the fiery pits of hell.

Ann Coulter emailed me this morning to share some of her thoughts on the passing of this great man. As many of you know, I have a thing for Ann Coulter. I love her skankiness. Where else but in American could you find a woman who dresses like a hooker and uses the language of a sailor on shore leave to speak so articulately about the conservative cause.

Ann wrote me this morning to reflect on the life of William F. Buckley. (OK, for the sake of full disclosure she wrote me and thousands of others who are signed up for a listserv email blast.) I am providing the link to the entire artice. I hope you have a chance to read the whole thing.

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=25241

Just in case you don't have time for the whole article I am going to quote and summarize some pieces. It is easy to see why Buckley was revered among conservatives. Highlights from Ann Coulter's article.

Ann reminds us that Buckley was a defender of Joe McCarthy. However he didn't like Eisenhower. Too liberal. "National Review did not endorse a candidate for president in 1956, correctly concluding that Dwight Eisenhower was not a conservative, however great a military leader he had been. "

Buckley did support Joe Lieberman when he ran and defeated incumbent Senator Lowel Weicker. In fact he set up a PAC for Lieberman.

"In a famous exchange with Gore Vidal in 1968, Vidal said to Buckley: "As far as I am concerned, the only crypto Nazi I can think of is yourself."
Buckley replied: "Now listen, you queer. Stop calling me a crypto Nazi, or I'll sock you in your goddamn face and you'll stay plastered."
Years later, in 1985, Buckley said of the incident: "We both acted irresponsibly. I'm not a Nazi, but he is, I suppose, a fag."

"When asked if he had "referred to Jesse Jackson as an ignoramus," Buckley said, "If I didn't, I should have."

I hope you will take time to read Ann's entire article.
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=25241

Conservatives all agree that Buckley was a great American, a role model for our children. And many thanks to Ann Coulter for her reflections on William F. Buckley. She shows us clearly why conservatives liked him so much.

Republican Dirty Tricks in the County Building

When a candidate runs for office they need to get a nominating petition and then collect a whole bunch of signatures. It is pretty simple really. Just go into the County Clerk and pick them up. Right? Apparently that is not the case in Manistee County. In Manistee County our County Clerk doesn't have them, know where they are, or how to get them.

By the way, did I mention that the candidate is a Democrat and the County Clerk is a Republican. After 2 months, lots of run around, and some calls downstate to key officials, the proper papers were finally acquired from our County Clerk's office. How, you wonder? No thanks to the County Clerk, who still was no help. However, an assistant was able to walk over to a file and pull them out, when shortly before the Clerk said she wouldn't be able to supply them.

Those who know our clerk insist it is not incompetence. Instead they point to a disturbing pattern of her using her public office for partisan purposes. Shame on you, Marilyn Kliber.