Unless you’ve been in a political coma, you know about the three way race in NY-23 between Owens(D), Scozzafava(R?) and Hoffman(Conservative Party).  The election takes place on November 3rd, 9 days from now.  You probably know by now that the endorsements break down as follows -

Owens-

• President Obama
• DNC

Scozzafava-

• NRCC
• RNC
• Newt Gingrich
• DailyKOS
• Margaret Sanger Award

Hoffman-

• Fred!!
• Club For Growth
• Police Benevolent Association
• Concerned Women
• Citizens of the Republic
• Susan B. Anthony List
• American Conservative Union
• Citizens United Political Victory Fund
• Campaign for Working Families
• NYS Right to Life PAC
• GING-PAC
• Conservative Victory Fund
• Eagle Forum
• 912candidates.org
• Nat’l Organization for Marriage
• America’s Independent Party
• Steve Forbes
• Sarah Palin
• Wholesaler-Distributor Political Action Committee
• Freedoms Defense Fund
• U.S. Representative Todd Tiahrt (R-Kansas)
• U.S. Representative Michelle Bachmann (R-Minnesota)
• And others

Looking at those lists, which candidate do you feel more comfortable with?  This race has become the testing ground.  How effective and influential are we as conservatives?  I challenge everyone reading this to give $50 to Doug Hoffman’s campaign today, then post below to encourage others about what you are doing.  If you can give more or can only give less, go for it.

http://doughoffmanforcongress.com/

If you can find the money but choose not to give, don’t complain in the future when the National Republican Apparatus continues to ignore our wishes and the winning path of conservatism.  Everyone already knows that Scozzafava can NOT win this race, it is just not possible.  She is a horrible candidate and does not have the support of her base.  The NRCC is only still supporting her because it refuses to admit its mistake.  Hoffman can win, and his winning will echo throughout the corridors of power, both within our party and without.

Minnesota’s GOP had their state convention on October 3rd. The night before they held a forum for the Governor candidates. For those just tuning in, two term Governor Tim Pawlenty(R-ish) will not be running for re-election in 2010. Most assume that he is interested in a 2012 run at the Presidency. This leaves the race wide open, without an automatic nominee for either side.

What was the most interesting fact of all about the candidate’s forum is that all of the serious candidates could be easily characterized as conservative. Let me introduce a few of them -

Pat Anderson – Former State Auditor who is running primarily on a “cut government” platform. Her main points at the candidate’s forum revolved around cutting the state government’s spending, taxing and influence in the lives of Minnesotans. Her presentation at the convention itself before the straw poll consisted of filling the stage and the area around it with MN, US, and Gadsden flags, brought in to the beat of a revolutionary era dressed drummer.

Tom Emmer – Current member of MN state house. Is a passionate and fiery conservative, not afraid to yell a little in his presentation. A big focus of his campaign is making MN more business friendly. In the candidate forum he spoke for photo ID laws for voting, removing excess government and stated that in reducing government, “the sky is the limit”. He also took the time to emphasize that he would continue the Pawlenty tradition of being present at every military arrival and departure for MN troops.

Paul Kohls – Also a member of the MN state house. He has repeatedly called for a state spending freeze. One of his top priorities is education. He used the term “educrats” in his discussion of state education. His strategy for victory is to use his good temperament to persuade the middle to choose conservative ideas.

Marty Seifert – Former minority leader of state house. His most recent claim to fame is doing a very good job of keeping the caucus together to give Governor Pawlenty the ability to veto bills without fear of Republican defectors overturning them. Making Minnesota a favorable environment for business is his biggest pitch, focusing on taxes, fees and regulations that have been driving businesses out of the state. He said that we don’t need to hold the line on taxes, we need to reduce them. He also released a “contract with Minnesota” type plan so that the MN GOP can run with a coherent message. When asked about bipartisanship, he turned the conventional definition of it around and said that he is all for bipartisanship, he would be very happy to have the democrats vote with us.

There are other candidates, but I focused on these because they either have the best chance of winning or had some interesting things to say. The other candidates either were completely uninteresting or a little fruity.

The moderator noted that all of the expected and announced DFL candidates for Governor are on record wanting to raise taxes and asked for a show of hands who would raise taxes. None of the GOP candidates did, bringing chuckles from the crowd.

I managed to speak one on one with every one of the candidates mentioned above, and think highly of the conservative principles I sensed in all of them. At the end of the post I’ll talk a little bit more about who is the best choice in my opinion. But first…

If you are still reading, you are either a Minnesotan, interested in Minnesota politics or you want to know why I referenced the 1994 GOP in the subject line. Since shortly after the 1994 sweep, the Republican party lost its way. In a quest to grow and maintain power, it fell for the idea that it needed to be in the center to win elections. The argument continuously put forward was that conservative principles could not be implemented and defended if Republicans did not win elections. The result a decade and half later? Conservative principles have not been implemented or defended and Republicans have not been winning elections.
The political landscape is changing very rapidly right now. If the GOP can channel the energy from the tea parties into election victory and follow that with legislative success, conservatism will once again drive this country forward. If they don’t, it may be nightfall for the U.S. and for freedom in the world and the west.
It is exciting that all indications are the MN GOP understands this. Every one of these candidates recognized the importance of the tea parties. Every one of them recognized that the GOP can not expect anything out of the middle of the road other than getting run over. It is my hope that this filters up to the national party very fast. One of the key indicators to me about the future of the GOP and the future of the U.S. will be the Rubio – Crist contest in Florida. If Rubio wins the primary, there is hope that the darkened sky is signaling the sun coming up on another morning in America. If Crist wins…well, I would recommend buying flashlights.
Although the GOP has failed many times in the last decade, they have been generally trying to go the correct way. Contrast that with the left. The left’s assault on reason, economics and liberty have brought them to the place they occupy now. America cannot afford to be at the mercy of the anti-intellectual left any longer.

Minnesota Governor Conclusion:

I am very strongly in support of Marty Seifert. Check out his website Seifert for Governor and drop him some money if you can. He is an incredibly personable man, a good speaker and he has a real plan. His experience in the legislature shows he has the leadership and the contacts in the house to accomplish his agenda. He is also committed to electing more Republicans to the state house and senate, and in my opinion he is the only candidate with a real shot at doing so.
I spoke with every one of these candidates at length and discussed them with many of my Minnesota political contacts. Marty is the first MN statewide candidate I feel comfortable and confident in supporting in at least a decade. I will be overseas and unable to help much with his campaign next year, so I hope some of my fellow conservative Minnesotans can step up. Governors races are very important, particularly as we see more overreach by the Federal government. We need conservative Governors who can tell the feds no from time to time.

Death panels. Cash for clunkers. Guns at protests. Racism! Racism? Card check.

Everyone is debating and discussing, arguing and accusing on all these issues. Average American is concerned about whether he can get $4500 for his old car or whether Uncle Sam is going to pay for his Viagra.

Meanwhile, here are some friends of mine that I have never met –

Army Pfc. William Z. Vanosdol 23 Ad Diwaniyah, Iraq

Army Pfc. Morris L. Walker 23 Paktika Province, Afghanistan

Army Staff Sgt. Clayton P. Bowen 29 Paktika Province, Afghanistan

Marine Gunnery Sgt. Adam F. Benjamin 34 Helmand Province, Afghanistan

Marine Lance Cpl. Leopold F. Damas, 26 Helmand Province, Afghanistan

Army Sgt. 1st Class William B. Woods Jr., 31 Ghazni, Afghanistan

Army Cpl. Nicholas R. Roush, 22 Herat, Afghanistan

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If you have never heard of Saint Cloud, Minnesota, don’t feel bad. Based on the 2000 Census, this town has 59,107 people, and is located in the middle of the northern most state in the center of the United States. Per Capita income in 2000 was $19,769 as opposed to a nationwide number of $21,587.

We are a mostly working class town strongly steeped in the idea of Minnesota nice. For those who have never visited our state, that means we are quiet and don’t like to rock the boat or offend anyone. Minnesotans by and large are not overly social creatures, and we tend to keep our opinions to ourselves.

April 15, 2009. In the middle of the work day, 450 people (some credible reports put it as high as 600 people) found the time on their lunch hour or time off to attend the Tax Day Tea Party. It was an exciting event, with people well-behaved and respectful of each other, even as they made sure that the powers that be knew how they felt about the shape our country is in.

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A few weeks ago I was getting my haircut.  As I was on my way to do PT(physical training) with some of my junior enlisted folks, I was in my Army PT uniform.  The discussion came around to military things and my upcoming return to Iraq.  The young(low twenties) lady cutting my hair said “Isn’t the new president going to end the wars?”

I had to look at her, because I couldn’t imagine that she was serious.  It seems many of the American people have forgotten about the TWO wars we are still fighting.  A disengaged public was convinced by the MSM that the wars were all President Bush’s fault.  Now they naively believe that the exit of Bush is the end to the conflicts.  Most of us know better, but it is important for us to keep it in mind, and to remind our fellow countrymen of what is truly happening in the world.

Even more, when Iraq does come to a close(we’ve won and it is just a matter of finishing the clean up), and Afghanistan ends(if President Obama doesn’t manage to screw it up), understand that for many the war never ends.  Hundreds of thousands of veterans will still be fighting these wars every night in their dreams and every day in moments of reflection.  Several of my family members work at the VA hospital here in town, and the old Korean and Vietnam war vets still struggle with what happened decades ago.  Pray for the veterans.  More than that, understand and honor the sacrifice they have made for YOU.

Let me leave with a video I found today.  It is not my kind of music, but the lyrics and the sentiment could have been pulled directly out of my head in those quiet moments of thought.  It is one of the most powerful videos I have ever watched:

If I were King – Queensryche

In my opinion, the American people chose wrong yesterday. Even more to the point, the American people chose the man who disrespects my service and my sacrifices.

I feel hurt, and somewhat depressed, not so much because of all the negatives that are to come for our country, but because I truly feel that the people of this country broke faith with the men and women of the armed services by electing Barack Obama to the Presidency.

That said – if you read my previous post, I do not fight for the President, nor for the electorate, nor for a political party or a prevailing mood in the country. I do not require gratefulness or compensation to do what I do.

I fight for the Flag – which still waves.

I fight for the Constitution – though bruised and battered it still stands as the supreme law of our land.

I fight for the ideals of freedom, liberty and justice – Which are still to be found in more abundance in the United States of America than anywhere else in the world or in human history.

I defend the rights of the American people, and I will fight no less because they misuse or disuse those rights.

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On behalf of myself, and hundreds of thousands of soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen, let me say this simply -

If the people of the United States of America elect Barack Obama to the Presidency, they have broken faith with us.

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Driving to work and home today has convinced me that John McCain’s speech wasn’t a base hit, it was a grand slam home run. I was listening to the radio, but that isn’t what convinced me that John McCain filled the world with awesome. It wasn’t pondering the speech or talking on the phone, or any of the other usual indicators that might tell me how well he did.

It was something else entirely. Most of you know I an Army Reserve soldier. Most of you know I served a year in Iraq. What most of you don’t know is that I live in blue-purple Minnesota. What none of you could possibly know is that I drive 70 miles to work and 70 miles home each day, and have a U.S. Army sticker on my truck.

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Veterans for Freedom members were invited to the premiere, so my wife and I headed down to Minneapolis to see it. Let me keep it simple – if you like parody movies and/or love America, you will love this movie.

I found myself with tears in my eyes repeatedly. Half of the time it was because I was laughing that hard. The other half it was tears of pride in this great nation.

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