Voting in Michigan’s 107th State Rep District, 1st U.S. Congressional District, or U.S. Senate?

This post may be a bit too late, what with the elections coming up in a week. But, there is still a week left to decide who you will vote for. If you are anything like me, you wait ’til the last minute to decide who you will vote for in non-pres and non-governor races. So, let’s take a looksee at who are running for state and U.S. rep and senate races.

First up is the state rep 107th District;

Alex Strobehn (R)

Taxes-Alex opposes any tax during a recession…”I like to say that Lansing needs to spend like a college student, making every penny count.

Trash-Opposes dumping of Canadian trash into Michigan…

Life-100% pro-life…

Environment-Common Sense environmentalist…

Alternative Energy-Believes the district is perfect for the governors environmental plan…In addition it will create jobs in the community…

2nd Amendment-Strong believer in the right to bear arms…Restricting guns is only taking them away from law abiding citizens…In other words gun restriction is simply leaving the lawful defenseless.

Spending-Believes Michigan has very poor spending habits. Feels Michigan needs to reprioritize from “how we would like it” to be “what we can afford.”…

The above issues were snippets taken from Alex Strobehn’s Platform Page.

Alex’s opponent is incumbent Gary McDowell. Since I am supporting Alex, I will not talk about Gary McDowell.

Next, Ist U.S. Congressional Race.

Daniel Grow (L)

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I pledge to the First District of Michigan to remain committed to the ethic of liberty that allowed our forefathers to forge the First District, the State of Michigan, and the United States of America. When our ancestors were settling in Northern Michigan, it was only their hard work that allowed them to succeed, not hand-outs or government programs. I further pledge to take every action possible to block new intervention in our homes and businesses, end failed policies and programs, and seek peace abroad.

Taken from Daniel Grow’s homepage, more here

ABOUT

After high school, Daniel Grow attended Northern Michigan University. He transferred to Michigan State and graduated with a degree in Public Administration. He went on to law school at the University of Detroit, and has practiced law since. Grow limits his practice to the representation of business and local governments in state, federal, and administrative courts.

Grow has been the chairman of the Libertarian Party of Southwest Michigan since 2006, and was chosen to serve on the national party’s Platform Committee as Michigan’s delegate. He has been a delegate at the last two Libertarian Party of Michigan conventions, the national convention in Denver, Colorado, and was elected as a committee member at large to the Libertarian Party of Michigan’s executive committee in June of 2008. Under his leadership, the Libertarian Party of Southwest Michigan has expanded from three counties to seven counties.

From Daniel Grow’s “About” Page, here

THE BASIC ISSUE

Private property, freedom of contract, freedom of association, and trade unencumbered by governmental fiat are the philosophical foundations of a free society.

I pledge to adhere to these principles, and to fight for their full realization. Only by doing so can we hope to rebuild a free and prosperous society.

The political party machinery of the Democrats and Republicans can only produce compromised candidates burdened with favors promised, debts to special interests, and pledged party loyalty. Only someone willing to reject the promises of power and influence can universally oppose government intervention and be a champion of peace, and I make that promise to you.

Taken from Daniel Grow’s Basic Issue Page, here.

Tom Casperson (R)

ABOUT

• Bio
• Accomplishments

Click the “About” link to learn more about Tom

ISSUES

• Purpose of Government
• Immigration
• Iraq
• Second Amendment
• Judiciary Reform
• Right to Life
• Earmarks
• Sovereignty
  

Click the Issues link, above to find out where Tom stands on all these issues

Tom’s and Daniel’s opponent is incumbent Bart Stupak. Due to the fact that I do not support Bart Stupak and am torn between support of Daniel Grow or Tom Casperson, I am not going to talk about Bart.

Now, onto the U.S. Senate Race.

Scotty Boman (L)

ABOUT

Scotty Boman became a Libertarian in 1985. Since then, he has tirelessly promoted liberty by writing, teaching, and running for public office.

Scotty has been a Libertarian candidate in every statewide partisan election since 1994. In 1997, his candidacy for Detroit City Council was endorsed by the Detroit News.

Most famously, Scotty served as Libertarian gubernatorial candidate Greg Creswell’s running mate in 2006. The Creswell-Boman ticket campaigned on behalf of Proposal-2, which sought to eliminate the legalized racial and gender preference practiced by the state of Michigan. Both Jennifer Granholm and Dick DeVos opposed Proposal-2, which ended up passing by a large margin.

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Taken from the “Meet Scotty” Page, here.

ISSUES

• Peace

1. A Foreign Policy of Peace and Freedom
2. To Secure the Domestic Peace: End the War on Drugs

• Having spent my life in a large urban community, I have seen the tragic consequences of drug abuse first hand. I have also learned that what politicians call the “drug problem” is actually an addiction problem. One thing addicts learn in treatment is that insanity is repeatedly doing the same thing and expecting different results. History has shown that our federal drug policy is insane.
• In 1919, “progressives” saw alcohol consumption as a great evil, and they wanted to ban it on a national scale. Recognizing that the federal government lacked the authority to do this, they proposed and passed the 19th amendment, which took away the right of individuals to consume the beverages of their choice.
• Under Prohibition, alcohol consumption actually increased. Worse yet, American cities became war zones with newly rich gangsters fighting over turf in the lucrative booze trade. After just 15 years, Americans had finally had enough, and the 21st amendment was passed in 1933 to repeal Prohibition.
• But did we learn from this failed experiment?
• Years later, the federal government declared a War on Drugs. This time, however, it didn’t pass a constitutional amendment to give it the authority: It just created it out of thin air.
• If the federal government needed a constitutional amendment to prohibit alcohol in 1919, why does it not need one to continue the prohibition of marijuana and other drugs today?
• Regardless, once again, our inner cities have been turned into war zones. The scarcity created by drug prohibition leads to higher prices and greater profits for drug dealers. This gives them an incentive to expand their markets. If politicians grasped basic economics, they wouldn’t be surprised to learn that drug prohibition leads to more drug use, not less.
• [....]

• Liberty

1. The War on Civil Liberties

• The Republican Party may have stood for “small government” at one time, but it has been under a Republican administration with a Republican Congress that we have witnessed the greatest abridgments of freedom in the history of the republic. This is why many former Republicans — such as presidential candidate Bob Barr — have left the GOP for the Libertarian Party!
• But it’s not just the Republicans who are to blame. Our own Senator Carl Levin voted for the Real ID Act and continues to support its funding. I am steadfastly opposed to a national ID card, which is sure to become a one-stop shop for identity thieves. Once Real ID is in effect, it will be possible for the government to track your every move: This is not acceptable in the Land of the Free.
• I am also opposed to the warrantless wiretapping rammed through Congress by the Bush administration — with Carl Levin’s help.
• [....]

1. The Second Amendment: It’s non-negotiable

• There is no ambiguity here: The federal government has no constitutional authority to regulate, restrict, license, or otherwise interfere with the right of individuals to own or possess firearms.
• Next question

1. Protecting our constitutional liberty

• The Constitution was ratified by the states as the highest law in the land. The federal government has no right to make agreements with international agencies that submit the states and the people to the will of world government.I support withdrawing or limiting participation in the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, the International Criminal Court, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund.
• I am opposed to sovereignty-reducing “free trade” deals that actually put limits on trade and work only to the benefit special interests: NAFTA, CAFTA, FTAA, etc. Real “free trade” requires one sentence, not thousands of pages in legalese.
• I am opposed to the construction of the NAFTA Superhighway — which has begun — on the grounds that people’s land will be taken by eminent domain. This is a private property issue as much as a national sovereignty issue.
• I am opposed to the establishment of a North American Union with Canada and Mexico, and to the adoption of a new multinational fiat currency to replace the U.S. dollar.

1. The constitutional view on marriage

• The federal government has no constitutional authority to define or regulate marriage. Thus, the Defense of Marriage Act is clearly unconstitutional and should be repealed in its entirety.
• I am opposed to any attempt to amend the Constitution to give the federal government the power to define or regulate marriage.
• As Senator, I would vote to do away with all special benefits and privileges that the federal government grants individuals on the basis of their marital status.
• [....]

1. The Federal government vs. education

• Read the Constitution: Nowhere is the federal government authorized to have any involvement in education. I support total freedom of choice in education, and I oppose any interference by the federal government into the educational choices made by parents and students.As an educator for more than 19 years, I have personally witnessed the damage caused by No Child Left Behind. Bureaucrats in Washington do not know what’s best for your child’s education — only you and your child can determine that.
• [....]

1. Defending Americans’ health care freedom

• The federal government has no legitimate constitutional authority to regulate or limit the health-care choices of Americans. In fact, since the federal government has become involved, health-care prices have greatly outpaced inflation. The best way to make health care affordable is to get the government out of it.
• Thanks to the efforts of Democrats and Republicans over the years, we now have a multi-trillion-dollar unfunded Medicare liability. This burden will be borne by our children and grandchildren, though it was our generation and those before us who reaped the benefits. This is morally unconscionable! There is no simple solution to get us out of the Medicare mess, but we mustn’t compound it with even more government intervention into the realm of health care.
• I am steadfastly opposed to socialized medicine. As Senator, I will fight Democrats and Republicans in their efforts to impose health-care rationing on the American people. We need more freedom, not more government.
• [....]
• I strongly oppose the unconstitutional efforts of the federal government to prohibit individual states from legalizing medical marijuana. In addition to being grossly inhumane, such efforts are entirely without constitutional basis.

Taken from the Liberty Page in Issues, more here

• Prosperity

1. Repeal the income tax and replace it with nothing

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• America existed for 124 years without a federal income tax, during which time we thrived as a nation. The 95 years since the income tax came into being have seen the value of our dollar decline by 95%: This is not a coincidence.I do not support replacing the income tax with a national sales tax. In the absence of a constitutional amendment to repeal the 16th amendment and prohibit a federal income tax, we would probably end up with both a national sales tax and an even higher income tax. After all, the income tax was sold to Americans with the understanding that it would result in lower tariffs, but just a few years after its implementation, tariffs were higher than ever before. And if we did go to the enormous trouble of passing a constitutional amendment, it would be far better to more strictly limit Congress’s power to tax, rather than granting it a new power of taxation.
• [....]

1. End the Federal Reserve’s Inflation Tax

• The Federal Reserve Act of 1913 is not only unconstitutional, it has been absolutely ruinous to our nation’s economy. Since the Fed has come into being, the U.S. dollar has lost 95% of its purchasing power — and yet the defenders of the Fed tell us its purpose is to “keep inflation under control.”
• The fact of the matter is that only the government and its central bank can cause inflation. They do this by expanding the money supply. Each time the Fed creates new money, it diminishes the value of your dollar-based financial holdings. It thus imposes a hidden tax — the “inflation tax” — and redistributes wealth from the poor and working class to the rich and politically connected.
• Since 1971, the U.S. dollar has been a purely fiat currency. At one time, people accepted paper dollars because they knew they could exchange them for gold: The dollar was “as good as gold.” But now people accept dollars only because they’ve become so accustomed to doing so, and because they are legally required to accept them.
• [....]

1. Social Security: Make it Voluntary

• Social Security is as much as $11 trillion in the red. It, along with Medicare, will place an insurmountable burden on the young working people of this nation in the years to come — unless we immediately change our ways.
• There is no simple solution to the Social Security shortfall, but one thing is for certain: We need to cut government spending. Not a little here and a little there — but drastic, across-the-board cuts — and we need to do it now.
• Millions of people are dependent upon Social Security, and we can’t just throw them out on the street. They had their wages garnished by the government for decades to pay for the benefits of the generation that came before them, and now they expect today’s younger generation of workers to provide for their retirement.
• [....]

Taken from the Prosperity Page in Issues, more here

Jack Hoogendyke (R)

ABOUT

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Jack, born in 1955, watched his father work hard to make a difference and began to understand the importance of individual responsibility. “I want to take the lessons I learned from my father – hard work, integrity, not being defined by circumstances or surroundings – and put them to work on behalf of the people of Michigan. My passions are for smaller government, lower taxes and personal responsibility.”

In 1968, Hoogendyk Sr. ran for Kalamazoo County commissioner, where he served two terms…

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Hoogendyk had a successful career in sales and marketing, eventually becoming a national manager for a Fortune 500 company. “Even though I was moving quite a bit, I always stayed involved and active in the political process – no matter where I lived.”

In the early ’90s, Jack and his family returned to Kalamazoo County, where he became Executive Director of Alternatives Pregnancy Care Center, a faith-based nonprofit serving young women and families facing unplanned pregnancies with services such as clothing and shelter. Jack is also chairman of SHALOM, a non-profit adult foster care agency.

In 1998, Jack was appointed to the Portage City Zoning Board of Appeals and later the Kalamazoo Public Health Advisory Board. In 1999, he ran for mayor of Portage and nearly unseated the incumbent. Not one to be discouraged, Jack was elected to the Kalamazoo County Commission in 2000, defeating a popular county commissioner and former mayor. He went on to win the general election and fell in love with public service.

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In 2002, Jack was elected to the first of his three terms as State Representative, taking another step in his public service commitment. Since then, Jack Hoogendyk has been working to protect taxpayers, strengthen education and defend families. He is not willing to be defined by his surroundings, but rather seeks to influence and inspire. He’s been following in the steps of his father by investing in his family, community and state.

Taken from Jack Hoogendyke’s “About” Page, here.

ISSUES

• Jobs and the Economy

• I support making the current tax relief permanent. Taxes are too high.
• Business taxes must be lowered to provide more investment in Michigan’s economy.
• I support permanently eliminating the death tax.
• [....]

• Gas Prices and Energy

• We need to reduce our dependence on foreign oil.
• We must open up American oil fields for further exploration while protecting the environment.
• I support the expansion of nuclear energy and clean coal technology.

• Securing OUR Borders

• As the son of immigrants, I believe those who come here legally and obey the law should be able to pursue the American Dream. However, illegal immigration costs Michigan taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars every year. I am committed to securing our borders and holding accountable employers who hire illegal immigrants.
• I support making English the official language.

• National Security

• I oppose the Supreme Court’s decision to grant foreign terrorists the same rights to legal representation as American citizens. Carl Levin praised this decision as “an important victory.” I believe it was a victory for terrorists.
• [....]

• Wasteful Washington Spending

• am opposed to deficit spending. The federal budget should be balanced every year. Carl Levin was the deciding NO vote on the balanced budget amendment.
• We must not pass on this debt to our children, which is why I will fight out-of-control Washington spending and pork barrel projects.
• I am opposed to earmark spending and will not offer any earmarks. Carl Levin is a leader in the Senate on wasteful, inappropriate earmarks.

• Second Amendment

• I have an “A” rating from the National Rifle Association and will continue to defend the constitutional right to bear arms.
• (Carl Levin received an “F” from the NRA)

• Public Education

• I am a supporter of local control of community schools. The best schools are those controlled by the parents and their designated board and administrators.
• I believe that as Public Education is mandated by the Michigan Constitution and not the US Constitution,
• it is appropriate for funding to be provided by the state. The US Dept. of Education has not accomplished the goal of improving public education. It would be better if the federal government eliminated the Dept. of Education and let the states direct funding.

Jack’s and Scotty’s opponent is incumbent Carl Levin. Dure to the fact that I do not support Carl Levin and am torn between support of Scotty Boman and Jack Hoogendyke I am not going to talk about Carl Levin.

Now I’m going to give you a chance to compare the candidates in their respective races, side by side. Click on the following links, that will take you to new separate windows.

Michigan State Rep 107th

Alex Strobehn (R)

Gary McDowell (D)

U.S. Congress 1st District Rep

Daniel Grow (L)

Tom Casperson (R)

Bart Stupak (D)

U.S. Senate

Scotty Boman (L)

Jack Hoogendyke (R)

Carl Levin (D)

Michigan Redneck’s Notes: This post took me way longer than I had expected it to. See, the deal is, I am using windows 98. The typing, the copy/paste, layout of post with the outline format and whatnot take much longer than it really should have. I had to preview, review, and edit dozens of times. If you are viewing this soon after I have officially posted, you may come back to see even more changes. In the original draft, I had a few other notes, that somehow got deleted. I am just too tired to retype those, at this moment. So I will be back to post my notes in entirety.

After all that, me thinks I shall sit back, drink a Pabst Blue Ribbon (Official Beer of Rockabilly), and take a well deserved nap. Seee-ya later alligators!