Saturday, March 24, 2012

Democrat Hubbard to run against Pettalia in 106th District Race ...

Democrat Ken Hubbard, an Alpena County Commissioner has announced he will be running against 106th District Representative Peter Pettalia, a Republican. Pettalia is nearing the end of his 1st term having been elected in 2010 on the wave that swept a Republican majority into control of Michigan's entire government. Please read the related article at this link :

http://www.thealpenanews.com/page/content.detail/id/520836.html

Friday, March 23, 2012

Huffington Post !

I've written an article for publication in the "Huffington Post" re: the Democratic Primary in our 1st Congressional District and they are very interested in it -  and future articles. I am working to finish it up and hopefully get it to them by around the middle of next week. Stay tuned ! Thanks !! 

GDH



Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Update ...

I'm back - that is to say that I've been pretty sick for about a month but I can now endorse Mucinex.

I'm also happy to report that "The Huffington Post" has expressed an interest in the McDowell-Bailey primary campaign in Northern Michigan's 1st Congressional District. I will be working to better illuminate readers in that regard as we move into spring.

Please leave a comment or question or just say hello - I'm especially interested in your thoughts and feelings about the primary election in the 1st Congressional District - Have you met the candidates ? What are your impressions ? Are you registered to vote ? Do you feel motivated to vote this year and if so why or why not . Thank you for visiting  - I hope you'll return and be a regular. Stay tuned - more to come .

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Outside influences in the primary election ...

Over the course of the Democratic Primary for Congress in the 1st Congressional District the voters of NORTHERN MICHIGAN will become enlightened as to the candidate’s positions on issues concerning the 1st Congressional District. The degree of contrast between Gary McDowell and Derek J. Bailey will either persuade or dissuade us and the question will be finally decided on August 7th. Some of the contrasts between the candidates will be readily apparent while others may not be so obvious.

I have already begun to discern things in regards to McDowell’s campaign which disturb me and about which I’ve been blogging at “The Northern Michigan Democrat”,


Essentially, I noticed very early in McDowell’s candidacy that he had a sudden burst of endorsements and contributions coming from East Lansing, Detroit, California, Minnesota, Maryland and Washington, D.C. to name a few – all from either down state or outside the state of Michigan. This smacks of more than “politics as usual” – it says to me “the fix is in. It also says to me that although Gary McDowell was soundly defeated by Dan Benishek in 2010, rejected by NORTHERN MICHIGAN voters in a Congressional District that had been Democratic from 1993 – 2010, that there had been conversations outside the 1st District by people and organizations who had determined as early as 2010 that he, Gary McDowell, would represent NORTHERN MICHIGAN voters and that they would determine how he will vote on a variety of issues. My feeling is that no one person or organization gives that much money to a primary candidate – not a formal candidate but a “primary candidate” – unless they want something in return.
 These decisions were made in the proverbial “ back rooms” somewhere other than NORTHERN MICHIGANI’m uncomfortable with that.

NORTHERN MICHIGAN voters deserve to be a part of any conversation regarding who will be their Representative and that’s why we have a PRIMARY ELECTION process.

We should be comfortable that our Representative is our voice in Congress and that our interests haven’t been compromised by deal making and shady politics.

This 2012 Democratic Primary election on August 7th is of the utmost import to every voter and family in the 1st Congressional District. If Gary McDowell is chosen to run against Benishek and wins then he will most certainly be manipulated by those who bankrolled his campaign – from downstate & out of state. On the other hand,   Derek J. Bailey is a candidate who has determined that he will ask the people of NORTHERN MICHIGAN for their support inside the District during this primary campaign.


Your VOTE is not a commodity that can be purchased - it's yours to make freely and so I encourage you to do so wisely as an informed voter and not as the pawn of out of state politicos and special interests.


Derek’s campaign is honorable and that’s something we haven’t seen for a while – a breath of fresh air in a political environment that wreaks of rottenness.
 Let me know your thoughts and feelings – I’m especially interested to know if you want someone outside of the 1st Congressional District to influence our Representative and his voting.

GDH