Closet Democrats, Catholic Voters and Northern Michigan Democrats ...

I have met several “closet Democrats” here in Alcona County recently. I’m sure everyone knows or suspects who, among your friends or acquaintances, they may be. Some are business people who are afraid of losing clients or business if their true loyalties were known. The independent, conservative culture in this county has many Democrats subdued, indeed, some even run as Republicans in various village, township and county elections. We know however from past Democratic Caucuses in the county that there are a good number of Democrats. Also, there are a fair number of independents who have voted Democratic before and may do so again in the November election. The buzz that I’ve heard from some staunch Republicans is that they are unexcited by the candidates they have to choose from and quite simply put off by most. Listening to them is quite satisfying for me and I suspect emotionally purifying for them. The Huffington Post recently reported that 10% of Republicans may vote , in fact, for Obama ! That 10% may be all that remains of the old Republican Party and it may be the only way they can still register their disappointment with the candidate field as it exists.

Interestingly too, Catholics have whispered to me that they want the option of birth control and that when they enter the voting booth only God and they, themselves, will know how they voted – wink-wink.

I have said it many times, and don’t mind repeating it, that the 1^st Congressional District is Michigan’s Northern Congressional District – something that makes us unique. As such, our ilk of Democrat is something that sets us quite apart from the down state crowd. That’s why we can have a Democratic Representative from 1993 – 2010 and can still manage to lose the seat to a Republican. Yes, the Tea Party had something to do with it but there was that independent thing again too. By the election results we can see that People who voted Democratic in the past voted FOR Benishek. In 2012, no doubt some of those will have “buyer’s remorse” and come back to vote Democratic again this fall. The November election is OURS to LOSE. The establishment Democrat is Gary McDowell, a good man and a solid Democrat but “ Houston We have a Problem” – he’s running because the downstate Democratic establishment wants him to. He toed the line in the State House and that is why he is the “chosen one”. But wait ! This time around we have a choice and we want to use our votes sort of like those Republicans who feel disenfranchised - we want to vote our national party but we also want to send a collective message to the State Democratic party and the DNC. Mr. McDowell ran against Benishek before and was handily defeated ... there was no great groundswell of support for him and his stump speeches were more about asking for donations than talking about the issues. I'm a U.A.W. Retiree and one of my U.A.W. friends asked me why I'd campaign against a guy ( McDowell ) who has a good record on Labor issues. I told him that having Benishek gain a second term and saying that, " well, at least Gary did have a good voting record" doesn't do anything for me. What's important in Northern Michigan are Northern Michiganders and with all due respect, there is a really good Northern Michigan Democrat running - Derek J. Bailey.

 We, in Northern Michigan,  have a good man in Derek J. Bailey. He’s uniquely qualified and experienced in listening, problem solving, community and economic development and is well respected in both the upper and lower peninsula. He’s A Northern Michigan Democrat from Northern Michigan’s 1^st Congressional District and that’s important to Northern Michiganders like us. He’s one of our own and when we choose him we know he will be with us and for us , unbeholden to forces and influences from outside the district. That means a lot in both state and national politics. It means he has the power of that Northern Michigan spirit and that he must be consulted and respected – and when that happens – Northern Michigan is respected.