Thanks to the visitors on my other site from Australia: Gympie, Queensland; Melbourne; Victoria; Sydney; Brisbane; and Bringelly. Oops, there are more! One just showed up from Perth. I've been reading Niall Ferguson's World of War (a stunning book), and he writes a fair amount Australians' superb performance in World War II.
I regularly talk about how some American political campaigns (William Russell, Heather Wilson, Jean Schmidt, Melissa Hart; and James Gilmore) must be national efforts. In fact, they should be international undertakings, as we join with our brothers and sisters around the globe. For several generations, Australia has been one of our noblest allies, and those of us in the U.S. look forward to working with you on critical issues.
If you're looking for SmartPolitics101's version of "Comedy Central," scroll down to the next column.
A lot of us complain about the heavy hand of bureaucracy. In the early 1800s, when the federal bureaucracy might have fit within a single building, someone asked President John Adams what he thought of the group.
Adams reflected for a few seconds, shook his head, and said: "Few die . . . NONE retire." As the French saying goes, "The more things change, the more they remain the same."
Showing posts with label Heather Wilson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Heather Wilson. Show all posts
Friday, November 30, 2007
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
John McCain, William Russell: How to Combine Efforts
Hillary Clinton: The Candidate We Love to Hate
The Economist magazine recently announced a poll that shows the "Hillary Paradox." They asked voters which candidate they would most like to come to dinner at their house and go on a family vacation with them. The winner (with the highest percentage total) was . . . Hillary Clinton.
Guess which candidate the highest percentage of voters would least like for the dinner/vacation combo? In fact, the loser was . . . Hillary Clinton.
Clearly, she's the woman Americans love . . . and hate.
I sent the following to Brad, an outstanding activist working hard on the John McCain Campaign. You can find Brad's current Internet enterprise here.
If they like John McCain, they're also going to like William Russell (and, I believe, the other candidates I'm targeting for support). For example, Heather Wilson of NM is the only female veteran -- Air Force -- ever elected to Congress, and she's in a tough battle in her state for the Senate nomination.
Second, you've contributed $50 to the Russell Campaign, and I told you I'd reciprocate by contributing $50 to your personal fund-raising effort for Senator McCain. I'm ready to donate when you ask.
Third, in 2004, a number of students from Massachusetts (and many other states) came to Pennsylvania, a presidential battleground state, to campaign for GWB and other candidates. The students knew that Massachusetts would not be competitive. I'm hoping some of them (and others) will return in 2008 to go door-to-door for the Republican presidential candidate and other fine candidates such as Russell and (Melissa) Hart.
Fourth, I write on my Camp2008 and SmartPolitics blogs about some old (and some new) campaign methods that will work for many Republican candidates. For example, in the 12th District there are 85,000 military veterans. The vast majority of them will vote for William if we can get to them and point up William's "Warrior" status. If we can get to all of the 85,000 veterans and their families, William will wake up one day next November as Congressman-elect.
The methods I talk about in my blogs also will work for McCain and other Republicans aiming for the presidential nomination. Frankly, for William to win his race, it's essential that the presidential nominee perform strongly in PA. If most voters cast their ballot for a McCain or a Giuliani, they'll be more likely to vote for William.
Fifth, it's important to ask potential supporters to make small contributions. Heather Wilson is asking for as little as $25. The idea is that if someone contributes $25, they'll probably contribute more at a later date. Such a person will also be "invested" in the campaign in an important (financial) way.
At Heather's site people can contribute as little as $10. My belief is that when people hear about all the millions going into presidential campaigns, they get intimidated. Ten bucks or 25 bucks won't scare people away.
OpenSecrets.org says that out of every 100 voters, only about 3 actually contribute to ANY political campaign. If we can -- somehow -- find a way to double that (to 6 out of 100), we will raise a good deal of money.
Six, tonight William Russell will appear at 10 p.m. Eastern on Political Pistachio Blog Talk Radio. I'm a believer in Blog Talk Radio, because it appeals to Republican activists, ones who vote, contribute, and influence others.
I'll do what I can to advance McCain's cause, partly because I'm so impressed by your actions on his behalf. I've said that the race could come down to McCain-Giuliani, which frankly would make me happy. I believe either of them could defeat either Clinton or Obama.
Brad, let's keep working together. As Benjamin Franklin put it, "We must all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately."
Steve Maloney
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
BLOGGER BARES ALL FINANCIAL INFORMATION!
I sent the following message to the Queen of the Blogosphere, Cindy at The Pink Flamingo, which has more visitors than Paris Hilton's boudoir: "SmartPolitics101 moved up 1.5 million spots on Technorati (meaning somebody showed up finally) Soon, I shall control the entire Western world. I'm now putting jokes at the head of each column. Yes, I've become a techno-slut.
If Ron Paul is so smart, how come he has two first-names?
If Ron Paul ran with John Murtha, what would their campaign slogan be? Tweedle-Dum and Tweedle-Dummer.
On my other primary site, I put up the following plea today:
BLOGGERS 4 RUSSELL!
LATER TODAY (TUESDAY), I'LL BE LAUNCHING A RENEWED "BLOGGERS 4 RUSSELL" EFFORT. AS YOU SEE ON MY BLOGROLL SIDEBAR, THERE ARE ALREADY ABOUT 35 BLOGGERS 4 RUSSELL ALREADY LISTED -- PEOPLE WHO STRONGLY SUPPORT AND WRITE ABOUT LT. COL. RUSSELL. MY PERSONAL GOAL BY NEXT SPRING IS TO HAVE 300 BLOGGERS 4 RUSSELL , REPRESENTING JUST ABOUT EVERY STATE IN THE UNION. I ASK EVERY BLOGGER 4 RUSSELL TO CONSIDER AT LEAST A SMALL FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION TO GIVE THIS CAMPAIGN A FOUNDATION FOR VICTORY. BECOME A BLOGGER 4 RUSSELL BY LEAVING A COMMENT ON THIS SITE, OR BY E-MAILING ME AT: TALKTOP65@AOL.COM. THANKS! IF YOU DON'T HAVE A BLOG (YET), YOU CAN JOIN THE GROUP BY SENDING YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS
In all candor, why do I want to collect a long list of Bloggers 4 Russell?
One reason is that, at the early stage of a campaign, it's essential to create "buzz" (word-of-mouth) about the candidate. Lt. Col. Russell is running in one district (out of 435) in an area of Pennsylvania few people know much about. Bloggers are people who tell others what's going on, and Russell needs them a great deal at this time, even though it's 11 months prior to the election.
I have another motive: Many bloggers for Russell will contribute money to his campaign, and they'll encourage others to do so. People who go to William Russell's web site will be motivated to offer their support -- even if they live far away from the 12th Congressional District.
In 2006, Diana Lynn Irey ran against Murth and got a remarkable 7,000 contributions. In 2008, William Russell could get as many as 10,000 contributions, partly because so many people dislike John Murtha, but mostly because Russell is such an excellent human being.
In politics, many people feel strongly about issues and candidates. However, very few individuals -- fewer than one-in-50 voters ever contribute money to candidates they favor. In the case of "big donors" ($200 or more), they're a relatively rare breed. You can check the statistics by going to opensecret, which outlines who contributes and who doesn't.
John Murtha, William's opponent, isn't going to have any trouble raising money. If you check out his "contributions" for 2008 on OpenSecret, you'll note that he is approaching a million dollars at this point. In the last election, against Diana Irey, Murtha raised more than $3 million -- much of it from "contributors" he'd paid off with large piles of taxpayers' money.
You can see how it works by looking at this report: http://kxmb.com/News/Nation/178645.asp
or by checking out the Seattle Times extensive report on Murtha trading federal dollars for campaign contributions.
In short, Murtha gives lobbyists and companies your tax money -- and they give him a chunk back as a "contribution." William Russell, an honest man, won't be doing any of that.
Lt. Col. Russell is not some rich guy. He's an Army brat who served his entire adult life as a soldier -- in unfriendly venues like Desert Storm, the Balkans, and Iraqi Freedom.
I'm trying to generate funds for Russell by asking people to contribute a small amount. By that, it mean a sum around $25. My assumption is that people who make one small contribution will make another one or two in the future. Also, they might urge friends and family members to follow their lead in contributing money.
People who live paycheck to paycheck perhaps can't contribute money. However, they can contribute their time and effort, and that's eventually going to count for a lot.
A campaign can't run on thin air. It costs money for heat and light in a small headquarters. There are phone bills and travel costs. A few full-time staffers need to be paid, as they won't have time to work at another job.
What about me? I have never revealed what I contribute to campaigns, but I will now.
In 2007, as of today, I have contributed the following:
At my urging, one staunch McCain supporter (Brad) contributed $50 to William's campaign. I told him I would contribute $50 to Senator McCain's presidential campaign.
I'm not exactly "made of money" (to say the least!). I live in an old mill town in a house that cost an unremarkable $70,000. My wife has been disabled since 1991. We also have a partially disabled child living with us. I'm semi-retired, and I don't live in a mansion (to say the least!)
I'm contributing to William's campaign (and the others) because I want this to be a country my children and grandchildren will love as much as I do. I want William to run a campaign that will make John Murtha sweat -- and possibly reflect for perhaps a minute on the errors of his ways.
The candidates I support (and I'd add Gov. Sarah Palin and former Gov. Jim Gilmore, who is running for the Senate in VA) are truly exceptional people. Yes, they're all conservatives, but what they want to conserve is what's best about America. If we don't financially support good men and women, we'll end up with a Congress overflowing with John Murthas, Nancy Pelosis, Ted Kennedys, Howard Jeffersons (the man with $90,000 in his freezer), and Harry Reids.
So, please consider giving a small contribution (hint: large is also okay) to Lt. Col. William Russell. Trust me, you won't regret it.
If Ron Paul is so smart, how come he has two first-names?
If Ron Paul ran with John Murtha, what would their campaign slogan be? Tweedle-Dum and Tweedle-Dummer.
On my other primary site, I put up the following plea today:
BLOGGERS 4 RUSSELL!
LATER TODAY (TUESDAY), I'LL BE LAUNCHING A RENEWED "BLOGGERS 4 RUSSELL" EFFORT. AS YOU SEE ON MY BLOGROLL SIDEBAR, THERE ARE ALREADY ABOUT 35 BLOGGERS 4 RUSSELL ALREADY LISTED -- PEOPLE WHO STRONGLY SUPPORT AND WRITE ABOUT LT. COL. RUSSELL. MY PERSONAL GOAL BY NEXT SPRING IS TO HAVE 300 BLOGGERS 4 RUSSELL , REPRESENTING JUST ABOUT EVERY STATE IN THE UNION. I ASK EVERY BLOGGER 4 RUSSELL TO CONSIDER AT LEAST A SMALL FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION TO GIVE THIS CAMPAIGN A FOUNDATION FOR VICTORY. BECOME A BLOGGER 4 RUSSELL BY LEAVING A COMMENT ON THIS SITE, OR BY E-MAILING ME AT: TALKTOP65@AOL.COM. THANKS! IF YOU DON'T HAVE A BLOG (YET), YOU CAN JOIN THE GROUP BY SENDING YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS
In all candor, why do I want to collect a long list of Bloggers 4 Russell?
One reason is that, at the early stage of a campaign, it's essential to create "buzz" (word-of-mouth) about the candidate. Lt. Col. Russell is running in one district (out of 435) in an area of Pennsylvania few people know much about. Bloggers are people who tell others what's going on, and Russell needs them a great deal at this time, even though it's 11 months prior to the election.
I have another motive: Many bloggers for Russell will contribute money to his campaign, and they'll encourage others to do so. People who go to William Russell's web site will be motivated to offer their support -- even if they live far away from the 12th Congressional District.
In 2006, Diana Lynn Irey ran against Murth and got a remarkable 7,000 contributions. In 2008, William Russell could get as many as 10,000 contributions, partly because so many people dislike John Murtha, but mostly because Russell is such an excellent human being.
In politics, many people feel strongly about issues and candidates. However, very few individuals -- fewer than one-in-50 voters ever contribute money to candidates they favor. In the case of "big donors" ($200 or more), they're a relatively rare breed. You can check the statistics by going to opensecret, which outlines who contributes and who doesn't.
John Murtha, William's opponent, isn't going to have any trouble raising money. If you check out his "contributions" for 2008 on OpenSecret, you'll note that he is approaching a million dollars at this point. In the last election, against Diana Irey, Murtha raised more than $3 million -- much of it from "contributors" he'd paid off with large piles of taxpayers' money.
You can see how it works by looking at this report: http://kxmb.com/News/Nation/178645.asp
or by checking out the Seattle Times extensive report on Murtha trading federal dollars for campaign contributions.
In short, Murtha gives lobbyists and companies your tax money -- and they give him a chunk back as a "contribution." William Russell, an honest man, won't be doing any of that.
Lt. Col. Russell is not some rich guy. He's an Army brat who served his entire adult life as a soldier -- in unfriendly venues like Desert Storm, the Balkans, and Iraqi Freedom.
I'm trying to generate funds for Russell by asking people to contribute a small amount. By that, it mean a sum around $25. My assumption is that people who make one small contribution will make another one or two in the future. Also, they might urge friends and family members to follow their lead in contributing money.
People who live paycheck to paycheck perhaps can't contribute money. However, they can contribute their time and effort, and that's eventually going to count for a lot.
A campaign can't run on thin air. It costs money for heat and light in a small headquarters. There are phone bills and travel costs. A few full-time staffers need to be paid, as they won't have time to work at another job.
What about me? I have never revealed what I contribute to campaigns, but I will now.
In 2007, as of today, I have contributed the following:
- William F. Russell $250 (actually, $249, but what's a buck or two among friends);
- Diana Irey for County Commissioner ($200),
- Melissa Hart for Congress ($100) -- check with me on how to contribute to her;
- Jean Schmidt for Congress ($25),
- Heather Wilson for Senate ($25).
I've told William's campaign that my contributions to him by the end of December will total $400. By Election Day, 2008, I may be up $1000 for William's effort. Yes, I believe in him that much.
I'll also give some modest support to Sen. Lindsay Graham of South Carolina.At my urging, one staunch McCain supporter (Brad) contributed $50 to William's campaign. I told him I would contribute $50 to Senator McCain's presidential campaign.
I'm not exactly "made of money" (to say the least!). I live in an old mill town in a house that cost an unremarkable $70,000. My wife has been disabled since 1991. We also have a partially disabled child living with us. I'm semi-retired, and I don't live in a mansion (to say the least!)
I'm contributing to William's campaign (and the others) because I want this to be a country my children and grandchildren will love as much as I do. I want William to run a campaign that will make John Murtha sweat -- and possibly reflect for perhaps a minute on the errors of his ways.
The candidates I support (and I'd add Gov. Sarah Palin and former Gov. Jim Gilmore, who is running for the Senate in VA) are truly exceptional people. Yes, they're all conservatives, but what they want to conserve is what's best about America. If we don't financially support good men and women, we'll end up with a Congress overflowing with John Murthas, Nancy Pelosis, Ted Kennedys, Howard Jeffersons (the man with $90,000 in his freezer), and Harry Reids.
So, please consider giving a small contribution (hint: large is also okay) to Lt. Col. William Russell. Trust me, you won't regret it.
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