Mike Pence: America Wants You

Of all the candidates we keep hearing about with the media pushing them -- Romney, Huckabee, Palin, and Newt -- none of them come close to Mike Pence in our book. Are members of the mainstream media pushing those four so hard because they know they would have a hard time beating Obama? It is not going to be easy to beat Obama, but we believe a man who is a Conservative Champion Mike Pence from Indiana, part of the Heartland of America, gives us the best chance and would make an outstanding President.

Little known fact on Mike Pence is in his teenage years he worked for Democrats but then heard Ronald Reagan and decided the GOP was the way for him. We are extremely happy he made that decision. Know a lot of people who did the same thing. Our Republican Party is better today because of those people who followed the lead of Ronald Reagan and became Republicans!

If you are looking for a candidate with energy and who brings a positive outlook to the scene, it is Mike Pence. His speeches bring you to your feet with optimism on how to make things better in America and get this Country back on the right track after the drift toward socialism we have been experience.  You see an energy level you don't see in many candidates when they speak because when Mike Pence speaks, he speaks from the heart.  You will never have a harder worker than Mike Pence as President.

Some have said he doesn't have executive experience and comes from the House. My reply is that he was head of his fraternity which gives more experience as an executive than other job. Try getting fraternity members all on the same page -- judging by my son's experience as President of his fraternity, it is not an easy task. Pence had his own law firm and was also a talk show host before joining the House. The last two years, he was the head of the Republican Caucus which is some ways is like being President of a fraternity and just as difficult to get them all on the same page.

What I remember most from speeches by Mike Pence is his comment that he is a Christian, Conservative, and Republican in that order. We support him because he is not an 'in your face' type of person, but stands on principle and some things are non-negotiable like being pro-life but also is able to reach out to various groups and doesn't throw someone under the bus because they don't agree with him 100%!

Now ABC News has picked up on this effort to encourage Mike Pence to run:

Less than two weeks before Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind., is expected to make an announcement about his political future, conservative leaders are urging him to jump into the 2012 presidential race.

"Seize this moment, Mike," Ryun, along with conservative leaders L. Brent Bozell, Dick Armey and Morton Blackwell, wrote in a letter they sent to Pence on Thursday. "Now is the time for you, as one of this generation's leaders, to take your rightful place in the pantheon of American leadership, to cast aside personal considerations, and defend this God-blessed nation that has given us, and the world, so much."

We think Mike Pence is what this Country needs as President. He would win over voters who are not sure who he is if they listen to him speak or watch him in a debate. He is smart, articulate, and speaks from the heart which we think are character traits necessary in a President. When you hear Pence speak, you know he is not going to waffle, put his finger in the wind to see which way it is blowing or do flip flops like candidates in the past and some office holders have done -- what you see is what you get with Mike Pence.



We support this effort 100% and sincerely hope that Mike Pence is hearing the voices of concerned conservatives who are looking for someone they can get behind and who can reach out to all voters without snarkiness, negativity, or in your face. He has a sense of humor and doesn't take himself too seriously when he gives speeches. There are two members of the House who can say more in their one minute speeches then most can say in five minutes -- Mike Pence of Indiana and Steve King of Iowa who also happen to be good friends.

We believe that in 2012, our Republican candidate needs to come from the Heartland of America where a love of America is instilled at a young age, where we still value what is great about America and believe her best days are still ahead, have been blessed to be born in such a wonderful Country, and it is our obligation to help make things better in America with hard work and sacrifice.

We need to get that Spirit of America back to the White House and cannot think of a better person to do just that than Mike Pence, who comes from Indiana and is a member of the People's House.

January 21, 2011

Dear Sharon,

Thank you for adding your name to the call for Mike Pence to declare his candidacy for presidency. There now are thousands of us.

We are working hard to show Mr. Pence the kind of enthusiasm the idea of his candidacy inspires. So:

1. Please join our Facebook group, The Conservative Champion, by clicking http://j.mp/fYCHSHand clicking on Like; and

2. Please forward this letter to your email friends, telling them that you have signed up at http://theconservativechampion.org/and urging them to click and join you by typing in their name and email address.

Mr. Pence told reporters that he woke to the news of this effort on his radio alarm. By published reports we are making a significant impact on his decision-making.

He reportedly will announce his decision within 10 days. There is no time to waste!

Thank you once again. We'll be writing you again soon to let you know how powerful an impact you are making and to ask you to double down by recruiting friends and acquaintances to come http://theconservativechampion.org/!

With respect,

Ralph Benko
Coordinator

PS, The momentum of our call to Mr. Pence is strong. Let's make it even stronger!

See you and your friends at http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/The-Conservative-Champion/183472778341064 and http://theconservativechampion.org/

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Governor Mary Fallin is Inaugurated on January 10th, 2011

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Bill Simmons (ESPN): Miller Lite Man Up (Skirvin Hotel, OKC)

The Skirvin Hilton Hotel in Oklahoma City which was completely remodeled is becoming legendary -- one of the players for the New York Knicks was the first to go public for everyone to read about the ghosts and now Simmons from ESPN. Can sit here and laugh but ask me if I would ever stay at the Skirvin on the ghost floors and the answer is "No Way!"  Wouldn't get any sleep waiting for something to happen. 

It is a beautiful hotel since all the remodeling and if you want to go first class while in Oklahoma City, it is a hotel I would recommend. 

Waiting for this hotel to show up on one of the ghosthunter shows. 

Enjoy!

MILLER LITE MAN UP
Bill Simmons
January 14, 2011

I flew to Oklahoma City on Wednesday to cross "See Durant play a home game" off my bucket list. After the Zombies thrashed the Nets, I joined some friends at Mickey Mantle's (a local restaurant) for a late dinner and a few beers before heading back to my room. I was staying at the Skirvin, a local hotel that's supposedly inhabited by a ghost named Effie. As legend has it, Effie got knocked up by the guy who owned the hotel back in the 1920s, then jumped out of a window with the baby. She's been allegedly haunting the place ever since.

When we were checking in, I jokingly asked the clerk to put me on one of the haunted floors. She claimed that she did. We laughed and that was the end of it. That night, I was so tired that the ghost stories never entered my mind. I got ready for bed, called my wife, watched 10 minutes of "SportsCenter" and fell asleep. So you know: I am a heavy sleeper. Once I'm out, I'm out.

That's what made it so strange when I woke up at 4:30 with my heart pounding. I swear on Tom Brady's ACLs that the following happened: At first, I heard a baby crying and realized that was why I woke up. I thought it was one of my own kids before remembering that my kids weren't babies anymore, then remembering that I was in Oklahoma City and not Los Angeles. Suddenly, it dawned on me that I wasn't alone. I had an overpowering sensation that someone else was in the room. Until you've experienced that feeling, you can't understand what it's like. Your blood is swishing through your veins at 200 miles an hour, only you don't understand why -- your body reacts a few seconds before your brain does.

I decided to turn on the light. Stretching to my right for the switch, out of nowhere, I heard the sound of (what sure as hell sounded like) a baby crying urgently to my far left (right near the window). Wahhhhhhh. Wahhhhhh. Wahhhhhh. Wahhhhhhh. The urgency freaked me out just as much as the crying itself. I fumbled for the switch, couldn't find it, fumbled, fumbled some more, then finally turned the light on. The crying sound stopped. I hopped out of bed and turned on every other light in the room. I turned on the television and jacked up the volume. Then I grabbed my BlackBerry and Googled "Skirvin crying baby."

A slew of results came up. See for yourself.

I kept the lights on. And the television. And that's how I spent the next three and a half hours -- half-asleep, half-awake and totally spooked. The words "Man Up" did not enter the equation. Not even a little. I came to Oklahoma City for Durant and Westbrook and left telling stories about Effie's baby. Just know that the next time someone tells me a ghost story, I will believe them.

Source:ESPN

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Governor Fallin’s Inaugural Food Drive a Success -- Oklahomans Unite to Feed the Hungry; Food Drive Capped with Large Donation from Contractors

We could not think of a more worthwhile cause than this Food Drive by Governor Fallin in honor of her inauguration as Governor.  We hope this becomes a yearly event.  People who don't live in Oklahoma probably don't realize how poor some parts of the state are out in the rural areas.  Know I didn't until traveling around the state. The food banks also helps senior citizens who in the last two years have had no increase in what they receive while health care costs rose with social security.  Some who were on the edge have now become part of a group that has to choose between eating and medication.

The food banks around Oklahoma allow people of all ages to have nourishing meals that they wouldn't have otherwise.  It is a worthy cause and something we all can support. 

Our thanks to Governor Fallin for this event and spotlighting the needs of the Food Banks!

Governor Fallin’s Inaugural Food Drive a Success

Oklahomans Unite to Feed the Hungry; Food Drive Capped with Large Donation from Contractors

OKLAHOMA CITY - The statewide “Feeding Oklahoma” food drive organized by the inaugural committee of Governor Mary Fallin raised more than 20,000 pounds of food and $100,000, the governor announced today. The food drive was capped off with a donation Wednesday of 9,000 pounds of food from the Association of Oklahoma General Contractors. This food and fund drive, which ran through January 10, will provide nearly 680,000 meals to hungry families and seniors this winter.

“Oklahomans are the most caring and giving people around and they proved it by answering the call to participate in the Feeding Oklahoma food drive,” Fallin said. “I want to thank the Oklahoma General Contractors, all our corporate sponsors and everyone who brought in food items. Your willingness to help out our families and neighbors embodies the Oklahoma Spirit which makes our state such a special place to live and raise a family.”

The “Feeding Oklahoma” food and fund drive benefited the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma and the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma. Together, the two food banks serve all 77 counties in Oklahoma.

“We are delighted to be part of such an important initiative,” said Bobby Stem, AOGC executive director. “Our members are can-do men and women who willingly use our resources to benefit those in most need of assistance. We applaud the Governor on taking the lead in meeting such a growing demand in the state of Oklahoma.”

Food donation drop-off sites included: BancFirst locations statewide, the Oklahoma Farm Bureau and all Oklahoma City metro area Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores. UPS picked up and delivered all donations in the Oklahoma City and Tulsa metro areas and local food drive “champions” helped to collect food donations for partner agencies throughout the rest of the state.

In addition to food items, the food drive received significant monetary donations from: the Made in Oklahoma Coalition, SandRidge Energy, ConocoPhillips, the Choctaw Nation and FSB. The food drive raised more than $50,000, an amount that was doubled to $100,000 thanks to Chesapeake Energy, which agreed to match all monetary donations to the Regional Food Bank in the month of December.

“We want to thank Governor Fallin for joining the fight against hunger in our state,” said Rodney Bivens, executive director of the Regional Food Bank. “The Governor’s ‘Feeding Oklahoma’ initiative motivated Oklahomans to donate food and funds to help those who are struggling to keep food on their table this winter and the Oklahoma Food Banks are extremely grateful for the support.”

Oklahoma is the fifth hungriest state in the nation, where one in five children is at risk of hunger every day. The Oklahoma Food Banks serve more than 130,000 people each week, yet it still not enough to keep up with the increased demand.

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John Kasich and Mary Taylor sworn in as Ohio Governor and Lt Governor, January 10, 2011

Governor Kasich and family as he is sworn in as Governor of Ohio

Lt Governor Taylor and family as she being sworn in as Lt Governor

Today 'Common Sense' returns to the State of Ohio as Governor Kasich and Lt Governor Taylor were sworn into office.  They have a huge job ahead of returning Ohio's economy to one of strength not weakness.  Ohio has lost so many jobs and saw so many people move out of the State that they lost two Congressional seats this time.

Was born and raised in Ohio but everytime we had a Democrat Governor, our economy tanked.  Couldn't believe it when Ohio elected Strickland, a Democrat, in 2006, who helped drive people out of Ohio with his policies and tax hikes of almost $1B in Ohio.

Now it is time for the Governor and Lt Governor to roll up their sleeves and work to bring some prosperity back to Ohio.  Personally think Ohio relied too much on the automobile industry with their labor union problems in the past.  Remember numerous times the GM works going on strike in Dayton over nothing especially around hunting season.

Love my adopted state of Oklahoma but wish Governor John Kasich and Lt Governor Mary Taylor the very best and hope they are successful in turning Ohio around.  Would love to see Ohio become prosperous again under their leadership. 

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Senator Marco Rubio sworn in on January 6th, 2011

Sen Rubio was escorted to the floor of the Senate by Senator Bill Nelson (FL) who Republicans in Florida are looking to defeat in 2012 if he runs. Some have speculated that if the Republicans had taken the Senate that Nelson may have switched but that seems hard to believe.

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Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani blasts Bloomberg over city snow cleanup snafu

Interesting interview with Rudy on the NYC snow cleanup snafu by Mayor Bloomberg.  In all fairness, it looks like the most blame belongs with the city unions and their slow down of the cleanup.  They should all be fired after that stunt!
Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani blasts Bloomberg over city snow cleanup snafuLast Updated: 5:08 PM, January 7, 2011

Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani hurled snowballs today at Mayor Bloomberg on how it handled last week's blizzard cleanup, saying "it was a big mistake" and that he would have never fouled up such an operation.

"It was a big mistake. [He] didn't declare a snow emergency when predictions were for a decent amount of snow," Giuliani said during an appearance on MSNBC's "The Morning Joe" show.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

"Didn't get plows out on time. If there was a slowdown ... you should have picked [the snow] up."

The criticism comes after Bloomberg admitted that the city's efforts to plow streets was not up to snuff.

You get a report every hour that says how many ... streets were plowed. This is computerized. This isn't guesswork," said Giuliani. "Everybody has strengths and weaknesses. Mike has been an excellent mayor and you make mistakes."

A Marist College poll released Thursday showed that attitudes toward Bloomberg's handling of the snowstorm was abysmal.

The mayor scored poorly with 71 percent of New Yorker's disapproving and only 21 percent approving.

Giuliani, known for fighting crime and going after quality of life issues plaguing the city, said the snow fiasco would have never taken place on his watch.

"I was a micro-manager. ... I liked going to the Sanitation garages at 4 in the morning, 5 in the morning," he explained. "People expect a mayor to pick up the snow, to pick up the garbage."

Bloomberg, who has reassigned some sanitation supervisors and demoted its EMS command chief, seized today's snowfall as a chance to restore its image as a government that smoothly handles emergencies.

Along with the GPS devices on some sanitation trucks, teams of workers were deployed throughout the city, toting video cameras that sent live feeds of street conditions back to commanders at emergency headquarters.

Source: New York Post

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Presidential Campaign Rumors

We are back from the Fiesta Bowl where our Oklahoma Sooners beat Connecticut on January 1st.  Middle America wins again!  Now it looks like rumors are flying about who is considering running for President in 2012 -- we love Rick Santorum and could easily get behind him.

Today from the Washington Examiner comes this gem:

Seen and heard: You don't suppose he's running for president, do you?

By: David Freddoso 01/05/11 6:23 PM

Online Opinion Editor

A reliable source tells Beltway Confidential that former Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., is at the Capitol Hill Club tonight, at an event honoring the three new Republican members of New Hampshire's congressional delegation -- Rep. Charlie Bass, Rep. Frank Guinta, and Sen. Kelly Ayotte.

******
We have this gem from Hot Air:

Are You Ready for a President Bachmann  by Allahpundit, 5 Jan 2011

ABC News has learned that Bachmann, R-Minn., also is seriously weighing whether to seek the Republican nomination for president in 2012.

A source close to the three-term congresswoman said Bachmann will travel to Iowa this month for multiple meetings to seek advice from political forces there and party elders close to the caucus process before coming to a final decision regarding a potential presidential run. Bachmann, a native of Waterloo, Iowa, also is set to deliver a keynote speech at an Iowans for Tax Relief PAC fundraiser Jan. 21 in Des Moines, Iowa…

“Nothing is off the table,” Bachmann chief of staff Andy Parrish told ABC News when asked whether the Iowa trip signaled Bachmann’s intent to run for president. “The congresswoman is excited about her first trip to Iowa this year.”

Anyway. I don’t think she’s serious about this, just looking to capitalize on the media’s primary fee-vah to earn some buzz for a possible Senate run in 2012 when Klobuchar’s seat is up.

We agree with Hot Air that she probably would not get the nomination but we also agree that she would be a prolific fundraiser.

Why not a Santorum/Bachmann ticket. Bachmann is fantastic when interviewed and doesn't do gaffes?  You know where she stands.  All for someone articulate -- no more candidates that have trouble answering questions from the pundits.  Articulate is the name of the game!

We will be following the rumors of new people running.  All of you who read this already know all about Romney, Huckabee, and Palin.  Frankly we support new people running this time and get away from ANYONE who ran in 2008.  Time to go for the Gold and nominate someone new and refreshing to be our nominee to get everyone fired up for the 2012 election.

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