Our nation was founded by ordinary citizen activists desiring a government that was accountable to the people.  Today, ordinary citizens across our nation are tired of the status quo and ready to engage for the betterment of their communities.

American Majority is pleased to announce an Activist Training will be conducted on Thursday, February 24 in Huntsville, AL to provide citizens with the tools necessary to become effective activists, especially in preparation for the 2012 elections.

The training will take place at The BBVA/Compass Bank Community Room located at 114 Governor’s Drive in Huntsville from 6:00 pm to 9:30 pm.  Doors open at 5:30 pm.  The cost is $25 per person.

The training will be conducted by a certified American Majority Mechanic Trainer (read more about your trainer at the end of this article).

Topics* to be covered during the Training include:

• The System (an in-depth look at the system we’re in, how we got there, and what we can do about it)
• Grassroots Action (ideas and practical steps to engage our communities and organize a coalition of volunteers)
• Precinct Power (changing your community one precinct at a time with specific micro-targeting and focused action)
• Patriots 2.0 (effectively utilizing social networking tools, blogs, wiki projects and other technologically-driven platforms)

Full training materials, samples and supplements will be provided to help you apply what you learn to your organization, candidate, cause or community.

Political Training Registration

If you have any questions or would like additional information, contact Vincent Kreul at Vincent@AMMechanics.org.

American Majority is a non-profit and non-partisan organization whose mission is to train and equip a national network of leaders committed to individual freedom through limited government and the free market.

* Topics are subject to change.

About Your Trainer

Vincent is a long-time conservative activist and campaign consultant, and has been very active in the tea party movement throughout the southern United States. Originally from Gillette, WY, Vincent now calls Huntsville, AL home.

In the wake of new Republican House leadership, a weak State of the Union, and a looming March 4th deadline for a continuing budget resolution to keep government running and the Capitol’s lights on, conservatives find themselves pressed against an innate system of government largess and go-along mentality.

While campaigning allows candidates to say much of anything without being held yet-accountable, governing is an entirely different animal; taking on the massive leviathan that is Washington DC will take a resolute spine and the tenacity of a junkyard dog protecting his wares. As congressional Republicans move into committee chairmanships an leadership positions,the message from the entrenched establishment is ‘sometimes it’s best to just quietly go along and not raise a fuss.’ Conservatives across the nation fear that this approach will lead to the inevitable ‘Conservative Light:’ someone who professes from high rooftops to be a staunch fiscal advocate of less government and will take the system head-on, however once in office and pressed, folds like a cheap suit and gives-in to base temptations.

Desperate and critical circumstances are often breeding grounds for true leadership to emerge: a divided nation brought Lincoln to hold us through a Civil War; in the face of spreading fascism, Churchill’s resolute stature held Europe together; and in the face of growing inflation, high unemployment, and a losing Cold War, Reagan transformed this country and took us to never-before-seen growth and security. We’re a few steps away from matching Greece in our financial house of cards, unemployment and housing continue to be issues, and now Egypt is a mess, causing more concern for an unstable Middle-East. The new congress must keep to their conservative principles, it is imperative that they force a Democrat Senate and Leftist Administration to reign-in spending across the board, get our economic house in order, and serve as a strong voice on National Security.

Circumstances are not easy, we face a desperate situation on many fronts, our newly elected conservative leaders must hold fast and emerge as the leaders our country needs them to be.

Here in Titletown USA the excitement of bringing home the Lombardi Trophy might overshadow other daily activities.  However, once the glory fades along with the freezing temperatures, it’s time to get back to remembering what was important before the Super Bowl win.

The Wisconsin Spring Primary Elections are less than a week away.  But what happens after a new crop of elected officials arrives?  Do they fall off your radar as you proceed with your daily life? Or, do you stay on top of their activities to ensure they are delivering on the promises they made during their campaigns?

Here are some tips for holding your elected officials accountable.  First, you have to vote.  If you don’t participate in voting and make your voice heard it makes it difficult to complain about who has been elected.  Registering to vote, as it currently stands in Wisconsin, might be one of the easiest things to do.  It might not be as easy as cheering for the Packers, but it is a close second.  It is interesting to see how the “Return to Titletown” event can attract 56,000 people who paid five dollars to attend this event in the middle of winter.  Out of an estimated 187,598 eligible voters in Brown County only 24,388 ballots or 13 percent of eligible voters are expected to participate in the spring primary on February 15.  Voting is free, I like free.

Second, stay in touch with your representatives.  If you are not sure who represents you in the state or at the federal level take some time to educate yourself.  Thanks to the internet, there are many ways to stay in touch with your representative and to find out information about them.  Many representatives have websites or Facebook pages where you can stay updated on how they voted or will vote on a bill.  If you want to see how your Federal official has voted or look at the status of legislation visit here. If you live in Wisconsin, visit here to see who your State Senator or State Representative is and if you want to know how your state legislators have voted visit here.  Today it is easy to stay in touch via email, a phone call or even the occasional snail mail. 

Don’t forget to stay in touch with your elected school board officials, county supervisors and city council members.   Use your resources to find out who these elected officials are.  Contact your local clerk, who has this information, or look online to see if this information is available there. 

Third, organize a day at the State Capitol with your members and visit your representatives with your concerns, your support of certain issues, and your thoughts on how they are doing in representing you.     Before heading out to visit with elected officials be sure to do your homework; know where the representative stands on the issue and arm yourself with facts that support your viewpoint.

Fourth, attend meetings.   We all live busy lives, but a few hours of your evening might be worth the time when you risk seeing your taxes being raised.  Often we see a report in the newspaper talking about what happened at last night’s city council meeting only to realize that had we been there, we would have spoken up about it because it is an important issue to us.    Wisconsin has an open meetings law and the Wisconsin Attorney General’s office has put together a very comprehensive guide on what this law means.  Most meetings are listed online or in your local newspaper.

The greatest news is once you participate and find out whether your elected officials are representing your interests, there is something you can do.  Your vote is what keeps these officials accountable, so make sure you use it.  Local elections do affect you in more ways than you realize.

You are Invited to Learn How To Make a Difference in Your Community

Our nation was founded by ordinary citizen activists desiring a government that was accountable to the people.  Today, ordinary citizens across our nation are tired of the status quo and ready to engage for the betterment of their communities. American Majority’s political training addresses these passions by providing education and resources to help you meet your goals.

American Majority Texas is pleased to announce that an Activist Training will be conducted on Monday, February 28th in Tomball, from 6:30 – 9:00 PM to provide citizens in the north Houston area with the tools necessary to become effective activists.

The political training will take place at Los Arcos Mexican Restaurant, located at 28048 Tomball Parkway, Tomball, TX. The training is FREE. Registration begins at 6:00PM, and dinner will be available for purchase.

Topics* to be covered during the training include:

- Be A Community Organizer For Freedom (Ideas and practical steps to engage your community and organize a coalition of volunteers with specific numbers detailing the impact you can have in Tomball).

- Harris County Precinct Power (Knowing what a precinct is and why it’s important is the key to impacting the vote tally in your community. Crunching the numbers, making sure that precinct captains are in-place, and making sure the voter registration logs are up-to-date are crucial to getting the results you want).

- Grassroots Action (In this presentation we discuss building a successful coalition. We cover specifics on how to lead an organization, how to hold elected officials accountable, and how to work together with other organizations in the Houston area).

- 10 Steps to Full Speed Ahead (A list of 10 practical things that local activists and volunteers can do to impact election results).

Full training materials, samples and supplements will be provided to help you apply what you learn to your organization, candidate, cause or community. Pre-registration is available below:

Political Training Registration

If you have any questions or would like additional information, call Corie Whalen at 832-244-2761 or e-mail corie@americanmajority.org.

American Majority is a non-profit and non-partisan political training organization whose mission is to train and equip a national network of leaders committed to individual freedom through limited government and the free market.

* Topics are subject to change.

Every once in a while, I receive emails from well- meaning friends that tell of all sorts of treacherous and nefarious things going on right under our noses.  “Events” that are mind numbing to imagine yet happen and no one will pay attention because the media are part of the “global conspiracy”.

You have probably received a few of these yourself.  Do you recall the email describing President George W. Bush’s lamentable IQ score, labeling him as the most obtuse president in American history?  Or, how every US Presidential election since 1936 can be accurately pre-determined based upon the outcome of the Washington Redskins home games.  Or how about the one that says: If we all ban getting our gas from a certain distributor on Wednesdays, then our prices will lower.

Without double checking and even triple checking our facts, we risk the possibility of being perceived as people that are just not living in reality.  When someone is branded as wearing a tin foil hat, they often are never taken seriously again.

This goes beyond just forwarded emails.  With all of the social technology that is available at our fingertips, verbal miscues can be made at break-neck speed and they last on the internet for virtually ever.  False information can be forwarded by accident with incredible ease.  Status updates that border on the crazy can follow you all the way to your next job interview.  Opposition research will have a field day searching Facebook statuses for years to come.  Immature college antics coming back to haunt you could become the “better than Christmas” gift your political opponent will use for 10,000 get out the vote mailers.

Here are a few tips to consider before you hit the reply, forward and update buttons:

1. Do your due diligence
2. If something sounds particularly dramatic, it deserves extra special attention and research.
3. Perception is reality.  If readers perceive you to react irrationally to everything, you will quickly lose all credibility.

Your Mom always told you to think before you speak.  Now you must google before you tweet.  The vernacular may have changed, but the concept has not.  For more information on American Majority’s trainings, check out our resources page at http://americanmajority.org/resources/ and learn additional tricks of the trade when it comes to effective activism and campaigning.

Our nation was founded by ordinary citizen activists desiring a government that was accountable to the people.  Today, ordinary citizens across our nation are tired of the status quo and ready to engage for the betterment of their communities. American Majority’s political training addresses these passions by providing education and resources to help you meet your goals.

American Majority Kansas is pleased to announce an Activist Training will be conducted on Saturday, March 26^th in Leawood, Kansas to provide citizens with the tools necessary to become effective activists.

The political training will take place in the meeting room of the Leawood Pioneer Library located at 4700 Town Center Drive in Leawood from 10:00am-2:00pm.  Registration opens at 9:30am.  The cost is $25 if you pre-register online by March 15^th and $30 at the door.  Space is limited.  Pre-registration is strongly encouraged.

Topics to be covered during the Training include:

• Grassroots Action — Building Coalitions, Mobilizing Volunteers, Reaching Your Community and Holding Government Accountable.
• The System — An in-depth look at the system we’re in, the problems we’re faced with, how we got here, and what we can do about it.
• Patriotism & Communication — An exploration of how activists today can utilize social media to win the hearts and minds of fellow citizens, much like the pamphleteers of the American Revolution.

Full training materials, samples and supplements will be provided to help you apply what you learn to your organization, candidate, cause or community.  Lunch will be provided.

Political Training Registration

If you have any questions or would like additional information, call Jessica Bradford at (913) 940-7398 or Alex Ballinger at (913) 940-7368 or e-mail Jessica@AmericanMajority.org or Alex@AmericanMajority.org.

American Majority is a non-profit and non-partisan political training organization whose mission is to train and equip a national network of leaders committed to individual freedom through limited government and the free market.

Our nation was founded by ordinary citizen activists desiring a government that was accountable to the people. Today, ordinary citizens across our nation are tired of the status quo and ready to engage for the betterment of their communities. American Majority’s political training addresses these passions by providing education and resources to help you meet your goals.

American Majority is pleased to announce an Activist Training will be conducted on Saturday, March 19th to provide citizens with the tools necessary to become effective activists.

The political training will take place at the LSU Ag Center – Extension Service located at 157 Cherokee Drive in Crowley and is being hosted by Faith & Liberty PAC. Registration opens at 8:30am and the class will begin at 9:00AM and end at 1:30PM. The cost is $25 and it is asked that you pre-register online by March 15. Space is limited and pre-registration is strongly encouraged.

*Topics to be covered during the training include:
-The System (an in-depth look at the system we’re in, how we got there and what we can do about it)
-Grassroots Action (ideas and practical steps to engage our communities and organize a coalition of volunteers, using the Freedom of Information Act)
-Precinct Power (changing your community one precinct at a time with specific micro-targeting and focused action)

Full training materials, samples and supplements will be provided to help you apply what you learn to your organization, candidate, cause or community.

If you have any questions or would like additional information, contact Raz Shafer (Raz@americanmajority.org) at 254-592-3361.

American Majority is a non-profit and non-partisan political training organization whose mission is to train and equip a national network of leaders committed to individual freedom through limited government and the free market.

* Topics are subject to change.

Our nation was founded by ordinary citizen activists desiring a government that was accountable to the people.  Today, ordinary citizens across our nation are tired of the status quo and ready to engage for the betterment of their communities. American Majority’s political training addresses these passions by providing education and resources to help you meet your goals.

American Majority Missouri is pleased to announce an Activist Training will be conducted on Saturday, March 5th in Lebanon, MO to provide citizens with the tools necessary to become effective activists.

The political training will take place at the Library located at 915 South Jefferson Avenue in Lebanon, MO from 10am to 2pm.  Registration opens at 9:45am.  The cost is $15 if you pre-register online by 3/3/11 and $20 at the door.  Space is limited.  Pre-registration is strongly encouraged.

Topics* to be covered during the Training include:

• Building Coalitions and Reaching Your Community (ideas and practical steps to engage your community and organize a coalition of volunteers)
• Government 101 (how government operates, how legislative and executive bodies work, how to get involved)
• Holding Government Accountable (how to hold leaders accountable once they are in office)
• Effectively Communicating Your Views (how to write effective letters to the editor, opinion editorials and blogs, using social networking tools and wiki projects)

Full training materials, samples and supplements will be provided to help you apply what you learn to your organization, candidate, cause or community.  Lunch will be provided.

If you have any questions or would like additional information, call Rachel at 417-838-3067 or e-mail Rachel@AmericanMajority.org.

American Majority is a non-profit and non-partisan political training organization whose mission is to train and equip a national network of leaders committed to individual freedom through limited government and the free market.

* Topics are subject to change.

I recently attended an event in Topeka, KS where Dr. Matthew Ladner, of the Goldwater Institute in Arizona, spoke on the importance of education reform.   Lander expressed his thoughts on Florida’s successful K-12 reform and how each state should take note.  Florida implemented a variety of improvements, and its students’ achievement levels increased.  In turn, Florida is continuing to raise its education standards, and students are reacting by meeting the goals expected of them.

Initially, one would think that Florida was able to increase its achievement levels by dummying down its state test.  Ladner was adamant that they were able to track state tests and their quality by looking at past tests and comparing them through NAEP and other sources.  It shocked me to even think that a school would dumb down their testing materials in order to make their students look smarter.  What an evil trick!  Yet, many schools lower their overall standards for one reason or another.  This part of Dr. Ladner’s lecture really hit home with me.  I took issue with this idea because I feel my high school had low standards for me, allowing me to operate well below my ceiling.

I am from a small southwest Kansas farm town with a population just under 30,000.  The town houses one large high school, which held 2,000 enrolled students my graduating year.  In 2006, my graduating year, our student body consisted of a population of 54.3% Hispanics, 35% White, 6% multi racial, and 4% other.  In 2002, a total of 577 students enrolled with me as freshmen.  Four years later, a total of 361 students enrolled as seniors with me.  Of these 361 students only 334 graduated 9 months later in May of 2006.  I cannot give you a true percentage of the drop-out rate due to other variables, but I am pretty sure that those missing 243 students did not move away from the school district.

Looking back on at my high school experience, I feel that I was underprepared for college and cheated out of learning.  I graduated high school with a 3.8 grade point average and spent little to no time at home studying or working on homework.  I believe that the teachers of my high school had low standards due to the drop-out rate and gave away good grades simply to keep kids in school and pass them along.  I graduated thinking I was an A student, I thought I was learning at a completive level, and I thought I was ready for college.

I started college in the fall of 2006 at a four-year university.  During my first month of school, I spent my time on anything but school work.  I thought that “going to school” meant just that – walking to class and walking home from class.  I didn’t realize (until I saw my semester grades) that going to school meant going to class, listening to the teacher, learning the material on your own time, and proving that you knew the material by passing a test at the end of the semester.  I could not pass my classes based on attendance and participation.  I could not pass my classes based on my university involvement or personal connections.  And I darn sure could not pass my classes based on my race or the fact that I wore a letter jacket.  I can easily say that college was a rude awakening, and my first semester grades haunted my grade point average for the many semesters that followed.

My high school created in me a false sense of confidence in my abilities and lacked the simplicity of teaching me how to learn; this did me an enormous disservice.  The lack of effort in preparing students for life after high school was not for a lack of funding.  As seen at KansasOpenGov.org, the teachers in my district are highly paid and the district is currently building the soon-to-be largest high school in the state.  This lack of effort was also not for lack of care.  The principal and deans truly cared about the school and its student’s wellbeing.  Many of the teachers were also well-liked and were very good at building relationships with students.   There was a small handful of teachers that no one cared for.  These were the teachers who could be quoted as saying, “I am only preparing you for college.”  It was true, they were preparing us for the next step; their standards were set high, and many students received bad grades in their classes.  Sadly, these teachers were far and few between.

It is extremely important that schools enforce standards of educational excellence and refuse to only teach to the drop-out level.  Quality teachers must keep their standards high and give the grades deserved by each individual student.  One way to enforce standards is through standardized testing.  Another way, is by holding back students who fall behind.  Continuing to pass these students along is cruel and continues to feed their false sense of confidence in their abilities.  Finally, a student should graduate from high school with the tools for the next step; whether that be the work force, technical school, or college.

I do not have the answers on how to fix our education system, nor do I have the knowledge on Florida’s education reform in order to give you Dr. Ladner’s lecture.  However, I do believe that some changes need to be made in Kansas.  (Did you know we were given a D+ rating based on our schools’ performance?) My experience is completely different from that of my co-worker, who thought college was a breeze after leaving a high school where teachers had much higher standards.  This is sad because our schools are in the same state.

Finally, I encourage you to do your research.  Find out your how your state ranks in education amongst the 50 states.  Educate yourself on Florida’s successful education reform. And find your government’s open records and checkbook for your school district.  Perhaps you will find something that inspires you to run for school board.

Every elected official, from school board member to state legislator to the President of the United States plays a vital role in shaping the policies and direction of our communities, states, and nation. These offices deserve men and women who are grounded in the principles of liberty and individual freedom. American Majority’s political training is designed to enhance your campaign effort through targeted education and resources.

American Majority is hosting a Candidate and Activist Training on Saturday, March 12 at the La Quinta Inn located at 311 Stadium Dr, Waxahachie, TX 75165. Upon completion of this political training seminar, candidates will receive continuing education materials, access to podcasts and other presentations, communications curriculum, and suggestions to help them utilize think-tank resources.

* Candidates: The training will run from 10:00am to 3:00pm- registration is $55 at the door, doors open at 9:30am. Topics will include:
- Fundraising
- Messaging
- GOTV, and more.

* Activists: The training will run from 10:00am to 1:00pm- registration is $30 at the door, doors open at 9:30am. Topics will include:
- The System (a look at the political system we have, how we got here, and what we can do about it)
- Precinct Power (changing your community one precinct at a time with specific micro-targeting and focused action)
- Modern Pamphleteering (harnessing the power of the web and social media for your cause or campaign)

Save $5 per person by pre-registering before March 10th!

I recently rediscovered an incredible John Adams quote that I absolutely love.

Ambition is one of the more ungovernable passions of the human heart. The love of power is insatiable and uncontrollable. There is danger from all men. The only maxim of a free government ought to be trust no man living with power to endanger the public liberty

What a gem – don’t you think?

The interesting thing about many of our Founders (Adams especially) was the disconnect often present between their philosophy and actions when in positions of power. Personally, I don’t think that speaks to a weakness in their character, but more so an understanding of their own lot in life; imperfect humans.

As we note in our training called “The System”, progressive historians like Philip Davidson and John C. Miller who want excuses to demonize a philosophy that is antithetical to the pursuit of their agenda, often attack the individuals espousing thoughts they disagree with, instead of discussing the merits of the views themselves. I think that’s an intellectually weak and juvenile way of trying to further one’s own ideas. Sadly, however, it’s also something you see from today’s militantly ideological wings of both the right and the left, and it adds nothing to the political discourse.

A perfect philosophy will always be shared with the world via an imperfect human. That’s why I don’t see men like Adams, Jefferson or Madison (among many others) as hypocrites. On the contrary, I believe they were humble men, inherently aware of their own imperfections via their comprehension of human nature.

That’s why their goal was to limit the breadth of power government could have in our lives in a structural sense; which we see via the philosophy that informs the values set forth in our Constitution. A rule of law, not of men, is the ideal. The extent to which that noble notion can be realized in practice is an entirely different issue, deserving of exploration in its own right.

Philosophy is wonderful; but as we’ve seen, despite the perfection of an idea, its execution is another story. I do think our Founders did the best they could in framing the Constitution (for the most part); but to what extent has it mattered in practice?

It makes me wonder if true limited government is actually possible. Frankly, I think it’s probably not – in a pure sense. But, given the tyranny so omnipresent in world history, I have to hand it to our Founders; the American Experiment has thus far, been the greatest example of liberty the world has ever seen.

Jefferson knew that the natural way of things is for government to expand over time, while liberty contracts. It’s why he advocated a new revolution for each generation. Despite the rhetoric, I don’t think Jefferson was calling for a violent uprising. I believe we can reasonably draw that conclusion, because he never sought to overthrow the U.S. government in the 38 years he lived after the Constitution was ratified. He warned, however, that it’s important for the American people to remind our leaders that we can (and will) fight back if necessary.

He said:

What country can preserve its liberties, if its rulers are not warned from time to time, that this people preserve the spirit of resistance?

Despite imperfections in messaging, image and organization, I think the Tea Party movement is representative of that. I do wish entertainers with national profiles would stop attempting to hijack it for their own glorification – but that’s going to happen anytime a movement gains traction. I kind of consider it collateral damage, worthy of being noted, but ultimately ignored and not catered to.

Despite all obstacles, one thing’s for sure – our Founders knew there was danger from all men; themselves included.

This event is being rescheduled for another date- please contact Seth@americanmajority.org for more information.

Our nation was founded by ordinary citizen activists desiring a government that was accountable to the people.  Today, ordinary citizens across our nation are tired of the status quo and ready to engage for the betterment of their communities. American Majority’s political training addresses these passions by providing education and resources to help you meet your goals.

American Majority and The Bowling Green Southern Kentucky Tea Party  is pleased to announce an Activist Training will be conducted on Saturday, April 2nd in Bowling Green, KY to provide citizens with the tools necessary to become effective activists.

The political training will take place at Best Western located at 166 Cumberland Trace Road in Bowling Green from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.  Registration opens at 8:45 a.m.  The cost is $25 if you pre-register online by March 15th and $30 at the door.  Space is limited.  Pre-registration is strongly encouraged.

Topics* to be covered during the Training include:

• The System: In this presentation we discuss the system our Founders establish, and we breakdown the progressive rise and how their efforts over the past 100 years have build the system we now face.
• Building Coalitions: We cover specifics on how to lead an organization, keeping your volunteers engaged, making a difference, being most productive, how to hold elected officials accountable, and how to work together with other organizations in your area.
• Community Organizing for Freedom: Steps you can take in your community to find new leaders, increase transparency and find the votes.
• Fundraising: Who to ask, how to ask, how much to ask for- these are all important questions that you need to have answered before you start fundraising.
• New and Traditional Media: This presentation explores how activists today can utilize social media to win the hearts and minds of fellow citizens, much like the pamphleteers of the American Revolution.

Full training materials, samples and supplements will be provided to help you apply what you learn to your organization, candidate, cause or community.  Lunch will be provided.

Political Training Registration

If you have any questions or would like additional information, call Beka Romm at 913-940-7369 or e-mail Beka@AmericanMajority.org.

American Majority is a non-profit and non-partisan political training organization whose mission is to train and equip a national network of leaders committed to individual freedom through limited government and the free market.

* Topics are subject to change.

Last night, Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin, delivered his first State of the State address.  Like most Wisconsinites, I was eager to hear what our new Governor had in store for us.  I was also privileged to attend and witness his first State of the State.  I have been to many States of the States over the years, but there is always anticipation in what is said in the speech and what is accomplished in the subsequent legislative session.

Governor Walker’s first State of the State was delivered on the same day he declared a state of emergency for 29 counties in Wisconsin.  Don’t be confused.   It wasn’t because of a lack of money to cover the budget shortfalls or the incorrect recording of expenditures; it was due to the snow storm of the year that is hitting many states throughout the country.  Just like the snow storm, states are facing similar shortfalls in their budgets and looking for alternatives to make up for these deficits.

There was not a great deal of pomp and circumstance in his address, rather a message of let’s get to work and continue working on what has been started since Governor Walker took office just one month ago.  Wisconsin had a great tide of change in the Governor’s office, State Senate, and State Assembly.  Having this turnover of power, the expectations on both sides of the aisle are huge.

Of course, Governor Walker mentioned the Packers and their upcoming big weekend, which was a theme reinforced in the speech.  Wisconsinites can come together to support our Green Bay Packers, why can’t we come together to save this great state? 

What are the options? Raise taxes? Since so many of the newly elected officials campaigned on not raising taxes, how can they risk this option?  Or, will tough choices need to be made to right the size of state government in Wisconsin?  Time will tell in the coming weeks and months as the budget repair bill is introduced and other legislation comes forward. 

In order to be sure Wisconsin survives this emergency; make your voice be heard.  Contact your legislators and hold them accountable to what they were elected to do.

Kudos to Senator David Johnson (D, Little Rock) who received  ZERO dollars in per diem, mileage and expense money for 2010, according to an admirable enterprise story by Michael Wickline in Sunday’s Arkansas Democrat Gazette. Going back to 2009, during a regular session as is 2011’s session, Mr. Johnson received only $1081.

I recognize Mr. Johnson is at an advantage over the majority of Arkansas legislators because he lives in Little Rock.  Yet so does Senator Joyce Elliott who in 2010 received $25,979 in expenses along with Representatives Greenberg ($31,826), Allen ($31,332), Webb ($29,754), Adcock($28,2 00), D. Williams ($27,976), J. Edwards ($26,500) and A. Kerr($24,600). These 8 legislators alone were reimbursed tens of thousands of dollars, all in addition to their regular salaries of $15,869.

The closest example to Mr. Johnson’s fiscal restraint in 2009 was Representative James Word, (D-Pine Bluff) who received $24,600. And the totals soar from there, reaching a maximum collected of $60,092 by Senator Jimmy Jeffress (D,Crossett, appoximately 150 miles from the Capitol)…YES~I just wrote 60 thousand dollars in expenses reimbursements.  This year, Sen. Jeffress cut back a bit after receiving some backlash over his steep expenses during 2009, and only collected $52,427.

We should give Rep. Nate Steel recognition, too, because in 2010 he only received $3,833, and he lives in Nashville, which is some 150 miles from the Capitol. Third runner-up for most fiscally responsible legislator is Rep. Steve Cole (D-Lockesburg) who rang in at $13,647 for 2010 (much less than his figure in 2009 of $35,468).  Lockesburg is also right around 150 miles from the capitol.

Wonder why there is such a HUGE discrepancy in the amount of money reimbursed for basically the same travel? I understand that different legislators are on different committees and have different responsibilities but a $60,000.00 annual difference is a pretty big difference…

Wickline’s article points out that the first time an Arkansas legislator collected more than $50,000 in a single year was in 2007. Since then: In 2008 four lawmakers collected in excess of $50 thousand and in 2009 a whopping TWENTY legislators joined the crowd. The word obviously got around.

Those in the Top 20 during 2009 and what they collected from taxpayers for expenses (again, not including their salaries)

Sen. Jimmy Jeffress, D-Crossett          $60,092
Rep. Bill Abernathy, D-Mena               $56,592
Rep. Ray Kidd, D-Jonesboro                $56,366
Rep. Mark Martin, R-Prairie Grove    $56,290
Rep. Eddie Cooper, D-Melbourne       $54,892
Rep. Buddy Lovell, D-Marked Tree    $53,998
Sen. Gene Jeffress, D-Louann                $53,949
Rep. Billy Gaskill, D-Paragould             $53,524
Rep. Mike Patterson, D-Piggott            $52,588
Rep. Monty Davenport, D-Yellville     $52,047
Rep. Jon Woods, R-Springdale              $51,949
Rep. Gregg Reep, D-Warren                    $51,898
Rep. Tommy Baker, D-Osceola              $51,641
Rep. Curren Everett, D-Salem                $51,492
Rep. George Overbey, D-Lamar             $51,452
Rep. Nathan George, D-Dardanelle        $50,860
Rep. Robert Moore, D-Arkansas City   $50,603
Sen. Kim Hendren, R-Gravette                $50,522
Sen. Steve Bryles, D-Blytheville              $50,442
Rep. Allen Maxwell, D-Monticello         $50,087

And then there were 8 lawmakers collecting over 50 thousand dollars in 2010:

Sen Laverty, D-Jasper                         $59,745
Rep. Kidd, D-Jonesboro                       $54,064
Sen. J Jeffress, D-Crossett                   $52,427
Rep. T. Baker, D-Osceola                      $52,199
Rep. Gaskill, D- Paragould                  $52,100
Rep. Patterson, D-Piggott                   $51,814
Rep. Woods, R- Springdale                 $51,467
Rep. Davenport, D-Yellville               $51,186

Senator Laverty was the only one of the 2010 big expense collectors not to also reach the $50K mark in 2009, although he was just shy at $43,966.
These numbers are stunning to me, especially since I spent 2010 continuously traveling Arkansas from corner to corner and back again. Kerry Baldwin and I held 41 trainings, over a dozen events and a handful of speaking engagements from Texarkana to Mt. Home to Jonesboro and over to Fort Smith.
I traveled over 100 days and sometimes hit four cities encompassing 400 miles over a two-day period and never submitted a travel reimbursement voucher for more than $1000 in any single month.
It’s my understanding that legislators who live within 50 miles of the Capitol receive a  flat fee” per diem of somewhere between $2,000 to $2,200, never having to even fill out an expense report. Those living more than 50 miles away receive $.51 per mile, round trip, and $149 a day per diem, with no expense report required.

As a business owner, I can’t turn those kinds of records into the IRS. Could you? I mean, can we talk some common sense here?   And as a person who works for an organization that reimburses my proven travel expenses, I have to turn in a detailed expense report every two weeks with receipts attached. That’s if I expect to receive reimbursement. So someone tell me why should our public servants be any different?

Today, and not a moment too soon, Arkansas legislators introduced SB194. A bipartisan “Ethics Bill”. Please read this bill (it’s only 2 pages) and let me know if you think this will alleviate the obvious problem of paid officials continually soaking the taxpayers?
In 2010 $4.7 million was paid to 135 part-time legislators, most of whom have other vocations outside of their public service.   I don’t think there’s a constituent in our state that would expect or want our law makers to absorb personal costs for officially tending to the affairs of our State. Yet I believe – and am convinced- that the sizes of these “expense” numbers as reported by Mr. Wickline are questionable.
I’d also encourage each of you to contact legislators in your area and make a habit of regularly submitting FOIA requests for their expense records. Show them you care and are watching our business as closely as any newspaper reporter.  Itemized accountability has a way of curbing anyone’s desire to “inflate” numbers in the private or public sector.