Its gotta drive the guy crazy.

And somehow, I have been one to help fill the pages over the last several months. And some might assume rightly, that partial editorial discretion is in my hands. Up til now, I have refrained from full blown endorsements of Mike cox, even as he is my choice as well, and tried to limit harsh criticisms of his conservative competition as well.  Its been known whom I support however, so fence straddling ought not be something of which I could be accused.  As the race winds down however, it has become clear there is a possible alternate ending to this primary that should send shivers up the backs of people who dislike high taxes, dead babies, and crony capitalism.

A three way statistical tie exists that could possibly gain the Nerd King his bucket list item number 9.  Rick Snyder has been able to pull into a potential win situation along side Mike Cox and Pete Hoekstra, while Bouchard cannot get above 10-12% in any polling.  This is a bad thing.  

Its a bad thing, because Snyder is NOT who people think he might be.

- Rick Snyder has NOT signed the Grover Norquist Americans for Tax Reform "no new tax pledge." Three have signed it.  Mike Cox, Pete Hoekstra, and Mike Bouchard.  As Norquist has opined, "Michigan has the same problem other states have -- it's an overspending problem.  Tax increases don't solve that problem. . . . It enables [lawmakers] to spend too much."    Some have argued signing such a pledge means that they could not support initiatives like the MI Fair tax, because it's shifting of the burden means an increase on "someone."  However the overall tax burden lowered keeps it within the promise.  Rick Snyder has no interest in signing such pledges.  It takes certain actions off the table, and limits his options.  Michigan is open to new taxes under Snyder.  Likely as a result of expansions of MEDC-like programs that rewards political business associations at a cost to taxpayers.  Its called "crony-capitalism," and has served the nerd well for years.

- The King Nerd actively pursues government (THE TAXPAYER'S) dollars to fund his business operations. This is different from selling a widget to a governmental body.  If you sell pencils, or pens, or paper, or some particular staple to the state, it is decidedly different than when you ask for money to sell a product to other people.  What Snyder enjoys is the equivalent of paving your neighbor's driveway and asking you to pay for it.  Whether companies are wrong in accepting or seeking such money is open to debate, but given his active engagement of expanding and personal gain from it, it is likely we would never see picking winners by government end, or be reduced under Snyder.

- Rick Snyder sees the legislature as a board room. Some folks say Lansing needs to be run like a business.  I might have one time agreed.. before I was in business.  Rick Snyder has run board rooms.  He knows how to make them work.  As a tough nerd, he has beat down, intimidated and embarrassed those who opposed him, and was able to get things done to run his companies properly.   But is this the manner in which government of the people, by the people and for the people is run?  Are we looking to elect a tyrant, or a leader?  In business, committees suck.  Things happen slowly in a committee, and a deliberative process can delay progress that may result in bringing product to market late.  In business a "beat em down fast if they don't agree with you" approach  is necessary for efficient operations in today's markets.  But its wrong for Michigan government.  Tough is good in both, but deliberation is critical and creative leadership is better than a person thinking  he would be king.

- Snyder's core principles are NOT Republican OR Conservative. In fact he had to decide which party banner to run under.  I must admit, there are many folks who are not very conservative in the Republican party, but given the shameless manner in which he would suggest an active recruitment of Democrats to vote in the Republican primary for HIS SAKE, it should be clear that principles are not a part of his make up.  Republicanism is operating under rule of law that recognizes ultimate authority is vested in the voting public through representation.   Conservatism as a part of it recognizes the authority of individuals to be more free  as a result of the rule of law that is resistive to change on a whim of the day.  Democrats represent the "will of the people" in a very liberal manner, and are least resistive to impulse or reactionary "mob-rule" considerations.  By Rick Snyder and his friend Joe Shwarz inviting folks who otherwise have no interest in the Republican form of government to decide whom the Republican candidates will be, he is actively seeking to destroy the Republican party from within our primary process.  It is unacceptable.

- Rick Snyder has personally lied to my friends. He has told them to their face, that he is "pro-life".  He has told many folks the very same thing, yet the fact remains he has companies that  profit from the destruction of human embryos.  And you pay him for that service.  As pointed out in the bullet point above, he milked the cow that is Michigan for the cream to fund his investment company Ardesta to the tune of $7.5 Million dollars.  Ardesta funds research which uses embryos.  He donated to the cure michigan's embryonic stem cell initiative in 2008.  Some may support that initiative, but to claim one is "pro-life" and then call for the destruction of life is a bald faced lie.

- And the guy creeps me out. Seriously, have you seen his ads?   The guy is strangely presented like a snidely whiplash type of character in the cartoons.  Just plain weird. But maybe knowing what he is about, makes it easy to think that way too.. Sometimes I just want to freeze the DVR on the TV and run up and draw horns with magic marker.

There are a couple of ways of handling it.

• Some have suggested one of the top candidates step aside and quickly endorse one of the top two conservatives.  Then that candidate begins to posture for the upcoming US senate bid against Debbie Stabenow in 2012.  It would be a heroic move to be sure but one that is unlikely.
  
• Given the statistical impossibility of Mike Bouchard winning now, if he was to step aside and endorse either Cox or Hoekstra, it would lessen the chance of a Snyder victory.
  
• Even if Mike Bouchard did not endorse, but rather withdrew and told supporters to support Anyone-but-Snyder, it would make all the difference in the world.
  
• Tell every friend you have who thinks Rick Snyder is a friend to business in this state, that he is NOT.  Get them to understand how he has made his living is on the back of taxpayers.  Have them read up on the guy who would be the executive pocket protectorer.

I hope I have earned some trust, and I have presented as fairly my arguments for ideas of conservatism and support of the right individuals as is possible.  I am willing to spend a little of that trust to make sure Michigan is not screwed again by the likes of a liberal bouquet of tyranny which we have endured in the last 8 years.  The above list leaves out one other possible way of ensuring we don't allow ourselves to be fooled by the fake Republican who would willfully destroy the entire republican slate across the state to be nominated as our candidate.