For the first time in forty-seven years, a Senate seat, held by the late Ted Kennedy in one of the bluest states in the nation, was won by a conservative Republican, Scott Brown, in a stunning victory over Martha Coakley, a liberal Democrat who had vowed to continue advancing all the social legislation Senator Kennedy had fought for, including Health Care Reform.   Many political analysts much more savvy than I have been working overtime to try to figure out how this stunning upset came to pass, in  the bastion of national liberal politics, Massachusetts,  when as recently ss two weeks before the election, Martha Coakley commanded a 30+ point lead in the opinion polls  Some attribute Coakley’s loss to a mis-managed, unremarkable campaign that was flawed in part by the candidate herself, who was running against a well-known politician who has considerable rhetorical skill, charm and charisma.    You would think Scott Brown’s conservative leanings would work against him in the liberal environment of New England, but think again. His promise to be the 41^st vote against Obama’s Health Care Reform bill, and against global warming legislation, may have pushed many undecided independents, even some Democrats, to vote the more conservative line, against so-called “socialistic” tendencies of the current government.

In 2007 I gave a slide show presentation to the BBV Democratic Club titled, “Why a Republican May Win the Presidential Election in 2008.”  Fortunately, I was wrong, but I think the points I made in that speech were valid then and now.   There may be a lesson in there that Democrats have yet to take to heart.   My basic thesis was that this country is fundamentally a centrist nation; and nothing is likely to change that in the foreseeable future...   Face up to it.   Conservatives hold these truths to be the foundational tenets of the American Republic:

1.      Less government intrusion in private lives is better government

2.      Fiscal responsibility is the number one priority. Smaller government means less federal spending, less taxes.

3.      Individual initiative is the backbone of the American economy..  Translation:   entrepreneurship, i.e., big business thrives without government regulation.  Socialism is anathema to the Great American Dream.  

4.      The country’s religious base is Christianity.  Neo-Conservatives believe that we are in a Holy War waged by Muslim fundamentalists.

5.      Social values, like Right to Life, traditional marriage, the right to bear firearms, even assault weapons, are forged out of and authorized by our Christian faith.

        DEMOCRATIC CLUB OF BIG BEAR VALLEY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE U.S. CENSUS









The 2010 Census is on the horizon and the U.S. Census Bureau wants to ensure that everyone is counted. The U.S. Census Bureau has developed partnerships with tribal, state, and local governments; community-based organizations; faith-based groups; schools; businesses; the media; and others. Through these collaborative relationships, we can reach our shared goal of counting all residents in the 2010 Census.

The 2010 Census define who we are as a nation, affect political representation and direct the allocation of billions of dollars in government funding.

The Democratic Club of Big Bear Valley has become partners with other community leaders to form Complete Count Committees (CCC) to promote the 2010 Census in our Valley. The Community-based organizations establish CCC’s that reach out to each of their constituents. Each team’s primary focus is to promote the 2010 Census to ensure that every resident in our Valley is counted.

This coming year the Democratic Club of Big Bear Valley will do our part to help with this important mission.