I read Tony Kovach's recent Masthead blog post with some fascination. Because the upcoming elections are on my mind too. Many of us feel that we are watching something slip away. Many of us want to make sure that we continue what was started in 2010, when the House or Representatives was retaken by 'tea party conservatives'.
I did a post on LinkedIn recently, asking questions about the impact of the Nanny State on manufactured housing professionals. Here are a pair of the statements, quoted below verbatim, with the initials of the person who made the comment:
“The industry is, I agree, significantly over-regulated. Often intentionally, exemplified with the number and types of superfluous disclosures to prospective residents our legislature seeks to add, and also as the unintended consequence of legislation targeting others (SAFE Act as to sale of park owned homes, Red Flags, Safeguard Rules, Patriot Act, etc.)” TD
“The problem is that sometimes we get what we "wish for" – the HUD Code. Many manufacturers in the industry wanted HUD regulation to avoid regulation by each state. Tony is correct – the largest shipment year was 1974 – the year before the HUD Code, but, there were other factors at work as well.KR
Here are some quotes from historic leaders and masters on this subject of Liberty.
“Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both.” Ben Franklin
“If we are together nothing is impossible, if we are divided all Will Fail.” Winston Churchill
“The will of the people is the only legitimate foundation of any government, and to protect its free expression should be our first object.” Thomas Jefferson
“Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person by person.” Mother Teresa of Calcutta
“Liberty, when it begins to take root, is a plant of rapid growth.” George Washington
“Only our individual faith in freedom can keep us free.” Dwight D. Eisenhower
“Liberty without learning is always in peril; learning without liberty is always in vain.” John F. Kennedy
“To be free is not merely to cast off ones chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” Nelson Mandela
“The history of freedom is never really written by chance but by choice.” Dwight D. Eisenhower
We have so many things that can inspire us Americans. One of the countless examples is Abraham Lincoln, who suffered defeat after defeat in his personal career, only to keep coming back through dogged persistence to accomplish his goal.
Lincoln is famous for three reasons one his election in 1860, two his struggle to hold the Union together in the Civil War. But Lincoln is also famous that his life was riddled with failure and he overcame it time and time again. Here is just a small sampling of his failures;
1831 Failed in business
1832 Lost his job
1836 Had a nervous breakdown in bed for 6 months
1843 – Ran for Congress and lost
1848 Ran for re-election to Congress and lost
1858 Ran for US Senate and lost
1860 Ran for President and won.
The question – how many failures can you endure and carry on? The answer that Abraham Lincoln gave with us with his life example is to keep on keeping on until you accomplish that worthwhile goal.
Great things can be accomplished by team work. Pulling together can happen professionally as well as politically. That is why associations and parties exist. One thing is certain, "United, we Stand. Divided, we fall."
There is no need for perfect unity, nor is it possible. America became free of England not because everyone stood together! They became free because enough stood together to make it happen. Some say that perhaps 1/3 of the people were engaged in the effort and supported independence.
So don't think that just because there is opposition that we are thus 'doomed to fail.' YOU be a part of the solution. Gather others of like mind. Share the truth well, and some will accept it. That is how you get 'enough.'
The same can be true for us now as it was for the American Rebels at the time of the Revolution, as we work to reverse a long string of legal and regulatory setbacks to our liberties. We can do it. We are Americans. Amer-I-CAN.
The economic times give manufactured housing professionals an in unprecedented opportunity. Lower incomes means more people than ever before are looking for affordable quality homes in America. But we won't accomplish it unless we get some regulatory and legal hurdles out of the way.
This is the election that we had better work hard to win. If you haven't already seen and shared this political cartoon linked here, please check it out and send it to your mailing list.
Doing so can do two amazing things. One, it can get more people thinking and engaged.
Two, it can get more people looking at the manufactured home lifestyle in a positive way.
Those are two things that can help you and your business. Together, Let's do this! Liberty – personal freedom – is worth working for, always. ##
Posted for
Tim Connor
Marketing & Sales,Website,AdvertisingandMHSpeakerTrainer– Manager
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