After former Senator and one time presidential candidate George McGovern left office, he entered the private sector in 1993 by starting a small bed-and-breakfast. He later stated that he wished he "…had known more firsthand about the concerns and problems of American businesspeople while I was a U.S. Senator and later a presidential nominee. That knowledge would have made me a better legislator and a more worthy aspirant to the White House." He wrote, "We are choking off business opportunity.”
Wouldn't most manufactured housing business owners and senior managers say the same thing? “We are choking off business opportunity.” Regardless of political party, don't most of us agree that federal legislation such as SAFE, Dodd-Frank, ObamaCare and more make the regulatory landscape more costly and complex? Doesn't that choke off business opportunities that costs us profits and thus costs others jobs?
A real estate investor made national news when an email to his employees went public. Without telling his employees how to vote, Westgate CEO David Siegel’s email to workers projected layoffs if President Barack Obama is re-elected, explaining that would be an obvious outcome of the impact of Obama Administration policies. Siegel's email drew cheers and jeers in the media, depending on which side of the political fence was responding. But not unlike Chick-fil-A, it's a good bet he receives more positive benefit from that email going public than a lot of paid advertising would have yielded.
The George McGovern lesson quoted above emphatically needs to be shared today. Tens of millions in our great land have little or no clue on such basics as the law of supply and demand or the impact of regulations, taxes, heavy debts and deficits on the nation. They may hear a boldly false statement and not recognize it. Remedial and other education is provided by employers to employees. Why not some education on political and economic basics?
Experts say that in some battle ground states, 500 to 5,000 votes could decide this election. We have an estimated quarter million souls working in manufactured housing in the U.S.. There are some 20 million Americans living in pre-HUD Code mobile and post HUD Code manufactured homes. So shifting the opinions and votes among less than 2% of manufactured home workers or residents could make the difference between this or that candidate's victory.
Gallup reports the race at 51%-45% among likely voters in favor of former Governor Mitt Romney over the incumbent, Barack Obama. Other polls show it neck and neck.
But a fascinating insight came from a new CBS poll, where 62% of Obama supporters believe that if he gets re-elected he needs to make major changes. Only 2% felt the president didn't need to make any changes. A thoughtful person knows when even supporters are calling for major changes, that is an indictment of the president's policies and their results.
Enlightening Manufactured Housing Professionals and Residents
A vote for Romney, Ryan and the down-ballot Republicans they lead is a vote for less government regulations, simplified/lower taxes and economic growth. How can we get others to see the mutual benefits to all of those becoming realities?
Every month, tens of thousands of MH Industry companies and professionals send out emails, newsletters or invoices to others. A link to MHLivingNews.com with something like the simple message below could make that minor difference needed in your state that would free up our economy from business and job killing regulations and tax policies.
"You may find ManufacturedHomeLivingNews.com of interest. The site has articles on topics besides manufactured housing, but what we want to draw your attention to are the articles and videos about the quality and affordability of factory built homes."
A statement like the above plays no directly political role! You could and should be calling attention to the MH focused articles! But human nature will lead those readers to see other things like the Purely Political cartoons we posted there. There are thus two MHIndustry benefits – image building and political – from one easy message.
Odds are you forward links via emails, texts, tweets, social networking posts on all sorts of things already. Just do that with ManufacturedHomeLivingNews.com or MHLivingNews.com (both target the same website). Then suggest your circle does the same!
Some are already sharing or posting links on their website or sending emails to others on MHLivingNews.com. Thanks to those who do. They could tell you, this only costs only few minutes of time! There is no need for committee meetings. No need to wait or reach for a wallet, just do it.
500-5000 votes per state could decide the Presidency, a Congressional House or Senate seat. We can't expect to influence races in DC or Hawaii, our industry has too little presence there. But in 49 states, we have a per state average of 413,265 owners, managers, employees, contractors and residents! That is much more than needed to swing the vote!
Less than 2% of manufactured home professionals or residents could decide this election. If you wanted to get really precise, less than 1.5%.
What that 500-5000 votes means is your personal circle and/or customer base could decide this election. Think about that potential political influence that lies in YOUR HANDS.
At the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the guard's weapon has a bayonet.
In Afghanistan, our military has used horses in the difficult terrain.
Photo credit Sgt. Stephen Stutsman and RedState.
The momentum is already heading toward this 3R victory. But if we fall short at a Romney, Ryan and Republican win (3Rs), we will have our work cut out for us in DC. I'm all in favor of doing what it takes if that happened, but it will be far less costly, easier and faster if we just make the simple effort noted above!
Left wing George McGovern left a surprising insight and thus a surprising legacy. "We are choking off business opportunity.” Pick a link, either MHLivingNews.com or ManufacturedHomeLivingNews.com and email, text, tweet or post it in your social networks with a comment like the one above.
When you do, you may start that mini-wave that makes the electoral difference in this election cycle in areas you touch.
That may be part of your surprising legacy someday.
Promote our industry while promoting more economic freedom and opportunity. What an incredibly American way to finish this election cycle. Please do it and then cap it off with your own wise vote! ##
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PS: Check our many Exclusive and Red Hot Featured Articles for October and see the
other new stories and 'Purely Political' cartoons at MHLivingNews.com too.
L. A. "Tony" Kovach
MHLivingNews.com=Re-Discovering and Spotlighting the MHLifeStyle
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latonyk@gmail.com or tony@mhmsm.com
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Whether you think you can or whether you think you can't, you're right. – Henry Ford
