There is a clear theme in the Democrat Party - from 'Baghdad' Harry Reid to Jennifer Granholm:

Political opportunism trumps sound public policy.

At every turn and in every instance, Democrats have made it clear that they will seek political advantage instead of pursuing sound policy that is the best interest of their constituents. It may come in the form of a cut-and-run policy in Iraq that appeals to popular sentiment but works against our long-term security interests. Or it may come in the form of haphazard tax hike schemes designed to fund old, tired government programs - or worse yet, new, ill-conceived ones.

This is our window of opportunity. Republican must, once again, be the party of firm principles and sound policy. We must offer the practical solutions that Michigan and America require. To do so, we must maintain the courage of our convictions.

We will gain politically from doing so. But political gain is not the endeavor. Rather, it is the positive side effect of fighting for our ideas - because they are the right ideas!

It is often remarked that when Republicans fight for what we believe, Republican win. It's important to understand the causal link there. WHEN we FIRST fight for our values, principles and beliefs - that is, when we stand up for what we believe - we THEN (later) achieve victory.

There is no room for error in this causal chain.  There is no one single area... not one single moment... not one single instance... where we have the luxury to budge, fudge, nudge or outright abandon our beliefs.

The Fight for Michigan   

Tax increases are bad. Period. They are bad policy, and they are bad politics.

On the policy end, they decrease investment, and they raise the barriers to entry. They make it tougher for families to make ends meet. They make it tougher for businesses to turn a profit. And, in a competitive national and international marketplace, they make other locations look more amiable.

On the political end, they represent the wholesale abandonment of what it means to be a Republican. They represent an about-face from what we believe. They represent the opposite of what the electorate - those who voted for you - expects of us. They are the one-way ticket to more lost House seats and Democrat-controlled Senate.

Governor Granholm has recently attempted to label those opposed to tax increases as "extremists."  The only "extreme" idea in Lansing is the belief of the Governor herself that more and higher taxes put Michigan on the road to a better economy.

The radical left, and particularly their friends in the blogosphere, are calling for recalls of those who do not support tax increases.

Hear me loud and clear on this: recall petitions for NOT raising taxes would be the BEST thing either GOP Legislative Caucus could hope for.

The commercials write themselves.

Anyone who tells you that there is no fat left in the state budget is a damned liar. They are creatures of the institution and prisoners of the Landing mindset. They are bureaucrats, unable to fathom the idea of radical restructuring or outright change. They are the kinds of sluggish creatures that will keep Michigan where it is: dead last place.

Do not let yourselves be fooled: Michigan is the only state in this country with a budget deficit. Almost 20% of states will run billion (that's a `b', not `m') dollar surpluses this year. Almost all of those states' residents and businesses enjoy lower tax rates than Michigan's families and firms do.

Michigan does suffer a revenue problem. The source of that, however, is not a rate of taxation too low for the times.

Larger inflows of cash to the state government can come through two means - and only two means: more taxes or more taxpayers.

The Democrats in this state have made it clear that they prefer the former. We must prefer the latter. And not just prefer it, but demand it. Insist upon it. Refuse to relent from it.

We cannot vote to increase the tax burden. Doing so comes not only at your personal peril and our Party's political peril - it comes at the peril of our state.

We must, instead, set our sights on increasing the number of taxpayers in our state. This means families moving into Michigan, not out. These means mores homes being purchased than being put up for sale. This means more businesses having "Grand Opening" sales than "Store Closing" sales. This means more ribbon cuttings and fewer chained factory doors.

Lest we forget: Michigan is the only state in America with a net job loss over the past four years. No other state - save Louisiana - has borne the type of economic burden this state has. Louisiana can at least blame an act of God. Michigan can only blame Lansing's ineffectiveness to adapt and change.

Getting there is not, and will not be, simply or easy. It's going to require hard work. It's going to mean evaluating every dollar that the state spends and determining if that dollar could be better utilized. It's going to mean the end of sacred cows - on either side of the aisle. It may very well mean angering our friends as well as our detractors.

But, in the end, it will mean a more prosperous Michigan. And that, if we lead the charge, will mean a more successful and more powerful GOP.

The Party of Reagan

We all invoke him. We use his image. We use his name. We use his words. We use his ideas.

But we must also be his legacy. We must carry Ronald Reagan's torch.

We must act like we believe that "the nine scariest words in the English language are: 'I'm from the government, and I'm here to help.'"

We must act like we believe that "government is not the solution to our problem. Government is the problem."

When times are tough, like they are now in Michigan, it is always easier to fight for the status quo. But as history teaches all of us, what is easiest is seldom what is best and what is right.

Republicans must be the individuals willing to make the tough choices for the good of our state. Republicans must be the force for real positive change in Lansing that will engender real positive change across Michigan. Republicans must be the voice of the average working families of this state who have had enough of the way things are going.

And we must do it in unison. If one of us strays, we fail to send the message... we fail to draw the distinction... we fail to take a stand.

THIS is the battle you were elected to wage. THIS is the war that must be won.

THIS truly is the tipping point for the future of Michigan.