Chairman's Corner

Becoming An Agent of Change

As the many campaigns for state-wide elective offices begin to formulate, the economic realities of Michigan continue to knock on - and barge in through the doors of Michigan residents. Without spending allot of space on current statistical data, its fair to say that our state leads the nation (or near it) in all of the bad indicators such as chronic un-and-under-employment along with home foreclosure rates and, correspondently lags in the right ones. The questions then on many minds – particularly those in charge of crafting the next fiscal state budget (due in October) is can we afford to await changes in the current economic trends and wish for better ones as the current governor serenely has for the past seven years or, do we choose to act as agents of change?

In truth, in order to become effective agents of change you have to generate thoughtful ideas, share and fine-tune these ideas with others into problem-solving beliefs that can be presented as public policy to many more others which can then receive buy-in from a majority of voters.

While this clearly emulates our current form of legislative government, I continually debate both with others and myself on how this process of incubating problem-solving ideas can best begin: is it in the form of personality (Ronald Reagan and/or John Engler) or does it best happen in the form of organizations (Mackinac Center for Public Policy, GOPAC and/or the Republican party)? Both avenues have soared with great ideas, strong leadership and solid results – but also, have at times fallen short of mission or disappointed.

The answer to this may best lie in where you live, the job you have, the schools where children and grandchildren attend and the neighbors and friends you live among. The realities of employment, education and a healthy community depend on folks who care enough to identify local and state and nation-wide problems and become the agents of change who choose to act upon them. And the way to get started is locally - become active in the Benzie County Republican party and/or the Republican Women of Benzie County . Both of these organizations are made up of committed people sharing one thing in common: identifying the problems faced in our local communities, state and nationally - and learning ways by sharing ideas on how to address them.

Become an agent of change today and get involved with the Benzie County Republicans. To ignore today's realities invites more of the same. If you are concerned and unhappy with your representation than choose to be that change!

benzierepublicans.org- Let's get interactive!