We are the Thirty Percenters !?

[XLFD]

Holman won election to the city's at-large councilor seat for the third-- and final-- four year term Tuesday with 539 votes to the 229 received by her challenger, Tom Rotta.  Holman received 70 percent of the votes.   -- Ludington Daily News, 11-09-11

 

I have always been a sucker for the underdog.  I definitely was the underdog in this election with no political experience, no political connections, little political ambitions, little political expenditures and a campaign staff of two people also with no political experience.  Policies had been created that made some aspects of the campaigning unfair to me.  It was much like running for a student council position in high school, and my positions offended most of the established cliques.  But I came out of the election with 30% of the vote.  Doesn't sound like much but let's look at history.

 

Little more than 30% of the American colonists during the time of the Revolutionary War actively supported the rebelling patriots, while half were neutral, and the other 15-20% were Loyalists.   They still wound up successful after going against such odds, and eventually gave us the Constitution and Bill of Rights which continues to be eroded by modern government trends.

 

Andrew Jackson down at the Battle of New Orleans had a force less than 30% of the British forces in the War of 1812, yet when the dust cleared from their skirmishes, the amount of British killed, wounded or missing were seven times the number of Americans so affected.

 

In 1824, John Quincy Adams scored just over 30% of the popular vote, but became President even with Andrew Jackson getting over 40% of the popular vote, the other thirty percent was divided between two others, and the process went in Adams' favor.

 

In 1836, William Harrison scored over 30% of the popular vote, less than 30% of the electoral vote in losing to Martin Van Buren, but then in a rematch the next election, Harrison won 80% of the electoral votes.

 

In the Civil War, the size of the Confederate army was about 30% of the size of the Union army, quite often they were sorely outnumbered at battles and yet came out victorious in many.  True, they lost the war, but those 30% held out for four years.

 

Only thirty percent supported American intervention into World War 2 shortly before the attack at Pearl Harbor.  That changed dramatically after that event, and led to the defeat of the Axis Forces. 

 

The amount of Republicans, Democrats, and Independents in this nation generally hover around 30%, with the other 10% made up of third parties.  That 30% each party has is a basis that every national candidate minimally gets.

 

These somewhat irrelevant but interesting facts show that thirty percent is a springboard, a solid foothold into future relevancy, and a foundation that can be built upon.  I believe that more than thirty percent agreed with most of my vision, more than thirty percent would have preferred my solutions better than Kaye's, and that more than thirty percent were upset with the workings of the local government.  With what is likely to happen in the next two years in Ludington, it will be easy to get to forty percent and beyond if that message can be conveyed and done so by more and better messengers. 

 

Rotta provide the following comments about the election:  "Though I am disappointed, I am relieved at the same time and now will be able to devote more energies into my higher passion-- investigative journalism-- which is sorely needed in this city. 

We must remember, that those elected and appointed officials are public servants.  The people are the masters, and they have the mandate.  Every person in Ludington can claim the rights granted to them by our founding documents and assert them, even if public servants try to deny or denigrate them.  Thanks to everyone that joined the revolution."  LDN, 11-9-11   

 

With these words I threw out the gauntlet to all 30 percenters in the area, while taking a dig at our local jellyfish journalists.  Your fees don't need to be increased, your taxes don't need to be raised, your rights to do what you want in your hometown should not be eroded further.  Secrecy, cronyism and unethical behavior is no longer acceptable at City Hall if we can muster this thirty percent to action, and our numbers will only grow in the process.   

[Dave]

All things considered, you probably did pretty good... I suspect probably even better then what they were expecting. Question now is, now that you have had a taste for running for office, do you see yourself running again?

[XLFD]

Well... I'm not throwing away the signs just yet. 

Using James Bond film titles with Sean Connery starring as my response, I am more inclined to say Never Say Never Again than Dr. NO!  Although Dr. No was a much better film than NSNA. 

And I think that even City Hall won't restrict my speech into just using Sean Connery James Bond film titles.  If they did, I'll give them the Gold-finger and kick them in their Thunderball.  But  You Only Live Twice.

[Dave]

So basically your political career will live or you will let it die... for the time being, what you do is for your eyes only.

[XLFD]

I will have a Quantum of Solace if we can say that we beat The Living Daylights out of this schtick. 

[Dave]

If you won it would be like a Casino Royale... if not, it would be more like Russia, with love.

[AQUAMAN]

You guys are funny, and making this thread a "View to a Kill". Just don't be an "Octopussy" next election around. Now for that Vodka Martini.........ahhhh. Stirred, not shaken.

[XLFD]

I tried to stop you guys before any reference to Octopussy came out. 

One of the dangers of having free speech ; )