I went to the Ottawa County Lincoln Day dinner last night and heard Newt Gingrich speak. It was a fun event. I took my brother Vince who is an opinionated conservative and my friend Rachel who is an oppinionated moderate. It definitely made for entertaining dinner conversation. One thing I learned last night that I didn't know was that no democrat has been elected in Ottawa County in the last 70 years. That's hard to believe until you visit the county and realize that there really are no democrats in the area.
After an agonizingly long program where they introduced all the candidates running for office (they have two state house primaries with 18 total candidates running) Newt finally got to speak and he was very good. He highlighted the flaws in the Senate immigration bill and why that bill would help defeat Debbie Stabenow. He then went to discuss the challenges that America faces at home and abroad. He makes a great point that we need to learn how to compete with China and India in the new economy. He has a strong grasp of the proper role of government and obviously has the experience to know how to solve problems. He used a great phrase that says "real change requires real change". I like that and am wondering how to apply that in state government because we often go with the status quo or tinker around the edges and wonder why things continue to not work.
I am hoping that he does run for president in 08 not because I think he can win but because I think he could help shape the debate around policy issues instead of namecalling and soundbites. I had to leave right after he finished but Vince hung around and got to meet Newt which makes me a little jealous. Maybe I'll get to meet him when he comes back in his campaign for president.
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Well Fetz-apparently I don't know any more about dating than you do because I have, once again, been labeled a 'friend'. I do have to say that this one is a unique dumping because we actually were both thinking alike-I actually found a girl that wanted the guy to just be straight up and honest with them and have the DTR! She and I were thinking the same things=feeling confused, excited, and scared, all at the same time=but neither of us were very good about communicating to the other. I didn't talk to her because past disappointments had shown me that girl's didn't want to have that talk too early, and with me leaving for the summer, I thought that I would be putting too much pressure on her. Apparently I failed in a new and different way than I ever have before=LOOK-I'm EVOLVING!!! Anyway-I am done. I have had enough. I am officially tired of having my heart ripped apart everytime that this happens. I have enough of a time taking care of me so I am just going to concentrate on that.
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