On the Trail in Michigan

The following was written by a Michigan volunteer for Mike Huckabee, describing his experience speaking at a candidates forum on behalf of Mike.  I think this says it all.
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Hey Everyone,

I don't know how Mike & Janet do it!!!!  After driving down from Traverse City to the Birch Run event on Friday, getting signs, a banner, and other supplies from George Dunn, I drove back home and went to bed about 1:00 am. 

I started out Saturday morning at 6:30 am, and got out to my pickup truck which was covered in a fresh lake effect snow.  I headed up to the Northern Michigan Voter's Fair & Straw Poll and setup a table right up front between Mitt Romney and John McCain's table.   Great turnout and we answered alot of really good questions about Mike and his positions.  The organizer gave us access to a laptop that had a high-speed connection to the web, that displayed it's screen on a overhead projector which showed up on the stage's huge big screen.  So we ran YouTubes of Mike all day long.

I left the Fair about 4:00 pm, and headed over to the Ronald Reagan Dinner/Charlevoix Gop fundraiser (charlevoixgop.org).  I put out some yard signs out on the shoulder of the road, in the driveway and was able to park in the very first spot, which was a straight shot viewable from the small entrance driveway.  Show I put a yard sign on my rear bumper, which was right between my FairTax bumper stickers.   It was seen by everyone who arrived to the event (over 150 people including Duncan Hunter and all the other speakers)!!! I was the first person there, besides the host, Charlevoix GOP Chairman - Wes Dillworth (a Romney supporter) and his wife & son.  I chose to sit at the very first table on the right, next to the bar (I didn't know why at the time, but I just listened to that little voice in my head, even though I don't drink, shortly I knew why I was guided to sit next to the bar!!!).

People started trickling in about 5:15, and then walked in U.S. Congressman-Peter Hoekstra R-MI.  Wes Dillworth was setting up behind the bar and Peter walked over to Wes to say hello.  They shook hands, and Wes asked Peter, "so how are we doing in the tracking", Peter Hoekstra said..."McCain is drawing smaller crowds than us, but Huckabee is kicking our butts".  Right then, Wes happened to look over and see me sitting behind my laptop, and leaned back and whispered something to Peter.  Peter immediately looked over at me and nodded...I simply smiled at him and nodded back.   It was a "gift" from the Holy Spirit.... It gave me a real boost, (almost a feeling of drinking a case of Red Bull) and refreshed my sense of confidence to speak in front of such a large group.

The event finally started late at 7:00 pm... We started by having the local sheriff leading us through the Pledge of Allegiance, then a local pastor lead us through a prayer, and then we had a buffet style dinner.

Presidential Candidate/U.S. Congressman-California Duncan Hunter started it off, by giving a great speech...He brought his wife and his son, Duncan Jr. who just got back from Iraq and is running for office in California. 

Duncan spoke about his past accomplishments; building 70 miles of a double layered fence from San Diego to Tijuana which stopped illegals and drugs from entering into the U.S.A.  He gave us information about the trade in balance with China, and China building up their military by using our U.S. Dollars to buy Russian arms and Mig fighter jets.  He warned us about Iran and that we must do whatever it takes to keep them from getting Nukes.  He closed by asking us to support him for President.

Next, Ex-Presidential Candidate/U.S. Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas, spoke and asked us to support John McCain for President.  He brought up the story about John being taken a prisoner of war and that he was given the opportunity to be released, but turned it down because his men would not be allowed to go with him.  He then reiterated John's criticisms of Donald Rumfield's running of the war in Iraq and John's push for more troops in Iraq.  Because of John's push for the surge, that qualified him to be our next President, and then he asked us to support John for President.

Next, U.S. Congressman-Peter Hoekstra R-MI, spoke about Mitt Romney and told us that we should vote for Mitt because he was born here in Michigan.  That he went to school here, and his first son was born in Michigan.  He then said the only negative comment of the evening..."another candidate has been saying that most people want a President like the guy they work with, instead of the guy who laid them off (Gee, I wonder who that candidate is?)...Give me a break!"  Mitt knows more about bringing jobs to Michigan than anybody else running for President...Mitt knows how to correct the trade deficit with China...Mitt knows how to get Michigan out of the recession we are in...Mitt knows...Mitt knows...Mitt knows...and we should vote for him so we will have a native son in the White House.

Oh, I forgot to mention...prior to the speeches starting, I had given the emcee my name to put on his lineup sheet.  When I told him my name, he asked me what office I held?    I said, "I don't hold an office, I'm a Truck Driver and I'm supporting Mike Huckabee for President, and I'm sorry I don't own a suit so I'm a little under dressed (Black & Silver pullover sweater and black dress slacks), so if you could please tell the audience that when you introduce me, I'd appreciate it."  He said OK.

"Next, we have Randy Bishop speaking on why he's supporting Mike Huckabee for President.  Randy is a Truck Driver, and he wanted to apologize for being undressed for this evening's event because he doesn't own a suit, so here's Randy".  (I got more applause than Sam or Peter, they were very nice to me).  I told Duncan Hunter, that Gov. Huckabee told me to say Hello....Duncan said; "Tell Mike I said Hi Back"...the audience applauded.  (Mike, I think he'd make a great Vice President...Huckabee/Hunter, sounds good to me!)

I started off by telling them a little about my trucking business.  I told them that I drive an average of four (4) times around the world per year (100,000 miles), using 16,662 gallons of diesel fuel, which cost $53,357 in 2007.  After corporate taxes, truck payments, repair bills, insurances, and a semi's license plate ($1,850 per year) I end up with less than 30% to claim as my personal income, which I then have to pay personal taxes on... and end up with less than 22% of my gross income to actually live on and pay for my personal expenses.  Needless to say, the entire room was shaking their heads in disgust and amazement. 

I also told them that from my travels across the country that I have seen not only in Laredo, Texas, or Miami, Florida, or Los Angeles, California, southern areas of our country, but in places like Idaho Falls, Idaho, and Spokane, Washington and Cherryfield, Maine....almost every single dock I go to, most of the people working on the docks don't speak English.  I don't know if these people are illegal immigrants or not, but I do know they don't speak or understand the English language. 

One time, I asked a dock supervisor who did speak some broken English, on a dock in Valdosta, Georgia (a produce farm) how did he pay his Mexican workers?  He told me while laughing at my question,..."we pay them green, like our Okra!" 

Well, after a long pause...I told them that Jim Gilchrist, the founder of the MinuteMan Project, interviewed all of the candidates for President.  Jim told me personally in Traverse City this week, that all of the Democratic candidates,  "don't even think we have a problem with illegal immigration", and out of all of the Republican candidates, only Mike Huckabee has a real solution to this problem and that's why Jim Gilchrist endorsed Mike Huckabee for President.  I told them to go to MikeHuckabee.com under Issues, and read his 9 point strategy listed as his Secure America Plan.

Also, I told them that Mike wants to close the IRS, shut it down and replace it with the "FairTax".  I explained that it's a consumption tax and does not tax us on our productivity.  I told them to go to MikeHuckabee.com and read more about it there.  But more importantly, all these illegal workers would start paying into our tax system when they bought their necessities to live.  Other people who get paid in cash under the table, visitors to this country (like all of the Canadians who cross over from Windsor into Detroit, or Sarnia into Port Huron) and many others would start paying into our Federal Treasury.  Many applauded right then.

I finished by saying simply, Mike Huckabee wants to seal the border, have all of us not be penalized for our labor and profits, and get the U.S. economy booming like we have never seen before in our lifetime!!!  That's just some of the reasons I'm supporting Mike Huckabee for President"!   The room broke out in a huge, loud applause.

I stayed for the other politicians and listen to their speeches.  When it was over, I had no less than 20-25 people come over and tell me that they were switching their vote, and would be voting for Mike Huckabee.  A former judge, (I promised not to tell you his name) came up to me and said, "you were the most credible guy on that stage tonight, the rest of them were just politicians"!  That made me feel good for Mike.

Gov. Huckabee, I tried to do my best for you.  I hope I didn't say anything to hurt your campaign or anything that you didn't want me to bring up...but like I told you at the Birch Run Rally, "I'm just a Truck Driver, who wants you to be our next President".

God Bless you and Janet!!!  I think God has a hand in everything we all are doing in this campaign and hopefully we will deliver a win in Michigan for you this Tuesday.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve you,

Randy