Twenty Minutes with Larry Hogan

Minuteman said:

I'm not a one issue voter, but... I find that how a person feels about gun rights usually tells me a lot more about that person than most any other issue.

Put another way, if a person understands the Constitution enough to care about protecting it; and be willing to protect themselves/family; they also have a work ethic and respect for people.

Click to expand...

It is amazing to me that this discussion is even happening quite honestly.......

I don't understand the mindset; especially in MD, of not supporting the guy who's obviously NOT going to make things worse.

Does Hogan pass a pure constitutionally conservative litmus test? Probably not. Having said that, THIS IS MARYLAND. Hogan's doing the right thing and stands the best shot of winning since Ehrlich did against Kennedy-Townsend all those years ago. If you don't support him, you're supporting Brown -- WHO WILL push and allow the push of more completely anti-constitutional practices that affect more than just our status as firearms owners.

DC-W said:

I don't understand the mindset; especially in MD, of not supporting the guy who's obviously NOT going to make things worse.

Does Hogan pass a pure constitutionally conservative litmus test? Probably not. Having said that, THIS IS MARYLAND. Hogan's doing the right thing and stands the best shot of winning since Ehrlich did against Kennedy-Townsend all those years ago. If you don't support him, you're supporting Brown -- WHO WILL push and allow the push of more completely anti-constitutional practices that affect more than just our status as firearms owners.

Click to expand...

+1

Just a reminder...

I started this thread simply to relate a conversation's details, just as I have with other candidates.

Is Hogan an "ideal" candidate? No... in fact, no one really is, but that's neither here nor there at this point.

But, it doesn't take a rocket surgeon to figure out he is 10,000% better than keeping the foot on the pedal of the Progressive dragster.

I sure didn't expect it to become a hate-debate, but it's been illustrative.

Again, this is a golden opportunity for us to begin taking back the state. Get involved with the best AVAILABLE candidates. It's a little late to be looking for a Golden Boy to make the individual voter happy.

mxrider said:

It is amazing to me that this discussion is even happening quite honestly.......

Click to expand...

Yup. This is why we can't have nice things.

Literally.

mxrider said:

It is amazing to me that this discussion is even happening quite honestly.......

Click to expand...

Some people will not move an inch, when you tell them they can take a mile and a half.

fightinbluhen51 said:

Some people will not move an inch, when you tell them they can take a mile and a half.

Click to expand...

Are they also the ones who can't seem to take "yes" for an answer??!

The biggest obstacle in Maryland is the contingent of people who make the perfect the enemy of the good, and the defeatists. It's an uphill battle, but it requires that everyone do their part as well, win or lose. People who want to enjoy the fruits of victory without doing anything are the very free riders they tend to rant against. There is never any such thing as a risk-free election. low risk, low rewards.

Minuteman said:

I'm not a one issue voter, but... I find that how a person feels about gun rights usually tells me a lot more about that person than most any other issue.

Put another way, if a person understands the Constitution enough to care about protecting it; and be willing to protect themselves/family; they also have a work ethic and respect for people.

Click to expand...

This.

Kilroy said:

Why look, he's being attacked for his 2A stance anyway. His moderation won't help him pick up a single dem vote, but it will help him lose his base.
Despite what the media tells you, elections are about turning out your base, not appealing to "undecided voters." But hey, what do I know. Republicans have been winning all over Maryland with their moderate positions. Oh wait, that's right, they haven't been.

Click to expand...

There aren't enough Republicans in Maryland for a statewide candidate to win by turning out the base. There are only two ways that a conservative candidate wins - the first is a massive cultural or demographic shift which will take at least a generation to occur and which will likely never come. The second is when the situation in Maryland in terms of the economy, infrastructure and crime becomes so acute that the electorate in Maryland is forced to stare into the abyss and make a final, irrevocable choice as to the survival or demise of the State.

I personally witnessed the second scenario described above happen in New York City during the 1993 Mayoral election. At that time the white Republican candidate Rudolph Giuliani was running against the black incumbent Democrat David Dinkins. Dinkins had the support of the New York Times and the entire liberal democratic establishment which for all intents and purposes was (and still is) the political establishment in New York City. Dinkins, however, faced an insurmountable problem and that was the fact that the City was on the verge of implosion. Crime during his administration was the highest the City had ever seen, so high, in fact, that when the crime rate subsequently fell it resulted in a double digit nationwide decline in the homicide numbers - that's how bad things were. At that time you had a 1 in 7 chance of being the victim of murder, rape, robbery, burglary, felony assault or grand larceny annually. The streets of New York City were filled with garbage and sewage. Unemployment was in the double digits. The City was completely unlivable. My mother was, and still is, a hardcore Democrat. She had never voted for a Republican before in her life. I remember very clearly the day when she announced that if David Dinkins won re-election that the family would have to find a way to move out of New York City. She along with about 50,000 other people in a City of 8 million broke ranks and voted for the Republican candidate because they understood that if they didn't the City would literally and completely implode. The rest is history. None of the revitalization that NYC experienced would have been possible without Giuliani. He was a terrible Republican candidate in many respects (the Second Amendment included) but in 1993 the choice was between a flawed candidate and an incumbent who would finish destroying the City. People understood this and made sure that they went to the polls.

I don't think the electorate here in Maryland will wake up until the world that exists at North and Greenmount is literally knocking on their door. Depending on how things go, they may not have long to wait. What I can't understand, for the life of me, is how lifelong residents of Maryland can continue to elect and re-elect the same people and the same party that destroyed Baltimore City. Baltimore City itself wouldn't be much of a political force without Democrats in surrounding counties to magnify its effect. Folks, you fled the City to escape what you created there - why do you want to do the same to the whole state? What was the point of leaving if you're just going to repeat the process somewhere else?

DC-W said:

Got this in the mail today from the MD Democratic Party

Click to expand...

Damn, makes me want to vote for him twice. If I die before the election, someone please use my name and vote at least six times with it.

Folks, you fled the City to escape what you created there - why do you want to do the same to the whole state? What was the point of leaving if you're just going to repeat the process somewhere else?

Click to expand...

It's a problem nation wide. Democrats fleeing California for Texas and Colorado, feeing MD for VA and PA, etc.

Volunteer, Work, and Donate!

All --

Please don't let "This candidate isn't perfect!" be your excuse for not getting-up off of the couch this election-cycle.

Perhaps you don't think that a Republican can take a statewide race in MD. If so, pick a single local race -- for a Delegate or a State Senator or a Sheriff or a County Commissioner. Then work HARD to get that candidate elected or reelected.

This election-cycle is probably our best chance in a looong time to make some fundamental changes in Maryland, if only at the grassroots level. Pleased don't miss the opportunity to help us in winning this fight.

Sincerely, John

deMontjoie said:

All --

Please don't let "This candidate isn't perfect!" be your excuse for not getting-up off of the couch this election-cycle.

Perhaps you don't think that a Republican can take a statewide race in MD. If so, pick a single local race -- for a Delegate or a State Senator or a Sheriff or a County Commissioner. Then work HARD to get that candidate elected or reelected.

This election-cycle is probably our best chance in a looong time to make some fundamental changes in Maryland, if only at the grassroots level. Pleased don't miss the opportunity to help us in winning this fight.

Sincerely, John

Click to expand...

It's frustrating how Republicans have adopted this Goldilox complex.

Hogan is passionate about running. He actually gives a shit. Ehrlich 2nd time didn't care, he didn't even really want to run.

This time, we have a candidate who is passionate about making Maryland a better place to work, bringing jobs and lowering taxes.

Kilroy said:

What did the last Republican governor do to expand 2a rights?

Click to expand...

to be honest, i thought we were talking about your contention that, "His moderation won't help him pick up a single dem vote, but it will help him lose his base. Despite what the media tells you, elections are about turning out your base, not appealing to "undecided voters.""

as for what he did to expand 2A rights? trying to remember how the legislature ran during his tenure...

Christie to appear in MD for Hogan:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local...2be30e-32b5-11e4-a723-fa3895a25d02_story.html

Another sign this race is competitive.

I may not like him very much, but good on Christie.

Not sure how I feel about a scandal ridden Republican coming to the aid of Hogan.

Cue the Christie haters in 3 2 1...

ETA
Ha , faster than I thought