Mike Smigiel's thoughts on Hogan

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    UNRECONSTRUCTED
    I keep hearing a couple reasons being repeated why conservatives must vote to re-elect Governor Hogan and why Governor Hogan cannot possibly lose the election. I would like to honestly and dispassionately address some of the reasons being repeated out there and invite your thoughts on these issues. We are being told that if conservatives do not vote for Hogan then that non-vote is effectively a vote for Ben Jealous. Under this logic when Hogan refused to vote for Trump and wrote in his father's name, as he has stated he did, How is that not a vote for Hillary? The second argument that is being made for why all conservatives should support Hogan is that we need to have him in office in order to change the heavily gerrymandered districts so as to get more conservative representation in Congress. I see two problems with this theory, first, it asks Conservatives to take a leap of faith and believe that Gov. Hogan would do what is right for Conservatives as opposed to what is best for his long-term political goals, based upon his actions these last four years we would have no reason to believe he will do what is in the interest of the conservative minority as opposed to the progressive majority or his political future. Just a couple examples of this from his four years as Governor are as follows: Maryland's 2A community, I know few if any who plan to vote for the Governor who has done nothing for the 2A community because he does not see them as having anywhere else to go. You only have to look back to Governor Ehrlich to see the error of this logic. Ehrlich asked "What are they going to do, vote for O'Malley? The 2A community did not vote for O'Malley, they just did not vote! Gov. Hogan is about to prove the axiom put forth by George Santayana, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

    Likewise, do you believe the pro-business folks in Western Maryland who are sitting atop billions of dollars of natural gas that can be extracted through fracking are going to vote for the Governor who unilaterally surrendered the economic prosperity of a whole conservative area of the State in order to appease the progressive environmental zealots? How about all those who voted for the conservative Republican Central Committee members in Carroll County who fulfilled their Constitutional duty of sending a Senator nominee name to the Governor, to fill a vacancy, only to have the Governor decide to demand that the Central Committee send him three names, so he could choose one of the three, thus, rejecting the Carroll County Central Committee's choice of whom they would prefer to have represent them in the State Legislature. Not only did the Carroll County Republicans have to watch the Republican Executive branch of government choose who would represent them in the State Legislature, to add insult to injury, the Republican Governor did not apply this novel Constitutional interpretation to the Democrat Central Committees when they proferred a legislative candidate's name to fill a vacancy. Democrats have been allowed to present one name, and that name has been selected, while Republicans have been forced to present three names, so the Governor selects the person he wants to see in the Legislature. The real insidiousness of this change is that in the future a Democratic Governor will be asking Republican Central Committees to provide three names to fill vacancies and then the Democrat Governor will get to select the weakest of the three to be the Republican representative. How motivated do you think those conservatives in Carroll County or any Republican Central Committee member paying attention will be to vote for this Governor to serve four more years? Adding to the Conservative groups above who are not likely to vote for Hogan would be many Trump supporters who have heard the Governor say he did not vote for President Trump and have watched the Governor try to curry favor with Democrat leadership by distancing himself from President Trump. When you lose that much of your base it is not likely you win a 2nd term. I would not put a lot of stock in the 60%+ approval rating Hogan is credited with because as I recall Governor Ehrlich was voted out with a 60 % + approval rating. The last point I will make is that contrary to the popular narrative, the best chance for achieving real change to the redistricting in Maryland, which would result in more conservative representation, may not necessarily be the re-election of Governor Hogan, not only because he has no incentive to help conservatives, if he is seeking higher office, but actually the best chance for real change in the redistricting is if an African American is elected as the first Black Governor of Maryland. Let me explain why I say this. The Black Caucus and the Delegations from Baltimore City, Montgomery County and Prince George's County are all aware, and were promised during the last redistricting, that "Majority Minority Districts" would be drawn in the majority African American areas of the State. This would result in African Americans being represented by African Americans in Congress instead of having the African American communities represented by white male democrats because of the way that the black communities have been sliced up in the previous gerrymandered redistricting. So if a black Governor is elected and the Black Caucus and the Delegations from the Big Three demand that the promises to create majority minority districts be kept then there would be a consolidation of majority minority districts in the heavily populated African American areas of the State. Thus, while more Black Democrats would get elected to Congress, as the lines going out from the Big Three are brought back closer to home, in order to create the Majority Minority districts, the natural consequence is less of a diluted effect on the outlying districts and a greater chance that they will be represented by someone living in the local community. I was in the middle of the last redistricting fight and can tell you this was a very tense issue and promises were as to the creation of the Majority Minority Districts if they would just wait, one more time, till the next redistricting, which will be this one. I am sure that the white Democrat machine will pull out all the tricks to maintain its hold on power but the election of the first Black Governor may be enough to actually give the majority minority areas of the State the ability to be represented by a minority neighbor in Congress. I welcome your thoughts on the matter.
     

    Raineman

    On the 3rd box
    Dec 27, 2008
    3,543
    Eldersburg
    You left out Hogan's open claim that he doesn't want or need an NRA rating.

    Also, paragraphs are your friend. That was a tough read.
     

    jcutonilli

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 28, 2013
    2,474
    Ehrlich asked "What are they going to do, vote for O'Malley? The 2A community did not vote for O'Malley, they just did not vote!

    O'Malley turned around and got the "Firearms Safety Act" aka "Assault Weapons Ban" passed.

    If you don't vote you will get more anti 2A legislation.
     

    dblas

    Past President, MSI
    MDS Supporter
    Apr 6, 2011
    13,087
    You left out Hogan's open claim that he doesn't want or need an NRA rating.

    Also, paragraphs are your friend. That was a tough read.

    He copied and pasted it directly from Mike's FB page, if you want to complain to anyone about paragraphs, complain to Mike, not the OP.

    Same thing for the NRA claim, take it to Mike, not the OP.
     

    Bob A

    όυ φροντισ
    MDS Supporter
    Patriot Picket
    Nov 11, 2009
    30,690
    Maryland's rulers are not about to give their black supporters any more representation. They are, and always have been, out and out racists. That's why we have no G&S; it's unwise to arm those you wish to keep in subjugation.

    So when redistricting rolls around again, it'll be another case of "Honest, Charlie Brown, I won't pull the ball away this time!" And they know it won't have a negative election impact, because "D" is the key. We just votes for the D, and we gets stuff for free.
     

    BradMacc82

    Ultimate Member
    Industry Partner
    Aug 17, 2011
    26,177
    O'Malley turned around and got the "Firearms Safety Act" aka "Assault Weapons Ban" passed.

    If you don't vote you will get more anti 2A legislation.

    Get that even if you do vote.

    No-win situation, at least by the current playbook.
     

    Name Taken

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 23, 2010
    11,891
    Central
    Can we just ban these threads?

    We get it. There's a handfull of folks here that refuse to vote or support Govenor Hogan based on one political viewpoint. It is not worth anyones time trying to convince them they are wrong. They've already set logic aside.

    Yes it would be great if Govenor Hogan was more "Pro 2A". Vote for a Socialist because you can't get a CCW permit. Sleep easy with your morales.
     

    BradMacc82

    Ultimate Member
    Industry Partner
    Aug 17, 2011
    26,177
    There's a difference to 'not supporting' vs. 'not voting for'.

    And that's likely why so many of the more vocal people are so pissed off. They KNOW that when the time comes, they'll have to decide between H or J, and it'll begrudgingly be a vote for H.

    But until that time, they can vent and get some of it out of their system.
     

    Glaron

    Camp pureblood 13R
    BANNED!!!
    MDS Supporter
    Mar 20, 2013
    12,752
    Virginia
    He copied and pasted it directly from Mike's FB page, if you want to complain to anyone about paragraphs, complain to Mike, not the OP.

    Same thing for the NRA claim, take it to Mike, not the OP.

    Actually, no. I have copy and pasted before. I know the transition will destroy formatting.

    I reformat based on the web page view to make it readable to the users as a courtesy.

    :cool:
     

    Moon

    M-O-O-N, that spells...
    Jan 4, 2013
    2,367
    In Orbit
    Hogan is pretty bad if the only argument left to vote for him is the absurd and false claim that a vote for the only candidate that believes in the Constitution and freedom is a vote for the Socialist.
     

    iH8DemLibz

    When All Else Fails.
    Apr 1, 2013
    25,396
    Libtardistan
    Mr. Smigiel took the time to write a letter and made some very good points.

    Though I wish he spent a moment or two talking about Maryland's tolls.

    Saving a dollar is far more important than saving the Second Amendment.

    With points subtracted, I can only give his letter an "A" grade.
     

    Name Taken

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 23, 2010
    11,891
    Central
    Hogan is pretty bad if the only argument left to vote for him is the absurd and false claim that a vote for the only candidate that believes in the Constitution and freedom is a vote for the Socialist.

    Is that the only reason? Or is it the main reason his name keeps coming up on a gun forum?

    I think he's done a lot of "good" outside of the gun world. He held KK's feet to fire on school spending, he cancelled plans for the red line, he's lowered some tolls, he's vetoed several bills that I didn't support, both him and Franchot appear to have some understanding of fiscal responsiblity, he's been about as "pro" law and order that you are going to get, and the list goes on and on for me. He actually got rid of the "rain tax" to some extent. He cancelled money going to Baltimore City after numerous articles of fruad/waste/and unaccountable spending. Provided some tax relief for first responders (although I don't support it). Besides him seperating himself from President Trump hasn't used his podium for many "political" comments.

    Is he perfect? Nope. Should he not get a vote or support because of a single issue? Not in my book. Am I only voting for him because I don't want a socialist in office? Not at all.

    If that is your only reason well its better than no reason at all. I suppose if you only did your "research" on recent MDS threads that might be the only reason one could come up with. If folks paid attention for the last 4 years outside of a single issue maybe they'd make intellegent statements instead of "gee he must suck if it is him or a socislist".
     

    dist1646

    Ultimate Member
    May 1, 2012
    8,758
    Eldersburg
    I do not believe that the color of a person's skin qualifies them for anything. That should be based upon the content of their character!
    Neither candidate is our friend! I seem to recall being told that the Devil wears many disguises. This state is lost because the people themselves are practicing divisiveness, freeing those in power to do what they will against the people!
    On a historical note; Didn't the Emancipation Proclamation only free slaves in the south. The goal of the proclamation was to cause uprisings in the south which in turn would cause southern troops to be held back from the front, thus the union forces would face a weakened enemy. Isn't it true that slavery was still legal in northern states and occupied Maryland. Why would the democratic party change tactics away from what has kept them in power for so long in this state? Based on what I have witnessed in the legislature, democrats have no wish or desire to have intelligent people of color stand up against the democrat regime of dictatorship. Remember the black representative from Baltimore who was told to change his vote during the hearings for FSA 2013? His original vote made sense!

    Well, you wanted my opinion didn't you?:innocent0
     

    Jim12

    Let Freedom Ring
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 30, 2013
    33,861
    This thread and the other Hogan threads exactly like it all remind me of the junior high school bully who, when he didn't get his way exactly the way he wanted it, was determined to ruin it for everybody. And did. Mean-spirited, and quite frankly, self-destructive. But they'll take everybody else down with them, too.
     

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