Skeletons Falling Out of the Closet

Another DeLay ex-aide pled guilty today to conspiracy. This is the federal investigation, not connected to Ronnie Earle in Austin. The skeletons are rattling in the closet.

As evidence of the slide in moral values, DeLay has GOP types like Jerry Patterson now saying how it is a shame an indicted Congressman can't carry a gun! Patterson is basically saying EVERYONE (including Congressmen) indicted on a felony (like the bank robbers, etc.) should be allowed to keep their concealed guns despite the indictment!

How pro-criminal is that? What kind of moral values is DeLay promoting here?

A Congressman who appeals his gun suspension (as DeLay has done) apparently feels he is above the law; that it should not apply to him.

Since the law has become inconvenient, apparently he wants the law changed so either, choose one (1) "everyone EXCEPT indicted Congressman shall have their concealed carry license suspended"... or, to avoid that equal protection problem:
(2) : "All indicted felons shall not have their licenses suspended to carry concealed weapons of all sizes"...

Ummm. Somehow that doesn't make sense to me. I am trying to see how any of this relates to improving our moral values....? Umm. Get indicted; carry your gun anyway.

Let's call a spade a spade: it is nuts to allow indicted felons to continue carrying a gun license (if they had one), regardless of their position in the food chain. That's not bitter; just common sense. Duh.

Moral values have been twisted into strange shapes under this person's influence. He is even corrupting the thinking of normally rational Republicans like Mr. Patterson.

NASA and the Congressman

And for something totally “funny,” read this story on NASA's dip into fantasy:

Apparently NASA’s administrator made a statement that sounded like an endorsement of Rep. DeLay. If so, it would be a violation of the Hatch Act. Never mind that. Look at the FACTS.

If Mr. DeLay has been such a good friend to NASA, why are our astronauts still riding around in 25-year-old Space Shuttles with 1970’s technology, when DeLay has been in office 22 of those years?

That’s like crowing you got the best Model T’s in town when the rest of the world drives SUV’s. With Congressional friends like that who needs enemies? Had a real "space nut" been in office that long, astronauts would be riding around in the equivalent of hybrid SUV's by this time...instead they remain grounded, waiting on more patches for the Model T...

Good News - From Bush's mileage move to the release of Kidnapped U.S. reporter Jill Carroll

Lots of GOOD news the past couple days.

The Bush administration is increasing the mileage standards for vehicles – a move that will save billions in future gas bills for American motorists.
And this great news from Iraq: Kidnapped U.S. reporter Jill Carroll has been released after nearly three months in captivity, Iraq police and the leader of the Islamic Party said Thursday. Her editor said she was in good condition.
And Houston got more rain. We really needed it. The timing is good. Over the weekend, I started hacking out weeds in the yard with a hoe-- now the grass has a chance to grow without being choked. It was a long overdue project. I found it strangely therapeutic to chop out weeds by the roots with a hoe instead of just spraying them. And you get instant results. My wife doesn’t like pesticides near the pets so I returned to my farm roots and have a couple new blisters to prove it. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger (people are still amazed I didn’t die after running against the Majority Leader).

More good news – Israel elected Kadima, the peace party that won a majority of seats and is moving forward on Palestinian issues that need to be resolved – Olmert is following in Sharon’s footsteps to reduce the long-burning violence that has plagued that region.

Standby for more good news…(Forgive the spacing above - blogger does that now and then for some reason).

When "Christians" Act Like Ayatollahs - Beware the hypocrites

In a news article today, DeLay was quoted as saying, "we have been chosen to live as Christians at a time when our culture is being poisoned. ... God made us specifically for it. ... Jesus Christ himself made us just so that we could live in this nation at this time."

He should have added: “Jesus Christ himself made us just so that we could live in this nation at this time as the perfect examples of hypocrites.”

DeLay gets three ethical admonishments and then has the ethics panel Republicans axed from ALL their committees. That’s Christian?

DeLay had my highway signs stolen in 2000 when I first ran against him and he didn’t have any. In 2002, when I filed for the primary a second time, he had me kicked off the ballot. That’s Christian?

In 2006, after outspending three, mostly self-financed opponents ten to one, DeLay claims “liberal interest groups” paid us. My FEC reports show this is a big lie – no George Soros donated to me, but a lot of regular people in the district did. Is lying and cheating Christian? I don’t think so.

These deliberate deceptions are by a man being praised by this group as a “Christian.” Mr. DeLay, you are to Christians what Osama bin laden is to Muslims—an extremist who has lost sight of his religion’s true teachings of compassion, respect and values.

Your real God is money and power, both of which you are now losing. I know a lot of real Christians. You are a poor role model of how a Christian behaves.

I think Rev. Lynn hits the nail on the head:
Rev. Barry Lynn, who heads Americans United for Separation of Church and State, said the gathering [where DeLay spoke] was more about partisan politics than religion or cultural values.
"This 'war' is nothing real," Lynn said in a telephone interview with Cox News Service. "The fact is Christians in America are a cultural majority, and they are an extremely powerful group. But what you have here are second-tier preachers who are hoping to hit the big time, desperately hoping for a national spotlight ... ."
In other words we have Christian Ayatollahs like Pat Robertson, who called for the assassination of foreign leaders he doesn’t like and even demanded the bombing of our own State Department. How Christian is that? This is the crowd represented by Mr. DeLay.
Some of them emailed me before the Iraq invasion, and said how they HOPED the Iraq war would turn into Armageddon! It’s definitely turned into hell.
Moderates have won in Israel. We need the same in America and the Middle East.
We need Muslim moderates joining with Christian moderates and Jewish moderates –taking power away from the nut cases in the Left Behind Armageddon wing of the GOP headed by the likes of Ayatollah Tom DeLay.
In the nuclear age, we need to do this as quickly as possible. We need to do this before another “Armageddon” target comes along for them to get excited about.

Immigration: The Challenge

“If a man be gracious to strangers, it shows that he is a citizen ofthe world, and his heart is no island, cut off from other islands,but a continent that joins them.” Francis Bacon wrote those words. Last weekend over 500,000 people protested the proposed new law that would make millions of people felons for being in the U.S. illegally.

Nothing like it has happened regarding the other controversial subject which also has huge ramifications for our future: the Iraq war.

Different international smuggling gangs are making raids on other gangs houses in Houston—where they “stashed” people instead of cocaine. Human trafficking is more profitable than drug trafficking, and smugglers are giving up the drugs to smuggle people. Which is worse?

Women have also been the target of international traffickers. Both issues require creative solutions in Congress. Making people felons won’t solve the problem. If it is a choice between feeding the family and getting a felony, I know what most people will choose. Congress should know it as well.

Our present system encourages massive numbers of people to circumvent our border crossings, overwhelming border security despite all the walls you build. Even the Berlin Wall failed to keep people from crossing -- and it was small compared to our Mexico-U.S. border which stretches thousands of miles.

Right now, Border agents can’t tell economic refugees from potential terrorists when thousands are crossing illegally every day.

The only solution is a radical one – make it to ENCOURAGE people to go through our border checkpoint so we have a biometric fingerprint on everyone. A work permit is that lure. The only way to do that is to take a serious look at President Bush’s Guest Worker plan. Let’s face it, I don’t see any of these people taking over as CEO of Wal Mart; nor do I see regular Americans willing to cut grass and do a lot of nasty work these people do every day.

If we change our system so that is sucks people THROUGH our system instead of forcing them to go AROUND IT then that leaves only the terrorist or people smugglers crossing illegally to avoid giving up their identity.

In fact, such a change would put most of the coyote “people smugglers” out of business, leaving only the terrorists trying to duck the border. Our agents could focus on them. The bad buys will be easier to pick out. They will no longer be able to hide among the swarms of people coming across looking for a job instead of a target. It’s a win-win.

Final thought: If we REALLY want to fix this problem, we need to help generate economic growth in places like Mexico so that the jobs develop there. THAT will reduce the desire of people to cross the border for work HERE.

They are crossing our border more out of desperate need for income than choice.

Don’t believe me? Just ask the guys cutting your grass…Francis Bacon had it right.

DeLay and the Russians – The $1 Million for 1 Vote

DeLay and the Russians – The $1 Million for 1 Vote

Russians had "sources inside the American Central Command" and that intelligence was passed to Saddam through the Russian ambassador in Baghdad.

This is according to news reports released today. It reminded me of Mr. DeLay’s connection to the Russians – in 1998 he and Mr. Abramoff got the Russians to donate $1 million to a U.S. charity –after Mr. DeLay said publicity he was against IMF funding. Once the $1 million was paid, DeLay changed his position and voted for the IMF bill Russia wanted passed.

Passing it through a charity doesn’t launder the fact that money changed hands to influence a foreign policy vote by a sitting U.S. Congressman. In the old days this was called a bribe.

It was after this Russian deal, if I can keep the DeLay/Abramoff Enron-like series of deals straight, that DeLay and Abramoff went off to the Marianna Islands to party (and ignore poor labor conditions for women and children) and Scotland to play golf at one of the most exclusive clubs in the world. Yep, this is the very same Abramoff that Mr. DeLay claimed “he didn’t know” in an 8-page letter he sent out during the campaign we just wrapped up.

Now we find out the Russians have a mole in our Central Command that tipped off Saddam about the 2003 operation -- and is probably still there tipping off Mr. Putin who has been a busy boy taking away the rule of law in Russia.

So, we have Congressman taking money from a foreign government for his vote. Maybe that explains why Mr. DeLay lost his voice when it came to protecting democracy in Russia as Mr. Putin’s rivals are put in jail and newspapers are puppets of the government or closed down.

Apparently, DeLay has not desired to bite the hand that gave him a $1 million donation/bribe (pick one or both), laundered through a charity, whose use of the money is questionable and is under federal investigation.

We need to find the mole and replace any Congressman or woman who takes money from a foreign government for their vote.

As someone who was a TV terrorism advisor on 9 11, it is my opinion this situation puts the U.S. in a very dangerous situation, externally and internally.

Half of the world lives on $2 a day or less - How to Change that

It happened again. Tonight I went to hear a speech by former EPA Administrator, William D. Ruckelshaus (Remember Watergate and the “Saturday Night Massacre”?) at the Houston World Affairs council on an “Initiative for Global Development” he is part of with Bill Gates, Sr., former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Shalikashvili, etc.

I didn’t expect to meet him but found myself being introduced to him as “a local hero” who had run against Mr. DeLay. At this news, Mr. Ruckelshaus looked very interested and starting asking me questions about the district, etc. I guess he was amazed I was still alive.

He went on to give a fascinating talk on a program to get businesses involved in reducing the most extreme poverty in the world. Why? Because poverty is bad for business, it’s that simple. The more people can raise their economic standards, the more business prospers. If people have a stake in the future, they are less likely to blow themselves up or gravitate towards extremist leadership.

They are focusing on people making only $1 a day, which are $1.2 BILLION people. He noted that we have 3 billion people—one half of the world -- who are making $2 or less per day. Their website is www.igdleaders.org

We have a long way to go.

Planet Sugar Land - “I Feel Free”

Yesterday I got a reminder that it is good to get away from “Planet Sugar Land” and see life in the real world where not everyone drives an SUV and has a safety net.

We stopped near the Houston Ballet for a quick breakfast, so my wife could go to work. As we were eating, I glanced up and noticed the man sharing our table was eying my breakfast. He was nursing a bottle of water.

I asked him if he had eaten. He shook his head no. After the campaign my wallet is on the thin side, but I gave him a couple bucks anyway. He promptly got up and bought himself a huge plate of eggs for a buck and sat down to eat. He said it made his day. It was a reminder to me that there are many in this world that need a break. Later that day, a new client gave me a check so it all worked out.

I saw an article yesterday in which Mr. DeLay said, “I feel free,” now that he no longer is the majority leader and can go out and smoke a cigar between votes. That is the freedom that comes from being in a free fall after losing power.

I am feeling free, but in a different way. My mission has been accomplished – I ran against corruption and malfeasance in office. Now the legal and political system can take over, and I am content with that. My six-year mission is accomplished. People are coming out of the woodwork to run in this race this fall.

Now I can move on to what I truly love and where my experience is -- international negotiations! I just read a fascinating article by a University of St Thomas professor on the limited options open to the Bush administration on dealing with a nuclear Iran. When I get permission to publish I’ll pass on some of his proposed solutions…

Trans Atlantic Drift

Yesterday I was invited to a lunch at the Houstonian to hear Dr. Geir Lundestad, who is Executive Director of the Norwegian Nobel Committee (that issues the peace prize), talking about “Trans-Atlantic drift.” He was referring to the U.S. and Europe politically.

He said basically that without the Soviet Union as “the tie that binds” Europe and the U.S. have not been as close as in the past. When asked if he thought China or a nuclear Iran might be a motivator for closer cooperation, he said he didn’t think so. No one in Europe is worried about China. And Iran’s future as a menace isn’t the same as the Soviets who had thousands of nuclear devices.

I think he may be right, unless our leaders decide to cooperate, not because they have to ward off Godzilla, but because it is the only way to resolve future Iraqs and survive in a changing world. Asia is on the rise and Europe and America have much to gain from cooperating, and much to lose by not.

I got a chance to meet Dr. Lundestad before the lunch. To my surprise, he said he’d been reading the election in the papers and was excited to actually meet one of the people he’d read about. Maybe it was that Norwegian name that stuck out.

Needless to say I was disappointed to find out that no peace prize was being offered for anyone who had run against Tom DeLay more than three times.

I met a Norwegian lady and we exchanged how people in cold climes are more direct than people in warm, southern climates. She said it was the same in Europe – those from the North have to get it out before you freeze to death, while those in the South can take their time (and do).

I have never been to Norway in 55 plus countries I’ve negotiated in. But I’ll wait until summer, since it is below zero there now. Trans Atlantic drift sounds like another way of saying “tour Europe this summer.” I know a church group that is back from a cruise on the Med, stopping at Rome, etc. They loved it.

Congress, Iran and Nuclear Proliferation

Iran has emerged as a real potential nuclear threat while our Congress leadership has allowed nuclear proliferation to endanger our future.

It was not Iraq, but Iran, that has posed the greatest danger to global security for the last decade. Iran has had an active nuclear development program for the 22 years DeLay has focused on navel gazing inside the beltway. Iran, unlike Iraq, has missiles with the range to carry hits on Israel and Europe. If those missiles carry a nuclear warhead, the power swings to a government ruled by religious extremists not unlike Hamas.

I was working in the Middle East area when Ayatollah Khomeini took over Iran in the late 1970’s.

Congress missed it. So did the White House. This is another reason why I ran for Congress – the incumbent has been asleep at the wheel of our national security the entire 22 years he’s been there.

No? Then where is our border security after 22 years? Where was DeLay’s preparation for 9 11?

In 1994, I did a TV program about a potential terrorist attack against the U.S. in 1994 with a Reagan administration weapons expert, Dr. Ron Hatchett. On 9 11, DeLay was just one more running for his life before an airplane flew into the Capitol Building (it picked the Pentagon instead).

DeLay has ignored Iran’s threat to Israel’s and U.S. security while chasing another red herring, such as the Dubai Port issue.

Pierce Bush is right to say Dubai is a moderate state and that all the hysteria is misplaced. Dubai is not Iran. Dubai is not Osama bin laden and the Taliban in Afghanistan. I once swam in the Gulf waters in Dubai. The reality is that Dubai is more like a global Las Vegas. Iran is more like Salem Witch Hunt on steroids, with nukes. Besides, what company would manage a port only to blow it up? (The real issue is why we allow any foreign company to run all our ports?)

This Congressman has fumbled our foreign relations at every turn, ignoring real dangers while favoring lobbyist paid golf trips to Scotland and parties in the Marianna Islands instead of fact-finding trips to Tehran.
Maybe it was because DeLay was too busy getting paid Russian government money in return for an IMF vote and playing golf to notice that Iran has been building a nuclear industry? Because of his neglect, we now face a greater danger. Iran is no place for a bug killer expert in Congress.
The administration has made so many basic mistakes in our international relations that Congress and its leaders could have caught or modified, but hasn’t. Now Americans are paying the price in a loss of security -- and will until we replace the self-absorbed incumbent with someone who can pay attention to protecting us from global threats.

No More D22 Runs for Me

For the record, I will not run again for District 22 as a candidate. However, that does not mean that I won't continue fighting corruption in our government. I will continue to irritate our corrupt leaders whenever possible.

The focus of this blog now turns to our future as a country. We are in serious trouble as a result of the runaway spending and lacking of preparation by our leadership. In the days ahead, we will address those issues - and potential Solutons...

Thanks again to the 40% of Republicans who voted in the primary for the clean candidates instead of the indicted one.

No Endorsement for Anyone Indicted for a Felony

I will NOT be endorsing Mr. DeLay in November.

I cannot endorse anyone running for office who has been indicted on a felony charge (after three Congress ethical admonishments and the sacking of the members of the ethics committee) --regardless of party.

My moral values won’t allow it. There are prisons full of people indicted on felonies who claim to be innocent. I won't be endorsing any of them for Congress either... If a guy holds up a gas station, it is a crime regardless of whether he is a Democrat or Republican.

I can understand them not voting for me, the avowed moderate, but they even rejected Mr. Campbell who had billed himself as “the ethical DeLay.”

How could they vote against an ethical alternative to DeLay? What kind of moral values are those?

There is trouble ahead for DeLay. Nearly 40% of partisan GOP voters voted against him. The Republicans who come out in November are more moderate (less partisan) and they are disgusted with the scandals, runaway spending, and corruption. It is about behavior and ethical conduct!

In a 60% GOP district that has a 40% Democrat base, a 40% drop in GOP support spells trouble for our imperial Congressman.

And that is before more evidence comes out in the federal investigation, to say nothing about the redistricting case before the Supreme Court, which eliminates DeLay’s argument that this is about politics and personal destruction.

Republicans Pick the Indicted Candidate - What Kind of Moral values?

Yesterday Republican voters picked a Congressman indicted on a felony as their candidate over THREE other candidates with more qualifications than DeLay had as a pest control expert. They chose the one with the darkest ethical and legal cloud hanging over his head.

What kind of values are these?

Mr. DeLay is under separate investigation by the federal authorities involving lobbyist abuses. He has had at least three recent ethical admonishments. DeLay promptly flew off for a lobbyist-sponsored fundraiser in DC scheduled for election night! I thought this was the party of moral values?

I heard some Republican activists say last night that they thought that an indicted Republican was better than any of the other choices. That is strange and twisted thinking.

It’s really about power, not values when folks say that DeLay is better than Tom Campbell, a lawyer who worked for Bush 41 or Mike Fjetland, an international negotiator, or Pat Baig, a former teacher who has lived overseas. However, the majority went with the poster boy for ethical abuses who flew in a lobbyist jet of RJ Reynolds, the tobacco company, to his indictment hearing in Austin.

This is about the future of this party that has lost its moral compass.

To me, moral values means not endorsing anyone indicted for a felony, be it Tom DeLay or Al Capone. People don’t get felony indictments for jaywalking. One has to be living on the edge to even be in the running for that. DeLay went after Clinton on a Misdemeanor, yet laughs off a felony. I saw people applauding that.

I thank the voters who picked ANY of the three of us. Unfortunately the bar is set very low. We have already set a higher standard of values than that represented by Mr. DeLay.

ANY of the choices left on the ballot in November (including the independent and former Rep. Stockman who may be far out there but isn’t under any felony I know of) beats electing a Republican indicted felon to represent the district we live in.

If this is the America of Abe Lincoln and George Washington, then even electing an un-indicted Democrat in November is a better choice than returning a corrupt Congressman to office, especially after he’s penalized teachers, veterans, etc….

In 2002, DeLay won with 80% after knocking me off the ballot for most of the primary. In 2006, he was down to 62%, so he is in decline.

My fight continues against corruption in our government, whether I’m a candidate or not…

Election Day! Today voters in District 22 can open a new chapter of 21st Century leadership

It’s Election Day! Today voters in District 22 can open a new chapter of 21st Century leadership by electing someone with the global skills and local focus we need in this space-age era; someone who has integrity and a positive, bridge building purpose.

It’s time to let the chips fall and close this chapter on Washington scandals and runaway spending. It’s time to move into the 21st Century with fresh leadership that can build bridges not burn them. People want common sense and honesty in government and in their representatives. That is not too much to ask.

To answer a lot of calls we’ve been getting, I will be at the old courthouse in Richmond tonight after the polls close during the traditional poll counting. This has been a tradition in every GOP primary I’ve been, the candidates all gathered in the historic old Richmond Courthouse to watch returns come in.

I ask for your vote today so we can begin that process and thank the many volunteers and friends who have helped….

Granny Turns 102 Today - Voters are looking for a Good Place to Land

“Kudos” to Channels 2, Channel 13 and Channel 39 for their public service this election – all of them have given District 22 candidates airtime and treated all equally. Channel 2’s pieces have aired. Channel 13 is doing something today.

Public service no-shows so far this year have been Channel 26 and Channel 11. NPR gets a stick for interviewing two candidates then talking only about one.
Fox National broadcast an interview with Mr. DeLay -- all by himself. I saw it while eating lunch at Larry’s Mexican restaurant in Richmond.

This is not a democratic level playing field. If that procedure controlled our courts, only one side would ever get to present its case. I am ready for an end to one-sided politics and journalism.

I give thanks and awards also to the community press, especially the many ethnic papers that are more American than those claiming to be. Most of them carried all candidates, printed our press releases and were fair. District 22 now looks like the UN and they are a vital information sources. These new Americans have a real thirst for American justice and equality.

My wife’s grandmother turned 102 today. We will do a birthday party to celebrate. Meanwhile, I will keep talking to the people of this district. They are fair and balanced.

I feel good about this. Yesterday Laura and I traveled from the west to the east side of the district, ending at an interfaith music event at the Clear Lake Baptist church. It was wonderful. The campaign also led to my discovery of bluegrass gospel. It is really upbeat and fun.

I believe integrity and honesty are needed in Washington like a spring shower. My international skills are also vital. We face great, global and local risks. You know my agenda. It’s been public for years. I treat all with justice, respect and fairness. My focus is the people of the district -- our vets, teachers, elderly, kids, etc.-- not lobbyists.

Final thoughts. The voters are like a flock of quail, looking for a place to land. When I filed December 9, no one else had filed, not even DeLay. So everyone who filed after me knew they were splitting the vote.

I’ve never been to Norway but in Norwegian I’m told that “Fjet” means good (so Fjet land is “Good land”). Norway is mostly mountain and sea. Good land is hard to find. Good representatives are also hard to find. I invite those voting quail to come settle in Fjetland.

Try it. You’ll like Fjetland.

What if DeLay Comes in No. 3 ? Possible...

Sunday, March 05, 2006

What if DeLay is No. 3 in this race?

As a told the young AP reporter I saw at Rosenberg yesterday -- I continue talking to people for hours without encountering a DeLay voter. There has been a huge voter turnout on my strong side of the district.

Before seeing the reporter I did some blocking walking in neighborhoods I’ve walked before (for years in prior elections). I found a guy home, hauling fresh compost to his yard. I introduced myself and he said he’d already voted. I asked him whom he voted for.

He said as a Republican that he had not voted for Mr. DeLay for the last few elections. I wasn’t sure he had voted for me either, but then he asked who else was running. I mentioned both names, he thought for a moment, and said: “No, I didn’t vote for them. I voted for you.”

I chock that up to name recognition. He went with the familiar name he’d seen on the ballot before.

For the third time in recent days kids, excited to meet me for some reason, approached me. It occurred while I was at a Boy Scout sale/fundraiser when a kid came running up and asking if I was “Mike Fjetland.” I said yes. He wanted to meet me as the candidate. He said his dad was scoutmaster. I enjoyed being with them all, working together, on a beautiful sunny blue spring day.

I came across some Foster High school girls and their parents and let them wash my van. They were doing it as a fundraiser for a trip to New York. The ones in the yellow shirts were going on the trip; the ones in the blue shirts had to wash and wait on a future trip. When I asked their preference, they came up with London and Paris instead of New York. I thought that was great, and pretty funny. The van really didn’t need the wash, but the kids needed the money for a trip that would expand their world. Many of the girls had never been out of the State of Texas!

I offered a $1 tip if anyone could pronounce my last name. I kept my dollar but they are smart and figured it out -- and I got a power shine you could see for miles. Thanks girls! Have fun on your trip.

It’s time to vote and make a decision.

Another update tomorrow…

Full Speed Ahead

Full Speed Ahead

I am still amazed at the number of people who tell me that they are no longer voting for Mr. DeLay. I can’t recall even talking to anyone lately who has told me they are voting for him.

Nor have they said that they were voting for any one of the newbies either. No one knows them. My five (5) years of talking to people in this district now is the critical difference.

In 2000 I did like the other two challengers in this contest – I filed at the last minute and worked for 2 months. I discovered that t is impossible to cover this district of 400,000 voters, in person, in two months. That is why it has taken 5 years to get here, building the only known base opposing DeLay.

Now it is expanding to include teachers, vets, and Americans of every ethnic group and faith that live in this district: including Vietnamese and Chinese Americans.

While the other challengers put money and their faces on billboards and TV, I am putting mine in front of people, one on one. I am building on 5 years of trust and relationships across this huge district that spans parts of different counties.

It will be a small group of voters who make this decision – usually less than 10% of the total number of potential voters. Those voters usually vote for someone they have met or know. This year I am the single challenger they have seen on the ballot before.

Be sure to let your friends know that Tuesday, March 7th is the last day to vote for positive change in District 22.

Thank You!
Mike Fjetland

POSITIVE QUOTE OF THE DAY---I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.-- Confucius (Chinese Philosopher) 551-479 B.C.

DeLay Needs SuperComputer to Find Voters

I finally grabbed a Chronicle yesterday and read the interesting article on DeLay using a sophisticated computer model to find his voters. From my experiences talking to people, he needs a Supercomputer to find his voters! Yep, they are a rapidly shrinking number requiring powerful instruments to detect.

Every meeting I go to I have people tell me that they used to vote for DeLay, but not this time. I have been hearing from one end of the district to the other.

I even heard it at the Galveston GOP Lincoln (let’s not forget him) Reagan dinner last night. I met people who have already voted for me and I had not yet met them. Cool. It gave me a chance to meet people I’ve missed like the Friendswood GOP ladies. All of it was added in 2004 after two prior boundaries so it is still new. That's why DeLay was also there last night, not DC. He actually lost Galveston County in 2004.

While DeLay needs the CIA to find his voters, I feel like a hunter in a field of quail (with no Dick Cheney around raining shrapnel on my head). All I have to do is show up and I bag votes flying around looking for a place to land. There are TONS of them. Many have seen my face before or know someone who has. They don't know the other two at all.

DeLay can use his supercomputer all he wants. Computers won’t be voting in this election.

But a lot of rightfully mad people I’ve meet will be.

Be Careful What You Pray For

I complained about not having enough media and then two interviews yesterday cost me contact with over 500 voters who will decide this election, so be careful what you pray for comes to mind.

But I had to show out of respect. The problem was that at the same time as the Chronicle Board interview there was a funeral for a prominent member of the community, who had been a long time member of our little church in Richmond.

The conflict was showing respect at two significant events, since elections and funerals aren’t flexible events.

I did make it to the end of the reception to say a word to the widow and family.

My wife and I ended the day by attending a church service on Ash Wednesday.

If I have to choose now, I choose contact with voters over any interview. I committed to one today but that may be about it. Voters, not media, will be making this decision in what has been described as the most important election of 2006.

If media wishes to see my letter to the board which was sent today, please check with the Chronicle Board. We’ll post it when time permits and lately voter contact is priority one.

Also, I hope people realize that my email backlog is piling up – I’m not ignoring you. I’m out there talking to people. I WILL response as soon as possible.

If it is an emergency item, leave a voice message on my cell phone on the contact page on the website.

I am able to check that more often. The momentum is taking off so be patient if I’m slow in responding to requests. Tonight I'll be at the Galveston event at South Shore if you want to see me. Today I'll be in Rosenberg and Richmond...etc

Liberal Media Favors the Wrong Candidate in this Race

Yesterday I felt like a hot knife in butter all day.

Only a train blocking the road kept me from Pearland last night, but it didn’t matter. Only 400 people have voted in Pearland after a week of early voting. My strength over the years is in the area of the district that is having the highest turnout. It happens to be home to our church family and thousands of our friends who have voted for me for years.

Everyone I have been meeting is SO ready for a change in Congress -- and pledged their vote.

Many remember me from past campaigns. They know I have been challenging Goliath and his arrogance and corruption long before the indictments started coming in and the new people jumped in.

For years, conservative radio would give Mr. DeLay free airtime and leave me off during a primary (it just happened again this week on the Gray show). How American is that?

Now I see the same thing from the liberal media. I was the only candidate other than Mr. Campbell who gave a talk taped by NPR. Yet I received not a sound bite. So the left and right have found some common ground –neither side believes in giving equal time. That doesn’t sound like American democracy to me. I’m happy for conservative GOP primary voters to know that the liberal media is behind Mr. Campbell! LOL.

But none of that matters to me because only one thing does – the voters. Newspapers don’t vote, people do. People vote for someone who earns their vote. You can’t buy them. DeLay spent $1,100 per vote in 2004. I spent $2 for each of mine.

Voters tell me that they just don’t know who the other candidates are. They certainly don’t care who NPR, the New York Times or Washington Post think is the favored candidate.

The voters are telling me they don’t want ANYONE with prior Washington experience elected this time.

Remember that old movie “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” ? I always like Jimmy Stewart. We could use another Mr. Smith shaking up DC, even if he has a funny Norwegian name and has never been to Norway or Washington…