Candidate Comparison

Dear Friends,

We all have choices when considering the future of our state. If you like the way things in
our state government and Republican Party have gone, then either of my competitors will be a fine choice. However, if you want to see more freedom from government and a more conservative direction, please consider supporting me. Our future is bright if we will return to our Founding Fathers’ understanding of government and the Constitution.

The Republican Party has clearly drifted from conservatism. Republican lawmakers and candidates have bowed to public sector unions to get elected and to maintain their positions at the expense of the people of Michigan. Unknown to most in our state, the public sector unions and the MEA (Michigan Education Association) control much of the primary process for both the Republican and Democrat Parties and this has led to having “one political monster with two heads.” We have seen taxes and regulations increase with repeated help from both Republicans and Democrats. We should all be asking, “Why has any party supported efforts that have destroyed our state’s economy?” It’s quite simple: they did it to get re-elected.

The public sector unions and the MEA maintain control by “helping” Republicans and Democrats who in turn maintain the status quo in education and our state’s budget. On 3 occasions I have been offered “help” from groups that generally work to elect Democrats. The only thing required was that I not advocate for “Freedom in Education.” I have refused this “help” instead of selling out to those who have no intention of allowing our state to recover. Every candidate who claims to be conservative should be asked, “What is your position on education?”

The MEA/Democrat groups have been active at recommending and working to elect “rhino republicans” who will stay clear of real education reform and real cost cutting. The MEA also has supported Planned Parenthood which is bent on making abortion more available to our children without parental consent. How can a leader be considered to be 100% pro-life with such a conflict? How can they be conservative while accepting help from such a group? One Republican candidate in this race has a MEA representative running his campaign.

I believe that we need to reform education to give our kids the best education options for
their futures and we need to place parents in charge of their children’s education, not the
government or the teachers union(MEA). We have one of the most costly education systems
and we are not getting our money’s worth. Our children deserve better.

We will not be able to cut the taxes in this state until we have a true discussion about cutting back the scope of government and our bloated public sector. Our businesses are being crushed by the weight of taxes for benefits to government employees. That makes our state among the worst in the nation to own a business because of this mounting debt/tax burden – we need to change this now!

Both of my competitors have long political careers. They have mastered the art of “leaving the back door open.” There are some stark contrasts with what my competitors have been willing to state publicly. I believe if a man seeks to be elected to office and will not state his views on government clearly, then it should beg the question – what are they committed to if they will not state it?

I have explained much of my political philosophy in this chart. I leave it to you to decide if I am worthy of holding a position of leadership. I believe we can no longer afford to have people in office who will not clearly say what type of future they are fighting to create – is it a future of more government or more liberty and freedom? We can’t have both. We need a new direction for our people and our state while improving our options for education and easing the tax burden
on our businesses. Please pray for our state, that those who are elected will seek God’s direction and move to restore individual liberty and freedom!

May the Lord bless you and your family and may He restore our great state!

Todd A. Courser

Candidate for State Senate

I have created this chart highlighting the issues I feel are essential to restoring prosperity. The information was gathered from candidate websites. If they have a stated position, I have listed it and if not, then I have recorded it as “Position Not Stated or PNS.” All notations precede 6-15-10.

Candidate Tea Party Forum

We have just finished the video from the TEA party candidate forum and I thought you might like to see it. I have tried through a set of videos on my campaign site and on “YouTube”, to allow voters to see and hear for themselves my commitment to be the independent voice for the people in our state senate. In this candidate forum, we had all three candidates for the open senate seat participate but the opposing candidates have not approved having their responding answers on video released or aired, we will make it available if approved and technically possible (that is why only my portion is shown), two of them refused to have their responses posted for viewing. Here is the video:

In the forum, I explained my belief that we need to return to the Constitution and to the Founders’ intentions for government. I also explained how the special interests have bought and paid for both Republican and Democrat seats in our state government. I detailed how the MEA offers money, campaign workers, and even campaign management to Republican candidates who will support public school funding only. It is a very tempting offer but one I will continue to refuse because it makes it impossible to support cutting taxes in any meaningful way and it keeps children in failing schools, enslaved to a life without opportunity and prosperity.

I intend, with your help and your vote, to be the independent voice of the Republican Party for the people of Michigan. I am fighting to see our state placed back on the tracks to economic recovery. To see this become reality it will require, from all of us, hard work, sacrifice, and clear leadership that is not looking to the next election cycle, but to the long term health of our state. Please join me in this vision.

Todd A Courser
Candidate for State Senate 2010
www.votetoddnow.com

Responses

Mr. Courser,

Why such strong objections to funding of public schools? I am not a Teacher, but an employee and have been for the last 14 years. This puts my employ and my retirement and those of my co-workers in jeopardy.   Wendy

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Dear Wendy:

I have not said I am against the idea of public schools.  I think that is the way to hear it if you are wanting to believe that public schools can be all things to all people.  I am however for parents having the choice and the option of attending where they want.  This position is against the public school unions interests and so I will be labeled in some way as anti public school.  This is not true, many public schools do a great job.  Here is the deal.  We as a state contribute a very large portion of our budget to education and we routinely are the last in the nation at getting dollars to the teachers in the classrooms.  It all get eaten by administration.  We can cut the costs overall in education by allowing parents to choose.  I am in favor of good public schools, vouchers, school choice, and expanding charter schools.  These avenues will give parents, not teachers or unions the charge over the children’s educations.  This free market will kill bad schools and give rise to better options for parents, students, and even teachers. There will not be less teaching spots but more.  In private schools they actually have less students per teacher so they actually increase the number of teaching options if allowed to take part of the student population.

We spend between 7 and 14k per child in our state. If we can offer a 3k voucher to get kids to leave that are better suited to their education style, we will, as a state save from 4 to 11k per student that leave for another option. This funding can be placed back to work in the public schools that are doing a great job.  Or you can simply believe the union and the idea that what is wrong with education is a lack of funding, even when we have some of the best funding in the nation. The union will say it is never enough even when they refuse to get it to the classroom.

Please take a look at my website votetoddnow.com and there is my story in education and the attempts to label me as a slow learner early on.

God bless you and thanks for taking the time to think about the position.  There are some great people doing God’s work in the public schools.  Both of my sisters and my mother taught in the public schools so I know they have a heavy load. We were all educated in the public schools. Now I have 3 who are being homeschooled and we love it.  Some families don’t do a good job but all of mine are well above in their academics.  My kindergartener is able to read many books and can do his multiplication in his head thru 5 times 5.  The objectors will always point to the bad cases.  In each type of education there are those, but if you put parents in charge then most of the time you will get a better education for the child.

Thanks – the campaign in the teachers union will be strong against me and these ideas. The union recommendation will be to the candidate in my primary that is willing to go with them and never touch the idea of the MEA having to be in competition with others for students minds.

Just remember as the union has controlled both political parties they have been willing to destroy the economy and the jobs that go with it to make sure that they are funded better than most any state in the union.  This has driven out much of our business all by itself, they passed the worst business tax in the country, the MBT is a job killer! The union backed and forced the passing of the worst business tax in the country and they used both parties to get it done and this crushed our economy. We need new direction.

Todd

Please remember to get out and vote on November 3^rd!

In Port Huron, Mayor Moeller, Martin Doorn, and James Fisher have fought against tax increases and against water and sewer rates increases. Help these men to continue their fight for fiscal responsibility in Port Huron. Mayor Moeller has pledged to keep at the task of balancing the budget in Port Huron by making government live within its means. The people of Port Huron must live within their means when managing their own personal budgets and they expect the same from their government.

Additionally, Mayor Moeller has been a fighter against corruption and fraud for his entire working career and has been a strong advocate for keeping government working for the people and not for the “good ol’ boy” establishment. Please join him in his effort to keep Port Huron moving forward toward a prosperous future!

Your vote is so important and crucial to this fight! Vote – Moeller, Doorn, and Fisher and support them in their fight against tax, water rate, and sewer rate increases!

God Bless you,

Todd A Courser, Esq.

Candidate for State Senate 2010

Join us in our fight to take government back from the parties and give it to the people!

Missed Votes

2005: House Bill 5098 Amendment for Small Business Tax: House Bill 5098 was designed to increase the Small Business Tax on businesses that did not pay employees at least $7.15 per hour. Failed.

2005: House Bill 4982 Failed.

2007: House Bill 4556 Passed.

2007: Senate Bill 94 Michigan Business Tax Failed.

2007: House Bill 4359 Failed.

2007: House Bill 4359 Failed.

2008: House Bill 6096 Passed (101 to 0

PAC Contributors

• Michigan Farm Bureau PAC
• Auto Dealers of MI PAC
• MITA PAC
• MI REG Council Carpenters PAC
• UPS PAC
• MI Manufactured Housing RV & Camp PAC
• ABD of MI PAC
• MI Chiropractic Council PAC
• SBC Michigan PAC
• DTE Energy Company PAC
• SEMCO PAC
• MITA PAC
• MI Restaurant Assn PAC
• Realtors PAC
• AUC PAC
• Marathon Oil Co Employees PAC
• Michigan Chamber PAC
• MHSA PAC
• Meijer PAC of MI
• BCBSM PAC
• Blues PAC
• MI Concrete Paving Assoc PAC
• MORBANPAC
• Cingular Wireless LLC PAC
• PFIZER Michigan PAC
• Frankenmuth PAC
• Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce PAC
• Health PAC
• MACPA PAC
• AT&T Michigan PAC
• MAA PAC