Monday, December 11, 2006

Rick Baxter



This is perhaps old news, but still worth looking at.

As former State Rep. Tim Walberg (R) began to make the transition to Congressman Tim Walberg, he named outgoing State Rep. Rick Baxter as his district director.

Baxter, R-Concord, will oversee constituent services and projects for the 7th District's seven counties, which stretch from the Ann Arbor suburbs to Battle Creek.

Jackson will be his main base of operations; Walberg expects to sign a lease here and hire additional staff within the next two weeks.

Pollster Ed Sarpolus said he wasn't surprised Baxter got the nod from Walberg, who won a narrow victory.

Across the state, legislators lost elections when congressional candidates in their districts didn't get out and campaign for them, notes Sarpolus, vice president of Lansing-based EPIC-MRA.

"Tim Walberg cost Baxter the election," Sarpolus said. "It's fitting he gave him a job."

He'll also be the new chairman of the Jackson County Republican Party.

So who is Rick Baxter? As might be expected, he's very close to Congressman-elect Walberg.

He volunteered in Walberg's last legislative race in 1996 for extra credit in his Lenawee Christian High School government class.

When Baxter, 27, ran for his own state House seat in 2004, he hired Wicks as his campaign manager.

Wicks, 27, served as Baxter's chief of staff until this spring when he left to run Walberg's campaign.

He was mentioned at one point as a potential primary challenger to Joe Schwarz, only to step aside in favor of Walberg's challenge. Narrowly elected in 2004 to a state House seat in Jackson County, Baxter filled the vacancy left by Clark Bisbee-- Bisbee was one of the other Republican candidates in the 2004 primary, coming in fourth place (2,600 votes behind Walberg). Baxter was defeated in November by Jackson Mayor Martin Griffin.

So what did Rick Baxter do during is term in the state House?

For one thing, he fought against fiscal responsibility. Following the demise of the Single Business Tax, Republican and Democratic leaders in the state-- including both Governor Granholm and Dick DeVos-- struggled to find a fair way to replace the $1.9 billion in lost revenue (or, in DeVos' case, pretend that he had a plan). What did Baxter say?
This November, I hope the Cit-Pat remembers that Jackson-area state Rep. Rick Baxter (R-Hanover) has proclaimed that NONE(!) of the $1.9 billion should be replaced - and says any possible replacement revenues would be a "tax increase."
Let's just be clear: when a $1.9 billion hole was left in our budget, nearly all responsible leaders recognized that the revenue would have to be replaced in some fairer, more business-friendly way, or else we'd face a fiscal catastrophe. But not Rick Baxter.

Of course, we all have our good days and our bad days. During this legislative session, Baxter had one particularly bad day. What day was it?

LANSING-Michigan Democratic Party Chair Mark Brewer criticized State Representative Rick Baxter (R-Concord) today after Baxter told a Lansing newsletter that the “worst day” of his first term was when the State Legislature approved raising the minimum wage.

“Rick Baxter’s comments are despicable and an insult to our hard working families in Jackson County and throughout the state,” said Brewer. “The minimum wage increase will help thousands of working families. Even Republican House Speaker Craig DeRoche realized the benefits and voted to increase the minimum wage. Baxter’s comments show Jackson County and the entire state just how out-of-touch he is with our working families. Jackson deserves someone in office who understands the people and Baxter is not that person.”

In the July 6th issue of the Lansing-based newsletter MIRS, Baxter was asked about his worst day in the Legislature. He said, “Quite honestly — I'm sure my party will hit me for this — the worst day was when we passed the minimum wage. That was one of those days when I sat back and thought, this day will never come while we're in power. That's pretty easy as far as the worst.”

(Emphasis added. Thanks again to Michigan Liberal.)

Rick Baxter, District Director for Tim Walberg. Fighting for the families of the 7th District?

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Comments:
Another thing to think about, Rick Baxter's campaign committee owes him $120,000. This is a 27 year old who can afford to drop $120,000 into a run for state rep so he can vote against the minimum wage and against fiscal responsibility. He has nothing in common with me and could not relate to my way of life nor could he "represent" my interests in Lansing. I highly doubt he will help me out if I need some assistance from my Congressman or relief from my federal government.
 
http://www.michiganliberal.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=7727

Wow, Timmy made the list of Michigan's worst!
 
Ha, Walberg hasn't even taken office and he's alreay been declared the No. 1 most vulnerable member in 08!

Way to go Walberg!

The Top 50 races

1. MI 7
Republican Tim Walberg
06 Winning Percentage 51%
04 Bush Percentage 54%
Reason for Weakness
Tim Walberg is the most vulnerable Republican member of Congress because running against an opponent in a general election who spent only $ 55,000,. He got just 51% in a 54% Bush District. His defeat of a Congressman Schwarz who was widely liked will cause him problems. If the Democrats can find a centrist in the Schwarz model we should be able to defeat this Freshman.

http://www.mydd.com/story/2006/12/18/161421/34
 
Another thing to think about, Walberg used to sponsor bills in the state of Michigan to toughen penalites for sex with minors and also raising the age of consent to 18 years of age. I wonder what his new district director would think about it? I know Walberg has placed social issues high on his agenda.
 
I am so happy that Baxter is gone, I am not sure how to act. Oh by the way, he could not afford to spend $120,000, but his father could. That's where he got all of the money. He loves his daddy.
 
I knew him growing up. We used to call him Rich Bastard. I also love that he voted for the "Sanctity of Marriage" resolution while knocking up his high school girlfriend. I guess she's his wife now, but sex is for married people, right?
 
Yes, he fought for the sanctity of marriage, then committed adultery on his SECOND wife, with his secretary at his work (Baxter Machine in Jackson, Michigan), who was also married at the time. He's a cheat, a scam artist, and a home-wrecker, not to mention lies about his 'wages' and gets paid under the table by daddy so he doesn't have to support his children or his wives he treated so poorly.
 
I should add this is recent, not in the past.
 
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