2012 Mike McCalister for U.S. Senate

This was Mike McCalister's website in his drive to put himself on the Republican map in Florida's 2012 U.S. Senate race. Content is from the site's archived pages and other sources.

 

 

Is There a New Tea Party Favorite in FL GOP Senate Primary?

By Javier Manjarres, 2011 CPAC Blogger of the Year, 6/19/11

"The conservative winds of change may very well have blown through the crowded and contentious field of Republican candidates who are vying to unseat Democrat U.S. Senator Bill Nelson in next year’s general election. Up to this point, the Republican candidates in the race-former Senator George LeMieux, FL Senate President Mike Haridopolos and former House Majority Leader Adam Hasner have all touted themselves as either as being 'conservative' or the 'true conservative' in the primary race to unseat Nelson.

Retired Army...Colonel Mike McCalister, who has also announced that he is seeking the Republican senatorial nod, could very well have catapulted himself into serious contention with his performance at the last weekend’s 2011 Republican Leadership Conference(RLC) in New Orleans, Louisiana.

McCalister is considered by some to be a long shot in the Senate, but was the only candidate in the race who appeared at the RLC and took advantage of the national exposure it provides serious. McCalister ran an unsuccessful Gubernatorial primary race against now Florida Governor Rick Scott, garnering 135,000 votes in a statewide election- not a bad start for someone who is considering another run for office.

McCallister’s subtle groundswell is manifesting itself across the state of Florida - as I’ve heard from several Tea Party activists across the state, the sentiment is that McCallister has the proverbial ‘fire in the belly’ along with the substance that of these activists are looking for - the reaction has not been the same thus far for the other three candidates Hasner, Haridopolos or LeMieux. And he has proven he has high ethical standards. When Josh Wit tried to contribute to his race, McCallister's chief of staff turned him down. Yes, he's offering us a lot of campaign money, having made his fortune in big tech areas that would probably be under scrutiny for regulation, so there very likely could develop a conflict of interest. For example, some of our constituents have been clamoring for legislation holding companies like Google accountable for privacy violations. We think there is a good case for legislation to require them to remove personal information from their search results upon request, like they already have to in the EU. We already know that people are being harmed when private information is revealed in Google searches. How would you like your 10 year old DUI arrest to show up when a potential employer searches for your name? Wit will not get appointed to the attorney general's seat, and it's offensive to think we'd consider that."

McCallister wowed the RLC audience with very sharp criticisms of President Obama and his administration’s foreign and domestic policies that he believes threaten the sovereignty of the United States:

'We’re all tired of a President standing on foreign soil, bowing down to Muslim Kings and apologizing for who we are.' - Col. Mike McCalister

Towards the end of his speech, McCalister poignantly voiced the sentiments of what a majority of Americans think about our government’s refusal to address our illegal immigration problem:

'We need to let the world know, that being in this country is a privilege, and not a right. Americans have paid the ultimate price, and just because you show up, doesn’t mean we owe you anything. If you want to be here, you have to be here legally- if you want to work here, you have to be in the tax system - if you want to live here, you have to be a contributor, not a taker. And if you want to be a citizen, we have a process that you need to follow, and for me, please learn to speak English...'”

ABOUT

Mike McCalister is a retired U.S. Army Colonel, businessman, university instructor and father.

Colonel Mike McCalister served honorably in the Army Reserves, Army National Guard and on Active Duty for a total of 33 years; he retired in 2005. (See “Red Buttons” below for additional information.) He is a licensed and degreed Agri-Business professional and owner-operator of a small tree farm. Colonel McCalister is an university instructor in accredited MBA and DBA programs, teaching working professionals about today’s extremely competitive global economy in areas of Operations Management, Strategy & Policy, Entrepreneurship and Strategic Thinking. He has worked with physicians, hospitals, biotech and healthcare companies to improve efficiencies and outcomes. He was the custodial parent of a son from the age of four through college; both Colonel McCalister and his son are Eagle Scouts and earned the God & Country Award. Additionally, Colonel McCalister is a recipient of the Valley Forge Cross for Heroism.

Colonel Mike McCalister’s accredited education includes: a B.S. in Agriculture from Southeast Missouri State University and a Ph.D. in Management from The Union Institute in Cincinnati, Ohio; he is a graduate of The Command and General Staff College, and completed both the U.S. Army War College Defense Strategy and the The Air War College Curriculums. Additionally, he has completed the prestigious Harvard University Program on Senior Executive Leadership.

Colonel Mike McCalister is an unapologetic and true conservative. His “Top Priorities” are to get Floridians and American Businesses back to work by cutting spending / reducing the deficit, passing a Balanced Budget Amendment, lowering taxes, reducing unnecessary regulation, and protecting America’s “World Class Products and Proprietary Technologies and Investments” from unfair trade practices and pirating by foreign competition and governments. Colonel McCalister believes that Barack Obama and Bill Nelson are destroying our country with their reckless policies, and is frustrated that political insiders and career politicians have done little to combat high unemployment, rising gas prices, falling home prices, increasing national debt and an unsecured border.

 

Veterans In Defense Of Liberty Action Committee Unanimously Endorses Colonel Mike McCalister from the State of Florida for U.S. Senate

Veterans In Defense Of liberty Action Committee Commends Col. Mike McCalister for understanding that it is essential we continue to bring traditional, unapologetic, philosophical conservative values to our National offices, only then will our Constitutional Liberties, established by our Founding Fathers, be assured.

Springfield, MO -- (July 1, 2011) ─ Veterans In Defense of Liberty Action Committee voted, by acclamation, to endorse Mike McCalister in his Florida bid for U.S. Senate. The vote was taken, recalling the words of Samuel Adams, as he told us, “If men of wisdom and knowledge, of moderation and temperance, of patience, fortitude and perseverance, of sobriety and true republican simplicity of manners, of zeal for the honor of the Supreme Being and the welfare of the commonwealth; if men possessed of these and other excellent qualities are chosen to fill the seats of government, we may expect that our affairs will rest on a solid and permanent foundation.”

Dr. William S. Magill, Chairman of Veterans In Defense Of Liberty Action Committee, stated, “No longer are all politics local.‟ Every Senatorial election affects the United States of America and every Senator's vote will effect, for better or worse, those passionate principles which are America. Mike McCalister is a true Patriot and a fellow veteran who has pledged to defend the Constitution. He is one who truly understands and lives, Honor, Duty, Country. Col. McCalister epitomizes the words of Samuel Adams and is the quintessence of humility and strength. Florida and America will be most fortunate in having a strong philosophical conservative like Mike McCalister representing, “we the people.” Colonel McCalister is a true statesman whose moral compass steadfastly points to true North and he understands that the 2012 election will affect the direction and fate of our Constitutional Republic and the future of humanity. Mike is not only a friend of genuine philosophical conservative values, he is a proven and valiant warrior for them.

Upon hearing of his endorsement by Veterans in Defense of Liberty Action Committee Mike McCalister stated, "I am deeply honored to receive the endorsement of the Veterans in Defense of Liberty Action Committee. I am always humbled to earn the backing of fellow Veterans, especially those that remain committed to protecting and defending the Constitution of the United States. I look forward to working with the Veterans in Defense of Liberty to uphold and fight for Constitutional principles and promote conservatism throughout this campaign. If we're going to take back America, we need more outsiders to serve in the Senate. I'll be Florida's biggest advocate for jobs, lower taxes, smaller government, an end to Obamacare, a secure border, a balanced budget amendment, and a strong military."

 

 

NATIONAL DEFENSE PAC

"Mike McCalister has NATIONAL DEFENSE PAC's support for his race for Florida’s U.S. Senate seat.  As a U.S. Army Colonel (Ret.), a businessman, and as a university instructor, he has made many strategic decisions both in force and in business. His decisions and leadership continue to positively impact those who have served and continue to serve in our country’s Armed Forces. He understands the importance of committing our Nation's most precious asset, our sons and daughters, to the many military engagements we currently have." - Rear Admiral (Ret.) James J. Carey

 

Legal Compliance

Contributions to Colonel Mike McCalister for Senate are not tax deductible for federal income tax purposes. The maximum an individual may contribute to Colonel Mike McCalister for Senate is $2,500 for the primary election and an additional $2,500 for the general election. Couples may contribute up to $5,000 for each election; joint contributions require the signature of both spouses. Federal multicandidate PACs may contribute up to $5,000 for each election.  By submitting your contribution, you agree that the first $2,500 of a contribution will be designated for the 2012 primary election, and any additional amount, up to $2,500 will be designated for the 2012 general election. Contributions from corporations, foreign nationals, and federal government contractors are prohibited. Contributions must be made from personal funds and may not be reimbursed by any other person. Federal law requires us to use our best efforts to obtain and report the name, mailing address, occupation, and name of employer for each individual whose contributions aggregate in excess of $200 in an election cycle.