Primary Season Is In Full Swing

Several primary elections are scheduled over the next few weeks. This will continue to narrow the field for what shapes up to be a crucial Congressional election on November 2nd.

Here is what is in store for the next few weeks (hope I didn't miss any):

Michigan and Missouri, next week, Tuesday, August 3rd

Tennessee, next week, Thursday, August 5th

Arkansas and Connecticut, in two weeks, Tuesday, August 10th

California and Washington, in three weeks, Tuesday, August 17th

Alaska, Florida, and Vermont, in four weeks, Tuesday, August 24th

Then in September are Delaware and Maryland, Tuesday, September 14th, and Hawaii, Saturday, September 18th.

If you live in these states, remember to vote!

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For more information on my coaching and educational programs and services, visit my website stevehoffacker.com, or go to my other blog homesalesinsights.com for additional sales tips, insights, and commentary. Listen to my free podcast messages at Steve Hoffacker's Happenings.

Steve Hoffacker - Consultant, Coach, Author, Blogger, Photographer, Motivator, Teacher, & Strategist - for Realtors, Real Estate Sales Professionals, Home Builders, New Home Salespeople, Entrepreneurs, Small Business Owners, and Independent Sales Representatives.

© Steve Hoffacker, 2010. All Rights Reserved.

10 comments • Steve Hoffacker - Real Estate Sales & Marketing Consulting and Strategies • July 28 2010 10:49AM

Less Than 100 Days To Go

We're now out of the triple digits. Just 98 days from today - and counting - is November 2nd. This is the date of the mid-term elections and the time for Americans to put the brakes on reckless spending and regulation.

Any Member of Congress who wants to retain their job had better do a very good job of persuading us between now and then. Otherwise, it's "vote them all out."

We need a Congress that will stand up to the President and not continue to be essentially irrelevant.

We need a Coingress that not only knows how to read but will actually do it - the Constitution and every piece of legislation they consider.

We need single-issue bills. No more coattails. No more earmarks.

This is a very crucial election for stopping and beginning to reverse a very chaotic period of government.

Let's keep that tea kettle on the burner.

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For more information on my coaching and educational programs and services, visit my website stevehoffacker.com, or go to my other blog homesalesinsights.com for additional sales tips, insights, and commentary. Listen to my free podcast messages at Steve Hoffacker's Happenings.

Steve Hoffacker - Consultant, Coach, Author, Blogger, Photographer, Motivator, Teacher, & Strategist - for Realtors, Real Estate Sales Professionals, Home Builders, New Home Salespeople, Entrepreneurs, Small Business Owners, and Independent Sales Representatives.

© Steve Hoffacker, 2010. All Rights Reserved.

18 comments • Steve Hoffacker - Real Estate Sales & Marketing Consulting and Strategies • July 27 2010 01:10PM

We Need A Congress With A Backbone

In just 15 weeks, we will go to the polls to clean house (and House) and elect a new Congress.

We need one that will stand up to the President and not continue to be essentially irrelevant.

We need one that will take their jobs seriously, read every word of every bill, debate it intelligently, and vote the will of the people.

That is asking a lot, but we deserve much better than we have now.

Fair notice Congress. Things will be changing on November 2nd.

Let's keep that tea kettle on the burner.

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For more information on my coaching and educational programs and services, visit my website stevehoffacker.com, or go to my other blog homesalesinsights.com for additional sales tips, insights, and commentary. Listen to my free podcast messages at Steve Hoffacker's Happenings.

Steve Hoffacker - Consultant, Coach, Author, Blogger, Photographer, Motivator, Teacher, & Strategist - for Realtors, Real Estate Sales Professionals, Home Builders, New Home Salespeople, Entrepreneurs, Small Business Owners, and Independent Sales Representatives.

© Steve Hoffacker, 2010. All Rights Reserved.

13 comments • Steve Hoffacker - Real Estate Sales & Marketing Consulting and Strategies • July 20 2010 10:07AM

Congress Continues To Give Us Reasons To Vote Them Out

Congress continues to give us reasons to clean house and start over with an entirely new slate. While electing 435 new Members of the House is a tall order and unlikley, a significant change of membership is possible, plausible, and necessary.

For the 36 Senators up for election, many already are not returning. 36 new faces in the Senate would be a great start.

The House refused to vote on the President's budget and "deemed" it passed in an unconstituional move by attaching it the war appropriations bill. They sent it to the Senate, hoping the Senate will pass it and give them an out as never having officially voted for the largest budget on record. By Constitution, the Senate cannot approve the budget first, The House did not approve it. The only agreed to send it to the Senate without an official vote.

Don't you love this "deeming" procedure? Reminds me of the sandlot baseball games we used to play when we only had enough kids for 3 or 4 on a side. We would use "imaginary runners" so we all could bat.

Then they refused to set hearings for Don Berwick as the healthcare rationing chief. The Republicans didn't want him - non of us should - so the Dems avoided a nasty confrontation by letting the President appoint him during their recess - any cowardly move. Fortunately his term expires the end of the year and he won't be able to do much damage before then.

Then factor in all of the outrageous spending and regulations that have been passed. And, have you ever tried calling your Representative or Senator? You get someone who is paid to act disinterested in what you have to say - even when you support their position.

It's definitely time for a change.

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For more information on my coaching and educational programs and services, visit my website stevehoffacker.com, or go to my other blog homesalesinsights.com for additional sales tips, insights, and commentary. Listen to my free podcast messages at Steve Hoffacker's Happenings.

Steve Hoffacker - Consultant, Coach, Author, Blogger, Photographer, Motivator, Teacher, & Strategist - for Realtors, Real Estate Sales Professionals, Home Builders, New Home Salespeople, Entreprenuers, Small Business Owners, and Independent Sales Representatives.

© Steve Hoffacker, 2010. All Rights Reserved.

23 comments • Steve Hoffacker - Real Estate Sales & Marketing Consulting and Strategies • July 11 2010 02:04PM

Sarah Palin Is Rallying Women

Sarah Palin is rallying the women's vote - especially mothers. Sarah is doing this, not necessarily for herself, but to get this country back on track.

It remains to be seen whether she becomes a national candidate, but she is speaking up and speaking out.

Check out this video.

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For more information on my coaching and educational programs and services, visit my website stevehoffacker.com, or go to my other blog homesalesinsights.com for additional sales tips, insights, and commentary. Listen to my free podcast messages at Steve Hoffacker's Happenings.

© Steve Hoffacker, 2010. All Rights Reserved.

Steve Hoffacker - Consultant, Coach, Author, Blogger, Photographer, Motivator, Teacher, & Strategist - for Realtors, Real Estate Sales Professionals, Home Builders, New Home Salespeople, Entrepreneurs, Small Business Owners, and Independent Sales Representatives.

25 comments • Steve Hoffacker - Real Estate Sales & Marketing Consulting and Strategies • July 08 2010 06:06PM

Forming Political Opinions

Yesterday, we talked about the appropriateness of Realtors having political opinions, and I wanted to expand on that. There are two important concepts here (1) all business people, including Realtors, should have a political opinion, and (2) mostly it is only shared in the appropriate forum.

With regard to the first point, it does no one a service, and it is not a mark of good citizenship, to have no opinion about the goings-on of governement. Taxation, Congressional and local official conduct, agenda items, and ideologies impact us and our businesses. We need to know where we stand and why.

Do you agree with the incumbents? Did you help elect them? Do you give them a passing grade? Why? Be prepared to explain your position. The same with the opposite viewpoint. If you don't like the way things are being done, why is that? This is what I mean by having an opinion. Carefully examine the issues, the personalities, and the agenda and decide what to support and what to challenge - and have substance to your argument.

The second point about sharing your opinions requires common sense. Why would you bring it up in front of customers or strangers? Even when they start it? Our main business is selling, so we stick to that. This does not preclude us from having an opinion - or having a different opinion from our customers or associates. We just have to choose the right time if we want to discuss it with them. If it doesn't help make the sale, then it probably is not something we want to introduce into the conversation.

Don't shy away from taking a stand just because you aren't likely to discuss your opinions with your customers. You need to know what you believe.

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For more information on my coaching and educational programs and services, visit my website stevehoffacker.com, or go to my other blog homesalesinsights.com for additional sales tips, insights, and commentary. Listen to my free podcast messages at Steve Hoffacker's Happenings.

Steve Hoffacker - Consultant, Coach, Author, Blogger, Photographer, Motivator, Teacher, & Strategist - for Realtors, Real Estate Sales Professionals, Home Builders, New Home Salespeople, Entreprenuers, Small Business Owners, and Independent Sales Representatives.

© Steve Hoffacker, 2010. All Rights Reserved.

16 comments • Steve Hoffacker - Real Estate Sales & Marketing Consulting and Strategies • July 07 2010 12:08PM

More Constitutional Abuse

Today, the House of Representatives under the hopeless leadership of Nancy Pelosi violated the Constitution and is attempting to make the Senate complicit in its offense.

The Constitution does not specifically address a budget, but it says that all revenue items shall originate in the House and be passed there before going on to the Senate for their approval.

The House did not pass the President's budget in reality. They did it virtually -- no not online - by pretend.

They used a stupid procedure that ought to get everyone voting for the measure defeated in November, They voted for the war appropriations bill and in so doing "deemed passage" of the budget without so much as even debating it. I'm sure no one read it either, but that's another blog.

If the Senate votes on the bill containing the budget, they will have violated the Constitution because the House won't actually have passed the bill first - meaning that the Senate shall have originated a revenue bill.

We as a country have a lot of making right to do after the November elections to fix the mistakes and abuses of the last several Congresses.

Don't let this slide. This is an intentional shirking of their Constitutional duty.

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For more information on my coaching and educational programs and services, visit my website stevehoffacker.com, or go to my other blog homesalesinsights.com for additional sales tips, insights, and commentary. Listen to my free podcast messages at Steve Hoffacker's Happenings.

Steve Hoffacker - Consultant, Coach, Author, Blogger, Photographer, Motivator, Teacher, & Strategist - for Realtors, Real Estate Sales Professionals, Home Builders, New Home Salespeople, Entreprenuers, Small Business Owners, and Independent Sales Representatives.

© Steve Hoffacker, 2010. All Rights Reserved.

29 comments • Steve Hoffacker - Real Estate Sales & Marketing Consulting and Strategies • July 06 2010 08:54PM

Fall Election Getting Closer

Between now and Labor Day, expect the fall election season.to really heat up. We are now at 17 weeks to go and counting. November 2nd looms as a pivitol day. It's a chance to reverse the spending, the taxation, and the regulation.

There already are going to be new faces in Congress. A couple of members have died, others are retiring, and a few have been defeated in their primaries. Now we have to work to see that most of the others up for election do not return either.

We need a fresh start. We won't necessarily get different results - there's something about that institution, but  we'll have a better chance than we do now. We know what we have currently, and it is totally unacceptable.

We have to educate ourselves and then educate others. America is going down the wrong path. We need new leaders. This November 2nd is the first step to regaining our direction.

Let's keep that tea kettle on the burner.

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For more information on my coaching and educational programs and services, visit my website stevehoffacker.com, or go to my other blog homesalesinsights.com for additional sales tips, insights, and commentary. Listen to my free podcast messages at Steve Hoffacker's Happenings.

Steve Hoffacker - Consultant, Coach, Author, Blogger, Photographer, Motivator, Teacher, & Strategist - for Realtors, Real Estate Sales Professionals, Home Builders, New Home Salespeople, Entreprenuers, Small Business Owners, and Independent Sales Representatives.

© Steve Hoffacker, 2010. All Rights Reserved.

16 comments • Steve Hoffacker - Real Estate Sales & Marketing Consulting and Strategies • July 06 2010 10:14AM

Straight Talk From A Congressional Candidate

Rick Barber is facing a runoff opponent in Alabama's 2nd Congressional District next Tuesday, July 13th. He finished a distant second in the primary but got enough votes to be in the runoff. The leading candidate from the primary election traditionally wins the runoff, but either way, Rick's campaign commercial is worth watching.

It's even more compelling today on the 4th of July.

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For more information on my coaching and educational programs and services, visit my website stevehoffacker.com, or go to my other blog homesalesinsights.com for additional sales tips, insights, and commentary. Listen to my free podcast messages at Steve Hoffacker's Happenings.

© Steve Hoffacker, 2010. All Rights Reserved.

Steve Hoffacker - Consultant, Coach, Author, Blogger, Photographer, Motivator, Teacher, & Strategist - for Realtors, Real Estate Sales Professionals, Home Builders, New Home Salespeople, Entrepreneurs, Small Business Owners, and Independent Sales Representatives.

6 comments • Steve Hoffacker - Real Estate Sales & Marketing Consulting and Strategies • July 04 2010 07:17PM

Look For Comprehensive Voting Record

Many local Boards of Realtors and Home Builders Associations, as well as their Stae and National; counterparts, are endorsing candidates for the fall elections. Be careful.

The trade associations are looking at the candidates' voting records or positions on issues that affect their industry and usually don't take a broader view. This is most unfortuanate.

As a result, many candidates are endorsed because the local Board or Association feel that they will support their issues - and they do as far as it goes - but they vote for every tax increase that comes along, wasteful spending, and numerous regulations.

In short, many candidates are recommended or endorsed on a single issue or position rather than evaluated for their broader position on business, free enterprise, fiscal responsibility, capitalism, low taxation, and limited regulation.

When we vote, we should look for the pro-business candidates and not necessarily the ones that will just vote for housing issues and then betray us where it counts.

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For more information on my coaching and educational programs and services, visit my website stevehoffacker.com, or go to my other blog homesalesinsights.com for additional sales tips, insights, and commentary. Listen to my free podcast messages at Steve Hoffacker's Happenings.

Steve Hoffacker - Consultant, Coach, Author, Blogger, Photographer, Motivator, Teacher, & Strategist - for Realtors, Real Estate Sales Professionals, Home Builders, New Home Salespeople, Entreprenuers, Small Business Owners, and Independent Sales Representatives.

© Steve Hoffacker, 2010. All Rights Reserved.

12 comments • Steve Hoffacker - Real Estate Sales & Marketing Consulting and Strategies • July 03 2010 01:57PM