Being raised in the 60′s didn’t necessarily bring forth another Liberal. As a matter of fact, it was good understanding Conservative values at an early age. Growing up in a small town in S.W. Virginia (yes, the mountains) meant lots of friends, great small schools and wonderful teachers, and a life a bit slower than most would only wish for today.

My first entry into “politics” was the election bid of Rep. Bill Wampler (R), from the 9th District of Virginia. I did the things most kids had no interest in doing…knocking on doors, handing out fliers, and showing up at as many campaign stops as I could. I just happened to be around 10 years old when all this happened, yet I understood that Conservative values meant something…lower taxes, opportunity to succeed at your own business, and that prosperity was not a right, but a privilege that came with hard work and a desire to succeed.

Today, Jacksonville, Florida is home. When Liberal Democrats began to run the region I was from, I saw a decline in businesses, small and large, a dramatic increase in taxes, a business climate that punished success and rewarded slovenly behavior, and a town I no longer recognized. The move here was a challenging one and was made reluctantly, but today leaves me with no regrets. Today, I see a chance to once again see Conservative values in action, with a constant battle to have Local and State governments rethink those Liberal ideas that seems to have embedded in society.

As far as what I do to earn a living….it’s pretty simple. I work a 8-5 job at a local Automobile dealer here and love what I do. It gives me opportunity to utilize talents and skills I have each and every day. Yes, just a COMMON person, with COMMON values, that believes that CONSERVATISM will be the salvation of this nation.

Michael Yost, the Common Conservative