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Thanks for visiting RegularFolksUnited.  When I decided to create Regular Folks United (501c3) and RegularFolksUnited.com, I did so after many years of feeling like real people were getting lost in the shuffle of political battles.  Republican talking points.  Democrat talking points.  What about Regular Folk talking points?  I was tired of elitists (yes, they are on both sides of the aisle) pretending they were doing things to help “regular folks” while they were really, most often, trampling on regular folks’ freedoms and taking their money for some bloated inefficient government program.  I don’t necessarily see the world through the lens of Republican vs. Democrat, but through the lens of elitists vs. regular folks. 

I was raised in Flint, Michigan and Davison, Michigan.   I mention both, because Michael Moore likes to say he’s from Flint, when he is really from Davison, a middle class suburb.  In a strange twist of fate, my brother influenced Moore’s first foray into the liberal media, an alternative newspaper called the “Flint Voice”.  The Flint Voice, which later became the Michigan Voice, was, in part, inspired by my brother’s alternative (read hippie) newspaper the Freedom Reader published from 1970 to 1973 in Flint.  Moore told me this himself in the early eighties when I called the Flint Voice office trying to track down old copies of the Freedom Reader.  I’ll elaborate on this irony in a future column. 
Together, my parents instilled some basic values into their children.  From Dad, we learned to work hard, love the outdoors and cherish our land (some woods and farmland) and we learned to be honest and enjoy people.  From Mom, we learned that God loved us and wanted us to make a difference in the lives of others and we knew that we were to unconditionally love, support and forgive family.  They weren’t big on lectures or discipline.  We learned mostly by their positive examples.   

In Flint, like most places in the 50’s and early to mid 60’s, patriotism was high and so were parents’ expectations for their children.  Cub scouts, PTA meetings, and close knit neighborhoods brought parents together to train children to be good citizens. Most mothers didn’t work outside the home and neighbors knew each other well enough that children knew they could get a tongue lashing from any mother on the block.  And if they did, their own mother would know about it before they’d get home and then they’d get another.  And then they might get more than a tongue lashing when dad came home.  

The neighborhoods were diverse, as first and second and third generation immigrants came to work in the factories—legally I might add.  Despite the vast cultural differences, folks generally got along and wanted the same things for their children--for them to be moral, respectful, patriotic, and well-behaved, and for them to finish high school and get a job.  College was something for rich folks. 

My parents and most every one I knew were Democrats.  My dad didn’t talk about politics very much, but when he did he was clear.  Democrats got the country through the Depression and Democrats were for the regular working people.  And we were definitely regular working people, so we were Democrats. 

The world seemed pretty simply divided between the rich and the regular folks, the workers and management (even though my dad worked his way up to supervision at GM he always considered himself one of the union workers), and the Republicans and Democrats.  And as far as I knew, everyone in our neighborhood was in agreement on some basic facts of life.
 
Work hard.          
Don’t ask others to do what you can do for yourself.         
Mind your own business.
Give to others.           
Be honest.         
Treat people with respect.              
Love God, family, country. 

I started RegularFolksUnited to fight back the assault on the common sense values and morality that folks inherited from their parents and grandparents.  They aren’t Republican or Democrat values.  They are American values and whatever political party best represents them is where I will hang my hat.  Over time I’ve seen the Democrat Party not only leave my parents’ values, but ridicule them.  My parents would find the Party unrecognizable. 

“You go into these small towns in Pennsylvania and, like a lot of small towns in the Midwest … they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren’t like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations.”  - Senator Barack Obama

Hollywood and the liberal elite political class have made an industry out of demeaning American values.  Barack Obama’s elitist comments, about bitter small town folks in Pennsylvania clinging to their guns and religion, ignited a firestorm of criticism and rightly so.   This was an attack on regular folks. 

The new morality that is force fed by the liberal elites (both Republican and Democrat) does not reflect the regular folks and it does not help them.  It diminishes their freedom, takes money from their families and insults their intelligence.  It is the reason for the existence of the Reagan Democrats.  Reagan understood their values.

“I’m convinced that today the majority of Americans want what those first Americans wanted:  A better life for themselves and their children; a minimum of government authority. Very simply, they want to be left alone in peace and safety to take care of the family by earning an honest dollar and putting away some savings.  This may not sound too exciting, but there is something magnificent about it.  On the farm, on the street corner, in the factory and in the kitchen, millions of us ask nothing more, but certainly nothing less than to live our own lives according to our values—at peace with ourselves, our neighbors and the world.”       Ronald Reagan, nationally televised address, July 6, 1976 

I became a Republican during Reagan’s presidency.  When he was first elected I was a Democrat who was too young to vote by a few days.  Like me, folks saw a regular guy in Reagan, one that understood that the money they were sending to Washington was paying bureaucrats to over regulate them.  They saw a man who didn’t want to subsidize the liberal elites and their new morality with their hard earned tax dollars.  Reagan understood them and he got their vote.

Not every Reagan Democrat left the Party. Some voted for Reagan and then stayed to fight to restore Middle American values in their own Party.  I respect them for taking a stand, which by now must feel like Custer’s. 

So I started this site because I’ve had enough of the liberal elite new morality.  I’d like some of the old morality please, that I learned from my parents back in Flint.  It’s not about right and left.  It’s about right and wrong.

As a footnote, we should come to an understanding of what we mean by “elitist” and “regular folk”.  My mom always said, “class has nothing to do with money.”  And I will add, being “elite” or “regular folk” has little to do with money.  It is an attitude, more than a statement of position, money or heritage. Elitists are pretty easy to spot, so we will define “regular folk”. 

Regular folks don’t look down their noses at others, because their noses are usually to the grindstone.  Regular folks are busy trying to do the best they can for themselves and their families and they don’t want other people (read elites) telling them how to live their lives or raise their children.  Regular folks don’t look to others for hand outs, but they are happy to help other folks in need when they can. Regular folks who become rich, but stay regular folks, never forget where they came from.  Rich folks who are regular folks realize that wealth makes them blessed, not better. 

Just for fun, take the survey below and make sure you are regular folk. 

Regular Folk Survey

1. Did the Obama quote above tick you off?                     

2. Do you think gun control should mean a steady hand?           

3. Do you put your hand over your heart when you hear the Star Spangled Banner?

4. Are you pretty sure that the 10 Commandments are not multiple choice?

5. Would you rather have a root canal than sit through an entire opera?

6. Do you think you pay too much in local, state and federal taxes? 

7. Do you think English should be the official language of the US and would you like to be able to order your burger and fries in English?

8. Would you take a hot dog over an arugula salad?               
   
9. Have you ever planned your weekend around a NASCAR race?       

10. Do you know the words to at least one country song?

11. Are you politically incorrect and proud of it?                     

12. Do you know how to bait a hook and gut a fish?               

13. Do you think you should be able to eat trans fats if you want to?

14. Have you ever thanked a veteran for their service to our country?

15. Have you always been proud of America?
 
If you answered yes to most of the questions above, congratulations--you are Regular Folk!  Thanks for visiting.  We hope you will share your views on this site and pass it along to others.  Together, we can defend our values and celebrate all that is great about America.  
 

Lori, when I read what you wrote about you, your family, how you were raised, your beliefs, your neighborhood, and such, I thought I was reading my own profile. I was born on a poor Ky. farm to loving hard working parents. I had 2 brothers. One with cerebal palsy. We believed in hard work, tough love, respect for others, duty to country, and honor to God. Born to a republican family in a democrat county in a democrat state, I grew to believe that no person or government owed me anything. You earned it, but you gave it away willing to others in need. Just the way Jesus preached it. If you had to borrow from your neighbor, you paid it back with interest and on time. There was no thought of renigging on a debt or your word. Contracts were a handshake, not a room full of lawyers and stacks of legal papers. The banker knew my dad by his first name, and dad knew his, and they called each other by that name. Life was simple and I believe we were better off for it. Does anyone know where those times went to? I long for those good times once more. When we went to town, so mon and dad could conduct their business, I would look for kids of my age to play with. Many a time they were African American kids. I didn't care. I was hungry for companionship, friendship, just good old playtime companions. I didn't know bigotry or hatred. I still don't till it's thrown in my face, and I'm told to like it by African Americans who called the white race the only racists. Sorry folks, but 'anyone' of any color who preaches hatred and bigotry towards other people are also racist. I want people to be honest with me in all dealings. Not 'politically correct'. I took your test, and I guess I might be a redneck or as you say Regular Folk. That I am Lori. What you see is what you get. A friend to the end if you are my friend, but an enemy to the end if you ever want to take away my friends, my familys, my countrys freedom in all areas of their freedoms. People say, "God bless our contry", but let me say, "God blesses our country and our lives every second of every day of our lives". Instead of always asking his blessing, how about 'We the People' bless him for a change. How about 'We the People' bend our knee to him and thank him every second of every day for his many blessings. If we as a people woulod do this, we as a people could have trhe kind of a country, political system, neighborhood, and family that we long for. Thank you Lori for letting me join and be a part of your site. I will do my best to conduct myself with honor and humility while here. No where but in America could we come together and express our views like I have read here. May it never cease to be. May the blessing of heaven fall on you and your readers this Christmas season.

>> KyRedGT

Wednesday, December 10, 2008, 3:52 pm

I've been pleased these last few months that this site has become a place where good people can passionately share their views, while still being respectful. Our views are often strong and we sometimes share a bit of sarcasm, but we aren't mean-spirited. That is what makes this site different. It is what I hoped for when we created this, but it is the fine folks who come here who make that happen on a daily basis. I go to other sites and see some really crass vicious and vulgar comments. They aren't here, not because we filter them, but because good-hearted people have quite naturally found their way to this site. Thanks to all of our members and readers, we could just have easily named this "Good Folks". Thanks for being a part of it. We hope you will share the site with your friends and family.

>> Lori Roman

Saturday, December 20, 2008, 10:49 am

This is outstanding. The ability to express. Isn't that what America is all about?

>> jer dunlap

Monday, March 2, 2009, 9:23 pm

Hi Lori, I read through your entire "about me" post and am glad that you decided to "express" your voice - and your rights! I have recently started a new blog, www.Tid-Bytes.com that I am using to promote "the Voice of Common People Everywhere." I started it for about the same reason as you did this one. I believe that there is a VERY LARGE majority of people in the U.S. that feel just like we do. But we have been so busy doing the "right things" like work, raising a family, paying our taxes, etc. that we have not been able to express our voice and opinions. Thanks for giving people the oportunity to do so with your website. Blessings! Chuck

>> Chuck Parish

Monday, February 15, 2010, 1:55 pm

Yes to MOST...but I will take the root canal:)

>> ByHisGrace

Friday, April 9, 2010, 9:55 am

Thanks, Lori! I just found this site and it looks great! I'm one of those small-town Pennsylvania folks that Barack talked about; and YES, what he said really ticked me off!

>> artemis133

Thursday, August 12, 2010, 3:53 pm