Mike Slater

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Mike Slater, B.A. at the School of Hard Knocks, PhD in Taking Names, and JD in talking into a microphone. No seriously.

My name is Mike Slater and I have the privilege of talking into a microphone about the issues that affect Jackson the most.

I grew up and graduated from a school not in Tennessee. I blame my parents for that mistake.

I’m going to come right out and say something; you can keep it or you can send it right back. I don’t know everything. Actually, I don’t really know a whole lot. But I want to know, and that’s why we’re here. No one has all the truth, but we each have a piece of the puzzle, so let down you guard, open up, let it all out, bring it all in, and together we can get closer to putting that puzzle together.

If you could have anything in the world:

The ball George Bush threw out in Game 3 of the 2001 World Series in Yankee Stadium.

What are your political views:

I’m a registered Independent because it’s impossible for parties to invite so many people under one tent. I speak for myself, not for any party. We’ll talk about it on the show, but I like to call myself a Progressive Conservative. If I had to label myself, I’m an economic libertarian, socially moderate, free market, American Exceptionalist. Chew on that for a while.

People you’d like to meet:

Greatest American:

George Washington for handing over power when he could have been king. Abraham Lincoln for doing what was necessary to keep the Union together. The people who settled West for embodying the American spirit. Martin Luther King, Jr for articulating what so many could not express. Ronald Reagan for leading us towards the closest our government has come to our Founding Father’s dream.

If you could interview one person, who would it be:

Ty Pennington and the crew from Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Not even joking. Also Ayn Rand and Milton Friedman.

Favorite Things:

The Brass section, fly-overs, breakfast, Wal-Mart parking lot on a Friday night, VH1’s Best Week Ever, Independence Day, Pops Orchestras, roller coasters, West Side Story, Walt Disney World, football on Thanksgiving, The Lincoln Memorial, Christmas Eve Eve, Christmas Eve, Christmas, bagels and lox with cream cheese, the grocery store, country music, bunting, Greek Revival and Southern Architecture, giant American flags at car dealers, Game 7 of the World Series, patriotic marches, the 2nd wave of a standing ovation thanking our soldiers, American landscape paintings, post-September 11 spirit, BBQ, the wave at a baseball game, my Mom’s spaghetti sauce, ice cream with the fake cherry things, Olympic Medal ceremonies, John Williams, “What a Wonderful World”, Firemen and women, Policemen and women, the men and women in the military. Our Veterans.

Favorite Author:

Favorite Song:

“Something to be proud of”.