I want to thank Joe Knollenberg for laying out the bullcrap that he and his Republican colleagues have been espousing to the American public for years. What is this bullcrap you ask? That lower taxes lead to the ruin of the American economy. Here's the fallacy Republicans ask Americans to believe. If you have an economic problem, lower taxes will solve it.

Here's what really happens though. Republicans lower taxes to the point where agencies that protect Americans from things like polluted drinking water, poisoned food, tainted beef, you know things that keep you from dying, start to collapse from the lack of proper funding. Then what happens. People start dying and then people suddenly say, oh, I guess maybe we do need some of those revenues for government to provide essential services, like keeping my children and myself from dying.

Then when government stops working, Republicans like to say see, we told you, government doesn't work. Every man for himself.

Then Republicans say, we need to wage war to protect America. We have to fight them over there so we don't have to fight them over here. I used to think this was a joke, until I actually had people who believe this crap say it to my face. Republicans actually believe that we can fight an unending war, borrowing money from the Chinese and the Japanese to finance it, outsource the duties that used to be performed by soldiers to Halliburton at 10 times the cost and that this will somehow protect America. The war in Iraq is nothing but a business deal, and a bad one for America at that. No-bid contracts have been going to Dick Cheney's old company for years, to the detriment of the American economy.

And Joe Knollenberg buys into the whole load of bullcrap. How can this guy represent the voters of the 9th District any longer?

We the people need to do something about it in November and it is imperative that we send Gary Peters to Washington D.C. in January of 2009. We can't afford to have Joe Knollenberg represent us any longer, not even one minute longer. Below is Joe's speech regarding the new budget that Republicans are fighting tooth and nail, because Democrats are seeking to protect essential services to average Americans. Don't let them fool you.

Knollenberg Fights to Prevent Massive Tax Increase Record-setting tax hike would
hurt families, kill jobs


Washington, Mar 12 - Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Chairman, Iwould yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Knollenberg),one of our leaders in this conference and one of our most distinguished leaders.
Mr.KNOLLENBERG. Mr. Brady, thank you very kindly for yielding. I appreciate that very much.Mr. Chairman, I rise tonight on behalf of the hardworking men and women of Michigan and particularly of my Ninth District.
It will come as no surprise to most to hear me say that Michigan has been struggling mightily of late. For the past 6 years, we have suffered from incomparable job lossesthroughout Michigan. In fact, Michigan was the only State in the Union to have lost jobs in each and every year of that time frame. Our unemployment rate has been the Nation's highest, or close to it, for longer than anyone can remember.Home foreclosures are up. Wages are down. Costs seem to be rising at every turn. To put it lightly, the people of Michigan are facing some tough times.Not too long ago, the Governor of Michigan proposed an income tax increase. The citizenswere on the verge of revolt. The State government actually shut down for a bit.
As Michigan families struggled, the last thing they thought they deserved from their government was a bigger tax bill. But, sadly, they got one anyway.Now the leadership of this body wants to send the good people of Michigan and the peopleacross the country another tax increase. In fact, they want to send, as has been said before, the biggest tax increase in American history.Well, I'm here to say, and to say strongly, enough is enough. Enough with higher taxes. Enough withwasteful spending. Enough.Analysts have calculated that the average family in my district would see their taxes go up by more than $4,100 if this budget were to be enacted. That's $4,100 that families in Oakland County simply cannot afford.
Worse yet, we know that a tax increase this big would do serious harm to the economy, costing even more jobs and putting more people out of work.The other problem is, and some have told me that my district alone would lose some 2,000 jobs in the wake of this scale of tax increase. I do not want to let thathappen. Many are concerned that the national economy is showing signs of weakness. I submit to my colleagues the weakness you may be seeing is just a common cold compared to the prolonged pneumonia Michigan has suffered from during its single-State recession.I'm going to fight and fight hard to protect Michigan's families, as every Member here I know would protect the people fromtheir own States, protect them from higher taxes. Taking more of theirhard-earned money from their pockets will only lead to more problems, more job losses, and more hardships.So I repeat: Enough with higher taxes. Enough with wasteful spending. Simply, enough.If you're thinking of voting for a tax increase this big, I'd invite you to come to see me in Michigan. There you can see firsthand what higher taxes do to an economy. Higher taxes shutter factorydoors. They close small businesses, and they hurt families right to the core.
This budget, and the $4,000 increase that comes with it for Oakland County's families, is simply unacceptable.Instead of raising taxes, we should be focused on solutions that will strengthen the economy, create jobs, encourageinvestment, and foster innovation. Raising taxes would do the exact polar opposite.So I strongly urge my colleagues, Mr. Chairman, to reject this massive tax increase on average Americans. I know firsthand how much harm it would do toMichigan's families, and I have every reason to believe it would do the same to families across America.