Saturday, April 19, 2008

Knollenberg takes shot at Carter's age in interview about Carter

Well, it's hard to believe, but Joe Knollenberg actually found a way to make it into the news. Joe Knollenberg is ok with torture, no health care for 47 million Americans, the war in Iraq, the shredding of the civil liberties of Americans, and a whole host of other issues that have been devastating to our standing in the world.

Now, though, he wants to go after Jimmy Carter. Now, I don't pretend to know if Carter's conducting talks with a leader of Hamas is a good idea or not. It seems any time, though, that we are talking to our enemies conducting diplomacy at least we have a chance at negotiating a settlement of differences.

In this interview (click here to listen. it starts about half way through) Joe actually took a shot at Carter's age, suggesting that Carter may be losing it by choosing to talk to Hamas.

Knollenberg wants Carter Center funding cut

Hamas meeting prompts legislation

By TODD SPANGLER • FREE PRESS WASHINGTON STAFF • April 17, 2008

Rep. Joe Knollenberg is pushing legislation that would prohibit the federal government from giving money to a center headed by former President Jimmy Carter – a reaction to Carter’s plans to meet with Hamas, an Islamic militant group.
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Knollenberg, a Bloomfield Township Republican, introduced the legislation in Congress on Wednesday to block future funding of the Carter Center, a human rights organization based in Atlanta and founded by the former president.

Carter has been criticized by officials in the United States and Israel for agreeing to meet with Hamas as part of a Mideast peace mission. Hamas has opposed peace negotiations and has called for Israel’s destruction, and the United States considers Hamas a terrorist organization.

Said Knollenberg: “America must speak with one voice against our terrorist enemies. It sends a fundamentally troubling message when an American dignitary is engaged in dialogue with terrorists. My legislation will make sure that taxpayer dollars are not being used to support discussions or negotiations with terrorist groups.”

Knollenberg, according to his staff, was the first member of Congress to speak out against Carter’s meeting, sending him a letter after hearing of it and asking him to reconsider.

“I would hate for Hamas to realize any benefit from an American dignitary, such as you, engaging in dialogue with them,” he said.

The bill, the Coordinated American Response to Extreme Radicals or CARTER Act prohibits taxpayer funds from being appropriated to the Carter Center, which Knollenberg’s office said has received at least $19 million in federal money since 2001.

The Associated Press reported Carter’s meeting with Hamas officials was occurring in Cairo, Egypt, today

Friday, April 18, 2008

Joe Knollenberg: Screw the Sick; Carter met with Terra-rists

by: Eric B.

(From Michigan Liberal)

Quick, which dirty commie pinko hippie said this:

Disarmament with mutual honor and confidence is a continuing imperative. Together, we must learn to compose differences, not with arms, but with intellect and decent purpose.

If you said the five-star general who planned and carried out the invasion of Normandy, and later as president said that he'd use force to prevent the dirty Reds from taking over the Middle East, you'd be right. But, those were perhaps naive days, what with generals talking about peace plans and rebuilding Europe with American money and what not. Talking, especially to people you call enemies, is treason, which explains:

With the highly publicized meetings of late between Jimmy Carter and the terrorist group Hamas, Rep. Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) is pushing legislation that would prohibit the federal government from giving money to the Carter Center here in Atlanta.

I mean, this is just downright embarrassing. You can think that talks with Hamas will ultimately not be fruitful, but punishing a Nobel Peace Prize laureate for trying to promote peace (not to mention playing a big role in the historic talks between Begin and Sadat that got both of them the same prize)? The name of the bill? The Coordinated American Response to Extreme Radicals Act (CARTER Act). It's a slap in the face to an ex-president and an insult to the idea of respectful disagreement.

But, naturally, Knollenberg's legislation wouldn't actually hurt Carter, but rather those who benefit from Carter's work, which is really all of humanity. That means Joe Knollenberg wants to punish all of humanity because Jimmy Carter is going to a part of the world where he's had success finding peace where it'd proven elusive for the previous four decade, and try to help people compose differences, not with arms, but with intellect and decent purposes.

Ike must be rolling over in his grave at the idiocy rampant in what used to be his party.

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Birmingham, Rochester and West Bloomfield Eccentrics publish my Letter to the Editor

Two of the Eccentric Papers, Birmingham, Rochester and West Bloomfield published the letter I wrote regarding Joe's appearance at the Rochester Chamber's Legislative update meeting.

Sick of Knollenberg, GOP

As I was sitting in the audience at the Rochester Chamber Legislative Update meeting in Rochester, I felt angry, and the more I listened, the angrier I got. There was Joe Knollenberg telling everyone how his health care idea, tax credits for wellness programs for employers and his other mantra, personal responsibility, are the cures to what ails the American health care system.

Then I see this little article in a local paper. I see them all the time, people holding fund-raisers for people who have some kind of health care crisis, many times it's children. When I saw this article it made me think, this should never happen in America. It also made me think how Joe was telling the audience about personal responsibility. Mike Bishop was doing it, too. Well, I have to say, all that talk about personal responsibility was making me sick. When someone we know gets diagnosed with cancer, there is usually no personal responsibility that person has for getting cancer. Maybe smoking is an exception.

The boy mentioned in the article isn't to blame for getting cancer. What did he do that he doesn't deserve to get the best treatment available?

We are spending trillions of dollars on the fiasco in Iraq, but we can't afford health care for all of our citizens? What a joke.

As the line from the movie Network says, "I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore." We can have universal, single-payer health care in this country, if we just get mad enough and direct our anger at our government and demand it.

Joe, we aren't going to take it any more. Republicans are out of touch with mainstream, middle-class Americans and the "Let them eat cake" attitude of the Republican Party is going to lead to sweeping victories for Democrats in the fall.

Bruce Fealk

Rochester Hills

Skinner, Democrats Unite Behind Peters

This article appeared in today's Birmingham Eccentric. The Democrats are now united behind Gary Peters and up to the challenge of knocking off 8-term incumbent Hawaii Joe Knollenberg.
Money talks — and Skinner walks — in 9th House race

It was money — specifically, the lack of it — that forced Nancy Skinner out of the race for the 9th U.S. House seat.

She didn’t have an exact amount Tuesday morning of how much her derailed campaign had raised before she withdrew from the race, but she badly trailed fellow Democrat Gary Peters and incumbent Republican Joe Knollenberg.

“The system is so geared toward money, it makes it so difficult to compete,” Skinner said. On Saturday, Skinner officially endorsed Peters.

She said she did not want to compete against a fellow Democrat all the way to the August primary election. “That would be a gift to Knollenberg,” she said. “For the sake of the party,” she threw her support behind Peters.

CLICK HERE for the rest of the story


Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Knollenberg Votes Against Making Sure Your Vote Counts

Yesterday, Joe Knollenberg voted against a bill that would have ensured that your vote is counted. Democrats are concerned about electronic voting machines accurately counting Americans' votes in the upcoming election. Republican could give a hoot. $3 trillion for the fiasco in Iraq, $0 to ensure we have a real democracy. Way to go, Joe.

Legislation sponsored by a New Jersey congressman that would have reimbursed states wanting to adopt voting safeguards before the November presidential election failed to win approval Tuesday in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The bill, dubbed the Emergency Assistance for Secure Elections Act of 2008, fell short of the two-thirds majority it needed to pass, even after clearing a House committee unanimously. The vote was 239-178 in favor, with all but two Democrats supporting it and all but 16 Republicans opposed.

The two Democrats who voted nay on H R 5036 were Reps. Dennis Kucinich and Nick Rahall. The 16 Republicans who voted in favor of the bill were Reps. Vern Buchanan, Steve Chabot, Tom Cole, Tom Davis, Charlie Dent, Lincoln Diaz-Balart, Mario Diaz-Balart, Jim Gerlach, Dean Heller, Tim Murphy, Marilyn Musgrave, Jon Porter, Jim Ramstad, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Chris Shays, and Chris Smith.

The bill would have allowed states and jurisdictions to be reimbursed by the federal government for converting to a paper ballot system, offering emergency paper ballots or conducting audits by hand counts.

The measure was designed to ensure that every vote is properly counted. Voters in all or parts of 20 states including New Jersey now cast ballots electronically without backup paper verification, according to the bill's sponsor, Rep. Rush Holt, D-N.J.

The bill would have provided reimbursements for states to provide voter-verified, audited balloting for the general election, but it would not have mandated standards for the states.

Peters cuts into Knollenberg Money Advantage

Gary Peters nearly matched Joe Knollenberg in the run for the money. Peters raised over 90% of his money from within the state of Michigan and the race has been added to the Democrats' Red to Blue program where Democrats are targeting incumbent Republicans. Keep up the good work, Gary. We're counting on you.

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Michigan Messenger covers the 9th District Race

Democrats target Knollenberg in the state's hottest congressional race
by: Kevin Shopshire
Tuesday (04/15) at 19:30 PM
The U.S. congressional race for Michigan's 9th District is shaping up as a microcosm of the presidential election in Michigan: an evenly divided red-blue battleground whose recent voting patterns closely follow national trends. The contest has already seen angry confrontations between the candidates' supporters, dueling videographers seeking damning footage, and now a candidate with the nickname "Dr. Death."

The incumbent, U.S. Rep. Joe Knollenberg, R-Bloomfield Hills, is seeking his ninth term in the House. He faces a challenge from Gary Peters, a Democratic former state senator and lottery commissioner. Dr. Jack Kevorkian, famous for assisting more than 100 patients who wanted to commit suicide, announced in March his intention to run as an independent.

The district lies in Oakland County, a suburban area northwest of Detroit that also encompasses the city of Pontiac.

"Oakland County has been considered Republican, and most of the county commissioners are Republicans," said Glenn Clark, chair of the Republican party in the 9th Congressional District. The decision by Democratic presidential candidates Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama not to campaign in Michigan for the primary, coupled with the decision by the Democratic National Committee not to seat Michigan's presidential delegation in retaliation for moving up the presidential primary in violation of party rules, has further encouraged Knollenberg supporters.

"The district went for [Democratic presidential nominee Sen. John] Kerry in the last election," counters Democratic activist Bruce Fealk."It is definitely a swing district."
CLICK HERE for the rest of the story

Joe has some interesting donors, including

Virgil Goode, a Virgina Congressman and dare I say a racist of the highest order. Here is a video of Goode appearing on Fox News. Goode gave Joe's campaign $500. I wonder if Joe keeps any track at all of who is giving him money. This is $500 I would send back immediately, if I were Joe Knollenberg.



Another interesting donor, Anthony Saove. You remember Saove. He is the guy that builds those refrigerated rail cars that Joe helped out in the last election cycle. It looks like Anthony and his wife are maxed out though. He and his wife each gave $4600 to Joe's campaign.

Peters Giving Knollenberg a Run for His Money

Gary Peters' campaign is really picking up momentum. Gary's campaign came close to matching Joe Knollenberg's fund raising for the first quarter of 2008. I can't wait for some polling to come out on this race. I really feel like Gary has old Joe on the run and the Republicans know this seat is at risk due to Gary Peters being right on the issues Americans and 9th District voters care about, the economy, the war and health care.

For an 8-term incumbent, the trends are encouraging for Peters. Knollenberg only raised $282,046 from individuals. Click here for Joe's campaign finance report. Almost a third of Joe's money comes from PACs. 94% of Peters' contributions came from individuals and 90% from in-state contributors. Comparing Joe to other long-term Congress members, Joe looks like he's in real trouble this year.


Demonstrating Continued Momentum, Peters Raises More Than $346,000 for 1st Quarter 90% of Peters' Nearly $748,000 for the Cycle Raised in Michigan; 94% from Individuals

Oakland County MI – Congressional candidate Gary Peters will report raising more than $346,000 for the 1st Quarter, his strongest fundraising period to date in his 2008 bid for Congress. Peters, who will officially file tomorrow with the Federal Elections Commission, raised over $346,000 for the first quarter, bringing the total funds raised this cycle to over $748,000. The numbers also demonstrate Peters' strong support within the state, having received 90 percent of his contributions from Michigan and 94 percent from individuals.

"As I travel throughout Oakland County, people tell me over and over again they are energized by our grassroots campaign for change, because they are fed up with Washington and they are worried about the economy," said Peters. "For the past seven plus years, Joe Knollenberg has rubberstamped President Bush's disastrous economic policies every step of the way resulting in job losses, soaring gas prices, and mounting health care costs, and Oakland County voters have finally had enough."

Peters has continued to gain strong support in Oakland County by garnering several key endorsements this quarter including the League of Conservation Voters, the United Auto Workers, and his former primary opponent Nancy Skinner.

"We are thrilled with the outpouring of instate support that Gary has received from individuals in Michigan," Peters' Campaign Manager Julie Petrick said. "This just goes to show Michigan contributors from across the political spectrum are the ones fueling Gary's grassroots campaign for change, because they are tired of President Bush, Joe Knollenberg, and the Washington special interests."

Peters' momentum is underlined not only by his strong fundraising numbers, but by his support on the ground and in the grass roots community. Peters ended the quarter with nearly 2,000 contributors joining his campaign for change in Oakland County. In fact, this past weekend, at a grass roots organizing event held by the campaign, Peters recruited more than 100 volunteers.
Peters' strong fundraising quarter comes on the heels of being named to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's "Red to Blue" List.

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Joe Knollenberg and Bushonomics Failing

As if this is really news, the trade policies of the Bush regime, with the help of Joe Knollenberg are an abject failure. This article merely tells us what we already knew. Our manufacturing base has been leaving the country for a long time, going to low wage countries, countries that have no worker protection, no environmental laws to protect the earth from being raped and pillaged. The jobs that are left are mostly in the service sector. What does Joe Knollenberg want to do, more of the same. The Democrats want to stop the Colombia Free Trade Act, but Joe says, give me more, please. Even though Knollenberg talks all the time about saving good paying jobs, the exact opposite is true. Enough is enough. Democrats are the party that polls show the American public trusts on the economy and this is one of the reasons why.