Law Enforcement urges override of SCHIP veto

This opinion piece is from the Oakland Press on October 13, 2007, oddly enough the same day I shot my now famous video of Joe Knollenberg and Trent Wisecup in the drug store in Rochester. It's signed by law enforcement officials in several cities and Oakland County Prosecutor, David Gorcyca, urging an override of the SCHIP veto by President Bush. They all recognize that treating children's health and mental issues early prevents crime.

Trent Wisecup makes the case for Mental Health Parity. This might not have happened if Trent had received early treatment.

9th District Campaign Intense, but not "weird"

Last November 15, the Birmingham Eccentric ran a story, "The Strange Saga of the 9th U.S. House Race" and an accompanying opinion piece entitled "Campaign is already weird" One thing conservative writers like Greg Kowalski are very good at is putting emotional words into their stories. Below is Greg's opinion piece, although it doesn't have his name attached, and my reply. Even though, when you ask, they say they are not partisan, reading their stories, you can't help but notice how biased they are. I do give Greg credit, though, for running my reply, unedited, except I had to shorten it to meet the 400 word guideline. And I do appreciate Greg's campaign advice, but with Joe's approval rating at 33% I tend to think that people are paying attention to this race and Joe's voting record and position on issues, maybe due in part to the letters to the editor campaign, the admittedly unique tactics and the truth being told about Joe Knollenberg.

Campaign is already weird (from the 11/15/07 Eccentric)

The November 2008 election is shaping up to be one of the most bizarre in memory.

And it's still 2007.

The big race on the ballot locally will the be 9th U.S. House seat currently occupied by Joe Knollenberg. The Republican from Bloomfield Township has been in office since 1993 and has been a consistent conservative. Only recently has he tried to distance himself from President George Bush and taken up the cause of the American auto industry and its plight.

Knollenberg has come under bitter attack by political foes who are taking their message to the street - literally - following Knollenberg to businesses and even going to his home to challenge him with their questions on such issues as the Iraq war and health insurance coverage.

On an anti-Knollenberg Web site, Joe is held responsible for just about everything bad there is including the number of soldiers killed in Iraq and the $9 trillion national debt.

We're not in the habit of giving campaign advice, but the anti-Knollenberg camp might note that such overkill tactics are not particularly effective in this area where voters tend to be more moderate and reasonable.

We will, however, continue to push for clean election campaigns. Knollenberg is vulnerable on many issues and there is no need to resort to such cheap, and frankly weird, tactics.

My Reply in Thursday’s Birmingham (Thanksgiving Day) Eccentic

Not so weird (My title was, "Campaign is intense, but not "weird")

The only people that are calling the occurrences in the 9th District race weird are members of the press. I think it's important to point out a few things that Kowalski's story, "Strange Saga" overlooked and get a few facts straight. First, there was an incident in a drugstore in Rochester, but I have not been following Knollenberg around. I have been looking for an opportunity to question Knollenberg about the issues important to Oakland County and I had that opportunity in the drugstore.

In the recording in the drugstore, Knollenberg's chief of staff, Trent Wisecup, totally lost his cool when I questioned Knollenberg about his positions on children's health care and Knollenberg's continued support of the war in Iraq. Knollenberg is for more war and death and against providing health care for our children. I would like to see Knollenberg get his priorities straight. I have every right, as an American, in fact it's my duty as a citizen, to ask questions and get straight answers from my representative in the people's House.

Knollenberg also voted against the Health and Human Services bill and helped to block an override of President Bush's veto.

This bill would have provided $3.4 billion for state unemployment insurance and employment services, $340 million to strengthen mine safety protections, $183 million to enforce wage and hour laws, $37 billion for school districts across America, $16.4 billion to lower the costs of student loans, $2 billion for affordable, high-quality child care for low-income families, $7 billion for Head Start programs and $2.2 billion for community health centers, all worthwhile expenditures, especially when compared to more than half a trillion dollars that has been spent on the war and the estimated $1.5 trillion that has been spent so far when all the expenses to the American public are taken into consideration.

Knollenberg can no longer claim to be a fiscal conservative, as he has played a role in the $9 trillion national debt, twice what it was before Bush took office, caused by Bush's tax cuts that benefited the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans.

As Kowalski's article pointed out, Knollenberg's approval rating is down to 33 percent, so people are now paying attention to this race and are starting to realize that Knollenberg doesn't represent their views on the issues and they are ready to vote a Democrat into office next November.

Bruce Fealk

Progressives - for America

I love the Apple commercials that this commercial is patterned after. I think it's the simple, effective message that hits at the heart of the debate over what kind of country we want. I know what kind of country Joe Knollenberg wants. What about you?

Just for Comparison. Here's the Rantings of Trent Wisecup.

I'm a Proud Progressive

I found this new commercial that I think perfectly makes the case for being a Progressive vs. being a Conservative. Maybe some of my readers will weigh in. I'd certainly put Joe Knollenberg in the Conservative column.

Knollenberg to Speak to Hispanic Republicans 11/26

I wonder what kind of questions Joe Knollenberg will get about his stance on immigration at this event given his stance on illegal immigration. Seems like Joe might have some splaining to do to his Hipanic constituency. English as the official language?

Nov 26th – Hispanic Community and Leadership Meet and Greet US Congressman Joe Knollenberg: 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.; Jalepeno’s Restaurant; 812 Baldwin Ave; Pontiac, MI

The Night of the Living Republicans

This video sums the Republican platform very succinctly and with humor, a winning combination.

Joe (Rambo) Knollenberg stars in Unnecessary Force

Knollenberg Helps Bush Sustain Veto of Health and Human Services Bill

George Bush sends a big thank you to Joe Knollenberg, helping him save face at the expense of our nation's workers, veterans and children. I guess Joe decided, our country - and Michigan - didn't need the critical funding that bill would have provided for these domestic programs provided for in H.R. 3043

$3.4 billion for state unemployment insurance and employment services

$340 million to strengthen mine safety protections

$183 million to enforce wage and hour laws

$37 billion for school districts across America

$16.4 billion to lower the costs of student loans

$2 billion for affordable, high-quality child care for low-income families

$7 billion for Head Start programs

$2.2 billion for community health centers

Eccentric: The Strange saga of the 9th District U.S. House Race

This article appeared in the 11/15 edition of the Birmingham, Troy and West Bloomfield Eccentrics. There is one factual correction in regard to the web site that my brother complained about, the e-mails I sent went to my personal e-mail list and it was an invitation to a protest at the Republican debate in Dearborn on October 9. Otherwise, it's kind of amusing and reads like a soap opera. However, I'm glad Greg Kowalski focused on the issues and the fact that Knollenberg has a 33% approval rating and Gary Peters' robust fundraising efforts and his endorsement by the entire Michigan Congressional delegation.

Trent Wiseup's Outburst Covered on MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann

Knollenberg Under Attack by Catholics

Now Joe is under attack from a group called Catholics United, who don't think Joe's vote on SCHIP is a pro-life position that they support. Finally, Joe is being held accountable by pro-life voters.

CLICK HERE to listen to the ad that is currently running



Press Release from Catholics United:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 11, 2007

Contact:
Chris Korzen
(202) 903-0856
ckorzen@catholics-united.org

Washington, DC - Catholics United will launch a radio advertising campaign targeting ten members of Congress whose opposition to the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) have compromised their pro-life voting records.

The ads, which feature a mother urging her Congressional Representative to support SCHIP, will primarily air on Christian and talk radio stations from Monday Oct. 15 to Wednesday, Oct. 17 as Congress approaches a critical Oct. 18 vote to override President Bush’s veto of bipartisan SCHIP legislation.

“Building a true culture of life requires public policies that promote the welfare of the most vulnerable,” said Chris Korzen, executive director of Catholics United. “At the heart of the Christian faith is a deep and abiding concern for the need of others. Pro-life Christians who serve in Congress should honor this commitment by supporting health care for poor children.”

Guest Opinion: By John Ashcraft: Blogger Has a Right to Question Congressman

GUEST OPINION Blogger has a right to question congressman
By JOHN ASHCRAFT

Enough already with the complaints about Bruce Fealk "ambushing" Congressman Joe Knollenberg.

His approach may be disagreeable, but he has a right to hold his U.S. Representative accountable for his decisions and he's been left no other way to do that.

Knollenberg is notorious for snubbing constituents who want to discuss important issues (unless they share his views). His actions better represent the positions of the radical right than his Oakland County constituents.

In his most recent encounter with Fealk, Knollenberg was only asked to explain when he would represent the views of his district and vote to end the war in Iraq or support the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).

Keith Olbermann of MSNBC Covers Wisecup's Outburst

Rather than answer Fealk's fair questions, Knollenberg walked away and turned loose his chief of staff, Trent Wisecup, who ripped into Fealk like a pit-bull.

True to form, the media have framed the whole episode as an example of political activism gone too far. But, Bruce Fealk is just an American citizen who deserves representation.

Yes, he's a member of MoveOn.org, but he hasn't been hired by that or any other group. He's acting on his own accord.

In contrast, Wisecup is on Knollenberg's staff. In fact, he is the chief of Knollenberg's staff. Furthermore, in the video of the confrontation, Wisecup told Fealk he spoke for the Congressman when he said Fealk was Un-American, that he wanted to lose in Iraq and that he wasn't a citizen. Why wasn't that the story?

"Congressman attacks constituent for asking policy questions," seems like a pretty good headline to me.

I agree that politics has gone too far lately. But the offense is not that of a constituent who is forced to use desperate means to hold his representative accountable.

It's the abusive personal attacks that are loosed on anyone who doesn't tow the party line.And this is part of a broad pattern that extends from big shots like John Kerry to little children as we saw with 12- year-old Graeme Frost, who dared to advocate for SCHIP.


By holding our leaders accountable for not doing their jobs, Bruce Fealk also exposed the media's failure to do its job. So it makes sense that the media and the politicians don't like him.ÊBut the rest of us should praise him, not vilify him.Ê

John Ashcraft of Troy considers himself to be a liberal, a lay person and a Christian
Click here for the rest of the story

Oakland County Democratic Chair: Knollenberg Should Apologize to the Kids

Joe Screws the Middle Class Again

Joe Knollenberg voted against middle-class taxpayers again by voting against a bill that will protect middle income taxpayers from a tax that was meant to only affect wealthy people.

CLICK HERE to read the entire article

The AMT was created in 1969 to ensure that a very small number of wealthy people could not use tax breaks or deductions to avoid paying any taxes. But it was never indexed for inflation, and every year the AMT draws in more middle-income taxpayers. This year some 4 million people were subject to the tax.

What is certain is that if Congress and the White House do not reach acompromise by the end of the year, anywhere from 21 million to 25 million middle-income taxpayers will be hit by the AMT, costing them as much as $2,000 in extra taxes.

But anti-tax Republicans said the AMT was a mistake and thus offsets were unneeded. "What absolute lunacy," said Rep. David Dreier, R-California, "paying for a tax that was never intended."

Democrats argued that 23 million people in danger of getting hit by the AMT would be protected by tax changes affecting some 50,000 people earning carried interest.

Joe Says He Supports Veterans. Another Lie

Joe Knollenberg voted against H.R. 3043 which would have provided the following for veterans. Looks like another case where what Joe says and what he does don't match up.

• $231 million for Veterans' Employment and Training programs to assist returning veterans to find and train for jobs
• $23.6 million for the Homeless Veterans' Program. $10 million for those veterans suffering from traumatic brain injuries (TBI), for their rehabilitation, hospital care and long-term support.
• $3.4 billion for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Here's what Joe says on his web site: CLICK HERE to read the rest of Joe's web site on Veterans issues.

Our most vulnerable veterans are those that were disabled during their tenure in the military. The government will always have a duty to care for these men and women. Recently, Congressman Knollenberg has strongly advocated for an annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for the benefits of disabled veterans.
Currently disabled veterans do not automatically receive a COLA for their benefits. Congressman Knollenberg supports an annual automatic increase for disabled veterans in order to keep their benefits relevant and their purchasing power equal to the cost-of-living.

Guess What, Joe? 69% Support Higher Mileage Requirements

Joe Knollenberg says that raising CAFE standards, higher mileage for our cars and trucks would ruin the domestic auto industry. The people say, give us higher mileage.

Give us more m.p.g., voters say
November 10, 2007
BY JUSTIN HYDE
FREE PRESS WASHINGTON STAFF
Voters aren't buying the arguments Detroit automakers are using against tougher fuel economy standards in Congress, with 69% supporting a 35 mile-per-gallon rule by 2020 in a nationwide poll released Friday.
The survey of 1,000 voters this month by the Pew Campaign for Fuel Efficiency and the National Environmental Trust came as Congressional leaders consider fuel provisions in an energy bill that could come up for a vote as soon as next week.

The pollsters said national security worries, such as depending on terrorism-linked regimes for oil, were overwhelming every argument automakers had made against tougher standards.

CLICK HERE for the rest for the rest of the story.

SCHIP covered on PBS Puts a Human Face on the Lack of Funding

While President Bush and Republicans like Joe Knollenberg try to explain away why they won't vote to extend the State Children's Health Insurance Program real children with real health problems go without health care coverage and some will die.

CLICK HERE to watch NOW on PBS report on the crisis in children's health care.

I hope everyone in Joe Knollenberg's office will watch this report. I know you're watching this blog, so make good use of your time.

Oakland Press - Knollenberg got it wrong on SCHIP

This is the Oakland Press version of my guest opinion about Joe Knollenberg's opposition to the SCHIP bill. It's been edited since I wrote it, but you get the point.

Trent Wisecup Bullying a Constituent

Keith Olbermann Covers Trent Wisecup's Outburst in Rochester

Detroit News: Knollenberg Approval at 33%

Michigan Dems back Peters, Schauer for Congress
Gordon Trowbridge / Detroit News Washington Bureau

CLICK HERE to read the full story

Michigan's congressional Democrats will unite next month to host a fundraiser for congressional candidates Gary Peters and Mark Schauer.

Sens. Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow, as well as the state's six House Democrats, will host the Dec. 15 fundraiser in Livonia. The announcement cements the Democratic establishment's support for Peters, the former state senator and state lottery czar who faces a primary opponent in his bid to unseat Republican Rep. Joe Knollenberg, R-West Bloomfield.

"This definitely sends a strong message that we have the enthusiastic support of the entire congressional delegation," said Peters.

Coming Soon: Joe Knollenberg as The Grinch that Stole Chldren's Health Care

Peters Surging, Knollenberg Tanking

It's very bad news for an incumbent when they poll below 50%, so this is very good news for challenger Gary Peters. And the SCHIP polling shows a 14 point swing.

Gary Peters (D): 35
Joe Knollenberg (R-inc): 42
(MoE: ±4.8%)
While the exact trendlines are not available, Knollenberg's 7-point lead is down from a 12-point lead in April. He's also well under the magic 50%
mark, well before the campaign has even been engaged. Not good news for Team Red.

And in a sign of S-CHIP's salience, Knollenberg is very vulnerable on the issue:

Knollenberg's 7-point lead turned into a 7-point deficit after respondents were read both a push question characterizing his position on SCHIP, and the Democratic and Republican arguments for and against the program.

Joe Does the Right Thing, for a change

Today the House passed the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and Joe Knollenberg voted for it. Congratulations Joe, finally something I can actually genuinely praise you for. Way to go. I knew you could do it.

Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2007 - (Sec. 4) Makes it an unlawful employment practice for covered entities (employers, employment agencies, labor organizations, or joint labor-management committees) to discriminate against an individual on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation, including actions based on the actual or perceived sexual orientation of a person with whom the individual associates or has associated. Prohibits preferential treatment or quotas. Allows only disparate treatment claims.

Joe Knollenberg to Michigan's Children: DROP DEAD!

Joe Knollenberg has picked up a really bad habit from George W. Bush, LYING! He is incapable of telling the truth. The guest opinion piece in Wednesday's Oakland Press, is outrageous in the number of lies. Here's Joe's version of why he's not supporting expanding the State Children's Health Insurance Program. The truth is below the lies. Even several of Joe's fellow Republican colleagues are speaking out on providing health care to children.
Lie 1: The bill opens the door for illegal immigrants to receive benefits.

Reality: The latest version of the SCHIP bill specifically excludes illegal aliens from receiving benefits under the provisions of the bill.

Lie 2: The bill is paid for by 22 million new smokers.

Reality: The bill is paid for by raising the tobacco tax by 61 cents a pack. The higher the cost of cigarettes, the less likely kids will take up smoking. According to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, a 61-cent increase in the tobacco tax means that 1,873,000 fewer children will take up smoking. Furthermore, the vast majority of Members of the House and Senate – both Democratic and Republican – are on record in favor of raising tobacco taxes. In August, all but 4 House Republicans voted for the GOP motion to recommit that included an increase of 45 cents a pack in the tobacco tax.

Lie 3: The bill would expand coverage to 700,000 adults.

Reality: The SCHIP program focuses virtually all of its resources on children in the poorest of working families – fewer than 1 in 10 children covered under SCHIP lives in a family of four earning more than $41,000 a year. This is how the program will remain under the bill.

This bipartisan bill places the priority on children’s coverage – and therefore PHASES OUT the coverage of parents and childless adults entirely over a two-year period (there are currently about 600,000 of these adults covered under SCHIP). Only optional coverage for pregnant women remains under the bill.

SCHIP has broad bi-partisan support and Joe Knollenberg is out of step with many of his Republican colleagues.

Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa)“[This bill] breaks the legislative impasse and should have strong support from both Democrats and Republicans. The bill will enable the Children’s Health Insurance Program to help cover millions more low-income children.”

[Joint press release, 9/21/07]Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Iowa)“I have been fighting for legislation that will not only continue the CHIP program, but also cover more low-income kids who are eligible for CHIP. Today, we are unveiling our bipartisan compromise that accomplishes those two very important goals. Our proposal is an honest compromise which improves a program that works for America’s low-income children.”

[Joint press release, 9/21/07]Rep. Vernon Ehlers (R-Mich.)“I grew up with acute asthma, and I know personally how important it is for kids to have access to affordable health care. This bill will continue to provide health care coverage to millions of children who otherwise would be uninsured."

Guest Post: Trent Wisecup Posterboy for Universal Health Care

By Kathy at BloggingForMichigan


Joe Knollenberg's Chief of Staff, Trent Wisecup, has been getting lots of press following his tirade against anti-war activist Bruce Fealk. The story doesn't end there. Wisecup recently sent the following statement to a local paper:

"I haven't been sleeping well of late, as you all will know from all the late e-mails I have been sending over the past few months. Some of the e-mails have been really weird and flat-out kooky. I recently checked myself into Beaumont (Hospital)... to see what was up. I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. This is a form of depression that fortunately is treatable with medication."

Wisecup's reports of sleeplessness, kooky behavior and his recent outburst toward Fealk are all symptoms of bipolar disorder. Other symptoms include impulsiveness, reckless behavior, poor judgement, anger, agitation, social withdrawal and thoughts of suicide. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness "the ramifications of bipolar disorder include a significant economic toll, as well as family disruption, caregiver stress, and an individual burden encompassing comorbid illnesses, substance abuse, poor functionality, and high suicide risk."

Wisecup is lucky to have health insurance and a more than generous salary of $160,000 to cover his deductibles and other expenses necessary to treat his illness. That's not the case for more than 40% of Americans. According to a recent Consumer's Report survey, there are three tiers of health care consumers in the United States: the adequately-insured, who account for 59% of all Americans in the population sampled; the underinsured, who represent 24% of all Americans sampled; and the uninsured, who comprise 16% of our sample.
Bipolar disorder is the 6th leading cause of disability worldwide according to NAMI and the most expensive mental health care diagnosis, both for patients with the illness and for their health insurance plans. The costs to society are significant too: "lost productivity of wage earners, totaling $17 billion; homemakers, $3 billion; and caregivers, $6 billion, as well as the cost of institutionalization, $3 billion, and the lost productivity costs for individuals lost to suicide, $8 billion."

Additionally, NAMI reports that patients with bipolar disorder and their families experience significant losses in functional status and quality of life, placing untoward stress on personal relationships; 56 percent of people with bipolar disorders abused or were dependent on illicit drugs, and 44 percent had comorbid alcohol abuse; many patients with bipolar disorder divorce or experience martial problems; caregivers also feel the effects of patients' illnesses on their work and leisure time; and the combination of missed work hours and lower productivity caused by stress adds a financial burden on the caregiver, as well as on society as a whole.

It's no wonder a majority of Americans favor some sort of universal health coverage. Mental and physical diseases touch all of us, not just the person afflicted by the condition.
Wisecup will get the medications and regular checkups he needs to keep his disease under control, but millions of others won't be so fortunate - including a number of the more than 800,000 children who are diagnosed with bipolar disorder each year and the 2.3 million adults currently living with the disorder.

It's time to put Trent Wisecup's face on a poster advocating health care for all Americans.

Eccentrics - Wisecup takes medical leave

Today several of the Oberserver and Eccentric newspapers carried the story below about Trent Wisecup taking a leave of absence from Joe Knollenberg's office. Funny thing is some people don't believe Wisecup's story. When I posted an entry on Daily Kos and asked whether Trent is really sick or if he is using the medical story as cover for his behavior, these are the results.

Do you believe that Trent is really sick or is this a cover story?
Trent is really sick
18 votes - 20 %
It's a politically motivated cover story
68 votes - 79 %

It's kind of interesting too that Wisecup is blaming his behavior in the Rochester drug store where I confronted his boss, Joe Knollenberg about his vote on the war on lack of sleep, not his bi-polar disorder.

If Trent is really sick, then I have all the sympathy and empathy in the world for him, but if he isn't, this is a really despicable act to use a medical condition to cover up for really bad behavior and bad judgment. In the Keith Olbermann piece about Trent's outburst, Rachel Maddow seems to say that she had contacted Knollenberg's office and was told that they actually had a meeting about me and what to do should they encounter me and they made a concious decision to confront me the way Trent does in the video. Wisecup claiming to be sick is just the kind of tactic Trent might have learned at the knee of Karl Rove the most prolific polital dirty trickster in history, who even stooped to outing a CIA agent to protect his boss, President Bush. It would gain Wisecup sympathy and make him immune to further attacks, since anyone attacking him would be criticized for attacking someone with a mental illness.


Knollenberg's chief of staff takes medical leave
By Greg Kowalski
STAFF WRITER

The bruising campaign for Joe Knollenberg's 9th U.S. House seat took another hit Thursday when Trent Wisecup, Knollenberg's chief of staff, announced he is going on medical leave.

Wisecup sent an e-mail Friday stating, "I haven't been sleeping well of late, as you all will know from all the late e-mails I have been sending over the past few months. Some of the e-mails have been really weird and flat-out kooky. I recently checked myself into Beaumont (Hospital)... to see what was up. I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. This is a form of depression that fortunately is treatable with medication."

Steve Betz, field representative for Knollenberg, said Wisecup went on paid leave Oct. 22, and no date has been set for his return. He'll come back "when he's rested and ready," Betz said. "It's left up to him."

Betz said the election race - which is already in full force more than a year before the vote in November 2008 - is exceptionally hot. "It's a stressful environment," Betz said.

Knollenberg has been under a virtual siege with Democrats targeting his seat as vulnerable. Knollenberg was first elected in 1992 and has won re-election every election since as a solid Republican.

He is facing a strong challenge from Democrat Gary Peters and Nancy Skinner. Knollenberg narrowly defeated Skinner last year.

In recent weeks, anti-Knollenberg campaigners have been following the Congressman around to area stores and even to his Bloomfield Township home with video cameras asking him, among other things, why he supports the Iraq war.

In a widely circulated video, Wisecup had a confrontation in an area store with Bruce Fealk, a Rochester Hills man who has been highly critical of Knollenberg. The video shows Wisecup berating Fealk and shielding Knollenberg. "I got fired up about the MoveOn.org protester and his mugging video, protesting Sandie Knollenberg at her home tactics because I think politics in America should be better," Wisecup said in his e-mail.

"I love my job, especially when I can make a difference for people in Michigan and Oakland County," Wisecup said.

Valerie Plame and Joe Wilson with Bill Maher

This is definitely off topic, but this is a great interview of Valerie Plame and Joe Wilson on Real Time with Bill Maher. It's clear to me that this administration is guilty of treason and the attendant punishment for outing Valerie Plame. This is a must watch interview.

Oakland Press Story

This morning in the Oakland Press a story appeared, "Brother Speaks Against Political Activist." While I'm disappointed in my brother's actions, writing to Trent Wisecup, and the resulting story is personally hurtful, I am confident I did nothing wrong and I want to focus on issues. Were my activities of no consequence Trent would not have a need to try to attack me personally and distract attention away from his behavior and Joe Knollenberg's voting record. I choose to stay focused on Joe Knollenberg's voting record. I'm still waiting for an answer to my questions, Joe.

1. When are you going to finally realize that the war in Iraq is an unmitigated disaster and vote to end the war?
2. While you, your fellow congressmen and women and Trent Wisecup (although according to Trent, he chooses to get his insurance through his wife) enjoy full medical benefits, millions of children in this country have no insurance and rely on SCHIP to supply affordable health insurance in the private insurance market. When will you decide to have compassion for America's children and vote in favor of the SCHIP program?
3. Why have you been beating the drums of war against Iran. We have conducted no diplomacy with Iran and we all know another war, with Iran, will only create another disaster and possibly lead to dire consequences for the world?

All of my efforts are focused on the issues, Joe. How about you and Trent do the same and honor the desires of your constituents that pay your salary?

Press Release - Activist Calls for Equal Treatment for all Americans

All Americans Deserve Full Health Coverage and Mental Health Parity

Political activist Bruce Fealk hopes that the current situation of Rep. Joe Knollenberg's Chief of Staff, Trent Wisecup, taking leave from his position to address a bi-polar disorder "can be seen in a very sympathetic light by everyone in our community. Like any medical condition, your hope is for full recovery and that the financial burden of this sudden situation will be relieved."

"I offer my thoughts of support to Trent Wisecup and his family" said Fealk upon learning that Wisecup had recently been diagnosed and is being treated for bi-polar disorder. "I want to commend Congressman Knollenberg for keeping the door open for Wisecup to return to work in the Congressman's office."

Fealk is hoping the situation of Rep. Knollenberg having a health crisis strike so close to him will help him change his mind on health care coverage in this country.

"While Wisecup will receive full pay (almost $160,000 per year) and have his treatment paid for, many average, hard working Americans would not be so lucky if the same thing happened to them," says Fealk. "This situation for others could have left them with huge medical bills for their treatment, perhaps even sending them into bankruptcy. Even those lucky enough to have medical coverage, may not be covered for mental disorders, like bi-polar disease, and would then be denied the mental health care that should be sought along with the medication."

"The majority of voters in America want universal health care. We call on Rep. Joe Knollenberg to not only change his vote on SCHIP, but to join those in Congress calling for universal coverage for all Americans, and with mental health parity. Why should members of Congress and their staffs get Cadillac coverage while 47 million Americans have no health or mental health coverage at all?"

"Congressmen and women should not be seen as better than any other American." said Bruce Fealk, the videographer in the incident in downtown Rochester, in which Wisecup spewed venomous comments into Fealk's camera, calling him an un-American, Toyota lover.

"Name one person you know that doesn't deserve medical and mental health care when needed without the worry of asking how to pay for the treatment. Did you think of one yet?" "I wonder if Congressman Knollenberg thinks of Wisecup's health care coverage as socialized medicine, as he stated in a recent guest opinion in The Oakland Press?" Fealk commented

Wisecup checks himself into hospital after outburst in Rochester

Knollenberg's chief of staff takes time off after heated words with anti-war activist.

Deb Price / The Detroit News

CLICK HERE FOR FULL STORY


U.S. Rep. Joe Knollenberg's chief of staff, who was recently caught on video in a heated exchange with an anti-war activist, said Thursday he is on paid medical leave to deal with a mood-swing disorder.

In an an e-mail to reporters, aide Trent Wisecup said he recently checked himself into Beaumont Hospital in Oakland after sending out "weird and flat out kooky" e-mails.

He added that on Oct. 13 he got "fired up" in what became a tense verbal skirmish with a camera-wielding activist challenging Knollenberg, R-Bloomfield Hills, over the Iraq war and children's health care.

A video of the incident at a Rochester drugstore, titled "Trent Wisecup goes crazy in Rochester," is up on YouTube.com, where it has been viewed more than 35,600 times.

Wisecup said he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, which can be treated with medication. Knollenberg spokesman Steve Betz said Wisecup will return to his nearly $160,000-a-year job as chief of staff.

Now it's time to Fire Joe Knollenberg

Now that Trent Wisecup is on paid leave from the employ of Joe Knollenberg's Congressional office, it's time to look at Joe's lack of judgment. Joe took over two weeks to act on Trent Wisecup's despicable behavior toward me. I was asking legitimate questions of my Congressman that I deserve to have answered.

Joe Knollenberg is accountable to his constituents and he should be out in public answering questions about his positions on issues, not hiding behind his chief of staff who apparently was given the go ahead to confront me when they encountered me. Joe Knollenberg works for his constituents. This is still a government of the people, by the people and for the people, no matter how much George W. Bush, Dick Cheney and Joe Knollenberg may tell us we have to turn over power to them to stay safe. I hope this incident gives strength to other citizens to hold their elected officials accountable to them.

BREAKING: Wisecup takes leave of absence after going nuts on video

CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE STORY

November 01, 2007Read More: Bad behavior
Knollenberg aide who went nuts on YouTube takes leave of absence
When we last saw Trent Wisecup, chief of staff to Rep. Joe Knollenberg (R-Mich.), he was busy blowing a gasket on YouTube and berating an anti-war protestor for following around the congressman with a video camera. You can watch the video of Wisecup's encounter with Bruce Fealk, the anti-war activist here. It was not a pretty moment, and Wisecup was mocked by MSNBC host Keith Olbermann for his generally unhinged behavior.

Trent Wisecup's Handy Guide to Being un-American

I thought this was one of the funniest parts of my confrontation with Trent Wisecup, Joe Knollenberg's chief of staff.

More Knollenberg Lies on his SCHIP vote

Mike Brownfield, Joe Knollenberg's campaign manager made this video recently. The lies contained therein are unacceptable, so I'd like to set the record straight.


Lie 1: The bill opens the door for illegal immigrants to receive benefits.

Reality: The latest version of the SCHIP bill specifically excludes illegal aliens from receiving benefits under the provisions of the bill.

Lie 2: The bill is paid for by 22 million new smokers.

The bill is paid for by raising the tobacco tax by 61 cents a pack. The higher the cost of cigarettes, the less likely kids will take up smoking. According to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, a 61-cent increase in the tobacco tax means that 1,873,000 fewer children will take up smoking. Furthermore, the vast majority of Members of the House and Senate – both Democratic and Republican – are on record in favor of raising tobacco taxes. In August, all but 4 House Republicans voted for the GOP motion to recommit that included an increase of 45 cents a pack in the tobacco tax.

Lie 3: The bill would expand coverage to 700,000 adults.

Reality: The SCHIP program focuses virtually all of its resources on children in the poorest of working families – fewer than 1 in 10 children covered under SCHIP lives in a family of four earning more than $41,000 a year. This is how the program will remain under the bill.

This bipartisan bill places the priority on children’s coverage – and therefore PHASES OUT the coverage of parents and childless adults entirely over a two-year period (there are currently about 600,000 of these adults covered under SCHIP). Only optional coverage for pregnant women remains under the bill.

SCHIP has broad bi-partisan support and Joe Knollenberg is out of step with many of his Republican colleagues.

Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa)
“[This bill] breaks the legislative impasse and should have strong support from both Democrats and Republicans. The bill will enable the Children’s Health Insurance Program to help cover millions more low-income children.” [Joint press release, 9/21/07]

Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Iowa)
“I have been fighting for legislation that will not only continue the CHIP program, but also cover more low-income kids who are eligible for CHIP. Today, we are unveiling our bipartisan compromise that accomplishes those two very important goals. Our proposal is an honest compromise which improves a program that works for America’s low-income children.” [Joint press release, 9/21/07]

Rep. Vernon Ehlers (R-Mich.)
“I grew up with acute asthma, and I know personally how important it is for kids to have access to affordable health care. This bill will continue to provide health care coverage to millions of children who otherwise would be uninsured.” [Statement, 9/26/07]

Joe Fails the Middle Class

As a middle-class or upper middle-class American you might ask yourself, how well does my Congressman or woman represent my interests. Well, there's a new web site that ranks our Congress on issues important to the middle class of America. CLICK HERE to see Joe Knollenberg's ranking. I can tell you now though, for the last three years, Joe Knollenberg has earned an F on issues affecting the middle class.

Joe Beats Drums of War with Iran at Holocaust Museum

Joe was invited to give a speech recently at the Holocaust Memorial Center. He was there trying to buy votes with a pledge of support for a $250,000 earmark for a children's gallery.

He also was beating the drums of war with Iran. Here's a quote from his speech. Click here to read the entire speech.

I don’t want to get political this evening. We are here to support the Holocaust Memorial Center. But I am increasingly worried about the situation in Iran. The current dictator in Tehran is a menace to the state of Israel. He’s a menace to the United States. And he’s a menace to people around the world who want to live in freedom.

The Iranian president has said on many occasions that he wants to destroy the state of Israel. I believe him, and I think we have to do everything in our power to prevent him from obtaining nuclear weapons. I know the war in Iraq is not popular. But what happens if we lose in Iraq.

The Iranian dictator, who is supporting the insurgency in Iraq, will move quickly to
establish a Hegemonic presence in the Middle East. Moderate Arab nations like
Egypt and Jordan will be at risk of falling victim to the scourge of radical
Islam.

Israel will be threatened. America will be threatened. The international community will be threatened.

It is America’s obligation to stand with Israel. It is America’s obligation to lead the world in the fight against tyranny, whether it emerges as Communism, Fascism, or Radical Islam. We need to win in Iraq. We need to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons and becoming the dominant power in the Middle East.

I believe that with every fiber of my being regardless of what the political polls may say. If we don’t confront the evil in the heart of the Iranian president, the world will regret it. You know that is true. I know that is true.

Maybe Joe's chief of staff wasn't just misspeaking when he said I wanted "Iran to win" in my confrontation in the drugstore in Rochester.

Joe's Macacca Moment now a fundraiser

Now the video I shot of Trent Wisecup going crazy in Rochester is being used as a way to raise money for the 2008 Congressional race and put more Democrats in Congress. There's even a web site to send videos of Republicans behaving badly. CLICK HERE to submit your video.

Democrats launch radio ad against Knollenberg on SCHIP

CLICK HERE to listen to the ad that the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has launched in Joe Knollenberg's district criticizing him for his vote against the State Children's Health Insurance Program.

Howard Dean on beating Joe Knollenberg in 2008

Governor Howard Dean was in town on Sunday night for the 47th Annual Phil Hart Dinner and he spoke for a few minutes about how we can beat Joe Knollenberg in 2008.



We can do it.

Wisecup Video Dooms Knollenberg Campaign

The story below appeared in today's Oakland Press on the front page. While it focuses on technology in political campaigns, the real story is how Joe Knollenberg chooses to go into full attack mode on a voter and dare I say, political activist, Bruce Fealk, instead of confronting the serious issues of this campaign, the war in Iraq, health care for children, and all of our citizens, 47 million of whom are uninsured. America is the only industrialized country in the world not providing health care coverage to ALL of its citizens, and there is also the lack of compassion of Joe Knollenberg, George W. Bush and their fellow Republicans for basic needs of Americans, and instead they continue to pour our hard earned dollars down the rat hole we refer to as the war in Iraq.

Worse yet, they are beating the drums to start a new war with Iran, that will unleash untold horrors on the world and cause death and destruction beyond imagination. All the while, they ignore the crisis being caused by climate change. As long as they have theirs, to hell with the rest of us.

They ignore the horrors of Darfur. New Orleans is still not on its way to a meaningful recovery and yet President Bush and Joe Knollenberg want more war, more debt and less compassion for middle class Americans that built this great nation. And they call me un-American. How dare they.


Keith Olbermann did a feature story about Trent Wisecup's rant in Rochester on Saturday.

My appearance on The Young Turks on Air America Radio

Joe takes down attack videos on Bruce Fealk

Now, this is curious. All of a sudden the two videos that Mike Brownfield, Joe's campaign manager recorded specifically to attack Bruce Fealk have disappeared from Joe's YouTube account. Could it be because there is going to be a story in Saturday's Oakland Press about Bruce's encounter with Joe and Trent Wisecup that has gained national attention? I agree they weren't very good videos, but taking them down wasn't necessary. Perhaps Mike didn't like the fact that my video of Joe and Trent in Rochester was kicking their asses and has over 34,000 views and theirs had less than 200.

Inquiring minds want to know where the video went? What are you ashamed of, Joe, Mike and Trent? Cant' wait for the article in the Oakland Press Saturday morning.

No amount of money is going to help Joe this time

The story below appeared in today's Detroit News. But no amount of money is going to help Joe Knollenberg this time around. He's on the wrong side of every major issue, the war, SCHIP, warrantless wiretapping, Social Security, health care. His message is falling on deaf ears, except among the 24% of the country that still support the failed leadership of George W. Bush.

Detroit News

Friday, October 26, 2007
Decision 2008

GOP rep expected to face tough race
National campaign leader says voters are upset with incumbents, but he predicts Knollenberg will keep seat.
Charlie Cain / Detroit News Lansing Bureau
The head of the National Republican Congressional Committee conceded Thursday that veteran U.S. Rep. Joe Knollenberg of Bloomfield Hills faces a tough ride in his re-election bid next year, adding that voters are in an anti-Washington, anti-incumbent mood.

But U.S. Rep. Tom Cole of Oklahoma, who heads the committee, believes Knollenberg will defeat his Democratic opponent, most likely Gary Peters, the former state lottery czar who is piling up cash and endorsements.

The battle in Oakland County figures to be the most hotly contested of Michigan's 15 congressional races.

"Michigan is going to be a very competitive state presidentially, as it has been the last couple of times," Cole said in a conference call with political reporters.

But he said Knollenberg, first elected in 1992, should prevail. "I don't see people at the end of the day defeating a guy who is that senior, that well prepared and that well respected."


Find this article at:
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071026/POLITICS/710260360/1022/POLITICS

Joe's message to children, DROP DEAD!

Well, I'll say one thing for Joe Knollenberg, he's stubborn, maybe even as stubborn as George W. Bush. Joe voted against the SCHIP again today. Even though there is overwhelming support for expanding this hugely successful program, Joe voted against the children. Joe's slogan, Warfare, not health care. I have a feeling Joe is going to pay dearly, with his job, for this vote against the children. Maybe Joe just doesn't care any more. He knows he won't be re-elected next November, so he just doesn't care what voters think any more. That's all that makes sense to me any more. I personally called Joe's office today asking him to vote for the children. All I got was a polite, "I'll pass your message along to the Congressman." Another example of Joe's tin ear.

Joe AWOL on War Profiteering Prevention Act of 2007

I guess Joe really loves Halliburton and Blackwater. He didn't even bother to vote on the War Profiteering Prevention Act. Joe wouldn't want to hold war profiteers accountable. It's hard to imagine how Joe could just decide not to vote on a bill of such importance

10/9/2007--Passed House amended.

War Profiteering Prevention Act of 2007 - Amends the federal criminal code to prohibit profiteering and fraud involving a contract or the provision of goods or services in connection with a mission of the U.S. Government overseas. Imposes: (1) a fine of not more than $1 million and/or a prison term of up to 20 years for knowingly defrauding the United States or a provisional authority in connection with such a mission or for materially overvaluing any goods or services with the intent to defraud; (2) a fine of not more than $1 million and/or a prison term of up to 10 years for falsification or concealment, false statements, or false documents in connection with such contracts or goods or services.

Grants extraterritorial federal jurisdiction over war profiteering and fraud offenses. Permits venue for the prosecution of such offenses in any district where any act in furtherance of an offense took place or where any party to a contract or provider of goods or services is located.

Allows criminal forfeiture of property obtained from a war profiteering or fraud offense. Makes war profiteering and fraud a predicate offense for money laundering and racketeering offenses.

Trent Wisecup Rant Covered by Fox 2 News

Fox 2 News in Detroit also covered Trent Wisecup's rant in Rochester last weekend.

Detroit News doesn't care about no stinking facts

I checked my e-mail this morning and find this piece of garbage article in my e-mail box from the Detroit News. I have written an e-mail to Nolan Finley, the editorial page editor for the Detroit News. I hope he will call me so he can get his facts straight.

End gotcha politics in Oakland race
Video ambushes of Peters, Knollenberg cross the line

Politics has never been a game for the thin-skinned. A certain amount of insult and abuse comes with the territory.

But the early politicking in the congressional race in southern Oakland County is crossing a line we cringe to see crossed, and portends a needlessly nasty and off-putting campaign.

Rep. Joe Knollenberg, R-Farmington, faces a vigorous challenge from recently retired Lottery Commissioner Gary Peters, a Democrat from Bloomfield Hills, and others.

Move.on.org, the left wing Democratic fundraising apparatus, is targeting the race because of Knollenberg's narrow margin of victory in the last go-round.

The Move.on.org money helps pay for a bag of dirty tricks. Bruce Fealk, a Democratic operative, has made it his mission to follow Knollenberg around firing questions at him while filming with a video camera.

MoveOn.org does not help pay for anything I've been involved in, least of all the giant head of Joe Knollenberg. Second, this is the only time I've had an actual encounter with Joe Knollenberg himself. All my other encounters have been with Knollenberg's staff, mostly district office chief, Shawn Ciavattone.

Fealk also dons a papier mache Knollenberg head, which he's worn while sitting on the porch of the congressman's home.

This is also not true. I was on Joe Knollenberg's porch for all of about 30 seconds, but I was NOT wearing the Joe Knollenberg head. Here's the video to prove what I'm saying.

I have never harassed, at least by the legal definition below, Joe Knollenberg, or anyone on his staff. I have pictures and video to prove what I'm saying, too. I wonder if Trent has anything to back up what he's saying? I'm sick of the right-wing smear machine smearing 12-year-old and 2-year-old children, as well as myself. It's time we stand up to the bullies on the right and let them know we aren't going to take it any more.

A person is guilty of harassment if:
(a) Without lawful authority, the person knowingly threatens:
(1) To cause bodily injury in the future to the person threatened or to any other person;
(2) To cause physical damage to the property of another person;
(3) To subject the person threatened or any other person to physical confinement or
restraint; or
(4) To do any act which is intended to substantially harm the person threatened or any
other person with respect to his physical or mental health or safety; and
(b) The person by words or conduct places the person receiving the threat in reasonable fear
that the threat will be carried out.

I have only been contacted by one reporter from The Detroit News, Laura Berman, for her story last week, and Laura did get a few facts wrong too, which I hope this post corrects.

Bruce's Letter in Farmington Eccentric

Un-American?

Recently, I had a run-in with Congressman Joe Knollenberg in a local drugstore in Rochester that made it into the local and national media.

I wanted to ask Knollenberg about issues, namely his votes to continue to fund the war in Iraq, even though more and more evidence comes out every day that there is no military solution to the debacle there.

Secondly, I wanted to find out why he voted against expanding the State Children's Health Insurance Program that would provide affordable health care to the low end of middle class citizens' children. Joe basically brushed me off and his chief of staff, Trent Wisecup, engaged me and proceeded into a tirade telling me I was un-American and that I was not a citizen, but a "political hack" due to my activism.

Since when do we lose our citizenship for being politically active? In the old days, dissent and activism were revered and admired. Not any more, at least not by Republicans, who think we should all just follow our leaders. Not in these days of the unitary executive (translated dictator) where the president claims more and more power and dissent is now considered un-American.

The Republicans in Michigan assail the governor for Michigan's job losses. Yet, Wisecup in his tirade attacked me, saying I want Toyota to win. Fact is, Toyota is a Michigan employer. Toyota employs 677 people at their York Township facility and Trent's rant attacked a major Michigan employer. Toyota employs several thousand people in the United States and they invested $150 million in their research facility in York Township, Michigan in 2005. It doesn't seem like a good idea, to me, to attack a company with that many good paying jobs that are so hard to come by these days in Michigan.

Joe and Trent are on the wrong side on almost every issue facing middle class Americans. A new poll from CBS News reveals that 81 percent of Americans support expanding SCHIP. Over 70 percent think America should responsibly withdraw from Iraq, but not Congressman Knollenberg, Trent Wisecup or George W. Bush.

I hope more of you will join me in getting up off your butts and make Congressman Knollenberg, Trent Wisecup and those of their ideological ilk accountable to the voters. Joe Knollenberg was elected to be our representative, and he works for us, not the other way around.

Bruce Fealk

Rochester Hills

Fox 2 Coverage of protest at Republican Debate

Sorry this is a little late, but I don't have digital recording equipment. This is the Fox 2 coverage of our protest at the Republican debate on October 10. The sounds isn't real good either due to the conversion from tape to digital.

I have to add this back in this post just because it's so good.

Detroit Free Press - Wisecup doesn't regret tirade

Wow. Trent is sure pissed. He's so upset that he told the Detroit Free Press that he doesn't even regret his tirade on Saturday that I captured on video.

Knollenberg/Peters Interview with Frank Beckmann

Gary Peters and Joe Knollenberg discuss civility in politics on WJR.

CLICK HERE to listen.

Uh-oh, Joe gets campaign money from Phillip Morris

Remember the part in the video of Trent where he accuses me of being a lobbyist for Phillip Morris. Look what I found so far from the 2000 campaign cycle.

http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/detail.asp?CID=N00004045&cycle=2000

JOE KNOLLENBERG (R - MI)Detailed Contributor Breakdown2000 ELECTION CYCLE
Agribusiness: $20,850
Crop Production & Basic Processing
$6,800
Detroit Produce Terminal
$2,000
American Sugar Cane League
$1,000
American Sugarbeet Growers Assn
$1,000
Southern Minn Beet Sugar Co-op
$1,000
Tobacco
$5,500
Philip Morris
$3,000
RJ Reynolds Tobacco
$2,000
Dairy
$1,500
Dairy Farmers of America
$1,000
Agricultural Services/Products
$2,050
Michigan Farm Bureau
$1,000
Food Processing & Sales
$5,000
Melody Foods Inc
$1,500
General Mills
$1,000
Kellogg Co
$1,000

I wonder how much more money Joe received from Big Tobacco.

Keith Olberman covers Trent's rant

Last night on Keith Olbermann's show on MSNBC, Countdown, Keith Olbermann did a feature story about Trent Wisecup's rant in Rochester on Saturday.


Great job Keith and Rachel Maddow from Air America.

MoveOn Vigil for the Children

On Tuesday night, in the rain in Rochester Hills, a dedicated group of people held a vigil along Rochester Road, asking Joe Knollenberg to vote to override President Bush's veto of the State Children's Health Insurance Program, commonly known as SCHIP. Congressman Knollenberg has already declared he won't change his mind, just like President Bush. You have one more chance to redeem yourself, Joe. We'll be praying for you.

Bruce on The Young Turks

I made an appearance on The Young Turks this morning. Here's the video.

The Hill - Knollenberg unlikely to shake friend of MoveOn.org - ever

House office unlikely to shake friend of MoveOn.org — ever

The Senate’s passage last month of a resolution condemning an inflammatory print advertisement purchased by liberal activist organization MoveOn.org may not have amounted to anything concrete, but it seems to have helped the office of Rep. Joe Knollenberg (R-Mich.) make a decision: They are fighting back.

MoveOn foot soldier Bruce Fealk posted a video on YouTube.com Saturday, soon after filming his latest confrontation with the congressman in a pharmacy near his Michigan home. On the video, after Knollenberg tried to joke with the protester, chief of staff and spokesman Trent Wisecup stepped in front of the camera and told Fealk to hit the road.

“You’re anti-American … you are blinded by your hatred of this country,” Wisecup said.

The frustrated staffer explained on Monday that Fealk has pursued the congressman and his staff for two years, and after trying the tactics of ignoring him and meeting with him, Wisecup is ready to try something new.

“I’m just fed up with it — I spoke back to him, and I’m glad to have done it,” he said.

Fealk, who owns a small marketing company, readily admitted that he focused his brand of protest on Knollenberg, his district office and his home for the last two years, saying that he has done so because the congressmen has not provided suitably open forums to debate the war and other issues.

If Wisecup thinks he might see the end of Fealk soon, we have some ominous news for him. Fealk told us in an e-mail that his aspirations don’t stop at amateur videos in his free time.

He is also “seeking employment in the political arena.”

Det. News - Knollenberg won't budge

Laura Berman

Knollenberg race heats up

Congressman Joe Knollenberg won't budge. - 10/16/07 -

YouTube: 'Trent Wisecup goes crazy in Rochester'

---

And his refusal to back a bill to ramp up an existing children's health insurance program by $35 billion over five years could be a principled stand.

But his opponents don't think so. And they're using his opposition to the so-called SCHIP bill as a way to publicly launch their 2008 congressional campaign against the seven-term Republican.

It's one example of how the bill, which is unlikely to overcome President Bush's veto this week, is creating political heat.

Democrat Gary Peters, the state lottery commissioner-turned-Knollenberg-opponent, posted a wagon outline on his Web site for little Democrats to print, color angry red and mail to Knollenberg.

Former radio show host Nancy Skinner used Knollenberg's visibility over the weekend to announce her candidacy.

And it all coincided with video of Knollenberg in a Rochester drugstore.

Political trickster hits blog

On Saturday, Democratic trickster Bruce Fealk -- a former court stenographer who now works energetically and nearly full-time to ridicule and undermine the seven-term Republican -- confronted Knollenberg in Lytle, a downtown Rochester drugstore.

While Knollenberg didn't respond to Fealk's challenges about the war and children's health care, he stayed cool on camera.

But his chief of staff, Trent Wisecup, exploded.

Fealk promptly posted four minutes of seething Wisecup footage to YouTube.com.

The outing was a blogger triumph for the dogged Fealk and his bag of political tricks.

"You're not a citizen, you're a political hack," groused Wisecup, who apparently forgot that hacks tend to be citizens, too.

Besides running two anti-Knollenberg Web sites, Fealk owns a gigantic papier-mache head of the congressman that he dons for strategic appearances.

Last summer, Wisecup called the police after Fealk plopped himself on the front porch of Knollenberg's home.

"He's frightened Mrs. Knollenberg, he's upsetting the women in my office," says Wisecup, who calls Fealk "a stalker" and "un-American."

Whatever its merits, the on-line fracas undercut Knollenberg's efforts to recast himself as a moderate since the last election. It's a potent political issue, in part because it so starkly sets off priorities.

It gave Skinner an opportunity to point out that justifying votes against sick children as a budgetary move may not play well for one of the president's strongest allies in the almost-trillion-dollar Iraq war.

The proposed expansion of health care for children includes a 61 cent tax on every pack of cigarettes.

Knollenberg argues the tax won't cover the bill's cost "without 22 million new smokers."

To make that point, Wisecup says, his office plans to mail back the Gary Peters-backed red wagons "with cigarette wrapperson them."

You can reach Laura Berman at (248) 647-7221 or lberman@detnews.com.

Trent Wisecup tells us what it means to be an American

October 15, 2007Read More: Campaigns
Trent Wisecup tells us what it means to be an American
from Politico.com

Fresh off his confrontation with Bruce Fealk, an anti-war activist with MoveOn.org, Trent Wisecup, chief of staff to Rep. Joe Knollenberg (R-Mich.), has responded to The Crypt's suggestion that he was not the person to decide what is and is not "American." See the previous post and video to see why this (unbelievably) is an issue. And yes, it is still 2007, you are not flashing back to1967.

So here is Wisecup's view on what is "pro" and "anti" American, and please remember, he came up with this list on his own:
"Per Politico’s blog on my run-in with Moveon.org, I will define what’s un-American for you. It’s un-American to wage a political protest of a congressman’s wife at her home. It’s un-American to disturb a congressman’s neighbors with weird anti-war tactics while our soldiers are deployed overseas fighting radical Islam.

It’s un-American to cheer for the imposition of $85 billion of Nancy Pelosi CAFÉ mandates that would destroy the American car companies and the good-paying UAW jobs they provide. It’s un-American to use bullying, gotcha political tactics that scare female congressional staffers. It’s un-American to use stalking and harassment as a means to score cheap political points. True Americans make their political arguments with vigor, honor and pride. I have looked the Moveon.org movement in the eye and I speak with certainty that this element does not want America to win in Iraq. It does want Toyota to beat GM and the other American car companies. And it wants all Americans to pay higher taxes to support more government welfare.
Higher taxes + more government welfare = a weaker America.

I was raised by grandparents who revered FDR and Truman. They lived through the Great Depression. I know how great the Democratic Party used to be. It’s not meeting that standard today. And they have Michael Moore, Daily Kos, and Moveon.org to thank for it. Let the battle for the definition of what it means to be a true American be joined. You have my two cents. Let others weigh in on the Internet. I am copying Congressman Knollenberg’s staff on this email … because they’ve been pushed around by these Moveons for the better part of two years and they don’t want to take it any more."

USA Today - Joe feels heat over SCHIP Veto

House Republicans feel heat in wake of SCHIP veto

CLICK HERE to read the full story

By Richard Wolf, USA TODAY
ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich. - The scarecrows adorning Main Street in this affluent Detroit suburb are symbolic of the frightening times ahead for Rep. Joe Knollenberg and other Republicans as they prepare to block a broad expansion of children's health insurance this week.
On television and radio, in phone calls and e-mails, proponents of the five-year, $35 billion increase are pressuring about 20 Republicans to switch sides and help override President Bush's veto. The full-court press includes preachers, rock stars such as Paul Simon and sick kids in an effort to sway the result - or the next election.

Few Republicans have more to fear than Knollenberg, a former insurance agent whose nearly 15-year grip on Michigan's 9th Congressional District has never been as weak. His customary double-digit victories shrunk to 5 percentage points in 2006. Now, he's saddled with an increasingly unpopular war and president. Being perceived as voting against kids doesn't help.
----------
That includes Knollenberg, at 73 a grandfatherly figure who seems ill-suited for in-your-face politics. He gets plenty of that here from Bruce Fealk, a local activist with the liberal group MoveOn.org.
When Knollenberg ventured inside Lytle Pharmacy on Saturday to shake hands, Fealk was waiting. "When are you going to end the war, Joe?" said Fealk, wearing a white T-shirt that read, "ENOUGH."
Former state senator and lottery commissioner Gary Peters, a Democrat, has $200,000 in the bank, about 25% of Knollenberg's amount. Nancy Skinner, Knollenberg's Democratic challenger in 2006, is likely to announce her candidacy Tuesday. Peters insists the district "has been continually trending more Democratic."
Today, Peters is launching a "Little Red Wagon Campaign" supporting the children's health expansion. It urges people to download a sketch from his website, color it and send it to Knollenberg.

Personal stakes

Knollenberg will have none of that. Although the bill coming back to the House on Thursday won support from 45 Republicans last month, he calls it "the Pelosi health care bill" after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. It's "a pile of loose parts that depends on 22 million new smokers in America to pay for taxpayer-funded health benefits for illegal immigrants," he says.
Those arguments are enough to convince some people. "Thanks for your opposition," Greg Bruder called out along Main Street here Saturday. "It was a miserable bill." Bruder sums up the debate as "socialism vs. independence."
Others side with Democrats. At the St. Paul's United Methodist Church, 70-year-old Donna Stenton says $35 billion over five years pales compared with the costs of the Iraq war. "I have a feeling that a lot of Republicans better watch out," she says.

Americans United run ad against Knollenberg's SCHIP vote

Here's a pretty powerful ad being run against Joe Knollenberg, urging him to vote to for the SCHIP program.