Knollenberg 'Big Plan' Nothing But a Corporate Bailout

Wow, Joe Knollenberg must really be scared. His biggest plan up till now has been a battle against low-flow toilets. Two weeks ago in Rochester he was talking all about "personal responsibility" and wellness plans when it comes to health care plans to help struggling Americans with health care costs. When it comes to helping struggling American families, Joe's attitude is, let them eat cake. When the auto manufacturers have a problem because they didn't react quickly enough to a changing market, Joe wants to run to their rescue with a government tax credit. What a guy.

Apparently when it comes to corporate responsibility, he sings a different tune. Joe introduced a plan to offer tax credits to the auto manufacturers to help out with meeting the new CAFE standards. As if the auto industry couldn't see this coming from a mile away, high energy costs creating a downturn in sales. But what did the industry do, they kept building and designing low-mileage, high profit SUV's and trucks, instead of introducing fuel efficient cars that foreign manufacturers had been selling for years.

Where was Joe when Dana corporation was cutting in half the wages of workers? Did Joe come to their rescue? Of course not. Joe was nowhere to be seen.

We need a comprehensive energy policy in this country that addresses all of the aspects of this problem. We need a trade policy that doesn't have as a side effect cutting American wages to the point where Americans can't afford to buy the vehicles that are manufactured by American car companies.

The Republican economic plan has been a disaster for America and Michigan specifically. Joe's plan is nothing but a band-aid for what has been an amputation of good paying, union jobs that have been sent overseas to low-wage countries exploiting their workers and polluting the air and water around the world.

More on John Hagee, who has endorsed John McCain

It looks to me like John McCain has a bigger "spirtual mentor" problem than Barack Obama. Remember back in July 2007, when Joe Knollenberg got all bent out of shape because I asked him to atone for his sins regarding his votes on the war in Iraq?
I wonder if Joe Knollenberg will call for John McCain to denounce the endorsement of John Hagee.

And where was this article in the Detroit Free Press, where Knollenberg asked the Governor to denounce my statements and to swear not to appear on my community television show again.

July 18, 2007

BY TODD SPANGLER

FREE PRESS WASHINGTON STAFF

WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Joe Knollenberg is taking exception to a comment made by an Oakland County activist about his religion – and his staff is calling on Gov. Jennifer Granholm to do something about it.

In an article in the Oakland Press this week, Rochester Hills resident Bruce Fealk made a reference to a planned protest outside Knollenberg’s office, saying it was aimed at getting the Republican congressman to come out in favor of legislation to end the war in Iraq.

In his comments, Fealk, 53, said Knollenberg should atone for his sins – meaning his refusal to back Democratic-sponsored legislation to set timetables for removing the troops – like a good Catholic.

Both Knollenberg’s staff and the National Republican Congressional Committee slammed Fealk and MoveOn.org, a nationwide advocacy group to which Fealk belongs. In a statement today, the NRCC said, “MoveOn.org has once again made a name for themselves by attacking Joe Knollenberg’s personal beliefs and turning the Iraq war into a political, partisan game. … Religious smears have no place in political discourse.”

Meanwhile, Knollenberg’s chief of staff, Trent Wisecup, sent a letter to Granholm’s Washington office, noting that the governor had once appeared on Fealk’s cable access show in Oakland County and asking that she not do so again. It also said the governor should “inform him that injecting an elected official from Michigan’s religion into a debate on a public policy issue crosses the line.”

“His private beliefs are his private beliefs,” Wisecup said today.

Fealk, who said he was raised Jewish and now attends a non-denominational church, said today that if he had it to do over, he probably wouldn’t include the “Catholic boy part.” But he said he does believe that if Knollenberg has strong religious beliefs, he should vote to bring the troops home now.

Knollenberg has said he has doubts about President Bush’s surge policy but is willing to wait until September to see if progress is made.

“I think it’s time for the carnage to end,” said Fealk, who also noted that he is in no way an official spokesman for Moveon.org. Fealk said he is a member who sometimes acts as a local organizer.

Jennifer Lindenauer, communication director for MoveOn.org – a group that now claims some 3.4 million members and is primarily known for its anti-war stance – said she believes the Republicans are “doing what they normally do, which is make a mountain out of a molehill” by bringing attention to Fealk’s comments.

“They’re trying to distract us from the real conversation" about the war, she said.

She added, however, that bringing up someone’ s religious beliefs is “not a MoveOn tactic.”

“I agree with Fealk when he said he probably shouldn’t have brought religion into it, because the issue is ending the war in Iraq,” she said.

As for the governor, her spokeswoman Liz Boyd said that she won’t be making any promises not to appear on Fealk’s show again, though there are no immediate plans to do so.

The governor’s office also declined to comment on whether Fealk’s mention of religion was appropriate or not.

Well, John Hagee has made way more controversial statements than I did regarding Knollenberg's Catholic faith.

Here's just some of Hagee's positions on the issues.

McCain on John Hagee

"Well I think it's important to note that pastor John Hagee who has supported and endorsed my candidacy supports what I stand for and believe in. When he endorses me, it does not mean that I embrace everything that he stands for and believes. And I am very proud of the Pastor John Hagee's spiritual leadership to thousands of people and I am proud of his commitment to the independence and the freedom of the state of Israel. That does not mean that I support or endorse or agree with some of the things that Pastor John Hagee might have said or positions that he may have taken on other issues. I don't have to agree with everyone who endorses my candidacy. They are supporting my candidacy. I am not endorsing some of their positions." [McCain Media Availability, 2/29/08]

John Hagee on the Issues…

Hagee on Hurricane Katrina
"All hurricanes are acts of God because God controls the heavens. I believe that New Orleans had a level of sin that was offensive to God and they were recipients of the judgment of God for that." [NPR Fresh Air, 9/18/06]

Hagee on Islamic Beliefs
Fresh Air host Terry Gross asked if Hagee believed that "all Muslims have a mandate to kill Christians and Jews," to which Hagee replied, "Well, the Quran teaches that. Yes, it teaches that very clearly." [NPR Fresh Air, 9/18/06]

Hagee on African-Americans
The San Antonio Express-News reported that Hagee was going to "meet with black religious leaders privately at an unspecified future date to discuss comments he made in his newsletter about a 'slave sale,' an East Side minister said Wednesday." The Express-News reported:

"Hagee, pastor of the 16,000-member Cornerstone Church, last week had announced a 'slave sale' to raise funds for high school seniors in his church bulletin, 'The Cluster.'

"The item was introduced with the sentence 'Slavery in America is returning to Cornerstone" and ended with "Make plans to come and go home with a slave." [San Antonio Express-News 3/7/96]

Hagee on Catholicism
"Most readers will be shocked by the clear record of history linking Adolf Hitler and the Roman Catholic Church in a conspiracy to exterminate the Jews." [Jerusalem Countdown by John Hagee]

Hagee on Women
"Do you know the difference between a woman with PMS and a snarling Doberman pinscher? The answer is lipstick. Do you know the difference between a terrorist and a woman with PMS? You can negotiate with a terrorist." [God's Profits: Faith, Fraud and the Republican Crusade for Values Voters, Sarah Posner]

"[T]he feminist movement today is throwing off authority in rebellion against God's pattern for the family." ["Bible Positions on Political Issues," John Hagee]

Hagee on LGBT Americans
"The newspaper carried the story in our local area that was not carried nationally that there was to be a homosexual parade there on the Monday that the Katrina came. And the promise of that parade was that it was going to reach a level of sexuality never demonstrated before in any of the other Gay Pride parades. So I believe that the judgment of God is a very real thing. I know that there are people who demur from that, but I believe that the Bible teaches that when you violate the law of God, that God brings punishment sometimes before the day of judgment." [NPR Fresh Air, 9/18/06]

Hagee on Iran
"The coming nuclear showdown with Iran is a certainty," Hagee wrote [in 2006] in the Pentecostal magazine Charisma. "Israel and America must confront Iran's nuclear ability and willingness to destroy Israel with nuclear weapons. For Israel to wait is to risk committing national suicide." [The Nation, 8/8/2006, http://www.thenation.com/doc/20060814/new_christian_zionism]

Joe, will you denouce John Hagee's endorsement of John McCain

As a Catholic, I imagine Joe Knollenberg is not too happy with the fact that John McCain has accepted and sought the endorsement of Pastor John Hagee, who has called the Catholic religion a "gutter religion". With all the attention focused on Rev. Wright's relationship to Barack Obama, practically nothing has been said in the media about John McCain's endorsement by John Hagee. I wonder why that is, when Hagee has made inflammatory remarks over and over again about people of the Catholic faith. Why hasn't John McCain been asked to denounce John Hagee?



The Young Turks analyze the endorsement of John McCain by John Hagee

Joe Knollenberg endorsed John McCain for President and therefore...

he has endorsed 100, maybe 10,000 more years of occupation in Iraq. Using the same logic, guilt by association, that was used in tying Barack Obama to Reverend Wright, Joe Knollenberg has endorsed McCain's policies. Here's one that the American people do not endorse, at least a majority of Americans.

Over 60% of America believes it was a bad idea to invade them even after the Petraeus Propaganda Show. In the latestes ABC/WaPo poll 56% of Americans believe we should get out of Iraq even after the media blitz on “the surge.”

Do you think the United States should keep its military forces in Iraq until civil order is restored there, even if that means continued U.S. military casualties; OR, do you think the United States should withdraw its military forces from Iraq in order to avoid further U.S. military casualties, even if that means civil order is not restored there? 56% withdraw 41& Keep forces in

There’s no spin here. Their efforts to control the message has not worked. Vote McCain and you’ll get more of the same. It’s that simple.

President Bush has talked about our staying in Iraq for 50 years…Maybe 100. That would be fine with me. President Bush has talked about our staying in Iraq 50 years…Maybe 100. If all he offers is more of the same….is John McCain the right choice for America’s future?

Joe voted against fair elections

This vote should have been a no brainer, even for Joe Knollenberg. The Emergency Assistance for Secure Elections Act of 2008 would have funded converting from error-prone electronic voting machines and paid for providing backup paper ballots. I guess Joe Knollenberg doesn't care about fair, secure elections. I wonder if he's planning on cheating to win in November.

Emergency Assistance for Secure Elections Act of 2008 - Directs the Election Assistance Commission to reimburse certain jurisdictions for the costs of: (1) converting from electronic or other voting systems to paper ballot voting systems for the general elections for federal office to be held in November 2008; (2) retrofitting direct recording electronic voting systems to produce voter verifiable paper records; and (3) providing backup paper ballots if the jurisdiction uses a direct recording electronic voting system which happens to fail. Authorizes appropriations.

Knollenberg has no ideas, just hopes another Henry Ford shows up in Michigan

Poor Joe Knollenberg and the Republicans. They are fresh out of new ideas. They just keep repeating their mantra, lower taxes, less regulation. It reminds me of an old Miller Lite commercial, whose refrain was, "tastes great, less filling". Republicans think that if you keep repeating the same lies over and over again, people will believe them. It worked for George W. Bush in the run-up to the war. But the American people are finally wising up to the Republicans' lies.

In Joe's piece in the Oakland Press this morning, Joe admits that the reason new employers are locating in Michigan and Oakland county is not low taxes, it's our skilled work force. I think that's what Governor Granholm was saying in the 2006 election cycle when the Republicans kept repeating their "lower taxes" mantra.

Even the auto companies are getting the fact that we have to increase mileage our vehicles get and have started to introduce hybrid, fuel cell and all-electric vehicles to the market and guess what, they're still in business and hopefully they're finally catching on to the fact that 15 mpg SUV's aren't going to sell in a world of $4 per gallon gasoline. But Joe Knollenberg wants to protect the auto companies from having to build vehicles that get better mileage, even while they lay off workers because of poor sales, while companies like Toyota get the fact that higher mileage vehicles sell better in these times of high priced energy.

Joe Knollenberg wants to live in the past and push old ideas. We need new leadership that wants to move forward with confidence in ourselves that we can find new answers to the problems that face Michigan and the country.

We've seen what happens when taxes burden the middle class unfairly and too little regulation leads to disasters, like sick cows making it into our food chain, lead paint on our children's toys coming from China and airplanes that don't get checked for safety.

Joe's man, John McCain, in New Orleans

This video sets the record straight on John McCain's record on Katrina related legislation, in contrast to what happened in New Orleans. I guess, using "Reverend Wright" logic, Joe is guilt by association for endorsing John McCain

Hey, Joe, watch this ad. You Think We Can't Get Universal Health Care?

This is one of the funniest political ads I've seen this elections season. And it's on one of my favorite topics, health care.

Guess who doesn't really support the troops

Joe Knollenberg says he supports our troops. But guess what, actions speak louder than words. There is a new 2008 GI bill. It has 235 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives. Guess who isn't one of those co-sponsors. If you guessed Joe Knollenberg, you'd be right.

Here's a video about the 2008 GI Bill:



This is what Joe has to say on his web site.
Joe in his own words:

America must maintain the strongest military in the world to defend our way of life from the threat of terrorists who want to destroy us. 9/11 changed everything.

I have consistently voted to provide our soldiers with the most updated and sophisticated military equipment. And I have voted numerous times to increase the pay of the brave Americans who are in harm’s way.

There is no greater sacrifice an individual can make. We must never shortchange our troops.

I feel just as strong about our veterans. In the past five years, I have voted to increase spending on veterans benefits from $48 billion to $71 billion.

This year, I voted for the largest increase in veterans spending in the Veterans Affairs Department’s 77-year history. I am frugal when it comes to the federal budget, but we must honor our commitments to our veterans. They risked everything to keep us safe. We need to ensure they have the benefits they deserve.

Joe Knollenberg's temper tantrum against Carter

Recently Joe Knollenberg has been trying to get in the news by railing against Jimmy Carter's talking to Hamas and has proposed legislation to cut off federal funding to the Carter Center. Before we do that, it might be a good idea to look at some of the accomplishments of the Carter Center.

When asked directly on Fox News whether there is any chance of his legislation passing, he evades the question. This is all for show, folks. Whether you agree with Carter's talking with Hamas or not, Joe Knollenberg is just trying to get his free media time with a constituent audience.

The Carter Center Peace Programs: Peace With Justice

Peace with justice requires resolving conflict according to rules agreed to by all, beginning with the shared commitment to human rights and democratic values. Today, virtually all governments claim to share this belief. The Carter Center, in partnership with others, seeks practical ways to narrow the gap between the rhetoric and realities of government policies in countries striving to overcome legacies of oppression and deadly conflict by building more just societies of their own.

At the invitation of governments and in cooperation with civil society, The Carter Center continues to play a leading role in election observation across the developing world, broadening its participation to help countries better prepare for elections and build upon the results to deepen democracy and ensure peace becomes permanent.

Whether helping to standardize election procedures in China's villages, giving voice to human rights defenders in Africa, or increasing transparency of campaign finance and governance in the Americas, the Center's programs work to attain peace with justice in those areas of the world most in need and who request our help.

The Carter Center's principled impartiality and record of achievement give its peace making programs the credibility needed to work nationally, regionally, and globally.

These programs include:

• The Democracy Program: working for the development of inclusive democratic societies and the empowerment of citizens through election observation, consensus-building for international standards for democratic elections, and democracy-strengthening activities in emerging democracies and regional organizations.
• Human Rights Program: intervening on behalf of victims of human rights abuses; strengthening the voices of human rights defenders internationally; and building capacity for rule of law in partnerships with civil society, governments, and international organizations.
• The Conflict Resolution Program: helping prevent deadly conflict, mediating differences, and ensuring that peace processes become irreversible at the invitation of parties to disputes and assisting capacity building for conflict resolution in regional organizations.
• The Americas Program: improving regional cooperation and the deepening of democracy within the Western Hemisphere, thwarting corruption, increasing transparency,, and decreasing social inequities to ensure that free and fair elections lead to the consolidation of democratic institutions and rule of law.
• China Program: advising China's Ministry of Civil Affairs on local elections practices, voter education, and data collection.

Current peacemaking initiatives include:

• Observing the 2008 constituent assembly elections in Nepal
• Encouraging post-conflict strengthening, rule of law, and respect for human rights in Liberia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Helping citizens and governments fight corruption by supporting access to information laws in Latin America and the Caribbean and Africa
• Strengthening the voices of human rights defenders internationally through an annual human rights defenders policy forum and by advocating for stronger international human rights systems, such as the U.N. Human Rights Council
• Working at the forefront of efforts to develop a new international election observation methodology for observing electronic voting technologies as part of a project to develop standards for democratic elections
• Supporting stronger regional protection of democracy and implementation of the hemispheric anti-corruption treaty in the Americas

Knollenberg Changing His Tune on Trade. Must Be an Election Year

Joe Knollenberg has been a reliable vote for all of our free trade agreements. Yet now that he has a stiff challenge from Gary Peters, he may be trying to change his tune on trade, realizing that in these times of recession, voters may not be so happy that he's consistently voted to send American jobs overseas to countries with low cost labor. That doesn't sound like Joe Knollenberg is interested in protecting good paying American jobs.

In an article from Thursday's Detroit Free Press, here's what Knollenberg's spokesperson had to say.

So steady is the drumbeat of anti-trade invective that even U.S. Rep. Joe Knollenberg, a Republican from Oakland County who voted for NAFTA and other free trade deals, may oppose the Korean accord if a vote comes.

Knollenberg spokesman Nate Bailey said key elements of the Korea pact -- big reductions in Korean duties on imports of U.S. beef, oranges, cars and trucks in exchange for elimination of the fairly tiny 2.5% U.S. tariff on cars -- look good. But he said Knollenberg is worried about enforcement of the pact.

What Bailey didn't say, and didn't have to, is that Knollenberg represents a district with a lot of auto industry workers and companies going through hard times. And even as a Republican who doesn't normally feel compelled to genuflect to the UAW on trade matters, Knollenberg is savvy enough to know that most Americans -- rightly or wrongly -- link job losses in manufacturing to globalization and to free trade.

Here's Joe's record on previous free trade agreements.

YES on 'Fast Track' authority for trade agreements: Strongly Favors topic 13
YES on Permanent Normal Trade Relations with China: Strongly Favors topic 13
NO on withdrawing from the WTO: Strongly Favors topic 13
YES on implementing US-Singapore free trade agreement: Strongly Favors topic 13
YES on implementing free trade agreement with Chile: Strongly Favors topic 13
YES on implementing US-Australia Free Trade Agreement: Favors topic 13
YES on end offshore tax havens and promote small business: Opposes topic 13
YES on implementing CAFTA, Central America Free Trade: Strongly Favors topic 13
YES on assisting workers who lose jobs due to globalization: Opposes topic 13
YES on promoting free trade with Peru: Favors topic 13

It looks to me like Joe Knollenberg is having an election year conversion.

Joe, Gary Peters is and environmentalist and you're no Gary Peters

So, let's take a look at Joe's environmental record

Dirty Dozen Member # 2: Representative Joe Knollenberg

The second person added to the Dirty Dozen today is Representative Joe Knollenberg (R-MI). While Rep. Knollenberg calls himself an environmentalist saying that “protecting, preserving, and providing for the health of our environment is one of his top priorities,” his record paints a much different picture. Rep. Knollenberg has repeatedly voted for corporate polluters and against environmental protections, earning him a lifetime LCV score of only 7 percent. Rep. Knollenberg has strongly opposed all attempts to raise fuel economy standards for cars and trucks. In 1998 and 1999, Knollenberg attached a rider known as 'the Knollenberg amendment' to congressional budget appropriation bills to prevent government agencies from doing anything that would regulate global warming pollution, including forbidding the EPA from holding educational seminars about global warming. In August 2007, he voted against a provision that would increase the amount of renewable energy produced in the United States.

“Michigan families need to ask, ‘whose side is Representative Joe Knollenberg really on?’” LCV President Gene Karpinski said. “Rep. Knollenberg’s record clearly shows that he votes for policies that reward his corporate contributors rather than supporting clean energy solutions to our energy challenges that would help fight global warming. We want to help inform Rep. Knollenberg’s constituents about his terrible environmental voting record – he can’t hide from it any longer.”

Representative Joseph Knollenberg (R-MI 9th) 8th-term Republican from Michigan.
		Vote Ratings 110th, 1st Session (2007) 20% 109th Congress (2005-2006) 3% 108th Congress (2003-2004) 6% 107th Congress (2001-2002) 0% 106th Congress (1999-2000) 0% Scorecard Votes Name of Legislation Voted Score Passed CAFE & Clean Energy 12/06/2007 N Passed Hard Rock Mining Reform 11/01/2007 N Failed Weakening Hard Rock Mining Reform 11/01/2007 Y Passed Clean Energy 08/04/2007 Y Agreed To Renewable Electricity Standard 08/04/2007 N Failed Grasslands Protection 07/27/2007 Y Failed Farm Bill - Subsidy Reform 07/26/2007 Y Passed Environmental Funding 06/27/2007 N Agreed To Oil Shale 06/27/2007 N Agreed To Tongass Logging Roads 06/27/2007 N Failed Mexican Wolf Recovery 06/27/2007 Y Agreed To Clean Air 06/27/2007 N Failed Reducing Global Warming 06/27/2007 Y Failed Offshore Drilling 06/27/2007 Y Failed Population 06/21/2007 Y Failed Electric Transmission Corridors 06/20/2007 N Failed Global Warming and National Security 05/11/2007 Y Passed Clean Water 03/09/2007 N Failed Liquid Coal 02/08/2007 Y Passed Oil Subsides Repeal 01/18/2007 Y

Joe earned a score of 20 from the League of Conservation Voters. If you look at his web site, you'd think he was the best thing to happen to the environment ever. There's even pictures of Joe picking up leave at a park in Royal. So, you'd have to conclude that Joe give a rip about the environment if he and his staff were at a park picking up leaves, right? Nothing could be further from the truth. If it comes down to business or the environment, business wins every time. God forbid the auto companies should be required to build cars that get higher mileage when gas is pushing $4.00 per gallon.

Joe Knollenberg is no environmentalist, no matter what his taxpayer paid for mailers or his web site say.

Peters Endorsed by League of Conservation Voters, Knollenberg made Dirty Dozen list

Gary Peters and Joe Knollenberg are on opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to their environmental records. On Earth Day, Gary Peters gained the endorsement of the League of Conservation Voters. Peters and Knollenberg can't be further apart on the environment. Knollenberg was added to the LCV's "Dirty Dozen" list as one of the members of Congress with a terrible record on the environment.

Outside groups jolt fed races

Gordon Trowbridge / Detroit News Washington Bureau

ROCHESTER -- Outside groups are gearing up to spend thousands of dollars in Michigan's two high-profile congressional races, pushing everything from environmental protection to tax cuts to animal welfare.

One of the biggest outside players weighed in Monday, when the League of Conservation Voters endorsed Democrat Gary Peters in his bid to unseat Rep. Joe Knollenberg, R-Bloomfield Hills.

"There's a clear contrast here in the 9th District," Peters said at a news conference announcing the endorsement, criticizing Knollenberg for what he called a failure to help position Michigan for a new economy based on alternative energy sources.

What will Joe say if Carter is successful?

So, Joe, what kind of resolution will you call for if Jimmy Carter is successful in negotiating peace between Hamas and the Israelis. Will he sponsor legislation doubling the amount of money the Carter Center gets? Doubt it.

DAMASCUS, Syria - The leader of Hamas said Monday that his Palestinian militant group would offer Israel a 10-year "hudna," or truce, as implicit proof of recognition of Israel if it withdrew from all lands it seized in the 1967 Middle East War.

Khaled Mashaal told The Associated Press that he made the offer to former U.S. President Jimmy Carter in talks on Saturday. "We have offered a truce if Israel withdraws to the 1967 borders, a truce of 10 years as a proof of recognition," Mashaal said.

In his comments Monday, Mashaal used the Arabic word "hudna," meaning truce, which is more concrete than "tahdiya" — a period of calm — which Hamas often uses to describe a simple cease-fire.

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.

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

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.

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
by Greg Kowalski
Eccentric Staff writer

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

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.

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.

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.

Joe Knollenberg, Republicans Make Us Sick

As I was sitting in the audience at the Rochester Chamber Legislative Update meeting in Rochester yesterday 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 the Oakland Press. I see them all the time, people holding fundraisers 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 any more." 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 main stream, 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.

Knollenberg At the Rochester Chamber Legislative Update

Well, at least Joe Knollenberg showed up in person this year. But as to what he had to say on health care, I must say, it was less than impressive. Nothing new from Joe. Just more of the same. Knollenberg again talked about employer based wellness programs and the idea of offering tax credits to employers who offer "wellness" programs.

The other favorite topic of conservatives was also touched up, blaming trial lawyers for the high cost of health care, even though studies show that only 1% of our health care dollars go to patients who are harmed by medical negligence.

One place where Joe and I agree is on creating and using electronic medical records more extensively. My only concern with electronic medical records are privacy issues and protecting those records against government spying or those records being used for nefarious activities.

While Knollenberg, Bishop and Garfield all talked about the problems, the don't seem to have many solutions, except for more personal responsibility and cutting costs, and of course more competition.

The only problem is, none of them really offered one solution for the 47 million Americans with no health care, regardless of how healthy they are, they still can't afford. Oh, and the other thing Republicans always talk about, the word privatization always rolls off their tongues.

Basically the Republican response to those 47 million Americans, "Let them eat cake," or to paraphrase Dick Cheney's response to Martha Raddatz when Cheney was told that 2/3's of Americans are against the war in Iraq, "So."

Joe Knollenberg wants more jobs shipped overseas

The Colombia Free Trade Agreement has been in the news a lot lately. Yesterday Nancy Pelosi had a vote to change the rules to allow the House to delay a vote on the deal. Joe Knollenberg says he wants to protect Oakland county jobs, but guess what, Joe wants even more jobs to be shipped overseas apparently. Free trade has proven to be the giant sucking sound for good paying American jobs going to other countries. Yet apparently Joe Knollenberg wants even more free trade and even more jobs to leave Michigan for low wage countries.

Joe, what American Doesn't Deserve Health Care?

Tomorrow morning, Joe Knollenberg, Mike Bishop and John Garfield will face the public and talk about health care. Joe Knollenberg's position on this issue is that businesses should offer wellness training to their employees and the business owner deserves a $200 tax credit per employee for offering the training.

Well, I have news for you Joe, that's not nearly a good enough plan for the 47 million Americans without health care coverage. Studies are now coming forth that lack of health coverage is killing us prematurely and an employer based wellness program won't help. I ask you this question, Joe, what American doesn't deserve the same coverage that you have as a member of the House of Representatives? What American doesn't deserve to be able to go to the doctor and receive the best health care available? Are you better than the rest of America, Joe?

Joe's Man, John McCain and the 100 year Doctrine In Iraq

Joe Knollenberg has endorsed John McCain for President. John McCain wants to stay in Iraq as an occupying force for 10,000 years. How do we stay in Iraq for 10,000 years? 6 months at a time.

John McCain's Temper has also been an issue. John McCain drops the C* word

Joe Knollenberg actively seeks help from Michigan College Republican "volunteers"

Joe Knollenberg in the video below is seeking the help of College Republicans, headed up by Justin Zatkoff. Usually volunteers aren't paid, which is the definition of being a volunteer. Apparently though, Joe Knollenberg isn't getting volunteers to help his campaign, as my prior posts indicates. Joe has to pay his "volunteers" to come help his campaign.

Zatkoff an embarrassment to Joe Knollenberg

This post showed up in a conservative blog, bconservative.blogspot.com. It's interesting because it seems to point out that the chair of the Michigan Federation of College Republicans, Justin Zatkoff has become somewhat of an embarrassment to the Joe Knollenberg campaign. Zatkoff offered in a video he recorded to pay expenses for students to travel to Rochester, Michigan to help Joe Knollenberg's campaign knock doors. The video has been removed after some inquiry from The Michigan Review, a conservative newspaper. You can read the article here. You can read the full post from bconservative.blogspot.com here. You can view Zatkoff's video here even though Zatkoff took it down. I captured it before he removed it.

I wonder if Joe will acknowledge that Zatkoff's efforts were possibly breaking campaign finance law and tell voters that his "volunteers" are actually being paid to knock doors for Joe Knollenberg.

218 Days

Since Joe Knollenberg was invited to appear in public to answer questions and has refused to appear and answer questions.

New Web Site Highlights Republican Offenders

I just read a post about a very interesting topic, Republican offenders. And boy is the list long; 272 Republicans accused of various crimes, from embezzlement to rape. You can visit the site at by clicking here.
Want the entire list in a .pdf file, click here.

217 Days

Since Joe Knollenberg was invited to appear in public to answer questions and has refused to appear and answer questions.

216 Days and Counting

216 Days

Since Joe Knollenberg was invited to appear in public to answer questions and has refused to appear and answer questions.

Joe, Will You Support Closing Guantanamo Bay?

Yesterday I attended the Global Security Summit at Oakland University. Doris Tennant, an attorney from Massachussetts discussed her representation of a Guantanamo Bay detainee, Abdul Nagi, who was picked up in Pakistan and has been held without charges for 6 years in solitary confinement at Guantanamo Bay. Read this story, Joe, and tell me we shouldn't close Guantanamo Bay permanently.


215 Days
Since Joe Knollenberg was invited to appear in public to answer questions and has refused to appear and answer questions.

Joe Knollenberg's Choice for President is a Mad Man

Joe Knollenberg has endorsed John McCain for President. I guess he kind of has to, since he's a Republican. I wonder how he's feeling about that endorsement and how he'll feel after watching this video.

Of course, Joe Knollenberg enthusiastically supported President Bush's re-election, so it's really not a surprise he's endorsed John McCain and his policies of war and destruction.

A New Feature, The Knollenberg Watch

In the approximately two years since I've been involved helping elect a Democrat to replace Joe Knollenberg, one of the things I've noticed is that Joe Knollenberg will not come out in public and conduct a public forum of any kind where all constituents are invited to ask the Congressman questions on the issues. I know that on August 9 of 2007 we invited Joe to a public forum on the war in Iraq. So, that is the day we will start counting from. So far is has been

214 Days
Since Joe Knollenberg was invited to appear in public to answer questions and has refused to appear and answer questions.

Congressman Knollenberg, will you hold the President Accountable?

Congressman Knollenberg, this is a very disturbing article that implicates the President and Vice President and many top White House officials directly in torture. I’m hoping that you will read the entire article and provide me with you thoughts regarding whether the President, Vice President and other government officials should be held responsible for their actions regarding torture. After reading this article, please respond as to whether, if the information in this article is true, you would support impeachment and criminal proceedings against the President, Vice President and any other administration officials involved in violating the law.

Thank you for your reply in advance.

Bruce Fealk

The Green Light

As the first anniversary of 9/11 approached, and a prized Guantánamo detainee wouldn’t talk, the Bush administration’s highest-ranking lawyers argued for extreme interrogation techniques, circumventing international law, the Geneva Conventions, and the army’s own Field Manual. The attorneys would even fly to Guantánamo to ratchet up the pressure—then blame abuses on the military. Philippe Sands follows the torture trail, and holds out the possibility of war crimes charges.

CLICK HERE to read the entire article.

Lessenberry thinks Kevorkian won't even get on the ballot

Jack Kevorkian sure got lots of press when he picked up forms to be on the ballot as a candidate for Congress from the 9th District of Michigan. Since then, though, cooler heads have prevailed. Now some think he may not even get the 3,000 signatures needed to get on the ballot, let alone be a real challenge for the seat.

Jack Lessenberry write in Metro Times about Dr. K's bad idea.

Fourteen years or so ago, Jack Kevorkian called me to ask a question. Someone had told him you could collect signatures and get an amendment put on the ballot to change the Michigan Constitution.

Yes, I told him. That was absolutely true. "Well, how many do you need?" he asked. I looked it up; back then it was only about 260,000.

"Is that all? Why, we can get that many in no time," he said excitedly. "I could get that many by myself." Later, he checked in again. He had never voted. Was that a problem? Well, you need to register, I said. How do you do that, he asked?

Eventually, he got himself registered, and Kevorkian and his supporters — he then had quite a few of them —went to work.

But they never got anything close to the number of signatures they needed; insiders told me that when their time expired, they had less than half that. All this came back to me last week, when naive media types reported that the mostly forgotten apostle of self-snuffitude was running for Congress. Even the hint of having Dr. Death in the House was enough to fire up the stand-ups:

Yes, indeed. He'll sure know how to kill a bill. We can't wait till we see the details on his health plan. I can't wait to see how he cuts off debate, etc., etc.

But in reality, you could almost bet the farm that he will not only fail to get elected, he won't even get on the ballot. Kevorkian, who lives in Royal Oak, just barely inside U.S. Rep. Joe Knollenberg's district, plans to try to get listed as an independent. That has some Democrats worried.

CLICK HERE for the rest of the story

Joe Knollenberg has a hypocrisy problem

I found an article today in the New York Sun where Joe Knollenberg is talking about giving wasteful subsidies to farmers who live in New York City, but have farms outside the city. Joe thinks it's wasteful use of taxpayer dollars.

It made me think, why is Joe against these farm subsidies, but yet he's in favor of subsidies for oil companies that are making billions of dollars in profits off the backs of Americans struggling to put fuel in their cars to get to their jobs. To my way of thinking if you're against "wasteful" spending, it would seem that the oil companies certainly don't need the subsidies and tax breaks that Congress passed when the Republicans were in control.

What do you say, Joe? Shall we end the tax credits for oil companies? I think it's time to invest that money in alternative energy. $6 billion can go a long way.

In an open letter to their colleagues, two congressmen wrote that the subsidies to Manhattan farmers are a true example of government waste. "The American taxpayer deserves better than having their taxpayer dollars used to pay urban 'farmers' in Manhattan," Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin and Rep. Joseph Knollenberg of Michigan said.

The award is intended to point out that federal funding is funneled to wealthy New Yorkers who live on the densely packed island of Manhattan, nowhere near a farm. Most New Yorkers on the list are not farming in the city but own farms outside New York.

Deliberations over a new farm bill are under way, and Congress is supposed to reach an agreement by April 18. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has proposed that the bill give subsidies only to farmers whose adjusted gross income is less than $200,000 a year.

Mr. Knollenberg, who supports an income cap for farm subsidies, said that under the current plan federal funding is given away to millionaires, CEOs, and entrepreneurs.

"The farmers in Manhattan aren't dumb. They know what they are doing. They are making money on the property and they are making money on the subsidy that is passed along with it, and I guess they are doing it because they can," he said

CLICK HERE for the rest of the article.

This is why Joe Knollenberg and George W. Bush are so dangerous

Please watch this video of Naomi Wolf. She goes through the 10 steps to fascism. It is an eye opening interview. Naomi will be at Oakland University on 4/2 at 7 p.m.



CLICK HERE to do something, the American Freedom Campaign is our best chance to turn things around.

9th District Targeted by Democrats

Gary Peters' race against 8-term incumbent Joe Knollenberg is getting lots of attention at the national level from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Peters has been added to the Red to Blue program for Democrats who have the best chance to unseat incumbents. Peters and Mark Schauer will be targeted with financial resources to help take out Republican incumbents. Michigan is one of the only states with two candidates in the Red to Blue program. Peters task is made a little harder, in that Knollenberg has a bigger war chest, but Peters has enthusiastic supporters in Michigan and across the country. If you want to help out with a little financial support of your own, CLICK HERE. Today is the reporting deadline for the campaign and Peters would appreciate your donation.