Joe seems very concerned about alternative energy, which is a good thing. Too bad he hasn't taken the lead and introduced his own legislation to make this a reality. My guess is that his plan would be all about tax breaks for the auto companies. Where has Joe been on alternative energy for the past 14 year he's been in Congress? I'll tell you where, he's been blocking every attempt by Congress to raise fuel economy standards. The Big 3 is finally waking up to the fact that they can't just keep building SUV's and making outrageous profits on the large, gas guzzlilng models. Finally hybrids, fuel cells and biofuels were front and center at this year's auto show. Maybe Joe and the Big 3 finally see the writing on the wall. It will be a little too late for Joe though. This is Joe's last term in Congress.
From the Detroit Free Press
“I ... support the president’s call for bipartisan work on energy issues. The American auto industry is facing the reality of meeting new fuel economy standards in the coming years. Now that the government has issued this mandate, it is our responsibility to help them get there. That is why we need an aggressive and robust investment plan for alternative fuels, including advanced research in plug-in electric batteries and diesel technology.” — U.S. Rep. Joe Knollenberg, R-Bloomfield Township.
From the Detroit News
Rep. Joe Knollenberg, R-Bloomfield Hills, said Congress needs to do more to support automakers, now that they face the new mandate.
"I want to see more funding for plug-in hybrids, advanced batteries and clean diesels," Knollenberg said.
From the Detroit Free Press
Rep. Joe Knollenberg, a Bloomfield Township Republican, said the stimulus bill should also expand tax breaks for equipment bought by small businesses. "This is about jobs for families who need them, and we should take some bolder steps," he said.
Well, this is interesting. A former Knollenberg campaign worker, John Witt, announced he is challenging Tim Burns for the 19th District of the County Commission. I wonder how if John thinks that his being aligned with Joe (33% approval) Knollenberg will be an advantage. It's kind of like aligning yourself with George (24% approval) W. Bush. I wonder if "fiscally responsible" means the he wants to continue to use the government credit card, as has been the policy of Joe Knollenberg and George W. Bush.
As an aside, the web site mentioned in the press release comes up "page not found."
CONTACT: John Witt Phone: (248) 229-8801 E-mail: wjohn@aol.com Blog: www.johnwitt.blospot.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 28, 2008
WITT ANNOUNCES CANDIDACY FOR COUNTY COMMISSIONER The John Witt for County Commissioner Campaign issued the following press release: Today, John Witt filed his candidacy for County Commissioner for the 19th District as a Republican candidate. Witt had the following to say about his campaign:
"I am running for County Commissioner because I will be a strong representative of the 19th District and provide a much needed fresh perspective on the Board of Commissioners. I am proud to be the candidate in this race most dedicated to fiscal conservatism and most dedicated to protecting the tax dollars of Oakland County residents. Today, I am demonstrating that very dedication by pledging to 19th District residents that I will never vote for a general county budget that increases at a rate higher than inflation and I will never vote to increase Oakland County's property tax millage rate. I also will work to make the Board of Commissioners more open and accessible to residents by pushing for the full Board meetings to take place in the evening and for these meetings to be televised. Furthermore, I will advocate for meeting minutes to be available in both hard copy and electronic form within three working days after a meeting. I will be a strong voice for the concerns of my constituents in Troy and Clawson. While I may not be the establishment's choice for the Republican nomination, I will work hard to become the people's choice. Instead of relying on the support of political insiders who reside outside the 19th District, I look forward to earning the support of Troy and Clawson voters. I will earn this support by always putting the 19th District first."
John Witt, an eight-year resident of Troy, has previously worked for Congressman Joe Knollenberg and the Keith Butler for United States Senate Campaign. He looks forward to using his fresh perspective to bring stronger, more fiscally responsible and resident-focused representation to the 19th District.
About John Witt Education: B.A., summa cum laude, Saint Louis University, January 2008. Graduate of Brother Rice High School, May 2004.
Political Intern in District Office of Congressman Joe Knollenberg. Background: Campaign Assistant for Keith Butler for United States Senate. Member, Troy-Clawson Republican Forum. Member, Oakland County and Michigan Republican Party.
Starting with Ronald Reagan and his busting of the air traffic controllers union, wages have been under tremendous pressure. This report puts Republican policies in perspective and how those policies are related to our current economic crisis.
Republicans say they are the party that takes care of veterans. The truth is, according to the Veterans Administration, there are 195,000 homeless veterans. Joe and his Republicans colleagues say they care about veterans, but the facts say something different. Bill O'Reilly and his kind can't face the consequences of their actions.
* Help prevent disasters. It would add new safeguards for a dangerous practice called “retreat mining.” It would strengthen standards to contain explosions and fires inside mines. It strengthens the enforcement hand of the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration, in part by giving the agency subpoena authority. It increases certain penalties against mine operators that violate the law. And it creates a miner ombudsman’s office to handle safety complaints from miners.
* Improve emergency response in the event that a disaster does occur. The legislation more clearly defines MSHA’s responsibilities and authority at the scene of a disaster. It requires MSHA to develop a plan to better coordinate with state and local authorities. It establishes rules for independent investigations of mining disasters. And it would improve safety technology in the mines, including better tracking and communications equipment, more reliable air supplies, and the installation of refuge chambers where trapped miners can safely await rescue.
* Reduce long-term health risks facing miners. The legislation updates standards to combat black lung disease and to reduce miners’ exposure to other deadly health risks, such as asbestos. It also strengthens rules to better inform miners of the health risks they face.
Our Congressman, Joe Knollenberg voted NO! How could you, Joe?
When I heard Mitt Romney, a week ago Saturday Night, in the ABC debate, claim that he's the only candidate who "understands radical jihad," I scratched my head. He refuses to ask his church to stop funneling $20 million plus to a HAMAS charity, or even to say he disagrees with it. I like and respect Mormons, but not this outrageous funding decision by their church. Plus, he made anti-American statements when he headed the 2002 Salt Lake Games that jihadists would love. And then, there was his statement at the ABC debate that he will take the Muslim world into "modernity and moderation." But, does he really believe "modernity" equals moderation? Um, I guess he's never seen a jihadist website or been to Dubai. They are more modern than we are. It's just their ideology that's back in the 7th Century and good luck to Mitt in bringing it up to date. Oh, and don't forget Romney's previous statement at a town hall meeting that he "admires Hezbollah."
But now, I come to find out, that Hezbollah's key funder in Congress, Rep. Joe Knollenberg (R-Michigan), is a key Romney guy and has been hangin' with Romney all over Michigan for the last week. There he is on stage, denoted by a circle, in the picture below, from a Romney rally in the Detroit area yesterday.
Is Romney bothered that Joe Knollenberg put "Seeds of Peace"--a summer camp founded by Yasser Arafat's fave biographer--on the federal budget? Or that the camp, until recently run by Clintonista Aaron David Miller, discussed Holocaust denial as a legitimate theory and made Jewish campers and kids of Palestinian terrorists discuss that? Why is our tax money going to this camp in Maine? Ask Mitt Romney's favorite new Michigan Congressman?
Or ask Joe Knollenberg why millions in our federal money went to the jihadist, anti-Israel National Arab American Museum? He single-handedly went to bat for federal pork for this warehouse of enemy propaganda on our soil. And ask Romney why he has allies like this in Michigan.
How dare the Republican presidential candidates. Some of the Republican presidential candidates, as America falls into what is predicted to be a widespread recession, gathered at Laurel Manor in Livonia on Saturday. Republicans seem to think that tax cuts are the way to bring prosperity to America. Even though their tax cuts go to the richest 1% of Americans, those are the only people Republicans care about, including Joe Knollenberg.
A dedicated group of local activists showed up at the "American Dream Summit" to let America know that they are not fooling the rest of us any more. We all know now that Republicans don't care about average working men and women. They care about their corporate donors and the profits of the corporations they serve.
Congressman Robert Wexler (D-FL) is calling for the impeachment of Dick Cheney. Please watch the video and sign the petition Call or fax Congressman Knollenberg: Phone: (202) 225-5802 Fax: (202) 226-2356
I'm no economist, but this seems to make sense to me. It's Toyota combating Knollenberg's argument on yen manipulation.
Weak Yen or Strong Products?
We're going to take an overdue look at an old wives' tale that materializes rather like unwelcome ghosts from time to time.
It is that the Japanese government has somehow manipulated the value of its currency, the yen, to benefit Japanese-based companies that do business in the United States and Europe, holding it artificially low so that the manufacturers are able to realize what amounts to a subsidy on products they build in Japan and sell abroad.
Indeed, this tale of the manipulated yen is far more spectral than, say, Casper, our friendly ghost of theatrical cartoon series fame. It raised its wispy head again late last year, this time in a letter from Rep. Joe Knollenberg (R., Mich.), published in the Wall Street Journal.
On Tuesday, January 15, primary election day in Michigan, you may run across people asking you to sign a petition to make Michigan a "Right to Work" state.
DON'T SIGN THAT PETITION!!!!
It will drastically affect you and your family in a negative way if Michigan were to become a "Right to Work" state. Watch this video.
In the 1860s, Abraham Lincoln suffered the slings and arrows of nasty political cartoons. In 1964, a black-and-white TV ad showed a mushroom cloud over a child picking daisies, implying that presidential candidate Barry Goldwater would use the nuclear bomb in Vietnam.
In the digital age, you don't have to have money, access to the media or party connections to make waves in politics. Anyone with a camera phone and Internet access can get involved in a big way.
Rochester Hills retiree Bruce Fealk has forced people to pay attention to his campaign to unseat incumbent Congressman Joe Knollenberg, R-Bloomfield Township. A liberal, Fealk has put up his own Web sites, hosts a cable TV show and engages in good old-fashioned demonstrating, such as showing up at the Rochester Christmas parade in a big papier mache likeness of Knollenberg.
This article appeared on January 2 in the Detroit News, noting Trent Wisecup's run-in with a camera wielding anti-war activist (me) and gives the link to the video and quotes Joe as saying Craig Albright is a professional, maybe implying Trent wasn't so professional?
It looks like rather than take a new tack, Joe prefers to stick with someone he knows. I expect that we'll see more of the same from Joe, rather than learning from his mistakes of the past. That's good news for Gary Peters, his expected opponent in the 2008 general election. This being Joe's last campaign, I'm glad Joe at least isn't going to turn into a Mitt Romney flip-flopper. Oh, did I mention Joe endorsed Romney?
Rep. Knollenberg hires top aide
U.S. Rep. Joe Knollenberg, R-Bloomfield Hills, announced today that he's hired a new chief of staff, Craig Albright, who's worked in Republican politics since the mid-1990s and who's also getting ready to be a first-time dad.
Knollenberg is expected to face another barnburner of a race. He's targeted by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. He'll face the winner of the Democratic match between former Michigan lottery commissioner Gary Peters and Nancy Skinner, who held Knollenberg to an unimpressive 52-percent victory in 2006.
The already hot feelings in the race were captured on video and posted on YouTube in October. Knollenberg's chief of staff at the time, Trent Wisecup, got into a testy exchange with a camera-wielding anti-war activist. The video has now been watched 47,696 times. Afterwards, Wisecup announced he had gone on paid medical leave to seek treatment for a mood-swing disorder. Knollenberg's office said Wisecup is no longer employed either on the congressional or campaign staff.
"I'm excited to have Craig on board," Knollenberg said in a statement. "He's a true professional and effective at getting things done. It's rare to find someone with extensive knowledge of both my congressional district and Washington, DC."
Albright grew up in Birmingham and has a BA in economics from Michigan State University.
He worked as a legislative aide in the Michigan state legislature before Knollenberg hired him from 1997 to 2005 (including as campaign manager in 2002). He then worked for Vice President Cheney as deputy assistant for legislative affairs and for President Bush as special assistant for legislative affairs.
Albanian-American RALLY at Congressman Joe Knollenberg’s Office
RALLY IN SUPPORT OF THE ALBANIAN-AMERICAN POLITICAL PRISONERS ILLEGALLY DETAINED & TORTURED IN MONTENEGRO
Monday, January 7, 2008 at 11:00 am
Farmington Hills Office
30833 Northwestern Hwy Suite 100 Farmington Hills, MI 48334 Phone: (248) 851-1366 Fax: (248) 851-0418
We are rallying at the District Office of Honorable Congressman Knollenberg after numerous appeals by the families of his (4) four imprisoned constituents have gone unheard. The Montenegrin authorities need to be held accountable for their crimes against the U.S. Citizens. It is expected that our elected officials secure the safety and well being of their citizens at home and in other nations. Four (4) American men are deteriorating in a Montenegrin prison while Congressman Knollenberg chooses to ignore the cries of his constituents. The Honorable Congressman Knollenberg needs to fulfill his obligations in Washington by being the voice of his constituents and bring his Americans home!
Wow, this is going to be more fun than I thought. The more I look into the scandal surrounding low-flush toilets, the more serious a problem this looks like. After introducing legislation to repeal the low-flush toilet requirement, Joe, through his legislative director, Craig Albright, promised to hold hearings looking into this serious matter facing the nation.
I feel better already knowing that Joe was on the case and holding hearings. I wonder who the witnesses were. I'll report back in another post.
Even the New York Times weighed in on Poopgate. Click here.
Click here to read the full article. Early last year, Knollenberg introduced H.R. 859, the Plumbing Standards Improvement Act of 1997, which would repeal the low-flow mandate. The bill has generated substantial public support. "The mail has just been tremendous," says Craig Albright, a legislative assistant to Knollenberg. Most complain about the performance of the new toilets, and about a government that would do such a thing to them. For example, Bill Lynn of Davenport, Iowa, said his new toilets "clog easily, and I find that I sometimes must flush them five or six times," and that "this is just another case of government intrusion, and we have plenty of that." A few have also come to realize that the law's means for conserving water may be a bit misdirected. "It is especially frustrating when I'm plunging my toilet for the third time in one day, to gaze out my window and see my neighbor's sprinkling system," noted Kurt Topel of Riverwoods, Ill. The congressman has promised to hold a hearing after the fall elections.
I did a little research on Craig Albright, Joe Knollenberg's new Chief of Staff. It appears Craig was Joe's legislative director in 1998 when Joe made it a priority to repeal a law mandating low-flow toilets. Click here for Dave Barry's point of view on the Toilet Police.
I'm impressed! Repealing something with as much importance and low-flow toilets is something I'd want to to flush out for the voters in the 9th District.
I can't wait to see how Craig reacts to the swirling campaign taking place in the 9th District.
Welcome to the race, Craig. Given your background working in the Bush/Cheney White House, it looks like Joe chose someone with some pretty bad baggage. Looks like Craig has the same priorities as Trent, so he looks to be a pretty good fit for Joe's last campaign.
Birmingham native Craig Albright has been named chief of staff for Congressman Joe Knollenberg (R-9th District).
Albright replaced Trent Wisecup who resigned later last year.
Knollenberg made the announcement Wednesday.
“I’m excited to have Craig on board,” Knollenberg said is a press release. “He’s a true professional and effective at getting things done. It’s rare to find someone with extensive knowledge of both my Congressional District and Washington, D.C.
“Craig’s dedication to the people of the 9th District and knowledge of Washington are the perfect combination to assist me in accomplishing what I want to do for the people here in Oakland County.”
Albright worked for two years as a legislative aide in the Michigan State Legislature before moving to Washington to work for Knollenberg. He worked for Knollenberg from 1997-2005, including nearly four years as legislative director, and served as Knollenberg’s campaign manager in 2002. From 2005-2006, Albright served as deputy assistant for Legislative Affairs to vice president Dick Cheney. From 2006 until the end of 2007, he served as special assistant for Legislative Affairs to President Bush.
Albright was raised in Birmingham and his parents live there. He received a bachelor of arts in economics degree from Michigan State University. He and his wife Mary Beth are expecting their first child later this year.
Well, it's New Year's Eve and only 385 days until January 20, 2009, when a Democrat will finally start to represent the 9th Congressional District of Michigan.
I have done my best in 2007 to draw attention to Joe Knollenberg's voting record on things that Americans care about, like torture, the fiasco in Iraq, warrantless wiretapping andthe criminals in the White House and their above-the-law attitude toward the high office they hold. George W. Bush, Dick Cheney and Joe Knollenberg all think that the presidency is their personal playground to do with what they will. Well, the American people have news for you, George, Dick and Joe, this country was founded on government of the people, by the people and for the people and 2008 will be the year that Americans remember this founding principle of our government and start to treat the U.S Constitution the way our founding fathers intended.
The long nightmare of the George W. Bush presidency can't be over soon enough for me, nor can the nightmare of Joe Knollenberg's representation of the 9th District of Michigan. Soon we will have a representative that actually cares about the people and not the corporations.
This article showed up in Friday's Free Press. So I guess residents are supposed to say thank you to Joe Knollenberg for bringing home money for signs for Woodward Avenue? Not me. Joe Knollenberg has let voters down on the big issues like health care, voting against expanding a government program that works, the State Children's Health Insurance Program. Thanks to Joe 9 million children won't be able to afford health care. He continues to vote with the President to fund the fiasco in Iraq. He votes for more invasion of our privacy by allowing President Bush to spy on Americans. He votes to allow the President to break international laws by allowing torture of prisoners, leaving American prisoners open to the same treatment by our enemies.
Joe Knollenberg bringing home a few hundred thousand dollars for signage for Woodward Avenue does not make up for all the damage he's heaped on our country. I'd gladly give up the money for the signs in exchange for bringing our soldiers home to their loved ones. I'd gladly give up signs for Woodward in exchange for him protecting our civil liberties. I'd gladly give up the signs for a vote for protecting the health of our children. What kind of human being is Joe Knollenberg that he thinks that signs are more important than children?
How many children will die needlessly that could have been covered by the $845,000 that Joe brought home for signs? Shame on you, Joe.
Fortunately I have health care coverage, so I can afford to say this, Joe, you make me sick.
Woodward Avenue’s signs and tourist attractions will get a shot in the arm in the new year from a fresh round of federal transportation grants.
News of four grants totaling $845,000 came early this month in a letter from U.S. Rep Joe Knollenberg, R-Bloomfield Township.
The letter was being made public this week, said Debbie Schutt, a consultant for the nonprofit Woodward Avenue Action Association, which will implement the grant spending. The actual grant recipient is the Michigan Department of Transportation.
Knollenberg “was instrumental in getting this money,” said Schutt, who lives in Bloomfield Township one block from Woodward.
January 2007January 19, 2007Rochester Regional Chamber of Commerce - Legislative Update 7:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.Rochester College (in the RAC Theatre)800 W. AvonRochester HillsNo charge
