MDP Puts up New Web Site: Joe Knollenberg Delivers - For Special Interests

The Michigan Democratic Party just took the fight to Joe Knollenberg. God Bless them. There is a new web site, www.JoeKnollenbergDelivers.com that has videos from constituents disappointed in Knollenberg's record on health care, small business and for not helping firefighters getting more resources. Does Sandie know you find Sarah "exciting"?

On Health Care

On Small Business

On Delivering for Firefighters

Another Health Care Story

Everyone should know Joe's record on health care

Maybe this will help get the word out.

Joe calls this a health care plan

Joe still doesn't get it. Every American deserves to have access to health care, not just people with employers that offer it, and that number is getting smaller every day. We can pool everyone, lower cost and cover everyone and do it for less that people pay now for their insurance policies. And we could do it sooner if we'd get out of that god forsaken war in Iraq and go after the terrorists where they really are gathering. Joe has had 16 years to solve the health care problem. I think someone else deserves a chance to solve this problem and all the others that we face.



Let's lower the cost of health care

Oakland County's families are suffering the effects of out-of-control health care costs. From the high cost of prescription drugs to visits to the doctor's office, families are struggling to afford the most essential of medical treatment and care. Meanwhile, businesses are finding it ever more difficult to provide health care for their employees.
It's time to get control of the cost of health care so more families can afford it and so businesses can more easily provide it. I have a plan to get that done.
Take a minute to read it over, then click the link below and please tell me what you think.
My five-point PRICE plan will dramatically lower the price of health care while increasing the number of families with coverage. My plan would promote:
P - Pooling small businesses together so they have more power to negotiate and lower their costs
R - Responsibility and wellness, helping keep people healthier so they live longer and are less likely to suffer from preventable diseases
I - Information technology, bringing health care into the technological age.
C - Consumer choice, making individuals, not insurance companies or the government, in charge of their care
E - Eliminating junk lawsuits that add $100 billion to the cost of health care and keep good doctors from being able to practice medicine.
My plan would reduce the cost of health care by billions, bringing the price down and allowing more people to have access to health care and afford the treatment they need.
Click here to read more about my plan and tell me what you think. And please let me know if you have a story about how the cost of health care has affected you or your employer.
Help me make sure that Oakland County's families - and all Americans - can afford to get the health care they need.
Sincerely,






Joe Knollenberg

Birmingham Eccentric Letter: Failing Grades

The Birmingham Eccentric published my letter taking Joe Knollenberg to task for his voting record on health care related issues.

Failing grades

Last month I was taken to task for my letter about Joe Knollenberg. Knollenberg's professional letter writers, some of them volunteers for his campaign and employees of the Michigan Republican party, focused entirely on the wrong issue.

I wasn't criticizing Knollenberg's urging women to do self-exams and to get their mammograms. My point was the hypocrisy of Joe Knollenberg sponsoring a health conference for women when he has such a terrible voting record on health issues. Joe Knollenberg received a 0 rating from the National Breast Cancer Coalition in 2006 and 2007 and voted against expanding SCHIP. Knollenberg sponsoring a women's health conference is like the NRA sponsoring a conference on gun control. (Knollenberg did vote to extend SCHIP, but not expand it) Even when many of his Republican colleagues voted to expand SCHIP to cover an additional 10 million children, Joe voted against it.

Families across Oakland County live in fear that they will have a major health issue that they won't be able to afford to get treated because they have no insurance. Health care should be a right in America, not a privilege of only wealthy Congressmen and women. Doesn't every American deserve the same health care coverage Joe Knollenberg gets?

Some other issues that Joe should pay attention to:

Joe Knollenberg should do something about the outrageous profits of America's oil companies that rip Americans off at the pump, and the speculators that are driving prices up, regardless of supply.

Joe Knollenberg should vote for funding to screen every soldier for post-traumatic stress disorder.

Joe Knollenberg should vote to stop funding a war that our president lied us into and is charging hundreds of billions on our Bank of China credit card to support. Joe Knollenberg and the Republicans have not been fiscally responsible.

Why won't Joe Knollenberg come out in public and let his constituents ask him about his record on important issues and his plans to solve the problems facing them?

Other people have noticed Joe Knollenberg's voting record on health care issues too. In 2007 the Children's Health Fund gave Knollenberg a 0 rating; in 2006 American Public Health Association ranked Knollenberg with a 0 rating; in 2005-2006 American Academy of Emergency Medicine ranked Knollenberg - 50 percent; in 2005-2006 American Nurses Association ranked Knollenberg with a 0 percent.

Those are failing grades in anyone's book.

Disclaimer: I do not work for MoveOn.org or Joe Knollenberg's opponent.

Bruce Fealk

Rochester Hills

Oakland Press: Opposition to Knollenberg well founded

GUEST OPINION

Opposition to Knollenberg well founded

Bruce Fealk of Rochester Hills, is a businessman and local political activist.

Last month the Oakland Press editorial board took me to task for my recent guest column about Joe Knollenberg, R-Bloomfi eld Hills.
The board and Knollenberg’s professional letter writers focused entirely on the wrong issue. I wasn’t criticizing Knollenberg’s urging women to do self exams and to get their mammograms.
My point was the hypocrisy of Knollenberg sponsoring a health conference for women when he has such a terrible voting record on health issues. Knollenberg has a 0 rating from the National Breast Cancer Coalition and voted against expanding a successful government program that provides health care coverage for millions of low income children (SCHIP). Knollenberg did vote to extend the program. Even when the majority of his colleagues voted to expand the program to cover an additional 10 million children, Joe voted against it.
The issue for millions of Americans is that they don’t have any health-care coverage. Families across Oakland County and this country live in fear that they will have a major health issue that they won’t be able to afford to get treated because they have no insurance.
Knollenberg’s “wellness” proposal won’t help those people.
Oakland County residents are hurting because of $4 gas, lack of health coverage and an uncertain economy. The Bush/Knollenberg economy is a dismal failure.
Knollenberg should start talking about issues that really matter to Americans, like a health care program that makes it so that every American can take their children to a doctor.
Health care should be a right in America, not a privilege of only wealthy congressmen and women.
Knollenberg should do something about the outrageous profits of America’s oil companies that continue to rip Americans off at the pump and the speculators that are driving prices up, regardless of supply.
He should think about what it does to our soldiers being sent into a war zone three, four and five times and what it does to their families.
Knollenberg should vote for funding to screen every soldier for posttraumatic stress disorder so we can try to prevent the unprecedented number of suicides being committed by our soldiers.
He should vote to stop funding a war that our president lied us into and is charging hundreds of billions on our Bank of China credit card to support. Our great-great-grandchildren will be working to pay off that debt. Republicans have not been fiscally responsible.
Those are some of the real issues. Why isn’t Knollenberg talking about them?
Why won’t Knollenberg come out in public and let his constituents ask him about his record on important issues and his plans to solve the problems facing them?
Knollenberg has had almost 16 years to make the lives of his constituents better. My life isn’t one bit better.
Other people have noticed Knollenberg’s voting record on health care issues, too:
2007 American Academy of Family Physicians gave Knollenberg a 0 rating;
2007 Children’s Health Fund gave Knollenberg a 0 rating;
2006 American Public Health Association ranked Knollenberg with a 0 rating; 2005-2006 AIDS Action Council rated Knollenberg with a 0 rating; and 2005-2006 American Nurses Association ranked Knollenberg with a 0 percent. Those are failing grades in anyone’s book. Disclaimer: I do not work for MoveOn.org or Knollenberg’s opponent.

BRUCE FEALK

Some Personal Stories - Why Health Care Matters

Here are some personal stories about health care and why it matters that we have universal health care for all Americans.

Finally Some Sanity in the Oakland Press Letters

I had no idea the firestorm that my guest opinion would start. The criticism has been totally off base and finally some balance is coming to the Letter to the Editor page. Here are two letters that emphasize the central point of the letter, Joe Knollenberg's hypocrisy on the issue of health care and the fact that he even had the nerve to show up a women's health forum, considering his multiple 0 rankings from health advocacy groups.

When Republican go on full smear alert, the results can be very interesting.

OP Letter Writer Gets It Right

Finally, some truth about Joe Knollenberg and his stance on health care. Liz Sadowski , a family law attorney in Rochester, writes about the real point of my guest opinion in the Oakland Press recently.

Oakland Press Editorial Focuses on the Trees, misses the Forest

This morning's Oakland Press editorial focuses on my recent guest column in the paper. The piece focuses entirely on the wrong issue. My point of the column was not Joe Knollenberg's urging women to do self exams and to get their mammograms. My point was the hypocrisy of Joe Knollenberg being at a health conference for women, when he has such a terrible voting record on health issues. Joe Knollenberg voted against expanding a successful government program that provides health care coverage for millions of low income children (SCHIP). Even when the majority of his colleagues voted to expand the program, Joe voted against it.

The issue for millions of Americans is that they don't have any health care coverage for themselves and their families. Families across Oakland County and this country are afraid every day that they will have a major health issue that they won't be able to afford to get treated because they have no insurance or worse yet, no job.

Oakland County residents are hurting because of $4 gas, lack of health coverage and an uncertain economy and Joe Knollenberg is talking about being called a name.

• Maybe Joe Knollenberg should start talking about issues that really matter to Americans, like a health care program that makes it so that a mother earning minimum wage can afford to take care of her children when they get sick and take them to a doctor.
  
• Maybe Joe Knollenberg should do something about outrageous profits of America's oil companies that continue to rip Americans off at the pump.
  
• Maybe Joe Knollenberg should worry more about our soldiers in Iraq that are committing suicide at an unprecedented rate and others that are coming home and not being able to get the care they need to lead productive lives.
  
• Maybe Joe Knollenberg should think about what it does to our soldiers to be sent into a war zone for 3, 4, 5 times and what it does to their families.
  
• Maybe Joe Knollenberg should vote for funding to screen and treat our soldiers for post-traumatic stress syndrome when they return from Iraq.
• Maybe Joe Knollenberg should introduce legislation to address the mental health issues that are causing our returning soldiers to commit suicide at the highest rates in history.
  
• Maybe Joe Knollenberg should think of what a war that our President lied us into and our country is borrowing hundreds of billions of dollars from China to support is doing to our nation's economy and the fact that our great, great grandchildren will be working to pay off that debt. Those are some of the real issues.
  
• Why isn't Joe Knollenberg talking about those issues, instead of worrying about whether his opponent's campaign literature has a logo on his shirt or not?

Joe Knollenberg has had almost 16 years to make the lives of his constituents better and his most noted legislation is the repealing of a law that required low-flush toilets because they couldn't clear the bowl. I know my life isn't one bit better because Joe Knollenberg has been my Congressman for the last 16 years.

Other people have noticed Joe Knollenberg's voting record too. I repeat these rankings for those that may think that I've veered off course.

Stop your whining, Joe and let's talk about the issues.

2005-2006 Representative Knollenberg supported the interests of the National Breast Cancer Coalition 0 percent in 2005-2006 and 2006-2007.

2007 Alliance for Headache Disorders ranked Knollenberg as a 0

2007 American Academy of Family Physicians gave Knollenberg a 0 rating

2007 Children's Health Fund gave Knollenberg a 0 rating.

2006 American Public Health Association ranked Knollenberg with a 0 rating.

2005-2006 AIDS Action Council rated Knollenberg with a 0 rating.

2005-2006 American Academy of Emergency Mediine ranked Knollenberg - 50 percent.

2005-2006 American Nurses Association ranked Knollenberg with a 0 percent.

2005-2006 National Rural Health Association ranked Knollenberg with a 0 percent.

Oakland Press Letters off base

These letters in the Oakland Press missed my point entirely. I'm all for preventive health care for everyone, not just women. That having been said, Joe Knollenberg seems to think that his bill will solve America's health care crisis. He thinks that by doing away with "frivolous" lawsuits we can cut the cost of health care significantly. It's just not true and he knows it or maybe he's cherry picking information the way George W. Bush did lying the United States into war with Iraq. Who knows.

Joe Knollenberg's voting record on health care for all Americans is abysmal. Joe opposes universal health care, even though a majority of Americans say it's time to cover everyone, not just our Congress men and women. Why shouldn't every American have the same health care coverage that Joe Knollenberg has? Joe even voted against expanding health care coverage for children, our most vulnerable citizens saying it was too expensive. Yet he votes time and again to fund the fiasco in Iraq. How does that make any sense?

Something else I found interesting, in 2005-2006, Joe Knollenberg got a 0 rating from the National Breast Cancer Coalition. CLICK HERE to see Joe's ratings on other health care issues.

2005-2006 Representative Knollenberg supported the interests of the National Breast Cancer Coalition 0 percent in 2005-2006.

Oakland Press: Knollenberg Shouldn't Dole Out Blame In Health Issues

See if reading Joe Knollenberg's callous approach to health care doesn't make your blood boil too.

Joe, You Really are a Hypocrite Now It's Personal

Joe, I'm talking directly to you because I know you and/or your staff read this blog.

I read it in the paper this morning, but I couldn't believe my eyes. As I read your guest column in the Oakland Press I got so mad I could barely contain my anger. Is he actually saying what I think he's saying? Is he really, in essence, blaming women who get breast cancer for their disease because they weren't vigilant enough in doing self exams and having mammograms?

Let me tell you something, Joe. My sister, Joyce, died at the age of 41 from breast cancer. She did her self exams. She had her mammograms. And you know what, she got breast cancer and died any way. She had the best care available, but she died any way. So for you to write on the pages of a major Oakland County newspaper that women have to be more vigilant and to use breast cancer as a way to promote your lousy wellness program as a "health care" program is ludicrous. Sometimes people get sick and it's not their fault, Joe. No wellness program in the world could have prevented my sister's illness and you, sir, are a jerk for even suggesting that your wellness program is the answer for what ails America's health care system. Your legislation wouldn't have helped my sister and it won't help the tens of millions of people in this country that are going bankrupt and dying because they have no health care coverage.

Another thing, Joe, trial lawyers are not the cause of the expense of our health care system either. Oh, I know Republicans like to blame big bad trial lawyers, but it's just not true. What you call frivolous law suits only account for about 1% of the cost of our health care system, not too high a price to pay to have the right to get justice if a negligent doctor harms you. I bet you'd sing a different tune if something happened to one of your loved ones. You'd be in a lawyer's office so fast it would make my head spin if it happened to Sandi or Marty or Steve or your grandchildren. That's the problem with most Republicans. They scream about other people suing big companies or doctors and their insurance companies, until they need to use the system to get what small measure of justice financial compensation provides.

What's even worse, you voted against the expansion of the children's health insurance program that would have covered an additional 10 million children, children that get sick and may not be able to go to a doctor for preventative health care because their parents can't afford it. These days, with $4 a gallon gas, real Americans in your district are having to choose between driving to work and taking their child to the doctor. What are you doing about that, Joe?

Name me one American that doesn't deserve the same health care program you have in Congress, Joe. Can you name even one? I didn't think so. No amount of "personal responsibility" would have saved my sister's life. What's even worse, if she hadn't had health care coverage through her employer, she would not have been able to afford the care she got. Thank god she had an employer that cared enough to have excellent coverage for his employees and didn't instead take your approach, perhaps eliminating employee health care in favor of a "wellness program" and a $200 tax credit.

You, sir, do not deserve the high office you have been serving in for the last 15 years.

My sister Joyce

John McCain/Joe Knollenberg Nonsense on Health Care

I found this video today of John McCain addressing the issue of health care, the brilliant thing about it is the pop-ups that tell the truth about McCain/Knollenberg's nonsense on personal responsibility and wellness programs. You could put Joe Knollenberg at the podium and the same words would come out of his mouth. The Republican position on health care is complete and utter nonsense if you really care about the well being of the American public.

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.

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

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, 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?

Knollenberg to attend Rochester Chamber Legislative Update

It looks like Joe Knollenberg may finally come out of hiding and answer a few questions from the public. On April 11 he will attend the Rochester Chamber of Commerce Legislative update meeting at the OPC in Rochester and the topic will be health care. You can even submit questions in writing to the chamber ahead of time. I know I have a few questions for Joe. How about you? I hope Joe doesn't chicken out and send Shawn Ciavattone, like he did last year.

Rochester Chamber spotlights health care at April 11 Legislative
Update
Health care legislation will be the focus of a special Rochester
Regional Chamber of Commerce forum next month.

The event is the Chamber’s annual Legislative Update. It runs 8-10 a.m.
on Friday, April 11 at the Older Persons’ Commission, 650 Letica Drive,
Rochester. Light refreshments will be served at 7:30 a.m.

Guest speakers at the Legislative Update, which is open to the public, are Congressman Joe Knollenberg, State Sen. Mike Bishop and State Rep. John Garfield. They will brief the audience on their respective areas of government and then tackle health care and health insurance matters. Audience members will be able to question the lawmakers following their updates.

“We hope the community joins us for this event,” says Sheri Heiney, the Chamber’s executive director. “The Legislative Update is a wonderful opportunity to hear and question our local legislators about the state of our government.”
People can also submit questions for Knollenberg, Bishop and Garfield to the Chamber by e-mailing Jennifer Fulton at jenniferf@rrc-mi.com.

Gary Peters Showing some Courage on Health Care

Last night the 9th District Democratic Committee held a forum between Gary Peters and Nancy Skinner. In this video Gary Peters addresses health care in America, endorsing a Medicare for all plan. Since Joe won't come out in public and debate Gary Peters, here's the next best thing.



Here's what Joe has to say on health care


Here's Joe's Health Care Plan

More Health Care News for Joe

This article appeared in the Nov. 29 edition of the Detroit Free Press. There are some interesting statistics here. CLICK HERE to read the full article. The part I liked was this.

Dr. A. Mark Fendrick, director of the University of Michigan's Center for Value Based Insurance Design, said lower health premiums in the state reflect Michigan's strong union history that bargained for workplace benefits and made it "a national leader regarding the provision of generous and affordable health insurance."

Basically unions are helping to keep the overall cost of health care below the national average.