This is a short diary, but an important one for anyone who's been following the ongoing saga of MI-08.
Progressive Democrat and Alan Grayson-like Congressional candidate Lance Enderle will be a guest on Nicole Sandler's "Radio or Not" program this evening at 6:40pm EST.
OK. As many of you know, I've been posting diaries about the unusual situation going on in Michigan's 8th Congressional District, where all-around wingnut Republican Mike Rogers has been in office for the past 10 years.
Congressman Mike Rogers (MI-08) believes that Wikileaks whistleblower, Army Pfc. Bradley E. Manning, has committed treason and should be put to death by the government. Right now he sits in solitary confinement in a Virginia jail.
"I argue the death penalty clearly should be considered here," Rogers said. Rogers said Manning put "tens of thousands" of American military members and allies abroad in danger by his actions.
"He clearly aided the enemy to what may result in the death of U.S. soldiers or those cooperating. If that is not a capital offense, I don't know what is."
Tried, found guilty and sentenced to death by a U.S. Congressman, all before his day in court. That's today's GOP. Guilty verdict first, death penalty second, fair trial before a jury of your peers ... well ... whenever.
Manning was arrested by the United States Army Criminal Investigation Command in May 2010 and detained without charge for over a month in a military jail at Camp Arifjan in Kuwait. In early July, two misconduct charges were brought against him for "transferring classified data onto his personal computer and adding unauthorized software to a classified computer system" and "communicating, transmitting and delivering national defense information to an unauthorized source".
"If Manning is the source of the video, then he did what he had to do to expose a possible war crime. So regardless, he's wrongly imprisoned and we want to do everything possible to support him," said Jeff Paterson, Project Director of Courage to Resist. "I know from past experience working with military objectors that public support and the right civilian defense team can be the difference between an administrative separation and years in the stockade."
If you wish to help with Pfc. Manning's legal defense fund, point your browser to the Bradley Manning Support Network. He'll need all the help he can get, especially since self-appointed judge, jury and executioner, Congressman Mike Rogers, has already dispensed with his right to habeas corpus.
Also, if you are in Michigan's 8th Congressional District, be sure to write in LANCE ENDERLE in the Democratic section of the ballot in today's primary so that Rogers has an opponent in the November election. More details in Brainwrap's excellent Rec Listed diary at Daily Kos.
(Promoted from the diaries. This story is gaining traction nationally. There are suggestions that perhaps Kande Ngalamulume actually INTENDED to drop out of the race when he did in a strategic manner to benefit Congressman Mike Rogers. Is this true? I don't know. But the timing and manner of his departure from the race is suggestive and worthy of further investigation. In the meantime, anyone in MI-08 should be doing what they can to get Lance Enderle the write-in votes he needs to be on the ballot in November to face off against Mike Rogers. They are estimating that he needs 2,000 write-in votes. If you're in MI-08, please consider helping Lance anyway you can. - promoted by eclectablog)
With only 2 days to go before the primary, and the extremely long odds of a write-in campaign winning, this story needs as much exposure as possible, as quickly as possible!
This, of course, is where Howard Dean's 50-State Strategy kicks in, right? DON'T CEDE ANY DISTRICT TO THE REPUBLICANS; run a candidate everywhere, no matter how long the odds. And here's the thing: Rogers won the seat in 2000 by just 111 votes, the closest Congressional election in Michigan's history, I believe. He's managed to win re-election easily in the following 4 races, mostly due to the Dems not fielding a serious candidate (exception: Jim Marcinkowski was an awesome candidate in 2006, but Dem resources were spread so thin picking up the low-hanging fruit in dozens of other races that he was tragically lost in the shuffle.
Cut to the 2010 campaign.
Earlier this year, a guy named Kande Ngalamulume decided to take a shot. Unfortunately, after finding a lack of financial support, he dropped out of the race on June 2--in a very public manner (via email press release), several weeks after the filing deadline. According to the local press, he then left the state.
Since he waited until after the filing deadline to drop out, and was the only one to file, his name will remain on the August 3rd ballot and, presumably, the November general election ballot anyway unless either dies or registers to vote in a different state--and so far, he hasn't filed elsewhere. If he does, then the 8th District Dems can legally challenge his name being on the ballot and could scramble to get someone else to replace him, but otherwise, they're in a bind. Rogers now has a completely uncontested race, and is free to roam around the state, raising money for whoever the GOP has running agains Mark Schauer (MI-07) and Gary Peters (MI-09), or turning over a chunk of his million-dollar war chest to the RNC, or whatever he likes. The 8th District Dems are in a pickle.
However, there is one more way out of this pickle, Which brings me to the point of this diary:
Lance is a government school teacher (he was laid off last year; don't get me started about the state budget cuts by the GOP-controlled Michigan State Senate). He also happens to be a pro-choice, progressive Democrat, who was very active in Democratic politics in the '90's up north (He worked for Bart Stupak for a number of years; say what you will about Stupak, but aside from his recent HCR/Abortion debacle, he's been a pretty solid Dem on most of the other important issues). He got burnt out and got out of the political game 10 years ago...until a few weeks ago.
Lance decided that he was so pissed off about the thought of Mike Rogers getting a free ride that he's going to attempt the impossible improbable: He filed to run for U.S. Congress as a write-in Democrat.
His primary goal (pun intended) is to at least win the nomination. While stopping there would normally be pretty meaningless, given the unique circumstances at hand, this would be huge.
I got in touch with Lance after hearing about him jumping into the ring and he's brought me on board to handle his campaign website.
The bad news, of course, is that not only does he have to get more votes than the only name actually on the ballot on Aug. 3rd; not only does he have to hope that the voters of the district know how to spell his name; but he also only has 2 more days to get the word out about it.
If you can't donate money, please at least help spread the word, Thanks!
Full disclosure: While I'm working at a substantial discount, I am still being paid. Mostly, however, I'm just upset at the mess caused by Kande's withdrawl and am trying to help salvage the situation.
P.S. Here's a pic of Lance, for what it's worth:
Update:I'll actually be offline for the rest of the afternoon so I won't be able to post any further updates/responses until early this evening, however, I'll be sure to do so when I can.
Also, I have jury duty all day tomorrow (Monday), so I won't just be offline, I won't even be able to follow the story since you can't bring cameraphones (read: my iPhone) into the courthouse. I'll be checking in/following up tomorrow evening, however, and of course on Tuesday (primary day itself).
Thanks again to everyone who's been helping out on this!
Edited by eclectablog to put the entire diary on the front page.
OK, first off, this is a very strange situation, so please bear with me. More importantly, please rec this diary up; we need as much exposure as possible, as quickly as possible.
Michigan's 8th District has been "represented" (if you can call it that) by a Republican named Mike Rogers since 2000, when he won a squeaker of a race by just 111 votes to fill the U.S. House seat vacated by Debbie Stabenow when she was elected to the U.S. Senate.
You might be thinking that, given the closeness of the race, that MI-08 should be a district that the Dems could take back if they put their minds to it. Unfortunately, up until now, that hasn't happened. He won 68/31 in 2002, 61/37 in 2004, 55/43 in 2006 and 56/40 in 2008.
The closest anyone has gotten to him was Jim Marcinkowski in 2006, a former CIA agent and Naval Operations Specialist--and that was in an extremely Dem-friendly year (Marcinkowski, a former Republican, actually ran for Congress mostly because he was furious about the outing of Valerie Plame, who was a friend of his from his CIA days).
Now, don't get me wrong--Rogers isn't a star in the GOP. As far as I can tell, he's very good at raising money and getting re-elected, and not much else. Once in a while, he'll pop his head up on TV long enough to say something incredibly stupid, like blaming Pres. Obama for McChrystal's insults in Rolling Stone. Other than that, he's kind of a cypher, a rubber stamp for the GOP, but boy is he good at keeping his seat.
OK, so, Rogers is sitting pretty, right? He has a million bucks in the bank, it's a GOP-leaning year, and the district seems to have been pretty much ceded by the national Dems.
This, of course, is where Howard Dean's 50-State Strategy kicks in, right? DON'T CEDE ANY DISTRICT TO THE REPUBLICANS; run a candidate everywhere, no matter how long the odds. At worst, you'll at least make sure to get the Democratic message out and force the GOP incumbent to stick around their district and spend a few bucks out of their war chest. At best, the incumbent will be caught with their pants down (either figuratively or, more likely, literally), and voila, you pick up the seat after all!
Cut to the 2010 campaign.
Earlier this year, a young guy named Kande Ngalamulume (he was born in Zaire, now known as the Congo) decided to take a shot. No political experience, he'd lived outside of Michigan since 2002. His biggest claim to fame was having been a track star at Michigan State. However, he seemed like a good enough guy, and rightly got a lot of kudos for stepping up to the plate this year. He gave up his job in Pennsylvania to move back home.
I met him in February, and in March he hired me to take over the maintenance of his campaign website (someone else had set it up, but wasn't able to do the day-to-day updates). I can't afford to do campaign sites pro bono, but recognized the shoestring nature of his campaign and gave a hefty discount for my time. No one else seemed interested, so he was the only one to file, and had the Democratic nomination to himself; his name will be the only on on the ballot on the August 3rd primary.
Unfortunately, after finding a lack of financial support (he had only raised a total of around $25,000 or so, I believe), he dropped out of the race on June 2--and not only did so in a very public manner (via email press release), but did so several weeks after the filing deadline...and then left the state.
Since he waited until after the filing deadline to drop out, and was the only one to file, his name will remain on the August 3rd ballot anyway, unless either dies or registers to vote in a different state--and so far, he hasn't filed elsewhere. If he does, then the 8th District Dems can legally challenge his name being on the ballot and could scramble to get someone else to replace him, but otherwise, they're in a bind. Rogers now has a completely uncontested race, and is free to roam around the state, raising money for whoever the GOP has running against Democratic freshmen Mark Schauer (MI-07) and Gary Peters (MI-09), or turning over a chunk of his million-dollar war chest to the RNC, or whatever he likes. A GOP seat is now 100% safe, 2 Democratic seats are further threatened, and the 8th District Dems are in a pickle.
However, there is one more way out of this pickle: If someone runs as a write-in candidate against Kande Ngalamulume in the Democratic primary and wins, the problem is resolved. Yes, they'd still face the longest of odds against Rogers in November, but at least they'd be doing the yeoman's job of keeping Rogers distracted, preventing him from helping the GOP out too much, and saving some face for the local party.
NOTE: Edited to remove the unnecessary negativity about Mr. Ngalamulume; I shouldn't have been speculating on his reasons for doing what he did, and they're irrelevant to the current situation anyway.
Lance is a government school teacher (he was laid off last year; don't get me started about the state budget cuts by the GOP-controlled Michigan State Senate). He also happens to be a pro-choice, progressive Democrat, who was very active in Democratic politics in the '90's up north (He worked for Bart Stupak for a number of years; say what you will about Stupak, but aside from his recent HCR/Abortion debacle, he's been a pretty solid Dem on most of the other important issues). He got burnt out and got out of the political game 10 years ago...until a couple of weeks ago.
Lance decided that he was so pissed off about the thought of Mike Rogers getting a free ride that he's going to attempt the impossible improbable: He filed to run for U.S. Congress as a write-in Democrat.
His primary goal (pun intended) is to at least win the nomination. While stopping there would normally be pretty meaningless, given the unique circumstances at hand, this would be huge.
The bad news, of course, is that not only does he have to get more votes than the only name actually on the ballot on Aug. 3rd; not only does he have to hope that the voters of the district know how to spell his name; but he also only has 35 days to get the word out about it.
The good news (I hope) is that he has you...and me! Yep, after being burnt by one MI-08 Democratic Congressional Candidate, I've willingly signed on to help out another one, in the same race, even! I got in touch with Lance after hearing about him jumping into the ring and he's brought me on board to handle HIS campaign website from top to bottom.
Now, I know what you're saying: This guy doesn't have a chance in hell. OK, probably, but if you'd told me on September 12, 2001 that the next President elected--with more votes than any other candidate in history, I might add--would be a black Democrat named Barack Hussein Obama, I'd have said you were nuts.
Alright, hyperbole and wishful thinking aside, Mike Rogers remains a total jackass. At the very least I think it's worth a shot. Besides, look what happened to Mark Foley--a 12-year incumbent in a 65%+ Republican district. Then he gets caught sending porn messages to underage boys and voila! We have an extra Democrat in Congress! (Yeah, that guy turned out to be kind of a jerk as well, but you get my point; anything can happen in a political campaign, but if you don't have someone running, you have no chance of picking up the pieces).
If you can't donate money, please at least rec this up and spread the word. Thanks.
Full disclosure: While I'm working for far less than my normal rates, I am still being modestly paid. Mostly, however, I'm just pissed at the mess Kande caused and am trying to help salvage the situation.
He isn't facing your standard, uphill battle to unseat an incumbent, either.
Enderle is blunt-honest, humorous and trying to do the near impossible by defeating longtime incumbent U.S. Mike Rogers, R-Brighton, who has an estimated $900,000 in his campaign treasure chest.
The 41-year-old laid-off schoolteacher said he's not a rank-and-file Democrat but a "living, breathing and bleeding" one.
"I just don't play the game," Enderle said.
"I'm not a politician," he said. "I'm John Q. Public."
Like Kande Ngalamulume before him, Mr. Enderle has a BIG job ahead of him trying to unseat a well-funded, five-term incumbent and I give him credit for his effort.
But, seriously, Michigan Democrats, is this really the best you can do? Isn't there some mid-Michigan Democrat with some name recognition and [gasp!] maybe some actual credentials that you could field for the November election? Former mayors Sam Singh (currently running for MSU Board of Trustees) or Mark Meadows (currently the 69th District State Rep.), maybe? Or howzabout 67th District State Rep. Barb Byrum?
Mike Rogers (MI-08) says dumb things pretty regularly but this is particularly absurd. Check out the video at about 0:49 in.
But, I tell you, I think this is a huge symptom when a guy like General McChrystal feels so frustrated to express himself the way he did (or at least he allegedly did) in that article, it shows the symptoms of the problem of the policy in Afghanistan. The diplomacy level and the military level are working at cross-purposes here and it's causing a huge problem.
Ah. So if only it weren't for that damn Obama Afghanistan policy, this never would have happened. Apparently Congressman Rogers is unaware that General McChrystal was one of the authors of the counter-intelligence (COIN) strategy that he's condemning!!!
But, hey, let's not let that get in the way of a good ObamaSlamTM, eh?
You can't have military commanders out there working against the policies of the president even if they're wrong. That's my job and it's the job of others to comment on the policy of how they're doing this and for us to bring to light that there are serious problems with the way they are going about the fight in Afghanistan and it's causing serious problems...
Problems like having our commanding generals not being able to shut the hell up? Yeah, Mike, that's a real problem. Good thing they have guys like you to take the blame off their shoulders and place it squarely in President Obama's lap. Funny, though, how you stayed so quiet about our military strategy in Afghanistan when George W. Bush was president, despite the fact that it really hasn't changed. Just another IOKIYAR example, I suppose...
While it pains a liberal like me to see Rogers go without an opponent, I have long been skeptical that Mr. Ngalamulume had the credentials to be anything more than a speedbump on Rogers' reelection as a member of Congress. Unseating a five-term incumbent is tough enough but getting elected in MI-08 which includes conservative strongholds like Howell, Brighton, and Fowlerville would be particulary difficult for someone without wider name recognition and without a longer resume to stand on.
Because the filing deadline has passed, Mr. Ngalamulume's name will remain on the ballot. Anyone wishing to be a write-in candidate, an even tougher prospect, has until July 23rd to file.
Kelly Chesney, spokeswoman for the Secretary of State's Office, said Ngalamulume's name will appear on the Aug. 3 primary ballot regardless of his withdrawal. She said if a write-in candidate receives more votes in the Democratic primary than Ngalamulume, that candidate's name will appear on the general election ballot Nov. 2.
Write-in candidates for the primary face a July 23 deadline to apply so their write-in votes will be counted.
Mr. Ngalamulume made the following statements regarding his withdrawal from the race:
It is with a grieving heart that I must announce I am ending my campaign for Congress. After two difficult months of trying to get this grass-roots campaign off the ground, it is now apparent to me that there is not enough interest amongst the political establishment and many constituents in this district to replace Mike Rogers in Congress. As a result, I am suspending my campaign at once.
All along, I knew that trying to unseat a five-term incumbent would be a rather difficult proposition; however, I did not let that deter me from jumping into the trenches to fight for the future of this great state that I love. I will always be proud of what we were able to accomplish, with very limited resources, and in such a short period of time.
I have to confess that these types of comments, blaming the "Democratic establishment" and the constituents for a candidate's inability to create enthusiasm for their campaign ring a bit hollow to me. Connie Saltonstall did pretty much the same thing when she dropped out of the race to replace Bart Stupak in MI-01.
I know it's painful to be in the position to withdraw from a race. But, please, take some ownership of your campaign and don't blame others. If a candidate can't generate the buzz needed to be successful, that candidate should at least be candid enough to admit it.
That said, I give Mr. Ngalamulume credit for getting into the race in the first place. It took courage and I wish him well on his future efforts in the political realm. Heck, we went to the same high school. That counts for something, right?!
While the Obama administration, Congressional Dems and Organizing for America are working diligently to spread the good word about the recently-passed health insurance reform law, GOP Congressman Mike Rogers is working very hard to keep fear levels at "11".
Rogers was the headline speaker at Tuesday's Good Morning Livingston program at Cleary University's Johnson Center in Genoa Township.
He told a packed room that the federal government's reach into the health-care and banking industries will prove detrimental to small businesses.
Rogers said the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act - which he voted against - is already hampering business growth because employers are nervous about new costs they may incur through the health-care overhaul.
Hmmmm...why would they be nervous, I wonder? Could it possibly be because guys like Rogers are running around telling people to be scared? Naahhhhh...
I mean: yup.
On one hand you have people like my Congressman, Mark Schauer, reaching out to seniors and business owners, letting them know the positive impacts the new law will have in store for them.
On the other you have Rogers racheting up the Fear-O-Meter based on nothing more than his own hatred of all things Obama/Democrat.
Here's a funny bit:
Rogers, among other fiscal conservatives, continues to question how deficits can be cut when the health-care law involves expenditures.
"I don't know how it works," he said.
Really, Congressman? Is this one of those "Read the damn bill!" moments? Dude, it took me all of about 15 minutes with teh Googles to figure it out. I wrote an extensive blog about HERE, in fact.
So much easier to just SCARE people, though, right?
You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Congressman Rogers. What our country and our state and our seniors and our business owners need most right now is an injection of enthusiasm and optimism. That's the starting point for any economic recovery. Your Fear TourTM is just the opposite of what our leaders in Congress should be doing right now.
I only wish we had a stronger Democrat running against you in November.
Thaddeus McCotter, Mike Rogers, Candace Miller, Dave Camp and Fred Upton voted no yesterday on H.R. 4247, a bill titled "Preventing Harmful Restraint and Seclusion in Schools." The bill is straight forward.
Sec. 5. Directs the Secretary of Education (Secretary) to establish minimum standards that: (1) prohibit elementary and secondary school personnel from managing any student by using any mechanical or chemical restraint, physical restraint or escort that restricts breathing, or aversive behavioral intervention that compromises student health and safety; (2) prohibit such personnel from using physical restraint or seclusion, unless such measures are required to eliminate an imminent danger of physical injury to the student or others and certain precautions are taken; (3) require states to ensure that a sufficient number of school personnel receive state-approved crisis intervention training and certification in first aid and certain safe and effective student management techniques; (4) prohibit physical restraint or seclusion from being written into a student's education plan, individual safety plan, behavioral plan, or individual education program as a planned intervention; and (5) require schools to establish procedures to notify parents in a timely manner if physical restraint or seclusion is imposed on their child.
These Members of Congress are determined to say NO to everything Democrats introduce. SO determined that they can't even vote for the physical and mental safety of our children and grandchildren.
Everyone should be outraged.
Stupak
D-1
Yes
Hoekstra
R-2
Didn't Vote
Ehlers
R-3
Yes
Camp
R-4
No
Kildee
D-5
Yes
Upton
R-6
No
Schauer
D-7
Yes
Rogers
R-8
No
Peters
D-9
Yes
Miller
R-10
No
McCotter
R-11
No
Levin
D-12
Yes
Kilpatrick
D-13
Yes
Conyers
D-14
Yes
Dingell
D-15
Yes
It doesn't matter what constituents want, or need. The party of NO continues to thumb their noses at us figuring we can't do anything to unseat them. Go give their opponents a few bucks, or volunteer a few hours of your time. Let's make their arrogance an issue.
And Mr. McCotter, we haven't forgotten your outlandish comments about kids on the floor of the House during the S-CHIP debate. It wasn't cute then, and it isn't cute now.
How do you motivate a Republican whose Congressional seat is being threatened? Well, if you're Incumbent Retention Czar Mike Rogers (MI-08), head of the NRCC's "Patriot Program", you give 'em a colonial soldier bobblehead.
I'm totally not kidding.
Rogers uses not just the stick, but also the carrot. Make that the bobblehead. He gives a Colonial soldier bobblehead doll to the "patriot of the week" who has worked hard to meet his or her goals.
"It's a huge success," Rogers said. "I get members now going, 'Hey, man, when am I getting my bobblehead?' I love that thing."
My former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers stopped by the offices of the Livingston Press & Argus in Livingston County, Mich. this week to throw some poop on health care reform. Not only did he throw poop, he told several bald-faced lies including this one:
He said a government-appointed panel's conclusion that women need fewer mammograms at certain ages would be incorporated in the bills.
Rogers, himself a cancer survivor, said the government shouldn't dictate who has access to mammograms.
"I said, 'Oh, my gosh. They just sentenced to death 36,000 American women.'"
Rep. Mike Rogers receives a lot of money from the pharmaceutical, health and insurance industries, which probably explains why he's pushing false information about health care reform. While speaking at the Michigan Business and Legislative Forum last week, where he repeatedly bragged that he had read all 1000+ pages of the House health care bill, he argued that the House reform legislation would allow the federal government to use the results of comparative effectiveness research to ration costly treatments.
Rogers is wrong (he would have known that if he had read page 524 of the legislation). Pulitzer Prize winning PolitiFact.com says this claim is false:
But in this case, there actually are provisions in the bill about comparative research to make sure it is not used for rationing. Language in the House version of the health bill specifically states: "Nothing in this section shall be construed to permit the Commission or the Center to mandate coverage, reimbursement, or other policies for any public or private payer."
And let's be clear, comparative effectiveness research has been done by the government for years and years. The Obama administration wants to greatly expand the amount of research. The economic stimulus package also included more funding for comparative effectiveness research. And the bill included a similar disclaimer that it would not mandate insurers to cover or reimburse one treatment or medication over another.
FactCheck.org also says this claim is false, and so does the AARP:
"It boggles the mind" said AARP spokesman Jim Dau, how comparative effectiveness research has been portrayed by opponents of the health care plan as government rationing of care.
"It's just good common sense," Dau said of the research. "It's giving individuals and doctors better evidence-based research so that they can make better decisions."
What exactly is comparative effectiveness research? The Center for American Progress explains that "it evaluates different drugs, medical devices, and clinical procedures for the same illness against each other. In contrast, the bulk of research done today examines whether a specific treatment works compared to doing nothing, but comparative effectiveness research evaluates which therapy works best among a range of possibilities for the same illness or condition." This research is important because it can save money.
It's estimated that one-third of procedures and treatments administered in the United States have no proven benefit and account for up to $700 billion annually in current spending. Moreover, some of these treatments can have harmful side effects, produce worse health outcomes, and then, as a result, add to the soaring costs of medical care.
I don't know about Mike Rogers, but I don't like paying $50 dollars for a pill that's not anymore effective than one costing a buck, and the media is full of articles questioning whether cholesterol drugs do any good or if angioplasty is advisable in all patients. My favorite story is from last fall when the NY Times published an article about one of the biggest medical trials ever organized by the federal government. It showed that generic diuretics (water pills) costing only pennies a day, and in use for high blood pressure since the 1950s, worked better than newer drugs that were 20 times as expensive. Not only that, the research revealed that the pricier drugs increased the risk of heart failure and stroke.
As CAP points out, "There is no incentive for the companies to fund research that compares their treatment to another since it is not in their best interest to determine if another treatment works as well or better than theirs. Because of this the federal government must invest in this research."
It just doesn't make sense for Rogers to criticize comparative effectiveness research unless he's hoping to protect his big donor's profits. Republicans want us to take charge of our health and spending on health care dollars, yet they seek to limit information about over-priced or hazardous medications or treatments. Not only can that be harmful to our health or downright deadly, it's a waste of money - as much as $700 billion annually.
Count 'em. Seven no votes by Michigan Congressmen on H.R. 1106, the Helping Families Save Their Homes Act of 2009. It's another entry on the Table of Shame. This is getting old.
The Party of No delivered again. And, they got some help from Bart Stupak. I guess there are no foreclosures in the UP < / snark >. Ehers did not vote on the bill or the motion to recommit.
A survey by the Mortgage Bankers Association released Thursday found that nearly 12 percent of homeowners were in foreclosure or behind on their payments at the end of 2008.
Stupak
D-1
No
Hoekstra
R-2
No
Ehlers
R-3
Not Voting
Camp
R-4
No
Kildee
D-5
Yes
Upton
R-6
No
Schauer
D-7
Yes
Rogers
R-8
No
Peters
D-9
Yes
Miller
R-10
No
McCotter
R-11
No
Levin
D-12
Yes
Kilpatrick
D-13
Yes
Conyers
D-14
Yes
Dingell
D-15
Yes
Once again, it doesn't matter what constituents want. It doesn't matter what constituents need. It doesn't matter how much they're hurting, or whether they're losing their homes because they couldn't make mortgage payments after they lost their job. It doesn't matter. Not. One. Iota.
In 2009 the salary for Members of Congress is $174,000. Leadership positions get additional stipends. Must be nice.
Vowing the voices of the vast majority of the American people would not be silenced by the Democrat Congress' Stalinist tactics, Republicans took to the dimly-lit, microphone and C-SPAN-silenced House floor. There, they demanded a vote to lower gas prices by unleashing America's oil and energy resources" from the clutches of the left-wing special interests controlling Speaker Pelosi and her Democrat Congress.
It's Swift Boat ads all over again. Our fine friend Thaddeus and his cohorts think they can spin, lie and bully their way into another election year. All of a sudden August 2008 is feeling a lot like August 2004.
What's Thaddeus huffing and puffing about? Let's take a look.
"the Democrat Congress' Stalinist tactics"
Stalinist? Hardly. Last Friday the House voted to adjourn and take a five week recess, same as they do every year at this time. Same as they did when Tom DeLay, Dennis Hastert and Newt Gingrich were Speaker and the Republicans were in the majority and setting the agenda. Under House rules--which is an extended version of Robert's Rules of Order, motions to adjourn are not debateable. The body votes immediately on the motion. If the motion passes--all you need is 50%+1 of those present--the session ends and everyone goes home. It's the way every legislative body works.
So for all the bluster, nothing unusual happened. McCotter only wants you to think something happened. The majority sets the agenda. It always has. Tom DeLay constantly reminded us the fact, by refusing to entertain legislation to end the war, rescind the Patriot Act, create a sustainable energy policy, or investigate the long list of Bush administration abuses. Funny how Republicans want one set of rules for them and another for everyone else when it suits them.
"they demanded a vote to lower gas prices by unleashing America's oil and energy resources from the clutches of the Left-wing special interests controlling Speaker Pelosi and her Democrat Congress"
If this weren't sad, it would be funny. After Dick Cheney held closed meetings with the heads of energy companies to fix prices (anyone remember Ken Lay and Enron?), it's hard to believe the Republicans can say this with a straight face. What Thaddeus is really saying is "Republican and big oil interests are different from the Majority's, and we don't like it." If you listened to scientists instead of oil company lobbyists once in a while Thad, you might figure out that drilling in the Arctic and the Gulf of Mexico isn't going to fix our energy problems, nor will it lower gasoline prices.
This is our generation of Americans' 'Boston Tea Party!'
Wow! I had no idea that John Adams and the Sons of Liberty were shills for whale oil companies.
House Republicans will be rearranging schedules, flying thousands of miles, and refusing to take a paid vacation. Instead, the GOP will take to the House floor every day to ensure the voice of Americans' is heard; there is a vote to make our country energy secure and independent; and keep America the greatest nation on Earth!
Flying thousands of miles. Now that's a way to conserve energy.
Thad, your constituents are curious--why--during all those years of a Republican majority in both chambers--wasn't a comprehensive energy policy developed?
Oh, I forgot. Drilling in the Arctic is your energy policy.
A word to the wise about your excessive use of exclamation points, Congressman McCotter. They make you look silly and they make creative writing teachers cringe.
People who truly support the troops by trying to get them out of harm's way are gathering for a vigil as we speak with sleeping bags, bongo drums, protest signs and plenty of coffee in front of U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Brighton?, Lansing office as the "Iraq Summer" concludes Tuesday with "Take A Stand" town meeting at noon on the Capitol steps in downtown Lansing.
Many local people will be making their presence known at Rogers only office outside of Washington, D.C., located at 1327 E. Michigan Ave. in Lansing. Since Congress has not been in session for the entire month of August to allow lawmakers to spend time in their district, there is a very slim change Rogers could actually show his face in the three days the vigil will take place. Come and join the following groups in their vigil:
America Votes, Michigan Peace Works, Michigan Peace Team, SEIU, Military Moms for Peace, GLNAWI , Mid-Michigan DFA, UU Church of Greater Lansing and Cristo Rey Parish.
The "Take a Stand Campaign" is a nation-wide organizing drive to demand that members of Congress and the Senate take a stand with the vast majority of Americans who want a safe and responsible redeployment of American Forces from Iraq.
Across America, over 100 "Iraq Summer" organizers are working to involve thousands of ordinary Americans in an effort to pressure targeted members of Congress to vote to bring a safe end to the war. The summer campaign is culminating with "Take A Stand" town meetings to be held on Tuesday, immediately before congress reconvenes. The Iraq Summer Campaign-Michigan, 8th District the Take a Stand town hall will be held at noon on Tuesday on the Capitol lawn in Lansing.
Feel free to join them.
Iraq Summer is a campaign organized by Americans Against Escalation in Iraq and the Campaign to Defend America, designed to turn public opinion against the war in Iraq into political pressure on members of Congress who stand in the way of a responsible end to the war in Iraq.
For further information call (202) 425-0263 or email michigan7@iraqcampaign.org.
Concerned citizens, volunteers and political activists will join with Americans Against Escalation in Iraq and Military Moms for Peace to welcome home U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Brighton, one of most ardent supporters of President Bush's failed polices in the Iraq occupation/civil war, following the August recess of the U.S. Congress with a rally Wednesday at Rogers' Lansing office.
Activists hope to turn up the heat to help Rogers see the error in continuously voting to continue Bush's failed Iraq policies and to make excuses for its failure in an unjustified and useless occupation that that has killed more Livingston County soldiers and Marines than the entire 16-year history of the war in Vietnam.
Over the last several weeks Americans Against Escalation in Iraq's "Iraq Summer" campaign has rolled out the welcome mat in preparation for Rogers' arrival by signing up hundreds of Rogers' constituents as volunteers, holding rallies in front of his office and planting lawn signs and going door-to-door throughout the 8th Congressional District. Outraged at the fact that the Iraqi government is going on vacation while major milestones in the plans for moving Iraq forward remain unmet, the volunteers will be greeting Rogers in their vacation attire: Hawaiian shirts and sunglasses at his Lansing office at noon Wednesday Aug. 8. The office is located at 1327 E. Michigan Ave. in the City of Lansing, and for those that use one of the driving directions programs the zip code is 48823. Don't forget your vacation gear.
If you're looking to get out in the beautiful sunshine to get some exercise and enjoy the weather you can also do that and save our brave soldiers and Marines from dying needlessly in Iraq because of President Bush's failed policies by joining Americans Against Escalation in Iraq in canvassing in Brighton from 2-4 p.m. Saturday (7/21).
The group is meeting at 2 p.m. behind the McGivney Law offices - 210 E Main St. -
before dispersing. That's just about a block east of the main four in downtown Brighton - and the home of one of Bush's and the Iraq war's biggest cheerleaders, U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers - and less than a mile west of the Spencer Road exit from I-96. The zip code is 48116 so you can type it into Google maps to get here. Canvassers will be distributing yard signs and asking Brighton residents to call their Congressman to stop supporting Bush's reckless war policy.
How do you motivate a Republican whose Congressional seat is being threatened? Well, if you're Incumbent Retention Czar Mike Rogers (MI-08), head of the NRCC's 
My former 
