MIGOP Convention

First of all if you were a first time delegate attendee to State Convention…the wait for credentials is not the normal experience. Evidently, someone thought it was a good idea to print the credentials out as delegates registered instead of having credentials already printed out. Allow me to assume that the next Convention will return to that process!

I had the honor of giving the nomination speech for Ruth Johnson, who I personally endorsed and who was victorious and is the MIGOP candidate for Secretary of State! It was great experience but a little strange to have yourself broadcast on a jumbo-tron screen 35ft tall!

The text of the nomination speech HERE

Another candidate I personally endorsed, Bill Schuette also was victorious, and is the MIGOP Attorney General candidate

Congratulations Ruth and Bill!

In another important race, Robert Young and Mary Beth Kelly won for Supreme Court. More on this race later….

There was a proposal that the GOP go on record as opposing the convening of a Michigan Constitutional Convention which passed by a wide margin, excellent news.
More detail to come….

For a list of the MIGOP slate for this coming November general election click Here

The MIGOP Slate, presented at end of the Convention

Democrat Candidate for Attorney General David Leyton publically criticized by Virginia prosecutor in Flint serial stabber Elias Abuelazam Case

Too Busy Campaigning?
This is the man who wants to be the “people’s attorney” for Michigan!

Leyton Serial Stabber Summary
WTOP, Serial Stabbing snub irks Loudoun prosecutor – August 27, 2010

In Brief:
Elias Abuelazam has been arraigned on a charge of assault with intent to murder. Although he has only been charged for one attack, more charges are expected. Abuelazam, in total, is accused of stabbing attacks on 13 people in the Flint-area, 5 resulting in death. There is also 1 Ohio non-fatal stabbing, an additional 3 non-fatal attacks in Virginia and an investigation into a probable link to a 2009 homicide stabbing in Virginia.

Abuelazam was extradited from Atlanta to Michigan on 8-26-2010. The extradition itself was drawn out and costly.

Failure to Communicate:
The prosecutor for Loundoun County in the Commonwealth of Virginia, Jim Plowman publically criticized David Leyton for failing to return his phone calls and messages. On one occasion, Plowman claims he asked to speak directly to Leyton regarding the Abuelazam case.

Investigators linked the attacks in Virginia to the Flint stabbings over 2 weeks ago before Abuelazam was extradited to Michigan. Over those two weeks, Leyton did not contact anyone from Virginia.

A spokesman for Leyton said that Leyton was unaware of any calls from Plowman.

Leyton and Plowman were in contact the morning after the news report was published.

Jim Plowman Quotes:

“You’d think they’d return my phone calls, especially since I have information that will help them”

“I know multi-jurisdictional cases are tough, but I should be able to get my counterpart on the phone.”

“I’m not going to track him down.” [When offered Leyton’s cell phone number to call him directly]

Fake Tea Party in the News

Michigan (Fake) Tea Party group loses bid to place names on ballot

Mark Steffak’s fake political tea party lost their court battle today to be placed on the November ballot. Tea Party attorney Mike Hodge may appeal to the MI Supreme Court.

GOP candidate for Secretarty of State, Ruth Johnson helped to derail the “fake” Tea Party by uncovering suspected election fraud involving some of their “so-called” candidates. Two high-ranking officials in the Oakland County Democratic Party were forced to resign in the wake of the investigation that Ruth began. Furthermore, Ruth turned over information to the FBI.

See You in Hell!

RetakeOurGov is inviting you and your friends to go to Hell and back to fight Obama’s Socialist policies. Join us at the Dam Site Inn in Hell, MI for a TEA Party on Wednesday September 1, 2010.
Why did we chose September 1? September 1 is the 666th day since Obama was elected. We could think of no better date to publicize America’s slide into a Socialist Hell!

Dam Site Inn
4095 Patterson Lake Road, Pinckney, MI 48169-9064 (734) 878-9300

The Dam Site Inn is providing large outdoor tents to handle an overflow crowd – so come on out rain or shine! This event will be both informative and fun. We’ll have food, drink, candidates, a policy expert, and a conservative talk radio host!

We will have a wide array of special guests. Those that have confirmed already include Joe Hune (R) Candidate for the 22nd Senate District, Cindy Denby (R) Candidate for the 47th House District, Dr. Dave Janda a noted Health Care expert and opponent of socialized medicine, and Thayrone X the conservative talk radio host on WAAM (1600 am) radio in Ann Arbor. We will be confirming other special guests during the weeks to come. As an added feature, Thayrone X will be doing some commercial break-ins from the event which will be aired that evening during the Michael Savage show!

Bill Schuette is that person and that is why I am personally supporting Bill Schuette for Attorney General.

As precinct delegates, elected at our County Conventions, Aug 12, we will decide the Attorney General candidate that will be on the November Ballot by voting at the Republican State Convention held Saturday, August 28th at MSU
Breslin Center, East Lansing

As part of the “Reagan Revolution,” Bill’s core principals adhere to our Constitution. He believes that freedom is produced through limited government, strong national defense combined with tax cuts, and the elimination of the Michigan Business Tax (MBT). Bill also has an impressive score in our Mobile ActionPatriot Strikeforce Questionnaire

As Attorney General, Bill will continue to defend the Constitution of Michigan (Historical documents) and the Constitution of the United States

Bill will also be an uncompromising hard-hitting defender of the integrity of our elections by aggressively prosecuting those who perpetrate election fraud in Michigan.

Bill Schuette servedon the Court of Appeals and was a strong, tough, decisive judge.

Bill Schutte understands that the Attorney General is the “People’s Lawyer” and as such that public safety is a fundamental obligation of government and will be a tough crime-fighter. It’s time to stop releasing dangerous criminals back on our streets while reducing the police who patrol our streets. We must have safe streets, safe neighborhoods, and safe schools for our children in Michigan.

And Bill Schuette will be an unwavering advocate of consumer protection for the citizens of Michigan.

Bill Schuette has proved himself to be a hard-working fighter for conservative values and principals, an accomplished and experienened judge, who leads by example.

I encourage my fellow precinct delegates to vote for  Bill Schuette for Attorney General.

For Michigan and America

Fabiano is a retired General Motors employee and United Auto Workers Union member now running a small business part-time. She has lived in the state of Michigan, once considered the automotive capital of the world, throughout her life.

Since, February 27, 2009, Grassroots in Michigan has organized “Tea Parties” rallies and protest at the State Capitol and at Senator Debbie Stabenow’s East Lansing office as well as across the state. Organizer, Joan Fabiano appeared on Fox Business News with Charles Payne and was invited on the Michigan leg of the Tea Party Express “Vote
Them Out” Tour.

Additionally, Grassroots in Michigan has received coverage from Michigan TV affiliates, WILX, WLAJ, and WSYM and
others. In the Lansing State Journal, the Detroit Free Press, and various other Michigan and national newspapers, and on radio stations WOOD, WJR, WJIM, and others.

The Secretary of State is an extremely important position, especially as the incidents of election fraud have been on the increase. The Democrat candidate for Secretary of State is Jocelyn Benson a dangerous Progressive and is part of and funded by a George Soros project called the “Secretary of State Project”

Michigan is one of their targeted states!

In a nutshell, the goal of the Secretary of State Project is to get Progressives in charge and then look the other way when ACORN and SEIU and other Progressive/Liberal groups commit voter fraud by rigging the election for the Democrats. We can not let that happen! We need a strong Conservative backed by Conservatives!
That is why I am personally supporting Ruth Johnson for Secretary of State.

As precinct delegates, elected at our County Conventions, Aug 12, we will decide the Secretary of State candidate that will be on the November Ballot by voting at the Republican State Convention held Saturday, August 28th at MSU Breslin Center, East Lansing

As Oakland County Clerk and Register of Deeds (Michigan’s second largest county) Ruth Johnson has proven to be diligent in protecting Personal privacy rights by mandating that Social Security numbers on registered documents be removed from public view. More importantly, Ruth is against using RFID (radio frequency identification chips) in our drivers license and will be active in fighting to remove Michigan from the current RFID program. Ruth also has an impressive score in our Mobile Action Patriot Strikeforce Questionnaire HERE

Ruth Johnson isn’t afraid to take on the fight against corruption. While serving in Michigan’s House of Representatives, and as Chair of the GOP Policy Committee and as Assistant Majority Whip Ruth took the lead into investigations of mismanagement and misappropriation of funds at the Oakland County Intermediate School District. Fraud uncovered in the investigation led to criminal charges, and ultimately a conviction.

In addition, as Oakland County Clerk, Ruth Johnson has implemented cost saving programs,cutting her own staff by twenty percent and $1 million out of the Oakland County budget, saving taxpayer dollars.

Furthermore, Ruth Johnson is the first woman County Clerk in Oakland County’s 176-year history.

Ruth Johnson has proved herself to be a hard-working fighter for conservative values and principals, an accomplished administrator, who leads by example.

I encourage my fellow precinct delegates to Vote for Ruth Johnson for Secretary of State.

For Michigan and America

Regards,
Joan Fabiano
Organizer
Grassroots in Michigan

Joan Fabiano is among the “pioneers” of the tea party movement, having co-organized the event held at the State Capitol on February 27, 2009, which occurred simultaneously with those in 40 other cities. Soon after she founded the citizen activist group, Grassroots in Michigan.

Fabiano is a retired General Motors employee and United Auto Workers Union member now running a small business part-time. She has lived in the state of Michigan, once considered the automotive capital of the world, throughout her life.

Since, February 27, 2009, Grassroots in Michigan has organized “Tea Parties” rallies and protest at the State Capitol and at Senator Debbie Stabenow’s East Lansing office as well as across the state. Organizer, Joan Fabiano appeared on Fox Business News with Charles Payne and was invited on the Michigan leg of the Tea Party Express “Vote Them Out” Tour.

Additionally, Grassroots in Michigan has received coverage from Michigan TV affiliates, WILX, WLAJ, and WSYM and others. In the Lansing State Journal, the Detroit Free Press, and various other Michigan and national newspapers, and on radio stations WOOD, WJR, WJIM, and others.

ONLY 3 DAYS UNTIL THE AUGUST 3RD PRIMARY!

MORE M.A.P.S. Candidate Questionnaires have been received and scored and an UPDATED LISTING OF RESULTS to date is below.

The M.A.P.S.Candidate Questionnaire is NOT AN ENDORSEMENT OF ANY CANDIDATE

As a reminder, the purpose of the M.A.P.S. Candidate Questionnaire is to:

1. Provide a tool to help Tea Party adherents identify a Constitutional Candidate with character who is worthy of their time and money; and

2. Encourage adherents to get involved before the Primary on behalf of their Constitutional Candidate(s) of choice.

Answers were scored from 1-10.

A “10”answer is one that is:

Thoughtful

The Russell Kirk Center for Cultural Renewal
is a nonprofit educational institute based in Mecosta, Michigan,home of the American writer and thinker Russell Kirk (1918–1994).

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

This sentence has been called “one of the best-known sentences in the English language”

And rightly so…

John Adams – Declaration of Independence

From the movie “John Adams” may be rented at most video stores
The book “John Adams” by David G. McCullough

4th of July

“Stars and Stripes Forever” is a patriotic American march widely considered to be the magnum opus of composer John Philip Sousa. By act of Congress, it is the National March of the United States of America.

American Beauty
When I first heard this song I knew a video had to made. In the capable hands of Dan Silengo, it is the anthem of Independence Day Tea Party, Lansing, Michigan, 2009

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
2 Chronicles 7:14

A mash-up using Carmon’s “America Again” to celebrate July 4th, 2010. God bless America! By Dan Silengo,Common Sense Radio

Below is the results:

Joan: Rep. Opsommer, thank you for your time. As Vice Chair of the House Transportation Committee I appreciate the information you have to share today.

Rep. Opsommer: Thank you, it is my pleasure.

Joan: I have to tell you, HB 4961 is a very confusing bill. I know it is supposed to relate to the DRIC (Detroit International River Crossing) bridge debate, but you would never know that by reading the bill.

Rep. Opsommer: You’re absolutely right, it is confusing. What HB 4961 does is give MDOT new powers to enter into a variety of tolling contracts on their own, without legislative approval. If you’re on the inside you know that one of the projects they would like to do is the DRIC, so that is why the mainstream media is calling it the DRIC bill. But the word DRIC or any of its details aren’t actually in it.

Joan: So why write the bill like that? Wouldn’t it be normal to just write a bill specific for that bridge?

Rep. Opsommer: MDOT absolutely could, and in fact if you look at all the rest of the toll projects we have here in MI they have been authorized only after the legislature has voted to specifically allow for tolling to take place. I have a letter from the Attorney General’s office that confirms that currently MDOT can’t toll bridges, roads, or other projects on their own; they have to get permission from the legislature first.

Joan: And that would go away then if HB 4961 is passed?

Rep. Opsommer: Yes, it would. MDOT would be able to create and enter into these tolling projects on their own, and the legislature would have no say in it. And that would apply not just to the DRIC, but to any project anywhere in Michigan that MDOT would like to toll.

The jury is still out in Michigan on how much people want to see tolling get used; I hear arguments on both sides. But when I talk to taxpayers there is wide agreement that decisions on where to toll, and how high the toll rates can go, should stay with someone who is elected. Otherwise you have unelected bureaucrats making those decisions, and whether you want to call it a toll, a user fee, or a tax, I think we should make sure it is still the legislature who approves the use of toll roads in particular. This is even more important when I hear that toll road rates would be used not just to break even on a project, but as a source of revenue for mass transit and other projects. If you are going to set toll rates not based on breaking even but to generate revenue for other purposes, it is no longer a user fee, it is a tax.

Joan: The Governor has control over MDOT, correct?

Rep. Opsommer: Yes, it is her department, but if you cut out the legislature you lose an important check and balance. The Governor would be able to enter into tolling contracts on her own. In my mind whether you want to look at it as the administration having that power or MDOT, it is very similar either way. Otherwise, you might find that some of the roads in your backyard have been turned into carpool lanes, or toll roads, and there won’t be anything your State Representative or Senator can do about that.

Joan: So they can’t just change the law?

Rep. Opsommer: Maybe going forward, but not after the fact. There is for example a moratorium on these kinds of projects now in Texas, called “Public Private Partnerships”, because people got upset after the law was passed and projects were underway. But the projects that were already started had to be allowed to go forward because the contracts had already been entered into. These agreements can be worth billions of dollars over the life of the contract. They can last 50, 75, even 99 years or more, and the lawsuits that would arise out of trying to break them would be monumental. You remember what happened here in Michigan with the contract for the State Police HQ. That contract would be small peanuts by comparison.

Joan : The term used to describe these projects in HB 4961 is called “Public Private Partnerships” Can you define for me Public Private Partnerships?

Rep. Opsommer: Well, these are generically referred to as “P3s”. I think everyone knows what a public road is, and everyone knows what a private road is. A P3 is kind of like a blend of the two, that depending on who you talk to can either bring the best or the worst of big government and big business together.

Joan: How would you answer that question?

Rep. Opsommer: To me, it all comes down to how much taxpayers can be on the short end of the stick if a toll operator doesn’t get enough revenue. Let me explain how these work. In some cases, what will happen is the state will lease a piece of its infrastructure over to a third party. The state gets a big chunk of money upfront, and in exchange the private operator is allowed to use tolls or charge the state rent on those roads for several decades to both recoup that money and also make a profit. In other cases they will build a new road and essentially do the same thing.

Most people who have called my office are more concerned when existing infrastructure is leased out than they are over when something new is being built. They don’t like the idea that something that they have already paid for and already owned is being handed over. In the case of the DRIC bridge, we would be looking at them building something new. The main concern for me there is whether the state would have to come up with “availability payments” if toll revenue isn’t adequate to cover the cost of maintaining the bridge. Because if the state has to pay, we all know that really means taxpayers.

Joan: What is an availability payment?

Rep. Opsommer: I guess you could best describe it as a form of rent, kind of like a financial guarantee. Basically, MDOT could enter into one of these tolling agreements and structure it in a way where the private operator would be guaranteed a certain amount of money every month. It would be set up so that they would get that money primarily through tolls, but in months when not enough people drove, the state would step in and make up the difference. So that is one way taxpayers could end up on the hook if you do these wrong, because we would have to take that money somehow out of our general fund or gas tax revenue.

Joan: So why would the state make that guarantee? The way I have heard the DRIC bridge described it would be private companies taking on all the risk.

Rep. Opsommer: Well, that is kind of the rub, and the debate, and that is why people realize that a public-private partnership is not the same as a truly private project. In a truly private project, a private operator does assume all of the risk. If they have a month where ridership is down, they eat that. There are no guarantees for them, there are no noncompete clauses to protect them, and they can’t rely on eminent domain to secure property for them. Those are the kinds of questions that need to be answered before you can determine if a P3 is prudent or if it is just a government sanctioned monopoly.

Joan: What is a noncompete clause?

Rep. Opsommer: They can mean a lot of different things, but in general they are parts of these contracts that help to give the private operator certainty that they will be able to make a higher rate of return on their investment. In some past cases, they actually prohibited the public from building for example any new roads that were close enough to the toll road where they might be considered as competition. It is my understanding that type of clause is not used much anymore, in favor of what they call “compete penalties”. This is where the public could still build its own roads, but would first have to pay the operator compensation to retain that right.

So that is another way that tax dollars come into play on these deals. In some cases the contracts are written so that you can minimize the amount of compensation that would have to be owed by intentionally slowing down some other roads to make the toll road look more attractive. There was a case of this in Colorado I was reading about where they lowered the speed limit and added traffic lights on a parallel public road in an effort to get more people to use the toll road instead.

Joan: Really. Is that legal?

Rep. Opsommer: I’m not sure if there have ever been any decided court cases over that, but that is what is in some of these contracts and how they get enforced. These contracts get relied on and when people complain everyone shrugs their shoulders and says I didn’t vote for it, it’s part of the contract and out of my control. That is one reason why I think you still want the legislature to vote on where these contracts can be entered into, so we can put some qualifications on them to make sure they don’t run counter to legislative intent. I’m a free market advocate, but I’m not an advocate for a fixed market based on collusion and public manipulation.

Joan: Rep. Opsommer, you also mentioned eminent domain. Didn’t we change law so that you can’t take private property from one person if you are just doing that for another private entities business purposes or profit? There was a big reaction to the Supreme Court case.

Rep Opsommer: Well, it is my understanding that eminent domain concerns were one of the reasons for the moratorium on these in Texas. Depending on who you listen to they wanted to construct parts of the so called NAFTA superhighway, which was going to be a big project and was going to take a lot of land that some people didn’t want to sell.

I wasn’t there so I don’t know the ins and outs of all that, but I do have a question about eminent domain and how it would work under HB 4961 because of some clauses about additional commercial activities and also how they define an instrumentality of government. So you may not be talking about property just for roads and bridges, but also for gas stations, fast food restaurants, or things like hotels if they are part of the project. And even if eminent domain remains with a public body, it needs to be in a public body wholly from this state, not in a non-domestic instrumentality of government.

Joan: Rep. Opsommer would you please explain what an “instrumentality of government is?”

Rep. Opsommer: That is a good question, I’m not sure if it is entirely clear in HB 4961 as written. My first take on it is that it is a kind of “government authority”. Authorities are new governmental bodies that get made by other governments in order to do things jointly. For example, you may have several fire departments in different communities that come together and form a fire authority that somewhat merges the departments.

In the case of HB 4961, MDOT gets to create new authorities between them and other governmental units to form a new instrumentality of government that would govern a certain project. It would have the powers of MDOT, but other members in the authority would also get to help make decisions. When you look at how HB 4961 defines an instrumentality of government it includes governments from other countries and other states. So if a project gets governed by a mixed authority, you could have people from outside of Michigan having a vote on what happens regarding toll rates or eminent domain on the Michigan side of the border.

Joan: Well I find that alarming! Can you give me an example?

Rep. Opsommer: Well, let’s use the DRIC as an example. You could set it up so that Michigan owns its half of the bridge, and Canada the other half. Michigan then sets the toll rates on its side. That is how the Bluewater Bridge works for example. But if they want to create a new instrumentality of government to be the authority that governs the entire bridge and sets those rates, they need to find a way to bring Canada in. Some other bridges are set up that way.

I think it should be up to the legislature to be part of that process, determining how it would work, rather than just letting MDOT be able to approve it. I mean, Canada is supposedly loaning us $550 million dollars to help build this. I want to make sure there are no strings attached to that money. I don’t want a situation where as a result of that money we only end up owning 40% of the bridge. I don’t want to see a situation where eminent domain decisions are getting made on property holdouts on the Michigan side in way we can be outvoted.

Joan: And that hasn’t that all been decided?

Rep. Opsommer: No, not at all. You will read a lot in the main stream media that would make you think that. But there is nothing official. Remember, as you said, DRIC is not even mentioned in the bill. In fact, Canada or Canadian corporations being an instrumentality of government isn’t limited to just the DRIC. Like most of HB 4961, it is very open ended, and since they want to include governments from even other states, you have to assume that there are other mixed-governance projects like this that they have in mind.

Joan: Is it just Canada, or Canadian Corporations also?

Rep. Opsommer: The bill says both. I am looking into that, and they appear to be corporations that could best be described quickly as similar to not for profit corporations. I wanted to find out if the Ontario pension fund OMERS could be one of those corporations, but if they could I think it would have to be as a sister company.

Joan: Both? That’s another cause for alarm. Who is OMERS?

Rep. Opsommer: They are one of the likely bidders on a P3 for the DRIC. They were recently granted new investment powers by the Canadian government, and as we see more instability in stocks and bonds there is this push to find ways to turn transportation projects into a reliable stream of revenue. I think it is one of the reasons Canada is so interested in doing all of this. They have fought with the Ambassador Bridge on some issues, and if the DRIC would allow them to bypass that and also earn their pension funds profit at the same time, I see how this would be a big win for them.

Joan: So, what are your thoughts? Is the DRIC going to be built?

Rep. Opsommer: I honestly have no idea. It has passed out of the House, and could be voted on in the Senate any day. It’s obviously an important issue I have been involved with, but until I get answers to all of these questions its hard to say with any degree of certainty what it is you are even being asked to vote on. But as long as they are wrapping the DRIC bridge up into the P3 bill HB 4961 it will certainly be a highly controversial issue. I don’t want to see tolling take place in the counties I represent just because of a bridge debate on the other side of the state, especially when HB 4961 would strip me of being able to vote on it.

Joan: Are these laws allowing for that right to be stripped away in other states, or is this just being proposed in Michigan?

Rep. Opsommer: In some they only allow these with legislative approval, but in other cases they are indeed taking that power away. California is an example where their DOT doesn’t have as broad of power as what is being proposed in MI, but they recently changed the law there and stripped away the power from the legislature. So in some ways what MDOT is proposing is less than what they now have in California, but in other ways they want to mirror what Schwarzenegger has done and even go beyond that.

In Chicago they have done a lot of P3 projects, they recently turned their parking meters into a P3 project, and they almost did the same thing with the airport. Things have slowed down there a little because of the scandal with Governor Blagojevich that was in part due to him allegedly trying to raise cash with his unilateral ability to enter into projects like these. That case is now being heard, so we’ll have to see what the facts are in the end.

But Chicago has in general been raked over the coals for these deals because they have almost entirely spent all the money they received on these deals less than 5 years into them when most of the contracts last for 75-99 years. This is how they balanced their budget to a certain degree, but I think eventually they are going to run out of public infrastructure to put on the market, and they’ll end up at the exact same place they started.

Joan: Rep. Opsommer, thank you for your time. I appreciate your updating us on this important issue.

Rep. Opsommer: Thank-you.

The results of the M.A.P.S Candidate Questionnaire is BELOW

The Purpose of the M.A.P.S. Candidate Questionnaire Project is:

1. Provide a tool to help tea party movement adherents determine a Constitutional Conservative Candidate with character who is worthy of their time and money.
2. To encourage involvement BEFORE the Primary (and after) for the Constitutional Conservative Candidate with character, of choice.
The liberal progressives are working hard, we need to work harder in support of our candidates!

M.A.P.S IS NOT AN ENDORSEMENT RATHER A TOOL FOR YOU TO USE TO MAKE YOUR OWN CHOICE

Don’t see your candidate?
Any local, state or national Michigan candidate for office who wishes to fill out a Questionnaire may e-mail us at  grassrootsinmi@gmail.com and we will be happy to send a questionnaire

We will continue to send out the results of the M.A.P.S. Candidate Questionnaires as we receive them from candidates

REMEMBER: THE BEST WAY TO GET TO KNOW ANY CANDIDATE
IS TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THEM!

Additional sources of research when deciding on supporting a candidate:

Michigan Votes http://www.michiganvotes.org/

Right to Life of Michigan http://www.rtl.org/#

Open Congress http://www.opencongress.org/

On the Issues http://www.ontheissues.org/default.htm

Russell Kirk – Ten Conservative Principals http://www.kirkcenter.org/kirk/ten-principles.html

The Russell Kirk Center for Cultural Renewal is a nonprofit educational institute based in Mecosta, Michigan, home of the American writer and thinker Russell Kirk (1918–1994).

Click here for the M.A.P.S CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRE

M.A.P.S. Candidate Questionnaire Results

Click on the Candidate Name

Bill Schuette Candidate for Attorney General
Tom Stillings Candidate for 1st District House Congressional Seat
Michael Ennis Candidate for 9th District State Senate
Lori Levi Candidate for 21st District State House of Representatives
Michael Shmina Candidate for 32nd District State House of Representatives
Jeff Hall Candidate for 67th District State House of Representatives
Tricia Opper Candidate for 67th District State House of Representatives
Laurie Raines Candidate for 71st District State House of Representatives

FOR MICHIGAN AND AMERICA

Memorial Day, holiday in the United States observed in late May. Previously designated Decoration Day, it was inaugurated in 1868 by Gen. John A. Logan for the purpose of decorating the graves of Civil War veterans and has since become a day on which all war dead are commemorated.

Known as Decoration Day, the holiday was changed to Memorial Day within twenty years, becoming a holiday dedicated to the memory of all war dead. It became a federal holiday in 1971, and is now observed on the last Monday in May…to learn more about Memorial Day