REMEMBERING THEIR SACRIFICE

To those who sacrificed so much and to their families our eternal gratitude and profound respect....



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

Nothing Hurts More than the Loss of Your Dog

If you are a “dog parent” no explanation of grief is necessary, if you are not, no
explanation will suffice

I lost my Maddie Monday, May 17th. She was almost 15 /12 half years old. I had just nursed her back from to health from vestibular syndrome, completely healed, and was looking forward to a wonderful summer together. We had just got back from a vacation in the U.P. I have lots of great pictures. This one is one of my favorites

When a terrible accident occurred, something went wrong with the garage door and it opened on its own….it happens sometimes I am told but I never knew

It had opened once that day but when I came back Maddie was on her bed….I know now that it opened sometime soon after we came back from our walk in the park and she thought that we were going for our “neighborhood walk” because the car was in the garage, (Maddie knew that when the car was in a garage it was a neighborhood walk ) so I believe that’s why she went out and started walking to catch up with me on our walk and she just kept walking, she was about 4-5 miles from my house which I would have never ever thought she would go so far…..I looked with a flashlight in my neighborhood for hours…..then came the awful call from the police….I think she made have had a heart attack…so very far for her to have walked.

The Lord is giving me “a peace that passes all understanding”….not that it isn’t very painful, I am grieving and grief must run its course He gave me a vision of Him calling Maddie, patting her on the head and taking her to my “mansion” to wait for me….her long journey was over



I became Maddie’s mom when she was 12 weeks ago. She was a little ball of Chow/Lab red fluff, with a black mask and like the Chow in her, a black tongue I didn’t know her exact date of birth so I assigned her January 22, 1995. Together we were “apackof2”

Maddie was a one of-a-kind. I often referred to her as "Maddie the Wonderdog". You could ask anyone who knew her. Maddie was intelligent, independent, dignified, beautiful, an excellent hunter, watchdog and an amazing athlete, adaptable, adorable, charming, loving companion and travel buddy. I adored her and she loved me with that “unconditional love” reserved for only dogs and God and that dog parents are so very blessed to know.

We always walked, in parks where she could be off leach and hunt. When a youngster
She would take off and be gone too long, sometimes 2 hours while I frantically searched for her, I would go back to where the car was parked and there she would be! She did learn that choices had consequences method, “Good come, no leach, bad come leach”! And she learned to come back when called or tell time and come back in a reasonable period and it became part of our walk…if she took off on an excellent adventure, I would continue my walk knowing that if she didn’t catch up to me on the trail then she would be waiting at the car when I returned.

She always came back. Oh were there a few times when a thrilling adventure took her longer than she should and I would get anxious and worried and look but she always came back, head hung knowing she might get a spanking..(Then a loving)

She was a wonderful watchdog, the Chow in her made sure she only barked when necessary so she was a quiet girl. She had a doggie door and could come and go as she pleased and she preferred to be outdoors protecting our yard from furry critters

She had a "Yuppie Puppy treat machine" that she was a wiz at…a gum ball machine gadget with a fake bone that she pushed and treats came out!








She traveled everywhere with me and was a great traveling companion, always ready for an adventure, quiet so readily accepted anywhere. Five years ago we went out West, Montana, and Wyoming and stayed at motels and the ranch and where ever we went she became the “mascot” She was a welcome guest at friends, even over night.

She would wait patiently for me in the car if necessary. We went everywhere together, even for short errands rides because we just wanted to be together.
She would poke her nose out the window to catch all those great smells! At times, when stopped at a light I would see the driver of the car next to ours looking over at her sitting up so straight, and they would have big smiles, she made such a pretty delightful picture!

She loved to put her head down and to the side and stick her bottom up in the air for a good scratch she did a thousand adorable things that made me laugh, gave me joy, endeared me to her, and made me fall deeper in love.

I was so blessed to be her mom for over 15 years, to know that kind of love. My friend Kevin said, “The only time they hurt you is when they die”
And it’s true

But I know my Maddie is waiting for me in my “mansion”

In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you (John 14:2)

It’s personal. My “mansion” will be different from yours. In my mansion will dwell all the dogs I have ever loved and that have so unconditionally loved me. Gloried doggie bodies.

And Jesus does return on a white horse, so where does the white horse cone from?

I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. ….The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean…..
On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. Revelation 19:11-16


No, there are animals in Heaven. And my Maddie is there now, in my mansion, patiently waiting for our reunion

"Be comforted, little dog, thou too in the Resurrection shall have a golden tail”
Martin Luther from the book” “A Friend Like No Other" by H. Norman Wright


Tribute to a Dog

The best friend a man has in the world may turn against him and become his enemy. His son or daughter that he has reared with loving care may prove ungrateful. Those who are nearest and dearest to us, those whom we trust with our happiness and our good name may become traitors to their faith. The money that a man has, he may lose. It flies away from him, perhaps when he needs it most. A man's reputation may be sacrificed in a moment of ill-considered action. The people who are prone to fall on their knees to do us honor when success is with us, may be the first to throw the stone of malice when failure settles its cloud upon our heads.
The one absolutely unselfish friend that man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous is his dog. A man's dog stands by him in prosperity and in poverty, in health and in sickness. He will sleep on the cold ground, where the wintry winds blow and the snow drives fiercely, if only he may be near his master's side. He will kiss the hand that has no food to offer. He will lick the wounds and sores that come in encounters with the roughness of the world. He guards the sleep of his pauper master as if he were a prince. When all other friends desert, he remains. When riches take wings, and reputation falls to pieces, he is as constant in his love as the sun in its journey through the heavens.
If fortune drives the master forth, an outcast in the world, friendless and homeless, the faithful dog asks no higher privilege than that of accompanying him, to guard him against danger, to fight against his enemies. And when the last scene of all comes, and death takes his master in its embrace and his body is laid away in the cold ground, no matter if all other friends pursue their way, there by the graveside will the noble dog be found, his head between his paws, his eyes sad, but open in alert watchfulness, faithful and true even in death.

George Graham Vest - c. 1855

Apackof2

That's the Way Ahuh, ahuh We Like it, Ahuh ahuh!...And a M.A.P.S Update

Gov Christie tells it like it is..






.....The M.A.P.S Volunteer Campaign Workshop May 13 got off to a great start! Precinct delegates, candidates and a tea party organizer were in attendance and enthusiasm was high.

Request to conduct more Workshops and from candidates for our Questionnaire continue to come in. We are working on an evaluating the Questionnaire and making the results available shortly...please check back!

Some photos from the Workshop

Presenter Kelly Harrigan

During the break....

"Tag Team" Kelly and I field some questions

M.A.P.S is Coming....Are YOU Ready?

Introducing M.A.P.S…

Dear Fellow Patriot and Constitutional Conservative:

As you know, we need to ensure that Constitutional Conservatives get elected this November so that we can end the Bailout, TARP, Porkulus, Obamacare madness both in Washington and in our own backyard!
As the TEA Party Movement grows and matures, more citizen activists are asking for concrete ways that they can put their energies to work for candidates who will carry their message of constitutionally limited government and fiscal responsibility to Washington, Lansing, county seats, city halls, even school boards. With so many seats up for grabs this year, knowing where to donate time and resources can be overwhelming!

To address this growing need for action-oriented opportunities which will put lead on the proverbial target to stem the tide of the job-killing, freedom-threatening, Obama/Pelosi/Reid agenda both locally and nationally, Grassroots in Michigan and the Lansing, MI TEA Party are pleased to announce the launch of the Mobile Action Patriot Strikeforce, or M.A.P.S.

Time: May 13, 2010 from 7pm to 9pm
Location: Community Faith Church
Street: 2495 North Cedar Street (behind Krogers)
City/Town: Holt, MI 48842

As the TEA Party Movement has never been “one-size-fits-all,” some TEA Party activists may choose to engage directly with their local political party, while others may choose to work directly with specific campaigns. M.A.P.S provides a unique opportunity for Constitutional Conservative grassroots activists to come together, as folks did to elect Scott Brown,to provide a manpower boost when and where it is most needed. In doing so, we insure that our principles and values are being advanced in the places that matter most.

Don’t wait!

There’s much work to be done between now and November and the stakes have never been higher.Sign up today at Grassroots in Michigan

We know we want to Take Michigan Back! We also know how to get there from here. We’ve got our M.A.P.S! Now it’s time to roll! Don’t miss out on the fun.

Please join us!

JUST IN! HB 6075: A necessary step to regulate abortion coverage under national healthcare if the Cox lawsuit is not successful

State Representative Paul Opsommer announced today the introduction of HB 6075, which he said was a necessary step to regulate abortion coverage under national healthcare if the Cox lawsuit is not successful.

"I do not trust a temporary executive order to make sure we're not using taxpayer money to perform abortions", said Opsommer.

Either do we!

Posting from a remote location deep in the Hiawatha National Forest in the beautiful Upper Peninsula of Michigan (on vacation at last :)

HB 6075

Tea Party News and Pictures..

34% Say They Or Someone Close To Them Part of Tea Party Movement

Twenty-four percent (24%) of U.S. voters now say they consider themselves a part of the Tea Party movement, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. That’s an eight-point increase from 16% a month ago. .....TO READ THE REST OF THE ARTICLE CLICK HERE

Sights and Sounds of a Lansing Tea Party

TAX DAY TEA PARTY AT YOUR STATE CAPITOL

When: April 15, 2010 Noon-2:00pm
Where: The State Capital Building
100 N. Capitol Ave, Lansing, MI

April 15th marks the day when many Americans pay more than their fair share in taxes. Grass roots patriots in Michigan will join thousands across the state of Michigan and the nation to voice our opposition to big government and spending that has pushed the federal deficit to record levels as part of the continuing movement of nationwide “Tea Parties.”

The protest is one of hundreds to be held at the same time in cities and towns all across Michigan and the United States. Tea parties will also be held in Chicago, Washington, Atlanta, Anchorage, Honolulu, Phoenix, Sacramento, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Fort Worth, San Diego, Portland, Ore., and at hundreds of other locations.

Joan Fabiano of Grassroots in Michigan says, “As Michiganders we have seen the results of progressive tax and spend policies. After eight years Michigan is in shambles. Unemployment is at almost 15%, the Car Capitol of the World has seen a government take over of GM, jobs evaporate, foreclosures rise and families leave.”

Fabiano, goes on to say,” 2010 is the year that We the People will "Take Michigan Back" from the politicians and progressive policies that have brought Michigan down a road towards ruin and economic destruction.”

BE THERE!

BRING YOUR STATE OF MICHIGAN FLAG

Just in..Bernanke Warns of Dangers Posed by Deficit

Bernanke on the topic of deficits and government spending: “To avoid large and unsustainable budget deficits, the nation will ultimately have to choose among higher taxes, modifications to entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare, less spending on everything else from education to defense, or some combination of the above”. Republicans are opposed to raising taxes, and democrats are loathe cut cut entitlement programs, the combination of which help to explain why our country has such massive debt problems......

TODAY! MAKE A CALL FOR MICHIGAN SOVEREIGNTY

I spoke with Rep. Opssommer yesterday and he informed that he would be having a meeting with Mark Meadows THIS WEDNESDAY about HJR YY

As you recall HJR YY would amend Michigan's Constitution by creating a Federalism Commission to charged with monitoring and reviewing federal laws and mandates to determine if they violate the Michigan Constitution or if they violate such areas as the 9th and 10th Amendments of the US Constitution. If any law is considered unconstitutional then legislation is introduced to nullify it. HJY YY also includes Memorandums of Understanding which have created a “shadow government” by contacts that often exceed authority.

HJR YY is in House Judiciary Committee now.
Committees can be where bills go to die.
We need to get it out and on the committee calendar!

YOU CAN HELP BY CALLING OR E-MAIL TODAY

Tell Rep Meadows you want HJR YY to be put on the Committee Calendar for a hearing

Rep. Mark Meadows, (Chair)
Phone: (517) 373-1786
Fax: (517) 373-5717
Email markmeadows@house.mi.gov


Together we can Take Michigan Back!

AFTER ACTION REPORT: Tea Party Express Michigan

You'll have to excuse my brevity here but I am still recovering from a whirlwind and demanding tour schedule as a guest speaker for the Michigan leg of the Tea Party Express. Ten cities and over 500 miles in 4 days! Great turnout in all cities and Bart Stupak resigns...Perfect :)

Well every picture tells a story doesn't it? So I'll let the pictures do that PHOTO ALBUM OF TEA PARTY EXPRESS MICHIGAN TOUR

Just a few pictures of the many uploaded to the album...



Escanaba, MI



Sault Sainte Marie, MI


Cheboygan, MI


Petoskey, MI


Traverse City, MI

Grand Rapids, MI


State Capitol, Lansing, MI



Metro Detroit (Clinton Township, MI)

LIVE Blogging from the Tea Party Express!

Friday, April 9

Just left Escanaba, wonderful turnout of Yoppers Patriots and another sunny day, Mike Cox featured speaker...along with candidates vying for the retiring Bart Stupak's seat, Daniel J. Benishek, Tom Stillings and Don Cooperalong with candidates vying for the retiring Bart Stupak's seat, Dan, Tom Stillings and Don Cooper

Friday, April 9 Live Updates from the Tea Party Express Tour ....up early buses roll out of Ironwood at 7:15am! Great rally....fired up patriots ready to replace Stupak! On our way to Escanaba..

I will live blogging from the Tea Party Express bus so check back for updates

I just arrived in Duluth, MN and at a Rally before heading into Michigan.great sunny day here!

HOPE TO MEET YOU! Come on out to a location near you

Besides being a speaker, I will be on the Tea Party Express bus doing a daily blog as well as other social networking activities such as Face Book, (search for "Grassroots in Michigan") on Twitter as "apackof2" And MIgrassroots look for the hashtags #mitcot and #TPEXMI hashtags in addition to our Grassroots in Michigan Ning site and our Grassroots in Michigan site

UPDATED Tea Party Express Flier with All MI Cities

Liberal "reporter" and homosexual Activist Tries to Bully His Way Into Private Meeting!

Many in the tea party movement are aware of the increasing attempts by liberals (progressives) to try and smear tea party activists or tie the whole movement to a few extremists. We are also aware of the intimidation tactics often used by the left to bully or scare tea party activists or even in some cases use physical violence

We are also well aware that these nefarious attempts are because the leftist are genuinely afraid of the affects the tea party movement has had in countering the socialist/fascist agenda by the current administration as evidence by the Unconstitutional abomination commonly known as the health care bill.

Last night, the tea party group, Grassroots in Michigan experienced a taste of these intimidation tactics at a private meeting held for members

First of all it is important to note that citizens have a right to gather at voluntary members meetings. Grassroots in Michigan is not a government entity, non-profit, 501(c) (3) or (4), or incorporated in any way. Grassroots in Michigan is a true grassroots group consisting of like-minded Michigan citizens and as such we have a right to gather and have simple rules.

One such rule is that we do not allow reporters at our meeting. Never have. The reasons are simple, the meetings are for members to discuss various topics without feeling that are under a microscope or that they may be mis-quoted. We want to foster the exchange of ideas within a safe and private environment, which is our prerogative and right.

However that changed last night, Thursday as a “reporter” from the liberal online blog Michigan Messenger, Todd Heywood attempted to bully his way into our meeting and use” ambush” Style interview tactics on our unwary members as they came to the meeting. Questions such as, “Why won’t she let me in and "What is going on in there!” to members who were unaware of that had been transpiring over a period of several days.

I have had a previous experience with Mr. Heywood hostile and un-factual “reporting” in January when he posted this below. The statements in red are attributed to me by Mr. Heywood when they are in fact made by another. My response is below where I point out that fact.

Michigan tea bag protestors won’t join national protest at Detroit Auto Show
I would post the link buy why give them the hits?

By Todd A. Heywood 1/11/10 10:20 AM
As the Detroit Auto Show gets underway this week, thousands are expected to attend the event, including U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
That announcement lead the national Tea Party movement to call on their supporters to converge on the auto show to protest “Government Motors.” The folks in the movement are opposed to the bailouts which helped the Chrysler and GM move in and out of bankruptcy quickly last year.

But this weekend, Joan Fabiano from the Michigan grass roots tea party and based in the Lansing area, issued a facebook statement saying the national folks could not count on the Michigan “patriots” to join them in Detroit.

In conclusion it is my opinion that this protest is ill-conceived and quite frankly an attempt at attention grabbing grand standing by those outside and unfortunately inside of Michigan.

Fabiano in her statement reminds the national movement that she is a “Christian” and that there are thousands of Christians who had nothing to do with the bail out but work for GM. To this revelation she asks:
Why must some Americans boycott G.M. and throw INNOCENT people, such as myself, out on the street trying to find another job in this economy? Did I do something wrong? Would you like to see yourself out of a job if your company’s leadership made the errors and you had NOTHING to do with it?

There is irony at work here. Fabiano is a retired General Motors employee who would likely have lost a lot had the Obama administration not stepped in to prop up the nation’s largest automaker and guide it through bankruptcy proceedings. And now she’s shocked — shocked! — that anyone would protest such a bailout.

And yet Fabiano herself rants against the government bailout of the banks. At the July 4 tea party at the state Capitol in Lansing she shouted, “We are tired of the out-of-control spending, tired of the socialization of our government, tired of the erosion of our personal liberties.”

She appears in a movie that protests the similar bailouts of banks. Does she not realize that banks have employees too and that failing to help the banks would also have harmed innocent employees of those banks who were not responsible for the behavior of the company’s leadership?

On her own blog, Fabiano regularly inveighs against government bailouts. It just doesn’t seem to apply when a bailout benefits her.

My Responce:

Joanfabiano 2 months ago
In the interest of truth, which appears to be a foreign concept here judging by this post.......the comments attributed to me by this web site are NOT mine, but were left on a public web site as quoted in my letter by another poster, a current GM worker..."Additionally, I believe this comment left by a current GM worker on yet another “national site” speaks volumes to us Michiganders."Why must some Americans boycott G.M. and throw INNOCENT people, such as myself, out on the street trying to find another job in this economy? Did I do something wrong? Would you like to see yourself out of a job if your company’s leadership made the errors and you had NOTHING to do with it?"

If anyone would bother to actually take a few minutes on my blog, it would become obvious that I favored bankruptcy over a government take over of GM, potentially incurring a loss of income and benefits to myself...But why bother with facts when cherry-picking is easy and fits your agenda?

And first you rail against tea party protests, now you rail when a tea party doesn't protest..so very fickle! Or perhaps it interferes with your "lock step" theory of the tea party movement

However thanks for the PR for my blog and the new film documentary that your low readership may generate

Joan Fabiano


What had transpired over several days was this:

I had posted our Grassroots in Michigan Meet Up on Face Book

I received a message from Todd Heywood asking for the location stating he intended to come to the meeting. Todd Heywood is not my friend on Facebook, however evidently one of my friends passed who was, passed along the invite to our meeting

I replied to him that we allow do not allow reporters at our meetings.

On Thursday I received a phone call from him and as was just getting ready to step into the shower, I told him to call back. He called back and evidently I missed his call. He left a message stating he WAS coming to our meeting.

Additionally he called the church that we rent for our meetings to confirm the location.

Because of his aggressive stance and that he obviously did not respect our rights, we were rightfully concerned that he may try to force his way in, or cause a disturbance to “create” a story.

In order to protect our members and our right to privacy, we went into a “lock down” mode, locking the front door and manning it with a “beefy” patriot allowing invited members entrance. Mr. Heywood, asked several times, why he was disbarred, knowing full well why and continued to “interview” unwary members coming to our meeting. (See video below) It is important to note also that Mr. Heywood positioned himself in front of the church, which is private property. We could have called the police but we knew this was probably what he wanted, to "create” a scene then report on it.



I suspect Mr. Heywood's interest in coming to our meeting was because of our invited speaker, Joe Folland, Michigan Director of Oath Keepers

Recently an extremist group in Adrian,Michigan calling themselves “christain” were arrested by the FBI. There have been attempts by the liberal media to connect these extremists to the tea party movement or other lawful militia groups in a organized campaign to smear the whole tea party movement.

Or perhaps it was because Mr. Heywood knew that I was invited on the Michigan leg of the Tea Party Express III “Vote Them Out Tour Or perhaps both.

The bottom line here is that liberals do not respect the privacy and rights of others. That reported attempts to smear, and intimidate tea party groups are a reality and ARE happening.

However as citizen patriots, these attempts are BACKFIRING and only increases our desire to fight for our country, our form of government, a representative Republic and our way to life and have increased the public awareness of these despicable actions.

"I have not yet begun to fight" John Paul Jones
Naval officer of the American Revolutionary War

ASSERT MICHIGAN'S SOVEREIGHTY! SUPPORT HJR YY!

Why is HJR YY so critically needed?

If enacted into law and formally approved by voters, HJR YY would:

Amend the state Constitution to Create a Federalism Commission bicameral and bipartisan commission
charged with monitoring and reviewing federal laws and mandates to determine if they violate the Michigan Constitution or if they violate such areas as the 9th and 10th Amendments of the US Constitution


The "why" behind HJR YY is two-fold:
Firstly, in cases where the Joint Federalism Commission determines a violation exists, the law will provide for an expedited process for the commission to then push appropriate legislation to nullify to the floor for voting by all members within 10 session days.

The second "why" that makes this legislation necessary is:

Because of the increasing role of so called "Memorandums of Understanding," "Compacts," and other agreements between Michigan and other governments, most notably at the federal level.

Most voters are not aware of what a "Memorandum of Understanding" is, or that they can carry the formal force of law.

In many cases such memorandums are created under dubious authority. In other cases, the legislature does vote to grant authority for a memorandum to be entered into, but then what the memorandum actually does often exceeds that authority, or delves into areas that are beyond the scope of the authorizing legislation.

HJR YY has been Referred to Judiciary Committee

IMMEDIATE ACTION TO TAKE:
Call the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee to have HJR YY placed on the calendar for a meeting

Rep. Mark Meadows, (Chair)
Phone: (517) 373-1786Fax: (517) 373-5717
Email markmeadows@house.mi.gov

Request that legislation to put on calendar
BE COURTEOUS WHEN CONTACTING THE OFFICES

We will monitor the JudiciaryCommittee Calendar when HJR YY is placed on the Committee Calendar to implement the rest of the ACTION PLAN.
CHECK BACK FOR AN UPDATE

ACTION PLAN WITH LINK TO HJR YY CAN BE PRINTED OUT AND DOWN-LOADED

ACTION PLAN FOR HJR YY PASSAGE

Michigan Tea Party Organizer to Join Tea Party ExpressIII “Vote Them Tour”

Exciting News! I have been invited to be on the Michigan leg of the Tea Party Express “Vote Them Out” Tour!(On the "About" page under “Special Guests”) The Michigan leg of the tour is April 8-11, and the bus will be coming to Ironwood, Escanaba, Sault Sainte Marie, Traverse City Grand Rapids, Lansing and Detroit. This is a tremendous opportunity to bring the message of "Take Michigan Back" to Michiganders across the state!

Besides being a speaker,I will be on the Tea Party Express bus doing a daily blog as well as other social networking activities such as Face Book,Search for "Grassroots in Michigan" on Twitter and MIgrassroots look for #mitcot and #TPEXMI hashtags.

Our own Michigan Sovereignty logo is displayed on the Tea Party Express main page under "Sponsors"

Please help to get the word out! A printable Flier for distribution with all Michigan Rally information can be found by CLICKING THE FLIER PICTURE

LET'S HAVE A BIG MICHIGAN TURN OUT!

The leftist are out in full force to prevent our 1st Amendment Rights! Andrew Britbart describes the attempt by leftists to prevent people from coming to the Stop Harry Reid kick off Tea Party Express Rally and throwing eggs at the bus!

Timeline of Major Provisions in the Democrats’ Health Care Package

Timeline of Major Provisions in the Democrats’ Health Care Package

So this is what change looks like...

We Have Not Yet Begun to Fight

Kill or Nullify Health Care Flash Rally-Protest THIS SUNDAY!

Time: March 21, 2010 from 2pm to 3:30pm
Location: Capitol Ave in front of the State Capitol
Street: 100 N. Capitol Ave
City/Town: Lansing

The US Congress is poised to "deem and pass" one of, if not the most damaging bill in US history. They are doing this despite the fact that an overwhelming majority of Americans are against it.

WASHINGTON IS NOT LISTENING TO US

It's time to put pressure on our elected officials in Michigan!

If there is no way to kill this bill, then Michigan needs to exert its 10th Amendment Sovereignty and

NULLIFY this bill!

A number of states, like Idaho, are passing provisions that would either prohibit it from becoming a law in their state, or would require the state to file a suit.

Michigan has such a provision. House Joint Resolution, HJR YY introduced by Rep. Opsommer, that is in the Judiciary Committee.
Click to Learn More About HJR YY

This Joint Resolution would amend Michigan’s Constitution to create a Federalism Committee charged with monitoring and reviewing federal laws and mandates to determine if they violate the Michigan Constitution or if they violate such areas as the 9th and 10th Amendments of the US Constitution. Federalism Commission determines a violation exists, the law will provide for an expedited process for the commission to then push appropriate legislation to the floor to nullify.

Rep. Paul Opsommer will be joining us!

**BRING SIGNS, STATE FLAG!**

EXPEL SLAUGHTER!

CONTACT YOUR MICHIGAN HOUSE REP ASK THEM TO START EXPULSION OF SLAUGHTER ACCORDING TO Article 1, Section 7 of the Constitution says that in order for a "Bill" to "become a Law," it "shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Wall Street Journal

Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-N.Y

We're not sure American schools teach civics any more, but once upon a time they taught that under the U.S. Constitution a bill had to pass both the House and Senate to become law. Until this week, that is, when Speaker Nancy Pelosi is moving to merely "deem" that the House has passed the Senate health-care bill and then send it to President Obama to sign anyway.

Under the "reconciliation" process that began yesterday afternoon, the House is supposed to approve the Senate's Christmas Eve bill and then use "sidecar" amendments to fix the things it doesn't like. Those amendments would then go to the Senate under rules that would let Democrats pass them while avoiding the ordinary 60-vote threshold for passing major legislation. This alone is an abuse of traditional Senate process.

But Mrs. Pelosi & Co. fear they lack the votes in the House to pass an identical Senate bill, even with the promise of these reconciliation fixes. House Members hate the thought of going on record voting for the Cornhusker kickback and other special-interest bribes that were added to get this mess through the Senate, as well as the new tax on high-cost insurance plans that Big Labor hates.

So at the Speaker's command, New York Democrat Louise Slaughter, who chairs the House Rules Committee, may insert what's known as a "self-executing rule," also known as a "hereby rule." Under this amazing procedural ruse, the House would then vote only once on the reconciliation corrections, but not on the underlying Senate bill. If those reconciliation corrections pass, the self-executing rule would say that the Senate bill is presumptively approved by the House—even without a formal up-or-down vote on the actual words of the Senate bill.

Democrats would thus send the Senate bill to President Obama for his signature even as they claimed to oppose the same Senate bill. They would be declaring themselves to be for and against the Senate bill in the same vote. Even John Kerry never went that far with his Iraq war machinations. As we went to press, the precise mechanics that Democrats will use remained unclear, though yesterday Mrs. Pelosi endorsed this "deem and pass" strategy in a meeting with left-wing bloggers.

This two-votes-in-one gambit is a brazen affront to the plain language of the Constitution, which is intended to require democratic accountability. Article 1, Section 7 of the Constitution says that in order for a "Bill" to "become a Law," it "shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate." This is why the House and Senate typically have a conference committee to work out differences in what each body passes. While sometimes one house cedes entirely to another, the expectation is that its Members must re-vote on the exact language of the other body's bill.

As Stanford law professor Michael McConnell pointed out in these pages yesterday, "The Slaughter solution attempts to allow the House to pass the Senate bill, plus a bill amending it, with a single vote. The senators would then vote only on the amendatory bill. But this means that no single bill will have passed both houses in the same form." If Congress can now decide that the House can vote for one bill and the Senate can vote for another, and the final result can be some arbitrary hybrid, then we have abandoned one of Madison's core checks and balances.

Yes, self-executing rules have been used in the past, but as the Congressional Research Service put it in a 2006 paper, "Originally, this type of rule was used to expedite House action in disposing of Senate amendments to House-passed bills." They've also been used for amendments such as to a 1998 bill that "would have permitted the CIA to offer employees an early-out retirement program"—but never before to elide a vote on the entire fundamental legislation.

We have entered a political wonderland, where the rules are whatever Democrats say they are.

Mrs. Pelosi and the White House are resorting to these abuses because their bill is so unpopular that a majority even of their own party doesn't want to vote for it. Fence-sitting Members are being threatened with primary challengers, a withdrawal of union support and of course ostracism.

Michigan's Bart Stupak is being pounded nightly by MSNBC for the high crime of refusing to vote for a bill that he believes will subsidize insurance for abortions.

Democrats are, literally, consuming their own majority for the sake of imposing new taxes, regulations and entitlements that the public has roundly rejected but that they believe will be the crowning achievement of the welfare state. They are also leaving behind a procedural bloody trail that will fuel public fury and make such a vast change of law seem illegitimate to millions of Americans.

The concoction has become so toxic that even Mrs. Pelosi isn't bothering to defend the merits anymore, saying instead last week that "we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it." Or rather, "deeming" to have passed it.

AND JUST AS A REMINDER:

Although the White House called for a "simple up or down vote" before Louise Slaughter came up with the idea to use the Constitution like so much toilet paper, Nancy Pelosi in 2008 blocked an up or down vote on drilling, closed down the House and went on a book tour! But for progressives a simple up or down vote is so “yesterday” as they continue their onslaught on our Constitution and our Republic.

However, we, The People, will not slumber nor sleep in our Battle for the Republic!

"The price of freedom is eternal vigilance."
-- Thomas Jefferson

Stupak Waffles on the Health Care Bill!

Fax and Call Stupak!

From Fox News

Stupak had said last week that nothing had changed and he didn't think the House leaders had the votes to pass the bill.

But on Monday (are we really surprised?) he said he will resume talks with House leaders this week in a quest for wording that would impose no new limits on abortion rights but also would not allow use of federal money for abortions.

"I'm more optimistic than I was a week ago," Stupak told The Associated Press.

Call Bart Stupak and tell him even if all the provisions for abortion are removed you are still against this Bill.

According to The Hill

The "Cornhusker KickBack” is out “President Barack Obama’s healthcare reform proposal released Monday eliminates controversial funds given to Nebraska as part of a deal to win the support of centrist Sen. Ben Nelson (D).”

But the ”Louisiana Purchase” is still in. “Obama’s bill, however, does not specifically remove $300 million of Medicaid funds pegged for disaster relief for which Louisiana is the only state eligible.”

Tell Stupack THIS BILL NEEDS TO BE KILLED, PERIOD!

Rep. Bart Stupak Contact Information

Washington, D.C. Office
Phone: (202) 225-4735
Fax: (202) 225-4744

Petoskey Office:
Phone: (231) 348-0657
Fax: (231) 348-0653

Marquette Office:
Phone: (906) 228-3700
Fax: (906) 228-2305

Alpena Office:
Phone: (989) 356-0690
Fax: (989) 356-0923

Escanaba Office:
Phone: (906) 786-4504
Fax: (906) 786-4534

Houghton Office:
Phone: (906) 482-1371
Fax: (906) 482-4855

Crystal Falls Office:
Phone: (906) 875-3751
Fax: (906) 875-3889

West Branch Office:
Phone: (989) 345-2258
Fax: (989) 345-2285