Mark Behnke Challenges Kate Segal

Mark Behnke, a former Mayor of Battle Creek, Calhoun County Commissioner, and current Battle Creek city commissioner will challenge democrat Kate Segal for the 62nd state house seat. The 62nd got more democrat in redistricting, adding Bedford. If any Republican can win it, it would be Behnke.

Mark Behnke challenges Kate Segal

Multiple Submission

The exact same letter from Chadwick Dillon was submitted to three different papers. The papers write the headlines, of course.

Upton addressing energy concerns with proactive measures (Letter)
Upton bullish on American energy
Upton: More American energy

As a WMU CR alum, I've learned quite a bit about the conservative movement and debating with the left. I've now taken that skill and now I'm contributing to Misfit Politics. If you'd like to see some of what I've been up to, head over here. Hopefully you'll be able to find some useful information when you run into a liberal.

Goodbye Lugar

Indiana Republicans tossed out longtime (36 year) senator Dick Lugar. Treasurer Richard Mourdock won by a huge 61%-39% margin. Lugar is an establishment Republican (ACU 77%) who has an F rating from the NRA. He is a foreign policy internationalist who loves the United Nations and the awful Law of the Sea Treaty.

Could another Republican incumbent lose just to the north in Michigan 6?

PS: North Carolina passed a marriage amendment 61%-39%.

Galesburg Rejects Millages

The Galesburg-Augusta school district has rejected two millages by an almost 2-1 margin. Gull Lake passed its millage.

http://www.electionmagic.com/results/mi/K39results/K3900101sum.htm

Borgfjord Challenges Balkema

Democrat Grace Borgfjord is challenging Republican Mary Balkema to be Kalamazoo County Treasurer. Balkema was first appointed in 2007 to replace the retiring Sharon Cubitt and was narrowly elected to a full term in 2008 in a bad year for Republicans.

Democrat Grace Borgfjord to run against incumbent Mary Balkema for Kalamazoo County Treasurer

Borgfjord holds two elected offices. As a member of the Mattawan School Board, Borgfjord twice voted for massive tax increases that were rejected by Mattawan voters.

In 2006, she ran a Republican for Oshtemo township board, narrowly losing to Jim Grace in the primary. Two years later, she ran as a democrat, winning in the 2008 wave. Clearly, she was misrepresenting herself when she first ran.

She was involved in a controversy over benefits received by the part-time township trustees.

It is likely that opposition to Balkema will stem more from the principled stand she took against the Kalamazoo discrimination ordinance than anything she has done as treasurer.

Borgfjord has almost no relevant experience and should not be trusted with Kalamazoo County's money.

NRA Alert

It's about time. There is no excuse for the Republicans in Lansing not to have passed this already.

Michigan House Committee to Consider Repeal of Handgun Permit-to-Purchase and Registration

The Michigan House Judiciary Committee will have a hearing on Thursday, May 17, to review an important and long-overdue bill that would eliminate the state handgun “permit-to-purchase” and registration requirements. This committee will hear House Bill 5225 and consider this proposed amendment language that will be used as a substitute for HB 5225 when this hearing takes place.

HB 5225, introduced by state Representative Paul Opsommer (R-93), would abolish the bureaucratic “permit-to-purchase” handguns which became obsolete when the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) went into effect in 1998. Under the current state system, gun buyers must apply with their local law enforcement agency and pass a written test before being authorized to buy a handgun. This “permit” is valid for only one gun and it expires after ten days. Since 1998, federal law has required a national criminal records check for the purchase of any firearm from any gun dealer in every state. Some of the key points of the proposed amendment to HB 5225 are:

Repeal the state requirement for someone to ask for police permission to purchase a firearm by traveling to a local police station and obtaining a permit to purchase.

Repeal the requirement to register a completely legally purchased and owned firearm by a law-abiding citizen to be registered with the government through the police.

Adopt the use of the federally-funded National Instant Criminal Background Check System.

Default to the federal standard of prohibited persons and each purchase would still require a background check.

Cut Michigan’s costs by using the federally-administered instant background check system and eliminate wasted man-hours of tracking lawful gun owners in Michigan.

The NRA has been working diligently to repeal this antiquated, costly and unnecessary obstacle for gun owners and has coordinated with several state Representatives to produce new language for HB 5225. Two companion bills are also moving through the House: House Bill 5498, sponsored by state Representative Richard LeBlanc (D-18), and House Bill 5499, sponsored by state Representative Ray Franz (R-101).

Please contact members of the state House Judiciary Committee and respectfully urge them to support HB 5225. Committee member contact information is provided here.

Main Street Advocacy Smears Jack

One of the groups sending out mailers attacking Jack Hoogendyk is Main Street Advocacy. This is a self-consciously moderate Republican group.

Their mailing to the 6th district said:

Jack Hoogendyk's Record:
Higher taxes, More spending

Politicians like Jack Hoogendyk keep raising our taxes to pay for more government spending, leaving us broke. Jack Hoogendyk is running for Congress claiming to be a fiscal conservative, but his rhetoric just doesn't match his record.

as a county commissioner, Jack Hoogendyk voted to raise spending on both budgets he voted on.

Hoogendyk twice voted to block property tax rollbacks that had been promised, and even voted to raise the hotel/motel tax to pay for more spending.

Vote Against Higher Taxes and More Spending.
Vote Against Jack Hoogendyk for Congress.

The record is clear: Jack Hoogendyk voted for higher taxes and more spending, leaving taxpayers with a lot less money in their wallets.

They are obviously getting their talking points straight from the Upton campaign. Fred Upton was a cofounder of the Republican Main Street Partnership.

Main Street Advocacy ran into some campaign finance trouble in Montana back in 2010. They had received $10,000 in funding from the Marxist Service Employees International Union (SEIU).

Advocacy group refunds $10,000 to union, files with state
Information about Main Street Advocacy
‘Rational conservatives’ group halts campaign in Montana

Previous:
Upton Smears Jack (Part 3)
Upton Smears Jack (Part 2)
Upton Smears Jack
Jack's Response to Upton Mailer

Kalamazoo Immigration Protest

A group of Kalamazoo high school students staged a walkout on Mayday, the international communist holiday to protest against enforcement of immigration laws.

Immigration concerns prompt Kalamazoo high school students to cut class and protest (video)
Kalamazoo high school walkout shines light on immigration reform

This quote was particularly juicy.

“The laws being created in Arizona — SB 1070 — are making us live in fear. We don’t know if our parents will be here when we come home from school. We drop out because what is the point if we are not guaranteed to be here,” said Leal, whose parents came to the United States from Mexico.

This is Michigan, not Arizona. And if you worry that your parents might be arrested, TELL THEM TO STOP BREAKING THE LAW.

Leave and don't come back.

Previous: Illegal Immigrants are Criminals

Obstructing Traffic in Oshtemo

The leadership of Oshtemo Township has some strange ideas about traffic. Supervisor Elizabeth Heiny-Cogswell recently asserted that MDOT was conducting a study to eliminate left turns at the west entrance to Meijer. MDOT is denying this.

MDOT says it has made no recommendation for changes to Oshtemo Meijer east entry
MDOT recommends changes to Oshtemo Meijer east entry

There is no good reason to eliminate left turns. As MDOT points out, it is not a dangerous intersection. Sometimes you have to wait a while turning left onto West Main, but restricting left turns would force everyone onto 9th Street, which would take even longer.

This is part of a larger pattern. Since Heiney-Cogswell was elected, many new stoplights of dubious necessity have been added around Oshtemo. One particularly unnecessary light is at Stadium Drive and Venture Park. Venture has little traffic after 5, and left turners can always go to 11th street, so this light isn't necessary. It may well contribute to accidents rather than prevent them.

Another conundrum is the light at the railroad tracks on Drake Road on the boundary of Oshtemo and Kalamazoo. As I have written before, it occasionally turns red for no apparent reason.

Gisler Defers to Maturen

Too bad, as Gisler is one of the better commissioners. Maturen is a moderate. The new district contains all of Maturen's current district but only half of Gisler's.

Kalamazoo County Commissioner John Gisler not to seek reelection

Boo Hoo Hoo

Teaching assistants share woes with Western Michigan University Board of Trustees

If you don't like working here, you don't have to.

New Democrat for Congress

The democrats' new candidate for Congress is Mike O'Brien, a former Marine, farmer, and businessman. He is a political unknown, though his resume sounds decent. Democrats seem to be trying the strategy of running former members of the military, which has had mixes success elsewhere. John Waltz, who dropped out due to health problems, also is a former member of the military.

Democrats have ex-Marine Mike O'Brien as candidate for Congress

Republican Sheriff Candidates

There are now two Republican candidates for Kalamazoo County Sheriff. Ward Lawrence, a sergeant in the Sheriff's office joins retired police officer Bruce Labrie in seeking the nomination. Lawrence is endorsed by Tom Edmonds and Michael Anderson, the last two Republican sheriffs. LaBrie has been running since November. The winner will face democrat incumbent Richard Fuller, who defeated Anderson in 2008.

Ward Lawrence, Kalamazoo County sergeant, announces bid for sheriff
Retired police officer announces candidacy for Kalamazoo County sheriff

Upton Trolls on Mlive.com

Articles on Mlive.com covering the 6th district congressional race between Congressman Fred Upton and Jack Hoogendyk often see comments attacking Jack and praising Fred Upton. Are these comments by normal readers, or are they actually written by people associated with Upton's campaign? Let's examine some of the commenters.

As of April 11, 2012, we have

westernright
First comment January 17, 2012
10 comments, all on the Upton/Jack race
Someone ripped of the name of this blog and is using it to attack Jack.

jmccordjr2
First comment January 12, 2012
15 comments, all on the Upton/Jack race

ChristieBush2016
First comment January 17, 2012
9 comments, all on Upton/Jack

kalamazoopatriot
First comment January 18, 2012
4 comments, all on Upton/Jack

kconservative
First comment January 17, 2012
5 comments, all attacking Jack

ajkazoo
First comment January 17, 2012
12 comments, all but one on Upton/Jack

CDillon
First comment January 17, 2012
6 comments, all but two on Upton/Jack

klp2013
First comment January 26, 2012
2 comments, both on Upton/Jack

andyh
First comment January 17, 2012
2 comments, both on Upton/Jack

Don Williams
First comment January 17, 2012
2 comments, both on Upton/Jack

PortagePatriot90
First comment January 17, 2012
2 comments, both on Upton/Jack

Amelia211329
First comment January 17, 2012
2 comments, both on Upton/Jack

On this article, the first five five commented at the times 1:05, 1:08, 1:15, 2:47, 2:55. On this one, several commented at 10:19, 10:31, 10:32, 10:35/37, 1:33, 6:18. On this one, they commented at 11:51, 11:56, 12:07, 12:21, 1:39.

All 12 profiles were created around the same time, nine on the same day, January 17. What's special about that day? Jack announced for Congress on January 17. All but two post pro-Upton and anti-Jack comments exclusively. Many of them use lines straight from Upton campaign literature. These comments are almost certainly posted by someone with the Upton campaign, whether it is one person using all the accounts or separate people. Note that not all pro-Upton/anti-Jack commenters are trolls, as the others post comments on a wide range of articles.

Fred Upton Not a Career Politician?

Congressman Fred Upton made a rather astounding claim on the radio today.

Southwest Michigan Politics: Congressman Fred Upton says he's not a career politician; Jack Hoogendyk gets endorsements

UPTON ON THE RADIO: Upton was on The Rocker Morning Show on WRKR-FM 107.7 today, and amid jesting with the hosts, talked about what's coming up in Washington D.C. for him and the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, which he chairs.

At the end of the interview, co-host Mike McKelly told Upton, “I don’t consider you a career politician.” Upton responded, "I'm not."

Upton, 58, served his first year in Congress in 1987 and has been in office for 25 years. Before that, he worked on the staff for U.S. Rep. David Stockman from 1976 to 1980 and was in the Office of Management and Budget from 1981 to 1985.

The Mlive commenters aren't buying it.

According to Wikipedia, the only work Upton has done that is even close to the private sector is writing for his college newspaper.

If Upton isn't a career politician, what is his career? Rich inheritor? OMB staffer on a really long break?

Worthams v. Rogers

The open 5th district seat on the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners has attracted two experienced candidates. David Worthams is running as a Republican, and Julie Rogers is running as a democrat.

David Worthams of Kalamazoo Township announces candidacy for the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners
Julie Rogers announces candidacy for the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners

Both candidates have lost two previous runs for office, though performing better than expected. Worthams lost bids for county commission in 2000 and 2003 (he got 45% in a special election). Rogers lost two bids for 61st district state rep. in 2006 and 2008, receiving 48% and 49% of the vote respectively in two good years for democrats.

The new 5th contains Alamo, Oshtemo 1,2,3,6,9 and Kalamazoo Township 3,6,9. It is normally about 55% Republican. Thus while the race may be competitive, Worthams starts with a definite advantage.

Previous:
Julie Rogers Already Wasted Your Money
Julie Rogers' Office for Nobody

Fire Rich Lowry

Shame on Rich Lowry, editor of National Review, for firing John Derbyshire. Derb wrote the following non-politically correct article below for Takimag. Ann Coulter was right when she called the editors of National Review "girly-boys".

The Talk: Nonblack Version

Herman Cain in MI-6

Herman Cain visited the district to support Jack Hoogendyk.

Herman Cain and Jack Hoogendyk make appearance in Benton Harbor (with video)
Jack Hoogendyk attacks Congressman Fred Upton's seniority in Congress at rally with Herman Cain

Wayne County Loses More Population

According to the latest census estimates, Wayne County lost about 19000 people from 2010 to 2011. That is more than a fifth of a state house seat. If this trend continues for the decade, Wayne will lose two more house seats, after losing almost three in the last decade.

Wayne County population loss continues as Oakland gains