RUTHFULLY YOURS

They have to share more.

That’s the general opinion about the rich these days, and it seems to apply in special force when it comes to a certain kind of rich: the rich involved in medical innovation. Sometimes the issue is simply tax revenues from admired companies. When, for example, Pfizer recently announced its plans to move to London to reduce its tax bill, brothers Representative Sander Levin (D., Mich.), and Senator Carl Levin (also D., Mich.) promptly joined forces to back new legislation that would force Pfizer to share its revenues by blocking the companies’ move.

The New York Times branded Pfizer’s move a “tax dodge,” a way of suggesting Pfizer’s behavior is sleazy. But of course the loss of tax revenues isn’t all that the resenters resent. They resent the wealth of the rich scientists, who care for their families with “concierge doctors” in special clinics no one else knows about. The critics also resent the loss of intellectual capital that occurs when the rich decamp — and that, legitimately. As President Obama pointed out when he created the Brain Initiative to keep science and science money stateside: “We can’t afford to miss these opportunities while the rest of the world races ahead.” But what if rich pharma did share? And what if it shared not only patented drugs but also something far more precious, its innovating brain?

That exhilarating possibility is the essence of a new state-by-state drive involving experimental drugs, “The Right to Try.”

Herewith, the basics. For decades now the Food and Drug Administration has maintained an onerous and slow approval process that delays the debut of new drugs for fatal diseases, sometimes for years longer than the life span of the patients desperate to try them. Attorneys and scholars at the Goldwater Institute of Arizona have crafted legislation for the states that would allow terminally ill patients to try experimental drugs for cancer or degenerative neurological diseases earlier. These “Right to Try” bills are so scripted that they overcome the usual objection to delivery of such experimental drugs: safety. Under “Right to Try,” only drugs that have passed the crucial Phase 1 of FDA testing could be prescribed, thereby reducing the possibility of Thalidomide repeat. Second, only patients determined to have terminal cases would be eligible to purchase the drugs, making it harder to maintain that the drug will jeopardize their lives.

Representatives in Colorado, Louisiana, and Missouri approved the “Right to Try” measure unanimously. Citizens of Arizona will vote on the effort to circumvent the FDA process this fall.

Why Jeb Bush’s Turn May Not Come-Unlike his father and brother, he’s made no effort to woo the GOP base. By Jonah Goldberg

What is happening to the Nigerian girls kidnapped by Boko Haram is tragic. The sinking of the Titanic, the fall of Saigon, the British defeat at Gallipoli, the Dred Scott decision — tragedies all. You can go on all day and all night listing terrible calamities and even lesser injustices, misfortunes, and other evidence that life isn’t fair. But you will probably collapse from exhaustion before you reach Jeb Bush’s difficulty becoming the third President Bush.

The New Yorker cartoons write themselves. Bush, in all his blue-blazered glory, sitting next to, well, just about anyone at a bar (or standing in front of the Pearly Gates, or lying on a psychiatrist’s couch, or visiting the complaints department) lamenting that he never got his turn. Or maybe he’d wear a shirt saying, “My Dad and My Brother Lived at the White House and All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt.”

Of course, that’s not actually all Bush got. He was a successful two-term Florida governor (a much tougher job than being governor of Texas, particularly for a Republican). He has a lovely family. He’s made a bundle in the private sector, and he’s a respected voice in lots of policy debates. But he hasn’t checked the last and most important box on his to-do list.

And I doubt he ever will.

It’s well known that Republicans tend to pick the candidate whose “turn” it is. Except for 1964 and 2000, the guy who came in second the last time or who in some way was perceived as next in line got the nomination. Barry Goldwater was a special case because of the rise of the conservative movement and the sense that JFK’s assassination made LBJ unbeatable.

George W. Bush was a special case for completely different reasons. There really wasn’t anyone next in line that year, but “Dubya” came the closest because the GOP felt his dad had been robbed in 1992 by Bill Clinton (and Ross Perot).

http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/publications/detail/dear-chairman-gowdy-america-is-counting-on-your-backbone

Your investigation is a huge relief to millions of Americans like me who have wondered and agonized over the past almost-two years about the actual events that happened before, during and after the September 11, 2012, attack in Benghazi, Libya, that resulted in the horrific murders of Ambassador Christopher Stevens, information officer Sean Smith, and embassy security personnel and former Navy SEALs Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods.

Another State Department employee, diplomatic security agent David Ubben, was gravely injured while under attack with Woods and Doherty, but like other survivors he has been forbidden by the Obama Administration from speaking publicly about his ordeal.

However, as reported by Catherine Herridge of Fox News, when the late Florida Congressman Bill Young met Ubben at Walter Reed Medical Center last summer, he said that Ubben “emphasized the fact” that the attack on the Benghazi compound “was a very very military type of operation…they had knowledge of almost everything in the compound…they knew where the gasoline was, they knew where the generators were, they knew where the safe room was, they knew more than they should have about that compound.”

Will the Select Committee include the testimony of Ubben and the other muzzled victims and will it explore who sabotaged the Americans by revealing to the terrorists “more than they should have known about the compound”?

Of course, neither your Select Committee nor my letter to you would have seen the light of day if the conservative watchdog group Judicial Watch had not been successful in their Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, which revealed “the smoking gun” e-mail in which Benjamin J. Rhodes, then-White House Deputy Strategic Communications Adviser laid out several goals for U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice to meet on the five Sunday-morning TV shows she was scheduled to appear on, chief of which was: “To underscore that these protests are rooted in an Internet video, and not a broader failure of policy.”

According to Dick Morris, former advisor to President Bill Clinton, a full day and a half before Rhodes sent his email advising Susan Rice to blame the Benghazi attacks on the video, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton used the identical language in a statement of her own.

This suggests, Morris says, “at the very least, a close coordination between and White House and Hillary Clinton to deceive the American people about the true nature of the attack in Benghazi. And it may also be evidence that Hillary Clinton engineered that decision immediately following the attacks. Was the cover-up Hillary’s idea?”

In addition, Morris is emphatic in saying that the CIA talking points were in no way related to the White House talking points, which seem to have been made up out of whole cloth.

Will the Select Committee vigorously investigate the allegation that this 19-month cover-up was instigated by Hillary Clinton? Alternatively, will you get to the bottom of who exactly created the fiction of the video?

“Intellectual freedom cannot exist without political freedom; political freedom cannot exist without economic freedom; a free mind and a free market are corollaries.” – Ayn Rand, 1963*

At the end of Ayn Rand’s prophetic 1957 novel, Atlas Shrugged, a judge who is on strike with other producers against a future, nightmarish state of America (echoes of Obama) and has disappeared with them into a Rocky Mountain sanctuary, is at work. Before him is a “copy of an ancient document [the Constitution]. He had marked and crossed out the contradictions in its statements that had once been the cause of its destruction. He was now adding a new clause to its pages: ‘Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of production and trade…'”

I am sure that Rand scoured the Constitution for its virtues and flaws, and very likely read books on its history. But I am not so certain she ever did a study of state constitutions. One of the contradictions she does not allude to in the novel is the authority which that “ancient document” bestowed on the states at ratification to “regulate” their economies, production, and trade, which power the federal government was prohibited, in many instances, from interfering with. Had that issue occurred to Judge Narragansett, he might have added another clause: “Congress shall have the power to nullify states’ laws abridging the freedom of production and trade within their boundaries….” Or words to that effect.

James W. Ely, Jr., wrote a gem of a history of the Constitution that focuses almost exclusively on the treatment of property rights, from colonial times to the present, The Guardian of Every Other Right: A Constitutional History of Property Rights. It is one of the handiest and briefest digests of the history of property rights vis-à-vis federal and state courts and legislative acts I’ve come upon, written in clear, succinct language. For anyone imbued with the ambition to tackle The Federalist, the Constitutional Convention debates, and the papers of Founders such as Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton, Ely’s book can serve as a nonpareil introduction to the subject of property rights in a political context.

Ely underscores on virtually every page that not only was Congress guilty of violating individuals’ property rights by abridging the freedom of production and trade, but that, for the longest time, it was the states that were the greater and more frequent violators and usurpers.

District 13

John Conyers Jr. (D) Incumbent
http://www.johnconyers.com/
http://www.ontheissues.org/MI/John_Conyers.htm**
http://conyers.house.gov/

Rated +6 by AAI, indicating pro-Arab pro-Palestine voting record. (May 2012)

ISSUES
HEALTHCARE
What does the new health care law mean for me and my family?
On March 23, 2010, President Obama signed into law the first comprehensive health care reform law in our nation’s history. By insuring an additional 32 million Americans and reducing the national deficit by $143 billion over 10 years, this historic legislation is the first step forward in making health care a right for all Americans—not an expensive privilege for some.

The new health care law bars insurance companies from discriminating based on pre-existing conditions, health status and gender. It provides small businesses and working families with tax credits to help purchase insurance. And it strengthens Medicare and closes the prescription drug “doughnut hole.”
REPARATIONS

In January of 1989, I first introduced the bill H.R. 40, Commission to Study Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act. I have re-introduced HR 40 every Congress since 1989, and will continue to do so until it’s passed into law.
One of the biggest challenges in discussing the issue of reparations in a political context is deciding how to have a national discussion without allowing the issue to polarize our party or our nation. The approach that I have advocated for over a decade has been for the federal government to undertake an official study of the impact of slavery on the social, political and economic life of our nation.
Over 4 million Africans and their descendants were enslaved in the United States and its colonies from 1619 to 1865, and as a result, the United States was able to begin its grand place as the most prosperous country in the free world.
It is un-controverted that African slaves were not compensated for their labor. More unclear however, is what the effects and remnants of this relationship have had on African-Americans and our nation from the time of emancipation through today.
I chose the number of the bill, 40, as a symbol of the forty acres and a mule that the United States initially promised freed slaves. This unfulfilled promise and the serious devastation that slavery had on African-American lives has never been officially recognized by the United States Government.
ENERGY
Voted against the Keystone XL Pipeline without limiting amendments.
Weatherization
Weatherization is the process of shielding homes from extreme weather and making them more energy efficient. It is done by modernizing heating and air conditioning equipment as well as adding more insulation and sealing leaks. Low-income families spend a significant amount of their gross income on energy bills. Weatherization reduces these costs by up to 30%, or about $350 a year. This process also improves the market value of homes.
Michigan will be given $243,398,975 through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to increase funding to their weatherization program, which provides these services at no cost to low-income homes throughout the state. These upgrades, on average, are worth $6,500.

Wait, John Conyers was ruled ineligible for the ballot after 50 years in office?

Longtime Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) has a problem on his hands. After nearly a half century in Congress, Conyers’s bid for a 26th term has been imperiled by a county clerk’s ruling that he is not eligible to appear on the ballot.

In a final judgement issued Tuesday, Wayne County Clerk Cathy Garrett ruled that Conyers did not collect enough petition signatures to appear on the primary ballot, a major setback for the man who stands to be the longest serving member of Congress if reelected this year.

How did Conyers arrive at this point and what’s next? Below is everything you need to know.

So why is Conyers in this tough spot in the first place?

Because many of the petition signatures his campaign submitted to secure his place on the ballot were judged to be invalid. Conyers submitted the maximum allowed 2,000 signatures — double the requisite 1,000 — but most didn’t count, Garrett decided last week.

At issue is the people who collected the signatures for Conyers. State law requires that they be registered to vote in the state. Conyers’s primary opponent, the Rev. Horace Sheffield, challenged the signatures collected by two people who did not appear to be registered to vote at the time they gathered them. The Detroit News later reported on two more people who did not appear to be registered voters. Subtracting invalid signatures, including those collected by people who weren’t allowed to do so, Garrett’s office judged that Conyers only submitted 592 valid signatures. So, yeah. You do the math.

There are few political requests so obviously insincere as the call by those on the Left for equality. Certainly, those like Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid consider themselves superior. They expect the masses to rely on their and government’s wisdom. It is hypocrisy at its worst. The same could be said for mainstream media. Do you really believe that the editorial staff at the New York Times considers itself inferior to, or even the same as, those at the New York Post?

Democrat leaders generally accept inequality when applied to their intellectual, moral and empathetic traits. But, they also accept inequality when it comes to their individual wealth. Otherwise, why would Al Gore, an outspoken foe of fossil fuels, sell his “dismal-rating-achieving” Current TV (words from the Washington Post) to oil-funded Al Jazeera for $500 million? Why do politicians like Harry Reid become rich after years earning modest salaries in Washington? Why do those like the Clintons and Gores chase dollars with such fervor once leaving office? Hint: it is not a desire for equality.

All Americans, including “hard-hearted” conservatives who are targets of Mr. Obama’s sarcasm and Harry Reid’s venom, believe in equality of opportunity and equality before the law. In the first sentence of the second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson’s use of “equal” implies that our laws should treat everyone equally, and not favor a few as was true in England at the time. He was not suggesting that everyone should be equal in terms of income or wealth, or in any other material, physical or intellectual way. He knew they weren’t.

Liberté, egalité, fraternité was the motto of the French Revolution, not of the American. The founding fathers wanted self government. George Washington, when offered a monarchy, rejected the concept and the title, as it would create an aristocracy alien to the principles of the American Revolution. Wealth and position should be determined by merit, not birth. The French Revolution, which advocated equality, introduced a ‘Reign of Terror’ for twelve years that included guillotining 16,500 unfortunate souls and murdering another 30,000. The First Republic ended with the ascension of Napoleon in 1804. Napoleon was not exactly a model republican. France, now in its Fifth Republic and for all my fondness for the Country, has not been exactly a model of stability.

Cheney calls Madison and Jefferson ‘the two greatest minds’ of the 18th century—one that also produced Hume, Kant and Burke.

In 1787, when the Constitutional Convention was debating the powers of the respective branches of government, the slight and scholarly delegate from Orange County, Va., achieved a success “that would have profound consequences down the years,” Lynne Cheney writes in ” James Madison : A Life Reconsidered.” In the Constitution’s passage on congressional war powers, Madison moved to substitute “declare” war for “make” it, thereby reserving the day-to-day decisions about the use of the military to the executive branch.

The substitution soon enough had profound consequences for Madison himself. During the War of 1812, he had to act as the commander in chief, and the demands of the job did not bring out his finest qualities. Diffident, bookish and afflicted with an ailment that Ms. Cheney concludes was a form of epilepsy, Madison was a theoretician and legislator par excellence; he was considerably less effective as the ex officio head of an army.

Against weighty opposition, Madison appointed John Armstrong as his secretary of war, a shifty character with a reputation, as Henry Adams later wrote, for “indolence and intrigue.” Certain that the British were heading for Annapolis, Md., rather than Washington, Armstrong left the capital defenseless, and Madison, looking “shattered and woe-begone,” turned to a fellow Virginian, James Monroe, for help. Monroe promptly restored order to the smoldering capital, throwing up defenses against further attacks and redeploying 7,000 militiamen around the town.

The debacle of 1812 could have been an unfortunate stain on a distinguished career of public service. It was Madison’s good fortune to come out of the war with his reputation not just intact but strengthened, and there may be some justice in that, since his career was otherwise exemplary.

The Keystone XL Pipeline got another nail in its coffin Monday, in the form of a Senate energy vote that excluded the pipeline issue. But Keystone was already near death thanks to the Obama’s administration’s recent decision to ignore the evidence of a definitive government study—and instead keep listening to environmentalists’ dubious claims. The upshot will be more political fires in Washington caused by train derailments in the absence of a pipeline to transport oil more safely.

After the derailment in downtown Lynchburg, Va., on April 30, approximately 30,000 gallons of Bakken crude oil burned or spilled into the James River. On May 9, a derailment north of Denver spilled another 6,500 gallons of oil, which was contained in a ditch before reaching the South Platte River. Fortunately, unlike in the 2013 derailment in Quebec where a 1.3 million-gallon spill killed 47 people and incinerated 30 buildings, no one was injured in Lynchburg or Colorado.

These and other tank-car derailments are prompting local, state and federal officials to consider various regulations to reduce the threats of such accidents, including lower train speed limits and safer tank cars. Unfortunately, few policy makers are doing sensible risk assessment.

Clearly, we are going to continue moving crude oil and petroleum products from where they are extracted to where they are needed. When considering whether to approve the Keystone XL, therefore, the question has to be: Which is safer, pipeline or rail tank cars?

President Obama’s own State Department answered the comparison question plainly in February. According to the report, pipelines larger than 12 inches in diameter in 2013 spilled more than 910,000 gallons of crude oil and petroleum products—compared with 1.15 million gallons for tank cars, the worst in decades. Comparing total oil spilled makes it appear, at first glance, that pipeline and rail safety records are similar. That’s only until you factor in that pipelines carry nearly 25 times more crude oil and petroleum products.

http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/publications/detail/michigan-2014-candidates-for-congress-where-they-stand?f=must_reads

Filing Deadline (Major Parties): April 22, 2014
State Primary: August 5, 2014

To see the actual voting records of all incumbents on other issues such as Foreign Policy, Second Amendment Issues, Homeland Security, and other issues as well as their rankings by special interest groups please use the links followed by two stars (**).

U.S. Senate

Debbie Stabenow (D) Next Election in 2018.
Carl Levin (D) Retiring in 2014
Gary Peters (D) Challenger

Is currently the congressman for District 14

http://www.petersformichigan.com/landing/e140207/?subsource=splash

http://peters.house.gov/

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

HEALTHCARE Making Health Care More Affordable and More Accessible On March 23, 2010, President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law. I proudly worked to pass this historic legislation because I believe our health care system is broken and for too many Michigan middle class families, quality, accessible, and affordable health care coverage is too often out of reach. The promise of the American Dream continues to slip away when families go bankrupt trying to afford health coverage, insurance companies are permitted to raise the cost of health care for women, and children who have pre-existing conditions are denied coverage. The Affordable Care Act goes a long way to correct those problems. By working together, we can fix the law to make sure it works to address problems in our health care system and helps make quality health care affordable for both Michigan families and businesses.

ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT Investing in 21st Century Energy Technology and Protecting our Environment – In today’s 21st century economy, whoever leads in the field of new energy technologies will lead in the global marketplace. Our region has always led the way in new automotive technologies, but to stay at the forefront of this new clean energy economy, we must continue our leadership in innovation. In Congress, I’m working to pass legislation that will make meaningful investments to spur clean energy technology development in our region. By taking this important step, we’ll help ensure that the green manufacturing jobs of the future are created in our communities. And at a time when many in Congress want to throw in the towel on our auto industry, I’ve successfully led the fight to protect critical funding for green auto technology development and job creation.

But as we pursue new energy technologies, we also need to recommit ourselves to protecting our environment. In Congress, I’ve proudly fought to pass legislation to reduce America’s carbon footprint, preserve our national resources and responsibly break our national addiction to foreign fossil fuels. And in our region, I strongly support efforts to protect our Great Lakes against invasive species such as the Asian Carp.

Voted against the KeystoneXL Pipeline without limiting amendments.
Terry Whitney (D) Challenger no website
Terri Lynn Land (R) Challenger

http://terrilynnland.com/

HOT BUTTON ISSUE

HEALTHCARE As a candidate for U.S. Senate, I support policies that will provide real health care reform. In Washington, politicians rarely admit when their policies aren’t working. In fact, the greater the failure, the less willing a politician is to admit that their idea has failed. The result is that Americans needlessly suffer. That is exactly what is happening today as a result of the health care law passed in 2009, commonly known as ObamaCare. This law is based on the idea that Washington should control your health care dollars and that government can force you to buy insurance, access your medical records, dictate your medical decisions, and restrict your health care choices.

Nearly every single political promise made about ObamaCare in 2009 has been broken. There are three broken promises that are hurting Michigan families in one way or another. First, as too many families learned last fall, the President broke his promise that “if you like your plan you can keep your plan.”. As it turns out, many people cannot actually keep their plans. As many as six million Americans have seen their plan canceled because of ObamaCare. Second, the President broke his “if you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor” promise because the ObamaCare insurance plans rely on “skinny” networks that do not include broad groups among certain medical specialists. As a result, patients no longer have access to the doctors they need. Third, the American people were promised the law would reduce health care costs and insurance premiums. This is not true either and many people are facing premium hikes of 600%.

ObamaCare has increased health care costs. ObamaCare has caused people to lose their insurance. ObamaCare regulations and taxes have discouraged health care innovation. Small businesses are even scaling back plans to hire more workers to avoid the penalty for having more than 50 employees. Some employers have reduced employees’ hours and have been forced to drop insurance plans.

MANUFACTURING IN MICHIGAN As Michigan’s U.S. Senator, I will fight for policies to create an environment that allows Michigan’s manufacturing industry to thrive for generations to come.

Terri’s Solutions

1. Fair Trade: Developing fair trade agreements will open up markets to Michigan’s exports.

2. Predictability: Reforming the tax code will encourage job growth, increase capital investments, and make the U.S. more competitive, while providing Michigan’s business with much needed stability and predictability.

3. Modernizing Our Energy: Increasing America’s domestic energy production and building the Keystone Pipeline will lower energy costs for manufacturers and families.

4. Education: Working with states we can encourage and grow a skilled workforce.

5. Mandate Relief: Providing relief from expensive and onerous Washington regulations that impose unnecessary costs on our economy will save businesses time and money.

6. Fiscal Discipline: To get our nation’s fiscal house in order by balancing the budget and paying down the national

US HOUSE OF REP LOGO

District 1
Dan Benishek M.D. (R) Incumbent

http://www.danbenishekforcongress.com/ http://benishek.house.gov/

http://www.ontheissues.org/MI/Dan_Benishek.htm **

Rated -4 by AAI, indicating a anti-Arab anti-Palestine voting record. (May 2012)

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

HEALTHCARE As a surgeon who treated patients for nearly 30 years, Dr. Benishek knows a thing or two about health care. He recognizes the fact that a one-size-fits-all federal solution cannot accommodate the unique and diverse health care challenges facing Northern Michigan.

Dr. Benishek does not support President Obama’s new health care law. He believes its bad medicine for America and will lead to diminished care in Northern Michigan and will erode the doctor-patient relationship. It puts Washington bureaucrats between patients and doctors. The law also raises health care costs at a time when America’s families can least afford it.

Dr. Benishek is also very concerned because President Obama cut over $700 billion from Medicare to pay for his new health care law. Many of Northern Michigan’s small local hospitals will be facing millions of dollars in cuts over the next decade. Dr. Benishek wants to ensure that our local hospitals stay open and our citizens have access to local medical care.

Dr. Benishek knows we have to lower the cost of health care in this country. But that can be done without putting Washington in charge. First, Dr. Dan believes health insurance should be portable and stick with you regardless of where you work or who pays for it. Next, we would permit the purchasing of insurance across state lines. Families and employers would benefit from a truly competitive marketplace where companies would lower their prices and improve coverage options to attract new policyholders. Dr. Dan also wants to see meaningful lawsuit reform would allow doctors to responsibly practice medicine without the fear of unreasonable litigation. That would lower the costs of health care because frivolous lawsuits increase health care costs for everyone. All of this can be achieved without a 2,700 page bill that forces you to buy insurance that Washington says you must. Health care decisions ought to be made by patients, families and doctors. Dr. Benishek is committed to finding positive solutions that solve the challenges in our health care system while putting patients in charge.

ENERGY AND REGULATIONS Benishek Presses Washington Regulators on New Rules that Will Increase Home Heating Costs – Lawmaker Writes EPA Regarding New Rules on Wood Burning Stoves- Mar 19, 2014 Issues: Economy and Jobs, Energy and Resources

WASHINGTON, DC: Dr. Dan Benishek (MI-01) today urged the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to not increase home heating costs for Michigan families by enacting new regulations on wood burning stoves. “Families in Northern Michigan are tired of seeing their utility bills go up because of Washington regulations. In this tough economy, a lot of people are struggling and the last thing they need is for the EPA to slap new rules on our wood burning stoves. During this very cold winter, we’ve already seen a spike in propane prices and home heating bills-and new regulations on stoves will make things even worse. I’m hoping the EPA will use some common sense on these proposed new rules, rather than a one-size-fits-all Washington approach,” said Dr. Benishek, a general surgeon and lifelong resident of Northern Michigan.

Benishek’s pressing of the EPA comes as the agency’s proposed New Source Performance Standards would update emission requirements for new residential wood burning heaters. Since the announcement of the proposed regulation in January, Dr. Benishek has heard from many constituents who are deeply concerned about the increased home heating costs as a result of this new rule.

A letter to the EPA, sent by Dr. Benishek and Rep. Reid Ribble (WI-08), reads in part: “In a time of rising fuel costs, many of our constituents have turned to the traditional wood burning stove as a means of providing affordable heat for their families during periods of record cold. As you are aware, many of these families and senior citizens live in very rural communities where heating alternatives are extremely limited. Winters in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan are often harsh, and access to reliable heat can be a matter of life and death.”

Voted for Keystone XL Pipeline without limiting amendments.
Alan Arcand (R) Challenger

http://www.arcandforcongress.com/

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

IMMIGRATION Immigration is one of the primary duties of congress, they have a duty to secure the borders and police them. As of now, tax-payer funded social programs, financial benefits and public education are available for non-citizens. Illegal immigrants are an immense and ever-increasing strain on the resources of our country. If immigrants wish to become an American citizen, as our ancestors once did, they are required to follow the appropriate protocol into becoming legalized. If however, they wish not to subscribe unto our laws of immigration and naturalization, then they are free to return back to their country of origin.

ENERGY If we are to get serious about returning to American prosperity, then we must become an energy independent nation. The untapped oil reserves of the United States equate to an estimated 2.3 trillion barrels of oil, which is nearly three times the reserves of all of the OPEC nations combined. However, the federal government forces us to buy the majority of our oil from foreign countries; though they have no Constitutional authority to do so. I believe Federal land is owned by the people of the United States. We should allow American businesses to harvest our own oil in a free market.

HEALTHCARE I believe health care is something between a Doctor and the patient. Not between a Doctor, the patient, and the Government. I oppose the “Unaffordable Healthcare Act for America” (HR 3962). I (unlike the current Congressman) would NEVER vote to fund this devastating unconstitutional legislation.
Jerry Cannon (D) Challenger

Retired Army Major General
http://www.jerrycannon.com/

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

HEALTHCARE Fixing Health Care for Everyone – I believe we must provide access to affordable, quality healthcare. This means making sure that our families have access to providers, especially in rural areas. Rural hospitals are vital to our health, safety, and welfare. Critical Access Hospitals are an essential part of our healthcare safety net.

The Affordable Care Act is an imperfect law. There are significant problems that need to be fixed, including making good on President Obama’s promise that people who liked their policies should be able to keep them, and making sure that Northern Michigan families and businesses don’t face big increases in premiums or out-of-pocket costs.

But I don’t believe we should go back to the days when insurance companies could do whatever they wanted, like refusing to cover people with preexisting conditions, dropping people from coverage when they get sick, and charging women more for their coverage. We need to fix the law and strengthen its fundamental purpose.

ECONOMIC AGENDA FOR MICHIGAN’S WOMEN I know that economic security for the middle class in Northern Michigan must include measures which will ensure women are treated fairly in the workplace. Equal treatment in the workplace is not just a women’s issue, it’s a family issue.

I strongly support legislation to ensure that women are treated fairly and equally in the workplace, such as the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, the Paycheck Fairness Act, Title IX, and also the expansion of childcare and preschool. I will support all efforts to eliminate obstacles to equal opportunities for women.

ENERGY As a combat veteran, I know firsthand that energy security is a national interest. We must take measures to become energy independent and reduce our dependence on foreign oil. It’s good for our economy and the right thing to do.

I support a do-it-all energy policy that advances developing alternative energy sources such as wind, solar, and biofuels, while responsibly expanding production of American oil and natural gas.

I’ll also promote energy policies that support our manufacturing base so we can create good-paying jobs that can’t be shipped overseas. In Congress, I will promote products made in Michigan. I feel that all energy sectors should be on equal footing regarding tax breaks, and we should continue to invest in renewable energy source development.
Kevin Glover (D) No website

District 2
Bill Huizenga (R) Incumbent

http://huizengaforcongress.com/ http://huizenga.house.gov/legislation/default.aspx

http://www.ontheissues.org/MI/Bill_Huizenga.htm **

Rated -3 by AAI, indicating a anti-Arab anti-Palestine voting record. (May 2012)

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

HEALTHCARE In an age in which an individual’s right to choose their own health care is seemingly under constant attack, it is crucial that Congress continue exploring ways to further build a strong free-market health care system and improve access to affordable care through various private sector options.

While I remain fundamentally opposed to President Obama’s health care law, I stand ready to address the cost of health care through an incremental approach of common-sense solutions that puts patients, not Washington bureaucrats, in charge of their own health care decisions and allows employers the flexibility they require to provide coverage.

We need to introduce market-based solutions to controlling health care costs, like allowing health insurance to be purchased over state lines, enacting tort reform to limit doctor’s liability, encouraging the use of health savings accounts, allowing small businesses to pool their resources to purchase insurance, and cutting excessive taxes and regulations imposed on the pharmaceutical industry. Lastly, individuals should be able to deduct the cost of purchasing health insurance from their taxes, making it more affordable. I believe in allowing individuals and their doctors to make decisions about their healthcare.

IMMIGRATION Our immigration laws are broken. I will continue to advocate for immigration reform that respects the rule of law, protects our borders, and does not provide amnesty. We should not reward those that have broken the law with citizenship. We need a reasonable, practical, and legal guest worker program for those who want to come to the U.S. for a limited time in order to gain employment and return home when the work is done. I recognize that foreign workers play a role in Michigan’s economy, particularly in the agricultural community, and we need to provide a method of enforcing the law and documenting the movement of temporary workers over the border.

ENVIRONMENT Residents of West Michigan have long understood the importance of the Great Lakes as well as the impact fresh water and clean air have on the economic and physical health of their communities.

As a member of the bipartisan Great Lakes Task Force, I continue to work closely with my Great Lakes colleagues to fight the introduction of non-native species. I remain committed to building a better defense for the Great Lakes against new invasive species by vigorously employing the most effective tools available, while also pursuing a complete ecological separation from the Mississippi River basin as soon as technically feasible.

Lastly, while protecting our natural resources for future generations is vital, in a time of stagnant economic growth, I will continue to oppose a seemingly endless amount of new overly-burdensome regulations coming out of President Obama’s Environmental Protection Agency. I believe there is a role for the federal government in protecting the environment; however I will strongly oppose efforts by this administration that I believe go too far and would create an uneven playing field, penalizing Michigan’s job-creators by increasing the cost of energy for all businesses and consumers.

Supports construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline without limiting amendments.
Dean Vanderstelt (D) Challenger

http://deanvanderstelt.com/

District 3
Justin Amash (R) Incumbent

http://www.justinamash.com/ http://amash.house.gov/

http://www.ontheissues.org/MI/Justin_Amash.htm **

Rated +2 by AAI, indicating pro-Arab pro-Palestine voting record. (May 2012)

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

ENERGY America must reassess its energy policy, not through partisan rhetoric, but through serious thought and deliberation. We should eliminate government subsidies for energy production and allow competition to work.

The United States is one of the most innovative and advanced countries in the world. We have the resources and technology to develop alternative fuels without relying on government handouts. Whether it is off-shore drilling, developing new wind and solar technology, using natural gas, ethanol, bio-mass, or safe nuclear alternatives, consumers can support a balance of energy production that will increase America’s energy independence and boost our economy. We should eliminate barriers to entry that are preventing entrepreneurs and innovators from participating in the energy market.

The House of Representatives has passed legislation to open up our domestic energy production. H.R. 1229 improves drilling safety and requires review of drilling permits within specific time limits. H.R. 1230 requires the Department of Interior to conduct additional offshore oil and gas lease sales within the next year. H.R. 1231 increases lease sales in areas known to contain the largest oil and natural gas reserves.

Voted “Present” on the Keystone XL Pipeline without limiting amendments.

HEALTHCARE The first step to fix our broken health care system is to repeal the unconstitutional health care legislation enacted in the 111th Congress. That legislation raises taxes, dramatically increases the national debt, harms small businesses, and permits taxpayer funding of abortions. I am an original cosponsor of H.R. 2, which would repeal the legislation and which passed the House on March 30, 2011.

After repealing the 111th Congress’s legislation, we can begin implementing reforms that introduce patient-centered principles into health care and reduce the cost of care. Worthwhile reforms include permitting individuals to claim the same tax credit for health care that is currently provided to employers, allowing insurance companies to sell across state lines, and increasing the availability of health savings accounts.

SURVEILLANCE AND PRIVACY RIGHTS

January 17, 2014 will.adams@mail.house.gov – Amash Knocks President’s Surveillance Dodge

Congressman Calls on Congress to Enact Privacy Protections, Pass Freedom Act – Washington, D.C. – Rep. Justin Amash (R-MI) issued the following statement after President Obama’s speech concerning the government’s domestic surveillance programs:

“The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated . . . .”

The Founders proposed the Fourth Amendment to end once and for all suspicionless searches and seizures of Americans’ personal property and information. We now know that for some years our government has collected private information about our communications-and in many cases, the communications themselves. The government does this despite the fact that it suspects us of no wrongdoing.

Nothing the President said today will end the unconstitutional invasion of Americans’ privacy. The President said he will not end the Patriot Act’s Sec. 215 program that collects the records of every phone call every American makes. Instead, he said that the government will continue to search those records without a warrant-but just a little less vigorously. The President said that when the government issues a subpoena to an Internet service provider for an American’s records, the government still can impose a permanent gag order on the ISP-but just when the government “demonstrates a real need for further secrecy.”

The President said that the era of secret law will continue, that the court decisions that have contorted Congress’s limits on surveillance into broad authorizations will remain secret-but the intelligence officials who have executed mass surveillance and lied to Congress will, in their discretion, release some of the rulings as they see fit. Congress must do what the President apparently will not: end the unconstitutional violation of Americans’ privacy, stop the suspicionless surveillance of our people, and close the era of secret law. A coalition of 125 House members from both sides of the aisle have signed on to the USA FREEDOM Act. We must make the Freedom Act law.
Brian Ellis (R) Challenger

http://www.ellis4congress.com/

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

Justin Amash talks like us, but in Washington DC he votes with President Obama and the liberals

No on a Balanced Budget Amendment – Justin Amash was the only Michigan Republican to vote against the Balanced Budget Amendment [Roll Call 858, 11-18-11, only 2% of Republicans voted “no”]
No on banning gender selection abortions. Yes on funding Planned Parenthood – Justin Amash was the only Michigan Republican to vote against a ban on gender selection abortions. Right to Life of Michigan called Amash’s vote “pro-abortion”. [Roll Call 299, 5-31-12, only 3% of Republicans voted “no”] Amash also failed to support Republican efforts to eliminate taxpayer funding for America’s largest abortion provider. [Roll Call 93, 2-19-11; Roll Call 271, 4-14-11; only 3% of Republicans refused to support defunding]
No on fighting al Qaeda – Justin Amash voted against allowing American intelligence officials to monitor the communications of foreign terrorists, including al Qaeda, who are plotting attacks in the United States [Roll Call 26, 2-8-11], and he wants to shut down the Guantanamo Bay terrorist detention facility, meaning some al Qaeda terrorists could be set free or placed in Michigan prisons. [Amash Facebook 7-3-13]
Yes on Obama – According to Congressional Quarterly, Justin Amash voted 51% of the time with President Obama’s position in 2012; triple any other Michigan Republican and more than any Republican in the entire U.S. House. [Congressional Quarterly 1-21-13]

Bob Goodrich (D) Challenger

http://www.bobgoodrichdemocrat.com/ http://www.bobgoodrichdemocrat.com/issues/

District 4
Dave Camp (R) Retiring in 2014
Peter Konetchy (R) Challenger

http://www.peterkonetchy.com/

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

ENERGY The United States is blessed with an abundance of domestic energy resources, vastly more than most of the countries around the world from which we import.

OIL: The U.S. is sitting on the world’s largest, untapped oil reserves estimated at about 2.3 trillion barrels, nearly three times more than the reserves held by Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) nations and sufficient to meet 300 years of demand – at today’s levels – for auto, truck, aircraft, heating and industrial fuel, without importing a single barrel of oil.(1)

COAL: The United States estimated recoverable reserves of coal stand at 275 billion tons, an amount that is greater than any other nation in the world and are capable of meeting domestic demand for more than 250 years at current rates of consumption.(2)

NUCLEAR: The United States has developed the technological expertise to safely construct and maintain nuclear plants consisting of 104 nuclear power reactors in 31 states, operated by 30 different power companies. Nuclear power accounted for almost 20% of total domestic electricity generated in 2008.(3)

With all of our energy wealth Why isn’t the United States energy independent?

Global Warming: Fact or Fiction? I believe in “Climate Change.”

From my review of available information, it seems that Earth’s temperature has been fluctuating since its creation, and will probably continue to do so in the future. I disagree with the idea that Climate Change, or Global Warming, is caused by humans and represents one of the greatest threats facing mankind.

I don’t know what causes the Earth’s climate cycles. One theory relates it to solar activity combined with variations in the Earth’s orbit. A recent National Geographic article informed that Mars is experiencing a warming cycle similar to Earth’s [1] . Unless man’s activity is billowing over to Mars, man seems to have nothing to do with the warming of the inner planets. Whatever it is, I believe it’s natural and outside of man’s control, and that man couldn’t change Earth’s temperature if he tried.

I recently read in an article, “Melting glaciers in Western Canada are revealing tree stumps up to 7,000 years old where the region’s rivers of ice have retreated to a historic minimum, a geologist said today.” [2] It infers strongly that the landmass in Western Canada, currently covered by glaciers, was once much warmer and able to support forests.

HEALTHCARE I am disgusted by the usurpation of the Health Care System of the United States by the federal government.

The United States is founded upon the concept of Limited Government. Read the Constitution. Article 1 Section 8 enumerates the specific duties of congress. As a protection against usurpation of power, Congress is prohibited from assuming any other power by the Tenth Amendment(1) . Complete government control of the Health Care System is the most egregious, unconstitutional, attack on the personal liberty of the people of the United States imaginable. If not reversed we will not remain a free people.

The American health care system is the best in the world. Anybody can receive immediate medical attention by simply showing up at a hospital. There is no discrimination based on income, age, race, or even citizenship. The Great Majority of Americans are satisfied with their health care. The census bureau reports that approximately 85% of the US population is covered by health insurance leaving about 46 million uninsured. Of these, about 10 million are illegal aliens while 28 million voluntarily op-out or are uninsured for 4 months or less. Only 2.7% of legal US citizens, 8.2 million, cannot pay for health services.(2)

IMMIGRATION I’m in favor of Legal Immigration. It’s a win-win situation for both the immigrant and the United States. All immigrants entering the country should be pre-screened to make sure they satisfy the following criteria:

1) Have an overwhelming desire to assimilate into our culture and become productive citizens of the United States; to embrace the uniquely American values of liberty, personal responsibility, and self determination; and be willing to learn, read, and speak English when interacting in society.

2) Possess a talent or ability beneficial to our society.

3) Have a sponsor, a current US citizen in good standing, able to provide housing and support for the immigrant until becoming self-sufficient. It is highly improper for the United States taxpayers to be required to support immigrants to this country.

4) Be in good health and of high moral character.

Illegal Immigration is destructive to our society. By definition illegal immigrants are criminal and impose a significant burden on society. The emergency rooms of many hospitals are overflowing with illegal immigrants demanding healthcare without paying for services received; social service programs are burdened by providing housing and support; public schools are forced to accommodate the children of illegals; and law enforcement must often allocate an inordinate amount of their resources addressing illegal immigrant crime.

Why do we have such an extensive illegal immigrant problem? The simple answer is that our elected politicians lack the fortitude and leadership to confront the illegal immigration problem and instead encourage it. Our boarders are porous; law enforcement is prohibited from addressing or confronting the illegal immigrant problem; more than a few locally elected officials provide “sanctuary cities” encouraging illegal migration; and illegal immigrants are able to secure taxpayer funded social services and financial benefits. Most importantly, unscrupulous politicians view an uneducated, dependant, illegal immigrant population as a potential voting bloc providing the additional votes required to maintain power.
Paul Mitchell (R) Challenger

http://www.paulmitchellforcongress.com/
John Moolenaar (R) Challenger

http://www.mlive.com/news/saginaw/index.ssf/2014/04/midland_state_sen_john_moolnaa.html

APRIL 1, 2014- MIDLAND, MI – Less than 24 hours after U.S. Rep. Dave Camp, R-Midland, announced he will not seek re-election in November, Midland’s state senator announced he will run for Camp’s seat. State Sen. John Moolenaar, R-Midland, issued a press release Tuesday afternoon, April 1, stating he will seek election to represent Michigan’s 4th Congressional District. “I will be a strong conservative voice for the hard working families of mid and northern Michigan,” Moolenaar said. “In Michigan I have fought against overreaching government policies that are killing jobs and overburdening individuals.”
Jeff Holmes M.D. (D) Challenger

Monday, April 14, 2014 2:35 pm By the Midland Daily News – Dr. Jeff Holmes, of Alma, has announced his candidacy for the position. Dr. Holmes has been a family practitioner in Alma for 25 years and served on the Alma school board for 10 years. “He’s a more attractive candidate,” said Barker via phone. “He’s very passionate and is extremely concerned about his patients, especially those who need access to affordable health care.” Holmes has eight days to collect the 1,000 signatures needed before the filing date of April 22.

District 5
Dan Kildee (D) Incumbent

http://www.dankildee.com/ http://www.ontheissues.org/MI/Dan_Kildee.htm**

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

HEALTHCARE March 22, 2013-Flint, MI – Fifth District U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Flint Township, said President Barack Obama’s health care law improves coverage and access to health care for Americans in his district and across the country. Kildee made his comments during an appearance on MSNBC’s Jansing & Co. Friday morning, March 22.The Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, turns three years old on Saturday. Kildee has been defending the law on Twitter and in the press this week.

Despite the millions of Americans who rely on Medicare every day, the majority in Congress has passed the Paul Ryan budget twice, which would end the Medicare guarantee. I know personally the value of Medicare for seniors – like millions of other retired Americans, my mom and dad, Margaret and Jack, count on it for their health care needs. In Congress, I will fight any plan that tries to eliminate or privatize Medicare. Our seniors have earned their Medicare benefits and I believe it is fundamentally wrong to take it away from them or future generations.

ENVIRONMENT Voted against Keystone XL Pipeline without limiting amendments.

Protecting our environment and natural resources is vital to protecting the health of all Americans. In Michigan, we are blessed with some of America’s most beautiful natural resources especially our Great Lakes. I believe we need stronger – not weaker – standards to ensure that the air we breathe and water we drink is free from contamination and that our environment is preserved for future generations.

I also recognize that the clean energy sector can create thousands of good-paying jobs, all while reducing our dependence on foreign oil. Renewable energy technologies like wind and solar will help us achieve energy independence and preserve our natural resources.

WOMEN’S ISSUES I believe we should be increasing access to health care for women, not dictating or limiting their options. Attacks on women, including their right to reproductive healthcare, have got to stop.

It is unacceptable that women in the United States earn just 77 cents to every dollar a man earns for the same work – that’s not fair and I won’t stand for it. That’s why I’m proud that President Obama’s first bill signed into law was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which says that women should receive equal pay for equal work. It’s also unfortunate the majority in the House of Representatives refuse to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, a law that was initially passed by Congress with broad, bipartisan support. Simply put, violence against women is unacceptable.

District 6
Fred Upton (R) Incumbent

http://www.fredupton.com/ http://www.ontheissues.org/MI/Fred_Upton.htm**

http://upton.house.gov/

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

Rated -2 by AAI, indicating a anti-Arab anti-Palestine voting record. (May 2012)

HEALTHCARE Exposing, Repealing, and Replacing the Affordable Care Act – I voted against the affordable care act and support its full repeal.

Fred is a national leader in the fight against the President’s controversial healthcare law. Fred voted against the law’s passage and one of his very first acts as Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee was to shepherd through repeal legislation, which passed the House on January 19, 2011 by a vote of 245-189. Rather than massively expanding the size and reach of the federal government, Fred supports thoughtful reforms to bring down healthcare costs and protect the doctor-patient relationship, such as tort reform and allowing consumers to purchase health insurance across state lines.

Fred has passed legislation through the House to prevent families from losing access to their health coverage, along with focusing resources to prevent premature births, battle cancer, and help schools quickly care for students with severe allergic reactions.

ENERGY Fred is leading the way for our nation’s energy future through an “all of the above” energy strategy. By focusing on the energy we can develop here at home, we can keep costs low for Michigan families and businesses, create jobs, and reduce our reliance on volatile energy-producing regions. As a leader in Congress, Fred is a champion of the Keystone XL pipeline project, a Canadian energy pipeline that will create countless good-paying jobs in the United States and bring us almost 1 million barrels of oil per day. While the administration has played politics with the issue, Fred is focused on commonsense solutions for our nation’s energy future.

He is also on the front lines fighting the EPA’s endless regulations on our nation’s power plants, which if enacted will send consumer energy bills through the roof, and supporting efforts to improve natural gas pipelines to make energy more affordable.

Creating Jobs through the Keystone XL Pipeline Project Energy security is both a matter of national security and economic security. That is why I am a major proponent of the Keystone XL pipeline – a $7 billion private-sector infrastructure project that will create tens of thousands of U.S. jobs and bring nearly 1 million barrels of Canadian oil to U.S. refineries per day. My committee has heard firsthand from Niles manufacturer Delta Industrial Valves on how this project will benefit local employers. After five years of regulatory delay and more than 15,500 pages of federal environmental review, the time to approve Keystone is now. In May 2013, the House passed the Energy and Commerce Committee’s bipartisan Northern Route Approval Act (H.R. 3) to clear away the project’s remaining regulatory and legal hurdles, including removal of the requirement for a Presidential Permit.

Pipelines remain the safest and most environmentally sound way to transport energy supplies. Last Congress, I worked with Michigan Congressman John Dingell, the former Democratic Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, to craft and shepherd through comprehensive pipeline safety legislation that was signed into law in January 2012.
Jim Bussler (R) Tea Party Challenger

http://jimbusslerforcongress.com/
Paul Clements (D) Challenger

http://clementsforcongress.com/

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

CLIMATE CHANGE Climate change is the greatest threat to Michigan and to the world in the 21st century. We need to keep global warming under two degrees Celsius, but this takes a strong international agreement limiting greenhouse gas emissions in each country. Such an agreement can only be reached with American leadership.

Recently Michigan has seen failures of apple and cherry crops, Lake Michigan at historic lows, some of the hottest and driest summers in our history, and increased flooding from stronger storms and heavier rainfall. These and other influences from climate change are likely to get worse. With runaway climate change we could lose half our species of plants, trees, animals and birds. West Michigan could have a climate similar to West Texas by the end of the century, with summers seven degrees Fahrenheit hotter than today. But around the world it would be even more disastrous. Runaway climate change is likely to cause droughts and floods that drive millions from their homes, collapsing governments, and wars over water and other resources. The technology exists to keep global warming below two degrees Celsius. Southwest Michigan must lead in manufacturing based on this technology. America must take the lead to negotiate an international agreement, address the harms from climate change, and develop the technologies for a clean energy future.

HEALTHCARE America has the most expensive health care system in the world, but many health outcomes are worse than in countries with less costly systems. As our population ages, the strength of our economy depends on cutting health care cost inflation and improving health standards. If we fail to contain health care costs, Medicare and Medicaid will drive up the national debt and/or crowd out other important government programs.

The Affordable Care Act goes a long way towards ensuring that every American has access to health care, an essential goal, but it does little to address costs. Health costs have been driven up partly by insurance systems that reward carrying out procedures more than improving health outcomes. Doctors and patients need better information on the cost effectiveness of health care procedures. Health care systems should be more strongly oriented to early detection and prevention. Our insurance and health care delivery systems have also generated high costs in paperwork, profits, and advertising that contribute little to healthy outcomes.

We should encourage more healthy lifestyles though better physical education and health classes in schools, better nutrition information on food and in restaurants, better regulation of advertising, and greater emphasis on healthy behavior.

FOREIGN POLICY In recent years nearly half of world military spending has been from the United States, and the federal government has spent 50-60% of its discretionary budget on the military (including veterans and nuclear programs). At the same time, we have been under-investing in infrastructure, education, and moving to a clean-energy economy, all of which are vital to America’s long term strength and security. Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have done little to enhance American security. Budgets for diplomacy and foreign aid have been less than a tenth of our military budget.

We can improve American security by better addressing the causes of conflict and by increasing international cooperation. China, a rising power, is building its military, but it is also the largest contributor to climate change. America should work with China so that together both countries can be world leaders addressing climate change. America’s role in the conflict between Israel and Palestine has contributed to conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq and with Iran, and it has undermined our support for democracy elsewhere in the Middle East. While maintaining an absolute commitment to defend Israel’s territorial integrity, we should push harder for a viable Palestinian state. Moving to an economy based on renewable energy will reduce our need to defend access to oil from the Middle East and from other troubled regions.

We need a leaner, smarter military to meet the threats of the 21st century. With these changes we can enhance American security by shifting dollars from the military to education and infrastructure and to improving international cooperation.

District 7
Tim Walberg (R) Incumbent

http://www.walbergforcongress.com/Home.aspx http://www.ontheissues.org/mi/tim_walberg.htm **

http://walberg.house.gov/

Rated -4 by AAI, indicating a anti-Arab anti-Palestine voting record. (May 2012)

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

HEALTHCARE The government takeover of health care is driving up costs, causing millions of people to lose access to their health insurance and doctors, hurting small business job creation, and pushing people into part-time jobs. Tim Walberg voted to repeal the entire government takeover of health care and the worst parts of Obamacare. Congress has passed and the president has signed legislation to repeal or remove funding for eight parts of Obamacare.

Tim is pushing for policies to make health care more affordable, including ending lawsuit abuse, allowing small businesses to join together to purchase health insurance at a more affordable price, letting people purchase health insurance across state lines, expanding the flexibility to health savings accounts, and giving individuals the same tax treatment as corporations when they purchase health insurance. Additionally, Tim voted to repeal the medical device tax, which is costing Michigan medical manufacturing jobs and increasing the costs for life savings medications and devices.

Research, innovation, and preparedness are crucial to improving health care quality and finding ways to heal our loved ones. Tim Walberg voted to encourage and protect university research by improving the patent process. He also voted for legislation to help our first responders and communities prepare in case of a terrorist attack and health outbreak.

IMMIGRATION – Securing Our Borders: Failing to secure our borders and ports of entry poses a security risk to our citizens and ignores the rule of law. In the 112th Congress, I helped pass H.R. 1299, the Secure Our Borders Act, which would require a comprehensive strategy for gaining operational control of our land and maritime borders. We must do more so that law enforcement has the proper training, technology and resources to enforce our current laws and reduce the threat of drugs, weapons, and human trafficking coming across our borders.

Enforcing the Law: With over 11 million illegal aliens currently living in the United States, it is apparent that we need to do more to uphold our laws. Our current system encourages people to break the law and punishes those who abide by it, ultimately harming both prospective legal immigrants and hardworking Americans. I believe we must empower state and local law enforcement, and equip Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to enforce federal immigration law, and demand that the Department of Justice uphold the laws in place.

Cutting the Red-Tape for Legal Immigration: Immigrants who want to join our citizenry should be encouraged and assisted in doing so the same way millions of immigrants have legally done so for generations. We need to create a work permit program that eliminates bureaucratic red-tape and meets the evolving needs of economy, especially our agricultural, educational, and technological sectors.

In June 2013, the Senate passed S. 744, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act. As the House considers its own package of bills to reform immigration policy, please know that I will support measures that honor our nation’s founding tradition of legal immigration, secures our borders, and addresses the bureaucratic red-tape, which prevents legal immigrants from entering our country and helping to meet our workforce needs.

ENERGY Voted for construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline without limiting amendments.

Independence from Foreign Oil – America uses about one-fifth of the world’s oil supply, but we only produce about 50 percent of what we use. Our nation needs to move away from volatile oil markets such as the Middle East and Venezuela and instead use environmentally friendly ways to develop domestic energy from Alaska and the Outer Continental Shelf.

Develop and Promote Alternative Fuels – We need to support market-based strategies that encourage alternative energy sources like wind, solar, cellulosic ethanol, bio-diesel, hydrogen and other clean alternatives in addition to promoting conservation.

Nuclear Energy – Only 20 percent of the nation’s electricity is produced by nuclear power; meanwhile nations like France receive 75 percent of all its power from nuclear. We need to grow our ability to produce this emissions-free energy.

Reduce Harmful Regulations – While some government regulations are important, excessive federal regulation can increase energy costs for consumers and stifle job creation. In February 2013 I questioned energy experts about the costly impact of proposed EPA regulations on energy. I also voted in August 2013 in support of H.R. 1582, Energy Consumers Relief Act, to help protect consumers from rising energy costs by requiring that before the EPA finalizes an energy related rule costing more than $1 billion, they provide Congress a detailed report on the cost, benefit, energy price and job impact.
D.R. North (R) Challenger

http://northforcongress.com/
Pam Byrnes (D) Challenger

http://pambyrnesforcongress.com/

District 8

Mike Rogers (R) Retiring in 2014
Bryan Barnett (R) Challenger

http://www.barnett4congress.com/
Mike Bishop (R) Challenger

Endorsed by Rep. Mike Rogers **

http://votemikebishop.com/ http://levin.house.gov/
Ken Darga (D) Challenger

http://darga4congress.com/ http://www.darga4congress.com/issues.html
Susan Grettenberger (D)Challenger

http://grettenbergerforcongress.com/
Eric Schertzing (D) Challenger

https://www.facebook.com/eric.schertzing

District 9
Sander Levin (D) Incumbent

http://www.levinforcongress.com/ http://www.ontheissues.org/MI/Sander_Levin.htm**

http://levin.house.gov/issues

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

ENERGY An Energy Plan that Works for Michigan – Energy is the lifeblood of our economy. It powers our homes, industries, vehicles, and everything from the iPods in our pockets to the backyard grill. We need a balanced energy plan that plays to our nation’s – and Michigan’s – strengths.

Of course, we need robust oil and gas production in this country. But that is happening now. Domestic oil production is at an 18-year high, and U.S. natural gas production is at an all-time high. Net oil imports have fallen from 57 percent in 2008 to 45 percent today. And the Administration continues to make millions of acres of public lands available for oil and gas development. Indeed, oil and gas companies are sitting on nearly two-thirds of public lands they have leased.

But drilling will only get us so far. The U.S. consumes 22 percent of the world’s oil, yet we produce only a fraction of that here at home. Also, oil is not without environmental problems as we saw two years ago in the massive Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and the 2010 Enbridge Pipeline spill that fouled the Kalamazoo River with more than 19,000 barrels of oil.

Voted against construction of the KeystoneXL Pipeline without limiting amendments.

HEALTHCARE Our country took an important step toward affordable health care for all Americans with the passage of the Affordable Care Act. The legislation reforms health care by protecting Americans from the worst insurance industry practices and offering the uninsured and small businesses the opportunity to obtain affordable health care plans, all while reducing the deficit by more than a trillion dollars over the next twenty years.

Levin Statement on Resignation of Secretary Kathleen Sebelius – Apr 10, 2014 – Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Sander Levin (D-MI) today made the following statement after it was announced that Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius would resign:

“Kathleen Sebelius has led with dignity and determination. At all times, she put the health of the American people and the overwhelming need to reform our health care system first. She came to the position with a distinguished career in public service and she continued to impress with her hard work, talents, grace and forthrightness. When things went well she gave others credit, and when times were rocky she took full responsibility. It was my pleasure to work with her in her role as Secretary of Health and Human Services, and I am fully confident that she will continue to make a major contribution to the needs and aspirations of Americans in all walks of life. I wish her all of the best.”
George Brikho (R) Challenger

Ron Paul activist
http://georgebrikho.com/

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

ECONOMY Our government imposes over 150,000 pages of federal regulations on businesses. It is naive to believe more regulations are needed to fix our economy. These laws serve one purpose, to protect corporations from competing in a free market.

Very few politicians in Washington DC understand the true obstacles of economic growth. Our economy’s main obstacle is our own government. American jobs are being killed by our government’s over regulation of small businesses and the burdens of complex federal tax laws. Many more American jobs will be outsourced overseas until we tackle the real causes of our economic problems. I will work with both parties to achieve meaningful economic reform.

FOREIGN POLICY One of the federal government’s most important responsibilities is protecting our nation from foreign enemies. We need to maintain a powerful military, but we must strategically reorganize our defense budget. Not every penny spent on defense is being used wisely. We must also re-analyze the War on Terror.

Our nation currently gives more foreign aid to Israel’s enemies than they do to Israel. How is that a rational foreign policy? For the most part, foreign aid consists of taking money from America’s middle class and giving it to rich dictators overseas. Gradually, we should end the practice of foreign aid. We can start by cutting foreign aid to countries whose citizens regularly burn our flag.

SECOND AMENDMENT Americans have the right to own firearms. The purpose of the Second Amendment is to overthrow our own government if it becomes too tyrannical. Like most Americans, I understand this very simple concept. I will oppose all gun control legislation.

MEDICAL MARIJUANA

How can the government tell a dying cancer patient not to use marijuana to treat their illness? How can the government tell a wounded veteran that he can not use marijuana to treat the pain of his war injuries? Government has no place second guessing decisions made between doctors and individuals. Like it, or not, research has shown marijuana to be a valuable treatment option. I will promote legislation to protect medical marijuana users from federal prosecution.
Greg Dildilian (R) Challenger
No website

District 10
Candice Miller (R) Incumbent

http://candice-miller.com/ http://www.ontheissues.org/MI/Candice_Miller.htm**

http://candicemiller.house.gov/

Rated -4 by AAI, indicating a anti-Arab anti-Palestine voting record. (May 2012)

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

ENERGY Voted for construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline without limiting amendments.

“Our nation is faced with ever rising energy costs and security concerns because today’s energy policy is out of step with reality. Yet this week, the President announced his directive to additionally impose new rules and regulations on our nation’s energy resources – new policies that will only add up to more costs for every American.

“This week, the House took decisive action to directly address the energy needs of our nation’s households and businesses. Instead of blocking the path to a more secure energy future and an influx of jobs, my colleagues and I voted to advance two bills, H.R.2231, The Offshore Energy and Jobs Act and H.R. 1613, The Outer Continental Shelf Transboundary Hydrocarbon Agreements Authorization Act, which are focused on offshore oil and natural gas development. Instead of blocking these domestic energy resources from being developed in a responsible manner, these two bills are focused on taking control of America’s energy needs and clearing the way for the creation of more American jobs. Energy security equals national security. As a nation, we must get serious about modernizing our energy policy to ensure we have the right mix of secure resources for many years to come.”

HEALTHCARE Making health care more affordable and accessible

Candice Miller believes that it is vital that we bring down the cost of healthcare and make it more accessible to every American. That was not achieved in the massive government takeover of healthcare passed this year by Congress. She believes there are several steps that we can take to accomplish this goal.

ECONOMY AND NATIONAL SECURITY Rep. Miller Votes for Budget that Prioritizes U.S. National Security – Apr 10, 2014 – U.S. Representative Candice Miller (MI-10) issued the following statement after voting for the budget plan, the Path to Prosperity, introduced by House Budget Committee Chairman Rep. Paul Ryan (WI-1):

“Last month, the President presented a budget proposal that continues the federal spending spree, adds trillions of dollars to our national debt, and never balances. Worse yet, it would also hollow out our military and greatly reduce our national defense capabilities by shrinking the size of the military to pre-World War II levels. And he doesn’t even propose these cuts to pay down our massive debt, but instead uses these cuts to the military to fund even more new government spending. That is the last thing we need, and the House agreed by rejecting the President’s budget by a vote of 2-413.

“I believe the first and foremost responsibility of our federal government is to provide for the common defense, in fact that is in the preamble of our Constitution. And as Vice Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, I am aware of the threats our nation faces and consider the President’s proposed military cuts dangerous to national security.

“Today, I voted for another path forward. I voted for the Path to Prosperity, a budget proposal and blueprint that prioritizes national defense, spurs economic growth and makes common sense reforms to important programs like Medicaid and Medicare so they are available for future generations. The House Budget balances the federal books within the 10-year budget window by spending $5.1 trillion less over the next ten years than the President’s budget simply by slowing the rate of growth in federal spending. Our budget also would put our nation on a path to pay off our national debt over time, which will help provide a greater opportunity for success for our children and grandchildren. It’s a good dose of common sense which is desperately needed in Washington.

“Most importantly, the budget I voted for today strengthens this country’s ability to protect itself in a dangerous world by providing our military with the equipment, training and compensation they need to keep Americans safe at home and abroad.”
Don Volaric (R) Challenger

http://www.votevolaric.com/

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

Support and will uphold & defend The Constitution Of The United States
I believe in limited government and States Rights (10th Amendment)
I will protect personal property and inheritance rights (Life, Liberty & Prosperity)
I support a Tax Code that eliminates the IRS & takes the Money out of Politics (Lobbyist)
I support replacing Federal Income Tax with the FairTax (1st) or Flat Tax 10% across the board, NO SUBSIDY (2nd)
I support a Strong Monetary policy to protect future generations and the full, faith & credit of the United States
I would repeal Dodd-Frank (Banking) in favor of Glass-Steagall
I support the repeal of the 17th amendment in favor of Article 1 Section 3 of the Constitution
I support the repeal of the 16th amendment in favor of Article 1 Section 8 of the Constitution
I believe in Civil Rights & Due Process the family is sovereign (off base), the 4th & 5th amendment
My family & I are personally Pro-Life
I believe in a Strong National Defense based on technology, not nation building
I will work toward immigration reform, no amnesty and secure borders
I support the responsible cultivation and use of our domestic resources
I believe in energy independence as a key part of our national security and renewed job creation
I would digress from Foreign Aid until our debt is under 50% of GDP
I believe Congress can only declare war
I support auditing the Federal Reserve
I would seriously re-evaluate the Validity & Integrity of the United Nations

Chuck Stadler (D) Challenger

http://chuckstadlerforcongress.com/

District 11
Kerry Bentivolio (R) Incumbent

http://kerrybentivolioforcongress.com/ http://bentivolio.house.gov/

Rep. Bentivolio named Top Conservative by American Conservative Union

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

http://www.ontheissues.org/MI/Kerry_Bentivolio.htm**

HEALTHCARE I wholeheartedly oppose Obamacare, and voted to repeal it. The government takeover of nearly one-fifth of our economy has only led to an increase in the cost of both healthcare and health insurance.

The recent Supreme Court ruling that granted the Congress an unlimited power to use the tax code to compel us into buying a product from private companies is a massive intrusion on our freedom. Washington should not be allowed to control every aspect of our lives. I ask all Americans to join me in standing up to this intrusion into our daily lives.

We can reclaim our right to be self-responsible citizens without the management of Washington bureaucrats, but we must take action in November. One problem that too many Americans currently face, though, is that they are not empowered to participate fully in the market because their only realistic option for insurance depends on whatever their employer chooses for them.

This system has become even more burdensome as Michiganders have found themselves out of work. Health savings accounts-as exemplified by our neighbors in Indiana-have proven to be an effective reform that has brought free market principles into the purchase of health insurance.

ENERGY Americans are being hit at the pump and American businesses are hurting when they pay their energy bills. This is a drain on our economy that we cannot allow to continue.

America needs an all-of-the-above energy policy. I work tirelessly in Congress for affordable energy by encouraging freedom, choice, and competition. I embrace all forms of energy, but I will not support taxpayer-funded pet projects like the Solyndra subsidy. Our country has vast oil reserves. Prohibiting safe drilling at home causes a massive trade deficit and places our country at risk as we become more dependent on oil from nations that are not necessarily in line with our values.

Opening up more public land and allowing more permits to companies that will responsibly drill for new reservoirs of oil in the United States will lower gas prices. The results would be dramatic: it would spur our economy, and make us more secure.

The best course for energy independence is to cut the red tape and let everyone compete on an equal playing field to deliver the most energy for the lowest price for all. Pollution should be dealt with as a property crime, not enshrined and protected by law via “pay to pollute” schemes like Cap and Trade.

The Bentivolio Record – Voted YES on HR 3, which he cosponsored, to approve the Keystone XL Pipeline

IMMIGRATION Any immigration reform must begin with securing the border and stopping the flow of those who are coming into this country illegally. A nation must be able to secure its borders if it is to be protected against those who want to do it harm. This is especially true in the age of terrorism.

The threats of cross-border criminal organizations are real and even without such threats, the lack of respect for our laws from those entering illegally is not acceptable. We should offer no amnesty to illegal immigrants, which amounts to condoning illegality. Crucially, no taxpayer-funded programs should be available to non-citizens. It is immoral that American citizens are compelled to subsidize welfare for non-citizens, and it is this incentive most of all that encourages people to come here illegally.

We should allow legal immigration to the degree that our security is not compromised. More citizens mean more productive members of society, more producers, more consumers, more competition. That is a healthy thing. It means more people from other countries discovering our tremendous prosperity brought on by our tradition of freedom, and spreading the message to those back home. This too is a healthy thing. But we should not condone illegality, we should not require taxpayers to pay for the welfare of illegal aliens, and we should never allow our national security to be compromised by open borders.
Dave Trott (R) Challenger

http://trottforcongress.com/ http://trottforcongress.com/issues/

Why I’m Running I am a businessman and, for more than 30 years, I have been a job creator. I have created and saved almost 1,800 jobs. I know what it takes to create good paying jobs for people. I will work everyday to create jobs for the district. And, as your Congressman, I am committed to providing the best customer service for my constituents.

I am a conservative who truly believes in cutting spending, lowering taxes and creating jobs. I am an outsider who is not beholden to any special interest. What you see is what you ge