Sen. Mike Bishop

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#0000BF" TEXT="#F7F7FF" bgproperties="fixed" background="044005a0exvipq.gif"> <div> <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFCC33" FACE="Copperplate Gothic Bold" ><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Eastside Republican Club"><U><B>Home</B></U></A><B>  </B><B> </B></FONT><B>  | </B><B> </B><B> </B><B>  </B><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Copperplate Gothic Bold" ><B>Eastside Republican Club</B></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="erc_meeting_dates.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Events"><U><B>Events</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="eastside_republican_review_summary.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="ERC Review"><U><B>ERC Review</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="michigan_s_13th_district.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Congressional District News"><U><B>Congressional District News</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="civic___governmental_links.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U><B>Links</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="erc_officers.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="About Us"><U><B>About Us</B></U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Sen. Mike Bishop</B></div> <div> <A HREF="link_to_michigan_gop.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Michigan Republicans"><U><B><IMG SRC="05358580.gif" border=0 width="88" height="88" ALT="Michigan GOP" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="michigan_s_13th_district.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Congressional District News"><U><I><B>Congressional District News</B></I></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="erc_testimonials.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="What Theyre Saying About Us"><U><I><B>Read what they've said about us</B></I></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="erc_meeting_dates.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Events"><U><B><IMG SRC="81b871f0.gif" border=0 width="135" height="31" ALT=">>Events" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div>  <A NAME="top_of_page"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></div> <div> <IMG SRC="17d790780.jpg" border=0 width="400" height="376" ALT="Michigan Senate majority leader Mike Bishop talking to ERC Forum audience after his remarks" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="6" VSPACE="2"><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><I><U>Michigan Senate Majority Leader Michael Bishop</U></I></FONT></div> <div> <B>Top State Senate Leader</B></div> <div> <B>Reflects on 2008 Election</B></div> <div> By John Chouinard</div> <div> “I know many of you are suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder,” stated Senator Michael D. Bishop, Michigan Republican majority leader, speaking to the Eastside Republican Club Forum just two weeks after the 2008 General Election.</div> <div> He told the Forum, “I've been asked whether all of this discourages me from wanting to serve in public office -- my answer is absolutely not!”</div> <div> Dr. Julie Corbett, ERC chairman, introduced the lifelong Rochester resident who is in his final term representing Michigan's 12th Senate district (northern Oakland).</div> <div> The Forum was held November 18 at the Grosse Pointe War Memorial.</div> <div> <I><B>Election Analysis</B></I></div> <div> Looking at State legislative races throughout the United States, Senator Bishop explained, “Democrats picked up just 10 State Senate seats out of 1,971, and 94 State House seats out of 5,411.”</div> <div> “Fortunately for our State, we still have a balance of power, given the Republican majority in our State Senate,” he said.</div> <div> Bishop noted, however, that two State Senate wins were narrow GOP victories, with Republicans winning by a combined majority of only 1,250 votes.</div> <div> The Senate leader cited several reasons why the GOP gave up nine seats in the Michigan House of Representatives, even though seven were in districts considered to have a strong Republican voter base.</div> <div> “McCain's decision to leave Michigan only exacerbated the problems here for the GOP base,” he said.<IMG SRC="17d8d9f40.jpg" border=0 width="217" height="244" ALT="Michigan Senate majority leader Mike Bishop talking to Chris Cornwall after his remarks" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="6" VSPACE="2"></div> <div> Bishop asked, “Imagine, if your stomach can take it, what this State would look like if our Governor had controlled both chambers of the Michigan legislature for the past two years!”</div> <div> Then he highlighted what has occurred in Michigan due to the State's Democrat governor and Democrat-dominated House of Representatives:</div> <div> - State taxes increased by $4 billion.</div> <div> - Size of government dramatically increased through massive budget bills.</div> <div> - Every Republican-proposed spending reduction was set aside.</div> <div> - Government reform was stalled.</div> <div> - Years of legal, election, and campaign reform were threatened.</div> <div> - Agenda of organized labor bosses, special interests, and campaign contributors were advanced.</div> <div> Bishop cited, as an example, how one wealthy Kalamazoo contributor dumped $4 million dollars into at least nine State legislative races to further his agenda. The effort was successful in seven of the districts, including District 1 which includes Grosse Pointe.</div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="312" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 309 ><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="17d92c2b0.jpg" border=0 width="300" height="299" ALT="Michigan Senate majority leader Mike Bishop talking to ERC Forum audience after his remarks" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="2"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=BOTTOM HEIGHT= 210 ><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="17dc8dbf0.jpg" border=0 width="141" height="191" ALT="Michigan Senate majority leader Mike Bishop at the Grosse Pointe War Memorial" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="2" VSPACE="2"></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="17db9bbf0.jpg" border=0 width="155" height="191" ALT="Michigan Senate majority leader Mike Bishop talking to John Chouinard after his remarks" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="2"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 285 ><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="17da2c170.jpg" border=0 width="300" height="279" ALT="Michigan Senate majority leader Mike Bishop talking to ERC Forum audience after his remarks" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> “Now, more than ever, this State needs people who are willing to stand up to this misguided leadership and to champion an agenda that returns Michigan to its rightful place on the path to prosperity,” he said.</div> <div> Bishop explained that the GOP agenda must focus on fundamental belief in a smaller, more efficient government, personal responsibility, and protection of the family and family values.</div> <div> He also noted that early in 2009, the GOP would have an opportunity to add to its Senate majority, as there would be a special election to fill the vacancy created by the Democratic senator who is resigning as the result of his election to the U.S. Congress to replace Congressman Tim Walberg.</div> <div> <I><B>Bishop's Service</B></I></div> <div> Following the 2006 election, Bishop was nominated by his caucus, and chosen by his peers as Senate majority leader. As head of the Republican caucus, Bishop directs the agenda, and is spokesman for GOP legislative policies.</div> <div> Since his 1998 election to the House of Representatives, Bishop has been an advocate for smaller, more efficient government. He has consistently championed making government live within its means, whether through introducing legislation to create a part-time legislature, passing public employee healthcare reform, or advocating cuts to State elected official compensation.</div> <div> As an advocate of improved child protection in the digital age, Bishop sponsored legislation to create the Michigan Child Protection Registry (CPR), the first of its kind in the United States. The CPR is a secure database allowing parents and schools to register electronic contact points accessed by children, and prohibiting distributors of tobacco, alcohol, pornography and other adult materials from soliciting children.</div> <div> In 2003, Bishop, authored the Identity Theft Protection Act which established identity theft as a felony. Cognizant of the impact identity theft can have on an individual's life, his legislation also prohibits denying or reducing credit to victims of identity theft.</div> <div> As a long-serving member of the legislature, Bishop has been served on a number of important committees in during his tenure in both the House and Senate. Most recently, he chaired the Banking & Financial Institutions Committee and was vice chair of the Judiciary Committee.</div> <div> In his role as Senate majority leader, Bishop chairs the Government Operations Committee, which is charged with recommending to the full Senate whether or not to accept the Governor's appointments to agencies and commissions.</div> <div> <I><B>Bishop Accomplishments</B></I></div> <div> Bishop is recipient of a host of honors, including Credit Union National Association legislator of the year; Small Business Association of Michigan legislator of the year; Dads & Moms of Michigan legislator of the year; Citizens for Traditional Values leadership award; Michigan Bankers Association economic impact award; Michigan Food & Beverage Association and Michigan Business & Professional Association distinguished service award; and in 2006 he was named one of the<I> Crain's</I> ”40 Under 40.“</div> <div> Looking ahead, Bishop remains steadfast in his commitment to making the State an even more attractive place for families to live and companies to invest. Among his priorities are consolidating and restricting State government to find savings, reducing taxes for families and business, and protecting our State's cherished natural resources.</div> <div> An attorney by trade, Bishop is licensed to practice law in the State of Michigan, the District of Columbia, and before the U.S. Supreme Court. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan and received his law degree from Detroit College of Law in 1993. He also has a real estate broker's license and served as president of his own real estate firm.</div> <div> He rates his most important roles as that of husband to his wife, Cristina, and father to their three children, Benjamin, Gabriella and Nathan.</div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="#top_of_page" TITLE="Sen. Mike Bishop"><U>back to top</U></A></div> </td> </tr></table></body>