Eastside Republican Club

<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> <B>Eastside Republican Club</B></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> <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> The ERC serves Detroit's near eastside communities, including Grosse Pointe, Michigan, hosting informative <A HREF="erc_meeting_dates.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Events"><U>speakers</U></A>. Read about<A HREF="republican_history.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Early History of Detroit Republicans"><U> early Republicans</U></A> in Detroit! Local and State civic/governmental <A HREF="civic___governmental_links.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U>links</U></A>.</div> <div> <A HREF="gop_women.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Republican Womens Club of Grosse Pointe"><U><I><B>Pointe Women Host Land</B></I></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="michigan_s_13th_district_durant.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Congressional District News"><U><I><B>Pointes Lose a Leader</B></I></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.alliancegop.com/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.alliancegop.com/"><U><I><B>Alliance of Black Republicans</B></I></U></A></div> <bR> <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> <div> <B> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="10" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="172" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#FFFF80 > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 72 WIDTH="152"><div> <I><B>Go Paperless!</B></I></div> <div> To receive meeting reminders via e-mail instead of a postcard, <A HREF="mailto:jhacklem@eastside-republican-club.org" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:"><U>send us a note</U></A>, subject: “Paperless.”</div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></B></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="560" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 4186 WIDTH="560"><bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="562" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#FFFF80 > <tR> <tD VALIGN=BOTTOM HEIGHT= 127 ><NOBR><div> <B>ERC SUMMER PICNIC</B></div> <div> Sunday, July 20, from 1 to 3 p.m.</div> <div> PATTERSON PARK, 16006 ESSEX, GROSSE POINTE PARK</div> <div> (at the intersection of Three Mile Drive & Essex)</div> <div> ** FEATURING A MAGICIAN, GAMES, SPLASH PAD & FOOD **</div> <div> RSVP: 313 - 505 - 3646</div> <div> For admission, your name must be on our list at the park gate.</div> <div> PLEASE BRING A DISH TO PASS FOR 12 PEOPLE, AND SWIMMING SUIT FOR SPLASH PAD FUN!</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> <B>Justice Ta</B><B>ylor</B><A HREF="forum165.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Justice Clifford W. Taylor"><U><B><IMG SRC="16ec706a0.jpg" border=0 width="368" height="362" ALT="Girl Scouts pictured between Dr. Julie Corbett and Michigan Chief Justice Clifford W. Taylor are Olivia, Elizabeth, and Caroline Barratta, Madeleine and Meridith McDonald, and Emma Rooney of Troop 3090 who led attendees in the Pledge of Allegiance at the June 17 ERC Forum." ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="4" VSPACE="3"></B></U></A></div> <div> <B>Speaks at June</B></div> <div> <B>Eastside Forum</B></div> <div> Clifford W. Taylor, Chief Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court, addressed the June 17 ERC Forum.</div> <div> Dr. Julie Corbett, Eastside Republican Club chairman opened the meeting and introduced five Girl Scouts of Troop 3090 who led attendees in the Pledge of Allegiance.</div> <div> Fellow Justice Maura Corrigan introduced Taylor.</div> <div> Taylor, a resident of suburban Lansing, discussed the Court's responsibilities under the Michigan Constitution, and its role in applying and interpreting the law.</div> <div> He also answered audience questions.</div> <div> Taylor explained that as the court has changed, recent decisions have been based on the law, not on what some wanted the law to be. >><A HREF="forum165.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Justice Clifford W. Taylor"><U><I>More Taylor</I></U></A><I>.</I></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="193" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 127 ><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="16de5a730.gif" border=0 width="90" height="115" ALT="Daniel Corrigan Grano" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Daniel Corrigan Grano</div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="16df5a730.jpg" border=0 width="90" height="115" ALT="Therese Joseph" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Therese Joseph</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 127 ><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="16e05a730.jpg" border=0 width="90" height="115" ALT="Mary Treder Lang" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Mary Treder Lang</div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=BOTTOM><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="16e15a730.jpg" border=0 width="90" height="115" ALT="John Simon" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> John Simon</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 127 ><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="16e25a730.gif" border=0 width="90" height="115" ALT="John Stempfle" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> John Stempfle</div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="16e35a720.gif" border=0 width="90" height="114" ALT="Pete Waldmeir" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Pete Waldmeir</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> <B>ERC Hosts Candidates' Forum</B></div> <div> <B>At Grosse Pointe War Memorial</B></div> <div> The Eastside Republican Club hosted a candidates' forum on May 20, 2008, featuring GOP candidates for state representative, district 1, the post currently held by term-limited Republican Ed Gaffney of Grosse Pointe Farms.</div> <div> According to the Michigan Department of State, six Republicans have filed for the primary that carries a filing deadline of May 13, 2008. >><A HREF="http://miboecfr.nictusa.com/election/candlist/08PRI/08PRI_CL.HTM" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://miboecfr.nictusa.com/election/can"><U><I>See 2008 Unofficial Michigan Primary Candidate Listing</I></U></A>.</div> <div> The six are Daniel Corrigan Grano of Grosse Pointe Park, Therese Joseph of Grosse Pointe Farms, Mary Treder Lang of Grosse Pointe Farms, John Simon of Grosse Pointe Park, John Stempfle of Grosse Pointe, and Pete Waldmeir of Grosse Pointe Woods.</div> <div> In addition to hearing from the candidates present, audience members had the opportunity to pose questions to the individual candidates. >><A HREF="forum.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="2008 Candidates Forum"><U><I>More Forum</I></U></A><I>.</I></div> <div> <B>State GOP Chairman Anuzis</B></div> <div> <B>Assures Party Faithful at Detroit Event</B><A HREF="anuzis163.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Anuzis to PAC"><U><B><IMG SRC="16b78ce40.jpg" border=0 width="140" height="228" ALT="Saul Anuzis >>More PAC event" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="6" VSPACE="3"></B></U></A></div> <div> By John Minnis</div> <div> Despite a <I>Detroit News</I> story to the contrary, the Michigan Republican Party is not in financial difficulty, state GOP Chairman Saul Anuzis told a crowd of the party faithful at the Eastside Republican Club PAC annual dinner April 24 at Sindbad's Restaurant in Detroit.</div> <div> In reality, the state organization has $230,000 in debts and $252,000 in cash on hand, Anuzis said.</div> <div> ERC PAC Chairman Lita McKeehan welcomed the guests to the annual dinner and invited Grosse Pointe Park Mayor Palmer Heenan to say the invocation.</div> <div> Anuzis was introduced by Tom McCleary, ERC vice chairman and emcee for the event.</div> <div> Anuzis said, “This is not going to be an election in pastel colors. It is going to be in bold colors. The difference between John McCain and Barack Obama or whoever wins the Democratic nomination is going to be stark.”</div> <div> Obama is probably the most unqualified candidate to ever run for the presidency, Anuzis said.</div> <div> The state GOP chairman said he has always been a big believer in primaries.</div> <div> “A good, healthy primary usually gives you a better election cycle going out,” he said. “This is the first time since Ronald Reagan that a GOP candidate is leading both Democratic candidates this early in the campaign.”</div> <div> He warned that capital gains, inheritance and other tax cuts are due to expire in two years and that the Democrats are looking at “Cuban-style health care.”</div> <div> “If we socialize medicine in the United States, where are the Canadians going to go for health care?” he asked. “It's a crazy system that hasn't worked anywhere in the world. And it's an expensive system.” >><A HREF="anuzis163.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Anuzis to PAC"><U><I>More PAC event</I></U></A>.</div> <div> <A HREF="hoogendyk.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Hoogendyk at ERC"><U><IMG SRC="16b58cc80.jpg" border=0 width="140" height="200" ALT="Rep. Jack Hoogendyk, Kalamazoo >>More Hoogendyk" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="6" VSPACE="3"></U></A><B>State GOP Leader Jack Hoogendyk</B></div> <div> <B>Calls for Increased Government Efficiency</B></div> <div> Calling for improved government efficiency, low taxes and strong national defense, Jack Hoogendyk appealed to ERC members and guests at its March 18 Forum held at the Grosse Pointe War Memorial.</div> <div> Hoogendyk, 52, was in town campaigning for the nomination and the opportunity to challenge Sen. Carl Levin, 73, who is seeking his sixth, six-year term. To gain an official place on the August 5, 2008, primary election ballot, Hoogendyk is presently circulating nominating petitions.</div> <div> Considering the challenges of the campaign and demands for service in the U.S. Senate, Hoogendyk said, “I'm the right person for the job.” </div> <div> “One thing I learned from my years working in sales is that the private sector is a lot better at running things than the government -- it is much more efficient,” Hoogendyk told the audience.</div> <div> Pointing to his record in the legislature, he reported that he'd never voted for a tax hike or budget increase greater than the rate of inflation.</div> <div> Hoogendyk said that what sets him apart from the incumbent are his conservative stands for less government, more freedom, lower taxes, the Second Amendment right-to-bear-arms, and his a pro-life position.>><A HREF="hoogendyk.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Hoogendyk at ERC"><U><I>More Hoogendyk</I></U></A>.</div> <div> <B>Late Richard Durant Honored With Memorial Gift</B></div> <div> Honoring the memory of the late Richard Durant, Mike Gallaway of the Eastside Republican Club read a tribute to the longtime activist during the club's February 19 meeting at the Grosse Pointe War Memorial. >><A HREF="michigan_s_13th_district_durant.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Congressional District News"><U><I>Read Pointes Lose a Leader</I></U></A>.</div> <div> <B>GOP Leader Andrew Raczkowski</B><A HREF="raczkowski161.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Rocky at ERC"><U><B><IMG SRC="168e78c60.jpg" border=0 width="120" height="198" ALT="Andrew 'Rocky' Raczkowski >>More 'Rocky'" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="6" VSPACE="4"></B></U></A></div> <div> <B>Called to U.S. Army Active Duty--Again</B></div> <div> Andrew "Rocky" Raczkowski, former majority leader of the Michigan House of Representatives and Michigan GOP vice-chairman, announced his call to active duty in remarks to the Eastside Republican Club, February 19, 2008, at the Grosse Pointe War Memorial, Grosse Pointe Farms.</div> <div> As a major in the U.S. Army Reserves, Raczkowski, a 22-year Army veteran, said that he has been given six to seven months to prepare for his next deployment.</div> <div> Faced with another frontline tour with the U.S. Army, Raczkowski said he will be unable to engage U.S. Senator Carl Levin in a 2008 rematch, and endorses fellow-Republican Jack Hoogendyk of Kalamazoo for the seat.</div> <div> In 2002, Raczkowski was the GOP nominee challenging Levin in his bid for a fifth term in the U.S. Senate.</div> <div> Consequently, Raczkowski encouraged his audience to support Hoogendyk as he ramps up his campaign to unseat incumbent U.S. Senator Carl Levin in the November General Election. >><A HREF="raczkowski161.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Rocky at ERC"><U><I>More 'Rocky</I></U></A><I>.'</I></div> <div> <A HREF="hughes160.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Hughes at ERC"><U><B><IMG SRC="16546eb20.jpg" border=0 width="110" height="178" ALT="Holly Hughes, Republican national committeewoman >>More Hughes" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="6" VSPACE="4"></B></U></A><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>National Committeewoman Explains</B></FONT></div> <div> <B>Michigan's Early Presidential Primary</B></div> <div> “I understand how much we gained by having this primary early, and on the same date as the Democrats,” said National committeewoman Holly Hughes.</div> <div> Speaking to the Eastside Republican Club Forum at the Grosse Pointe War Memorial on January 22, she explained, “In this election, in one day, we have identified over 800,000 potential GOP voters.”</div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="10" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="232" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#FFFF80 > <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 286 WIDTH="212"><div> <I><B>Historically Significant</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>Experiences of Black Americans</B></I></div> <div> Courtesy of <A HREF="http://joshuastrail.org/index.html" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://joshuastrail.org/index.html"><U>Joshua's Trail</U></A>, here is just one of 25 historical points of interest to Black Americans.</div> <div> Frederick Douglass, the noted 19th century abolitionist, wrote this about the Democratic Party:<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><IMG SRC="14b542590.jpg" border=0 width="66" height="89" ALT="Frederick Douglass 1817-1895" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="3" VSPACE="1"></FONT></div> <div> Sir, it is evident that there is in this country a purely slavery party -- a party which exists for no other earthly purpose than to promote the interests of slavery…. For the present, the best representative of the slavery party in politics is the Democratic party.</div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> >><A HREF="http://joshuastrail.org/history.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://joshuastrail.org/history.htm"><U><I>Read all 25 points of interest</I></U></A>.</div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> According to Hughes, “We can be sure that the candidates all understand our one-state recession, and the value of Great Lakes water as a Michigan resource.” She added that Michigan needed this type of visibility and national attention for our survival.</div> <div> Hughes said the primary demonstrated the value of “grassroots” workers. As a participant and observer of GOP affairs both here and around the nation, she observed, “Michigan is very well organized.” </div> <div> These grassroots workers, she said, “know who to call to make things happen.”</div> <div> “One of the things I noted was that one-fourth of all votes cast was by absentee ballot, even before New Hampshire.” This was due to the necessity of releasing the absent voter ballots early.</div> <div> The national committeewoman explained, “I support Sen. McCain, but I know others support Romney and other candidates.” Hughes promised that after the convention, “I will support the nominee of the party.” >><A HREF="hughes160.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Hughes at ERC"><U><I>More Hughes</I></U></A>.</div> <div> <B>Mem</B><B>bers Select New Officers a</B><B>t ERC's 2008 Annual Meeting</B></div> <div> Eastside Republican Club members elected officers and directors at the club's January 22, 2008, annual meeting.</div> <div> Officers for 2008 are Julie Corbett, chairman, Thomas R. McCleary, Jr., vice chairman, Jenny Nolan, treasurer, and Linda R. Solterisch, secretary.</div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="211" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#A6CAF0 > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 443 WIDTH="205"><div> <B>Michigan Lawmakers</B></div> <div> <B>Second Highest-Paid in USA</B></div> <div> According to the <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="http://www.mackinac.org/pubs/mcc" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.mackinac.org/pubs/mcc"><U><I>Michigan Capitol Confidential</I></U></A></FONT> newsletter, members of the Michigan House and Senate are the second highest-paid state legislators in the United States, behind only California.</div> <div> Michigan's base member annual pay is $79,650, plus a $12,000 annual expense allowance.</div> <div> In addition, supplements are paid to the following 12 legislative officers:</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7006400000000.gif" HEIGHT="7" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Speaker of the House: $27,000,</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7006400000000.gif" HEIGHT="7" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Majority leader in the Senate: $26,000,</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7006400000000.gif" HEIGHT="7" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Minority leaders in both House and Senate: $22,000,</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7006400000000.gif" HEIGHT="7" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Majority floor leaders in both House and Senate: $12,000,</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7006400000000.gif" HEIGHT="7" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Minority floor leaders in both House and Senate: $10,000,</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7006400000000.gif" HEIGHT="7" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Chair of Appropriations Committee in both House and Senate: $7,000, and</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7006400000000.gif" HEIGHT="7" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">House speaker pro tempore, and Senate president pro tempore: $5,513.</div> <div> The newsletter reports, “In more than 30 states, the position of state legislator is a part-time job with a salary of $30,000 or less. Texas, the second most populous state and second largest geographically, pays lawmakers $7,200 per year.”</div> <div> Some states pay much less: New Hampshire legislators receive a salary of $200 for a two-year term, Alabama pays just $10 per day, while New Mexico offers only expenses, no salary.</div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> Directors are John Stempfle, Paul Decker, and Shirley Lamar. >><A HREF="erc_officers.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="About Us"><U><I>See photo</I></U></A>.<FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="romney.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Josh Romney at ERC"><U></U></A></FONT></div> <div> <B>Josh Romney Brings 'Mitt Mobile'</B></div> <div> <B>To ERC Forum in Grosse Pointe Farms</B></div> <div> “My dad is incredibly optimistic about the future of this country,” said Josh Romney, son of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, speaking to the Eastside Republican Club Forum October 16, 2007.<IMG SRC="165692bf0.jpg" border=0 width="146" height="191" ALT="Josh Romney with his ride" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="4" VSPACE="2"></div> <div> The 32-year-old Romney brought the Romney “Mitt Mobile” to the Grosse Pointe War Memorial as part of his travel in support of his father's campaign.</div> <div> The younger Romney said, “I want to tell you a little bit about my dad -- what he believes -- and about the campaign.”</div> <div> Explaining his father's optimism, he noted that as a nation we have overcome multiple challenges, including world wars and economic depression. Today's threats, he said, will also be overcome.</div> <div> The Michigan primary is important, he said because many voters in states with later primaries are not paying attention yet.”</div> <div> One of five Romney sons, Josh Romney has crisscrossed the country promoting Romney for President. >><A HREF="romney.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Josh Romney at ERC"><U><I>More Romney</I></U></A>.</div> <div> <B>Local Delegates to National Convention Picked</B></div> <div> Delegates from Michigan's 13th congressional district to the 2008 Republican National Convention have been picked. >><A HREF="michigan_s_13th_district.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Congressional District News"><U><I>See story</I></U></A>.</div> <div> <B>Lawrence Reed Calls for Leadership</B></div> <div> <B>To Fix Ailing Michigan Fundamentals</B></div> <div> “Statesmen are a cut above politicians,” said Lawrence W. Reed, president of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, addressing the September 18, 2007, Eastside Republican Club Forum.<A HREF="reed15c.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Lawrence Reed at ERC"><U><IMG SRC="161896db0.jpg" border=0 width="150" height="219" ALT="Lawrence Reed on 'fundamentals' >>More Reed" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="8" VSPACE="4"></U></A></div> <div> Reed said principled leadership is really “statesmanship,” and it differs from merely playing politics.</div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="10" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="200" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#FFFF80 > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 65 WIDTH="180"><div> <I><B>Final Tally</B></I></div> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >See how Michigan legislators voted on the income/sales tax hikes. </FONT><I>>></I><A HREF="http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artikkel?Lopenr=71001007&imw=Y&Ref=AR&Dato=20071001&Kategori=NEWS06" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artik"><U><I>Detroit Free Press story</I></U></A><I>.</I></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> He explained, “Politicians are run-of-the-mill, nothing-specials who seek office for the thrill of it, for the power and notoriety it brings.”</div> <div> The role of the Mackinac Center, Reed said, “is aimed at educating people as to which is most effective, central planners or rules of the marketplace.” >><I>Learn more about the Mackinac Center at </I><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="http://www.mackinac.org/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.mackinac.org/"><U><I>Mackinac.org</I></U></A></FONT>.</div> <div> Reed said, “Some politicians are better than others, but it takes something more to rise above mere politics, which is the meat grinder of principles. The best politician knows how to deftly manipulate the levers of power for personal advantage, but the statesman's allegiance is to loftier objectives.” >><A HREF="reed15c.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Lawrence Reed at ERC"><U><I>More Reed on Fundamentals</I></U></A>.</div> <div> <B>Political 527 Data an 'Open Secret'</B></div> <div> Details about tax-exempt 527 organizations engaging in political activity through unlimited soft money are now available through <A HREF="http://www.opensecrets.org/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.opensecrets.org/"><U>OpenSecrets.org</U></A>, the web site of the Center for Responsive Politics. >><A HREF="http://www.opensecrets.org/527s/527cmtes.asp" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.opensecrets.org/527s/527cmtes"><U><I>See money raised by top fifty 527 groups</I></U></A><I>.</I></div> <div> <A HREF="finley151.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Nolan Finley at ERC"><U><B><IMG SRC="152f6ebe0.jpg" border=0 width="110" height="190" ALT="Detroit News editor, Nolan Finley" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="10" VSPACE="2"></B></U></A><B>Detroit News Journalist Finley</B></div> <div> <B>Sees Michigan Leadership Deficit</B></div> <div> “If this is not Michigan's worst fiscal crisis, it is one of the worst,” said Nolan Finley, editorial page editor of <I>The Detroit News,</I> as he offered his perspective on Michigan and its political leadership, at the ERC Forum on June 19, 2007.</div> <div> Talking about the crisis, he said, “We must address our State leadership deficit if we hope to cope with it.”</div> <div> In a reference to Michigan's current chief executive, he pulled no punches saying, “This is probably the worst Governor since World War II.”</div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="4" CELLSPACING="4" WIDTH="248" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#FFFF80 > <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 84 WIDTH="232"><div> <I><B>Who said it?</B></I><I><B> <A NAME="who_said_it__3"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B></I></div> <div> “If Thomas Jefferson thought taxation without representation was bad, he should see how it is with representation!"</div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <I><B>>></B></I><A HREF="civic___governmental_links_who_said_it__1_1_1.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U><I><B>Find out</B></I></U></A><I><B>!</B></I></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> Finley reported that data show 49 other states experienced economic growth last year, while Michigan with its GDP decline ranked the Wolverine State 50th.</div> <div> “I'm not sure the people of Michigan realize they are all alone in this,” Finley said. The State is alone in losing jobs and household income. If the trend continues, he said, “We will be below the household income of Alabama!”</div> <div> Then Finley added, “We will have this governor for three and one-half more years!” >><A HREF="finley151.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Nolan Finley at ERC"><U><I>Read more</I></U></A>.</div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <I><B>Thanks for visiting ERC on the web, now </B></I><A HREF="erc_meeting_dates.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Events"><U><I><B>meet us</B></I></U></A><I><B> at the G.P. War Memorial</B></I></div> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000BF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="mailto:jhacklem@eastside-republican-club.org" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:"><U><I><B>Let's have your feedback</B></I></U></A></FONT>                            <IMG SRC="2fd52280.gif" border=0 width="82" height="40" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>