Title:
Libertarian Candidate for 8th District Mirrors GOP on ‘Obamacare’
Author:
Webmaster_LPM
Date:
7/13/2012
Year:
2012
Article:
http://whmi.com/news/article/14816

7/13/12 – The Libertarian Party Candidate for the 8th Congressional district is joining with Republicans in opposing the federal Affordable Care Act. While Libertarians generally position themselves as distinctly different from both Democrats and Republicans, Dan Goebel of Genoa Township sides with the GOP when he says healthcare reform should be taken up at the state or local level, consistent with the Constitution’s 10th amendment. Goebel of Genoa Township was a licensed builder for 20 years with a background in mechanical engineering, who also worked as a high school teacher and auto mechanic. He feels healthcare is not a function of the federal government based on the U.S. Constitution and disagrees with the recent Supreme Court decision to uphold the act. Goebel says he would support a repeal of the legislation and feels the free market would do a better job than federal mandates, which he says do more harm than good to a healthcare system that is already broken. Goebel, who will be a guest this Sunday on WHMI’s Viewpoint at 8:30am, would also like to repeal laws against drug use, scale back the country’s military presence overseas and end legal tender laws, so that other forms of money such as silver & gold could be used for tax payments. (JM/JK)
Web Link:  http://dangoebel2012.com/

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Title:
Support For Carl Levin Recall Effort Grows
Author:
Scotty Boman
Date:
7/20/2012
Year:
2012
Article:

-FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE-
Contacts:
Scotty Boman
(313) 247-2052
scottyboman@hotmail.com

and

Warren Raftshol
(231) 271-5650
raftshol@gmail.com
http://committeetorecallcarllevin.com/3-easy-steps-to-recall-carl-levin/

Support For Carl Levin Recall Effort Grows.  Challenge Deadline Passes

July, 19th, 2012

Detroit, MI – Opponents of the indefinite detention provisions of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) continue to circulate petitions to recall Senator Carl Levin.   The effort has recently captured the attention of a national organization called People Against the National Defense Act (PANDA).  PANDA has placed an alert at the top of their webpage which links to a message in support of the Committee to Recall Carl Levin.

The petition language was approved by default on July 4th, The reason cited for the recall was,

“He co-authored and introduced an amendment regarding detention provisions (Subtitle D Section 1031) to S.1867 (the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012). He voted in favor of the final version (H.R. 1540) which contained the detention provisions in section 1021.”

On July 14th the deadline for Levin to challenge the language of the petition passed in accordance with section 168.952 (6) of Michigan election law.

At the July 18th Oakland County Commission meeting, co-sponsor Scotty Boman received a round of applause after announcing the petition to attendees.  Boman was among several activists who were attending a meeting to support a resolution being presented by District 6 Oakland County Commissioner Jim Runestad.  The Runestad resolution calls on the Oakland County to condemn the NDAA detention provisions, and make their disapproval known to the President.  Furthermore the resolution says,

“…that all agencies of Oakland County are instructed to decline requests by federal agencies acting under detention powers of Sections 1021 and 1022 of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2012 that could infringe upon residents’ freedom of speech, religion, assembly, privacy, rights to council, or other rights not here explicitly enumerated as well as their safety from harm committed by politically powerful enemies of the Constitution.”

Petition sponsors cite Levin’s pivotal roll in provisions they describe as “de facto martial law,” as their reason to initiate the recall effort.  The recall will require 468,709 signatures.  On July 3rd Boman said, “Warren and I can’t do this on our own.  We can get this started with a build-it-and-they-will-come approach.  In 2008 1,810,234 people voted against Carl Levin.  We need to have about a quarter of these people sign the petition, and a much smaller portion to step up and be activists.”

Sponsors of the effort are counting on volunteers downloading petitions from their website and circulating them independently.  Co-sponsor Warren Raftshol said, “We are building an internet campaign via Facebook, and these petitions are legal and official.  I invite people to forward the link to Carl Levin’s Facebook page and tell him they object to NDAA detention.”

-END-

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Title:
Activists Rally Sandy Levin To Audit The Fed
Author:
Scotty Boman
Date:
7/23/2012
Year:
2012
Article:
Activists Rally Sandy Levin To Audit The Fed
7/23/2012
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Scotty Boman. 313-247-2052
http://boman12.org

Roseville, MI – Advocates of Federal Reserve System transparency will Rally outside the Roseville office of Representative Sander Levin on the morning of a critical vote.  Later that morning the House of Representatives will vote on the Federal Reserve Transparency Act, H.R. 459, which was introduced by Congressman Ron Paul of Texas.  The Bill has at least 271 co-sponsors, but Sander Levin is not one of them.

The gathering will include candidates for political office including Libertarian US Senate Candidate Scotty Boman, and Republican US House candidate Don Volaric.  Scotty Boman said, “I am firmly behind the Libertarian slate of candidates that will be available to voters this November.  At the same time, it is important to put aside partisan differences and reach across the aisle to work together on issues that affect all Americans.  The harmful consequences of the Federal Reserve System and its veil of privileged secrecy is such an issue.”
Volaric is seeking the Republican nomination for the new 9th Congressional District in which Levin will be running (though Levin is currently in the old 12th District).  Both Levin and the Republican nominee will be competing with Libertarian James Fulner in the general election.

When asked about H.R. 459 Fulner said, “Auditing the Fed is a no-brainier. Even my small local fraternal disorganization that only has thousands of dollars going in and out of our bank accounts for the charitable work we do has to go through an annual audit to ensure all of money is coming from and going to what we say it is and we are accountable for it. Yet, the Federal Reserve, the purse strings that hold the entire US economy together, has not been audited for decades. The American people are waking up to what the Political class and the Fed have been doing, evident by the fact the people have convinced 271 co-sponsors from both old party’s to have signed on to Ron Paul’s audit the fed bill. My opponent, Sandy Levin, is not among them, proof that he’s still standing with the 1% while giving lip service to the 99%. Regardless of how the vote tomorrow ends up, its only one small step. 2012 probably won’t be the end of the world, but it may be the end of the world as we know it. That’s why the Jim Fulner Campaign is asking the folks of SE Michigan to rise up, and start their own libertarian rEVOLution”

Boman has campaigned beside Fulner, and endorses Libertarians in the general election while encouraging participation in the primaries.  “It’s important to encourage candidates to support sound policies at every step of the process.  So-long as every resident is forced to support primaries with their taxes, they are all entitled to vote in them.” Said Boman.
–END —

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Title:
Michigan Libertarian Party Files Brief in Ballot Access Case
Author:
Bill Hall
Date:
8/3/2012
Year:
2012
Article:
On August 2, the Michigan Libertarian Party filed its brief in the federal lawsuit, challenging the Secretary of State’s decision that Gary Johnson’s name cannot be on the November ballot because his name also appeared on the Republican presidential primary ballot in February. Here is the brief. The case is Libertarian Party of Michigan v Johnson, eastern district, 2:12-cv-12782.

http://www.ballot-access.org/2012/08/02/michigan-libertarian-party-files-brief-in-ballot-access-case/

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House Candidate James Lewis: “Bolger-Lewis probe should continue”

Title:
House Candidate James Lewis: “Bolger-Lewis probe should continue”
Author:
Webmaster_LPM
Date:
8/21/2012
Year:
2012
Article:

http://electjameslewis.com/candidate-for-state-house-says-too-many-questions-remain-in-bolger-schmidt-probe/

For Immediate Release:

Closing of case “irresponsible disservice”, incumbents and candidates alike should voice concern

Brighton, Mich.—James Lewis, candidate for 42nd House district, Brighton says there are far too many unanswered questions to close  the probe into the actions of House Speaker Jase Bolger, R-Marshall and Rep. Roy Schmidt, R-Grand Rapids in the so-called “fake democrat” case.
Lewis was referring to comments made in a Detroit Free Press article [August 20] by a Michigan State Police investigator who said he believed further investigation could have led to perjury conspiracy charges against Bolger and Schmidt.
It is alleged that Bolger was aware that Schmidt would file for re-election as a Republican and he had recruited someone to be a nominal Democratic opponent. The opponent turned out to be Matt Mojzak, a 22-year-old friend of Schmidt’s son who was allegedly offered $450 to run. Despite filing an affidavit to the contrary, Mojzak did not actually reside in the district in which he was running; which is a requirement in order to run for state representative.
The alleged ‘election rigging’ case, however, was shut down by the Republican Kent County Prosecutor William Forsyth before search warrants on Bolger and Schmidt’s phone records could be executed.
Forsyth said to the Detroit Free Press that continuing the investigation would have “taken too long” and that investigating fully would “not be an appropriate use of the State Police.” Forsyth also went on to say, “Let’s face it, Bolger has a very powerful position in Lansing.”
“There are some very serious allegations that elected officials may have committed an act contrary to elections law; and worse, have potentially violated the public trust, yet everyone is supposed to ignore the proverbial ‘man behind the curtain’? That is simply a double-standard,” Lewis said.
Lewis believes that party politics in Michigan has “gotten out of control.” Lewis believes that if it “were anyone else in the state,” other than the House Speaker and a member of the majority House party, that a “full investigation would have been conducted until the person(s) involved were either cleared by investigators or exonerated or convicted by a jury of their peers, per the Constitution.”
Lewis says lawmakers take an oath to uphold the Constitution, not party policy — and he believes as this matter stands, it appears that the “party wagons have been circled.”
When asked about the reason offered by the county prosecutor for closing the case, Lewis said, “I’m confident that the prosecutor has prosecuted a ‘few’ circumstantial cases in his career, and even a few where hard evidence is said to exist. Why is this specific case a waste of time?”
“It’s clear that party politics are in play here. In our district, the incumbent [Rep. Bill Rogers (R-Brighton)] has remained completely silent on the matter. We’ve heard nothing from him. Are the oaths to uphold the Constitution that lawmakers take simply more lip-service?” Lewis asked.
Lewis is encouraging all incumbents and candidates, regardless of party, to urge the state to re-open the case in order that “due process may run its course, regardless of outcome.”
Lewis says until there is a full investigation, more faith will be lost by the people of Michigan, many of whom already believe that elected officials receive preferential treatment under the law. People will lose what remaining faith they have in elected officials and the system of justice, “if they still have any faith left… the prosecutor has already conceded there has been a fraud committed against the public; to not continue the investigation is purely irresponsible and a complete disservice to the People of Michigan on the part of the prosecutor.”

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Lewis to introduce legislation to eliminate non-homestead property tax on “day one”
September 17, 2012 By Campaign Staff Leave a Comment

For Immediate release

Lewis says time to stop penalizing Michiganders’ hard work, elimination of non-homestead tax and campaign finance reform the “good start that voters want”

Genoa Twp., Mich.—The office of 42nd House District candidate, James Lewis, announced today that Lewis will introduce two bills “on Day One:” one bill that will eliminate the state’s non-homestead property tax, and a second that will dramatically reform campaign finance law. The campaign says both are based largely on consistent voter feedback that they have received through remaining engaged the voters.

Eliminating non-homestead property tax on single unit and vacant land properties has been a platform issue since the first day of his campaign. Lewis says Michiganders are “penalized for their hard work,”  paying on average 40% and up to 60% in additional tax on non-homestead properties including investment properties, summer cottages, hunting camps and vacation properties.

Lewis says lawmakers from the other major parties play a “shell game” with the taxes. He says Republicans and Democrat are “addicted to taxes” and cannot find a way out of their addiction, but he has sound starting point solution.

“Michigan has a massive surplus of unsold and foreclosed properties. Eliminating the non-homestead property tax will encourage investment, from Michigan residents and out-of-staters, and create jobs. These investors will do something positive with the unacceptable amount of vacant homes and properties,” Lewis says, adding that Michigan jobs will be created and Michiganders will have more money in their pockets to spend.

“From the local hardware store to skilled trades-people to decorators to maintenance companies and many, many more, we will benefit from the increased investment from the elimination of this tax. And Michiganders who invest in their little piece of ‘Pure Michigan,’ their place to ‘get-away,’ will no longer be penalized for investing in Michigan via this ridiculous state tax-grab. Renters will also benefit from lower cost of leases,” Lewis says.

Lewis says it is not a total elimination of the tax but places state non-homestead and homestead property tax on par with each other. He says the next step will be eliminating state property taxes altogether.

“Lansing has become so addicted to taxes that they will have to be ‘weaned off’ of the addiction and learn to live within its means. Lansing will have to learn to stop abusing Michigander’s wallets and learn that there are other ways to grow and maintain a healthy economy,” Lewis says.

Another bill the Lewis camp has been working on is campaign finance reform. While there has been headway in the realm of keeping politicians accountable, Lewis campaign manager Steve Mace says current regulations on campaign finance “don’t go far enough.”

Mace says they frequently hear voters say ‘we don’t trust politicians.’ Any lawmaker or candidate who claims to have never heard this before is either not listening or flat out lying,” Mace added. Mace says people are disgusted by what is on the surface; they need to take note of what is underneath.

“Currently, lawmakers have an ability to sweep messes out of sight with “feel good” legislation that makes voters feel that action is being taken, without actually solving the problem. Past campaign finance reform legislation is no exception,” Mace says.

Mace points to the Secretary of State Website’s campaign finance disclosure page where voters can look up donations made to incumbents and candidates. He asks why lawmakers are taking large amounts of donations from special interest groups, outside of the election cycle.

“Sadly the door remains wide open to the potential for pay-to-play in Lansing. Mr. Lewis will introduce legislation prohibiting state lawmakers from accepting campaign contributions outside of a pre-determined election time period. This will serve two purposes; first it will remove the temptation for lawmakers to vote a certain way on legislation based on financial gain, from committee level to the House and Senate floors,” Mace explains.

“Second and most important, lawmakers will have more time to focus on the job they are elected to do, and less time on their next election,” Mace says.

Lewis says the moment after he is sworn in and takes his oath to uphold the Constitution, he will immediately head downstairs from the House floor to the House Clerk’s office and file both bills.

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Local (Livingston County) media outlet attacks Michigan’s third largest party, continues support for exclusion of local candidate
Press & Argus continues to attempt to make editor’s case for exclusion of some candidates from ‘all-candidate’ debate
September 19, 2012 By Campaign Staff 1 Comment

For Immediate Release

Local media outlet attacks Michigan’s third largest party, continues support for exclusion of local candidate

Brighton, Mich.—In an attempt to minimize the Libertarian Party.—and Libertarian candidate James Lewis in the process—the Livingston Daily Press & Argus went “above and beyond” their expected tactics, says Lewis campaign manager Steve Mace.

In addition to a predictable story about Libertarian candidates struggling to gain a foothold in the popular vote, they went out of their way to find the “lone dissenting Libertarian voice to make its case” against the “planned and overwhelmingly supported protest” of the Press & Argus-sponsored ‘all candidates’ debate.’

“We were expecting an article like this at some point [referring to the Argus’ first story: Libertarians face long road to ballot box], particularly after having challenged Argus Executive Editor Rich Perlberg and his assertion that  third-party candidates are only ‘a distraction’ in debates,” says Mace.

“It’s pretty standard fare for the media to attempt to paint Libertarians as fringe candidates of little consequence. So we’re not surprised by the Press & Argus’ first story this morning,” Mace continues.

The second story [Libertarian candidate: not being included in forum ‘completely reasonable’], published in the Press & Argus this morning, appears to be more of a direct attack on the Lewis campaign, according to Mace.

The Press & Argus quoted a Mr. John Hargenrader in full and almost verbatim support of Mr. Perlberg’s position. Hargenrader, a candidate for Livingston County Board of Commissioners, echoed Perlberg’s opinion that Libertarians must first have a “better showing” before they should expect to be involved in the public debate process.

The Lewis campaign staff is very familiar with Hargenrader and his opinions, says Mace. “Mr. Hargenrader has contacted us many, many times over the course of the campaign to share his personal thoughts,” says Mace. “He has also, on several occasions via email, defended Mr. Perlberg’s position on Lewis’ exclusion from the debate, and has stated to us via email that he corresponds with Mr. Perlberg frequently,” Mace says.

“We have always thanked Hargenrader for expressing his opinions,” Mace said, although he is quick to point out that some of Hargenrader’s positions differ vastly from the basic premises of the Libertarian party.

“While we have the utmost respect for his right to express his ideas, we find them inconsistent with those of the Libertarian party,” explains Mace. Mace says that Hargenrader is well-known for expressing his views in public forums; some of these views are quite contrary to the Libertarian party’s views. For example, Hargenrader supports public funding for municipal projects (and the added tax burden) over privatization, as well as other ideas that fly in the face of basic Libertarian values.

“Mr. Hargenrader’s comments damage not just the Lewis campaign, but hurts candidates across the state who are struggling for recognition and a place in the public debate,” says Mace. “Clearly his views are not widely supported by the Libertarian party in Michigan, or by members of other parties for that matter.”

Mace points out that the Lewis campaign has received several hundred emails and phone calls from people of all party affiliations, supporting and encouraging Lewis’ constitutional right to protest.

“People have even stopped James in the streets to offer their support on the issue. From the feedback we have gotten, Mr. Hargenrader has been the sole dissent we have received. James also has the full support of Party leadership in this matter,” Mace says.

Mace says it is not uncommon for members of political parties to have differing opinions on certain issues. Democrats and Republicans both have historically, internally and publicly, feuded over issues such as the support over slavery and alcohol prohibition. He says the two other major parties remain internally divided on issues to this day. Mace cited the split of the GOP with the Tea Party and moderates, as well as “north and south democrats” or “Blue-Dogs,” saying that a dissenting opinion by one member of a particular party in no way represents the feelings of the majority of that party’s members.

“The other major parties have had divides over major issues in the past; in fact it has almost become tradition for them, and it continues today. It happens right here in Michigan. It appears the Republican House, Senate and Administration frequently cannot agree on the color of the sky, let alone policy,” Mace said.

The Lewis campaign insists this matter is not one of state Libertarian Party platform or position. It is, however, one of “old versus new.”

“Lewis has said from the start that he is a ‘21st century Libertarian’ and is not interested is simply providing a paper candidacy. Increasingly Libertarians across the state have decided to get in it to win it, not simply run as a protest vote,” said Mace.

“There will be some who remain content to simply provide a name on the ballot to offer voters a ‘protest vote, and that is entirely their prerogative,” Mace continued. “The Party has grown, it has matured, and is sending a message that now resonates with voters: Real change is needed and desired in Michigan and this makes supporters of the status quo very uneasy,” Mace says.

As for two articles coming out on the same day regarding the local Libertarian candidates and the Party itself, Mace says it indicates the importance of the party in today’s political environment. He says there is still an element of ‘inaccurate myth’ prevalent and perpetuated by the media, which is why it is imperative for all candidates on the ballot to be included in public debates. Mace says it is the job of every candidate to “send the message that the game has changed.”

“Each respective race has to be approached individually. This morning’s articles attempt to paint all Libertarian candidates with the same brush. Oddly, they seldom draw attention to, for instance, the incumbent’s [Bill Rogers] dramatic political differences with Republicans in the north and west of the state,” Mace says.

Mace says the state’s Libertarian Party is united on platform and position, claiming that the state party is focused on ‘Constitution first’ and ‘fiscal responsibility and personal liberty tied for a very close second,’ and that candidates need to focus on issues relevant to the constituency they wish to represent.

The Lewis campaign has openly questioned if there was a deeper reasoning for Lewis’ removal from the debate. Specifically, they cite debate organizer Judith Scranton being a former Republican House representative (the seat currently held by Republican incumbent Bill Rogers) and questioned how she would not know the preset policy, if it was in fact preset, of only involving chosen candidates from the Republican and Democratic parties.

“There are some serious questions that the organizers and sponsors will not answer. When was this decision to exclude James made, before or after the week that passed in between the invitation and the notification that he was no longer invited? That is what we want to know. That is what voters want to know,” said Mace.

“All we have received, and only through the media, is an explanation that amounts to a young and exciting player being invited to tryouts then being told ‘sorry kid, you don’t have a major league batting average. Go get one then come on back.’ Their reasoning makes no sense whatsoever,” Mace said. “We have not gotten answers from the debate organizers directly on how and when this decision was made.”

The protest/demonstration will be held on September 25 outside Cleary University’s Johnson Center.

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Title:
COURT RULES CANDIDATE SHOULD HAVE SUED BEFORE HE KNEW OF PROBLEM
Author:
Webmaster_LPM
Date:
9/21/2012
Year:
2012
Article:
For Immediate Release. Friday, September 21, 2012.
Gary E. Johnson, Austin, Texas, 512-441-6378.

A federal appeals court has ruled that Gary E. Johnson of Austin, Texas, may not be on the Michigan ballot as the Libertarian Party candidate for President. Nor may any Libertarian candidate for President or Vice President.
A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit ruled Friday, September 21, that Johnson should have filed his lawsuit to place his name on the ballot 128 days before Michigan first revealed that it was refusing to place his name on the ballot.
The judges did not rule on the merits of the case but only said that, “by the doctrine of laches,” Johnson should have sued four months before he was told there was a problem.
Johnson said of the verdict, “The courts are expecting me to do the impossible.”
The state of Michigan first notified the Libertarian Party of Michigan that it would not print Johnson’s name on the general election ballot in a letter dated Friday, September 7. Johnson filed a lawsuit four calendar days later on Tuesday, September 11, demanding that the ballot include his name.
U.S. District Judge Paul L. Maloney of the Southern Division of the Western District of Michigan scheduled a hearing for Tuesday, September 18. But he canceled it at the last minute and ruled on Monday, September 17, that Johnson should have sued in May.
Maloney wrote, “The question that baffles this court is why the instant claims were not filed much earlier.”
He added, “Gary E. Johnson has had grounds to claim a place on the ballot as early as May 2.”
Sixth Circuit judges Damon J. Keith, Boyce F. Martin, Jr., and John M. Rogers agreed on appeal September 21.
Johnson said after the verdict, “May 2 was 128 days before Michigan first disclosed that it would refuse to print my name on the ballot and it was 31 days before I was nominated. What do the courts want me to do? Hop in a time machine?”
Maloney emphasized, “Plaintiffs did not file suit to establish Gary E. Johnson’s status until September 11, just days before the Secretary was scheduled to send ballots to the printer.”
Johnson commented, “These judges have it backwards. I sued as soon as possible. It was the Secretary of State who waited until just days before the ballots were to be printed to tell us that my name would not be on the ballot.”
The latest appeals court ruling came after a series of court challenges by the Libertarian Party of Michigan, Gary E. Johnson of Texas, and Gary Johnson of New Mexico.
Former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson started running for President as a Republican in 2011. He withdrew from the Republican campaign in late November and switched to the Libertarian Party in December.
His name was on the Republican Presidential primary ballot on February 28 despite his earlier effort to withdraw.
The Michigan Secretary of State’s office sent a letter in May to the Libertarian Party of Michigan saying that, because of the state’s “sore loser” law, Governor Johnson could not be on the general election ballot. The law prohibits candidates who appear on the primary election ballot of one party from running as the candidate of another party in November.
The Libertarian Party sued to challenge the legality of applying the sore loser law to Presidential candidates.
Meanwhile, the party nominated both Gary Johnson of New Mexico and Gary Johnson of Texas for President at its state convention in Livonia on Saturday, June 2, and officially notified the state of its decision on Monday, June 4. The Governor was the party’s first choice and Johnson of Texas, a former national secretary of the party, was their “stand-in” substitute if the challenge to sore loser law did not prevail.
The state party lost its lawsuit on the sore loser law on Friday, September 7, and Governor Johnson was barred from the Michigan ballot. Later that day, Michigan first announced that it would not allow Johnson of Texas as a backup candidate.
Michigan was the only state where the Libertarian Party attempted to run a stand-in candidate for President.
Neither the state of Michigan nor the federal courts explained why the name of the Libertarian Party candidate for Vice President, former California Judge Jim Gray, would not be on the Michigan ballot.
Ballot Access News reported on September 20 that Michigan said it will count write-in votes for Governor Johnson.
The Libertarian Party is on the ballot in Michigan and is running a slate of candidates for U.S. Senator, all 14 Congressional Districts, and other offices.
The Libertarian ticket of Johnson and Gray will be on ballot in at least 47 states and the District of Columbia. A court challenge remains in Pennsylvania. The ticket is not on the ballot in Oklahoma.
END

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Title:
Lewis campaign calls Republican ad ‘act of desperation’
Author:
Webmaster_LPM
Date:
10/1/2012
Year:
2012
Article:
Livingston County Republicans confuse voters over the weekend, Lewis campaign calls Republican ad ‘act of desperation’
October 1, 2012 By Campaign Staff

For Immediate Release
State Rep Candidate James Lewis helps voters clear the confusion created by county Republican Party over the weekend
Brighton, Mich. – The Marketeer, a free shopping directory owned by the George Moses Company in Brighton, included a “Livingston County Republican 2012 Voter’s Guide” in their recent mailing to more than 48,000 households in the county. The spread, paid for by the Livingston County Republican Committee, instructs local voters to vote “straight ticket” in November.
“Desperate times call for desperate measures, and they are desperate to cling-on to the old and failed ways that voters are now rejecting,” says Steve Mace, manager of the Campaign to Elect James Lewis. Lewis is running against Republican incumbent Bill Rogers for State Representative in the 42nd district.
“We have had feedback from voters that their ‘Keep Livingston County Republican’ tag line evokes the party-line of the Deep South in ‘60s, when the powers-that-be tried to stem the tide of changing public opinion through an attitude of ‘we know best.’
This type of campaign material tells the voters of Livingston County that they don’t need to think for themselves, or learn about the real issues,” says Mace. “They are telling the voters ‘Just do as we tell you and everything will be fine.’ And things are most definitely not fine in Michigan thanks to Republican’s and Democrat’s cyclical mismanagement of our economy.”
“What this straight-ticket vote would assure is that Michigan will continue to go to the highest bidder, and lobbyists and corporate interests will continue to make the rules; and Rogers’ record and contributor’s list certainly shows that,” says Mace. Describing the current GOP incumbents as “typical,” Mace also points out that Bill Rogers touts himself as a fiscal conservative, while voting to raise taxes on people across the state.
“If voters stopped to look beyond the rhetoric and the ‘we know best’ platitudes, they would see what’s really going on is a not-too-veiled attempt to retain political, and therefore economic, control — for the party and the party’s favorites. This is NOT about what’s best for the voters of Michigan,” Mace said.
Mace says the state Republicans’ rush to re-district the state has hurt them in the new 42nd District; they added strong Libertarian leaning areas such as South Lyon to the district.
“This latest act of desperation on the part of the state GOP doesn’t come as a surprise. They’ve done it to themselves. They have to get in tune with the 21st century, because voters certainly are. They are doing their party faithful a disservice by acting like what they do and have done goes unnoticed in today’s society. They believe voters will continue to allow their state to be governed by the highest bidder. This is why voters of the new district are flocking to James and running as fast as they can away from those who tell them how they must vote,” Mace says.
Lewis sees the straight-party ticket as an abdication of personal responsibility.
“As citizens in this great state, we all have a responsibility to understand the issues and know who we are voting for,” says Lewis. “Any time we allow someone else make our decisions for us, we give away a little more of our freedoms. Straight-ticket voting is akin to giving away your voice; it’s the worst way to exercise your right to vote.”
Lewis wants voters to understand that the ballot in Michigan includes three parts:
? The partisan candidate section
? The non-partisan candidate section for positions like probate judge, etc.
? The ballot proposals on specific issues regarding constitutional amendments and other public policy.

Lewis urges voters to look beyond the obvious and listen to what each candidate has to say about the real issues. “Despite what the ads insinuate, voters are not obligated to vote straight party,” Lewis says.

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Lewis “Clear Winner” in PHWL All-Candidates Forum: Rogers Didn’t Like the Questions
October 10, 2012 By Campaign Staff Leave a Comment

For Immediate Release

Lewis message of putting the People back in control of government appealing to district business owners and voters, Rogers’ message of maintaining status quo and party first policies falls short

(Brighton, Mich.)—After being excluded from one local candidates’ forum, James H. Lewis (running for State Rep in Michigan’s 42nd district) had a seat at the table during this week’s Candidate’s Forum sponsored by the Pinckney-Hamburg-Whitmore Lake Chamber of Commerce. And according to some attendees, Lewis clearly won the event.

“His [Lewis’] comments were insightful and spot on,” said Sandi Maki, a Brighton area business owner. “Unlike Rogers [incumbent Bill Rogers-R], James’ ideas made sense and went way beyond the usual party line rhetoric. He offered specific ideas that could work, and not the same old predictable policy bullet points.”

In his opening remarks, Chamber Vice President and event moderator Rick Beaudin made it clear that, in this forum, ALL candidates on the ballot in contested races were invited to participate, not just the candidates representing the Republicans and Democrats. Incumbent Bill Rogers had a few words of his own for Beaudin, stating that it was unusual for the moderator to also be the one holding the questions.

Lewis was happy to answer all questions posed, and his ideas centered on seeking answers from private sector best practices in overcoming current budget challenges. For example, when asked about the state’s tax code, Lewis referred to the current ineffective “shell game” of moving money from one place, in the form of tax cuts, to another place, in the form of new benefits.

James Lewis with wife Renee at PHWL candidate forum/debate — Incumbent Bill Rogers appears in background (on right)

“Simplify the tax code, for everybody,” said Lewis. “Not just for the middle class, or the business class, not just for the poorest or the richest. We need a simplified tax code, across the board.”

Regarding several bills pending in the house covering women’s health issues, Lewis was clear: “The mother needs to have the best choices available. If you restrict her choices to care, no matter no matter how that is, you are doing her a disservice.” Lewis continued, “The Constitution guarantees you the right to be safe in your person. Any law that impedes that right, that’s a law I have a problem with.”

The attendees seemed engaged and interested, and many approached Lewis after the event to learn more about his ideas. His sentiments echoed the concerns of many attendees, that the Republicans and Democrats go back and forth with tired old battles, and never solve the real issues of governmental over-reach.

“Third party candidates nationwide are struggling to be included in debates, and Lewis has faced huge challenges in the 42nd District,” says Campaign to Elect James Lewis manager Steve Mace. “Not surprisingly, the parties in power (Republicans and Democrats) want to keep a lock on their self-imposed authority, and are afraid to expose voters to solutions that would shift the power back to the people of this state, where it rightfully belongs. The people are craving this kind of information, and we appreciate the opportunity to bring the people of Michigan, not the parties, back to the table.”

Lewis, who ran against Rogers previously in 2010, has been gaining exposure and momentum in this election cycle, as voters realize in increasing numbers that the old way of government is just not working.

“Government, the way our founding fathers created it, exists to protect our sovereignty as a nation and to protect the sovereign rights of its people,” explained Lewis after the event. “That’s it. We have given away those rights, bit by bit, every time we’ve allowed the government to control more and more aspects of our lives and businesses.”

Lewis has also been invited to the candidates’ forum sponsored by the Home Builders Association of Livingston County, to be held on October 24th at Memories Lounge in Brighton.

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