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URGENT CALL TO ACTION: Republicans violating principles? Not if we can help it!By Nick, Section News
As the House Democrats marshal their forces and muster their courage to pass a massive tax increase in the coming days it's more important than ever that the blogosphere, frequent campaign volunteers, activists and the grassroots community at large do our part to make sure common sense carries the day and that folks who won election as fiscal conservatives understand a vote to raise taxes is a vote against Michigan. And that we won't stand for it.
Our Representatives are getting it from all sides right now. The Governor is calling them in for private meetings to try to buy them off. The MEA has teachers, school board members and administrators calling them daily swearing on their students lives that the sky is falling. Public employee unions and local government officials are throwing mud and calling them names. But most are standing firm. Most are standing up for their principles and saying, no, Michigan has a spending problem, not a taxing problem. I won election by campaigning against wasteful spending and I won't raise taxes to protect the status quo. Still, in a chamber as large as the Michigan House there are always a few who need an extra little push to remind them where they came from and what they were sent to Lansing to do. The urge to appease the enemy can be powerful sometimes but we can't stand for it. Period. That's where YOU come in... today! Below you will find the text of an email I sent to a few state Reps who might need a little encouragement these days. A few state Reps who the Governor is lobbying hard. A few state Reps who need to remember what got them elected and that a flip flop simply can't happen. The Democrats have the votes to raise taxes in the House. If they want to raise them, they'll raise them. The sad truth is that for every Republican who votes against his principles, who takes the bribe, who panders to the teachers unions... not only does it set the state back, not only does it put Lansing over Yourtown, not only does it put a union hack's exorbitant salary over yours but quite frankly, it undermines Republican brand ID and gives one of the vulnerable Democrats a free pass in next years election. We simply can't have that. Will you help send the message? Will you help remind so-called "fiscal conservative" Republicans that you won't stand for tax increases but more, that you won't stand for your elected officials violating their principles, saying one thing during an election and doing another once they win? We get enough of that out of Jennifer Granholm these days. So wherever you are, whatever part of the state you're in please do this RIGHT NOW: 1) Fire off an email. Tell each of these Reps that you won't stand for a vote to raise taxes and remind them what's at stake. 2) Call each of them. Pick up the phone. Let them hear from you in person. Please do both. No matter where you live. We'll make it easy and go with two members a day. An email and a phone call to each shouldn't take but ten minutes total. No matter how busy we are, we can all make ten minutes. No excuses. Michigan's future may very well depend on what you do today. Then let us know how it goes! Update [2007-5-22 9:46:48 by Nick]:The buzz around Lansing is that a couple of our Republican friends might even be working behind closed doors with the Governor to grab other GOP votes to raise taxes. One's angling for a position as a lobbyist and the other, I'm told, thinks the governor might help him win a primary race for the state Senate in four years... The Representatives who need "friendly" reminders today are:
Representative Ed Gaffney(District 1, Wayne County)
Representative Mike Nofs(District 62, Calhoun County) Below you'll find the text of my email to the good Representatives reminding them that there's a lot at stake and that we won't stand for their capitulation. Read on...
Representative,
As Speaker Dillon prepares the House to vote on a tax increase I wanted to take a moment to encourage you to vote NO. Michigan residents are already taxed enough and considering additional revenue before ensuring that every dollar Lansing currently receives is better spent is more than a little irresponsible. You're certainly well aware of Michigan's current tax and budget climate. The current budget sits in the neighborhood of $42 BILLION (up billions since Jennifer Granholm took office). Our state and local tax burden are above the national average (estimated at 11.2 percent), our business tax climate ranks 27th in the United States, our cigarette tax is the fourth highest in the nation, our state property tax rates are higher than most other states and Michigan continues to be a donor state nationally. There's likely no need to rehash any of these statistics. But it's always important to remind each other what is at stake at times like these. Not only is a tax increase bad for Michigan (some economists have estimated the cost of Governor Granholm's initial tax increase plan at 19,000 jobs), it is bad for conservatives and the prospects for the Republican party in 2008. Democrats currently hold the majority in the Michigan House. If they want to raise taxes they'll be able to raise taxes, and the Senate continues to hold the line for government reform and spending restraint. It is important that we not make it any easier on the House Democrats than necessary. By standing by good economics and solid broad-based Republican principles you will help move Michigan forward. But more than that, you'll restore some badly needed positive brand identification to your party while holding the Democrats feet to the fire. Don't make it easy for them. Don't give them a free pass. Every Republican who compromises his principles to vote for a tax increase enables a Democrat to avoid an unpopular vote being foisted on them by Speaker Dillon and Governor Granholm. Your acquiescence is their best case scenario. That's what they need to maintain control in the Michigan House of Representatives. Representatives Simpson, Corriveau, Valentine, Dean and Brown are each counting on your weakness. Each sits in a vulnerable House District and wants desperately to vote against their principles to enhance their chances in 2008. They're counting on the Governor to get them off the hook by buying you off. They're hoping that you'll make it easy for them. And make no mistake, each one of you who votes to support a tax increase personally lets one of these vulnerable Democrats skate to re-election next year. The battle for Michigan and for the majority is taking place right now. It's being waged this month. This week. You're on the front lines. Don't let us down. We're watching. --Nick De Leeuw Webmaster, www.RightMichigan.com
URGENT CALL TO ACTION: Republicans violating principles? Not if we can help it! | 5 comments (5 topical, 0 hidden)
URGENT CALL TO ACTION: Republicans violating principles? Not if we can help it! | 5 comments (5 topical, 0 hidden)
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