Joe Knollenberg, from Michigan's 9th Congressional District, had to apologize for a racist title on his blog.

I swear, Republican straw-man fearmongering will never cease to amaze me.

Republican Rep. Tim Walberg of Michigan's 7th District, running a tight race against Democrat Mark Schauer, was the only member of the House Education Labor and Committee to vote against reauthorizing Head Start.

Considering there are 43 members of the committee, this is rather significant. So naturally, more than a few people were peeved:

This made the Walberg campaign sad, so they responded with their best defense: "we fear the Wiccans, and their lawsuits".

In other words, say a Baptist or a Catholic church wanted to continue to offer its Head Start program and a Muslim or "a Wiccan from a coven in Ann Arbor" wanted to apply for a job to teach there, now it couldn't discriminate based on religious grounds anymore, or vice versa.

He said he offered an amendment that would have made that change, but it didn't get any traction.

He said he doesn't oppose Head Start, but by keeping that provision in the bill, he said religious organizations might decide it's better to get rid of Head Start.

Walberg said he didn't initiate the efforts, but was contacted by people in his district that were concerned about this provision.

It would also open all of them to lawsuits, because the Wiccan, or the Catholic or the Muslim who wasn't hired, could say it was because of their religious beliefs, he said.

So basically, Walberg voted against Head Start because...he is afraid of the potential complications of Wiccans teaching in Catholic churches or something. Or their mean Wiccan lawsuits, anyway.

Of course.

Nearby, Rep. Joe Knollenberg has bigger things on his mind than Walberg does, bigger even than his difficult reelection race against Democrat Gary Peters.

Knollenberg is busy protecting our families from Asian invaders. Seriously.

Witness what happens when you do a Google blog search.

Now, when you actually click on Knollenberg's blog, of course, he's wiped all mentions of "Asian invaders". The title is now "Protecting our Families from Harmful Products".

Exactly the same thing, you know.

I don't know what he's trying to pull, but it sure looks ugly. As Swing State Project's James L. writes:

This sort of thing -- especially coming from a United States congressman -- is disgusting.

Indeed.

One has to wonder what the hell is wrong with these Michigan Republicans.

On the web:

Mark Schauer for Congress
Gary Peters for Congress

Yes?  Well, I've got one we can work on that is ripe for flipping, and in doing so we can remove one of the absolute worst Republican legislators currently in office, and elect a solid progressive.  The race is the 9th District of Michigan, where Democrat Gary Peters is challenging the GOP's 8-term do-nothing, Joe Knollenberg.

The 9th District (Race tracker wiki), is located entirely in Oakland County, just northwest of Detroit.  It has traditionally been a Republican leaning area, but over the course of the last decade, it has moved conistently Democratic, to the point now, that Democrats are coming into the majority.  In the 2008 cycle, we will likely pick up several more mayors seats and take the majority of county commission seats.  On the national level, we are seen as just slightly Republican (Cook lists the 9th as R +0), and so, with a good candidate and enough money, this is a seat that can be flipped.  

Crossposted from Michigan Liberal

Friends,

First, I’d like to begin by thanking all of you for your support. Because of contributions from people like you, our campaign has just been ranked in CQ’s list of the top ten best funded challengers in the country. The voters in Michigan’s 9th Congressional district are tired of the failed leadership they’ve gotten from my opponent, Congressman Joe Knollenberg, for the past sixteen years, and they’re eager for a real change in Washington.

More after the break.

A GOP congressman has proposed cutting all federal funding for ex-President Jimmy Carter's Carter Center because of his current trip to meet with leaders of "terrorist" organizations.  According to Rep. Joe Knollenberg, The Coordinated American Response To Extreme Radicals (CARTER) Act would prevent federal dollars from being used to finance discussions and negotiations with "terrorist" groups.  He estimates taxpayers already have given Carter's think-tank foundation some $19 million and is suggesting no more.

We asked our more that 260,000 members to tell us who they wanted to be on LCV's 2008 Dirty Dozen.  The results of our online survey are in: Mitch McConnell -- the people's choice of the worst members of Congress on the environment.

He joins Senator Jim Inhofe and Congressman Joe Knollenberg in this infamous designation.

In the coming weeks we will be naming the rest of this year's Dirty Dozen.  Stay tuned and join the League of Conservation Voters at www.lcv.org

Cross posted at Calitics

So as we've established by now, Darrell Issa thinks very little of 9/11 rescue workers and would prefer that the federal government not concern itself with their welfare.  Cause according to him, 9/11 is not and presumably was not a national issue.  We've also established that he has no qualms about throwing federal money around on local pork as long as it benefits him directly.  So the next logical question for me is "oh hey, are there any familiar names that don't mind taking Darrell Issa's money?"  As you may or may not know, Darrell Issa is filthy rich.  So he's spread a lot of money around on Republicans and conservative causes.  So as it turns out, there are quite a lot of Republicans currently running around the Capitol funded in part by Darrell Issa (partial list):

Activist faces charges after scuffle with police
By Sandra Armbruster
Eccentric Staff Writer

A Rochester Hills Democrat claims that his arrest Monday at a meeting of the Troy-Clawson Republican Forum was politically motivated.

"I did nothing wrong. I will be vindicated," said Bruce Fealk.

President Bush Parachutes-in Political Crony to Salvage Knollenberg's Fledgling Campaign
Reflecting his misplaced priorities, Knollenberg hires Bush/Cheney insider as Washington Chief of Staff

Lansing, MI - The Michigan Democratic Party took Congressman Joe Knollenberg to task for hiring a Bush/Cheney crony as his Chief of Staff.

Knollenberg named Craig Albright, formerly the deputy assistant for Legislative affairs to Vice President Dick Cheney and most recently the special assistant for legislative affairs to President Bush as his new Washington Chief of Staff.

"We knew President Bush and Vice President Cheney were worried about losing one of their most loyal and vulnerable 'yes men' this cycle in Joe Knollenberg, but even we were surprised they resorted to parachuting-in one of their most trusted political

What if I told you there was a Democrat, who was not protecting our values...but they had a legitimate primary challenger this year? Would you be willing to contribute $5 to protecting Democratic values?

What if they held up health care for 10 million vulnerable children?

What if they voted against an energy bill that will allow our country to invest in alternative energy sources and fight global warming?

What if they voted for a bill that would allow President Bush to spy on American citizens without a warrant? Or if they skipped a vote to increase the minimum wage for the first time in decades?

What if they voted over 7 times to continue the War in Iraq, while 897 brave soldiers gave their lives in service? Could you send more?

Michigan’s 9th District SHOULD have a progressive Representative. The district is solidly pro-choice, pro-GLBT, and pro-stem cell research. The people of this district care about our water and our air, and the future of the environment for our children. The people of Michigan’s 9th care about education. Just last week, I saw over 80 people marching for peace through the streets of the 9th district.
But our congressman doesn’t represent those values...(Read More to Find out what you can do!)

Today the SEIU Michigan Council has endorsed Gary Peters, in his congressional campaign for Michigan's 9th district.

"Our members firmly believe that Gary Peters is the best candidate to represent the citizens of Michigan’s 9th District," said Phil Thompson, SEIU Michigan State Council president and executive vice president of SEIU Local 517M. "He has a proven record of standing by working families, particularly when it comes to providing access to quality and affordable health care."

Gary has also received the earliest Congressional endorsement from the AFL-CIO, been endorsed by the Michigan Building Trades, American Federation of Teachers, and the local Operating Engineers, Communication Workers, and Pipefitters.

Peters was proud to accept the endorsement, saying "I’m extremely pleased and honored to get the support of the SEIU Michigan State Council. The SEIU believes, as I believe, that working families deserve a voice in Washington and that it is time for a change."

Michigan's 9th District is currently represented by Joe Knollenberg. Last year Knollenberg received a dismal 0% rating on labor issues in the AFSCME  House Scorecard.

It is now official, Trent Wisecup, star of Trent Wisecup Goes Crazy in Rochester is no longer working for Joe Knollenberg.

Here is a short list of votes that Joe Knollenberg thought were not important enough to go to work and vote for. All of these bills are from 2007.

1. Vote 12: H RES 35: To Enhance Intelligence Oversight Authority

2. Vote 14: H R 1: Implementing the 9/11 Commission Recommendations Act

3. Vote 16: H R 2: Fair Minimum Wage Act

4. Vote 875: H R 1852: Expanding American Homeownership Act of 2007

5. Vote 949: H RES 32: Denouncing the Practices of Female Genital  Mutilation, Domestic Violence, "Honor Killings", and Other Gender-Based Persecutions and Expressing the Sense of the House of Representatives That Participation, Protection, Recognition, and Independence of Women is Crucial to Achieving a Just, Moral and Honorable Society

6. Vote 1052: H RES 793: Providing for Consideration of H.R. 3685, to Prohibit Employment Discrimination on the Basis of Sexual Orientation

Joe Knollenberg Has missed only 34 votes in this congress, however the ones he missed are kinda important. I can't wait until this time next year when Joe Knollenberg is No longer my congressman.

Nancy Skinner keeps saying she moved Senator Barack Obama to the left against the war. However I thought that was rather odd since the Senator himself has always said that he was against the war. Than I found something rather ammusing.

Nancy Skinner ran against Barack Obama in the Democratic Primary in 2004. However I found this link that shows Obama going against the war in 2002. It’s a very stirring clip I love this GUY!!

http://www.youtube.com/...

Her message did not resonate with the Voters in 2004 when she gathered 1.5%. Her message did not resonate with Michigan Voters in 2006 when she performed 5% under the Democratic Base.

I love Barack Obama but I think he made up his own mind on the Iraq war in 2002 I don’t think one of his opponents changed his mind in 2004.

Why is she trying to beef up her Resume, is it because she is trying to hide something? I know this seems odd but I want to take out Joe KNollenberg so bad I don't want Skinner Skeletons coming out of the Closet when she actually tries to run this year.

I'm so glad to see that Grist.org's forum put climate change on the presidential agenda.  I don't see any such effort focused on the congressional races.  I ran against a 14-year anti-environment incumbent Republican, Joe Knollenberg, last November and almost beat him 47-51% after being outspent 7 to 1. My signature issue was global warming and I live smack dab in the home of the auto industry.  Robert Kennedy Jr. did my first ad endorsing me for my leadership on global warming (see below). Now the DCCC has recruited a candidate to run against me in the primary whose campaign slogan is "the right kind of change" and is very much a part of the establishment.

There are many among us in Michigan who believe the influence of the auto industry in DC has cost us jobs by resisting (and being sheltered from) change.  I believe that a major shift in technology is rapidly needed in Detroit's auto industry and the entire nation has a national security stake in this one. Ironically, the United Auto Workers get this, and I have strong support there.  

Hey, I'm new to blogging online but I have lived in Auburn Hills my whole life and ever since going to Oakland University I have been very interested in defeating Joe Knollenberg in MI-09. Last year I volunteered on Nancy Skinners campaign and I dropped off literature all over the district and a whole lot of signs on Dixie highway.

Anyway, I was recently at a Troy forum where Nancy spoke and she was talking about the war. I just thought it was very odd because Democrats all across the country won on the Iraq war issue back in 2006 and she was running on the wrong message back than. I still have some literature from then here is a passage:

"We must strengthen our military by redeploying troops in Iraq. I support four significant recommendations to the president to re-invigorate our global anti-terrorism effort: Redeploy, Replace, Reallocate, and Reconstitute." -Skinner for Congress Literature

Joe Knollenberg has been a constant supporter of the Iraq war, we don't need re-deployment we need a good strategy to get us out of this debacle.

Yesterday, Nancy did a great interview on Randi Rhodes' show and today we're having a big fundraiser, where Randi will be a special guest. The donations and RSVPs have been rolling in ever since the interview.

Remember when I asked you to remember Trent Wisecup?

He was the Chief of Staff to Rep. Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) who got a little too into the face of a protester in this video:

Then, he went on medical leave, saying it was bipolar disorder that drove him to this.

Now, Michigan Liberal has this:

Wisecup has returned to the internets, leaving comments on Fealk's blog.  [Hey Trent ... I couldn't give a rip how many illegal immigrants are included in your health insurance stats; I'm one of the tens of millions of those who I'm assuming you'd accept as a regular, proper American (hell, I'm a veteran, no less) who doesn't have health insurance.]

This is appalling judgment, perhaps as bad as the decision to confront Fealk in the first place (remember, Wisecup said there were meetings on how to deal with Fealk and that they decided to confront him).  It naturally raises questions about how serious this really is, and whether he hasn't been laid down a sympathy card for the benefit of a media and whether this wasn't just an excuse cover for his claim that after the confrontation he sent out "weird and flat out kooky e-mails."

Is this guy getting treatment or not? Because this is paid leave. If he's not getting treatment, this is just a vacation.