Yes, there's another candidate in this very crowded race.  Ruth Johnson, current Oakland County Clerk & Register of Deeds has jumped in because she says that Republicans from across the state asked her to run.

In her current position, she has overseen elections for a county of 1.2 million people.  As a former State Representative, she has fought public corruption her local Intermediate School District and helped send a public official to jail.  She also fought against tax and fee hikes that continue to hurt our families and businesses.  Ruth was the Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor in 2006 and a former small business owner.

She believes Michigan faces a very imminent threat posed by an out-of-state, ACORN-style group that has set their sights on Michigan's Secretary of State race this year. She says this group, which has spent millions and has won eleven (11) out of the thirteen (13) SOS races they have targeted across the country.  She believes she can be an exception to this record and her experience will be the difference.

You can visit Ruth Johnson's website or watch her announcement video on YouTube.  Other Republicans who have announced for the Secretary of State position are: Anne Norlander,  Cameron Brown, Michelle McManus, and Paul Scott.

A petition drive to place a new "Tea Party" on the Michigan November ballot is a fake, not endorsed by any known local Tea Parties or  9.12 Projects.  Steve Ross, Chairman of the Southeast Michigan 9.12 Project, says, "...this is a dirty trick" and "Tea Party insiders adamantly oppose the idea."  The Tea Party movement in Michigan encompasses many different groups.

Wendy Day, President of Common Sense in Government, notes, "This effort is in no way tied to the Tea Party groups that I'm aware of.  This sounds like a liberal Democrat effort to split the conservative vote in Michigan."  Many people have wondered if the Tea Party movement would become a third political party, but Tea Party insiders are not in favor of the idea. "The voters need clear choices in November", says Mark Petzhold, a Tea Party member from West Michigan. "Trying to confuse them is a dirty trick and goes against everything the Tea Party stands for."

Political consultant Zarko Research has verified that Progressive Campaigns Inc. (PCI) has been hired to collect signatures to put on the ballot a "Tea Party" party, which lists a PO Box in Richfield, MI as its home.  PCI is paying for these signatures, and no individual or group has so far stepped forward to claim backing this project.  Even the Secretary of State has nothing on file for this "Tea Party."  Fortunately, this stealth petition has been identified in its first few days, which should reduce its effectiveness.  You can read more on the Capitol Confidential.

 

Health Care Bill Update

The recently passed Health Care bill is still in the news and may be on its way to repeal by Congress or overturn in the courts.

The nation's leading small business organization, the National Federation of Independent Businesses, (NFIB) announced it would join 20 states' Attorneys General and Governors in suing to stop the federal government's takeover of health care, stating that "Americans cannot be required under the Constitution to obtain insurance coverage."  Congressman Dave Camp said, "This is confirmation for every person worried about their job or looking for work, that the health care law is only making matters worse."  Dave has details on a variety of bad consequences of this law at his website.

As many had feared would result, he shows that many large employers are already considering dropping health care benefits for their employees. If just four of these companies considering this follow through, so many of their employees will lose their health care coverage that it would equal the population of 15 states and the District of Columbia!

Congressman Camp has signed a pledge to "sponsor and support legislation to repeal any federal health care takeover passed in 2010, and replace it with real reforms that lower health care costs without growing government."  Of course, reelecting him in November will make that possible!

And, there is something we can do NOW, to try to reduce the law's effects.  The Michigan Health Care Freedom Petition would place an issue on the Michigan ballot this November.  If passed, it would create a Michigan Constitution amendment to accomplish several things, including prohibiting the government to require that citizens participate in any health care system, and establishing a right of citizens to purchase health care individually.  More information on the petition is available from Michigan Citizens For Healthcare Freedom.

Petitions are also available at the Fix Michigan Center in Grand Blanc or by e-mailing the Center at amarkwort@migop.org.  The Center is located at 12741 S. Saginaw Rd, in the Grand Mall, Suite D-2 (use I-75 to exit 108, Holly Road).

If you would like to connect to other conservatives and/or Republicans, here's a place besides Facebook.

The site is YRNetwork, and you can post news articles, online videos, a calendar event, your campaign, or write a blog entry.  It even has tools to help you create a website.  There are also links to many conservative groups, Republican Campaigns, and of course, friends & activists.  For fun, they provide surveys, polls, & political quizes.  Enjoy!