Representative Ken Horn will hold his Annual Shroast this Thursday, July 29th.  The event includes a pork dinner and beverages, and will be from 5:00-8:00pm at the Shields Men's Club Grounds, 605 S. Miller Rd, Saginaw.  Tickets are $35/person or $50/couple, with kids under 12 free.  You can make reservations by calling 989-7080-7159 or at tarrantsr@gmail.com.

Roger Kahn's Penny-for-a-Twenty Fundraiser

Senator Roger Kahn's 8th Annual Penny-for-a-Twenty Fundraiser will be on August 4th at Roethke Park , 400 Leddy Rd, just south of Gratiot Rd, in Thomas Township.  The event runs from from 5:30pm to 7:30 pm and you can get more information by calling  517-373-1760.

He is also looking for volunteers to sell tickets, and you can call that same number to help out.

This wasn't a fight you or I picked: it is a fight Congress started.   And, while the results were not what supportors wanted, this isn't the end of the line.  Michigan Representative Tom McMillin and Senator Wayne Kuipers are going to be introducing bills called the Healthcare Freedom Act.  These bills would take the proposed amendment language and put into law.  While this isn't as good as a Constitutional Amendment, it does help Michigan take a stand.  If you supported the petition, your help will now be needed to pressure the legislature into passing one of these bills. If you would like to continue to get updates about the Healthcare Freedom Act, please sign up for the Common Sense in Government

Union...Like It Or Not!

In case you haven't heard, Michigan recently forced as many as 70,000 home-based day car workers, including owners of day car businesses, to join a union and pay dues, even if they did not want to.  The Department of Human Services created an organization, The Michigan Home Based Child Care Council (MHBCCC), to be the employer of home-based day care workers who received state funds to provide care for low-income clients.

This is despite the Michigan Senate appropriations committee eliminating the money to the council!  The Department of Human Services simply took money intended for other uses from elsewhere in its budget to keep it the MHBCCC alive.  The state also unionized another 40,000 home workers for elderly and disabled.  Both groups were unionized because they accepted state subsidies for low-income clients.

Now there is a fear that this "stealth unionization" of home-based day care workers could just be the start of a bigger effort...you may be the next target.   Union lawyer John West was asked in court if the state could unionize doctors in a similar way to the day care workers, if the doctors accepted Medicaid.  West told the judge that unionization of ANY group that accepted state subsidies would be within the state's authority if it had "added value" to the state or the public's interest.  This would make doctors that accept Medicaid, grocers that take food stamps and landlords that take housing assistance the next groups targeted in state efforts to unionize anyone who gets state subsidies.

Senate Bill 1158 now has language specifically directing the Department of Human Services not to give any money to the MHBCCC or any organization that has the same functions. The bill also states that the department may not spent any money processing, distributing or dispersing union dues.  You may want to tell your state legislators to support this, to retain your choice on whether or not to join a union and to halt this rogue Department.