Mad At Thad

McCotter Cosponsors Unconstitutional, Unreasonable, Unnecessary Resolution

2009-05-10T14:07:00.003-04:00

Thaddeus McCotter is a cosponsor of House Concurrent Resolution 121, a bill that "Encourag[es] the President to Designate 2010 as 'The National Year of the Bible'". There are so, so, so, many problems with this.

First off, the unconstitutionality of such a declaration. I consider myself a liberal Christian, but the First Amendment is pretty clear that this is a no-no. A declaration like the one "encouraged" by H. Con. Res. 121 would fly in the face of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.

Secondly, there's the question of why. Is the Bible slipping? As far as I can tell, The Bible is still the best-selling book in the world. Why would the government need to intervene to promote it? And why only 2010? Are we not supposed to read the Bible in 2011?

Lastly, does Rep. McCotter realize that, even if points one and two were set aside, this bill would be pointless? This is a bill encouraging President Obama to do something he, a Constitutional law professor, would under no circumstances do. It's a meaningless gesture encouraging a meaningless gesture.

H/T: Jill Richardson

Natalie Mosher Steps Up

2009-05-09T13:38:00.003-04:00

Someone finally stepped up to challenge Thad. Ladies and gentlemen, Natalie Mosher:

On Wednesday, the 65-year-old lifelong Democrat announced she is running for Congress and will challenge Republican Thaddeus McCotter of Livonia, who is currently in his fourth term representing Michigan's 11th District.

Mosher is at least a credible candidate: her website is legitimate, she has a Facebook, and is known for her fundraising prowess. The DCCC is still looking recruit a better candidate, but it's nice to see someone announce. Whether Ms. Mosher is the right candidate to beat Thad McCotter, I don't yet know. But we will be challenging Thad, make no mistake.

The Case Against Thad: April 2009

2009-04-17T16:14:00.004-04:00

Thad McCotter has became a darling of the extreme right in recent weeks. Whether it be his participation in the Plymouth Township Tea Party or his consistent stops on Fox News, Thad McCotter is aligning himself with the most extreme elements of the Republican Party. He has aligned himself with supply-side, trickle-down economics even as their disastrous effects come to light. He joined a protest that saw venomous hate speech against the President, and, indeed, the whole government of the United States.

His latest slogan is "big government is chaos". That's right: at this time of great economic crisis, Thad doesn't believe government is part of the solution, but of the problem. I'm reminded of the old axiom: "I don't want a conservative politician for the same reason I don't want a vegan butcher. He doesn't want to do a good job." He rejects the lessons of the Great Depression, and indeed of all American history, and instead supports a fundamentally laissez faire approach to the crisis.

The one place that Thad has rejected laissez faire and corporate Republicanism is his defense of the auto industry. I must give credit where credit is due: Thad has done a fine job fighting for the auto industry in Washington. He had no choice to, politically, but he still deserves some credit for the way in which he has stood up. What he fails to understand, though, is that the Republicans who opposed the auto-bailout are very consistent ideologically. They oppose any sort of government help in jumpstarting the economy. Thad was smart enough to oppose laissez faire when it came to Detroit, but he has no problem supporting it when it comes to other areas: the stimulus package, the budget, et cetera. That is the fundamental argument against Thad: he is a Republican, who, other than his rhetoric regarding the auto industry, is willing to toe the party line and oppose economic recovery.

Who Will Challenge Thad?

2009-04-17T15:58:00.002-04:00

With neither State Senator Glenn Anderson and House Speaker Andy Dillon throwing their hat in the ring, the Democratic nomination for 2010 is wide open. In this district that Obama won, and that McCotter took with just 51% of the vote, it is clear that this race is low hanging fruit. So who will step up?

While Anderson and Dillon were considered the most likely candidates, there are plenty of other good choices. My State Representative, Marc Corriveau, is still a potential candidate, though I think he would be unlikely to run. Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano lives in the district, as does Wayne County Commissioner Kevin McNamara.

If not one of them, who will step up? In 2008, local attorney Joe Larkin was our nominee. While I'm sure Mr. Larkin is a very nice man, he was a sub-par candidate. In a district as competitive as this one, we can't afford to put up a candidate who raised less than $30,000. Someone needs to step up.

MI-11: Blue District

2009-02-18T20:57:00.002-05:00

The folks at Swing State Project have done an incredible job tabulating the Presidential vote by Congressional District. And, as they continue to plug away at the nation's 435 districts, they've finally gotten to the Michigan Eleventh.

The result: Barack Obama, 196,909; John McCain, 163,190.

In 2004, George Bush won the district by four points. In 2008, Barack Obama won by more than nine. That's a thirteen point swing towards the good guys.

Couple this with Thad's dismal reelection numbers, and it is clear that McCotter is a top target for 2010. This race is eminently winnable, and we will get it done.

Draft Glenn Anderson For Congress Movement Mounting

2009-02-07T12:09:00.003-05:00

Draft Glenn Anderson For Congress has a Facebook group. With 101 members, it's a sizable movement. Even more notable than its size is its most notable member: State Rep. Richard LeBlanc.

If you recall, Rep. LeBlanc was a 5th on our Cattle Call when I previewed the odds of the race last time around. This obviously means that LeBlanc will not be running, but says something something even more important about the race: Senator Anderson has his first significant endorsement before even deciding to run.

I've had the privilege of speaking with Senator Anderson a couple of times over the past month or so through my work at WSDP - Plymouth. He was a very engaging interview, and seemed to genuinely care about the issues he was talked about.

This is not an endorsement from me (even though the Facebook group does list this as its homepage.) No, I'd like to see how the field shakes out before making a decision. But I can say that Senator Anderson would be a great candidate, and would be more than capable of taking out Thaddeus.

McCotter Votes Against Economic Recovery

2009-01-28T19:22:00.000-05:00

Today the House voted on the $825 billion economic recovery package. Following the lead of the rest of the Republican Caucus, Thad took a stand for obstructionism over recovery; for partisanship over unity.

President Obama bent over backwards to accommodate the Republican ideas, donating a significant amount of the package to the Republican gold standard of "OMG TAX CUTZ!!!11!!" Even after this, not a single Republican was willing to vote for the bill.

If there is one lesson from today, it is that House Republicans are irrelevant. Even with a completely united Caucus, the House GOP was unable to stop a good bill.

And Thad McCotter had better watch out. If/when the Obama plan puts people back to work, restores confidence and gets the economy rolling again, people are not going to forget that he took a stand against it. And I'm not going to let 'em.

Thad Loses His Soul

2009-01-18T16:27:00.000-05:00

Thaddeus McCotter drew some heat last campaign over his vote against expanding the State Children's Health Insurance Program. Catholics United criticized him immensely for it, and he called the group "the devil" over it. No, Thad didn't back down, and urged other Republicans to hold firm with him. For, if the GOP was to be "daunted by the politics of SCHIP," it would most certainly "lose its soul."

Well, after 11 Republican Congressmen who voted against S-CHIP lost their seats in 2008, Thad was daunted by the politics of S-CHIP: Thad voted in favor of the expansion.

Does that mean that Thaddeus has lost his soul? Perhaps. But it seems to me that he's simply exposed himself for the opportunist he is. Thad knows that he is going to be challenged in 2010, and he is unwilling to give Democrats in the District this issue to run on. Fair enough.

I still think there's a greater issue to be had. Do we in the Eleventh want a Congressman who would even consider voting against children's health care?

2010 Cattle Call

2009-01-17T11:14:00.001-05:00

The Democratic bench in the Eleventh District is actually surprisingly deep. But who will be the person actually willing to take on Thaddeus McCotter? Here is the first 2010 Cattle Call, ranking who is most likely to be the Democratic nominee for Congress.

Speaker Andy Dillon - Though seen by some as a polarizing figure due to the recall fight that engulfed him this past year, the term-limited Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives will be highly recruited by the Party. Re-elected to the State House with 66% of the vote last November, Dillon has a strong base of support in Redford.
Senator Glenn Anderson - State Senator from Livonia, Anderson would be strong candidate based on geography alone. He would be able to eat in to McCotter's base in the city, which is certainly a consideration. He is a strong progressive, but the trick will be getting him to leave the State Senate, where he is not term-limited.
State Representative Marc Corriveau - I volunteered for Representative Corriveau in the last campaign, and was very impressed with his candidacy. As a Democrat who was able to carry Northville in his last election, Corriveau is clearly capable of talking to the white-collar suburban voters that make up a significant portion of this district. I don't expect Corriveau to run, but if he does, he'll be a force to be reckoned with.
Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano - Although an unlikely candidate, Ficano would be a perfect fit for the District. A Livonia resident, Ficano has been involved in County politics for more than twenty years, and has a reputation as being a strong and fair leader in the community. If Ficano runs, he would be the heavy favorite for the nomination, and would likely clear the field. It's improbable, but simply given how strong a candidate he would be, he gets a spot on the list.
State Representative Richard LeBlanc - LeBlanc is the Democratic Representative from Westland. Although enormously popular in that area of the District (he was elected with 88% of the vote), LeBlanc is not established in the rest of the Eleventh, and is an unlikely and not particularly strong candidate in any regard.

That's the way I see it. Only time will tell who will be the nominee. Of course, it's more than possible that a dark-horse could take the nomination and the District by storm. In any event, there's no reason we can't put up a competitive candidate in 2010.

Still Mad At Thad

2009-01-17T10:55:00.000-05:00

Well, I kind of let this blog get away from me. It looked like there was zero chance of winning the Eleventh in 2008, what with the state party ignoring it and the underfunded and uninspiring Joe Larkin the Democratic nominee.

Despite the long odds, we came this close to unseating Thaddeus McCotter last November. Thad pulled in only 51% of the vote, winning by just six points over Larkin. This happened even as Larkin spent less than $30,000, as opposed to McCotter's more than $1,000,000.

This race is near the top of the national party's list this year. The Cook Political Report rates the race as "Lean Republican," and a Swing State Project metric combining margin of victory and PVI lists McCotter as the fifth most vulnerable House GOPer.

With all that on our side, there is no reason that we can't take down Thad McCotter in 2010. While much of my confidence last cycle was little more than naivete, there is real reason to believe that we can knock off the House Republican Policy Committee Chairman in the coming cycle.

Joseph Larkin Win Democratic Primary

2008-08-06T14:23:00.000-04:00

Livonia lawyer Joseph Larkin is the Democratic nominee for Congress in the Eleventh Congressional District.

Receiving 73% of the primary vote last night, Larkin defeated Ed Kriewall in a landslide. The work has just begun, with less than 3 months left until the general election.

This race will, unfortunately, not be competitive. Larkin has only $2,799 cash on hand, good enough for a mere .49% of Thaddeus McCotter's $565,081. You can't run a competitive campaign with less than $3000. It's a shame, in a R+1 congressional district, that the Eleventh District would be ceded.

So what's the best case scenario? First off, Larkin needs to start fundraising. He'll never reach parity with McCotter, but if he can raise somewhere near $100,000, he can at least run a campaign. Larkin needs to get out there and campaign - hard. If he wants to have any chance in this race, he'll need to be campaigning everyday. He should challenge McCotter to a series of debates. This race, if nothing changes, with end in a ten point McCotter win. We need a game changer to make this race even remotely close. McCotter is too good of a pol to lose this race. Mr. Larkin, you need to win it.

May Roundup

2008-05-31T14:09:00.000-04:00

It's been quite a while since I've posted an update. I've been extremely busy as school winds down - I promise to have more timely updates during the summer.

Unfortunately, while I may have taken the month off, Thad hasn't. So here is a quick roundup of May's happenings:

Thad's trying to scare up the election year wedge issue of gay marriage. Rep. McCotter is one of 29 Republicans co-sponsoring Rep. Paul Brown's constitutional amendment banning gay marriage in the United States. This follows the California Supreme court's decision to legalize gay marriage in that state. It guess it is no surprise that Thad would take such an intolerant position. In supporting the bill, Thad aligns himself with such agents of intolerance as Virgil Goode and Steve King.
Thaddeus called the sitting Speaker of the House a dictator. “It’s not a dictatorial strength, which is what people were used to from [former Republican Majority Leader] Tom DeLay and Nancy Pelosi now.”
Also, Thad has a new mailing going out around the district. In it, Mr. 15% from the League of Conservation Voters calls for conserving our Earth. He also has the gall to say that he supports expanding S-CHIP after he voted against it. He also failed to mention Iraq.

So Thad's been busy. Again, I promise less sporadic updates come summer.

A Path To Victory

2008-04-25T19:56:00.001-04:00

Victory in the Eleventh this year is unlikely. With plenty other more enticing races around the country, the national party organization will likely ignore this race. Even the Michigan Democratic Party will be busy, with MI-7 and MI-9 being much better pick-up opportunities.

McCotter has a big name and a bigger checkbook. Our nominee will be unknown and underfunded. It will take, as I've stated earlier, a truly people powered campaign to take down Thad. We'll need a movement, not a candidate to win this race.

We need to educate the voters on Thad's record. We need to hammer Thad on the War, on S-CHIP, on the environment. Thad does not represent our interests in Washington, and we must make that clear to his constituents. Again, it will take more than Joe Larkin or Ed Kriewall to do this.

So in the spirit of a people-powered movement starting in Plymouth, I'd like to announce the formation of a Mad At Thad ActBlue page. ActBlue is a vital tool for progressives across the nation to build winning campaigns. We here in the Eleventh will be utilizing it as well.

Now, I'm a minor. I'm legally not allowed to contribute. So I'm counting on you. My goal is to have eleven donors over the next month. Just enough to show that the foundation for a grassroots campaign exists here in the Eleventh. Please consider making a contribution, and help us move one step closer to ousting Thad.

Spencer Withdraws; Endorses Larkin

2008-04-04T21:17:00.000-04:00

I have good news and bad news.

First, the bad news. Tom Spencer withdrew from the race, this time for good. He never had enough funding to be a serious candidate.

The good news is that this primary is not over. The reason that Spencer withdrew was the entry of Livonia attorney Joseph Larkin. Spencer released the following statement explaining his decision:

Dear Friends and Supporters,

The upcoming election is one of the most important elections to come along in a long time. It will determine the future of this country as a republic based on the rule of law and not on the rule of men. For several years now this District has not had a representative that represented the people and as I visited with people in the District, I found that to be one of the most important issues people were disgruntled with.

It is time for us to take back the seat that Mr. McCotter has held and abused and give it back to the people. This election isn’t about me or other single person; it is about the future of our District, State, and Federal Government. In other words, it is about our people and their future. I feel it is important that we get behind someone that truly has the ability to beat Mr. McCotter in the upcoming election and that is why I am throwing my whole-hearted support behind Joe Larkin. He is a progressive Democrat with connections to the party for many years. But even more important, he wants to represent the people of the District and do what is best for our country.

I am asking for those who have supported me in the past and who signed my petitions to give their support to Joe. It will be a hard fight to overcome the entrenched candidate, but I feel Joe is the one to do it. I plan to continue to work to remove Mr. McCotter from office in anyway that I can.

Please visit Joe's website at www.larkinleadership.com. Thanks again for all your support and kind words of encouragement over the past several months.

Sincerely,

Tom Spencer

Larkin looks like he could be a good candidate. His website, Larkin Leadership, contains a detailed platform. He's against our continued occupation of Iraq, he has some great ideas on how to fix the nation's economy, and places an emphasis on the environment that I think will need to be a major issue this fall if we are to defeat Mr. 15%.

The one issue that seems like it might be trouble in the primary for Larkin is the fact that he is pro-life. But I like how he phrased his position to the Observer:

"It seems the only area he's concerned about pro-life is when you're in the womb and not when you come out of the womb," he said. "For example, he voted against extension of health care benefits for poor children. That is an area where I absolutely would have voted yes."

To recap, we still have an interesting primary and there is still a lot of work to do. I think that a heated primary campaign between Ed Kriewall and Joe Larkin would be good for the party, as neither of them have the name recognition needed right now. My message to the candidates: keep it clean, stick to the issues, and together we can win this November.

DCCC's List of Targets: No Thad

2008-03-23T21:23:00.000-04:00

The DCCC has a list of targets for 2008, and Thad is not on the list. It appears that national Democrats are writing this race off. They seem content to wait for 2012, when there will be a new, more favorable Eleveth District. Well, I guess we'll have to do this on our own. But I still see a path to victory for the Democrats in November.

We were never going to outspend McCotter, even if the DCCC was supporting us. We aren't going to win as the default candidate. It will take a truly people powered campaign. The fate of this campaign lies in the hands of the people. Let's take it away from the lobbyists this fall.

It's Been A Busy Couple Of Weeks...

2008-03-21T15:50:00.000-04:00

A little while back, Mad At Thad was mentioned in an article in the Observer and Eccentric. The article was about the lack of enthusiasm that the Eleventh District Democrats have seen about ousting McCotter. The author of the article, Hugh Gallagher, found a couple notable exeptions:

In the blogosphere, where apparently many people spend their time, two sites are devoted full time to "exposing" McCotter, madatthad.blogspot.comand mccottermonitor.blogspot.com.

I emailed Mr. Gallagher, thanking him for mentioning the blog. Mr. Gallagher found it interesting enough that a fourteen year-old was writing a political blog that he decided he'd like to write an article about me and the blog. So he interviewed me Monday, and yesterday the story came out.

High school freshman's blog makes a case against McCotter

I'm elated that this blog and this cause are getting some exposure. To any new readers, I encourage you to look around the site. I think you'll find something that will make you Mad At Thad, whether it be his continued support for the war or his record on the environment, Thaddeus McCotter is not representing our interests in Washington. I think it's time we call him on it, and send some new blood to the Hill this November.

I would like to thank Mr. Gallagher for writing the story, and my station manager up at 88.1 The Escape, Bill Keith for pointing out the original story.

Thaddeus Still Supports The War

2008-03-16T17:04:00.000-04:00

Five years into the War, Thaddeus is still in denial.

With almost four thousand American dead, including one hundred and seventy four with Michigan ties, Thad still supports George W. Bush's War in Iraq.

Thaddeus is silent on the War, in public at least. He doesn't even mention it on the 'issues' page of his website. No, Thaddeus doesn't want you to know that he supports the War. But he has voted for every single bill funding the war.

He claims to be a fiscal conservative, and yet remains silent on the nine billion dollars we have lost in Iraq, let alone the over half trillion we have spent overall. Thaddeus continues to support the tremendous price in blood and treasure that we have squandered in the Fertile Crescent. He doesn't want you to know that.

End the war, end Thad's time in Washington.

Was 15% Too High?

2008-03-07T17:30:00.001-05:00

As you may remember, Thad's rating from the League of Conservation Voters was an abysmal 15%. But Thad has shown no signs of cleaning up his act. In fact, just last week he voted against the Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act of 2008, a bill that passed despite Thad's dissent. The bill repeals tax breaks for oil companies in order to pay for further investments in alternative energy, as well as tax breaks for individuals who take the initiative and invest themselves.

This vote matches up perfectly with his horrendous voting record on environmental issues. But there is a deeper level to this vote. Thad is voting to keep tax cuts in the pockets of the rich oil companies while simultaneously voting against cuts for the rest of us.

One more reason to be mad at Thad.

Tom Spencer Re-enters Race

2008-02-24T10:00:00.000-05:00

Tom Spencer has resumed his campaign:

As you all know, times are tough financially for a lot of us. Due to financial problems, a few weeks ago I suspended my campaign. Since then we have had some good things happen that have made our finances so that they are not a roadblock to my campaign as much as they appeared to be three weeks ago. So, I am back on the campaign trail again as I un-suspend my campaign for the U.S. Congress.

Well, I didn't see this coming. It would have been nice to see the Democrats unite behind one candidate, but a heated primary could help the eventual nominee raise his name recognition. Good luck Tom.

Thaddeus McCotter's Spotty History On A Balanced Budget

2008-02-22T20:43:00.001-05:00

Thaddeus McCotter claims to be a huge supporter of a balancing the budget. As a matter of fact, back in 2006 Thad put his name on this letter, calling for then-Majority Leader John Boehner to bring the 'Balanced Budget Amendment' to a vote.

America's politicians will never get serious about controlling federal spending until they have no other choice. Until then, low-priority programs will continue to receive exorbitant funding and spending will remain unchecked. That is why the BBA is critical for restoring sanity to federal spending. We believe getting the BBA through committee and onto the floor deserves a very high priority. Passage of this amendment is necessary to ensure that our children inherit the American Dream, not the national debt.

Thaddeus makes some very valid points. The deficit is out of control, and a balanced budget amendment would make a lot of sense. That's why I was so glad when the Democrats decided to institute a 'Pay As You Go' policy the very first day that they were in control of the House. The bill passed 280-152 and was a tremendous step in the right direction for the country.

Thaddeus was apparently less impressed. He voted no. This is the same man who said that we should amend the Constitution to include a ban on deficit spending; yet when a provision that would stop the spending actually comes up to vote, Thad says no.

Please, Representative McCotter, explain that one to me.

Hypocrisy: just one more reason to be mad at Thad.

LCV 2007 Rankings Are Out

2008-02-22T20:43:00.000-05:00

The League of Conservation Voters' Legislative Scorecard is out, and Thaddeus didn't pass.

15%

Fifteen percent. I should note that this is a slight improvement for Thad, whose lifetime rating is an abysmal 11%.

Thaddeus is not a champion for environmental causes. As a matter of fact, he has not released a single press release pertaining to the environment in his entire time in the House. So not only is Thaddeus voting against environmental interests, he doesn't even explain why he votes against legislation like the repeal of oil company subsidies and raising automobile efficiency standards.

Your environment: just one more reason to be mad at Thad.

Meet Edward Kriewall: Your 2008 Democratic Challenger

2008-02-15T12:28:00.001-05:00

With the news that Tom Spencer has suspended his campaign, I was pleased to see that Edward Kriewall finally has a website up.

Kriewall For Congress

I have to admit, I'm pretty excited about Ed. Some highlights from his issues page:

Withdraw from Iraq: American troops should not be dying for what is a civil war taking place in Iraq. Iraq is a huge mistake by the Bush administration.
Universal Health Care: We are already paying for the uninsured. Let us all get on the same boat and adopt a single payer program.
Lower Taxes: We can lower taxes if we leave Iraq and lower defense spending.
Great Lakes Water & Lake Levels: Our great lakes have dropped 4' in the past few years and the levels are not returning on their scheduled cyclical rise. We need answers and solutions. Our future tourism industry is in trouble if this continues. We need to have improved tourism as we continually fade as an industrial power.
Replace follow the leader politicians: Now is the time.

That's a progressive platform for you. Ed Kriewall will make a great Congressman - let's go out and win it for him.

Tom Spencer Suspends Camapaign

2008-02-15T12:28:00.000-05:00

So it looks like it's up to Ed Kriewall to take down Thad:

I want to express to you how much I appreciate your support and dedication to my campaign. Thad McCotter needs to be defeated in the next election and I am convinced that I can to a much better job at representing the people of the 11th District of Michigan.

However, after a great deal of reflection and consideration on the course of my campaign and the personal toll it is taking, I have reluctantly decided to suspend my campaign at this time.

That's too bad. Tom would've made a fine Congressman.

Thad's Review of George Bush's State of the Union

2008-01-29T21:29:00.001-05:00

Well, the reviews are in and apparently, George Bush nailed his State of the Union address last night. Thad said:

"I am heartened that the president is following the House Republicans' lead by targeting wasteful spending and pork barrel earmarks for extinction."

Thad is determined to end earmarks. Oh boy!

Wait a second. In February, when the House voted to end secrecy on earmarks and ban deficit spending, Thaddeus voted 'nay'.

Hypocrisy - just one more reason to be mad at Thad.

Thaddeus Votes Against Children's Health Care Again

2008-01-29T21:29:00.000-05:00

Thaddeus McCotter voted against overriding George Bush's veto of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). Thad has voted against the bill every opportunity that he has had. As you may remember, when the group Catholics United reminded Thad that voting against helping poor, sickly children was not pro-life or pro-family, Thad called them "the devil". That comment earned him the title of 'Worst Person in the World'.

Just one more reason to be mad at Thad...

Tom Spencer's Campaign

2008-01-27T14:31:00.000-05:00

I just recieved an e-mail from Tom Spencer's campaign.

I would like to thank you for joining my effort to become your next Representative in Congress. There's no question we have a long road ahead of us, but I believe the incumbent is not invincible, as long as his challenger has the support needed to retire him.
I believe I am that challenger. I have a long history of service to my country and my community, which continues through my children. I am not a career politician, I am a man of the people. I am not beholden to big business, corporate lobbyists, or special interests...I am beholden to the people of my District, and will represent them to the best of my ability.
I have been meeting and getting to know as many folks as I can in the last few weeks and will continue to do so. Many have already offered to lend support to my campaign, and I am pleased and honored for the great support and advice I have received. You can help further...just let all your friends know that I am campaigning to unseat McCotter. Right now, please forward this email to as many people as you can, and get the word out! Encourage them to visit http://www.tomspencer4congress.com/ to see who I am, what I stand for, and what I will do in Congress. Encourage them to join the effort by subscribing to my mailing & volunteer lists. Let's work together to take back our District!
Some of the biggest hurdles we have to face are financial. Campaigns need contributions to operate; that's just a fact. And with a grass-roots campaign like mine, every dollar counts, and every dollar will be used wisely to win. That's why I am imposing upon your generosity to make a contribution to my campaign. You can donate online at http://www.tomspencer4congress.com/ by clicking on the "Make a Donation" button in the Main Menu. And please forward this along to your family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers so they can lend a hand too!
I firmly believe that together, we can take back the 11th District and work to bring good paying jobs, affordable health care, peace and prosperity to Michigan and the entire country. Thank you for your continued support, and may God bless you and your family.

Tom seems like he would be a very good Congressman. He is actually trying to use the netroots (he posted on this site!), whereas Novi City Manager Edward Kriewall has yet to set up a website. I'd love to see the debate - we need all the help we can get in deciding who would be better to oust Thad. Also, a debate could see some local media coverage, which is very needed in facing a well financed incumbent.

Thad's Gone Mad

2007-12-22T10:11:00.000-05:00

Thaddeus has a new PAC. The Apocalypse Committee, as Harper's Magazine dubbed it, is just plain silly.

The real name of the PAC is the "Champions of American Freedom PAC". In an article put out by Thad, he writes "Republicans successfully promoted economic prosperity".

Really, Thad? I don't know if you saw the Sunday Free Press a couple weeks ago. The Wayne County foreclosure notices were 100 (!) pages long. Is that economic prosperity? The economy is faltering, only 27 percent of Americans approve of the job our Republican President is doing with the economy.

Thaddeus also calls the 110th Congress far too liberal. Now, I'm a liberal. And this Congress has been as liberal as that media I've been promised for years. If you don't want to read in between the lines there, a Congress that has continued the War in Iraq, caved on S-CHIP and almost gave the telecom industry immunity is not liberal.

I'd go into more, but honestly, just read it. It will give you many more reasons to be Mad at Thad.

Mad At Thad Group

2007-12-01T18:12:00.000-05:00

The Facebook group now has 42 members.

It is truly a great thing to see that kind of advocacy for a new Representative in Congress.

Now, 42 down, 58 to go.

Beware Of Bias

2007-11-25T15:18:00.001-05:00

Wow.

FOX News is declaring that blogs are biased. Yes, we are. I probably won't show too many stories that make McCotter look good. But I tell you that. Daily Kos tells you that they support Democratic politicians. FOX News, though just as biased if not more, presents itself as 'Fair And Balanced'. That is the crime here.

So let me alert you: if you are looking for stories about Thaddeus McCotter that will balance mine, go to FOX. They will be both lacking in facts and supporting McCotter's view - the opposite of my blog.

Tom Spencer Has A Website Up

2007-11-25T15:18:00.000-05:00

Tom Spencer is one of the Democrats challenging Thaddeus this cycle. He also has a campaign website up.

Tom Spencer For Congress

Tom seems to be a pretty solid liberal. He is against the War In Iraq, he supports renewable energy, he supports diplomacy and health care. So it looks like we have at least one solid challenger.

I don't know about Tom's electability. But he is a veteran, so that should sit well on issues of national security.

We've got a long way to go, but things are starting to come together.

Thad's 'Liberty Alliance'

2007-11-23T15:07:00.002-05:00

Thaddeus McCotter supports liberty. He says it, so it must be true.

In an article at the conservative Human Events, McCotter calls for the creation of a Liberty Alliance. It would be much like the UN, but would only include fully free states. It seems like a good enough idea, but there are a couple of problems with it.

First, Thaddeus McCotter has not supported liberty here in America. The ACLU gives Thad a lifetime rating of 9%.

Second, this is another issue of negotiating with rogue states. Would this alliance send help to Sudan? The whole point of the UN is resolving conflict - the majority of conflicts involve nations like China or Burma.

At least Thad wants us to stay in the UN.

The Democrats

2007-11-23T15:07:00.001-05:00

According to the 2008 Race Tracker, two Democrats have filed to run for the seat.

Tom Spencer is one, and he has posted on the blog He seems like a very good candidate.

Edward Kriewall is the other. He has filed with the FEC, but I don't know that much about him.

The primary will be August 5, 2008, so we have plenty of time to decide who the nominee will be. But right now we have very little info on the candidates, so there is a need for some sort of forum or debate.

I hope that this will be a productive primary, and we have a lot to learn about our candidates.

Mad At Thad Facebook Up

2007-11-23T15:07:00.000-05:00

Well, I figured it was just about time to get a group up. So now we have an official Mad At Thad Facebook group.

This group will make it much easier to get out news with events and interact with other members of the eleventh.

My goal is to get 100 people in the group. Can we do it?

Mad At Thad Facebook Group

Happy Thanksgiving!

2007-11-20T22:51:00.003-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving. I was at the game today - what a bummer. That's the Lions for you.

Have a safe holiday.

Thad On Frank Beckmann - 9/21

2007-11-20T22:51:00.002-05:00

Thanks to communicationsguru for bringing this interview to my attention.

First, a little bit of background: WJR is a right-wing controlled radio station. They air the comedian Rush Limbaugh, as well as Sean Hannity. Also, McCotter gave us this gem in September:

So this interview was a cupcake for Thad.

Frank Beckmann Show - 9/21

The main issue that was discussed were robocalls going around the eleventh Congressional district attacking Rep. McCotter about his position in regard to trade with China. Thad wants to limit trade with China, and I agree with him on that.
But the biggest error that Thad makes in this interview is saying that the Republican party does not have any robocall operations, at least not to the scale of the Democrats. This is just false. Earlier this month, robocalls were used in Kentucky to attempt to dissuade voters from supporting Democrat [url=http://tpmelectioncentral.com/2007/11/kentuckians_receiving_fake_robocall_from_homosexual_lobby_for_steve_beshear.php]Steve Beshear[/url] . To suggest that only Democrats play dirty politics is not only not true, the Republican Party uses this tactic much more.

Just one more reason to be Mad At Thad.

Thad's Shady Record On The Constitution

2007-11-20T22:51:00.001-05:00

Thad McCotter supports the Second Ammendment - his band is named after it! But as far as the rest of the Constitution goes, Thad is a little less consistent.

Just last week, McCotter voted against John Conyers' RESTORE bill, a measure meant to provide for more judicial oversight on wiretapping of American citizens. The bill still passed the House, but Thad's vote on it is very alarming.

Our Representative in Congress should not support unchecked executive power. Just one more reason to be Mad At Thad.

I'm At Michigan Liberal!

2007-11-20T22:51:00.000-05:00

Well, I had just about forgotten about this blog. Yet today I was reading Michigan Liberal, and I noticed that my blog was listed on the side.

I have a reason to continue writing now.

Thaddeus' Stance On The War

2007-08-01T15:41:00.000-04:00

Thaddeus McCotter remains a staunch supporter of George Bush's failed policy in Iraq. He has voted against a bill with a timetable for withdrawal every time that one came up for a vote.

Recently, the local anti-war crowd has been targeting our favorite Representative. Americans Against Escalation in Iraq, a coalition of unions and other groups who support ending the war, held a protest outside of Thad's Livonia office on July 5. Also, on July 26, a vigil was held in Kellogg Park, Plymouth, mourning the death of the 138 Michigan soldier to die in Iraq. Flowers were sent to McCotter's office.

http://www.noiraqescalation.org/press/news?id=0232

Who Is Thaddeus McCotter?

2007-07-28T00:59:00.001-04:00

Thaddeus McCotter is a name. His mother was Joan McCotter, a former city clerk. Without the name recognition that Tad got from his mother, it is unlikely that he would ever have been elected.

Thaddeus McCotter is an enabler. He votes with President Bush 92% of the time.

Thaddeus McCotter is a fringe conservative in moderate's clothing. Though he paints himself as a man with the center on his mind, he was rated 0% by NARAL, 100% by the Christian Coalition, and 0% by the ARA, a group opposed to the privatization of social security.

Thaddeus McCotter is a rubber stamp.

Here is a campaign ad from 2006:

Good Day

2007-07-28T00:59:00.000-04:00

Hello,

This blog is devoted to the ousting of Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R - Michigan) from his current seat as the Representative of the eleventh congressional district of Michigan.

The man is a rubber stamp of Bush's policies. He supports the war, is against stem cell research, and is an example of everything wrong with the Republican Party.

In 2006, an underfunded and underappreciated radio host, Tony Trupiano ran against Rep. McCotter. He lost, of course, but managed to keep Bad Thad under 55% of the vote. I have no idea whether Tony is going to run again. But with any attention from the DCCC, this is a race that can be won for the Democrats.

I will attempt to demonstrate some of the many reasons that this race should recieve as much attention as any in 2008.