Really? Drilling in the Great Lakes?

Water is a crucial part of the identity of the state of Michigan. Water defines many of our state boundaries. It lies in lakes and ponds and runs in rivers on our state's surface. It's stored not too far beneath the surface of our state, too. We drink it, fish in it, swim in it, boat on it, use it for manufacturing and tout it in attracting tourist dollars. We couldn't live without it. It's part of what makes us different from other states.

So you would think that our members of Congress would understand that Michigan residents take it seriously. They want to protect it.

Not Mike Rogers. The 8th District Republican actually voted last week to allow drilling for oil in the Great Lakes. Lance Enderle, the only announced candidate for the Democratic nomination to oppose Rogers, jumped on that vote with a news release pointing out that Rogers' vote conflicts with his statement in 2010 that he "firmly opposes" drilling for oil in the Great Lakes.

As Enderle's news release points out, 30 million people depend on the Great Lakes for drinking water and another 1.5 million people have jobs, resulting in $62 billion in wages every year, because of the Great Lakes, according to a study by Michgian Sea Grant at the University of Michigan. Of those jobs, 525,886 are in Michigan.

And after the British Petroleum oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and the 2010 pipeline spill into the Kalamazoo River, Rogers wants to jeopardize that?

It would be Pure Michigan no more if Rogers has his way.

Enderle on the Airwaves in Lansing

Lansing voters are getting a chance to know 8th Congressional District candidate Lance Enderle after a recent WILX-TV interview.

Enderle tells viewers he wants to keep higher education affordable and put people to work with green energy jobs.

He is undaunted by the challenge of running a grass-roots campaign against PAC-man Republican Mike Rogers.

Livingston County Democrats will be canvassing for Enderle, and gubernatorial nominee Virg Bernero, on Saturday (Oct. 2, 2010). Meet at party headquarters, 10321 Grand River Road, Suite 600, Brighton, MI, at 10:30 a.m. and help us knock on doors and talk to voters about Lance and Virg.

Is This the Time for Rogers to be Sticking up for Banks?

Sometimes, you can only hide your true colors so long.

Mike Rogers has been doing that for a long time, but he finally let his disguise drop long enough for voters in the 8th District to see whose side he really is on -- the side of big banks and Wall Street, the people who brought us the financial meltdown in September 2008 that nearly destroyed the world economy.

Speaking at an event in Livingston County on Tuesday (April 20, 2010), Rogers came out against regulating banks.

According to the news accounts, Rogers believes that "banking regulatory reforms amount to the federal government telling banks how to do business. In the end, he said, that will inhibit business' access to much-needed capital."

Rogers really believes that banks should not be regulated? Seriously? Rogers really believes that after the way banks behaved that they know what is best and can be trusted to do the right thing?

Even Republicans in the U.S. Senate have figured out recently that opposing financial reform is a big loser. But Rogers is sticking to his "free market knows best" approach even as we struggle to get out of the mess that got us into in the first place.

Incumbent Rogers Going Negative

Mike Rogers, an incumbent congressman with a huge war-chest, is going negative against an under-financed Democrat.

Is he worried?

Democrat Bob Alexander's campaign is receiving reports that voters in Michigan's 8th congressional district are receiving calls in what appears to be a negative push poll.

The calls are from an organization that identifies itself as either "Wilkerson Associates" or "Vanguard" which claims to be conducting a poll. One of those voters receiving such a call made a return call to the number, which turned out to be one of the GOP's "Victory Centers."

The calls generally start out asking who the person plans to vote for, and then asks a "question" containing false allegations about Bob Alexander.

Anyone receiving such a call is asked to make a note of the content, ask who the caller is working for, and then contact Bob Alexander for Congress by calling 517-367-7400 or emailing info@alexanderforcongress.com.

After all his years in Congres, is this all Mike Rogers has to talk about -- lies about his opponent? Shouldn't he be bragging about his accomplishments for the people of the 8th District?

The silence speaks volumes.

Internal Alexander Poll: Rogers Is Weak

The truth will make you free, the saying goes.

And in Michigan's 8th Congressional District, the truth about Republican Mike Rogers makes voters want to be free of him.

That's according to a survey of likely voters in the district.

When voters were told about Rogers' support for George Bush's policies, only 31 percent supported the incumbent for re-election.

His opponent, Democrat Bob Alexander, was favored by 51 percent. Another 18 percent were undecided.

The "informed head-to-head" poll gave voters balanced statements about each candidate. Christensen & Associates Inc. directed the survey, which was conducted by phone by the campaign.

The same poll found the district strongly behind Sen. Barack Obama for president by a margin of 46 percent to just 36 percent for Republican John McCain, with 18 percent undecided.

It may not have been an outside poll, but it does show that Alexander can beat Rogers -- if he can tell voters what Rogers really stands for, and not just what Rogers wants voters to hear.

Take a minute to visit Alexander's website and help him get the word out.

How Many Houses Do You Own?

While John McCain has trouble remembering how many multi-million-dollar condos and houses he owns, too many Michigan families are struggling to hold onto their only home.

And people like Mike Rogers aren't helping. Instead, he takes money and favors from one of the nation's largest mortgage foreclosure law firms -- Trott and Trott. He also has voted against measures to help people losing their homes to foreclosure.

Meanwhile, Bob Alexander spent the day with a Michigan family losing their farm and home. Watch the tragedy unfold:

Michigan's 8th Congressional District -- Closer Than Some Think?

Michigan Liberal has a piece on Tuesday (July 29, 2008) which suggests that the battle Democrat Bob Alexander is waging in the 8th Congressional District might turn out to be a lot closer than people think right now.

From what I've seen of the Alexander campaign so far, that's definitely true. Bob is running a professional campaign without much financial support.

But the numbers are running in his favor, with Rogers losing support in each of the last three elections.

Alexander Campaign Getting Attention

Bob Alexander isn't the only person who thinks he can beat Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan's 8th Congressional District.

The Michigan Messenger is touting Bob's chances in a post for Friday (June 13, 2008).

Says the post: "If Alexander, whose only other attempt at elected office was an unsuccessful run against Rogers in 2004, did manage to tilt even 1 percent of his district away from voting again for Rogers, it would make his an inspirational story: The longtime Democratic activist in the trenches winning against a long-serving Republican with massive name recognition -- and having it be for national office. In these tough economic and global times, and if the success of the Obama campaign is any indicator, voters might not automatically pull the lever for 'experience' come November."

Come Meet Our 8th District Candidate!

Bob Alexander's campaign to oust the do-nothing Republican Mike Rogers from Congress is off to a fast start.

In the last few weeks, Alexander has found office space, hired staff, and put together a website that will soon go live.

And now he has a fund-raiser coming up.

The event will be Tuesday (June 17, 2008) from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at 1790 Schoolcraft Street, Holt. Please RSVP at 517-694-3754.

If you cannot attend, you can still be part of Bob's campaign by sending a contribution to: Bob Alexander for Congress, 1429 Somerset, East Lansing, MI 48823.

Pitch in for Alexander for Congress on Memorial Day

This Memorial Day is a good time to stay close to home, and not just because of high gas prices.

With the nation in the sixth year (i.e., Mission Accomplished plus six) of another war, it's a good time to remind ourselves that the original purpose of Memorial Day was to honor military veterans -- specifically veterans of the Civil War.

And what better way to do that than to take in a Memorial Day Parade on Monday (May 26, 2008).

While you're at it, why not engage in one of the privileges veterans have protected for us -- the right to participate in free elections? Bob Alexander's campaign for the 8th District Congressional District in Michigan will be leafletting and collecting petition signatures from 11 a.m. to noon before the Hartland Memorial Day Parade.

The parade starts at Ore Creek Middle School, which is on Hartland Road and past Dunham Road, and ends at the Don Epley Community Park.

Call Nancy at (517) 404-2979 for more information.

Alexander: Small Towns Can Make the Difference

Hot races in Michigan's 7th and 9th Congressional Districts are generating a lot of chatter in the blogosphere, but let's not forget the Michigan 8th District seat, currently held by Republican Mike Rogers of Brighton.

It's winnable for Democrats, says Bob Alexander, candidate for the Democratic nomination for the seat.

In non-presidential election years, Rogers' support drops by about one-fourth -- from 207,000 votes in 2004 compared to 157,000 in 2006 and 156,000 in 2002. If the top of the Democratic ticket runs strongly in Michigan this fall, that could negate much of Rogers' presidential-year bounce.

But to make sure he gets every bit of the anticipated Democratic bounce this year, Alexander says he wants to knock on as many doors as possible in the small towns in Michigan's 8th Congressional District. He and his supporters have been canvassing door-to-door in communities like St. John's and Williamston.

That's the scenario that Alexander laid out Saturday (April 19, 2008) at the Livingston County Democrats' 25th annual Winans Dinner.

It's a logical strategy for a campaign on a tight-budget -- people power, person-to-person contact.

(Above, Bob Alexander makes a point to Irene Cahill, Livingston County Democrat, at the party's 25th annual Winans Dinner.)