TOWNSHIP ALERT: Beware of the Recall “Formula For Disaster”

Public debate and discussion are fantastic.  Not only do they embolden our democracy, but they also open our minds to new ideas and give people differing viewpoints on important issues.  Educated voters are the best voters, and the ones least likely to be mislead into making the wrong decisions.

Right now, the word RECALL is being thrown around almost everywhere you look.  We are hearing it here in Shelby Township, where a minority is trying to kick out township officials for doing their job.  We see it in Lansing, where some people are actually trying to recall Governor Rick Snyder for doing the job he was elected to do, even though he has only been on the job a few short months.  We saw it in Wisconsin, where public employee unions and their supporters, upset about changes to save that state from financial ruin, cried “recall” after lawmakers reformed the way state unions operate.

People who engage in this kind of recall extremism hope that the mere mention of the word recall will send a chill down the spines of elected officials.  Recalls are a way for special interests, and defeated politicians, to protect their agenda, promote their interests, and try to settle a political score.  More often than not, recalls are about the people behind them than they are about the public good.

When we examine the Shelby recall, we find that there are really three segments of our township that are actually behind it.

The Nightingale Family.  The Nightingales repeatedly claim their anger is not about towing.  They said it again at the Tuesday, March 15th Board meeting.  Since they keep repeating that this is not about towing, it leads us to believe that their whole issue may really be about TOWING!
   The Nightingale recall threats began in 2009.  When the Board of Trustees voted 7-to-0 to put towing services out to competitive bid, their recall chants started.  Noel Nightingale was the first to file petitions in response to the towing bid.  The Nightingales were, and still are, behind the recall. Their attitude seems to be that since they have done the towing work for 50+ years, they don’t think it is necessary for the township to get bids.  That may be their opinion, but what do you think?

Shelby Township Police Union.  Some elements of the township police union have joined the Nightingales by walking door-to-door trying to collect signatures.  Since the Board has not handed out pay raises that the union wanted during the past two years (out of concern for the financial well-being of the township), does the union think the best way to put more money into their pockets is to eliminate certain Board members?  

Nightingale Friends and Family.  Friends and family of the Nightingales have jumped on the bandwagon.  Is this recall designed to make sure the Nightingales and the unions continue getting what they always got?

Afters weeks of enduring personal character smears and deliberate misinformation from the Shelby recall addicts, Supervisor Rick Stathakis is speaking out.  His recent advertisement in the Source newspaper raises some very interesting questions that all taxpayers should get answers to.  We have scanned and reprinted the ad at right.  If you want a larger version, just click on the ad.

Supervisor Stathakis has decided that the most effective way to get the truth out to the people about this recall initiative is to speak directly to the people.  While Mr. Stathakis has taken a positive approach to help educate voters, his enemies are engaging in nasty personal attacks.  Do they believe the best way to advance their personal interests is to try and destroy the integrity of our township officials and smear the very community they claim they want to “Save”?

Is it the responsibility of government (any government) to put the personal interests of special interest groups, or the demands of employee unions, ahead of the needs of taxpayers?

The recall addicts feel entitled to certain things.  But what about Shelby taxpayers?  What are WE entitled to?
• Aren’t we entitled to have conservative elected officials who understand the financial pressures our township is facing and who are striving to save our township from bankruptcy?  Let’s never forget how financially-troubled Shelby was just three years ago, due to excess spending and a refusal to tackle tough issues.
• Aren’t we entitled to have elected officials with the wisdom and foresight to do what is right to protect our pocketbooks from higher taxes?  Let’s never forget how the last Supervisor (and Trustee Lisa Manzella) wanted to spend $50 million on a “campus” without any vote or input from taxpayers.
 • Aren’t we entitled to have independent township officials who are not beholden to, or frightened by, special interests or unions?
• Aren’t we entitled to an open discussion about the future of our township, without fearing retaliation from the people or groups who oppose change?

As a taxpayer, ask yourself what is more important to YOU?  The needs of one particular towing company, or the needs of your family?  What is more relevant to YOU?  What an employee union demands from taxpayers, or what taxpayers expect from the township employees we pay for through our tax dollars?

People have written asking what they can do to stop special interests from tightening their grip on our township.  Here are some tips to keep in mind:

(1) If you see someone on your front porch that you don’t know, don’t answer the door right away.  Get your cell phone camera, or digital video camera, and record what these people say to you about the recall.  Their reasons and justifications.  Then send us the video and we will post it for all to see.
(2) If you are approached by someone and asked to sign a petition, make the right choice and DECLINE TO SIGN.  When you say “no” the discussion is over.  Period!
(3) If, after declining to sign, these people persist on asking why you don’t want to sign, you have no obligation to speak with them about this, or to explain why you oppose their recall.  No means no.  If they still continue to spout their recall diatribe, speak up and ask the individual “what part of the word NO don’t you understand?”
(4) Ask them who they are really representing?  If they say they are just an ordinary concerned resident, don’t take their claim at face value.  You have a right to know who you are talking to and what their true motives are.

Some Twp. Democrats Join the Recall Attack. 
What Possible Motive Could They Have?

Residents who observed the Tuesday, March 15th Board of Trustees meeting saw some familiar faces speaking from the floor.  Even though the Nightingale Bunch, with their recall declarations, hoped to be the talk of the town, they were overshadowed by another character named Robert Denison.

This white-haired gentleman may be a new face to some, but he is no newcomer to politics.  We were shocked to see Denison stand before the Board at a televised meeting and arrogantly challenge Trustees to have him arrested.  It was comical to watch, and we couldn’t help but wonder if there is something seriously wrong with this guy?  Who, in their right mind, would publicly dare someone to drag him from the Board room in chains and handcuffs?

Denison screamed at the Board about how he stands up for ordinary people.  He painted himself as someone we can trust.  Can we?  Or does he, perhaps, have a more personal reason to come forth now and join the recall attack?

Robert “the Democrat” Denison is a retired International Representative from the United Auto Workers union.  He is a Democrat who ran against Congresswoman Candice Miller for the U.S. Congress in 2006 and 2008.  In fact, Denison has been a candidate for every political office he could think of.  First the Michigan State Senate, then State House, then the Macomb County Board of Commissioners, and most recently the U.S. Congress.

Here is what Act Blue, a political website promoting liberal causes, wrote about Denison when he was running for Congress:  “Our guy is Robert Denison, a Labor Union Organizer and Democratic Activist.  My gut says that the Union is going to turn out in force on this one and that they’re just going to carry the day.”

Denison was crushed in his attempt to defeat Congresswoman Candice Miller.  So what happened?  The union couldn’t “carry the day”?

At the March 15th Board meeting, Denison announced that he can’t be bought.  He made a point of emphasizing this self-righteous proclamation as he condemned Trustees, or any politician, who accepts campaign contributions when they run for office.  Is there something illegal about political candidates accepting voluntary donations from individuals and businesses that support a particular candidate and his or her agenda?  Is there something wrong with citizens wanting to support candidates for public office by volunteering for, voting for, or (God forbid) writing a contribution check to that candidate?

When he ran for Congress against Congresswoman Miller in 2006, campaign finance reports showed that Denison readily accepted campaign cash.  In fact, nearly all of his money came from the UAW PAC and other labor union political action committees.  He also collected thousands more from Democratic Party and liberal political committees.

So, while Denison now boasts that he can’t be bought, since he happily accepted donations from unions and their PACs during previous campaigns, doesn’t this suggest he might be “persuaded” to vote a certain way by his union backers?  If not bought, then maybe, perhaps, leased?

During his 2006 congressional campaign, the League of Women Voters asked Denison this question: “What government measures would you propose to improve access to affordable health care?” 

Here was his written response:
“Every industrialized nation in the world, except the U.S., uses a universal health care system to provide medical care for its citizens. I would work to support a universal health care system.” 

Denison clarified his position when the Shelby-Utica News asked, in a campaign questionnaire, what his priorities in Congress would be.  Once again, Denison said health care was a priority, specifying that as a Congressman he would work to “Develop a single-payer health care system.”

There you have it.  Robert “the Democrat” Denison supports government-controlled health care, and undoubtedly other liberal issues.  That may be his priority, but is it yours?

When he ran for Congress in 2008, Denison again collected campaign donations and nearly all that money came from his union buddies.  Since he loves campaign cash from unions, using his logic would he then be bought and paid for by the unions?

Robert “the Democrat” Denison is a perennial candidate who seems to have his eyes on another political prize – perhaps one here in Shelby Township?  Since he is a liberal Democrat, could this be why he is now trashing our conservative, Republican Board of Trustees?  Since he is a strong union member, could his outrage stem from the fact that our Board has gotten tough with township unions?  Could Denison’s vision of holding an elected township position explain his mystical appearance at Board meetings?

When you think about it, this whole recall debacle can be explained by a basic mathematical formula:
N x U + D = R
Nightingales x Unions + Democrats = Recall
THIS IS, WITHOUT QUESTION, A FORMULA FOR DISASTER!

These people claim that they want to Save Shelby.  If so, what are they trying to save Shelby for?  Themselves?

Until next time...