Residency of our US Congressman

The U.S. Constitution sets basic age and residency rules for House members. The founders intended the "House" to represent people from all backgrounds. The Constitution states: a Representative must be at least 25 years old, a citizen for seven years, and live in the state they represent.

Our congressman's residency has been questioned. Since 2020, he claims to live at N3465 Sylvan Isle Drive, Watersmeet, Michigan. Source, https://www.miningjournal.net/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/2020/11/rep-address-questioned/

Its interesting, Google Maps do not reach this address. See below.

Reports indicate this road isn't maintained from Labor Day to May, and during this time, his mail is sent to 13729 Oakley Lane, Saint Francisville, Louisiana. Congressman, since you must also stay in Washington, D.C. during sessions, and you have an address in Louisiana, we want to know how much time you spend in Michigan each year, and how you’re connecting with the citizens you represent.

Are you feeling liberated after the tariffs

Donald Trump declared a day of liberation when he imposed large increases in tariffs on foreign goods. With rising concerns over the precipitous decline in the stock market he caved to the pressure and installed a 90 day pause for the initiation of increased tariffs supposedly giving other countries time to negotiate a deal and create a win win for all. President Trump is a hero among MAGA Republicans for temporarily fixing a problem that he created.

The week of April 6 has been a record breaker in the wild swings in the stock market, The Dow is still well below that of only a few weeks ago and retirement accounts have declined in value. Why, because Donald Trump has no plan for building stronger manufacturing in the USA, for reducing the price of food and consumer goods, and no long range plan for creating trade balances with other countries other than creating trade wars. Without a plan chaos reigns on Wall Street and in our lives.

Throughout all of the chaos, consumers are increasingly concerned about rising inflation, the high cost of food, the increased risk of recession , personal incomes, and the increased risk of unemployment. A University of Michigan survey shows that unemployment fears are at there highest level since 2009.

Our US Congressman and the folks in the White House don’t get it, we like some predictability in government so we can plan our lives. And, we understand that our country cannot energize manufacturing and create trade balances within weeks by taking a tariff sledgehammer to the the economy. Progress takes planning and time. Lack of planning creates fear and chaos.

Stop billionaires from buying elections 

For years, Republicans have sought the backing of billionaires, trading their large donations for laws that benefit the rich. In the 2024 election, the top six Republican Donors contributed about $988 million dollars. Republicans use these donations to create polished campaign messages, gaslighting social messages, misleading surveys, and conspiracy theories. Many voters fall for these tactics.

To be fair, democrats also look for support from wealthy donors to stay competitive, but they typically focus more on smaller contributions from everyday people. Recently, voters in Wisconsin chose a progressive candidate over one backed by Trump and Musk for a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. This showed that Wisconsin will not let a billionaires buy an election.

Thank you, Wisconsin, for standing up against out-of-touch billionaires and showing the power of voters. Michigan, we need to take action as our Wisconsin neighbors did.

Our US Congressman’s voting record for health care

HR 3799 2023-2024 Choice Arrangement Act: The congressman voted wrong on this Act, which weakens rules for association health plans. This allows employers to create plans that do not offer essential health benefits.

HR 2811 2023-2024 Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023: The congressman made the wrong choice by supporting this bill that cuts domestic spending by $144 billion, affecting important programs by up to 22%. These cuts threaten Medicaid for 10 million low-income Americans, take away food assistance for countless families, and stop debt relief for 40 million student borrowers. The plan also risks funding for veterans' healthcare, clean energy projects, COVID-19 vaccines, and public transit.

HR 8296 2022, Women’s Health Protection Act: The congressman voted wrong on this bill that would stop governments from placing restrictions on abortion services. It would ensure providers can prescribe necessary medications, offer telemedicine services, and provide immediate care when delays could harm patients’ health.

Our conclusion, our US Congressman is voting consistently with the Republican Party, disregarding the wishes and needs of the citizens he represents. What are your thoughts?

 Source, https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/3799

Source, https://justfacts.votesmart.org/bill/39175/106638/170172/establishing-the-congressional-budget-for-the-united-states-government-for-fiscal-year-2025-and-setting-forth-the-appropriate-budgetary-levels-for-fiscal-years-2026-through-2034#106638

Hollow and insincere

Our congressman is urging the 12 counties hit hard by the ice storm in Michigan’s First Congressional District to seek FEMA funds. He mentions that the requirements for funding are tough and that counties should help with a FEMA assessment of the damage. He also supports Governor Whitmer’s request for a Presidential Disaster Declaration.

However, it’s concerning that he calls for aid while at the same time closely aligns with a President who aims to cut FEMA funding and often denies aid to Democratic-led areas. We appreciate your efforts, Congressman, but many see this support as insincere and hollow. The President has a history of weaponizing FEMA aid by withholding disaster aid from Democratic regions, such as Puerto Rico and Washington.

Blueprint for the destruction of a democracy

 A search of the internet yields a flood of serious articles and books by scholars, journalists, and public agencies warning us that the current US administration is undermining the principles of our constitution and destroying our democracy. The destruction is not a hypothetical scenario — it’s happening. And alarmingly, it’s happening fast.

 Across the U.S., especially in Republican-controlled legislatures, we're seeing a rapid push to dismantle long-standing institutions and democratic norms. They are systematic in their efforts to control legislatures, further their righteous agenda, and threaten the foundation of representative government.

 There is always hope that our US Congressman understands –at least in private--that he is complicit in destroying our democracy and that he will mend his ways.  Yet there’s no sign of conscience or conflict in his voting record.  He votes loyally with the Republican party as they chip away at the essential functions of our government and the rule of law.      

 Here is a blueprint/checklist for the destruction of a democracy.  What have you heard and observed, do you agree with the list? 

• ü Spread disinformation, flood the public with lies until we doubt the truth.

• ü Undermine confidence in elections, claim fraud without evidence, make voters doubt the system.

• ü Foster hate and division, demonize entire groups of people to consolidate power.

• ü Attack the free press, label facts as “fake news” and cast journalists as enemies.

• ü Gather citizen data, take away our personal freedoms, threaten dissention.

• ü Don’t talk to citizens, don’t listen to their concerns and wishes.

• ü Intimidate legal institutions, pressure law firms, prosecutors, and judges who pursue accountability.

• ü Suppress research and learning, ban books, target universities and educators for pursuing truth.

• ü Push out the experts in government, silence those with knowledge and experience, replace them with loyalists.

• ü Weaken the courts, undermine judicial independence and the rule of law.

• ü Replace facts with conspiracies, elevate conspiracy theorists to powerful roles.

• ü Destroy transparency, limit oversight, block investigations, threaten opponents with investigations, and keep the public in the dark.

Democracy doesn’t disappear overnight. It’s chipped away, step by step, often in full view of a public overwhelmed or exhausted by the pace of change. Recognizing these steps is essential to resisting them.