ANNOUNCING THE GRAND OPENING

“We are delighted to inaugurate our new Action Center in Traverse City, a reflection of our commitment to bringing the community together, growing the Grand Traverse County Republican Party, increasing membership, inspiring volunteers, recruiting new candidates, assisting our elected officials, and helping to get more Republicans in office in 2024,” said GTGOP Chairwoman, Katie Kniss. “Our new Action Center will allow us to host numerous events, meetings, fundraisers, training, and education seminars. This facility will allow us to be efficient, productive, and effectively support our Republican candidates. The Grand Opening is scheduled for Saturday, January 20, 2024, from 2-4 p.m. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend."

As in previous years, we will once again be offering BUY A DAY.  For $50 you can choose the day you'd like to sponsor the Action Center. We will add your name on the storefront and offer recognition in our monthly Newsletter.  It's a great way to show your support for the Republican Party and help defray the operating costs. This helps us to stay focused on electing Republicans to office.

Below are a few "before" photos.  Stop by and see for yourself the "after".

What an Exciting Time to be a Delegate! 
Change is in your Hands
(written by Marilyn Dear)

It is easy to shake our heads and say this is awful, or I don’t like that. Well, we all have the
ability to make a change happen.

Our big picture is working toward getting Constitution-loving conservative Republicans elected.

So, let’s all work towards that goal! We Republicans cannot afford to be divided.

This is how we are going to do it:

1)  Let's all get to know each other. Attend the Precinct Delegate (PD) meetings. This will be your immediate support system. (Most will be at the new Action Center). If you have not attended, now is the time. Get to know other delegates in other townships.

2)  Find out when your township meetings are. (Commissioners, zoning, school board) We must make a         difference in our back yards.

3)  Introduce yourself to your neighbors. Tell them where you live so they know you and you can build trust.  Ask about their concerns: sub roads, zoning, etc. Find common ground things you can agree on.  Hopefully, they will then listen about the candidate you are supporting and why.

If their interests/values are the same as yours, see if they want to become a member of the Republican party and get involved with changing what is going on in our nation.

Forget about those distractions all over the state and let’s get in our back yards and fight for our candidates.

This is a thrilling time that is in our hands to make huge changes, to make our country great again, our state great again, our county great again, and our townships great again also.  Let’s all get busy and multiply our workers and find great candidates for many offices, especially school board, and get them elected.

Next month it is: Ready, Set, boots on the ground Go time!

We are growing, and here's the proof! We all can see with our own eyes what the Democrats have done to our Country.  It is more important than ever before to get engaged in the fight to keep our Republic and our numbers show it.  Last year was a record-breaking membership for an off-election year. If you feel like 2024 is our shot at saving the Country, you are right.  I believe more and more people are being inspired to act now before it's too late.  As a way to show the growth of this community we are doing something new for 2024.  We thought it would be fun to share the membership count each month.  At the end of 2023 we had a total of 105 members. Many were first time members to the GTGOP.  We also had many join us after September 1; we will honor those memberships into 2024.  Although official numbers for January are not in, we are off to a great start with three first-time members.

This month we are sharing a first-time member's thoughts on the Office of the Sherrif.  Read on to learn what matters to local resident Charlie Jetter, and what led him to get engaged and join the party of liberty and freedom.

THE OFFICE OF THE SHERIFF:

When you hear the title “Sheriff” do you think of the days of The Andy Griffith Show with Sheriff Andy Taylor and Deputy Barney Fife, or do you think more recently of Sheriff Joe Arpaio from Maricopa County, Arizona?  For me, I grew up watching Sheriff Andy Taylor and Aunt Bee bringing Otis, the town troublemaker, a home-cooked meal in the county jail. I also watched the news and had criminal justice classes that referenced Sheriff Joe Arpaio for starting “Tent City” an outdoor jail that was open for 24 years. Sheriff Arpaio was known to be one of the toughest Sheriffs in history.  Either way, both are good examples of the responsibilities of the Sheriff’s Office.  
The Office of the Sheriff is written into the Michigan Constitution and is constitutionally mandated, by elected county officials.  The Sheriff’s Office has law enforcement powers throughout the county and is responsible for court protection, executing civil papers, and the operation of the county jail.  All 83 counties in Michigan have a Sheriff and they are members of an organization called the Michigan Sheriffs’ Association that formed in 1877.  
The Office of the Sheriff, in my opinion, is one of the most important positions in our American Republic because the Sheriff is the only head of law enforcement that is accountable to the people. The Sheriff and deputies are living day by day, call by call, upholding the Constitution and striving towards law and order for our liberty to survive.  As stated in the Michigan Constitution for the “Oath of Public Officers”, “I do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of this state, and I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of the Sheriff according to the best of my ability.” 
The Sheriff is directly accountable to the State Constitution, the United States Constitution, and the Citizens of their county.   As our 2024 election is approaching, please take a careful look at the candidates running and make the best decision.  America is worth fighting for and we need to protect it so our children and future grandchildren will have the quality of life and freedoms afforded us through our Constitution. The Constitution protects all of us, and YOU, the voter, choose who will protect you, your family, your neighbors, and your Constitution.

Editor Note: If you or anyone you know would like to share in this member section please reach out.  Let's start sharing with each other to find common ground on the issues that matter the most. Let's work together to save the greatest nation on earth.

"If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself." – Henry Ford 

(submitted by Pete Vandyken)
 
America is and was always intended to be a Republic. The word Democracy is nowhere to be found in our Constitution.  The Constitution actually prohibits America from becoming a Democracy because it guarantees a Republican form of government. 
 
Article 4 section 4 of the US Constitution: “The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government."
 
We’ve all heard the phrase “Threat to democracy” and the demand “This is a democracy!”. These phrases are used all over the media and by many politicians within both political parties but are most often used by the left. The use of these phrases is a calculated statist tactic of telling a lie loud enough and often enough, calling our Republic a Democracy, until people thoughtlessly accept it. But can we be blamed for believing this propaganda? How many of us have ever been taught the difference between Democracy and Republic forms of government and which applies to America? A rare day it is to hear any politician, or any media correctly refer to America as a Constitutional or Representative Republic.  Since the leftists have taken over our education systems and have shifted focus over decades from education to socialist indoctrination, the true form of our government is no longer taught. In my observation, it seems the public education system is mostly graduating functioning illiterates. Do not be deceived, this is the goal of the tyrant and is threatening the pillars of our Republic. Unless we have the interest and take it upon ourselves to read our history and founding documents to educate ourselves, will we know propaganda from truth? The principle applies to our rights.  If we don’t know what our rights are, do we really have any?
 
“It is in the interest of tyrants to reduce the people to ignorance and vice. For they cannot live in any Country where virtue and knowledge prevail” ~Samuel Adams 
 
Our Constitutional Republic is an ideal, a grand political experiment in self-governance, that the individuals Liberties and Natural Rights are protected from the will of a “Democratic” mob. That while on our preferred path in life, pursuing our own legitimate interests, as long as we are not infringing on another individual’s preferred path to pursue their legitimate interests, we are within that ideal and that is what makes us Americans. As long as that ideal exists, we have a Country. 
 
In 1787, delegates held a convention that lasted nearly 4 months, where they ordained this more perfect Union that would secure the blessings of liberty. At the conclusion of this convention, Benjamin Franklin was asked by a woman as he exited Independence Hall, “Are we a monarchy or a republic?” Without hesitation Franklin responded, “A Republic, if you can keep it”.  Franklin’s response implies keeping our Republic will require diligent maintenance by "We the People"! 
 
We know the delegates to the 1787 Convention studied various Republics throughout history, and modern European models of government.  As stated by Benjamin Franklin in his now famous ‘Call for Prayer’ speech, they “found none of their Constitutions suitable to our circumstances”.  We also know the Framers of the Constitution studied the King James Bible for inspiration and insight, evidenced by their speeches and writings. The words they used and the way they phrased things is very similar to the Bible. Remember, though not all the Framers were Christian, all of them had grown up during The Great Awakening and that surely had an impact on their thoughts and ideas. Some were indeed devout Christians and when trying to gain the necessary wisdom and understanding to frame a government most likely to survive, understanding of human nature, duties of government and duties of citizens, the Bible is an unmatched source. Some believe that the delegates may have used Exodus 18 as a model for our Republic. The passage is about Moses’s father-in-law suggesting Moses adopt the following form of government, if God would command him so, verse 21 says: 
 
“21 Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:” 
 
Later in the chapter we find that Moses did implement this form of government. We see this again in Deuteronomy.
 
Deuteronomy 1:15 “15 So I took the chief of your tribes, wise men, and known, and made them heads over you, captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, and captains over fifties, and captains over tens, and officers among your tribes.” 
 
These passages of scripture do not describe a Democracy. They do seem quite like our Republican form of government where we elect Federal, State, County and Township representatives. I believe it makes sense that the Framers would be drawn to this passage. Think of the similarities between Moses and the Hebrew children and the founding generation of Americans. Both had crossed great seas fleeing tyrannical governments to lands that promised religious liberty, freedom and prosperity. 
 
We know from the Framers' quotes and writings that they thoroughly thought out the dangers of universal equality and mob rule associated with Democracy and decisively rejected it, in favor of individual liberty. In a Democracy there aren’t any checks on the will or whims of the majority. Most importantly there are no protections afforded the minority. A Democracy has great potential for instability and is therefore vulnerable to tyranny. This raises considerations about States that allow ballot initiatives. Ballot proposals move away from our Representative Republic form of government to a more Democratic process. Michigan experienced firsthand the danger of this in November 2022 with ballot proposals 1, 2 and 3. These are unconstitutional proposals that passed.  Supposedly, by the majority, I say there was fraud. This is the danger of a democratic ‘legislature of the people’.
 
“Democracy is 51% of the people taking away the rights of the other 49%” ~Thomas Jefferson
 
A Republic is protected from the instability and inevitable tyranny of Democracy because it recognizes the majority is not the whole Country. It also recognizes the validity of the minority. Laws and Constitutional Amendments are passed through representatives of the people’s choosing. Our Republic is rooted in popular consent and derives its just power by the “consent of the governed”.  From the closing of the Presidential Gettysburg address:
 
“A government of the people, by the people and for the people” ~President Abraham Lincoln
 
This truly sums up our Declaration of Independence and the Constitution into one line. But our Republic also recognizes the potential for an unjust majority and ensures the Rights and Liberties of the minority are protected from such a majority.
 
In summary, a Democracy equals mob-rule, and a Constitutional Republic equals individual liberty and protection from the mob.
 
“Democracy is like two wolves and a lamb voting on what to eat for lunch, but a republic is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.” ~Benjamin Franklin
 
A few warnings from our Founding Fathers:
 
“Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There is never a democracy that did not commit suicide.” ~John Adams
 
“The republican is the only form of government which is not eternally at open or secret war with the rights of mankind.” ~Thomas Jefferson
 
“Real liberty is neither found in despotism or the extremes of democracy, but in moderate governments.” ~Alexander Hamilton 
 
I urge you all to stay diligent in the required maintenance to keep our Republic!

Facts Sure to Impress your Democrat Friends

The last time a Republican Presidential candidate was excluded from the vote was 1860.  Who was excluded? Abraham Lincoln.  Why was he a non-candidate in 10 Southern States? Because of his Anti-Slavery position. Lincoln did not campaign in the Democrat, Slave-Owning, Southern states.  Challenge your Democrat friends to find a President who's done more for minorities than the first Republican President of our Country.

In the 1857 Supreme Court ruling Dred Scott vs. Sandford, it was decided that slaves were not considered human but were property. The seven justices that affirmed this decision were Democrat: the two that opposed were Republican.

By 1900 the Republicans had elected 22 blacks to Congress. Democrats did not elect a black man to congress until 1935.

An Example of How Betsy Coffia and the Democrats Hate You!
(written by Katie Kniss, GTGOP Chair)

For the last two Presidential election cycles the Republican party went to the polls in early March to pick their nominee for President of the United States.  While Michigan voters aren’t required to register by party affiliation most Republicans feel their vote matters when it comes to choosing who their candidate will be. Traditionally, the winner is awarded 55 delegate votes at the Republican National Convention (RNC).  This makes Michigan a hotspot for campaigning as this is more than the national average.

In 2022 the Democrats took control of the House, Senate and Legislature opening the gate to a deluge of bad policies being shoved down Michigan’s throat, one of those being a change to the date on which the Presidential Primaries are held. In early 2023, Governor Whitmer signed legislation that moved the primaries up to February 27, 2024. The problem, that certainly they knew about, is it violates RNC rules which prohibit any state except Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina from holding their primary before March 1. Such violation would result in that state losing 80% of its delegates, meaning rather than Michigan boasting 55 delegate votes for the Presidential Nominee, we would only be allowed 12.  This move would ultimately make Michigan only slightly more valuable than Guam and equal to that of New Jersey.   Michigan is a battleground ground state; New Jersey is not.

This move would certainly disenfranchise Republican voters showing up at the polls.  Representative Betsy Coffia and the Lansing Democrats must have known this and still didn’t hesitate to vote in lockstep to hurt Michigan Republicans.  Their blatant hostility towards fair and equal representation is clear evidence the Democrats hate you. We live in a state where the Democrats are intentionally hurting the Republican elections and weakening Michigan’s voice in the National political arena.

In response, the Michigan Republican Party passed a Resolution of Intent that would split the process of selecting electors between the February 27 primary and a caucus to be held March 2. This results in 16 delegates being decided by the popular vote and 39 delegates being decided by the 13 Congressional District caucuses.  Not too confusing but simply put; we are back to having our 55 votes at the RNC for the Presidential nominee.  Kudos to MIGOP Chair, Kristina Karamo, and her team for the efforts to recover and restore our power as the Republican voter base! 

Another silver lining of the Democrats’ dark cloud is now most of the delegates are chosen by Republican Precinct Delegates.   Most Precinct Delegates are active in the Republican Party and often reflect a more accurate representation of party values.  This lessens the ability of Democrats to influence the choosing of our Republican Presidential nominee.

In the end, Republicans will only suffer the headache of learning a new process; but let us not forget the Democrats’ play to sabotage the power of our vote!

Curious to know what our elected officials are doing in Lansing?

Here are the bills they are working on: Coalition to Rescue Michigan

Check out this link to see their voting record: Voting Scorecard 

Help Me Keep Northern Michigan Freedoms

Hello Neighbors!

My name is Alex DeJong and I’m the Regional Advocacy Director with Michigan Freedom Fund for our community. I’m working here in the BEST part of Michigan to help protect our precious freedoms from government overreach and control being forced on us by radical liberals in Lansing. But in order to succeed, I need your help.

     FIRST, please consider joining me in the fight. If you are interested in volunteering to help our cause, contact           me at (734) 369-1372 or by email at adejong@michiganfreedomfund.com to learn more about how we can           fight for the freedom that is rightfully ours.

     SECOND, please take a few minutes to review some of the policies our state Rep. Betsy Coffia has supported in       her first year in Lansing that seriously endanger our Northern Michigan way of life:

• Giving Control of Our Shorelines to Government Bureaucrats: Coffia voted to eliminate local zoning authority for wind and solar projects. Now, that power rests with the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC), whose members are handpicked by Governor Gretchen Whitmer and often have close ties to the utility companies they are supposed to regulate. The MPSC is fully empowered to overrule local authority and place a power generation facility, like solar or wind, wherever they see fit.
• Draining $9B of Savings into Pet Projects: Coffia also supported the Democrats’ $82-billion state budget, the largest budget in our state’s history, which drained the state’s $9-billion surplus. The state budget also spends nearly $1 billion in pork projects for taxpayer-funded luxuries in Metro-Detroit (like a cricket field).
• Demanding Taxpayers Cough up More $$$ in 2024: Coffia has done nothing to stop policies that will increase taxes and the cost of living, such as the repeal of Right to Work and reinstitution of prevailing wage on publicly funded projects. In the new year, Governor Whitmer is expected to propose new taxes for Michigan families, and we can expect Rep. Coffia to loyally rubber-stamp them.

I am here full-time to hold Big Government agents like Rep. Coffia accountable for their votes and keep you informed about what is going on in Lansing. Again, please contact me at (734) 369-1372 or by email at adejong@michiganfreedomfund.com if you are interested in volunteering or have any questions. I look forward to getting to know you over the next 11 months!

Worthy Causes to Support

Citizens for Traditional Values - CTV is fighting at the Grassroots level to uphold traditional Judeo-Christian values.

Michigan Election Integrity Team - Michigan's election laws have significantly changed under Proposal 2, thus creating an increased need for poll challengers and election inspectors. Get engaged and sign up for a training course.

Axe MI Tax - A Ballot Proposal to eliminate Michigan Property Taxes

Turning Point USA - A group of young patriots for all Traverse City area High School Students. A local TC teen launched a Turning Point USA Activism Hub for the Traverse City Area. Gotta love an activist minded teen!

Gun Owners of America - "The only no-compromise gun lobby in Washington" – Ron Paul

Michigan Freedom Fund - Our freedoms are under attack!  The Michigan Freedom Fund fights to champion conservative policies on behalf of Michigan taxpayers. We are committed to the principles of limited government, transparency in government, and the freedoms found in the Constitution.