Tea Party

How hard is it to sell hot dogs? 13-year old didn’t think it would be “such a big deal”

Lindsey Smith — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 22:13:56 +0000

A 13-year-old entrepreneur from Holland finally opened what’s become a controversial hot dog stand Thursday after several weeks of going through red tape.

Nathan Duszynski wanted to make some money. So he bought a hot dog cart and set it up in downtown Holland. But he didn’t realize the cart it went against zoning laws that restrict where and when food vendors can operate.

“I didn’t think the hot dog cart would be such a big deal,” Duszynski said.

Holland city officials shut the cart down.

Sarah Palin to address metro Detroit tea party event

Michigan Radio Newsroom — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 17:34:29 +0000

Former governor and vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin will be in Michigan this Saturday.

Michigan Tea Party members hope to build on their "victory" in Wisconsin

Steve Carmody — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 21:00:47 +0000

Tea Party activists say they are encouraged by the results of this week’s recall election in Wisconsin. They say Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker's victory will also bring change to Michigan.

Michigan Tea Party straw poll picks favorite Republican U.S. Senate candidate

The Associated Press — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 21:54:05 +0000

Many of Michigan's tea party activists are trying to rally behind one of at least eight Republicans running for the chance to unseat Democratic U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow.

Gary Glenn of the American Family Association won a "straw poll" Saturday from representatives of more than 40 tea party groups joining under the name Michigan 4 Conservative Senate. The group wants to avoid dispersing clout in a field crowded with conservatives.

Mitt Romney courts Tea Party groups in Milford

Tracy Samilton — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 04:29:25 +0000

Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney stumped for primary votes in Milford last night, at an event sponsored by eight different Tea Party groups.

Wes Nakagiri is the founder of one Tea Party group called Retake Our Gov. Nakagiri says all Tea Party members share some common beliefs.

"We believe that piling mountains of debt on our children and grandchildren is immoral and absolutely wrong," he told the crowd in a short speech, before introducing Governor Romney without fanfare.

Michigan Tea Party groups meet this weekend to pick their choice for Republican US Senate race

Steve Carmody — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 19:01:01 +0000

Tea Party activists from across Michigan will gather this weekend to pick a consensus candidate for U.S. Senate.

A crowded field of Republicans are on the August primary ballot. The winner will face incumbent Democrat Debbie Stabenow in the November general election.

Cindy Gamrat is the organizer of Saturday’s convention in Mt. Pleasant. She says they hope to pick a candidate to support now in hopes it will help Tea Party members to organize to defeat Senator Stabenow.

"If we wait to really get behind a candidate after the primary, we only have a few months," says Gamrat, "That doesn’t give you much time to put an effective ground, grassroots campaign together.”

Gamrat says the straw poll results will not be binding on Michigan’s Tea Party members to follow, but she hopes it will be enough to convince some candidates to drop out of the race.

Gamrat says the group also hopes to hear from candidates in next week’s Republican president primary at their convention this weekend.

GOP senate candidates debate bailouts for banks and car companies

Lindsey Smith — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 07:40:47 +0000

Six Republicans hoping to unseat U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow debated an incredible range of issues at a forum organized by the Ottawa County Patriots Tuesday night. This is the second time the presumed front runner, former West Michigan Congressman Pete Hoekstra, has debated his rivals.

“It’s a great group of candidates. I could vote for any of them,” Bob Carr said after the 2-hour-long forum. Carr is a tea party member who drove more than an hour to Zeeland from Oceana County.

Dozens of the roughly 250 people crammed into the town’s library sport Carr’s own “Dump Debbie” political buttons. Carr says he’s given away around a thousand of them.

Tea party group to host GOP senate hopefuls, this time with Hoekstra

Lindsey Smith — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 01:00:00 +0000

(This post has been updated to clarify Hoekstra's campaign responded to requests for information; adds information.)

A West Michigan tea party group is hosting a major Republican forum this week. All but one candidate running to become the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate are expected to appear at a debate in West Michigan this week. The nominee will face incumbent Senator Debbie Stabenow in the general election in November.

Hoogendyk challenges Upton…again

Lindsey Smith — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 22:43:34 +0000

Updated 5:09p.m.

GOP Senatorial Debate

Kyle Norris — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 22:25:07 +0000

Five men hoping to challenge U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow in November spoke to Tea Party members Saturday afternoon in Mount Pleasant. The candidates included libertarian activist Scotty Boman; former Hillsdale College vice president Clark Durant; and Gary Glenn, president of the American Family Association.

The debate was sponsored by Michigan for a Conservative Senate and CMU Campus Conservatives.

Former congressman Pete Hoekstra was not at the event. The GOP front runner has said he won’t participate in forums that are attached to a straw poll. The same tea party groups that sponsored the debate will participate in a straw poll next month to endorse a candidate.

Michigan Tea partiers try to unite behind 1 Senate entrant

The Associated Press — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 18:19:53 +0000

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Many of Michigan's tea party activists are trying to coalesce behind one of the eight Republicans running for the chance to unseat Democratic U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow.

But former U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra fears the setup favors one of his rivals and plans to skip a Saturday Senate debate with tea partiers at Central Michigan University. Five of the GOP hopefuls are participating in the event.

The internal politics could hurt the GOP's chances of denying Stabenow a third term.

Hoekstra has come in for criticism from some tea party groups who say he's not paying enough attention to them. Hoekstra's campaign says he's meeting with many tea party groups.

It's unclear if the tea partiers will be able to unite behind one candidate. Some groups aren't attending Saturday's debate.

Tea Party activists get fired up over Michigan health care exchange bill

Mark Brush — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 16:29:32 +0000

The Michigan State Senate followed Governor Snyder's desire and passed a bill that, if adopted, would set up a statewide health care exchange. And the Tea Party is none too happy about the vote.

If state officials don't set up a statewide exchange by 2014, the state would have to enter a health care exchange system set up by the federal government.

The exchange, as political writer Susan Demas says, is like Travelocity for health care packages.

Demas wrote a piece on MLive about the Tea Party's reaction to the vote. She wrote that the activists warned Republicans "that there would be consequences for voting 'yes,'" and they accused Governor Snyder of trying to cozy up to the Obama administration.

Demas highlighted complaints from Scott Hagerstrom, the head of the free-market Americans for Prosperity of Michigan:

Hagerstrom called the passage of the health care exchange a "bribe" to get more federal dollars.

"What they've done is basically declared war on the Tea Party and Tea Party activists," he declared.

Joan Fabiano, a Tea Party activist from Holt who lobbied the Legislature against the health care exchange, also fired off a scathing statement against the Senate's action.

She called it "a [sic] unnecessary set back [sic] in the freedom of Michigan citizens. . . . The hurried manner in which the bill was amended, passed through Committee and scheduled for a vote is an affront to every citizen of Michigan who was disenfranchised from having his or her vote heard. Voters will not forget this affront."

Senator Bruce Caswell (R-Hillsdale) might be on the Tea Party's list.

As Rick Pluta reported yesterday, Caswell was one of the Republicans arguing in favor of the exchange:

“I do not support putting this state in the position of having the federal government come in and basically take over regulation of health care,” said Caswell.

Unlikely West Michigan foes debate bridge in Detroit

Lindsey Smith — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 04:03:16 +0000

Supporters and opponents of the new international bridge from Detroit to Windsor, Ontario, are still debating the merits of the proposal nearly a week after the bridge plan failed to get enough support in the state legislature.

Tea Party Express rolling back to Michigan

Steve Carmody — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 20:01:30 +0000

The Tea Party Express will roll back into Michigan next week. The conservative political activists hold rallies featuring fiery speeches and patriotic music. Previous visits have focused on health care reform and government spending. This time the focus will be on Democratic U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow.

Tea Party Caucus and budget negotiations (audio)

Jennifer White, Zoe Clark and Mercedes Mejia — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 21:35:39 +0000

The divide over budget and debt ceiling talks continues between Congressional Republicans and Democrats. Within the Republican Party, the Tea Party Caucus is a prominent voice against any deal that contains tax increases.

Republican Congressman Tim Walberg represents Michigan’s 7^th district and is a member of the Tea Party Caucus. He spoke with Michigan Radio's Jennifer White about what he thinks it might take for both Republicans and Democrats to agree on a budget.

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/michigan/local-michigan-977264.mp3