It's Great To Be A Michigan Legionnaire


Set The Tone during this Election Year
Happy New Year Michigan Legionnaires and Family.  2012 already, time waits for no one.  I sincerely hope that everyone had a great Thanksgiving and a peaceful, joyous Christmas.  2012 is going to be a very challenging year, even more so now that the so called “Super Committee” failed to do its job in reaching an agreement to cut $1.2 trillion from the federal budget over the next decade; and let’s not forget that this is an election year where we will be electing an entire house of representatives and one-third of the senate.
Let the spin doctors, negative ads and talking heads on T.V. start their engines. The blame game will be vociferous and self-righteous; the bottom line is the overall performance for those in Washington D.C. has been dismal.    I want our Legionnaires to be engaged and part of the process of elections 2012, not in a partisan way but in a Legion way.  Those running for office must know that we are for ensuring that our defense department is adequately funded in order to defend our borders and global interests.  Veterans programs that provide assistance to our Veterans without homes, employment to our Veterans without jobs, VA health care to Veterans that need it, rehabilitation for our wounded warriors, and efficiency and accuracy to the processing of disability claims, must remain as a top priority of congress.  When those running for office hold town hall meetings, legionnaires with their blue caps on should be in the audience showing concern for any changes or cuts in education or children programs, letting them know that patriotism trumps partisan politics any day, and that since 1919, The American Legion has advocated for what’s good for the community, state and nation and they should do the same.

Let our voices be heard
As Legionnaires we are close to 80,000 strong with the reputation and prestige deserving of a first class organization.  We have earned the public’s respect for what we do through our posts and the volunteerism of our members.  We can only be effective if ALL of us contact our representatives.

GET OUT THE VOTE
Since the 1920, American Legion National Convention in Cleveland, the organization urged ALL Legionnaires to register to vote. Since then, the organization has passed countless similar resolutions advocating Legionnaires to not only exercise their constitutional responsibility to vote, but to also encourage others to do the same.  I want to encourage all Michigan Legionnaires to register and vote in all elections. In addition, Legionnaires, posts, districts and departments are encouraged to fully involve themselves in the electoral process by serving as poll volunteers, poll workers and by encouraging and assisting others to register and vote.  Information about how to run a successful "Get Out the Vote" campaign is available through The American Legion's Americanism Division.

Michigan Legionnaires let’s“Set The Tone for elections 2012”. Let the public know how important a right and privilege it is to vote and the role veterans have played in securing that right.    Let the politicians know that we are watching, observing and listening to what they have to say in order to get our vote. 

The Department of Michigan and the legislative committee will be counting on you to have our backs when we interact with our current legislators and those who want to be elected.



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