Newsletter August 10th, 2025
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Dear Members and Friends,
Wow, what a whirlwind of a week! A big thank you to Margy Kutzera for organizing our ACDP tent at the county fair. And to all of you who volunteered to do a shift and interface with the fairgoers. We garnered four new members and seven friends for our email list.
For our biweekly protest on Saturday we had 30 people weather the heat and get out the MAGA resistance message to the community. We will continue biweekly until the perseverance of our Democracy is assured. Please join us every other Saturday and bring your neighbors and friends.
Events
-Aug. 11th @ 7:00 pm on Zoom is our Elections Committee meeting. Please let me know if you would like the zoom link.
-Aug. 21st Chew and Chat is at 6:00 pm @ Smokey's Bar & Grill, 5992 N Hubbard Lake Road, Spruce, MI 48762. RSVP by texting Jan at: 313-318-3924.
-Aug. 23rd is our biweekly protest in Harrisville from 11:00 am to Noon. Then from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm is another protest in front of the Oscoda Post Office. Please join us if you can.
-Aug. 26th @ 11:30 am at Alcona Coffee Company in Harrisville is an opportunity to meet Chris Swanson who is running for the Democratic nomination for Governor.
-Aug. 26th @ 5:00 pm is our monthly meeting at the Harrisville Library
-Sunday, August 31st-Mark your calendars to help make another big splash with our Labor Day Parade entry at the Art and Crafts Festival Parade in Harrisville! With the theme, “We Support Workers”, we’re teeing up the midterms showing Dems as the party of Workers over Billionaires. Joined by neighboring counties and Union partners, we’ll have great handouts, music and professional signage, including blackboards for teacher members saying “Union Teachers Grow our Future”, a nurse member in scrubs with “Nurses Save Lives”, and even a Scientist from Black River with his lab coat and dry ice smoking with a sign stating “Dems Support Scientists”. If you have clothing representative of a particular worker group in Alcona, ie, Farmer, Forest Worker, Waitress, Veteran, etc, contact Parade Organizer, Alicia Ulrich aulrich@me.com Otherwise, wear your Proud Dems T-shirt, ($25 for those who would like one), Union T-shirt, or Red, White and Blue.
Don’t want to march but want to help? We need volunteers at our important outreach tent along the Parade route, where we’ll also be setting up a post parade celebration with water, light snacks, fellowship with like minded folks, and some encouraging words from local Dem leaders. Watch for our volunteer sign-up on our Alcona Dems Facebook Page, or email Events Chair, Jan Kornacki janicekornacki@gmail.com
Issues
-5 Calls: Demand Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Resignation (Updated 8/7). His slashing of $500 Million from mRNA vaccine research and development will put us years behind when the next pandemic evolves.
-Please use this link to let Michigan EGLE (the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy) know how you feel about Enbridge's application for a construction permit to build a tunnel under the lakebed in the Straits of Mackinac.
Have a good week!
Best regards,
Bob Kennedy
Chair, ACDP
Newsletter August 3rd, 2025
Dear Members and Friends,
Events
-Aug. 5th - Aug. 9th is our Alcona County Fair. We are having a booth to provide exposure for our Democratic Party here in the County. Stop by where we have several activity projects for children. You can learn about ballot initiatives which are seeking signatures to qualify for the ballot in 2026. And you can enter a drawing to win a beautiful Pudding Stone from the quarry of Jenny and Cheryl. Thank you to the many of you who have volunteered to staff the booth for this important event.
-Aug. 9th is our biweekly protest in Harrisville from 11:00 am to Noon. Then from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm is another protest in front of the Oscoda Post Office. Please join us if you can.
-Aug. 11th @ 7:00 pm on Zoom is our Elections Committee meeting. Please let me know if you would like the zoom link.
-Aug. 21st Chew and Chat is at 6:00 pm @ Smokey's Bar & Grill, 5992 N Hubbard Lake Road, Spruce, MI 48762. RSVP by texting Jan at: 313-318-3924.
-Aug. 23rd is our biweekly protest in Harrisville from 11:00 am to Noon. Then from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm is another protest in front of the Oscoda Post Office. Please join us if you can.
-Aug. 26th @ 11:30 am at Alcona Coffee Company in Harrisville is an opportunity to meet Chris Swanson who is running for the Democratic nomination for Governor.
-Aug. 26th @ 5:00 pm is our monthly meeting at the Harrisville Library
-Aug. 31st please walk with us or staff our information booth for the famous Harrisville Arts and Crafts Festival Parade. The theme for our parade entry is "It is all about the Workers!". We will have signs and members from the various labor unions in Northern Michigan. Please save the date. Details will be provided next week.
Issues
-Decline to Sign any ballot qualifying petitions that talk about citizen voting. There are a couple of such petitions being floated and they are intended simply to suppress votes especially from women, minorities, and the elderly. For more information here is an article from Gander Newsroom:
Have a good week and I hope to see you at the County Fair in Lincoln.
Respectfully.
Bob Kennedy
ACDP, Chair
Newsletter July 29th, 2025
Dear Members and Friends,
Events
-July 29th @ 5:00 pm at the Harrisville Library is our monthly membership meeting. Please email me if you would like the zoom link.
-Aug. 5 th - Aug. 9th is our Alcona County Fair. We are having a booth to provide exposure for our Democratic Party here in the County. Thank you to the many of you who have volunteered to staff the booth for this important event.
-Aug. 9th is our biweekly protest in Harrisville from 11:00 am to Noon. Then from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm is another protest in front of the Oscoda Post Office. Please join us if you can.
-Aug. 19th Chew and Chat is at 6:00 pm @ Smokey's Bar & Grill, 5992 N Hubbard Lake Road, Spruce, MI 48762
-Aug. 26th @ 11:30 am at Alcona Coffee Company in Harrisville is an opportunity to meet Chris Swanson who is running for the Democratic nomination for Governor.
Issues
The following are elaborated fully in your "5 Calls" app":
-Attend a Town Hall During the August Recess
-Demand the Release of the Epstein Case Files
-Resist the Escalation of ICE Raids and Detentions
-Demand the Unmasking of ICE Agents
Have a good week and stay cool.
A Lake Huron resident told me that the current lake temp is 69 degrees, nature's air conditioner!!
Best,
Bob Kennedy
Chair, ACDP
Newsletter July 14th, 2025
Dear Members and Friends,
We had a great weekend of volunteer work here in Alcona County. Kudos to the 15 of you who showed up on Saturday in Harrisville for our biweekly protest to keep the oppression by Trump front and center. And then on Sunday 16 of you did the trash pickup on our 3 mile section of US 23 north of Shaw Road. Thanks to the organization of Kathleen Dunckel and all of our volunteers, we completed the work in 1 hour & 15 minutes, a record time for this project. After the tourist season in the Fall we will be doing this again so stay tuned.
Upcoming Events
-Join us for Chew and Chat on July 17th, 6:00 pm at the Roadhouse Bar and Grill on the White Pine National Golf Course, 3450 N. Hubbard Lake Rd., Spruce, MI 48762. Jan Kornacki is hosting this and if you know you are attending please text her @ 313-318-3924. Also, walkins are surely welcome if you find you can come at the last minute.
-On Monday, July 21st Alex Hardy, the lone Democrat from Iosco County Board of Commissioners, will be speaking on how in the United States we have Extreme Wealth & Income Inequality at the same time as our economy is thriving. I think his presentation will provide us with a foundation for a platform which will appeal to the Left, Middle, and Right sides of the political spectrum, a winning populace formula for the midterm elections. His power point presentation will be at 1:00 pm on zoom as part of the Northern Michigan Democratic Leaders Monthly Meeting. All of you are welcome and encouraged to attend. Here is the zoom link:
Https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86017086067?pwd=7b4vSLLQsQ8k2ku4Bca14s7DpRBN7u.1
-The next membership monthly meeting is on July 29th, 5:00 pm @ The Harrisville Library.
Issues
-How the Trump signed budget bill will affect our hospitals and health clinics in Northern Michigan as well as the thousands of residents who will lose their health insurance through medicaid cuts:
-In your 5 Calls app "Resist the Escalation of ICE Raids and Detentions"
Stay cool this week and keep up the good work you are doing!
Best regards,
Bob Kennedy
Chair, ACDP
Newsletter July 7th, 2025
Dear Members and Friends,
Thank you for the lobbying you did against The Big Brutal Bill which will define the Republicans leading into the crucial Mid Term Elections in 2026.
Speaking of the Midterms, it is imperative that we get out the word about the many different forms of voter suppression the right has used in the past and will be doing now until November 2026! This link is a 10 minute read and will give you the background on how the R's will try and steal the 2026 election. It all happens before voting even begins according to Thom Hartmann and Greg Palast. It is time to educate ourselves and others on this right wing tactic.
Events
-Biweekly Saturday protest in Harrisville on July 12 at US 23/ M 72 intersection from 11:00 am to Noon. And with our Friends in Oscoda from 12:30 to 1:30 at their Post Office. Make one or both to show our presence in Northeast Michigan.
-We have 12 volunteers who have stepped up to do the Litter Pickup for our Adopt-a-Highway program on Sunday, July 13th. Thank you to Kathleen Dunckel and all of the volunteers for making Alcona County a better place!
-Join us for Chew and Chat on July 17th, 6:00 pm at the Roadhouse Bar and Grill on the White Pine National Golf Course, 3450 N. Hubbard Lake Rd., Spruce, MI 48762. Jan Kornacki is hosting this and if you know you are attending please text her @ 313-318-3924. Also, walkins are surely welcome if you find you can come at the last minute.
-On Monday, July 21st Alex Hardy, the lone Democrat from Iosco County Board of Commissioners, will be speaking on how in the United States we have Extreme Wealth & Income Inequality at the same time as our economy is thriving. I think his presentation will provide us with a foundation for a platform which will appeal to the Left, Middle, and Right sides of the political spectrum, a winning populace formula for the midterm elections. His power point presentation will be at 1:00 pm on zoom as part of the Northern Michigan Democratic Leaders Monthly Meeting. I will post the zoom link in next week's newsletter.
-The next membership monthly meeting is on July 29th, 5:00 pm @ The Harrisville Library.
Issues
-Make yourself aware of many of the Republican voter suppression tactics both past and present:
-Decline to Sign, two voter suppression petitions here in Michigan, which are presently being circulated. One by a group called
Newsletter June 30th, 2025
Dear Members and Friends of ACDP,
Events
-Please join us for the July 4th Parade in Barton City. Staging for our float and walkers is at the VFW Hall 2120 W. Trask Lake Rd., Barton City, MI 48705, where we will meet at 10:30 am. The parade begins at 11:00 am. and is on a 1/2 mile stretch of Trask Lake Rd. in beautiful downtown Barton City on the shore of Jewel Lake. For those who have time we will then drive over to the Southwestern part of Alcona County to be in the Glennie Parade which begins at 2:00 pm.
-Biweekly Saturday protest in Harrisville on July 12 at US 23/ M 72 intersection from 11:00 am to Noon. And with our Friends in Oscoda from 12:30 to 1:30 at their Post Office.
-The Summer Litter Pickup for our Adopt-a-Highway program is scheduled for Sunday, July 13th, in the morning - probably starting no later than 9:00. Volunteers are still needed to make this effort run smoothly. Please contact Kathleen Dunckel at 989-464-2685 or kathleendunckel@gmail.com if you're able to help. You can also volunteer on our Facebook page "Alcona County Dems".
-Join us for Chew and Chat on July 17th, 6:00 pm at the Roadhouse Bar and Grill on the White Pine National Golf Course, 3450 N. Hubbard Lake Rd., Spruce, MI 48762
-On Monday, July 21st Alex Hardy, the lone Democrat from Iosco County Board of Commissioners, will be speaking on how we have Extreme Wealth & Income Inequality at the same time as our economy is thriving. I think his presentation will provide us with a foundation for a platform which will appeal to the Left, Middle, and Right sides of the political spectrum, a winning populace formula for the midterm elections. His power point presentation will be at 1:00 pm on zoom as part of the Northern Michigan Democratic Leaders Monthly Meeting. We will make the link available in early July. Stay tuned for more information.
-The next membership monthly meeting is on July 29th, 5:00 pm @ Harrisville Library.
Political Action Issue
-In the 5 Calls app: Oppose H.R. 1, the "one big beautiful bill act" (updated 6/28) -Cloture Invoked- Final Senate vote early this week, probably today or Tuesday. Please call these Senators who seem to be on the bubble:
Tom Tillis, NC, 202-224-6342
John Curtis, Utah, 202-224-5251
Joni Ernest, Iowa, 202-224-3254
Lisa Murkowski, AK, 202-224-6665
Susan Collins, Maine, 202-224-2523
Josh Hawley, Missouri, 202-224-6154
Mike Lee, Utah, 202-224-5444
Rick Scott, FL, 202-224-5274
Ron Johnson. Wisconsin, 202-224-5323
Rand Paul, Kentucky, 202-224-4343
When this goes back to the House, I will compile a list of the Reps who are on the bubble and email it out to you for your calls. This will probably be on Tuesday or Wednesday. There is a reason the other side is trying to push this through during our biggest holiday week of the summer. Don't let their strategy work. They hope we are not paying attention. Make the calls. If you get a machine, leave a message. If voice mail does not answer, look up their website and leave a written message. Each one of these officials need to hear from millions of people in order to do the right thing. Don't lose hope, never give up.
Thank you so much for your attention to lobbying against this very regressive legislation. The Congressional Budget Office estimates this bill, HR 1, adds $3.1 trillion to the deficit in order to pay for $trillions in tax cuts for the wealthy. The biggest upward transfer of wealth in history. Use this link for a more detailed analysis from the Economic Policy Institute: https://www.epi.org/publication/the-upside-down-priorities-of-the-house-budget/
Happy Holiday,
Bob Kennedy
Chair, ACDP
Newsletter June 22nd, 2025
Dear Members and Friends,
Our Food Drive for the Alcona Food Pantry on Saturday was a huge success. In an incredible display of community spirit, over 1,100 items were collected, thanks to the generosity of almost 50 individual donors. We transcended party lines, as some Republican donors joined our effort to combat food insecurity, demonstrating that compassion knows no political bounds. A few individuals, moved by our cause, contributed cash donations totaling $105. A remarkable woman named Bonnie arrived with her truck loaded with food, collected from her neighborhood near Mikado. Having experienced hunger as a child, Bonnie is dedicated to ensuring her community is fed. We were deeply moved by her selflessness. In this moment, we saw the power of collective action and the impact one person can have. Bonnie's kindness embodied the very spirit of our community coming together to drive positive change.
Events
-ACDP monthly meeting at the Harrisville Library on Tuesday, June 24 @ 5:00 pm. If you wish to do the meeting virtually, please reply to this email for the zoom link. The Agenda and Minutes from the last meeting are attached, please review them.
-ACDP Events and Membership Committee meets @ 10:00 am on Thursday, June 26 via zoom. Jan Kornacki, Committee Chair.
-Our State Representative Cam Cavitt hosts a coffee hour @ Alcona Coffee Shop in Harrisville from Noon to 1:00 pm on Friday, June 27th. Please attend. Bring your questions and comments. It is good to see an elected official encouraging any and all constituents to meet him in person!
-ACDP Everyother Saturday "Hands Off" rally on June 28th at the stoplight in Harrisville from 11:00 am to Noon. Immediately following in Oscoda, there is another "Hands Off" rally in front of the Post Office, 48750.
-The Summer Litter Pickup for our Adopt-a-Highway program is scheduled for Sunday, July 13th, in the morning - probably starting no later than 9:00. Volunteers are still needed to make this effort run smoothly. Please contact Kathleen Dunckel at 989-464-2685 or kathleendunckel@gmail.com if you're able to help.
-On Monday, July 21st Alex Hardy, the lone Democrat from Iosco County Board of Commissioners, will be speaking on how we have Extreme Wealth & Income Inequality at the same time as our economy is thriving. I think his presentation will provide us with a foundation for a platform which will appeal to the Left, Middle, and Right sides of the political spectrum, a winning populace formula for the midterm elections. His power point presentation will be at 1:00 pm on zoom as part of the Northern Michigan Democratic Leaders Monthly Meeting. We will make the link available in early July. Stay tuned for more information.
Issues
1. Stop US Involvement in the Israel-Iran Conflict. 5 Calls has updated this on June 22nd. Insist that the War Powers Act be followed.
2. Oppose Funding Cuts to NPR and PBS - Passed House (UPDATED) 6/12
3. Oppose Cuts to Clean Energy Programs and Climate Protections in the "One Big Beautiful Bill" Act. (UPDATED) 6/17
4. Oppose the work requirements, in the Big Beautiful Bill, for Medicaid and SNAP participants as they increase administrative costs, have no affect on employment numbers, and they leave millions of people hungry and without health care coverage. Here is the research from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation:
I hope you can make it to our monthly meeting this Tuesday. We have several successes to share, many requests for your thoughts, and several asks for volunteers as the summer ramps up here in Alcona County. Keep up your good work as our group is growing in numbers and in respect throughout our community!!
Have a good week and stay cool. Lake Huron is calling on days like today.
Best regards,
Bob Kennedy
Chair, ACDP
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