President Long gave his report on MiARA activities since our last general meeting, and then called for a recess for lunch pending arrival of Gubernatorial Candidate Mark Schauer. The attendees enjoyed their catered lunch.

As lunch ended, Keynote Speaker Mark Schauer arrived and spent time greeting, shaking hands, and posing for pictures with the members.

Schauer pumped up the audience with an enthusiastic delivery of his speech. He was excited about the outcome of his Town House debate with Governor Rick Snyder, and the response of his fellow Democrats after the debate was over. In his enthusiasm, he stated the election was close, but he said, “We will win. We have the numbers and we have the workers out walking and on the phones.”

Mark went on to say, “We need to get out the vote and we need to keep working hard until Election Day.”

Contacting your Legislator by Letter

Writing letters to legislators is a way to let them know your views on important issues. Here are some hints to help make your letters effective.

Be sure to include your name, return address, a phone number and email address.

Include the bill number, title, and subject matter when writing about a particular piece of legislation.

Keep your letter short and simple.

Do not threaten or become offensive.

Only cover one topic per letter.

Use a personal touch by mentioning something unique to the legislator or his or her own district.

If possible, mention a personal story that relates to the legislation.

Request support for your issue and ask for a follow- up letter from the legislator stating their position.

MiARA Executive Board
Dick Long, President (UAW)
Henry Lykes, Executive Vice-President (AFSCME) Judy Foster, 1st Vice-President (MEA)
Charlie Robinson, Treasurer (AFT-MICHIGAN) Richard McInerney, (Secretary)
Board Members from State-Sustaining Organizations: n L,kWarren Danford, (UAW)
Arthur Kroll, (USW)
Jack Schneider, (MEA)
Editors: Jack and Merylene Schneider