[Editor's Note: This week Sarah Green, a resident of Calumet, Mich., addressed both the Houghton City Council (Feb. 12) and the Houghton County Board of Commissioners (Feb. 11) during public comment periods at their meetings. Green expressed her views, shared by many Copper Country residents, concerning the anti-democratic government coup by the Trump Administration. Green has given Keweenaw Now permission to present here, as a letter to the editor, the points she presented to these local government leaders.]
Houghton City Council
Sarah Green, Calumet Township
2025-02-12
I have spoken to many groups about climate change, environmental topics, and other issues. I’m here today to address a threat to our democratic institutions.
Article 1 of the US constitution is about congress: "All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives."
According to the constitution:
• Congress is given the power to pass laws and enact the budget.
• The President is commander in chief and has certain international roles, but his main responsibility is to "take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed" (Article II).
• The Judicial branch can enforce the laws and overturn laws that are unconstitutional.
This balance of powers is under attack.
1. The president is claiming the power to overturn the wishes of congress by freezing funds that have already been approved. The funding freeze aimed to block thousands of programs across the country from Meal-on-Wheels to Cancer Research. Billions of dollars in federal funding flows to counties and townships, often through state programs, including Community block grants, infrastructure programs, student loans, school lunch programs, and health insurance. Here in Houghton, $82M of federal funding supported research at Michigan Tech last year.
These are your taxes that congress is sending back to support citizens and programs for their benefit. The president does not have the right to block it.
A judge agreed, and has since ordered that the freeze be lifted and then held the administration in contempt when money continued to be blocked.
2. A private citizen and his unvetted associates have gained access to personnel records of federal employees, and to the Treasury, which houses your social security data, tax information, and personal data on every person who has conducted business with the federal government.
There is no provision under any of the three branches for a private businessman to have access to the nation’s checkbook. And Elon Musk not only has billions of dollars in contracts with the government through his various companies, but also has undisclosed relationships with Russia, China, and other U.S. adversaries.
Security experts have raised the alarm about this breach of the firewall that protects the personal information of millions of citizens.
Again, a judge has moved to block this access. However, we don’t know how much of your data was taken before the order.
Inset photo: Sarah Green. (Photo courtesy Michigan Tech University and Sarah Green)
Sarah Green, Calumet Township
Remarks to Houghton County Commissioners’ meeting, 2025-02-11
1. Thanks for listening; I don’t often attend these meetings, but I truly appreciate the efforts you make in improving the lives of Houghton County citizens.
2. I support childcare and small businesses; both are essential for our community. I therefore approve of the county moving ahead with the Gabby’s Guppies application.
3. As I’m sure you are aware, the Community Revolving Loan Fund (CRLF) for the Gabby’s Guppies comes from the federal HUD Community Block Grant Program, funded by our federal taxes.
4. You may also know that the Community Block Grant Program had its funds frozen last week after an illegal incursion of the US Treasury by a private citizen and his unvetted associates. A judge has since ordered that the freeze be lifted (and held them in contempt today when it wasn’t).
5. Many other programs that your constituents depend on are threatened by these illegal actions: social security, housing assistance, medicare, veterans’ programs, mental health support.
6. Elon Musk is further threatening the more than 9000 federal workers employed in MI-01 (1st congressional district). These employees make up 2.6 percent of the workforce.* About 40 percent of them work for the VA; about 30 percent are veterans themselves. These are your friends and neighbors who may be abruptly fired next week.
7. Do you have a plan to support Gabby’s Guppies and the rest of your constituents if this federal government take-over succeeds?
8. Can we count on you to tell officials in Washington how important federal jobs and funding are to Houghton County?
* Congressional Research Service, https:crsreports.congress.gov, R47716
Editor's addendum: Sarah Green also reported that several supportive local residents attended the Feb. 11 Houghton County Commissioners' meeting, including Frank Fiala, local business owner and former federal employee. "Frank Fiala gave an outstanding statement from his position as a long-time federal employee and local business owner, and imploring our elected officials to put aside partisanship and respect the rule of law," Green wrote in her email report on the meeting. "The commissioners don’t respond to public comments, but at least some of them were listening," she added.
In her report on the Feb. 12 Houghton City Council meeting, Green wrote, "The response was better than I expected. One person stated that he works for the federal government and things are much worse than is being reported in the news. People who have moved for new federal jobs and bought houses have been abruptly fired already. Craig Waddell proposed discussing a resolution about this topic at the next board meeting. A resolution could be addressed to our U.S. representative and senators. So, that will be on the agenda on Feb 26th! Please come and support it this."
You are encouraged to call Michigan 1st District Congressman Jack Bergman to express your views. He may be somewhere in the District Feb. 18-21 (scheduled as district work periods) or you can call him at (202) 225-4735. You will speak to an intern, who can record your position on any issue you want to raise.
If you wish to join Sarah Green's email list of concerned residents or request copies of the above posters, you may email her at sarah@inlandsea.net
Sarah Green is Professor Emerita in Chemistry at Michigan Technological University. Dr. Green's interests include all aspects of environmental chemistry from molecular analytical methods to global climate change, including the science policy interface. Dr. Green served as co-vice chair for the Scientific Advisory Panel on the Sixth Global Environmental Outlook (GEO-6), United Nations Environment Programme. Her research interests include, among others, Climate Change Communication, Youth Engagement in Climate Policy and the Great Lakes.
