Virg Bernero lands the big fish with the AFL-CIO endorsement. President Mark Gaffney said that Andy Dillon "is not close enough to us on our issues, our concerns", and that the Speaker's views are more closely aligned with Republicans. Really? Gee, hadn't noticed. Rick Haglund explores the Bernero platform past the populist anger and finds it wanting - but since none of the other candidates have sufficiently answered the questions surrounding their goals, it's probably not fair to single Virg out on that yet.
Lt. Gov. John Cherry was approached by labor about re-entering the race. "No thanks" was the answer. Smart man is he.
LG Chem made it official, and will build a 605,000 sq ft. lithium-ion battery facility in Holland, creating 400 new jobs by the year 2013. LG Chem will be making batteries for the Chevy Volt. Johnson Controls-Saft is already ahead of them, planning to have their battery facility and its 550 employees up and running by 2011. Holland Mayor Kurt Dykstra said having two battery plants "sets us up in Holland as being the North American leader for this industry." They're happy, to say the least.
More economic development kudos for the state. Trade & Industry Development magazine's CiCi awards recognizes the top 30 development projects in North America for 2009; Michigan led the field with 6 out of a possible 15 awards in the Corporate Investment category. Check out the list here.
Remember when Dick DeVos told us that we shouldn't chase "trendy" ideas like renewable energy? His investment firm Windquest is now jumping into its second venture in the field; a new partnership with Pro Services Inc. will explore turning waste into electricity. Good thing Dick didn't listen to Dick, huh?
This Week in Evil Republican Legislative Behavior: Senate Republican subcommittees cut both universities and community colleges by 3%, the "biggest cuts the senate subcommittees could make without jeopardizing money from the federal government". They restored the tuition grants to private universities that were cut last year, but they would not restore the Michigan Promise credit that Governor Granholm had proposed. They also attached stem-cell research reporting provisions onto this budget bill, characterized by a leader of the 2008 ballot proposal as a "very sneaky backdoor way" to hinder the intent of that amendment.
More Evil, from the other side of the Capitol: House Republicans are continuing their "War on the Poor" by proposing more government when it comes to people that receive Bridge Cards. Rep. Dave Agema wants the cards to have a picture ID, at the cost of $6 a card (they cost twenty five cents right now), and also suggests random drug testing, which has already been shot down once in this state as unconstitutional. No word on whether a funding source was included for all this new government spending that Agema is proposing, or how private businesses would be required to enforce such a mandate. Massachusetts had photo IDs at one time, but discontinued them after they were deemed too expensive and had no affect on cutting down fraud.
The idea of lengthening term limits seems to have hit the wall; both Kathy Barks Hoffman and an increasingly cynical Peter Luke take a long look at this issue. While there are some strong points to be made about inexperience on the part of new legislators, the fact that they seem to use this as an excuse to avoid making tough decisions is not winning them any points - after all, "inexperience" isn't preventing them from taking the easy, popular, and strictly partisan votes.
Ending on a positive note about our lawmakers - they did manage to pass "Katie's Law", a bill that would provide an honorary license to those unable to take final exams due to illness or other circumstances. The bill now goes to the governor for signature.The Michigan Board of Nursing presented Katie Viger with her honorary nursing license days before she died of brain cancer on Feb 18th. While this situation probably won't come up all that often, it's nice that this is available to reward those students that put in all that hard work. Good on you, Legislature.
Tonight on Hardball with Chuck Todd, had Chris VanHollen, and Thaddeus McCotter disucssed health care reform. McCotter admitted that he would campaign on repealing health care reform.
Natalie Mosher is running against McCotter. If you'd like to help her campaign, click here.
Is the Michigan Republican Party and their mouthpiece really that stupid, or are they just hoping that Michigan voters are stupid?
They are obviously worried about Democratic Secretary of State candidate Jocelyn Benson, and Republican false smears against Benson are picking up. They put out a press release on Wednesday taking her to task for being endorsed by Democracy for America, the nation's largest progressive political action community founded by respected Gov. Howard Dean in 2004. The announcement cited her role as a "national leader" in election administration. She served as the Democratic National Committee's Election Protection Field Director in 2004.
Obviously, the Wayne State University professor's impressive resume has the GOP scared.
Michigan GOP director of communications Jennifer Hoff had this ridiculous and misinformed quote: "Apparently Jocelyn Benson thinks this is a Democrat popularity contest," she said.
Is she serous? Of course it is, and someone who works for state party knows that. The nomination for SOS comes from the party's state convention and is voted on by party members, elected officials and precinct delegates on the convention floor. These are the people who do much more than just vote in elections, they are very involved in the party and politics. There is no primary election for SOS and Attorney General.
Of course it's a Democrat popularity contest, and the three-way race for the Republican nomination is also a Republican popularity contest. That changes once the nomination is secured, but Benson is being challenged for the nomination by Detroit City Clerk Janice Winfrey.
Then there is this ludicrous quote from Hoff:
"Highlighting her national record won't help her. Benson's radical activities during the 2004 Presidential election are not the type of politics Michigan residents respect."
Her "radical activities?" And what would those be? Simple, catching Republicans on their attempt to disenfranchise voters by the use of foreclosure lists to challenge eligible voters. Wow, no wonder they are so angry. Then Hoff pulls out the Coup de grace: she "held a fundraiser with an ACORN endorsed and Communist Party-affiliated official."
Now, who was that complaining about a "popularity contest?" Talk about pandering to the base. Mentioning ACORN - the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now - is like a dog whistle to the Republican base. Despite repeated smears, attacks and outright frame ups, ACORN's crime continues to be nothing more than trying to make a better life for the poor and empowering them.
As for the "ACORN endorsed and Communist Party-affiliated official" false smear, that is the second time they have used that lie. They appear to be following the GOP strategy of if you tell a lie often enough people will start to believe it. I debunked that smear once before, but I guess I will have to do it every single time they try that disgusting lie.
They are talking about Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie. He is a member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL), a major party in Minnesota. The party was created in 1944 when the Minnesota Democratic Party and the Farmer-Labor Party merged. Former Vice-President Hubert Humphrey was instrumental in this merger. The party boasts some of the most respected liberals in the country, including Humphrey, Vice-President Walter Mondale, Sen. Eugene McCarthy and Sen. Paul Wellstone.
Last August, a health care protest rally staged in front of the offices of MI-07 Representative Mark Schauer brought out Jackson County Commissioner Phil Duckham with a swastika sign. You can read more about that in my Huffington Post article. This Thursday, another such rally is scheduled.
So the question is: Will Phil Duckham stage a repeat performance?
A counter protest due to begin a 3:30 pm is planned and, if you have a chance to go, it might be worth a trip. If you take photos of any particularly "interesting" signs or activities, feel free to email me and I will be sure they get published prominently.
The official statement for the counter protest:
Dear Friend-
We urgently need your help. This Thursday, the Michigan Republican Party is planning to hold a health care protest outside Congressman Schauer's district office at 4:30pm. The GOP invitation says, "We need your help to stop Mark Schauer and the liberals from a radical government takeover of health care!"
During a similar protest last August, pro-health care reform activists outnumbered Tea Party protesters by a 4-to-1 margin, and we need your help to do it again. You can watch a video of Mark speaking at last summer's health care rally here.
If you agree with Mark that we need to fix our broken health care system, hold the big health insurance companies accountable, eliminate the prescription drug donut hole, and cut health care costs for working families, then you can show your support by attending a Rally for Health Care Reform this Thursday. Here are the details:
WHAT: Rally for Health Care Reform
WHERE: U.S Rep. Mark Schauer's District Office
800 W Ganson, Jackson, MI 49202
WHEN: Thursday, March 11, 3:30pm
WHY: To send a message that working Michigan families are ready to fight for health care reform
We're in the homestretch of a 62-year battle to fix our broken health care system. Mark is ready to get the job done, but the Party of No and their deep-pocketed friends are willing to do whatever it takes to defend the status quo for another 62 years. We can't let them get away with it.
Come show your support for health care reform and Mark Schauer this Thursday - and don't forget to tell your friends!
This is excellent news. As you may or may not know, Comercia puts out quarterly economic briefings and predictions, and tracks business activity in the state using a balanced formula of leading economic indicators. Take it away, Mr. Johnson...
Comerica Bank's Michigan Economic Activity Index rose 4 points in January, to a level of 81. January's reading is the highest Index observation since November 2008. The Index for January is up 6 percent compared to the June 2009 cyclical low.
"After plateauing for three months, our Index surged in January, with eight of nine components contributing positively," said Dana Johnson, Chief Economist at Comerica Bank. "The January reading was driven by strong steel production and natural gas sales. Given the severe weather patterns experienced in the early part of this year, gas sales likely outpaced normal seasonal trends in February as well, which should give the upcoming Index another boost. Over the course of the year, the Index should continue to trend higher, reflecting an ongoing recovery in Michigan."
It should be noted that two compositional changes have been made to the Michigan Economic Activity Index. First, employment is now measured by nonfarm payrolls from the establishment survey rather than the employment estimate generated in the household survey. Second, to smooth volatility and emphasize the underlying trends in the Michigan economy, Index levels will henceforth reflect a three-month moving average. Additionally, seasonal factors estimated by Comerica have been revised as part of a semi-annual process. A complete Index history reflecting these changes is available upon request.
The Michigan Economic Activity Index equally weights nine, seasonally-adjusted coincident indicators of real economic activity. These indicators reflect activity in the construction, manufacturing and service sectors as well as job growth and consumer outlays.
Even though they made changes to the formula, those changes would seem to have the effect of dragging the Index down more than anything (i.e., a three month average as opposed to a one month jump), so this is a very positive sign indeed.
Bored today. Road trip. Knew this would need some publicity. The only news coverage I saw offhand was WXYZ from Detroit, so here, for the rest of the state, are some shots from the "Save Our Schools Rally" today at the Capitol.
These guys are organized. Led by Tom White (he is the guy at the podium), the S.O.S. group is compromised of various school associations, and today they brought a group of students and parents from Farmington to lobby the legislators for school funding. Farmington, like everyone, is facing severe cuts, closing buildings, laying off over a hundred people.
S.O.S. has a professional web site. They have hats. They have buttons. They have t-shirts. They have signs. And they are serious. After a couple of speeches outside, complete with chants of "Do Your Job!" from the crowd, they all went inside to hunt down those lawmakers and give them what for. The Senate was already done for the day, a few folks from Appropriations were still there - so they went up to find them. Mike Bishop was around too, and they stuffed his meeting office with people - there is a picture of the overflow towards the end of the set. (I think the bald guy is Matt Marsden, but I'm not sure.) The House was still in session, but no Dillon to be found. That is his empty spot at the end. At least they could go talk to their Rep.
So, next time some legislator uses the excuse "we need pressure" - know that they are being pressured. Seems these rallies are happening all the time. I've been to three now. It's fun to watch these kids swarm the halls with their signs, determined looks on their faces, they are going to find someone, darn it. The great thing about all these protests is that we are raising a new generation to be aware of the process - and to speak up for what they need.
You go, kids. Don't take "no" for an answer. Our state depends on it.
UPDATE: As this was happening, a subcommittee in the Senate voted to cut the per-pupil by $118 - and make the deficit in the general fund deeper.
A Senate subcommittee voted Wednesday to cut aid to schools by $118 per pupil next year. The plan minimizes the cut by taking $195.6 million from the general fund -- a maneuver that deepens the potential general fund deficit. Granholm has said she won't accept cuts to school funding.
The Senate budget plan assumes the Legislature will reduce school employee pensions enough to save school districts $207 million.
Prediction: This budget will be a flaming train wreck of spectacular proportions by the time they are done. Shifting money around and assuming savings in other areas is a recipe for disaster.
A leading House Democrat said today he is pursuing plans for an August ballot proposal to increase funding for schools, which would be tied to spending reforms and cuts the Legislature would approve first.
Rep. Tim Melton, D-Auburn Hills, who chairs the House subcommittee on school funding, said a sales tax on services is one option being discussed for a statewide ballot issue, a tax change Gov. Jennifer Granholm has proposed.
Melton would not disclose who he is discussing the plan with, or other details, but indicated it is a serious idea. He said voters might be more receptive to a tax increase to pay for schools if they see the Legislature has approved spending reforms and find cuts in state aid to schools unacceptable.
Besides this, Melton says that "other ideas" will surface, too. One immediate problem is the timing;schools need by know by July 1st what their budgets are going to look like. They don't have time to wait around on these guys to figure something out - or kick it over to the public to decide.
Really wish they would just do the right thing now, and be proud that they stood up for education. But that's just me.
It will come as no surprise to most people that the middle class in Michigan pays the most in federal and state taxes, and the richest 1 percent pays the least.
That was conformed by a recent report by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy called "Who Pays? A distributional analysis of tax systems in all 50 states." The report says middle income families - those making $15,000 to $32,000 annual pay and on average $23,300 annually - pay 9.9 percent in taxes. The top 1 percent of earners - those earning above $365,000 a year - pay just 6.4 percent.
Even the poorest in the state - those making less than $15,000 annually and on average $8,700 a year - pay 8.9 percent in taxes. To illustrate how regressive and unfair the sales tax is in Michigan, the poorest in the state pay the highest percentage of taxes of any income bracket in sales tax, and that tax is the highest percentage of any tax at 7.2 parent.
The MLHS is also advocating a move to a graduated income tax to make the tax structure fairer. Michigan is only one of seven states with a flat income tax. The League is also advocating a review of Michigan's overly generous tax exempts for pensions and to close loopholes on tax expenditures that no longer serve a useful public purpose as a way to balance the state budget and make the tax structure fairer.
I do believe that the Michigan recovery is really starting to take shape. After a few months of holding my breath and waiting for the next blow to land, waiting for some tragedy that would send us spiraling down again - it looks like we have hit the bottom, and the signs are starting to point up.
Michigan's unemployment rate dipped slightly to 14.3 percent in January.
The seasonally adjusted jobless rate reported Tuesday is down from a revised rate of 14.5 percent in December. The state says the unemployment rate hasn't changed much since the middle of 2009 based on recent revisions to jobless statistics.
Michigan added an estimated 6,000 nonfarm payroll jobs in January. Manufacturing jobs increased while education and health service jobs declined.
Revise, they did. Checking with DeLEG's Labor Market Information site (the keeper of those official statistics), we never broke 15% last year at all. The high was December at 14.5, and we've been within a couple clicks of that since last July. (They also blew my Excel charts all to hell. Thanks guys.)
Better news on the horizon, too. Manpower indicates that a survey of employers shows all areas of the state will see improvement in hiring, with the exception of Flint, which will simply maintain. Tip of the hat to mlive's Michigan Job Search for putting together the following:
For the second quarter, job seekers can expect the following:
* In the Ann Arbor area, moderate growth is expected in hiring during the second quarter.
* In Michigan's largest job market, employers in the Detroit metro area are expected to hire at a favorable pace in the next three months.
* A strong job market is expected for the Grand Rapids-Wyoming area, where employers expect to hire at a solid pace in Q2.
* In the Holland/Grand Haven area, employers expect to hire at a healthy pace.
* Kalamazoo/Portage can expect a solid job market in the second quarter, as area employers say they will be hiring at an active pace.
* Employers in the Lansing/East Lansing are expected to hire at a respectable pace.
* A positive job market is forecast for southwest Michigan near the Indiana border in the second quarter.
* A flat job market is expected in Flint, where area employers expect to hire at a cautious pace during the second quarter.
Manpower's surveys always tend to be a bit optimistic, but hey, we'll take it. There is evidence on the national front that it really is happening. Job openings jumped up in January:
Job openings rose sharply earlier this year, a sign that employers might be preparing to step up hiring.
The number of openings in January rose about 7.6%, to 2.7 million, compared with December, the Labor Department said. And the job openings rate climbed to 2.1%, the highest in nearly a year. That rate measures available jobs as a percentage of total employment.
Cross your fingers, and knock on wood Dillon's head that this trend continues. It's so nice to hear good news.
Oh man...I run hot and cold on Virg Bernero, but I really like this idea of a state owned bank in Michigan.
Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero says Michigan should create a 'state-owned bank' to spur investment in local businesses. North Dakota founded its own 'state-owned bank' in 1919, primarily to assist farmers unable to get loans from commercial banks.
Bernero says Michigan businesses are suffering at the hands of Wall Street money men who are keeping credit tight.
"We can't wait on Wall Street and Washington for our recovery. Anybody who's waiting on that is waiting for something that may never come," says Bernero, "You got to take the bull by the horns. We've got to take the reins of our own economic future. And this is an example of how we can do it."
Freep did an article on this last month, North Dakota's state owned bank...the only state owned bank in America, and it seems to be softening the economic blow to North Dakota. North Dakota which doesn't actually seem to be noticing much of a recession at all, with 4.4% unemployment
The Bank of North Dakota serves as an economic development agency and "banker's bank" that lessens the loan risks of private banks and helps them finance larger projects. It offers cheap loans to farmers, students and businesses.
The bank had almost $4 billion in assets and a $2.67-billion loan portfolio at the end of last year, according to its most recent quarterly financial report. It made $58.1 million in profit in 2009, setting a record for the sixth-straight year. During the last decade, the bank funneled almost $300 million in profits to North Dakota's treasury.
Mr. Virg Bernero has got my number. He knows what's going to turn my head.
First, I agree deeply with the sentiment that we can't wait around for help that's never going to come. An improved national economy or changes in Washington won't pull Michigan out of its troubles. Michigan needs to take major steps to help itself. And make major reforms.
Second, we need to be looking at other states for good ideas. Find what seems to be working someplace else, and do it.
That's right. I'm a sucker for bold ideas, and somebody who is unapologetic about them. I like this idea. Does it stand a chance of passing? Maybe, maybe not. But it's one of the few actual systemic solutions I've heard that could help Michigan on a tangible scale.
WASHINGTON - Michigan's Bart Stupak, a Democratic congressman who could help bring down health care reform over an abortion provision, is getting a primary challenge this year.
Connie Saltonstall of Charlevoix said today she plans to run against Stupak for the Democratic nomination of Michigan's First Congressional District, citing Stupak's efforts to stop health care reform if it doesn't ban use of government money for abortions. Stupak, a former state trooper from Menominee, has held the seat since 1993.
George W. Bush, 43rd president of the United States, will be in Grand Rapids June 2 as the guest speaker at the 23rd annual dinner meeting of The Economic Club of Grand Rapids.
Former Republican U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Newt Gingrich will give a keynote address at the Detroit Regional Chamber's June Mackinac Policy Conference.
Gingrich is scheduled to speak following the conference's June 2 opening session. He'll address the connection between small businesses and rebuilding the country's economy, the chamber announced on Tuesday.
What's a wealthy Republican donor to do? Tough call to make...
An extensive study by a team of political science faculty at Wayne State University confirmed what many people in Michigan already know: Michigan's term limits for legislators is an abject failure that has led to lobbyists having more influence in Lansing than ever before and Legislators are spending less time monitoring state agencies.
The study was led by Marjorie Sarbaugh-Thompson, professor of political science in WSU's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the author of "The Political and Institutional Effects of Term Limits." The recent study was published in the February edition of the "Legislative Studies Quarterly." The study showed the six-year term limit for state representatives and eight-year term limit for state senators have largely failed to fulfill promises made to Michigan citizens who voted the 1992 proposal into effect.
"Many Michigan citizens do not realize that our term limits are among the shortest in the nation, or that only 15 states have them at all," Sarbaugh-Thompson said. "These term limits were sold to Michigan voters on the notion that they would sever close ties with lobbyists and cause legislators to be more independent; in reality, we found them to have the opposite impact."
The report was based on more than 400 interviews with Michigan legislators between 1998 and 2004. The study team assessed who or what influenced legislators' policy-making decisions as well as how conflicts within their committees and between party members are resolved. Campaign finance reports were also reviewed to investigate whether representatives' financial relationships with special interest groups had changed from before and after term limits were introduced.
The results of the research show that lobbyists' influence over legislators was not only maintained after term limits were in effect, but may have increased. The research showed lobbyists are now the subject matter experts in many field, and if a lobbyist lies to a lawmaker on an issue, the lawmaker is gone long before they realize it while the lobbyist stays on. Lobbyists were also cited among the top three actors that determined whether a bill reached the floor of the chamber after term limits were in effect.
Public support for ending term limits is building. Last November results from Michigan State University's State of the State Survey - conducted by the Office for Survey Research in the Institute for Public Policy and Social Research (IPPSR) - showed about 61 percent of Michigan residents favored lifting the 14-year lifetime limit on state House and Senate terms.
That sound you hear coming from the Midland area is everyone at the Mackinac Center letting out a collective scream at the thought of something like this happening. Heh heh. Expect some hastily prepared propaganda as to why a state bank would NEVER work for Michigan - even though many other states across the country are floating the same idea.
Michigan Senate Democrats unveiled an innovative proposal today that would create the Michigan Development Bank. The proposed bank will keep residents' money in Michigan and put it to work to stimulate the economy and create jobs through increased business lending and protect consumers with reasonable interest rates on loans.
"Michigan's economy has been suffering and working families in the state have had difficulty keeping up with credit card bills, college tuition prices and mortgage payments," said Senate Democratic Leader Mike Prusi (D-Ishpeming). "Establishing the Michigan Development Bank will keep our hard-earned dollars right here in the state to invest in small business, create good-paying jobs to get people back to work, and help protect the middle class."
The Michigan Development Bank would be structured like a traditional financial institution, but it would operate differently, with an increased emphasis on economic development rather than profits. The proposal will take money invested by Michigan residents and use it to reinvigorate the economy by offering:
· Small Business Loans to generate economic activity, help companies get off the ground and grow, and create jobs.
· Low Interest Credit Cards to assist struggling consumers with bills and purchases without charging excessive rates that perpetuate a cycle of debt, and allow consumers to roll over current credit card debt to a state credit card.
· Home Loan Assistance to help people with existing federal loans and offer personalized assistance and lending alternatives.
· Low Interest Student Loans to help Michigan families afford a higher education and limit the overwhelming debt they face following graduation.
· Agricultural Loan Programs to continue to support one of Michigan's most important industries and help our farmers rebound from this economic crisis.
"Investing in the state's economy is the greatest way to create jobs, and this proposal will provide small businesses and entrepreneurs the funding they need to invest and grow," said Senator Gretchen Whitmer (D-East Lansing). "Our economy has stagnated due in part to stale thinking in Lansing, and this is just the type of innovative idea we need to create real economic change, using our own money to rebuild the state."
Senate Democrats propose establishing the Michigan Development Bank with an economic development bond that will have to be approved by the voters. The general rule is that for every $100 deposited, a bank can lend $900. A rough estimate is that with an initial capitalization of $150 million, the Michigan Development Bank could lend up to one billion dollars.
Since something like this would actually would help people, chances are the Senate Republicans will never let it fly - but it's great to see the Democrats playing some offense here, and coming up with new ideas to help the state. And as I write this, breaking news has candidate Virg Bernero proposing the same thing.
Wait, maybe not. Chances are he will run and hide in the bathroom for the rest of what looks to be his increasingly short time in public office, and people have to get in there and clean, you know.
I'm not one to hang around Republican circles of course, but even someone well outside of that scene can start to see that Bishop isn't held in high regard by those in his own party. Although he sends out e-mail blasts that proclaim how popular he is all the time, and he trumpets his teabagger bonafides as he works to throw grandma out of the nursing home - the big name elephants are not rewarding his personal policy of total obstruction and destruction, and seem to be running in the other direction.
Maybe it's because he hangs out with Andy. Hard to tell.
Former appeals court Judge Bill Schuette won an endorsement for attorney general today from current office holder and Republican candidate for governor Mike Cox.
"Bill Schuette understands that law enforcement is the first building block to economic recovery in Michigan," said Cox. "Bill Schuette is committed to keeping our homes, neighborhoods, schools and families safe, and I am proud today to endorse him in the race for attorney general."
Add Cox to a list that includes John Engler, Spence Abraham, Dave Camp, Vern Ehlers, Mike Rogers, Candice Miller, Alan Cropsey, Valde Garcia, Tony Stamas, various House Republicans including world class wingnut Paul Opsommer, and big, big GOP yahoos like Dick & Betsy DeVos, Saul Anuzis, Pete Secchia, and Chuck Yob.
Wow, Mikey. You are toast.
Bruce Patterson, never one of Bishop's admirers to be sure, took a shot at Bishop last week on the Senate floor. Unfortunately he retracted it from the Senate Journals so we don't know the full extent of what he said, but MIRS published this "Quote of the Day" for all to see:
"I don't appreciate the condescending, banal attacks. Especially from a man who I could not entrust my briefcase to to walk into court behind me."
- Sen. Bruce PATTERSON (R-Canton), speaking of Senate Majority Leader Mike BISHOP (R-Rochester) after the Leader questioned on WJR radio Patterson's decision not to support the rejection of state employees' 3 percent pay increase on Wednesday.
Someone needs to fill me in on why Bishop is so despised by members of his own party, because I'm starting to feel a little sorry for him here.
Casandra Ulbrich is running for Mike Bishop's seat in the 12th district, where I live. This is a traditionally Republican seat. However, there are 5 Republicans already in the race and Barack Obama carried the district in 2008, so there is a real chance we could capture this seat for a Democrat. Casandra won statewide election to the Michigan School Board in 2008 and she has a real shot at winning, since the Republicans will be trying to out conservative each other.
Her web site should be live any day now, so I thought some of you may want to shower her with donations. LOL. www.casandraforsenate.com
She spoke to the Rochester Area for Change event on Friday night.
When people say you should start your own business, performing circumcisions on adult males in your own home is probably not one of those high-demand services. Or, maybe it is, who knows. Don't do it though. Bad idea. Try again.
The Freep has a great editorial on the Race to the Top competition. Bottom line: If the Legislature doesn't get its act together, we probably won't have a shot at the next round of funding, and school kids will lose out. Too bad those school kids can't write campaign donation checks, maybe then they would get some action. (Bitter? Do I sound bitter?)
Wayne County school districts are considering taking matters into their own hands and asking voters for a millage increase. Thanks to Prop A, the only way districts can do this is to ask on a county-wide level. Polling so far shows a split for the proposal, but maybe when the fine folks in the Legislature propose another $255 per pupil cut, that will change. (Not bitter at all.)
Michigan's Supreme Court weighs in on budget cuts, telling lawmakers that court-run programs, such as the Foster Care Review Board, are in jeopardy if funding isn't made available. Take a number, and have a seat.
Already waiting with number in hand, the fund to cleanup toxic manufacturing sites in Michigan is out of money, threatening both the environment and future economic development in and around those areas.
Health care has been one of the biggest job creators in Michigan in the past few years, but between patients losing their private insurance, cuts to Medicare/Medicaid reimbursements, and stunning levels of "uncompensated care" as the bills are now going unpaid, hospitals and other health care providers are now forced to cut jobs as they start running deficits.
Who had a better record on job creation, Jim Blanchard or John Engler? Blanchard wins, hands down. Rick Haglund, with the help of Don Grimes, shatters a long-held perception - and also points out that the national economy has a lot to do with what happens at the state level. Hey, wait a minute... didn't Jim Blanchard * gasp * raise taxes?
Democratic Silly Season gets underway in Grand Rapids, as Dillon supporters target Virg Bernero with robocalls in the first shot of the upcoming labor-on-labor battle brewing in the party. Paid for by the electrical workers, the recording implores people to "call the UAW" and tell them not to support Bernero. Dividing labor is just the first fissure Dillon seeks to exploit, can the "Punch A Hippie" strategy be far behind?
Labor numbers: Michigan is 6th in the nation with 18.8% of workers belonging to a union. Tops is New York at 25.2%.
Conclusion of the week? Damn, do we need some money. Better get on that pretty soon...
The Race to the Top competition between the states may have been a good idea in theory to motivate change in public education, but to try to run this in a contentious election year with everyone and their favorite candidate trying to score points, and when every state is facing a budget crisis... I wonder if a scene like this is playing out in other states.
Michigan loses out on the first round of funding. All hell breaks loose.
Governor Granholm goes after the Legislature for not funding the staffing for the intial reforms already passed, with a side dish of "maybe it was you" for the MEA who wouldn't sign off on the changes. State schools Superintendent Mike Flanagan joined in with a stronger finger at the union, as did Brooks Patterson, who, shocking no one, lays the blame solely on the MEA.
The MEA shot back at Brooks, Granholm, Flanagan, everyone really, for the lack of "collaboration" on the original application, saying that is the way that Obama wanted it. Martin Ackley with the education department says they were at the table the entire way and "11th hour" changes were made at the suggestion of the union, only to have them not support it in the end.
Dillon puts out a mush mouth statement that says absolutely nothing of substance. Tim Melton said the changes were necessary even if we don't get the federal money, and plans more "reform" on top of this. George Cushingberry on House Appropriations, showing yet another flash of fiscal brilliance, said they won't fund the $500 thousand for staff to implement the changes unless they get the federal money - which might have been part of the reason we didn't get the federal money in the first place. Bernero takes a shot at "DC" in a Twitter post, a tactic that is sure to be confusing to all the Democratic Obama fans out there.
In a very odd twist, the Senate had already approved the half million in general fund money that the House wouldn't. Republican lawmakers want to get more aggressive about reforms, pointing to the RTTT loss as not going "far enough" for the feds, while they voted against spending $25 million of stimulus to fully implement the reforms they already voted for. Pete Hoekstra chimes in, and says maybe we should ignore the feds altogether - and he has a soul mate in Bernero at that point.
Whew.
Now, ask me again why I try and stay away from school funding issues. Might be easier to just stick your head in a blender and hit "puree" than try and take a side on this one. Just don't cut any more from the per-pupil rate and I'll back... slowly... away... from the issue. Promise.
One more thing before I go though. If the MEA thinks they are cute by hiring right wing economists to trash the film credits before the incentive has finished bringing that industry base to the state, you are not winning any fans in the creative class crowd that we need to attract to keep the younger folks here. That move was straight out of the Cassis playbook. Don't make us turn Dillon loose on you, although that probably isn't much of a threat because he never gets anything done anyway.
