tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-325389672024-03-07T03:00:46.827-05:00Great Lakes, Great Times, Great ScottMusings on politics, the news, and life from a blue-blooded Democrat in the Great Lakes State.Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814983603237679107noreply@blogger.comBlogger676125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32538967.post-57655405675272070462017-01-19T18:37:00.004-05:002017-01-19T18:37:32.345-05:00Yes We Can. Today, tomorrow, forever."Nothing can stand in the way of the power of millions of voices calling for change," he told us. And he proved it.<br />
<br />
As the sun sets on the last full day of the Obama era, I fondly recall the time spent at the Mt. Pleasant campaign office with some great staff and activists... watching the inauguration from my room in Kulhavi Hall... seeing him achieve landmark legislative success... seeing him announce the bin Laden mission... registering voters... celebrating his re-election... going to DC for an OFA anniversary celebration... marriage equality... and of course, meeting so many people who shared a passion for Obama and the movement he inspired.<br />
<br />
But he alone didn't make his presidency possible, much less successful. It was all of us.<br />
<br />
So to everyone who had anything to do with the success of the Obama campaigns and presidency - from the staff who crashed on supporters' couches to the local party leaders - thank you. It has been an honor to share the Obama era with you. And it is comforting to know that you will be around well into the future.<br />
<br />
And the memories of Richard Holbrooke, Beau Biden, Alex Okrent, Jake Brewer, Jean Biden, Dorothy Scott, Dorothy Newman, Gary Conrad, Alice Corey, Brianne Hovey, Al Gaunt, and so many others will be there to inspire and guide us along the way.<br />
<br />
But most of all, to Barack Hussein Obama... Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama... Joseph Robinette Biden, Jr.... Dr. Jill Tracy Jacobs Biden... and your families.... thank you. Thank you so much for leading, for serving, for inspiring.<br />
<br />
That creed - "written into the founding documents... whispered by slaves and abolitionists... sung by immigrants... pioneers who pushed westward... workers who organized, women who reached for the ballot box, a President who chose the moon as our new frontier, and a King who took us to the mountaintop and pointed the way to the Promised Land" - is now ours to own.<br />
<br />
Yes We Can!Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814983603237679107noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32538967.post-57548555899391097932016-12-31T20:39:00.001-05:002016-12-31T20:39:19.202-05:00Dianda poised to run for Michigan SenateReally good news for Democrats: Rep. Scott Dianda (D) has <a href="https://miboecfr.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/cfr/com_det.cgi?com_id=518011">filed paperwork</a> for the 38th State Senate district, which includes all of the Upper Peninsula except for the eastern three counties. Current Senator Tom Casperson (R) is term-limited.<br />
<br />
Dianda just won his third and final term in the House with 61% of the vote (similar to his 2014 result). By comparison, Clinton didn’t break 40% in any of the six whole counties in his district. So he has some crossover appeal.<br />
<br />
No one has filed on the Republican side, although on paper, one would expect Rep. Ed McBroom (108th District) to do so.<br />
<br />
Republicans have a 27-11 majority in the Senate (!), but all 11 Democratic seats are safe, so it’s all offense for us. To be clear, I have about as much chance of losing 50 pounds by 2018 as Democrats have of gaining the State Senate that year. But the 38th will be one of many chances for Democrats to make inroads. Other key districts will include, but not be limited to, the 34th (Muskegon, Newaygo, and Oceana Counties); 29th (Grand Rapids and some suburbs); 20th (Kalamazoo County); and 7th (western Wayne County). Of those, only the 20th will have an incumbent; the rest are term-limited.Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814983603237679107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32538967.post-56300695715933591152016-02-13T15:29:00.003-05:002016-05-16T00:30:56.780-04:00Myths people need to stop believing about the Democratic primaries<b>1. "Turnout was lower in New Hampshire, so Democrats must be demoralized!</b>" Actually, turnout in the New Hampshire primary was the second-highest ever - 250,983 votes going to the various candidates. That number was just slightly down from the 287,557 votes cast on the Democratic side in 2008. It was also 14.1% higher than 2004 - a year in which John Kerry won not only the primary, but New Hampshire's 4 electoral votes that fall - and 2/3 higher than 2000.<br />
<br />
<b>2. "Superdelegates are going to give Hillary the nomination even if Bernie wins the pledged delegate count!"</b> First of all, it's going to be incredibly hard for Bernie to win the pledged delegate count. The contest is now shifting to states where Hillary is favored - and unless Bernie can do well on March 1, the pressure will be on for him to drop out.<br />
<br />
Second, even though superdelegates technically could go against the will of the majority of Democrats, <a href="http://www.rawstory.com/2016/02/the-bernie-super-delegate-panic-is-based-on-lazy-reporting-here-is-whats-really-going-on-in-the-dnc/">it would be politically crazy</a> for them to do that.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Some Sanders supporters are convinced that the super delegates backing Hillary Clinton made some sort of corrupt deal with the Devil. They see it as evidence that the game is rigged. But people only become super delegates because they have a longstanding affinity for, and loyalty toward the Democratic Party. Some may be total hacks, but they’re party hacks, and that makes them unlikely candidates to completely rip apart the Democratic coalition for a generation or two, which would be the only possible result of these unelected delegates overturning the will of primary voters. They share a common sense of duty to the best interests of the institution.<br />
<br />
It is no doubt true that many of them feel a sense of loyalty to the Clintons. But it doesn’t follow that they’d effectively become political suicide bombers because of that loyalty. They want to beat the Republican nominee in November, and those who hold elected office also want to be re-elected. The worst way to accomplish either goal would be to create a massive scandal within the Democratic Party just months before the election. The super delegates aren’t going to destroy the party from within just because they prefer one candidate over the other.<br />
<br />
It’s also true that many of the super delegates who endorsed Clinton did so because they believe that she’s the better candidate for the general election. But that view isn’t set in stone. If the unlikely scenario in which Sanders comes into the convention with more bound delegates but not enough to secure the nomination came to pass, something significant will have happened to shift the nature of the race between now and then. And whatever that something might be, the fact that Sanders was ahead would mean that many of those super delegates would no longer be confident that Hillary is the superior candidate. They’re not crazy. They’re party activists.
</blockquote>
<br />
<b>3. "Clinton won the popular vote in the 2008 primaries!"</b> This one is used by a few of my fellow Clinton supporters to justify the possibility of #2 above. The only way you can argue that Clinton got more votes than Obama is if you include votes Hillary got in Michigan while excluding (a) caucus-state voters and/or (b) the 40% of Democratic primary voters who voted Uncommitted in Michigan, many of whom (including myself) supported Obama but couldn't vote for him.Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814983603237679107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32538967.post-46393926604411751212016-02-09T23:30:00.001-05:002016-02-09T23:30:47.801-05:00Pledged delegate counts after Iowa and New HampshireDemocrats (68 of 4,051 pledged delegates claimed):<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Sanders: 36</li>
<li>Clinton: 32</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
(Of course, Clinton has a commanding lead in superdelegates.)<br />
<br />
Republicans (50 of 2,346 claimed):<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Trump: 15</li>
<li>Cruz: 11</li>
<li>Rubio: 9</li>
<li>Kasich: 5</li>
<li>Bush: 4</li>
<li>Carson: 3</li>
<li>Fiorina: 1</li>
<li>Paul (out): 1</li>
<li>Huckabee (out): 1</li>
</ul>
Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814983603237679107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32538967.post-16026557325935881292016-02-04T20:30:00.000-05:002016-02-07T14:53:01.532-05:00MDP on record calling for Snyder to resign over Flint crisis<a href="http://www.michigandems.com/">This happened:</a>
<br /><br />
<blockquote>
The Michigan Democratic Party released the following statement, today, on behalf of Party Chair Brandon Dillon, regarding new information showing top officials within the Snyder administration were made aware of the possible connection between Flint's water supply and the increase in diagnosed cases of Legionnaires' Disease in the area. This news comes as Democrats have continued to demand accountability and transparency from Governor Snyder and the expansion of the Freedom of Information Act to cover the governor's office and the legislature:<br />
<br />
“There is a limit to how many times you can play dumb when it comes to events and actions that take place on your watch," said Brandon Dillon, Chair of the Michigan Democratic Party. "Governor Snyder is attempting to employ this tactic again, claiming he wasn’t told of the connection, made almost a year before he informed the public, between Flint’s water and the legionella bacteria. This governor is either a victim of the culture of secrecy that he created or he’s lying. If he didn’t know, the incompetence is astounding. If he’s lying, the betrayal of trust is unforgiveable.”<br />
<br />
“Either excuse – incompetence or purposeful deception – cannot be tolerated and are not the traits of someone that should be governor of Michigan. At this point, Governor Snyder can claim either excuse, but he should no longer be allowed to claim he is the governor of this state. It is time for him to resign.”</blockquote><br />
As I <a href="http://scottyurb.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-problem-with-calling-for-snyders.html">said last month</a>, if Snyder resigns, Brian Calley becomes governor - and that normally would give Calley the advantage of incumbency, along with the possibility - the possibility, not a certainty - that he will bolster his image in the next 33 months.<br />
<br />
That could happen, but the longer the Flint crisis drags on, the more it hurts everyone involved with the Snyder administration, including Calley. Brandon Dillon is a politically adept Chair, so I can't imagine he would call for Snyder's resignation (and Calley's ascension to the governor's chair) without thinking that Calley's ties to the governor would make it hard for him to win in 2018 either way.Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814983603237679107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32538967.post-81602312924288301372016-02-02T18:31:00.002-05:002016-02-03T01:06:45.889-05:00Iowa takeaways - and what's nextWell, the Iowa caucuses are over, and...<br />
<br />
<b>A woman has won the Iowa caucuses!</b><br />
<br />
That's a remarkable - and historic - achievement!<br />
<br />
<b>Delegate counts count</b><br />
<br />
It's important to remember that a nomination isn't won by the person who gets the most primaries or caucuses, but by the one who gets the majority of delegates. Each party's delegate selection and allocation rules are different, but in either party you must get the majority of delegate votes at the Convention.<br />
<br />
Iowa Republicans allocate their delegates proportionally based on the statewide vote. Based on the numbers, it appears that Cruz has 9 delegates, Rubio and Trump 8 each, Carson 3, and Paul 2. (Paul, by the way, underperformed his dad's 21% in 2012.)<br />
<br />
On the Democratic side, the closeness of the race means that Clinton and Sanders split eight delegates in each of the 1st and 2nd congressional districts, as well as six delegates in the 4th district and 6 PLEO delegates. Clinton's victory statewide gives her a 5-4 win in at-large delegates, while she wins 4-3 in the 3rd District. That gives her a 23-21 lead in pledged delegates so far.<br />
<br />
<b>Michigan will matter!</b><br />
<br />
In the name of getting more influence, Michigan lost its influence on the 2008 nominating process. That won't happen this time - not only because it's too late for any of that monkey business, but because both sides may well have a strong contest going on by the time Michigan votes on March 8.<br />
<br />
Because Michigan will matter for both Democrats and Republicans, we are likely to see at least three outcomes: (1) Visits from many campaigns; (2) decent turnout on March 8; and (3) *lots* of good data on who's a Democrat and who's a Republican - as much data as you can get for a state that doesn't register voters by party. That data will prove valuable not only to the parties this year, but it will also help with GOTV in 2018 and beyond (not to mention targeting communications to voters in non-partisan elections).<br />
<br />
In addition, the fact that Ohio and Illinois are just a week after Michigan could give many campaigns reason to make a Great Lakes tour of sorts, with at least a couple of stops in Michigan.<br />
<br />
<b>Iowa might not matter much longer</b><br />
<br />
Iowa is credited with propelling Carter and Obama to the White House and Kerry to the nomination. But Iowa has as much a history of picking losers as it does winners. Past Iowa winners include:<br />
<ul>
<li>Dick Gephardt, 1988 (Dukakis finished 3rd)</li>
<li>Tom Harkin, 1992 (Clinton finished 4th with 3%)</li>
<li>Bob Dole (1988 - Bush Sr., then the sitting VP, came in 3rd with just 19%)</li>
<li>Mike Huckabee (2008 - John McCain finished 4th)</li>
</ul>
It's possible that Clinton and Cruz will both be nominated. In fact, given that the demographics (after New Hampshire) favor her, Clinton is still likely to win the nomination, and conservatives are likely looking at Cruz as an alternative to Trump (with all the same views but more likability than The Donald). But Republican establishment folks are lining up behind Rubio, meaning that as other establishment candidates (think Bush and Christie) drop out in coming weeks, he might (might) do better elsewhere than his 3rd place finish in Iowa.<br />
<br />
If Cruz doesn't win the Republican nomination, this would mark the third consecutive time that the winner of the Iowa Republican caucuses didn't win the nomination.<br />
<br />
For Democrats, Iowa's reputation as a "must-win" may be in jeopardy for different reasons. Despite the lack of diversity, sparse population, and the general confusion over having Iowa and New Hampshire go first, DNC leadership has been reluctant to challenge their standing as the first contests in the nation. With Bernie's string performance in Iowa and expected win in New Hampshire, DNC officials (many of whom support Hillary) have reason to adjust the rules going into 2020 and 2024. A more diverse caucus state (I'm thinking Colorado, Nevada, or Washington) might be moved up to go ahead of Iowa, or at least New Hampshire (whose primary by state law must be held before any other state's primary).<br />
<br />
Democrats may also opt to allow Iowa to go first with some conditions - perhaps that the state's delegates be allocated according to the "raw vote" in each precinct, or that coin flips no longer be used. Much of the criticism surrounding Iowa's first-in-the-nation status involves the complexity of their delegate selection process; the more simple it can be made, the better for Iowa and for the Party as a whole.<br />
<br />
<b>What's next?</b><br />
<br />
Well, New Hampshire, of course. That's where Sanders (from neighboring Vermont) has been leading in the polls. Should his lead hold, look for him to win that state's PLEO delegates 2-1 and at-large delegates 3-2, which would tie him among pledged delegates. He may also win one or both districts by getting at least 56.25% of the Clinton-Sanders vote in that district; if he does that, he'd take a small lead in the pledged count. (Note: In the last 40 years, only one non-incumbent - Al Gore - has won every single state en route to the nomination, so a Clinton loss wouldn't hurt. )<br />
<br />
A lot of establishment Iowa Republicans rallied around Rubio. In New Hampshire, the establishment is going to be more split, with Bush, Christie, and Kasich competing with Rubio for establishment support. That could help Cruz.<br />
<br />
<b>Beyond New Hampshire</b><br />
<br />
Nevada (35 delegates) votes on February 23, and South Carolina (53 delegates) weighs in on the 27th. Clinton has double-digit leads in <a href="http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2016/president/sc/south_carolina_democratic_presidential_primary-4167.html">both</a> <a href="http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2016/president/nv/nevada_democratic_presidential_caucus-5337.html">states</a>, so unless Sanders can really capitalize on New Hampshire, Clinton will likely go into March 1 with a lead among the 156 delegates that will have been claimed by then.<br />
<br />
South Carolina will be an early test of the candidates' strength in the South. In addition, Rubio - whom many Republicans think can win Latino voters to their party - faces a key test in Nevada's Republican caucuses on February 23.<br />
<br />
Then comes March 1. More on that in a later post.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814983603237679107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32538967.post-24542466360312382282016-01-31T18:51:00.002-05:002016-01-31T19:03:05.606-05:00Could Michigan elect its governor in presidential years?Low turnout in midterm elections is leaving some to <a href="http://www.freep.com/story/opinion/columnists/brian-dickerson/2016/01/30/michigan-election-shift/79516080/">try</a> to switch Michigan's gubernatorial elections from midterm to presidential elections.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Recent history suggests such a change could boost voter turnout in elections for statewide office by as much as 50% — a development that would likely make Democratic candidates more competitive in those elections.<br />
<br />
And preliminary polling suggests the proposal could be a hit with Michigan voters. In a randomized telephone survey of 600 Michigan voters conducted last week by EPIC-MRA, 60% of those polled expressed tentative support for conducting presidential and statewide elections on the same day, while just 32% were opposed to or leaning against it.<br />
<br />
The proposed change is also getting a warm reception from nonpartisan voter advocacy groups such as the League of Women Voters and Common Cause, whose leaders argue that representative government works most effectively when voter participation is most robust.
</blockquote>
<br />
There are some who believe that turnout in gubernatorial elections is largely driven by the race for governor (as opposed to, say, races for Congress or local offices). To the extent that that's true, then this likely won't help Democrats when it comes to turnout in still-very-important midterm elections - especially in 2022, when there won't be a US Senate race on the ballot in Michigan. So while this may pay off for Democrats in terms of winning the governorship, this also brings with it the risk of making our midterm turnout problem worse<br />
<br />
That being said, in 2014 turnout was <a href="http://www.electproject.org/2014g">only 1.1% higher</a> in states with gubernatorial elections than in states without. It's hard to argue that turnout is substantially affected by the presence or absence of a gubernatorial race on the ballot.<br />
<br />
As for the prospects of its passage... that's harder to tell.<br />
<br />
For it to pass, voters need to (a) know what it's about and (b) like it. The proposal would likely be simple enough to understand, so the first threshold would be easy to meet.<br />
<br />
But will voters like it? Opponents would surely spend a sizable amount of money and energy to convince people that this would somehow be bad. If supporters of this proposal can't effectively counter by making people feel like this proposal is worth it, then how will it pass?<br />
<br />
At any rate, I have yet to see the details of an actual proposal, so I'm not yet ready to take a position on this. I would, however, be more supportive of moving State Senate elections to Presidential years. I would also be supportive of other efforts to boost turnout in midterm elections.<br />
<br />
<br />Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814983603237679107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32538967.post-81894804309178922342016-01-30T02:05:00.003-05:002016-01-30T02:06:21.311-05:00No LGBT-equality proposal on 2016 ballot<a href="http://woodtv.com/2016/01/29/organizers-of-michigan-gay-rights-initiative-suspend-efforts/">It wasn't meant to be</a> this year.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Supporters of amending Michigan’s constitution to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender are suspending efforts to get the measure on the November ballot.<br /><br />The Fair Michigan ballot committee was seeking to gather roughly 315,000 valid voter signatures by summer to put the initiative on the statewide ballot.<br /><br />
Dana Nessel, one of the lawyers who helped win a historic legal battle to strike down the state’s gay marriage ban, has been organizing the effort. She says during a taping of WKAR-TV’s “Off the Record” show that it’s “not the end of Fair Michigan.”</blockquote>
<br />
So many of us would like to see this proposal pass - and soon - but the problem was that to many groups, it didn't seem to have more than a snowball's chance in heck of passing.<br />
<br />
What about 2020? One can hope...Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814983603237679107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32538967.post-65185805628558510322016-01-26T17:58:00.001-05:002016-01-27T12:03:10.987-05:00Tesla could sell cars directly to Michigan buyers under ballot proposalAutomakers like Tesla may soon be able to sell cars directly to buyers without going through a dealer, under a <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxxsPba0tMi6VUtONzNXNUs5ek1RRk1YSHM0MHVxb1lsUG9j/view?usp=sharing">proposal</a> which may appear on Michigan's ballot this November.<br />
<br />
The proposal is being backed by a group called Eliminate (i), named for the subsection of the Motor Vehicle Code which the proposal would repeal. The subsection states that an auto manufacturer may not:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Sell any new motor vehicle directly to a retail customer other than through franchised dealers, unless the retail customer is a nonprofit organization or a federal, state, or local government or agency. This subdivision does not prohibit a manufacturer from providing information to a consumer for the purpose of marketing or facilitating the sale of new motor vehicles or from establishing a program to sell or offer to sell new motor vehicles through franchised new motor vehicle dealers that sell and service new motor vehicles produced by the manufacturer.
</blockquote>
<br />
The initiative would "allow manufacturers to sell any new motor vehicle directly to a retail customer without having to go through a franchised dealer." This would essentially reverse an "anti-Tesla" law <a href="http://www.mlive.com/auto/index.ssf/2014/10/law_signed_by_gov_rick_snyder.html">signed by Governor Snyder</a> in 2014. Tesla <a href="http://electrek.co/2016/01/15/tesla-skipped-detroit-auto-show-michigan-direct-sales-law/">skipped</a> this year's North American International Auto Show as a result of the law.<br />
<br />
In the event that the proposal makes it to the ballot, expect opposition from dealers, the Big Three, and possibly unions. Tesla workers have yet to unionize.<br />
<br />
The Board of State Canvassers is expected to vote this Thursday on whether to allow the bill to proceed to the circulation phase.<br />
<br />
It was also announced that a number of recall petitions have been filed against governor Snyder as well as against State Sen. Darwin Booher. They will be considered for factual accuracy at Thursday's meeting.Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814983603237679107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32538967.post-53192589062674232722016-01-24T01:08:00.001-05:002016-01-24T01:09:10.012-05:00Kent County Sheriff already facing two challengersKent County Sheriff Larry Stelma, 66, had planned to retire this year, but <a href="http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2015/10/4_years_after_planning_to_reti.html">decided not to</a>.<br />
<br />
Now comes news that one of his detectives, Tim Lewis, is <a href="http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2016/01/4_years_after_veteran_sheriff.html">mounting a campaign</a>.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"I honestly expected him not to run again," said Lewis, 48, who pulled his name from the ballot in 2012 when Stelma decided to run. "I don't think anybody expected him to run this time. I personally don't know why he's running because (at age 66) he should be enjoying life.<br />
<br />
"We have a younger department and we need to have a younger leader that can relate more to the employees."<br />
<br />
Lewis said he wasn't prepared to challenge in incumbent four years ago, but now he's ready to mount a campaign.</blockquote>
<br />
It's tempting to wonder if there's something going on in the Sheriff's Department, but in all likelihood, it's just a case of someone (Lewis) wanting a promotion.<br />
<br />
At any rate, what makes this all fascinating is that Stelma was ready to retire in 2012 - meaning that if he's re-elected, he'll have to stay in office for <a href="http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2012/05/kent_county_sheriff_stelma_say.html">eight years longer</a> than he had planned.<br />
<br />
Stelma is also facing a challenge from John Stedman, who previously challenged Stelma in the 2008 Republican primary and as an independent candidate in 2012.<br />
<br />
As for other countywide races: Chris Becker is running to succeed Prosecutor William Forsyth.<br />
<br />
While she hasn't announced yet, it's pretty clear that Lisa Lyons wants to succeed retiring Clerk Mary Hollinrake. Last month, Lyons sided with the Michigan Association of Municipal Clerks in opposing the ban on straight-ticket voting. This was likely done to prevent any current township clerk from running against Lyons in the Republican primary, although they might see through that, given that she did introuduce a bill that would <a href="http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2015-2016/billintroduced/House/htm/2015-HIB-4214.htm">make life more hectic for clerks</a>.Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814983603237679107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32538967.post-78508262811133498802016-01-24T00:48:00.001-05:002016-01-24T00:48:28.401-05:00Republicans unlikely to beat Winnie Brinks; candidates lining up in the 72ndIn 2012, then-State House Speaker Jase Bolger <a href="http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2012/05/michigan_republican_speaker_ja.html">admitted</a> that had Roy Schmidt remained a Democrat, Republicans wouldn't have beaten him.<br />
<br />
In 2016, with a more popular Winnie Brinks running for re-election in Schmidt's old seat, it's clear that they've given up once again.<br />
<br />
Grand Rapids - which elects its city comptroller - saw two former comptrollers run to try to replace Brinks. Donijo Dejonge won the primary but only got 44% of the vote in the general election. Thus far this cycle, Republicans have failed to find a candidate willing to run against Brinks... except for <a href="http://miboecfr.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/cfr/com_det.cgi?com_id=517410">Casey O'Neill</a>, who lost two landslide elections to County Commissioner Carol Hennessy.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, Kentwood might be home to a state representative for the first time in many years.<br />
<br />
The race to replace my state representative, the term-limited Ken Yonker (against whom I ran in 2012), has thus far drawn three candidates:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Bob Coughlin, recently-re-elected to the Kentwood City Commission</li>
<li>Ryan Gallogly, a teacher who used to coach East Kentwood's football team</li>
<li>Tony Noto, a Kentwood resident and banquet hall owner</li>
</ul>
<br />
Gallogly, of Gaines Township, is the only one who doesn't live in Kentwood. He stepped down from coaching East Kentwood's football team to spend more time with his family. Given the demands of a campaign - and given the name recognition of the other two candidates - Gallogly doesn't yet come across as the kind of candidate who might have much chance of winning.<br />
<br />
Kentwood - which has roughly 56% of the population of 72nd District - hasn't been the hometown of a state representative in a long time. Previous representatives of the district - Yonker, Justin A., Glenn Steil, Jr., and Mark Jansen - have hailed from surrounding townships. During that time, one other Kentwood resident - Bill Hardiman - served as a state senator.<br />
<br />
The filing deadline is April 19.Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814983603237679107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32538967.post-69204620061789993822016-01-17T11:30:00.000-05:002016-01-17T13:52:39.229-05:00The problem with calling for Snyder's resignationThe Flint water crisis - and the Snyder administration's mishandling of it - has shocked many people around the world. People are angry - as they should be.<br />
<br />
But many people aren't just angry. A growing number of people - including activists, lawmakers, and even a presidential candidate - are <a href="http://www.npr.org/2016/01/13/462950340/michigan-gov-rick-snyder-faces-calls-for-resignation-amid-flint-water-crisis">calling</a> for Governor Snyder's resignation.<br />
<br />
There's a problem with that:<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://media.mlive.com/saginawnews_impact/photo/governor-rick-snyder-visits-consumers-energy-e69249dfad9ea860.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://media.mlive.com/saginawnews_impact/photo/governor-rick-snyder-visits-consumers-energy-e69249dfad9ea860.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
That guy on the left is Brian Calley, banker-turned-politician and Lieutenant Governor. Calley, who turns 39 in March, would take over the governorship in the event that Snyder resigns.<br />
<br />
If Calley becomes governor, he will have nearly three years to polish his reputation, distance himself from Snyder, and tour the state as an incumbent governor going into the all-important 2018 election.<br />
<br />
Careful what you wish for.Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814983603237679107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32538967.post-39451300117596585332016-01-09T01:41:00.000-05:002016-01-09T01:41:07.622-05:00Kent County's election season gets even more interestingThe beginning of an election year is typically chock-full of campaign announcements. This week was no different, with the news that two long-time countywide officials here in Kent County will be retiring.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
First, longtime Prosecutor Bill Forsyth announced on Tuesday that he would step aside.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Forsyth, 66, has spent more than 40 years as a prosecutor, the last 30 acting in an administrative capacity.<br />
<br />
...<br />
<br />
"Nothing will ever match or replace the joy, the pride and the heartache I have experienced as a prosecutor," Forsyth said in a prepared statement on Tuesday, Jan. 5.</blockquote>
<br />
Assistant Prosecutor Chris Becker is said to be weighing a run, although no announcements have been made.<br />
<br />
The next day, County Clerk Mary Hollinrake <a href="http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2016/01/kent_county_clerk_wont_seek_a.html">announced</a> her decision to step aside.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"It's hold the position for one more year (through the end of my current term) or five more years," Hollinrake said.<br />
<br />
...<br />
<br />
Hollinrake last year was urged by The Grand Rapids Press editorial board to come up with funding to put campaign finance reports online, a step that Hollinrake agreed "we need to move forward post haste."</blockquote>
<br />
(She still hasn't, by the way.)<br />
<br />
Hollinrake succeeded Terri Lynn Land in 2000 - yes, that Terri Lynn Land. Term-limited state representative Lisa "<a href="http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2013/06/boy_leaves_lisa_lyons_note_abo.html">pigs get fat and hogs get slaughtered</a>" Lyons is said to be eyeing that job.<br />
<br />
These retirements are just the latest developments in what is turning out to be an interesting election season here in Michigan. As mentioned recently, two circuit judgeships will be filled by voters this year - and depending on how many people run, we might have a primary. In addition, three lawmakers - Ken Yonker, Tom Hooker, and Lyons - are term-limited out of office. (The real action in those red seats will be in the primary.)<br />
<br />
<br />Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814983603237679107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32538967.post-79879604280760656802016-01-05T09:33:00.000-05:002016-01-05T09:33:06.167-05:00Republians' new strategy: be the anti-partisansMLive <a href="http://www.mlive.com/lansing-news/index.ssf/2015/12/michigan_gov_rick_snyder_legis_1.html#incart_river_index">interviewed</a> Governor Snyder and state legislative leaders to learn what they felt were the biggest disappointments of 2015.<br />
<br />
Snyder and Senate Democratic Leader Jim Ananich said that the Flint water tragedy disappointed them. Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof referred to the Courser-Gamrat scandal.<br />
<br />
House Speaker Kevin Cotter? Well...<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The biggest disappointment, I would say overall, has been partisanship on a number of issues. For me, I think this really started, or at least it reared it's head during another disappointing process or development, which was the expulsion hearings (of Courser and Gamrat). That became very partisan. It was a situation where there was unanimous support on the Republican side to expel two of our members, and unfortunately we went until the wee hours of the morning to get the 2/3 votes we needed because there was political gamesmanship going on that then continued into other areas — third-grade reading — it then continued to the bills we just passed (in December) regarding the data centers. It is something that is very prevalent, and it is disappointing. I certainly understand that we're going to have differences on policy, and that is to be expected, but to the extent that it is holding up things. Take the third-grade reading, for example. Take the expulsion vote. That wasn't about the subject matter of the vote, but rather that was how do we clobber each other. In this case, how do we clobber Republicans and try to take back control of the chamber.
</blockquote>
<br />
Cry me the Grand River, Mr. Speaker. For the last five years, Republicans - including Cotter - have pushed partisan bill after partisan bill after partisan bill. Yet Cotter lacks the guts and sense of responsibility to step up and own the House that he leads. Instead he whines about Democrats - who have fewer seats in the Legislature than at any time in 60 years - for partisan rancor in a state whose government is completely controlled by Cotter's party (and has been for five years now).<br />
<br />
But there seems to be a larger strategy at play here.<br />
<br />
For the last seven years, while Democrats have been working on common-sense solutions that actually benefit Americans, Republicans have dug in and staked out ideological and partisan positions - doing everything they can to stop our President's agenda.<br />
<br />
Now, they are trying to position themselves as the party that will rise up above the partisan rancor for which they're largely responsible.<br />
<br />
We saw it with the debate over the highly partisan attempt to gut straight-ticket voting.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
Lyons: I do not vote straight ticket. I think it’s important to vote for people and not for political party.</div>
— Kathy Gray (@michpoligal) <a href="https://twitter.com/michpoligal/status/674782581192310784">December 10, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>We even <a href="http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2015/10/2_grand_rapids-area_restaurate.html">saw it</a> with Tony Noto's announcement that he will run for State House in the 72nd District (my home district):<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"I get upset that things have to be one party or the other," Noto said. "Wouldn't you like to have consensus from everybody when you make a decision instead of a complete rebuttal? We have to develop a sense of respect for one another so people aren't bashing."
</blockquote>
<br />
Now, in fairness to Noto, I do agree with what he said - if a Republican has a good idea, I can support it just as if it came from a Democrat. I also think Noto may be sincere in this belief. But it certainly isn't lost on me that he's far from the first Republican to denounce partisanship at a time when his party has ramped up as partisanship to a fever pitch.Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814983603237679107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32538967.post-23715131176413198922016-01-02T21:07:00.001-05:002016-01-26T17:39:25.043-05:002015 was good to me - let's see what 2016 brings!2014 was rough.<br />
<br />
Luckily, 2015 was better.<br />
<br />
Just a few of the good things that happened to me in 2015:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Two of my city commissioners - Steve Redmond and Bob Coughlin - successfully defended their seats.</li>
<li>I was elected 2nd Vice Chair - then Chair - of the Michigan 2nd District Democratic Party. I was also appointed National Rules Secretary for the Young Democrats of America.</li>
<li>I got to see a number of sites here in Michigan that I had either never seen before or hadn't seen in years, from Ludington to Port Huron.</li>
<li>Most importantly, my brother, Dereck, married Erin! Their wedding in Lyons, Colorado, also gave me a chance to spend a couple weeks with my aunt in the Denver area.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
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Here's to an even better 2016 - with new adventures, success, and Democratic victories up and down the ballot!Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814983603237679107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32538967.post-39083510915099487912015-12-19T14:23:00.000-05:002016-01-09T01:12:18.557-05:00Kent County voters to elect two new Circuit Court judgesVoters in Kent County <a href="http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2015/12/new_judge_coming_to_town.html">will elect</a> two new Circuit Court judges in 2016 - one due to retirement, the other due to an additional judgeship being created.<br />
<blockquote>
The addition of a judge means another assistant prosecutor will have to be added to accommodate the position.<br />
<br />
Also, there will be two more court clerks, two more courthouse deputies and an additional courtroom will be outfitted in space already existing in the 12-floor court facility at 180 Ottawa Ave. NW.<br />
<br />
The Kent County Board of Commissioner approved the outlay of $509,064 in personnel costs including $191,324 in judicial staff salaries, $107,609 for the Kent County Prosecutor's Office and $210,131 for the Sheriff's Department. An additional $116,476 in judicial salary and associated expenses will be paid directly by the state.<br />
<br />
All of the positions will be filled by January 2017 and the judge's position will be decided by election in November 2016. There will be at least two judgeships on the ballot because Judge George Buth will be forced out due to the state's age restrictions.</blockquote>
Candidates have until April 19 at 4:00 to file to run. If more than four candidates run (which I presume will happen), there will be a primary with the top four candidates moving on to the November general.<br />
<br />
This will mark the first time since 2006 that a non-incumbent position on the Circuit Court has been up for election.Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814983603237679107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32538967.post-82154867258867299482015-12-13T20:57:00.000-05:002016-01-02T20:57:55.067-05:00On being elected 2nd District Democratic ChairI am pleased to announce that I have been elected Chair of the Michigan 2nd Congressional District Democratic Party!<br />
<br />
Here are a few areas on which I plan to focus as Chair:<br />
<br />
<b>Boost the Democratic "brand."</b> People need to understand what it means to be a Democrat - and why they should vote for us. As we learned in 2014, it's not enough to call out Republicans (though they need to be called out); we must also talk about what we stand for as Democrats. From the New Deal and the Great Society to the enormous progress made during the Obama Administration, Democrats have such a wonderful story to tell. Let's make others feel the same pride that we feel when we call ourselves Democrats!<br />
<br />
<b>Collaborate with other Party units, labor, and other progressive stakeholders.</b> We have plenty of opportunities to work with county parties, College and Young Democrats, MDP caucuses, labor unions, and organizations focused on the environment, women's rights, racial justice, and other issues. 2CD should serve as an intermediary and as a resource for Party units and other stakeholders. In addition, I hope to leverage my relationships with local and state progressive leaders to strengthen 2CD. <br />
<br />
<b>Plan for the long term.</b> As a Party, we need to move beyond merely thinking of the next election cycle. 2016 is critical, but so are 2018, 2020, and so on. The Democratic National Committee and the MDP are taking steps toward long-term strategic planning through the 2022 cycle; we need to do the same in 2CD. While 2016 is critically important, so is 2018, when we will elect a new Governor and other statewide officials, re-elect Senator Stabenow, and win the 34th State Senate district. Along this vein, we need to build our bench by electing great Democrats at the local level who will serve as our state lawmakers and statewide elected officials of tomorrow.<br />
<br />
Once again, I am looking forward to serving in this capacity and helping Democrats at the federal, state, and local levels in 2016 and beyond!Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814983603237679107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32538967.post-55732396801919856282015-09-14T21:51:00.002-04:002015-09-25T23:35:24.053-04:002016 (and 2015) State House races starting to take shapeWe're just 60 weeks away from the 2016 election, so it's not too early to take a look at some of the candidates who are planning to run for State House next year.<br />
<br />
In fact, if you want to be among such candidates, you probably should be thinking about it right now.<br />
<br />
At least 40% of Michigan voters (from 44 districts) have been represented by a lawmaker who is either term-limited (40), resigned (2), been expelled (Gamrat), or is running for higher office (Driskell). Not surprisingly, many candidates have begun to toss their hats into the ring. Here's a look at a few such candidates. Note that the candidates mentioned here have filed campaign committees; few of them have actually filed the affidavit needed to get on the ballot. Candidates have more than seven months to get their name on the August 2016 primary ballot.<br />
<br />
The following districts have special primaries on November 3 and special general elections on March 8 (in conjunction with the presidential primary):<br />
<br />
<b>District 75 (Grand Rapids) - Safe Democratic</b> - Brandon Dillon (D) resigned to become Chair of the Michigan Democratic Party. A special primary will be held ANovember 3 in conjunction with municipal elections.<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>David LaGrand (D) - Christian Reformed minister, owner of two bakeries, Grand Rapids Public School Board member (since 2013), former City Commissioner (2008-2010), two-time State Senate nominee (2010 and 2006) </li>
<li>Michael Scruggs (D) - Chairman of the Kent County Black Caucus; ran for Sheriff in 2012 and Senate in 2014</li>
<li>Blake Edmonds (R) - House staffer</li>
</ul>
<b>District 82 (Lapeer County) - Safe Republican</b> - The winner gets to succeed Todd Courser (R). Those <i>won't </i>be big shoes to fill.<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Jake Davidson (R) - Consultant who had planned on primarying Courser</li>
<li>Gary Howell (R) - Lapeer County Road Commissioner, attorney, and Lapeer ISD board member</li>
<li>Chris Tuski (R) - Former Hadley Township firefighter and former automotive employee</li>
</ul>
<b>The following seats will be open in 2016:</b><br />
<br />
<b>District 9 (Detroit) - Safe Democratic</b> - Democrats will be thrilled to see Harvey Santana go. From almost starting a fight in the House floor to taunting Emily Dievendorf to accepting Kevin Cotter's appointment as ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee, Santana has been bad news for House Democrats in an era when we already have enough bad news. The good news: He's term-limited. The bad news: His wife is running.<br />
<ul>
<li>Rowan Latif (D) - Pharmacy employee and former Stabenow and Lawrence intern</li>
<li>Sylvia Santana (D) - Wife of Harvey Santana</li>
</ul>
<b>District 23 (Downriver) - Tossup</b> - Formerly held by Kathleen Law and Deb Kennedy, this seat has been held by Pat Somerville since 2011. With Somerville termed out, this seat is a top target of Democrats wanting to take back the House.<br />
<ul>
<li>Sherry Berecz (D) - Brownstown Township Clerk</li>
<li>Darrin Camilleri (D) - Teacher and former President of the Michigan Federation of College Democrats</li>
<li>Steve Rzeppa (D) - Trenton City Council member</li>
</ul>
<br />
<b>District 52 (Ann Arbor area)</b> - Leans Democratic - Gretchen Driskell gained this seat in 2012 by defeating Mark Ouimet. Now that she's running for Congress, this seat could be a free-for-all.<br />
<ul>
<li>Barbara Fuller (D) - Director of MI List and longtime political staffer</li>
<li>Donna Lasinski (D) - Ann Arbor School Board member</li>
</ul>
<b>District 53 (Ann Arbor) - Strong Democratic </b>- With Jeff Irwin (son of Mitch Irwin) term-limited, look for any number of Democrats to run to succeed him.<br />
<ul>
<li>Yousef Rabhi (D) - Washtenaw County Commissioner and arboretum employee</li>
</ul>
<b>District 101 (Northwestern Lower Peninsula) -</b> <b>Tossup -</b> Dan Scripps narrowly lost to an incumbent in 2006, won the seat in 2008, and lost it in the 2010 drought. Democrats came just a few hundred votes shy in this seat in 2014.<br />
<ul>
<li>Dan Scripps (D) - Former State Representative (2009-2011)</li>
</ul>
<b>District 108 (Middle Upper Peninsula) - Tossup -</b> Democrats will want to target this seat won by the late Judy Nerat in 2008. Nerat lost to Ed McBroom in 2010 and ran to reclaim her seat in 2012 before passing away at the end of that year. One Democrat has formed a campaign committee:<br />
<ul>
<li>Scott Celello (D) - Dickinson County Sheriff</li>
</ul>Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814983603237679107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32538967.post-56326667760915439272015-08-27T13:57:00.002-04:002015-08-27T14:10:29.041-04:00Cotter's grand marshal invite tarnishes CMU's imageIt was announced this past week that Michigan House Speaker Kevin Cotter would be the grand marshal at the Homecoming festivities for my alma mater, Central Michigan University.<br />
<br />
On the one hand, you can't begrudge University administrators for this. As long as I can remember (going back ten years now), alumni who have done well in their fields have been grand marshals - TV personalities like Larry Joe Campbell, Amy Roloff, and Carter Oosterhouse; CMU officials like ex-Trustee John Kulhavi; and even another State House Speaker, Craig DeRoche. So at first glance, Cotter is the kind of person you might expect to be grand marshal.<br />
<br />
Except, well... he isn't.<br />
<br />
See, unlike even DeRoche - whose stint as grand marshal came just weeks before the 2006 election - Cotter is leading (and responsible for) a House in more chaos and controversy that I can ever remember. The Courser-Gamrat affair, the ability to find a road-funding solution, the desire to repeal prevailing wage, the deep chasm between Lansing politicians and ordinary Michiganders - all are taking place under Cotter's watch.<br />
<br />
And he's done next to nothing about any of these problems.<br />
<br />
Tony Trupiano this week <a href="http://www.eclectablog.com/2015/08/welcome-back-mr-cotter.html">laid into the mess</a> that has become of the House under the speakership of Kevin Cotter:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The failed attempt to find and fund a roads package that all can find acceptable was never realistic. I am not suggesting that he was assuming that, not even he is that naïve, or so I believe. But I am suggesting that the Speaker, who himself does not seem to be dealing with reality these days, and I will get to that shortly, is once again in the sights of both parties for very good reason: he is not only NOT leading, he seems to not have the support of his Republican colleagues, the Governor, his much needed partners in in Democratic House and anyone else, for that matter. Why? That is something that he needs to answer to but I will say from where I am sitting it is because he allows his mouth to work much faster than his brain.<br />
<br />
...<br />
<br />
Back in 2002 then-student Kevin Cotter was pulled over for speeding in Gratiot County and was found to have open intoxicants in the car, for which he paid a fine and admitted guilt. I think we can all agree that is a crime, a misdemeanor, but a crime nonetheless, right? Fast forward to 2014 and when asked through his survey through MLive.com if he had ever committed a crime, he answered no. When further given the opportunity to clarify his statement that he had never committed a crime, well, click through here and read his statement. Denial, classic Republican denial.<br />
<br />
But, it does beg the question: If he is willing to lie about this, and clearly he did lie, is he capable of lying about anything else? That I will leave to your own filters. But, in my world, once a liar. Or at least the potential exists to be a liar once again. Just a real thought about someone who has a whole lot to lose.<br />
<br />
Progress Michigan’s Hugh Madden, who is their Communications Director, wrote a blog post back in April of this year, wisely suggesting that Mr. Cotter was NOT ready for prime time as the House Speaker, and his vision is proving to be not only accurate, but potentially career ending. Think about that as he twists and turns and as the mainstream media continues to ignore his role in this horrific scandal, and again, what he knew and when he knew it.
</blockquote>
<br />
Yikes.<br />
<br />
CMU administrators, are you sure you still want this guy as Grand Marshal?Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814983603237679107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32538967.post-57150357537159374312015-08-01T22:28:00.000-04:002015-08-01T22:56:19.633-04:00Bullying Is Bad PoliticsAs you may know, during the 2008 election cycle I had the privilege of serving as Deputy National Communications Director for the College Democrats of America. As the official branch of the Democratic Party on college campuses, CDA has traditionally stood up for Democratic policies and principles. Though I've been out of college for a few years now, I still follow the activities of the College Democrats at a national, state, and campus level (particularly at Central Michigan University, my alma mater).<br />
<br />
The vast majority of the College Democrats I've known are passionate about their campus, community, and country. They want the best for their classmates, roommates, friends, neighbors, and relatives. They know that Democrats are the only party that cares about the issues facing young people - and they want to elect Democrats to office.<br />
<br />
Earlier this week, <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/07/26/1405772/-Chaos-at-College-Democrats-National-Convention">reports began to surface</a> surrounding events at last weekend's CDA National Convention. Those reports accused Natasha McKenzie, just re-elected as National President of CDA, of intimidation and threats. Those reports did catch my eye, but for a variety of reasons I didn't put too much stock in them. Nor did I put much stock in the rebuttals, at least one of which - I kid you not - <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/comments/1406541/57067501#c2">complained</a> that proponents of McKenzie's impeachment used the word "promulgated" twice in one letter.<br />
<br />
Later in the week, however, it became evident that these accusations weren't isolated - there were serious issues surrounding McKenzie's handling of events at the Convention. Soon, many great people I respect began to speak out. Seven of the ten CDA officers <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/07/28/1406541/-College-Democrats-move-to-impeach-CDA-National-President#comments">issued articles of impeachment</a>. After McKenzie accused her critics of racism and sexism, some <a href="https://medium.com/@chloechik/a-coalition-of-cda-women-address-president-natasha-mckenzie-s-statements-532bc8dd3558">30 women</a> - including two I personally know and respect - signed their names to a letter condemning these tactics. That letter reads in part:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Furthermore, Natasha McKenzie used her identity as a woman of color as the reason that members of our organization have asked her to step down; quite frankly, we are offended. Co-opting the struggles of minority female leaders for personal salvation is insulting and demeaning to our cause.
</blockquote>
<br />
It escalated further when Jade Reindl, a College Democrats leader in Florida, wrote this <a href="https://medium.com/@JadeReindl/why-did-the-college-democrats-president-try-to-hide-my-rape-c86c54f7cdd3">powerful editorial</a> in which she states that she was raped.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
A few weeks before I left D.C., I heard something from a trusted friend. A CDA state federation leader was telling people I had lied about being raped.<br />
<br />
And, wait, wasn’t she good friends with Natasha? And, wait, I’ve only told five people I trust a whole lot about this? And, wait — oh god — who knows I’ve been raped? Does she know? Does he know?<br />
...<br />
<br />
But the situation only continued to escalate. In March, I was asked to run for Vice President of Florida College Democrats, and promptly entered the race on a ticket. My running mate, unbeknownst to me, reached out to Natasha for an endorsement. The following is her account of the situation:<br />
<br />
<i>“Natasha originally agreed to endorse my Unify FCD slate, until she saw who I was running with. When she realized that I was running with Jade, she immediately changed her tune. She started telling me that I had to drop Jade as my VP or she wouldn’t endorse me. When I asked why, she was pretty vague, saying that Jade had gone behind her back and done “some stuff.” She also suggested that I ask her myself. When Jade told me the truth, I knew that dropping her from the ticket simply wasn’t an option, despite the loss of a valuable endorsement. When I continued campaigning with Jade and the rest of the ticket, I started to get pressure to drop out of the race. In the end, I dropped out of the race for President of the Florida College Democrats with a promise from Natasha of a position on the CDA executive board. But, to be honest, College Democrats is no longer an organization that I want to be a part of at the state or national level. I will continue to make a difference in my community by staying involved in local politics, but I cannot be a part of an organization that sabotages elections and make people fear that they will no longer have a political future if they challenge the status quo.”</i></blockquote>
<br />
Is that the kind of person we want leading and representing our Party? Especially at a time when the other party is enacting requirements for rape insurance?<br />
<br />
As I said, when I first heard about all of this, there were a number of reasons I didn't pay much mind to it. The biggest reason, I suppose, is that I'm so used to intimidation in politics.<br />
<br />
I've been denied opportunities because I used to work for a gay candidate for office. (Not because I'm gay, mind you, but because <i>my former boss</i> is gay.) A friend of mine wanted to work for the same candidate, but she was told that anyone who worked for him would be blacklisted from working for any campaigns.<br />
<br />
In 2012 I interviewed for a job at a Michigan political organization. The interviewer, whom I'd known vicariously for a few years, was eager to meet with me. Long story short, they almost hired me. Two years later, that same person was hiring for a similar position with a campaign. I didn't even get an interview. Instead, a former colleague of theirs was hired. Chalk it up to the good old boys club, or chalk it up to my being blacklisted because my ex-boss is gay - but either way, I was denied an opportunity.<br />
<br />
We lost that election by a narrow margin.<br />
<br />
Sadly, even a few Party leaders have resorted to these tactics. Many good Democratic candidates over the years have been told that the Party will not support them if they don't support certain candidates in primaries or at conventions. I won't go into details here, but suffice it to say it has happened - and some such candidates haven't been heard from since.<br />
<br />
Heck, just within the past month, people have spread rumors about me that have turned out to be false. I'm just an ordinary person who suddenly became the subject of rumors from people who've never even met me.<br />
<br />
We can sit around and say that it's "just politics." But the reality is that these tactics chase away volunteers, donors, and candidates.<br />
<br />
And now that we see it happening at the college level, it's time to stand up and put a stop to it before Democrats lose another election.<br />
<br />
At this point, whatever one thinks of McKenzie's behavior as CDA President, her continuing in office is only damaging CDA - and the Democratic Party - with fifteen months to go before a critical election. It's also clear that if I - a former national-level leader in CDA - keep quiet, I will have blood on my hands, so to speak.<br />
<br />
<b>Therefore, with a heavy heart, I, Scott Urbanowski, former Deputy National Communications Director of the College Democrats of America, am calling for the resignation or removal of Natasha McKenzie as President of the College Democrats of America.</b><br />
<br />
To those College Democrats who support this motion to impeach McKenzie, I support you. Thank you for leading the way and showing the rest of us how to stand up to bullying.<br />
<br />
May we all grow as a Party as we prepare to keep the White House, win seats in Congress, and score victories at the state and local level in 2015 and 2016.Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814983603237679107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32538967.post-35604471773320299162015-06-26T14:54:00.000-04:002015-06-26T14:54:48.815-04:00It's official: Brandon Dillon running for MDP ChairMichigan Democratic State Central Committee members (including myself) just received this email:<blockquote>We respectfully request your support for <b>Brandon Dillon</b> for <b>Michigan Democratic Party Chair</b> and <b>Lavora Barnes</b> for <b>MDP Chief Operating Officer</b>. <br><br>
Given the challenges facing the Michigan Democratic Party and the urgent need to rebuild for 2016 and beyond, we believe our aggressive approach, deep experience at winning campaigns and complementary skill set create a strong partnership capable of bringing our party together and moving us forward. Our partnership can also unite the rich and diverse elements that make up our party, as well as the diverse geographies which make our party great.<br><br>
<u>A little about us:</u><br><br>
<b>Brandon Dillon</b> serves as a State Representative from Grand Rapids. A former Kent County Commissioner, Brandon has been a leading voice on and strong advocate for progressive causes, labor, women’s issues, public education, LGBT rights and Michigan’s middle class. Brandon previously served as the campaign chair for the Michigan House Democrats, where he recruited top-notch candidates and oversaw competitive races in districts across the state. He is a strong fundraiser with a deep understanding of local issues from Marquette to Muskegon to Monroe. Having himself won a hard-fought race in a highly-competitive seat, Brandon has the experience and attitude necessary to win tough campaigns in tough areas.<br><br>
<b>Lavora Barnes</b> is a veteran political strategist and operative with extensive leadership and management experience in public relations, communications, politics and media at the national, state and local levels. An appointee of Oakland County Clerk Lisa Brown, she serves as deputy clerk and register of deeds. Before serving in that position, Lavora was state director for Obama for America and served as a director in the White House Office of Media Affairs during the Clinton Administration and a press secretary for the Clinton-Gore campaign. As communications director for the Michigan House Democrats, she oversaw a team of more than 40 people and led the political operation.<br><br>
Because our partnership is based on trust, a clear understanding of our roles and a willingness to work together, we believe we represent the strongest team to move our party forward. As State Central Committee Members, you have the responsibility to elect a new Chair. Should you elect Brandon, we will work shoulder-to-shoulder together as a team of equals, using our complementary skill sets and our shared commitment to rebuilding the Michigan Democratic Party to succeed.<br><br>
We respectfully ask for your support for our partnership. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions. We are available to meet with you and answer any questions you may have.<br><br>
We appreciate your consideration and look forward to the opportunity to work closely with you as we move the Michigan Democratic Party forward.</blockquote>Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814983603237679107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32538967.post-91949834077190821482015-06-26T14:53:00.000-04:002015-06-26T14:55:42.336-04:00=<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc-NzqKkv9yn4-Ym00baB9HnveptQ29Fi7RsbYzEe8r9JVxD98A0hXDQ0q4nk1ewByoNZUh8JvFIbgIk4mwcixZhijrb90vtJfXbey2JYbYc0ZcF7iSOSKKmSRXRAiXn8Uad_x/s1600/11390065_1620299788225300_8909913669019005123_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc-NzqKkv9yn4-Ym00baB9HnveptQ29Fi7RsbYzEe8r9JVxD98A0hXDQ0q4nk1ewByoNZUh8JvFIbgIk4mwcixZhijrb90vtJfXbey2JYbYc0ZcF7iSOSKKmSRXRAiXn8Uad_x/s320/11390065_1620299788225300_8909913669019005123_n.jpg" /></a>
:-)Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814983603237679107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32538967.post-19948364722649665662015-06-25T22:47:00.002-04:002015-06-25T22:47:12.694-04:00Exhale: Court protects Obamacare subsidies in Michigan, 33 other statesThanks to the Affordable Care Act, millions of Americans - including myself - can be confident that a serious illness won’t force us into bankruptcy. Subsidies are an important part of the ACA’s formula for success.<br />
<br />
Three years after losing a Supreme Court ruling on the constitutionality of Obamacare - and with the help of Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette - conservatives made another attempt to gut the law through the Courts.<br />
<br />
So much for that.<br />
<br />
In a 6-3 <a href="http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/14pdf/14-114_qol1.pdf">ruling</a>, the Court found that, yes, the subsidies do apply to states which take part in the federal exchange.<br />
<br />
A couple of key liked from the ruling:
<br />
<blockquote>
So when deciding whether the language is plain, the Court must read the words “in their context and with a view to their place in the overall statutory scheme.”</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Here, the statutory scheme compels the Court to reject petitioners’ interpretation because it would destabilize the individual insurance market in any State with a Federal Exchange, and likely create the very “death spirals” that Congress designed the Act to avoid.</blockquote>
That's what the plaintiffs were trying to go for - at least that's what the cynic in me thinks.
But despite the Court's known conservative lean (the majority from <i>Citizens United</i> is still there in its entirety), the latest attempt to dismantle life-saving Obamacare has run out of steam.<br />
<br />
I stand by my prediction that in 40 years, the Tea Party of the 2050s will be holding up signs that say, "Get your government hands off my Obamacare!"Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814983603237679107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32538967.post-71199494384894054042015-06-09T14:30:00.000-04:002015-06-09T14:50:09.320-04:00Cotter vs. Jesus and ReaganLast month, State House Speaker Kevin Cotter <a href="http://housedems.com/article/house-dems-say-cotter-roads-plan-just-smoke-and-mirrors">announced</a> his attempt at a road funding proposal. It's about what you'd expect: Accounting gimmicks, high-minded rhetoric, and other malarkey we've come to expect from the Party of Palin.<br />
<br />
Perhaps the worst aspect of Cotter's "plan" is the elimination of the state-level Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). The plan would "save" $117 million dollars - a tiny fraction of what is needed to fix our infrastructure - by taking that money away from the working poor. With less money to spend, the working poor would be unable to spend more money - which would hurt the economy and reduce sales tax revenues (thus negating any "savings" from cutting the EITC).<br /><br /> Put another way, while tax cuts and credits for the rich have no economic benefit, tax cuts and credits for the poor have a significant effect on the economy.<br /><br />
This wouldn't be the Republicans' first attack on the EITC since coming to power in 2011. In 2010, EITC-eligible Michiganders could claim up to 20% of the federal-level EITC on their state returns. In 2011, Republicans reduced that to 6%.<br /><br />
Kevin Cotter thinks even that is too much. Ronald Reagan <a href="http://www.epi.org/publication/ib370-earned-income-tax-credit-and-the-child-tax-credit-history-purpose-goals-and-effectiveness/">thought otherwise</a>. Reagan called the EITC "the best anti-poverty, the best pro-family, the best job creation measure to come out of Congress." Indeed, it was the last Republican president before Reagan - Gerald Ford - who first signed the EITC into law.<br /><br />
But of course, Reagan - and especially Ford - would be far to the left of today's Republicans.<br /><br />
And Jesus Christ? The Nazorean whom Republicans like to trot out during campaign season? Well, perhaps a look at Matthew 25 would be in order.<br /><br />
<blockquote>Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’ Then they will answer and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?’ He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.' And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”</blockquote><br />
<br />So by targeting a credit that helps working people, Kevin Cotter is shunning Jesus. So are those who support eliminating the EITC.<br /><br />
For Cotter's sake, one hopes that he learns the error of his ways... before it's too late.<br /><br />Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814983603237679107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32538967.post-70277101013123257362015-06-06T17:01:00.001-04:002015-06-09T13:48:52.809-04:00President Obama's eulogy for Beau Biden<blockquote class="tr_bq">
To know Beau Biden is to know which choice he made in his life. To know Joe and the rest of the Biden family is to understand why Beau lived the life he did. For Beau, a cruel twist of fate came early –- the car accident that took his mom and his sister, and confined Beau and Hunter, then still toddlers, to hospital beds at Christmastime.<br />
<br />
But Beau was a Biden. And he learned early the Biden family rule: If you have to ask for help, it’s too late. It meant you were never alone; you don’t even have to ask, because someone is always there for you when you need them.<br />
<br />
And so, after the accident, Aunt Valerie rushed in to care for the boys, and remained to help raise them. Joe continued public service, but shunned the parlor games of Washington, choosing instead the daily commute home, maintained for decades, that would let him meet his most cherished duty -– to see his kids off to school, to kiss them at night, to let them know that the world was stable and that there was firm ground under their feet.<br />
<br />
As Joe himself confessed to me, he did not just do this because the kids needed him. He did it because he needed those kids. And somehow, Beau sensed that -– how understandably and deeply hurt his family and his father was. And so, rather than use his childhood trauma as justification for a life of self-pity or self-centeredness, that very young boy made a very grown-up decision: He would live a life of meaning. He would live a life for others. He would ask God for broader shoulders.</blockquote>
<br />The full version is <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/06/06/remarks-president-eulogy-honor-beau-biden">here</a>.Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16814983603237679107noreply@blogger.com0