Bits of Tid: August 16, 2007

Hello/Goodbye Edition

Goodbye Karl Rove, but don't think for a moment that Conyers and Leahy are done with you just because you're resigning.

Goodbye Dennis Hastert, Deborah Pryce, and Chip Pickering. You're leaving Congress next year. Don't let the door hit you on the way out; as one Kos commenter said, it's be pretty hard for the door not to hit Hastert!

Goodbye Tommy Thompson; Kos’s Trapper John pays tribute to you in the form of a parody called "O Tommy Boy."

Goodbye common sense priorities in the media. Which is the bigger story to you - Edwards’s hair, or Giuliani claiming he was a 9/11 worker? Most pundits probably disagree.

Hello Al Gore? Hello? If you were in the race, 36% of Michigan Democrats would pick you as their top choice for President. Republicans’ top pick: Nope, not George Romney’s son, but Fred Thompson.

Hello Michigan jobs. Or so I hope. Democrats in Lansing want to encourage more firms to "Hire Michigan First."

Goodbye Jennifer Granholm. Best wishes on your trip to Sweden, where you hope to attract businesses to follow you home.

Goodbye single life, says Jenna Bush. Best wishes to both Jenna and her fiance. I must say I feel sorry for him; While most people can't stand their in-laws, I bet none of your in-laws have started unnecessary wars.

Hello CMU! In one week I'll be heading back to the Mounty for my junior (!) year in college. I may or may not blog much during ther semester, but we shall see..........

Protest Gonzales in Grand Rapids

Media Mouse is sponsoring a protest tomorrow morning. I don't know if I will be able to make it, but if you can, please feel free to do so!

From an email:

Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez is speaking at a luncheon at the Eberhard Center on the downtown campus of GVSU.

Protest his visit on the grounds that
1) he unjustly fired US Attorneys across the country, including Michigan US Attorney Margaret Chiara. These firings were political in nature and many in Congress have called for Gonzales to resign - see the video at http://impeachgonzales.org/;

2) Gonzalez is also an architect of torture in the US so- called War on Terror; and
3) Gonzalez has supporter the administration's efforts to illegally spy on people in the US.

We will meet at the walking bridge by the Eberhard Center at the downtown GVSU campus at 11:15am.

The luncheon begins at noon, so we want to greet people going to the luncheon coming from the main campus building.

Bring signs, we will have flyers to hand out. If you can't come sign the Impeach Gonzalez petition online at http://impeachgonzales.org/

The war's toll on Michigan

As you undoubtedly know, the cost of the Iraq war has gone through the roof - in terms of dollars, American and Iraqi lives lost, and wounded servicemembers, among many other statistics. Furthermore, with the money that has gone to fight this catastrophic war, millions of children could have been insured, or thousands of schools could have been built.

The National Priorities Project has released a two-page PDF document detailing the cost of the war to the state of Michigan as a whole as well as to each Congressional District.

According to the NPP, this war has cost our state roughly $12,100,000,000 - more than $1,200 per person - so far. That money could have been used to insure more than two million uninsured children. Or it could’ve paid for the construction of nearly 1,100 elementary schools.

How much has the war cost your congressional district? Click the link to find out. (You won’t be surprised at which district has paid the heaviest price.)

Bits of Tid: August 13, 2007

It's Gettin' Hot In Here Edition

• Get your Iowa Republican straw poll results here. Romney couldn't even take 2% of the vote against second-tier candidates (Thompson, McCain, and Giuliani opted not to participate). But what I find really interesting is that results of the straw poll were delayed.... by voting-machine issues!
• The saddest part of the aftermath of the straw poll: Tommy Thompson is out of the race. (Sarcastic sobbing)
• Rudy Giuliani's daughter seems to be supporting Barack Obama - and, as it turns out, so are a number of Iowa Republicans.
• Anyone for a Keyes Presidency? (This is the guy who got annihilated in the 2004 Illinois US Senate race by some guy named Barack Obama.)
• Have Oklahomans had "Inhofe" of one of their US Senators? What about Texans? Idahoans? (More on US Senate races soon.) I guess we'll find out in 450 days; it probably won't be quite that long until Kentucky gets a new Governor.
• "No one has worked harder on" emergency communications issues than Debbie Stabenow, says Harry Reid.
• West Michigan is receiving just shy of $350,000 for anti-gang programs, while Detroit will see a similar amount for crime control and prevention.

GR Press: Anti-war campaign in town to work on Ehlers

Here's The Grand Rapids Press with more:

They have been in town several weeks now, organizing meetings, attending demonstrations, handing out lawn signs, and writing letters, all aimed at changing one man's mind.

"The only person around here who can do anything about this is Vern Ehlers," said Bryan Finken, 46, a part-time philosophy professor from Denver, about the war in Iraq.

...

Their effort is part of a national campaign by a coalition of anti-war groups called Americans Against Escalation in Iraq. The effort is targeting 40 Republican members of Congress they believe may be wavering in their support for the war.

Those 40, if they change their minds, would give the war's opponents a veto-proof majority in Congress, organizers said. They call their campaign Iraq Summer, modeled after the 1964 Freedom Summer, which registered black voters in the South, and the summer of 1967 protests against the Vietnam War.

West Michigan - and America - is speaking; is Vern Ehlers listening?

Saturday Coffee Talk/Open Thread for Michigan Liberal

Happy weekend everyone!

National:

• WMU Dems: The Draft? Gen. Douglas Lute says the option of the draft is on the table.
  
• MDP: Walberg Brings Controversial House Republican leader for Fundraiser. Since when do 'Walberg' and 'controversial' fit in the same sentence?
  
• GR Press: Anti-war campaign in town to work on Ehlers. They're trying to get Rep. Vern Ehlers to vote against Iraq War spending.

State:

• Blogging For Michigan: And here come the editorial pages... Well Senator Bishop, now do you wish you had blocked BFM?
  
• Blogging for Michigan: Sen. Hunter to Senate Republicans: Support must come soon. Here's the latest in Senate Democrats' articles on the issues Michigan faces that Senate Republicans are ignoring.
  
• Houghton Mining Journal: Governor declares state of emergency with fire. Let's hope this doesn't get too much worse.
  
• Senate Dems: Renewable and Alternative Fuels -- Not just the right thing, but the SMART thing. And the economically sound thing.
  
• AP: Appeals Court judge worries Supreme Court may be seen as partisan. Really? This Michigan Supreme Court? Riiiiight.
  
• GR Press: State wants your help in creating 2008 map. MDOT officials want your input on what should and shouldn’t be included in the 2008 map.

Local:

• Kalamazoo Gazette: Sturgis rebuffs English-only petition. War? Messed-up economy? Environmental policies out of whack? Fuhgeddaboudit, we have a more pressing concern: People not speaking English! Oh please.
  
• Adrian Daily Telegram: Solar, wind, and biomass energy proposed for county buildings. They say it should pay for itself within a few years - monetarily and environmentally.

Others:

• Stone Soup Musings: It’s time to redefine compassion. What hath 'compassionate' conservatism wrought? Kathy quotes a list from Mother Jones.

So what's on your radar this weekend?

The WeekEnder: August 10-12, 2007

We are 81,000 hours away from Election Night 2016, so it must be time for Issue #7 of The WeekEnder! The WeekEnder is a weekly series that will provide a hodgepodge of information to fill your soul, make you laugh, make you cry, and inspire you.

• Making America more competitive
• Weapons not accounted for
• Is it really a crime to steal that?
• Lieberman's inevitability
• The #1 guide to electoral politics
• Raindrops
• Obama clears things up - and then some
• Use your talents
• Bush is no Treasury bond
• Good for Barry

Bush signs America COMPETES Act

Another accomplishment of the Democratic Congress:

"Today, the President signed into law the America COMPETES Act – yet another American priority put forward by the Democratic-led Congress that has taken our country in a New Direction after years of stalled progress in Washington. In the past few weeks, the President agreed to finally implement the independent 9/11 Commission recommendations – signing into law the first bill we voted on in the House, helping us make America safer – and the first federal minimum wage increase in a decade took effect, giving millions an overdue pay raise.

"Nearly two years ago, House Democrats launched our bipartisan Innovation Agenda. It helps guarantee our national security and economic prosperity, expands markets for American products, reasserts our leadership throughout the world in the decades to come, and gives future generations greater opportunity to achieve the American Dream. The America COMPETES Act fulfills much of the Democrats’ Innovation Agenda.

"By focusing and investing in four key areas – math and science education, research and development, energy independence, and small businesses – the America COMPETES Act will launch new thriving industries that will produce millions of good jobs here at home and a better future for the next generation."

Pentagon loses track of weapons
Proof that you can't trust Republicans with money or weapons:

The Pentagon has lost track of about 190,000 AK-47 assault rifles and pistols given to Iraqi security forces in 2004 and 2005, according to a new government report, raising fears that some of those weapons have fallen into the hands of insurgents fighting U.S. forces in Iraq.

The report from the Government Accountability Office indicates that U.S. military officials do not know what happened to 30 percent of the weapons the United States distributed to Iraqi forces from 2004 through early this year as part of an effort to train and equip the troops. The highest previous estimate of unaccounted-for weapons was 14,000, in a report issued last year by the inspector general for Iraq reconstruction.

Man accused of stealing urine samples

Urine good hands:

A man confessed to breaking into a Porter County probation office and stealing two urine samples, including his own, police said.

...

"He'd been in a few hours before and gave a urine sample," Balon said. "He saw they were testing for a drug he didn't think they were testing for. He panicked."

...

Chief Probation Officer Neal Hannon said he had never seen such a theft in his 37 years on the job.

"Generally, people don't have a desire to retrieve their own urine," he said.

Really?

Blog highlight of the week: Lieberman's Commanding Lead
Polling at this stage in the election cycle is very unreliable. A user at Daily Kos looks back at a 2003 poll and notes:

The Iowa Caucus may be five months away, but Joe Lieberman is walking away with the Democratic nomination. According to a national, August CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll:

August 2003, Likely Democratic Voters:
Howard Dean: 12
Wesley Clark: 2
Joe Lieberman: 23
John Kerry: 10
Dick Gephardt: 13
John Edwards: 5

With a lead like this in a national poll, what could possibly stop Lieberman? In fact, nearly every national poll shows Lieberman as the inevitable nominee.

Link of the week: Politics1
Have you ever wondered who, exactly, is running for Congress or Governor where you live? Politics1 has complete lists of everyone who holds and is running for office in the next election cycle. Owner Ron Gunzberger also provides a rundown of electoral news on the home page.

Photo of the Week: Raindrops



Video of the Week: Obama v. Dodd v. Hillary
This is the second-biggest highlight of the AFL-CIO Debate, next to Steve Skvara asking how the candidates intend to fix what's wrong with America:



Quote of the week: Henry Van Dyke
Use what talents you possess: the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best.

Government bonds vs. Bush
What's the difference between George W. Bush and government bonds?

Government bonds mature.

Final thought
I watched Barry Bonds hit #756 on Tuesday night. Let me just say this about the whole Bonds/steroids issue: He's innocent until proven guilty - if not in the court public opinion, than at least in my own opinion.

One year ago today

Let's look down Memory Lane:

Welcome to my newly created blog! Here you'll find my thoughts on politics, life at Central Michigan University (where I am a sophomore), the Tigers, and more.

A little about me:

I live in Kentwood, MI, with my parents, two dogs, and bird.

The Communications Director for the College Democrats at CMU, I recently became a card-carrying student member of both the Michigan Democratic Party and the Kent County Democratic Party. I have written letters that have appeared in Central Michigan Life and The Grand Rapids Press. I just became a precinct delegate in Kentwood. During this election season I hope to help with not only College Democrats, but also the Kent County Coordinated Campaign, David LaGrand for State Senate, and the Isabella County Democratic Party. I hope to someday serve as an elected official other than precincct delegate.

While not studying for my major in Political Science and minor in Accounting, I work at the Carey Residential Restaurant. I am also a senator in SGA, secretary of Kulhavi Hall Council, student member of an Academic Senate General Education Subcommittee, and member of ReachOut at St. Mary's University Parish.

I am a Catholic, and am not afraid to profess my love for God and the teachings of Christ. I hhave been involved with St. Mary's Church in Grand Rapids, and with St. Mary's University Parish in Mount Pleasant. I've also been active with the Knights of Columbus Council 4362, where my dad is a past grand knight.

Feel free to say hi anytime!

So began an adventure of sorts for me. Little would I realize that a year later, I would own another blog and post on many others, or that this blog would garner so much attention (i.e. MichLib's Coffee Talk). What started out as an impromptu little corner of the Web where I could share random thoughts about politics, school, and life has grown into, well, much more than that. A year ago I wouldn't have imagined that I would be posting here several times a week, or that as a blogger, I would be part of a trend that is re-shaping American politics, helping to bring the system back to We the People.

It has also been quite an active year in the world of politics as well! Among other things I have used this blog to:

• Celebrate victories by our Governor and many other Democrats;
• Pay tribute to a President;
• Welcome a new Congress;
• Pull the occasional fast one;
• Speculate;
• Dispense facts on Michigan's budget crunch;
• Discuss what would happen if the Electoral College tied;
• Debunk a few claims;
• Raise awareness about the Supreme Court and 2008;
• Reflect on our great nation; and
• Opine about our presidential candidates.

Where do I see myself and this blog one year from now? It's hard to tell. We will be in the final hundred days of the 2008 election season (unless 2000 repeats itself). I will have just been re-elected Precinct Delegate, and I just might be getting ready for a trip to Denver. Much of the rest is still a mystery, but this next year promises to be very interesting.

An update: I'm now a junior at CMU. I am no longer in Student Government (but I may return) and have stepped down from the A-Senate Subcommittee and from Hall Council. I an no longer Communications Director, but am now Blogmaster of the College Dems. Other than that, I am still involved with the Party, of course - perhaps even more so now than a year ago!

BREAKING: Urbanowski to run for re-election as Precinct Delegate

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Swifty Urbanowski, Director, Canines for Urbanowski, (616) 555-WALK

KENTWOOD - Michigan Democratic Party member, Kent County Democratic Party member, Isabella County Democratic Party member, five-time voter, owner of the Eye on Ehlers and Great Lakes, Great Times, Great Scott blogs, contributor to the Michigan Liberal, Daily Kos, Street Prophets, Swing State Project, Blue Chips, and ICDP Dispatch blogs, author of numerous letters to the editor, LaGrand for City Commission volunteer, Central Michigan University junior, former CMU Student Government Association Senator, former CMU College Democrats Communications Director, 2005 East Kentwood High School alumnus, 2004 EKHS Quiz Bowl MVP, alumnus of the EKHS Marching and Jazz Bands and American Political Thought team, late-night TV addict, game-show fan, Wait, Wait... Don’t Tell Me! listener, and all-around funny and arguably mildly attractive guy Scott Urbanowski announced Wednesday that he would seek re-election as a Democratic Precinct Delegate for Ward 1, Precinct 3, City of Kentwood, County of Kent, State of Michigan, United States of America, Western Hemisphere, Northern Hemisphere, Planet Earth, Milky Way Galaxy, in the August 5, 2008, primary election.

Urbanowski made the decision on the first anniversary of his election as Precinct Delegate, one day after voting in Tuesday’s primary election.

"People are hungry for change at all levels," said Urbanowski. "For proof of this, one need look not only at the fact that Democrats not only won control of both houses of Congress and the Michigan House, but also the two seats Democrats picked up on the Kent County Commission."

"West Michigan is a Republican stronghold, but Democrats are making gains here," noted Urbanowski, who serves a precinct in which Governor Jennifer Granholm received 44% of the vote in 2006, just four years after receiving 38% in her first election for Governor and two years after John Kerry received 39% in his bid for the White House.

"When it comes down to it, the saying ‘all politics is local’ is true," said Urbanowski. "Helping not only our Presidential ticket, but all Democrats up and down the ballot - from Congress to county office - will be my top priority in my second term."

Urbanowski first filed to become a precinct delegate at 2:45 PM on May 16, 2006, just 75 minutes before the filing deadline. He was one of three Democrats elected Precinct Delegate for his precinct in the August 8, 2006, election.

The same week he filed to become a precinct delegate, Urbanowski also became a member of the Michigan Democratic Party; those two events culminated a three-month period in which, among other things, Urbanowski voted for the first time, was elected to CMU’s Student Government Senate, and was elected Communications Director of CMU’s College Democrats.

He has since become active in the Democratic Party in other ways. He volunteered with the ICDP and KCDP in last year's election campaign. He has been active with the MDP Youth Caucus and has also been a proponent of the Michigan Blue Tiger Democrats.

Election Redux

First the bad news: Grand Rapids Community College's second attempt at a millage failed by 361 votes.

As the numbers started rolling in, I figured that it would be likely be another nailbiter; around 10:00, most of the precincts outside of Grand Rapids had reported, and I figured that the 6,000-vote margin would close when Grand Rapids came in with its numbers. Well, it did.... but not enough.

So is the GRCC millage hike just not meant to be? For now, it seems, yes. It would be nonsense for GRCC to come back a third time in November, and every indication from GRCC President Juan Olivarez's brief interview with 24 Hour News 8 is that it won't come back in the near future. But he didn't rule it out for later on. (Prediction: Look for it next May.)

Now for some better news: Congratulations to Mayor George Heartwell on his re-election. I don't know if I would have voted for him; he hasn't been perfect. But I wish him well.

I also congratulate Walt Gutowski on his election to the Grand Rapids City Commission and wish him well; I can't say I expected him (or anyone) to get 50% or more in that race! If circumstances permit, I will likely volunteer once again for David LaGrand's campaign in the fall; look for a nailbiter between him and Ruth Kelly.

Complete Kent County results can be found here.

I willl also be pulling for Dayne Walling for Mayor of Flint. Don Williamson is, let's just put it this way, a conservative. We'll see if Williamson's getting less than a third of the vote as the incumbent is a sign of weakness on his part.