Election Recap

Nationwide
On a scale of one to ten, this election ranks about a 3. There were plenty of disappointments, but some victories that should be highlighted.

You can guess how the media is framing this: as a big election for Republicans. But let's dig deeper.

I'm not surprised that the Republicans won the New Jersey and Virginia races. Dems had held those governorships for some time now, and neither Jon Corzine nor Creigh Deeds were all that progressive - in other words, they didn't exactly stand up for Democratic values.

Meanwhile, in New York's 23rd Congressional District, President Obama's cunning political strategy of appointing a moderate Republican from a not-so-Republican district to an administration post to get another Dem vote in Congress has paid off. Bill Owens (D) has defeated Conservative Doug Hoffman by a small margin after even the Republican nominee endorsed Owens.



Locally

I was disappointed to see Commissioner Jim Jendrasiak lose in Grand Rapids. He is a perennial target for some people, and it's sad to see that they were able to knock him off this time. Next time, Jim!

Speaking of next time, congratulations also are due Ben Barker, the 21-year-old CMU student who came in fifth out of seven candidates. Not bad, considering that (a) this was his first race; (b) he's a student; (c) he ran against the three incumbents, all of whom won; and (d) he outpolled two others. His future is bright! Congratulations also to Bruce Kilmer, an involved Mt. Pleasant Democrat and incumbent Commissioner who won.

And what about Kentwood? The city saw its first contested race for City Commission since 2003, and Mayor Rick Root was unopposed for a third term. (Kentwood has not seen a contested race for mayor since 1997.) The contest was in the second ward. Incumbent Frank Raha III's day job is with Republican State Rep. Dave Hildenbrand, so hearing that he lost to Ray Verwys might not seem all that bad - except for the fact that VerWys is a 'tea party' activist. Only 1,033 votes were cast between those two, as only 6% of those in the 2nd ward showed up.

Southern Michigan played home to both the biggest pleasant surprise (the approval of a gay-rights referendum) and disappointment (Mike Nofs's election to the State Senate) of the night.

What does this all mean?

There are plenty of ways to look at these results.

For one thing, the typically low turnout that we often see in "off-year" elections was seen once again this year. Many people don't realize that the decisions their local leaders make can be even more important than some of those made by the President, Congress, and the like. Our votes for city commission, mayor, etc., are much more important than our votes for American Idol or Dancing with the Stars. (Okay, I will admit to having voted a couple times on Idol).

Furthermore, this election is a good excuse for progressives to intensify their efforts to bring change to our communities and our nation. Gay-rights advocates saw mixed results; the Maine vote was particularly disheartening, but its closeness reminds us that the fight cannot end now!

In closing, I leave you with two quotes:

"Dr. King once said that the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends towards justice. It bends towards justice, but here is the thing: it does not bend on its own. It bends because each of us in our own ways put our hand on that arc and we bend it in the direction of justice." - Barack Obama

"The work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die." - Ted Kennedy

Bits of Tid: October 26, 2009

• We're getting closer and closer to meaningful healthcare reform! Senator Reid is backing a public option with the option of allowing states to back out of it. While I can't say I agree with the opt-out provision, what is being offered now is certainly a lot better than what we have currently in our healthcare system.
• How's that No Worker Left Behind program working for Michigan?

  Of the nearly 34,360 people who finished training between August 2007 and February 2009, about 24,700, or 72 percent, either retained work or got a new job, while about 9,660, or 28 percent, were still looking for a job, according to the report being released Monday. It found more than 16,840 kept their jobs and about 7,860 found new employment.
  
  No Worker Left Behind offers up to $10,000 over two years to workers who attend community colleges or other training programs. It's overseen by the Michigan Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth, which compiled the review.

Bits of Tid: October 15, 2009

• RNC website fail.
• Boy oh boy, this Mackinac Island GOP drinking scandal is getting hot!
  
• Speaking of which, First Dog Bo is dealing with a major scandal himself: It appears he may have pooped on Air Force One!
  
• So this is why he won the Nobel Prize!
  
  
• Tigers' magic number: 163.

Our President, the Nobel Laureate

"The whole of my remaining realizable estate shall be dealt with in the following way: the capital, invested in safe securities by my executors, shall constitute a fund, the interest on which shall be annually distributed in the form of prizes to those who, during the preceding year, shall have conferred the greatest benefit on mankind. The said interest shall be divided into five equal parts... one part to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses."

-from the Will of Alfred Nobel

According to the Norwegian Nobel Committee:

Obama has as President created a new climate in international politics. Multilateral diplomacy has regained a central position, with emphasis on the role that the United Nations and other international institutions can play. Dialogue and negotiations are preferred as instruments for resolving even the most difficult international conflicts. The vision of a world free from nuclear arms has powerfully stimulated disarmament and arms control negotiations. Thanks to Obama's initiative, the USA is now playing a more constructive role in meeting the great climatic challenges the world is confronting. Democracy and human rights are to be strengthened.

Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world's attention and given its people hope for a better future. His diplomacy is founded in the concept that those who are to lead the world must do so on the basis of values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world's population.

For 108 years, the Norwegian Nobel Committee has sought to stimulate precisely that international policy and those attitudes for which Obama is now the world's leading spokesman. The Committee endorses Obama's appeal that "Now is the time for all of us to take our share of responsibility for a global response to global challenges."

Who in the past year has done nearly as much as President Obama to advance the cause of peace in our world?

As Americans, we are truly fortunate to be led by someone who has dedicated himself not only to making our country better, but making our world more peaceful.

Congratulations, Mr. President! You have earned this. May your work continue to benefit the cause of peace for all mankind!

Matthew Shepard Act on fast track to becoming law

Found in my inbox, from Senator Carl Levin:

This week, Congress took an important step to protect those who have been targeted because of the color of their skin, their religion, their disability, their gender, or their sexual orientation.

Yesterday, the Senate and House Armed Services Committees agreed to a final version of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 that included the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. This legislation will likely be passed by both Houses of Congress and signed into law by President Obama in the coming days.

As Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I am delighted that we were able to include this landmark legislation in the National Defense Authorization Act because it embodies values of diversity and freedom that our men and women in uniform fight to defend.

As Senator Ted Kennedy said in 2007 when we debated this legislation:

"We want to be able to have a value system that is worthy for our brave men and women to defend. They are fighting overseas for our values. One of the values is that we should not, in this country, in this democracy, permit the kind of hatred and bigotry that has stained the history of this Nation over a considerable period of time. We should not tolerate it. We keep faith with these men and women who are serving overseas when we battle that hatred and bigotry and prejudice at home."

According to the FBI, between 1998 and 2007, more than 77,000 hate crimes incidents were reported. The trend is up for hate crimes based on sexual orientation - with a six percent increase in such crimes in the most recent year for which statistics are available, from 1,195 in 2006 to 1,265 in 2007. This is a major new category of hate crimes that would be covered, for the first time, by this legislation.

This law would punish violent acts, not beliefs. It would provide federal protection for victims of violent crimes where the offender intentionally selects the victim because of his or her actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, ethnicity, gender, disability, or sexual orientation.

I want to emphasize that this legislation only applies to violent, bias-motivated crimes and does not infringe on any conduct protected by the First Amendment. The right to organize against, preach against and speak against any way of life is left intact with this legislation.

We must make America a fully inclusive nation, a country that does not tolerate violent acts against individuals because of who they are. I am proud to be able to report that this week we have taken a very important step toward that goal.

While I can't say I agree with putting it in the Defense Authorization Bill, I'm glad this is going to become law soon.

Bits of Tid: October 3, 2009

• Brianne Hovey, whom I knew from CMU's College Democrats, passed away this week. She had such a warm smile, and her personality always made it delightful to be with her. I am grateful to have known her. My thoughts and prayers are with her and her entire family.
• From a letter in The Wall Street Journal recently:
  

  If a corporation is indeed a "person" under the law, then let's just elect Goldman Sachs as president and the Fortune 500 to Congress, and eliminate the middleman.

• There's a great rant on Daily Kos about those who say they're patriotic, but celebrated the fact that the Olympics won't be in the USA in 2016.
  
• Speaking of which, whaddya say we bring the Winter Olympics to Wasilla, AK, in 2018? I'm probably the first person to toss that idea around. Still, how can you not say 'You Betcha!' to that idea? :-)
• Here's a humble suggestion: At least once a year, check out a high school football game. Not necessarily one in which your alma mater is playing, just any high school game. I had the chance to go to a Mt. Pleasant game last weekend and a Sacred Heart Academy game this weekend. Both were pretty neat.

Birthers, Baggers, Booze, and Buying Ballots

From the clever, yet brutally honest, folks at the Michigan Democratic Party, in regards to last weekend's Repoublican foray to Mackinac Island:

• With a dozen private jets parked at the Pellston Airport and more private planes at the Island airport, you could see the Michigan GOP cared little about the suffering of the people of Michigan while they partied for 3 days leaving the state budget unresolved.
• Michigan GOP Chair Ron Weiser claims “record attendance.” However, attendance was inflated by numerous Birthers and Tea Baggers, aka Tea Party activists, as well as by hundreds of people paid to attend so they would vote in the straw poll. If not for all those extremists and paid-for voters (doesn’t the GOP allegedly oppose vote-buying?), attendance would have been down significantly, reflecting a smaller and depressed GOP base in Michigan.
• Mike Cox had a very bad weekend. In the debut of campaign manger Dan Pero, L. Brooks Patterson declared the gubernatorial candidate debate a draw and Cox lost the straw poll to Rick Snyder despite spending tens of thousands of dollars on hotel rooms (three nights for scores of people), food, transportation, registration fees, jackets, customized signs, literature, lawn signs, and parties.

Those are just three of the bullet points. Hop to the above link and see the whole thing.

How do you know if your lawmaker is a Democrat?

I'll give you a hint: Whether or not someone calls themself a Democrat is not the greatest indicator of whether someone really is one. (You probably knew that, right?)

See, real Democrats are the ones who stand up for ordinary people. They show - by their actions, not just by their words - that they want excellent healthcare, a clean environment, and did I mention a quality education for all young people?

Take these highlights from the 2008 Michigan Democratic Party platform:

Provide unprecedented educational funding. Under Governor Granholm’s leadership, per-student public school funding has been increased to record level of over $7,300 per student.

Make higher education available for all. Higher education is vital to success in the new economy. Under the leadership of Lt. Governor John Cherry, the Lt. Governor’s Commission on Higher Education and Economic Growth devised a comprehensive plan to double the number of Michigan residents with a college degree or other valuable educational credential. Michigan Democrats vigorously support the plan and applaud the progress toward implementation.

Democrats want to make sure higher education and technical training in high-growth fields is accessible and affordable to all. Governor Granholm’s $4,000 Michigan Promise Scholarship, available to all high school graduates, helps ensure that they can go to college or receive post-secondary training.

Kinda makes you wonder about people like George Cushingberry, one of three people with a D by their name who were part of a panel that cut the Michigan Promise scholarship.

Or those Blue Dog 'Democrats' in Congress who choose profits instead of people's lives.

Happy Constitution Day!

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Bits of Tid: September 7, 2009

• From the one and only Walter Reuther:

  "This country is my country too, you know. I am not a second class citizen, and I don't intend to start acting like one...just because they pay a worker, does not mean they own him."

  Happy Labor Day!
• "U.S. Economy Gets Lift From Stimulus." So says that bastion of liberalism, The Wall Street Journal.
• A Seattle rally for healthcare reform, attended by 3,000 people, doesn't make the paper.
• Hard work? Staying in school? Obama's a socialist! (/snark) But most people aren't buying that.
• Ernie Harwell, 91, has inoperable cancer.
• Good news for the Tigers? Their magic number is 20. They lead the AL Central by 7. I don't want to curse them, but it looks like they're running away with it!