High-Speed Rail: Florida's Loss is Michigan's Gain

From the Detroit Free Press:

Michigan will get $200 million to upgrade rail lines and a share of another $336 million for new high-performance trains and other equipment to build a high-speed rail network between Detroit and Chicago, the Obama administration announced today.

The federal government is awarding $2 billion to expand high-speed rail nationwide, money that Florida turned back earlier this year, and Michigan was one of 24 states competing for the funding. The U.S. Department of Transportation said 15 states and Amtrak will receive money for 22 high-speed intercity passenger rail projects that the government said will connect 80% of Americans to high-speed rail in 25 years.

This is part of an important step the Obama Administration is taking to promote environmentally friendly travel - and the latest in a string of victories for Michigan eco-advocates, who last week helped Grand Rapids and other cities expand their public transit systems.

By turning down Florida's share of the money, Gov. Rick Scott did not simply stop this investment from being made. Instead, the money would simply be reassigned to other states. Tiday we learned that Michigan would be one of those states.

How will the funds be used?

The largest share of Michigan’s money, $196.5 million, will go to rehabilitate track and signals on a 235-mile section between Dearborn and Kalamazoo. In addition, Michigan and several other Midwest states including Illinois and Indiana will share $268.2 million to pay for 48 high-performance passenger rail cars and seven quick-acceleration locomotives.

These days, it is important for businesses and people to be able to move from one place to another quickly and with little cost. Since the majority of us Michiganians (NOT Michiganders, if you ask me!) live within 15 miles of an Amtrak station, this investment will be very helpful.

This news comes less than a week after voters in Grand Rapids, East Grand Rapids, Kentwood, Wyoming, Walker, and Grandville passed a millage increase to expand public transportation in the Grand Rapids metro area. The millage passed by a margin of 17,284-17,148. Other localities in the state passed similar measures last week.

Letter to the Editor: Obama has already accomplished much

It's been a few years since I did one of these. This one appeared in Monday's Grand Rapids Press - the front page of which featured the headline "Bin Laden Dead" in all caps - meaning many people probably got that particular issue.

I am glad President Barack Obama has decided to run for re-election. His character, competence, and courage make him one of the best Presidents in the post-FDR era.

Thanks to him, our economy is recovering from the Bush Recession. America’s auto industry is not just surviving - it's thriving. More people have access to health insurance. Our government is more transparent than it was before. Combat operations in Iraq are over, as Obama promised during the 2008 campaign. Thanks to Nobel laureate Obama, recent polls show that the United States is the most respected country in the world - a remarkable change from the Bush years.

These are all huge achievements - achievements which most Presidents would be unable to do in eight years, much less 27 months. It would be hard to list all of President Obama’s accomplishments thus far, but suffice it to say that he is that rare kind of President who usually only comes around once or twice in a person's lifetime.

Principled, patriotic, and progressive, Obama is what we all should want in a President. I look forward to giving him the support he has earned. God bless our nation and our President!

And it came to pass - by 136 votes!

Interurban Transit Partnership Millage Proposal
YES - 17,284 - 50.2%
NO - 17,148 - 49.8%

Having been involved with the GOTV vote for the Rapid Yes campaign, I can tell you that it was a privilege to play such a pivotal role in this very important initiative. Thank goodness this passed - without it, they would have had to settle for a renewal of the existing 1.12-mill rate next year, passage of which would have been critical for the Rapid to even function thereafter.

Instead, just enough voters ignored the demands of tea party favorite Eric Larson - who led the 'vote no' campaign despite not even living in the Rapid service area. The millage passed by 0.94 votes per precinct. There were 615 undervotes in this race (which is the number of people who voted in the 6-city Rapid service area but didn't vote on the Rapid/ITP question); that is 4 1/2 times the margin by which it passed.

Because the proposal passed, we will move toward having a world-class public transit system here in Grand Rapids.

Grand Rapids Community College Trustee
Bert Bleke - 27,985 - 35%
Richard Stewart - 19.804 - 25%
Fred Sebulske - 18,604 - 23%
Frank Murin - 13,696 - 17%

Bleke and Stewart replace incumbents Janice Maggini and Michael Stearns, who did not run for re-election.

When Bleke filed to run, I figured he'd be a favorite to win based on his name recognition alone (which is critical in an obscure office like GRCC Trustee). Stewart was helped (or possibly hurt) by a robocall made on his behalf by state Rep, Dave Agema. Sebulske was the only person I voted for who did not win - his narrow, 1,200-vote loss puts him in good position for victory in 2013 or 2015, if he runs. Frank Murin - who lost a race for State House last year - mentioned on all his campaign signs that he was a Republican. Evidently, calling yourself a Republican doesn't work as well as it used to around here.

It seemed like a lot of conservatives voted for Murin and Stewart (who were endorsed by Right to Life), while many on the left (including myself) voted for Bleke and Sebulske. I was concerned that Stewart and Murin would win in a landslide, which is why I am pleasantly surprised that Bleke did so well and that the little-known Sebulske came so close.

Considering that 54,207 Kent County voters voted, and that each voter can vote for up to two people, there were 28,325 undervotes in this race.

Kentwood School Board
Mimi Madden* - 2,430 - 39%
Angie Forton - 1,984 - 32%
Kevin Rex Heine - 1,792 - 29%

Madden wins her third term, while Forton replaces the legendary Bill Joseph, who was first elected at the end of my second-grade year.

Heine, a Republican precinct delegate, had no campaign signs, while Madden's and Forton's signs were often paired with each other - one would rarely find a Madden sign without a Forton sign, and vice versa. That Heine nonetheless did so well tells me that he likely ran a word-of-mouth campaign.

There were a number of close elections, including:

Grandville Public School Board
Robert Wondergem* - 2,455 - 33.9%
Christine Buck - 2,399 - 33.2%
Steve Zinger* - 2,378 - 32.9%

Harper Creek Community Schools Operating Millage
YES - 884 - 50.5%
NO - 866 - 49.5%

Montcalm Community College Operating Millage
YES - 3,754 - 49.95%
NO - 3,762 - 50.05%

Orchard View School Board
Robert Larabee - 527 - 40.23%
Chuck White - 392 - 29.92%
Shirley Haase - 391 - 29.85%

Yep. One single vote. On the other hand:

Zeeland Electrical Equipment Sale Proposal
YES - 625
NO - 15

Who are those 15, and why did they vote against it?

Happy Election Day!

Polls are now open across Michigan for school and millage elections.

For most of us, this marks the first chance to go to the polls and make our voice heard since the November 2010 'shellacking' and the Republican attempts to overreach with their newfound power.

Many school districts will have elections for their school boards. With Governor Snyder's attacks on education, it is critical that we have intelligent, levelheaded leaders helping to lead our schools. These elections are also very important because school board members often go on to run for 'bigger and better' things in Lansing and DC. Today will be a good chance to get progressives in local offices while stopping tea partiers from underminimg our kids' education at the local level.

Here in Kent County, we will be electing two new trustees for Grand Rapids Community College. I'm supporting Bert Bleke and Fred Sebulske over their tea party opposition.

There are also plenty of millage proposals on the ballot, from public safety in Flint to public transportation in Greater Grand Rapids. The well-being of our communities depend on passage of many of these millages. In this era of 'emergency financial managers' and 'watch lists,' many of these millage proposals are very important.

So take a vew minutes to VOTE today and remind your friends to vote! Polls are now open, and will close at 8PM.

For Good Friday - no comment needed.

2012 DNC delegates to be selected via May caucus

While many of you were/are in Lansing, I have been spending my day (a) interviewing for a job, (b) listening to our President, and (c) skimming through the Michigan Democratic Party's Draft Delegate Selection Plan for the 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte.

From a press release:

The caucus will occur on May 5, 2012 with district-level delegates and alternates elected at congressional district conventions on June 2, 2012 and statewide delegates and alternates elected at a State Central Committee meeting on June 23, 2012.

Michigan has 177 delegates and 13 alternates to the National Convention. Those numbers will be increased by holding the caucus in May under an incentive system adopted by the DNC.

A draft delegate selection plan (DSP) was posted on the MDP website today, beginning a 30-day public comment period. The plan will be considered for adoption by the State Central Committee at its May 14, 2011 meeting in Mt. Pleasant.

Here's the draft Delegate Selection Plan. The plan will be put up for a vote at State Central next month in Mount Pleasant.

The allocation of delegates to various Presidential candidates will depend on the candidates' performance in the state as a whole as well as in each Congressional district (the districts being the current ones, i.e. those adopted after the 2000 Census). Delegates are distributed proportionally to those who get at least 15% of the caucus vote in a district or the state overall.

What does this mean? Obama will probably get most/all of the delegate votes unless either (a) he gets a credible primary challenger and that challenger is still in the race in May (after several primaies/caucuses have been held), or (b) enough disenchanted Democrats (which I doubt there really are that many among the MDP's membership, but that's for another time) care enough to show up at the caucuses to vote 'Uncommitted.' Remember from the 2008 primary that 'Uncommitted' is automatically listed just like a candidate, but whether Uncommitted can get 15% of the vote is up in the air.

Here's hoping I'll see you in Charlotte!

Bits of Tid: March 31, 2011

• Guess who wants Wisconsin State Senator Randy Hopper recalled? His wife.


• It looks like Tim Pawlenty is on the cusp of running for President. He and Huckabee may be two of the more formidable challengers for Obama - Pawlenty, perhaps more than Huckabee. Neither of them have much (that I know of, at least) that could be used against them. At least not on the order of Romney's flip-flopping, Gingrich's many scandals, and Bachmann's extremism.


• For those of you complaining that Obama shouldn't spend time filling out his bracket, with all that's going on in the world: (a) Even the President needs a break - especially Obama, given all he's had to deal with; (b) Don't tell me you wouldn't fill out a bracket if you were President; and (c) Explain why you (most of you, anyway) voted for this guy:


• For those of you complaining about Obama being in Latin America while ordering airstrikes in Libya: It's the 21st Century. Everything the President needs to make these decisions is easily accessible when he's traveling abroad.


• We don't know all the details about Libya (as much as some of us think we do). But I do know that after 8 years of You-Know-Who, it's good to have a thinking President again.


• Don't you just hate it when government butts in and tells us what kind of internet service we can and cannot get?


• Will someone PLEASE stand up for those downtrodden, overtaxed big businesses?


• Perhaps Hillary should reconsider not running for President again: 66% of Americans view her favorably.

Cue the Buyer's Remorse: Bernero would likely beat Snyder today

So says Public Policy Polling. The press release is in PDF form and it won't let me copy and paste, but here are a few highlights:

• Of poll respondents who didn't vote, Bernero leads 37-32%
• 47% would back Bernero, 45% would back Snyder
• Snyder's approval rating is 33% (with 50% disapproval)
• Collective bargaining rights are favored 59-32%; a constitutional amendment to ensure these rights would be backed by 49-37%
• Snyder's EFM power grab is opposed 50-32%

What does this tell us?

• Now that people know who Snyder is and what he stands for, they don't like him. No surprise.
• People have said that turnout was a big factor in the disastrous results. Well, this shows that it was. It also shows that with better turnout, Bernero wouldn't have had to persuade that many independents and others to vote for him in order for him to win.
• We didn't have to lose the 2010 election. The only reasons we did were because of bad turnout and the lack of funds needed to define the campaign on OUR terms, as opposed to their terms. (Hiring more paid staffers would've helped too, had we had the $$.)

That last point is important because it speaks to an issue I've noticed among many Democrats in recent months: The lack of a 'Yes We Can' attitude toward getting things done. I heard someone say as early as May 2009 that we wouldn't win the governorship. That attitude prevailed throughout the entire campaign, despite the fact that Michigan is a Democratic-leaning state. The reality is, if more people realized that we could have won... we might've won. People were happy to jump on board the campaign of Barack "Yes We Can" Obama, but who would want to volunteer for a campaign that they thought would be impossible to win? And more importantly, why did so many Democrats feed that mindset?

Another example: There was a mindset being pushed by many of the House Democrats that said, "Hey look, we're not going to win the State Senate, so support us instead." I asked a House Dem operative to elaborate on why he thought we wouldn't win the Senate, and all he could say was, "The numbers just aren't there." Turns out, the numbers WERE there. Had we kept the Senate seats we lost, we could've won back the Senate with LaGrand, Hopewell, Valentine, and Law. And with better turnout, we would have won the Senate. Instead, thanks to a fragmented campaign, the other side ended up with a 63-47 majority in the House when many people thought it impossible for Republicans to even get 56 seats. What a damn shame.

Yet another example: There is a YouTube video that was very popular among many of my Facebook friends and that was shared very widely, called "Michigan is screwed." That video was of a Rachel Maddow segment about the EFM bill. MSNBC had their own video of that segment, but the title didn't allude to us being 'screwed.' Someone I hadn't heard from in a LONG time posted the "Michigan is screwed" video on my FB wall, and before long I found the video on quite a few of my friends' FB pages.

I was even invited to an 'event' called "Michigan is F**ked." Yeah, really.

I could go on, but all I'll add is that what's going on now would not be going on if Democrats had done better in November. And Democrats would have done better if more of us had a better mindset - a mindset of doing what it takes to win, rather than a mindset of tearing down fellow Democrats and conceding an election long before it even takes place. But I mention all of this because the 2010 election has many lessons to offer us, and it is critical that these lessons be learned.

Dear Abby joke

Bet you won't expect the punchline to this one:

Dear Abby,

I am a resident of Los Angeles. My parents live in a suburb of Miami. They have recently been arrested for selling crack cocaine to a kindergarten class and are currently dependent on my other two sisters, who are prostitutes in Miami. I have two brothers, one who is currently serving a non-parole life sentence in Texas for murder. The other is currently in jail in Alabama on charges of incest.

I have recently become engaged to marry a former prostitute who lives in Los Angeles and indeed is still a part-time "working girl." We intend to marry as soon as possible and are currently looking into the possibility of opening our own brothel with my fiance utilizing her knowledge of the industry working as the manager. I am hoping my two sisters would be interested in joining our team. Although I would prefer them not to prostitute themselves, at least it would get them off the streets and hopefully the heroin.

My problem is this: I love my fiancee and look forward to bringing her into the family and of course I want to be totally honest with her. Should I tell her about my cousin who is a strong Scott Walker supporter?

Signed,
Worried About My Reputation

Coming Soon to a Ballot near you, Part II: Proposals

Welcome to Part II of a post-2010 election, pre-2012 election miniseries here on Great Lakes, Great Times, Great Scott, titled "Coming Soon to a Ballot Near You." Part one, on candidates who may make a comeback, can be found here.

Michigan residents have voted on 19 statewide ballot proposals since 2000. These proposals have legalized medical marijuana and stem cell research; banned gay marriage and affirmative action; and restricted eminent domain, felons serving in office, and pay increases for lawmakers. Voters have also blocked mandates on education funding, mourning dove hunting, the elimination of the 'straight-ticket' voting option, and school vouchers.

Despite Michigan's recent history with controversial ballot proposals, the two that appeared on the 2010 ballot garnered very little attention - and the results of each were decisive. Proposal 1, the proposal for a Constitutional convention which appears on the ballot every 16 years, was defeated by a 2-1 margin, while Proposal 2 passed by a 3-1 margin, thus preventing certain felons from holding elective office until 20 years after their conviction.

The lack of controversy from last year's ballot proposals may have contributed to the low turnout in this year's gubernatorial election. Nearly 570,000 fewer voters showed up at the polls in this year's gubernatorial election compared to 2006 - despite nicer weather and the fact that an unusually high number of seats were open.

But with the 2012 campaign starting to warm up, activists on all sides of various issues are getting ready to collect signatures to put various proposals on the 2012 ballot. Debate surrounding ballot proposals often influences the debate surrounding offices on the ballot. Recall, for instance, the considerable debate surrounding Bush, Gore, and vouchers in 2000, as well as Bush, Kerry, and gay marriage in 2004.

With 3,226,088 people having voted in the 2010 election for Governor, a ballot proposal would need the following number of signatures to get on the ballot, depending on the type of proposal:

• For a Constitutional amendment: 322,609 signatures


• For an initiative statute: 258,088 signatures


• For a referendum on a bill passed by the Legislature and signed by the Governor: 161,305 signatures

So the bar has been set a little lower due to the low turnout in the gubernatorial election, meaning this could be the best chance supporters of a certain issue have to get a proposal on the ballot. Result? 2012 could be the busiest year, proposal-wise, that Michigan has had since 1996.

What issues could be the topics of ballot-proposal discussion in 2012?

Mining: Supporters attempted to get a proposal on the 2010 ballot that would have severely restricted mining in Michigan. They say they will try again for the 2012 ballot.

Healthcare: Opponents of President Obama's healthcare law failed to get a measure on the ballot that would have apparently stopped the healthcare law from taking effect in Michigan. A similar measure passed in Missouri last year.

Term limits: This is one of those that is often talked about, but hasn't been on the ballot since the current limits were enacted in 1992. Since then, individuals have been eligible to serve three 2-year terms in the House and two 4-year terms as a State Senator, Attorney General, Lieutenant Governor, and Governor. Petitions were circulated in 2010 to eliminate term limits, but it didn't make it to the ballot. A group is trying to get it on the ballot in 2012; their proposal also calls for the elimination of the state Senate.

Rights of state employees: The same group attempting to get the term limits/get-rid-of-the-Senate proposal on the ballot is also pushing for three ballot proposals that would curtail the rights of working Michiganians. These proposals would ban collective bargaining by our hard-working state employees; make Michigan what I call a "Work for Less" state; and repeal the Public Employment Relations Act. The Legislature is considering bills that would do these things, thus possibly making these efforts irrelevant. However, if such bills are passed and signed into law, don't be surprised if labor groups unite to force these issues onto the ballot via referendum.

Casinos: Following the passage of Proposal 1 in 2004, new casinos may only be opened following a statewide vote to approve such casinos. If the group Michigan Is Yours gets their way, we could have seven new casinos opening across the state after the 2012 election.

(Historical fun fact: Another provision of the 1992 proposal had limited members of the US Congress from Michigan to six 2-year terms in the House and two 6-year terms in the Senate; however, like other term limits laws affecting members of Congress, the Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional to invoke restrictions on serving in Congress beyond what is already in the Constitution (being of a certain age, living in the US a certain period of time, and living in the state you wish to represent in Congress).)

Government reform: In 2008, a number of Michigan Democrats tried to get a detailed proposal on the ballot that was called "Reform Michigan Government Now. Among other things, the proposal would have reduced the number of state lawmakers and judges; curbed state lawmakers' retirement benefits; mandated a paper trail for all elections; prohibited election officials from being involved in campaigns for elections they directed; and established a commission to conduct redistricting. Each of these issues could be placed on the 2012 ballot separately, although the one on redistricting may wait until later in the decade.

So what should progressive Democrats like us do?

Given that Republicans control the entire Legislature, there may be a lot of bills passed by the Republicans in Lansing that end up being both bad politics and bad policy. In addition to the anti-worker efforts mentioned above, there is also a bill to eliminate the Earned Income Tax Credit. Forcing these laws onto the ballot by referendum could prove to be a very worthwhile strategy.

Ah, but there's a catch. See, any bill that includes an appropriation of some sort is not subject to a referendum. That was the reason the state Supreme Court blocked a referendum on the controversial concealed weapons law of 2001. If referenda on destructive Republican legislation are prohibited by such appropriations, we could still reverse these laws through the initiative process.

Either way, promoting our stances on issues via ballot proposals is an effort Democrats should definitely undertake. Win or lose on the proposal itself, this strategy would give otherwise apathetic voters - many of them Democrats/Obama supporters - a reason to vote.

And if 2010 taught us anything, it's that they sure do need a reason to vote.