Tom McMillin seeks to violate the Constitution of the United States; should he be expelled?

Michigan Messenger reports that conservative state representative Tom McMillin has introduced a bill that would ignore federal law and allow incandescent light bulbs to be manufactured in the state of Michigan.

McMillin's bill claims:

An incandescent lightbulb that is manufactured in this state without the inclusion of parts, other than generic or insignificant parts, imported from outside of this state and that remains within this state has not entered into interstate commerce and is not subject to congressional authority to regulate interstate commerce.

First of all: How does one define "generic or insignificant parts?"

Second - and more importantly - McMillin is attempting to supersede a federal law, the Energy Independence and Security Act, which phases out incandescent light bulbs.

McMillin's bill is bad enough in that it would undermine America and our energy security.

What makes it worse, however, is that McMillin is openly violating his oath to "support the Constitution of the United States and the constitution of this state" as required by Michigan's own Constitution.

Article VI of the Constitution of the United States is clear:

This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding.

So, by merely proposing this bill, Tom McMillin is violating the oath of office provided for under Michigan's Constitution by failing to uphold the United States Constitution and instead seeking to violate it.

Tom McMillin is breaking the law.

For the sake of the rule of law, Tom McMillin needs to be expelled from the Michigan House of Representatives.

Not that they'd do that to a fellow Republican, but you know they would try that if a Democrat did this.

Planting a vegetable garden? You're under arrest!

Don’t even think about planting organic vegetables in your front yard if you live in Oak Park, Michigan!

When Julie Bass planted a vegetable garden in her front yard, the last thing she expected was to be visited by city enforcement officers, ticketed for a code violation then charged with a misdemeanor and facing jail time for refusing to remove the plants.

Yes. Jail time. For planting a frickin’ VEGETABLE GARDEN.

The Bass story began in the spring with the replacement of a sewage pipe in front of the home owned by Jason and Julie Bass in Oak Park, Michigan. Instead of replanting grass Julie decided to grow a vegetable garden to be able to feed her family quality organic vegetables while giving the neighborhood children something interesting to look at instead of a grassy lawn.

"We checked with the city, we checked with the neighbors, and we planted a garden. That’s it. We now find ourselves in a storm of controversy worthy of some high level mischief, seriously? It’s a garden, it’s not a high crime or treason or murder," said Bass. "It's vegetables."

(Emphasis mine.)

So even if it is YOUR property, and even if you paid for the property and pay taxes on the property, that’s still not enough for somebody at Oak Park City Hall.

Here's a local news report that includes pictures of the suspicious garden:



The Oak Park ordinance requires that the front yard contain “suitable" live plant material. Asked if she thought it was suitable live plant material, Bass said:

It’s definitely live, it’s definitely plant, it’s definitely material.

An official from the City of Oak Park said that according to Webster’s Dictionary, the word ‘suitable’ means ‘common.’ Apparently squash and beans aren't that common - who knew?

But as the anchor of the above story asked:

Is Julie’s vegetable garden really worth the city’s time and money?

The Bass family has supporters all around the world. This petition to the Oak Park Planning Director has more than surpassed its goal (and you can still add your name to it). This Facebook page is one of the busiest I've seen lately, with some of its 13,000+ fans posting their words of support for the Bass family literally every hour. As someone in Texas said:

If a garden can be established on the lawn of the White House, why not in an average neighborhood?

And from Australia:

we can plant anywhere in our own yard here in Australia ... sounds rediculous to me that she is being charged ... and why is the reason that vegetable gardens are not suitable anyway???? Weird way to revenue raise and damage a family.

Someone even sent her a ballad that she posted on her blog:

The scofflaw, Julie Bass,
Rejected trees and grass,
And took to life of crime
With parsley, sage and thyme.

Her crime is avant garde:
The beds in her front yard
Contain illegal greens,
Like peppers, peas and beans.

Be sure to add your name to the petition and check out the Facebook page and blog dedicated to the cause. With your help, we can send the message that planting a vegetable garden is a good thing and that the Bass family should not be bullied for making such a healthy, eco-friendly choice!

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.

"Stand" - Powerful ad from VoteVets

Gotta give the VoteVets people credit - they say it a lot more powerfully than I could sometimes!

Bits of Tid: January 12, 2010

• It is Universal Letter Writing Week and Cuckoo Dancing Week. Can you celebrate both at the same time? :-)
• I cannot believe it, but I am beginning my final semester as an undergraduate student at Central Michigan University. It simply does not seem possible that in 116 days, I will be a bachelor in more ways than one!
• President Obama is getting high marks for his handling of the attempted terror attack on the plane near Detroit.
• You know, Sarah Palin has been an author, a governor, a TV anchor, a beauty pageant queen, and now she'll be on Fox News. So why doesn't Palin just jump right ahead and become an actress? Oh, wait - she was acting during the 2008 campaign.
• Dick Cheney has been unfair in his criticism of President Obama; so says Sen. Dick Lugar (R-IN).
• wizardkitten at Blogging for Michigan has both the good news and the bad news surrounding Michigan's economy and state budget.
• Want to get in touch with top advisors in the White House?

  As the first year of the Obama Administration concludes with the State of the Union, we thought it would be good to sit down with the public and take stock of what we've done over the last year, where we are now, and the tremendous amount of work that remains to bring the change the Americans want and need. That's why every day this week we're going to start the morning with a blog post from one of our top policy people looking over the past year, to be followed up by an online video chat in the afternoon.

  Check out the details here.

Bits of Tid: December 19, 2009

• My deepest condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of State Rep. Mike Simpson. Simpson represented the 65th State House district, which includes part of the Jackson area stretching up to Eaton Rapids. Simpson, just 47, died yesterday of a heart attack.
• What do I think about this healthcare reform debate at this point? To be honest, I'm conflicted. The bill as it stands in the Senate does not include a Medicare buy-in or a Public Option, but it would offer some improvements over the current 'system' we have now.
• Another thing to keep in mind: The House-passed version does include the Public Option. So nobody should assume that the Public Option is dead yet. Far from it.
• The word "Sexy" made its way to the White House blog - it was spoken by the President himself.
• From the Times of India:
  

  A ray of hope for some slum-dwellers has come all the way from the US. Students of Central Michigan University (CMU), US, which will be adopting slums in Ahmedabad as part of their CMU Clean Water Initiative (CMUCWI). Under this project, the students will bring in the HydrAid water filtration system to 500 urban poor in selected slums for a decade.
  
  Students of CMU have identified slums near Bombay Hotel, Dani Limda and Vatva for the unique project, which will start from the first quarter of 2010.

• Go to your local library or bookstore and get Ted Kennedy's True Compass. You will not be disappointed.

Bits of Tid: July 31, 2009

• Governor Granholm has issued an executive order allowing Michigan to move forward on becoming more energy efficient.
• Look at the list of President Obama's first Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients! What an amazing list - stretching from Ted Kennedy to Sandra Day O'Connor, Billie Jean King, to Desmond Tutu!
• Sen. Max Baucus ('D'-MT) has 'no idea' how he'll vote on Sotomayor's nomination next week. No idea because he's not very smart? Or because he's not very progressive? Either way, it tells me that there are other Finance Committee members who are more deserving of the Chairmanship than Baucus. (And yes, I figured out years ago that the Finance Committee does not handle SCOTUS nominations.)
• Do the Lions want another 0-16 season? It looks like the answer is yes, as evidenced by their signing of a WMU alum to their roster.
• Tigers' magic number: 60.
• Here's something neat:
  

Bits of Tid: July 27, 2009

• US home sales went up in June. We're not completely out of the woods - not by a long shot - but things may have bottomed out.
• Pollution does wonders for your IQ. Which is to say, you wonder why your IQ is so low.
• Speaking of which: Sarah Palin in late-night comedy.
• Tomorrow the Senate Judiciary Committee votes on Judge Sotomayor's nomination.
• Are you a hunter? If so, you might be interested in this.
• Facebook users: Follow the instructions and post this as your status:

  Facebook has agreed to let 3rd party advertisers use your posted pictures without your permission. Click on SETTINGS up at the top next to the log out link. Select PRIVACY. Then select NEWS FEEDS AND WALL. Next select the tab that reads FACE BOOK ADS. There is a drop down box, select NO ONE. Then SAVE your changes. (REPOST to let your friends know!)

• Five years ago tonight:
  

Bits of Tid: July 26, 2009

• The Free Press has a good article on efforts to promote Michigan-made products.
• Conservative 'fiscal restraint' at its finest.
• Here's another article from the Free Press, this one on Isle Royale National Park.
• Could things be looking up for Ford?
• Want to save some money? Wash your clothes in cold water. In one year, using hot water to wash your clothes wastes enough energy to drive a car 3,600 miles.
• Want to save some money? Wash your clothes in cold water. In one year, using hot water to wash your clothes wastes enough energy to drive a car 3,600 miles. Cold-water washing is just as effective as warm- or hot-water washing.
• Starting today, Governor Granholm has less competition in the Hottest Governor contest. Yep, today's the day Sarah Palin steps down. Of course, Palin was no competition for JG in the Smartest Governor category.
• Speaking of which, Granholm will appear tomorrow night at 9PM on CNBC's special, Meeting of the Minds. Granholm and four other intelligent people, as well as Bill Frist, will discuss healthcare reform.
• The Tigers, who came into Friday in a tie with the White Sox for first in the AL Central, have taken the first three games of this weekend's series to leap into a 3-game lead. Going into tonight's game, their magic number to clinch the AL Central is 63.
• The good news:
  
• The bad news:

MDP Announces Five Potential Ballot Proposals for 2010

What goes on with the races for Governor, Secretary of State, AG, Congress, Education Boards, Legislature, the judiciary, and local races will be important in 2010. Just as important, however, are what ballot proposals will appear. They often affect voter turnout and can even determine the outcome of other elections.

Well, at least one proposal will appear on the ballot in 2010: Voters will be asked (as they are at least every 16 years) if we should have a Constitutional Convention. But the the Michigan Democratic Party is considering putting one of five other proposals on the ballot.

And the nominees are:

• Mandating all employers to provide affordable health care for their employees and dependents or pay a penalty.
• Raising the minimum wage from $7.40/hour to $10/hour and covering all workers with no exceptions.
  
• Increasing unemployment benefits by $100/week, making all workers eligible and adding six months to the time one can receive benefits.
• Cutting utility rates by 20%.
• Imposing a one-year moratorium on home foreclosures.

Sounds good, right? Well, unfortunately, they probably won't be able to put them all on the ballot. They only have so much in terms of resources, and it takes hundreds of thousands of petition signatures to get it on the ballot.

At any rate, Brewer opted not to mince words:

“While the greedy corporate CEO’s of the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, Detroit Regional Chamber, and Detroit Renaissance are worried only about their selfish interests, the Michigan Democratic Party is focused on helping all the people of Michigan get through these tough economic times.”

“The corporate special interests are using these tough times to advance the same tired old agenda – cut jobs, wages, and benefits; reduce services; and shift taxes onto the middle class and the poor,” observed Brewer. “These proposals put people first and will help millions of Michigan citizens.”

Hot damn! Here's a guy who knows how to stand up for what it means to be a Democrat! I wish he had more company among the Blue Dogs in Congress!

Bits of Tid: July 21, 2009

• First of all, a special "thank you" to everyone who offered me support after Swifty's passing. It's been lonely around here, even for her sister, Lucy. But while I don't think anyone can completely get over the death of a companion (human or pet), I am coming to terms with her absence.
• The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, which is in charge of electing Democrats to the US House, raised twice as much money as its Republican counterpart. Good news, to be sure, especially since Republicans used to outraise Democrats by wide margins. Still, let's not let our guard down.
• Obama's in trouble, right? Wrong. He's actually doing as well as, if not a bit better than, Reagan at this point in 1981.
• Speaking of which, for all the talk of healthcare reform being on the ropes, Nate Silver tells us it's not.
• Here's an edited version of Sarah Palin's resignation speech.
• That's okay, I still support her:




• And finally, wind turbines on a Meijer store in Grand Haven:
  

Bits of Tid: June 9, 2009

• We are in the midst of National Headache Awareness Week, International Clothesline Week, National Business Ettiquete Week, and National Automotive Service Professionals Week!
• Feeling wonkish? The White House has unveiled its Roadmap to Recovery, which is aimed at keeping or adding 600,000 jobs over the course of the next several months.
• And on that note, let the building of a new mass transit system begin!
• Residents and businesses in Walker, MI, are now allowed to put wind turbines on their properties.
• Speaking of wind turbines:More here.

Who Said It?

Match the quote with the person who said it! It's more fun if you guess before you click the links!

• "I didn't come here to debate the past -- I came here to deal with future"
• "As Americans get to know gay couples and or have gay family members, or work associates ... they come to understand that these relationships are deep and worth being respect and being protected."
  
• "If my Senate Republican colleagues want to figure out a way to cut state spending and limit our budget shortfall, they should take up this legislation next week."
  
• "You don't pull out a gun if everybody in the room knows it's not loaded."
  
• "Imagine boarding a train in the center of a city. No racing to an airport and across a terminal, no delays, no sitting on the tarmac, no lost luggage, no taking off your shoes. (Laughter.) Imagine whisking through towns at speeds over 100 miles an hour, walking only a few steps to public transportation, and ending up just blocks from your destination."
  
• "This is coming out today: Rush Limbaugh’s dog says he hopes Obama’s dog fails." 
  

Who Said It?

1. David Letterman
2. McCain advisor Steve Schmidt
3. Joe Biden
4. Fmr. Sen. Rick Santorum, R-PA
5. Barack Obama
6. State Sen. Gretchen Whitmer, D-Lansing
   

Get your compact fluorescent lightbulbs here!

Just 99 cents:

Michigan officials say now is the time to buy energy-efficient light bulbs because they are being sold at a reduced rate.

Starting Wednesday, about 500,000 compact fluorescent bulbs will be available for as little as 99 cents at Kroger, Meijer and Menards stores across the state. They also will be sold at Ace Hardware stores in the Lansing area and Upper Peninsula.

The bulbs are cheaper thanks in part to a state grant.

Report: Global warming threatens national security

Let's see what kind of reaction this will get from Republicans who claim to support protecting our nation and oppose illegal immigration:

Global warming is likely to increase illegal immigration, create humanitarian disasters and destabilize precarious governments and could add to terrorism, all of which could threaten U.S. national security, according to an assessment by U.S. intelligence agencies.

"Logic suggests the conditions exacerbated (by climate change) would increase the pool of potential recruits for terrorism," said Tom Fingar, deputy director of national intelligence for analysis, who testified before a joint House committee hearing Wednesday.

Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and Central and Southeast Asia are most vulnerable to warming-related drought, flooding, extreme weather and hunger. The intelligence assessment warns of a global spillover of those troubles: increased migration and water-related disputes, he said in prepared remarks.

Climate change alone would not topple governments, but it could worsen problems like poverty, disease, migration, and hunger that could destabilize already vulnerable areas, Fingar told the committee.

Moral of the story? If you want something done about the serious issues of the day, start with global warming.

Feldman + Wheeler + Hightower + Goodman = Amazing Saturday!

I spent this past Saturday in Lansing for the Michigan Policy Summit, and boy am I excited! The summit included keynotes by Amy Goodman of Democracy NOW! and the legendary Jim Hightower. Also, Jeffrey Feldman and Marcy Wheeler, who have Michigan ties, were also there (check out Feldman's liveblog).

In addition, breakout sessions were held dealing with issues surrounding the environment, healthcare, and education.

I arrived part of the way through Amy Goodman's speech, so I didn't catch as much of what she said. She did talk about the role media must play in our society. "We need media that covers power, not media that covers for power," she declared.

She added that though the 'oil-igarchy' is powerful, there is a more powerful force out there: all of us, together.

After Goodman's speech, she and Hightower arrived for a press conference with a few of us Michigan bloggers.

Hightower said that he thought a single-payer system would be the best way of ensuring universal health coverage. Any such system would have to be adapted for the US (i.e. we can't just copy Canada's model detail-for-detail), but this type of plan has been known to work for everyone in other countries - doctors, patients, etc.

When asked about the role bloggers have to play in taking back our country, Goodman said that we need to be the ones who get important information out to the people. An uneducated populace will not always yearn for change.

Then came lunch and Hightower's speech, and if you haven't seen Hightower speak, today I learned why you have to - at least once. Here are just some of the many Hightower-isms I caught (not exact quotes):

"Nothing makes a former agriculture commissioner happy than seeing people shove food in their mouths."

The first job of a citizen is to keep your mouth open.

If not for agitators, we'd be... singing God Save the Queen.

Martin Luther King didn't say, "I have a position paper."

Noting that "we live in a remarkably progressive country," he cited a poll that showed overwhelming support for universal healthcare (even if it means an increase in taxes!), drug-price negotiation by the government, lessening the power of huge corporations, and stronger environmental policies.

But the best laugh of the day came when Hightower spoke the following:

Battling the bastards is about as much fun as you can have with your clothes on.

Feldman and Wheeler didn't speak, but they did autograph their books.

More complete coverage of today's summit can be found on Michigan Liberal, Blogging for Michigan, and Michigan Messenger.

Special thanks to the Michigan Prospect for putting on this summit, and also to the many volunteers!

Bits of Tid: December 21, 2007

• So I've been back from school for a week now, and I have 2 1/2 weeks left in my winter break. I am working on quite a few political items, including posts here and at Daily Kos... so stay tuned!
• For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere who don't get to call Kevin Rudd our Prime Minister, these nights are the shortest of the year. Not that I would know much about things that are short. (Did I just say that?)
• Of course, we all know that summer days are a lot longer than winter days - which is good for us, since solar energy is showing some promise. Too bad the same can't be said of coal. Speaking of which, I hope you’ve signed this petition on Progress Michigan.
• Dear David Agema: We have bigger things to worry about than ‘saving’ Christmas.
• Poor Tom Tancredo. Not.
• I recently celebrated my first anniversary on Daily Kos.
• One of the things I like about Senator Obama is that he backs up his talk with action. Case in point: His record in the Illinois Senate.
• Nearly 470,000 people have donated to Obama's campaign, including myself. Want to be one of them? I invite you to donate through my personal fundraising page by clicking on the Christmas tree to the right.

Bits of Tid: December 5, 2007

8,000 Hours Away Edition

• As of today at 4PM EST, we will have exactly 8,000 hours until Election Day 2008. Polls will open in Michigan starting 8,000 hours from 11 PM.
• FWIW: If all Hillary can attack Obama for is an essay he wrote in kindergarten, then he must be good.
• I must say, I'll be more worried about the Dems' White House hopes in 2008 if Mike Huckabee got the nomination than I would be if anyone else got the Repub nod. People in Arkansas like him, and until tonight I hadn't heard much dirt on him. Until I read this.
• Got gift cards? Use them. You may think I'm telling you something obvious, but lots of them go unused.
• Is activism an aphrodisiac for you? This online petition will be sent to the Legislature asking for action on legislation that will protect our Great Lakes water. They're aiming for 5,000 signatures.
• You. Must. Check. Out. Progress Michigan.
• Sign seen on the door of a study lounge in CMU's Cobb Hall:

  This room is for studying books, not anatomy.

• I have one more nomination for Lake Superior State's Banished Words List, which I will reveal to you this weekend. Stay tuned!

Help stop coal power plants from being built in Michigan

From NoCoalRush.com:

Michigan's energy future is in the crosshairs. Our state is threatened with an onslaught of at least seven more dirty coal-fired power plants that will keep Michigan locked in the energy dark ages, dependent on imported fossil fuels and producing more dangerous global warming pollution. More outdated dirty coal plants will hamper the development of clean energy and the good paying jobs that come with it.

But the Legislature can stop this from happening NOW by passing a NO NEW COAL PLANT policy until Michigan has a strong Clean Energy Plan that would:

Enact a strong renewable energy standard that requires energy providers to generate 20 percent of their electric power from renewable sources by 2020.

Enact strong statewide utility funded energy efficiency programs that result in at least 1% energy savings per year.

Protect consumers from having to absorb the skyrocketing future costs of coal burning.

Implement a long term energy plan that guarantees energy efficiency and renewable power are used before any more outdated coal plants are built.

Develop new standards for controlling the emissions of CO2.

Governor Granholm has been working tirelessly bring renewable energy to the state, which will help improve the health of both our environment and our economy. Increasing coal production will hurt our environment without offering much promise for many more new jobs. So be sure to visit NoCoalRush.com and let your lawmakers know that you support our environment and our economy and oppose the building of coal-fired power plants in Michigan.

And while you're at it, visit SmallStepBigChange.com and take the pledge to do your part.

1,000 barrels of oil pumped PER SECOND - and other astounding stats

When's the last time you heard someone say, "Every ___ seconds someone is diagnosed with cancer," or "Every ___ seconds someone dies of ___ disease"?

The World Clock is an eye-opening website that estimates several vital statistics, including the earth's temperature, population, incidences of disease, and more. Open the website, and you will see constantly updated stats for many categories for this year. Clicking each of the buttons at the top will give you data pertaining to this month, this week, and today.

• The earth's temperature rises by one billionth of a degree every three seconds.


• One thousand barrels of oil are pumped every second.


• We lose a hectare of forest about every 2.5 seconds.


• More than fifty species have become extinct today alone.


• The world's population has grown by more than five million this week - nearly the population of Colorado.