Stop the movement to crush labor unions

Fifth in a series on the ballot proposals on Michigan’s November 6, 2012 ballot. Read them all HERE.

I have written about Proposal 2 since it was first conceived under the banner of “Protect Our Jobs”. It later was renamed “Protect Working Families” in recognition of the fact that supporting the right of our labor brothers and sisters to bargain collectively for better wages, benefits and working conditions benefits ALL working families in our state.

Details on why you should VOTE YES! ON PROPOSAL 2 AND PROTECT WORKING FAMILIES after the jump.

Do NOT let the tea party and Mackinac Center assume control

Fourth in a series on the ballot proposals on Michigan’s November 6, 2012 ballot. Read them all HERE.

Of all of the proposals on Michigan’s 2012 ballot, Prop 5 is probably the most insidious. Carefully cloaked in simple language, it appears benign. All they are asking for, say proponents, is a simple two-thirds majority vote in both the State House AND the State Senate on any tax increases. Seems pretty straightforward.

It’s not. If Prop 5 passes, it will ensure that Michigan never sees a revenue increase again. Period. No arguing here. Because, seriously, people, when did 2/3 of both chambers of the State Legislature EVER agree on anything? It means that this state will be stuck at the level of revenue it has now. And it’s worth reminding you that the Michigan Republicans just enacted a massive $2 billion a year tax break.

More after the jump.

Janice Daniels: too stupid to govern

Tea Party Mayor of Troy, Michigan and all around embarrassment to the state of Michigan, Janice Daniels, is in the news again for once again displaying an astonishing level of ineptitude and stupidity. I have written about Daniels multiple times in the past and it’s hard to say which of the highly offensive and insulting things that she has done is the worst. This instance certainly must be a top contender.

At a recent ceremony to recognize an amazing community member, Mary Kerwin, she chose instead to disrespect her by arguing with her before presenting her a Proclamation of Recognition for being the Troy Distinguished Citizen of the Year for 2012.

I’m not kidding. More after the jump.

“I’m doing it the hard way but I’m doing it the RIGHT way…”

I first met Democratic candidate Democratic candidate Betsy Coffia at the Vagina Monologues rally at the state Capitol last summer. Even in the cacophony of hundreds of fired up women dressed in bright pink, Coffia stood out with her energy and fire. It’s a passion for making positive change that she’s bringing to her unique campaign in Michigan’s 104th State House district, a traditionally Republican area that includes Traverse City that she’s trying to turn blue.

Coffia is running her campaign, as she did her primary, without taking any money from PACs, Super PACs or from out of state. Read my interview with Coffia and find out more about her exciting campaign after the jump.

The following guest post is by Chad Cyrowski and my good pals at Progress Michigan. They have done the research and put together a fine voters guide for some of the ballot initiatives on the Michigan 2012 ballot along with a new website to help you get informed. I endorse their selections.

– Chris

31 myths in 41 minutes.

That’s how many times Mitt Romney lied, stretched, and fabricated his own truth in the last debate. He even lied about his infamous “Let Detroit Go Bankrupt” prescription for Michigan’s auto industry.

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. In Michigan, well-heeled special interests backed by large corporations and wealthy individuals will spend millions of dollars on slick TV ads to get your support. So the Michigan League of Responsible Voters is taking their case directly to Michigan’s voters with a no-nonsense ballot proposal guide. Be responsible. Get informed. Check it out at LeagueOfResponsibleVoters.org.

Much more after the jump.

Keep following the money, folks

Second in a series on the ballot proposals on Michigan’s November 6, 2012 ballot. Read them all HERE.

Proposal 4 — the Keep Home Care a Safe Choice ballot initiative — is all but a no-brainer for me. It will protect both patients and those who care for them. It goes without saying that our home health care providers are doing yeoman’s work caring for our most vulnerable citizens. These unsung heroes do the hard and indescribably valuable and necessary work to keep patients receiving home care comfortable and able to stay in their own homes. Not only that, they do it for a relative pittance while saving our health care system an enormous amount of money.

Details on why you should VOTE YES! ON PROPOSAL 4 ON THE NON-PARTISAN SECTION OF THE NOVEMBER BALLOT after the jump.

Follow the money

Changing energy policy in our country is very, very difficult. There are many things that make it so hard but the main impediment is the staggering amount of money that Big Oil companies and utility companies spend to fight any change from the status quo.

Nowhere is this more true at the moment than the fight against Proposal 3 – a ballot proposal to increase Michigan’s use of renewable energy to 25% by 2025. When you vote on November 6th, you should turn the ballot over to vote in the nonpartisan section and VOTE YES ON PROPOSAL 3.

All the details after the jump.

An excellent candidate interviewed by an excellent blogger

Ypsilanti blogger (and my good friend) Mark Maynard of the most-excellent MarkMaynard.com recently interviewed Dr. Syed Taj, candidate for Michigan’s 11th Congressional District. After Thaddeus McCotter resigned his seat in disgrace after his campaign staff engaged in egregious election fraud, Dr. Taj found himself in a race against Tea Party activist Kerry Bentivolio and white supremacist Daniel Johnson. Dr. Taj is an excellent Democrat and, with some good fortune and good Democratic turnout, is likely to be the next Congressman from MI-11.

After the jump, you’ll find Part 1 of Mark’s interview with Dr. Taj with a link to Parts 2 & 3.

Another superb candidate for the State Supreme Court in Michigan

Connie Marie Kelley is currently a judge in the Wayne County Circuit Court. She was endorsed and nominated by the Michigan Democratic Party for the Michigan Supreme Court along with Bridget Mary McCormack (interview HERE) and Shelia Johnson (interview HERE.)

Like the other two MDP-endorsed candidates for the state’s highest court, Judge Kelley comes from a background that makes her unique suited and qualified to be a state Supreme Court justice. She has spent her career advocating for clients as an attorney and making the justice system more accessible for those who use it as a judge. She has represented a wide variety of clients including victims of domestic violence, those who have experienced discrimination, and workers who have been treated unfairly by their employers. In her personal life, she has seen the impact that drug abuse can have on families and has used that experience to help young people find other paths, serving as a mentor and teacher to young people from urban areas.

The full interview is after the jump.

Turning Michigan blue — shore to shore

The 79th State House District covers the area on the Lake Michigan coast of Michigan that includes Benton Harbor. It is currently represented by Al Pscholka, a former aide to Congressman Fred Upton, very good friend of Whirlpool and, most importantly, the original sponsor of the legislation that became Public Act 4, Michigan’s anti-democratic Emergency Manager law.

Jim Hahn is a progressive Democrats who is running against Al Pscholka and, though Berrien County is a fairly Republican area, he believes he can win.

I spoke to Jim over the weekend about his campaign. My interview after the jump.

Judge Shelia Johnson serves in the 46th District Court that covers the affluent southeastern Michigan communities of Southfield, Lathrup Village, Bingham Farms, Beverly Hills, Franklin and Southfield Township is not your ordinary judge. Judge Johnson was born and raised in Michigan and spent time as a child in the segregated South. Through these life experiences, she as seen how justice is administered from several unique vantage points. She has also seen how justice is often denied and has spent her life trying to correct that.

My interview with Judge Johnson after the jump.