Michigan's Clout on Hill Wanes

by: kelster

Fri Aug 06, 2010 at 07:40:43 AM EDT

Today's Politico is running a story on MI's congressional losers:

Just when Michigan is in desperate need of policy clout in the nation's capital, the Wolverine State is losing it - little by little.

Six of the state's 15 House members will be in their first or second terms when the 112th Congress convenes in January.

Then again, our delegation hasn't been all that clout-y for some time.

Hansen Clarke will do a great job for us in DC -- he's got the smarts and the energy to make things happen.

Any guesses as to who will be filling Stupak & Hoekstra's wingtips?

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/s...

MI-01: Bye, Bye, Bart! Stupak Challenger Saltonstall's campaign ramping up

by: Brainwrap

Wed Mar 10, 2010 at 17:49:39 PM EST

Yesterday, there was some exciting news in the world of Bart "Mr. Coathanger" Stupak, as local county commissioner and former schoolteacher Connie Saltonstall announced that she's going to challenge Stupak in the Democratic primary based on his anti-choice/anti-HCR stance:

WASHINGTON - Michigan's Bart Stupak, a Democratic congressman who could help bring down health care reform over an abortion provision, is getting a primary challenge this year.

Connie Saltonstall of Charlevoix said today she plans to run against Stupak for the Democratic nomination of Michigan's First Congressional District, citing Stupak's efforts to stop health care reform if it doesn't ban use of government money for abortions. Stupak, a former state trooper from Menominee, has held the seat since 1993.
...

"I believe that he has a right to his personal, religious views, but to deprive his constituents of needed health care reform because of those views is reprehensible," Saltonstall said in a statement.

Stupak for Gov? ... today in the governor's race

by: kelster

Wed Jan 13, 2010 at 10:16:08 AM EST

Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) seems one step closer to running for governor of Michigan, saying he's “seriously looking at” his chances for the Democratic nomination.

Read more.

Update! ... Probably most of you are aware by this point that Denise Ilitch stopped by the White House to chat about her possible gubernatorial campaign. ~E.B.

Update2! ... I suppose we should acknowledge that the name of former treasurer Bob Bowman is being tossed around, too.

Also, former state treasurer Bob Bowman is considering a Democratic run for governor, according to several Democratic sources. Bowman helped start and runs MLB.com, professional baseball’s web site.

The question I have with the sudden emergence of all these names is whether they reflect an actual earnest desire by someone to run (i.e. a person making actual inquiries), or that consideration is based on answering the question, "Are you considering a run for governor?" asked by someone who has cast a wide net to see who might be in play. (Addenda ... If you read the article, you'll note that Tony Earley of DTE is also mentioned. What makes me wonder if this speculation is based on reality or just sparked by questions from the media is that Earley, and Gerry Anderson, have reportedly been in the Dillon camp for the better part of the last month. If that's the case, his name was being tossed around because someone who isn't Tony Earley and didn't know that was responsible.)

Update3! ... Might as well finish hijacking this thread from Kelster (sorry!), and make it today's oh-fish-uhl "The Michigan governor's race ... what's up with that?" thread.

Word has reached my ear that Virg Bernero will be on The Ed Show tonight at 6:15 6:35-ish p.m. If you're tuning in, you get a double treat ... Gary Peters is on right now.

Update4! ... A nice, balanced article about Andy Dillon in the Lansing City Pulse.

Update5! ... A bit off topic, but ... Sen. Peters has an awful nice ring to it. Every time I hear him speak, I think I'm hearing someone who I think could fill Carl Levin's shoes.

Right to choose shouldn't be a class issue for women

by: MarkSchauer

Tue Nov 17, 2009 at 10:58:47 AM EST

Unfortunately, the debate over abortion - a legal, constitutionally-protected medical procedure - has become a wedge issue in the larger effort to reform our nation's broken health care system.

Since current federal law already bans the use of federal funds to pay for abortions, and nothing in the Affordable Health Care for America Act changes the Hyde Amendment, I didn't hesitate to vote against the amendment introduced by my colleague Bart Stupak.

This measure represents a dangerous step towards making abortion a class-based procedure that only wealthy women could afford.

Under Mr. Stupak's amendment, women who don't get their health insurance through their employer and purchase affordable coverage through the new Health Insurance Exchange, would be denied the ability to buy a health insurance policy that covers abortion services - even when using their own money. That's right: none of the private plans or public insurance options found in the Exchange would be allowed to cover abortion.

Redistricting Michigan 2012

by: Menhen

Sat May 23, 2009 at 11:26:57 AM EDT

Lately there has been a lot of Debate over the number of Democratic Congressional Districts that Democrats could gerrymander out of the state of Michigan if they had complete control (right now they hold the Governorship and State House.  They stand a good chance at taking control of the State Senate while the Governor's race is a tossup).  A few people have said that it is possible to succesfully draw a map that would yield 12 Democratic seats and only 2 Republican seats.  I've been trying for several weeks to draw a 12-2 map, meanwhile protecting endangered incumbents (specifically Schauer) and I've determined that a 12-2 map would be far overeaching and in a neutral or Republican leaning year might end up 9-5 or worse. I think the best Michigan Democrats could do is create 11 safe or Democrat leaning districts and 3 strongly Republican districts.  I've drawn a map that I think does just that, although I still am not entirely confident that we could hold both of my "Thumb" districts in a Republican year.  But without further ado, here's my map.

Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton Head to Michigan to Campaign

by: philgoblue

Wed Feb 06, 2008 at 09:04:11 AM EST

Michigan Liberal Snarkachedelic News, 6 February, Wednesday:  Fresh of dueling wins on Super Duper Tuesday, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama caught midnight planes from New York and Illinois and headed to the next key battleground state -- Michigan.  While there is a Louisiana primary, a Nebraska caucus and a meaningless Washington caucus (their actual primary is in two weeks), both candidates will spend most of the next three days concentrating on the Great Lakes State as Michigan's voters seem about to pick the nominee and probably the next President of the United States in their caucus on Saturday.

My Solution to Gas Prices: A Federal Oil Refinery Company

by: philgoblue

Tue May 29, 2007 at 17:33:28 PM EDT

Oil is just too important a commodity for the US economy to be left in the hands of private enterprise when it should be clear that with $10 billion dollar quarterly profits yet outrageously high prices at the pump -- prices that are slowing commerce and hurting the economy -- the market in general and the leading oil companies and refineries have failed to work in the public interest.

US House passes Stupak bill to fight gas price gouging

by: ScottyUrb

Thu May 24, 2007 at 15:17:17 PM EDT

In response, US Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Menominee) introduced HR 1252, the Federal Price Gouging Prevention Act. This bill would provide penalties for those who take unfair advantage of consumers at the pump. (Read more here.)

The bill passed 284-141 - a veto-proof majority - with 56 Republicans joining all but one Democrat in supporting the bill.

How did Michigan's members of Congress vote? Find out below the flip.

Video from the MDP Jefferson-Jackson Day: Edwards, Granholm and Stupak

by: philgoblue

Wed Apr 25, 2007 at 03:13:23 AM EDT

The place was packed to the gills and it was quite hard to move around the main ballroom at Cobo.  I believe Party Chairman Mark Brewer said it was the largest Jeff-Jack ever.  We estimated that there were at least 200 tables of 10 people each - 2000+ in attendance to celebrate our Party's victories in reelecting Jennifer Granholm and Debbie Stabenow, prepare to reelect Carl Levin and listen to the keynote address by presidential candidate John Edwards.

Bart Stupak Endorses John Edwards

by: philgoblue

Mon Apr 23, 2007 at 12:21:37 PM EDT