Lewless files for Lansing School Board

by: JPowers155

Wed Aug 15, 2007 at 08:07:19 AM EDT

Chris Lewless has officially declared his candidacy for the Lansing School Board.  A former candidate for the Michigan House, Lewless lives in Lansing with his wife and two children. 

Chris is the man who knocked on 20,000 doors during his run for the 68th District.  He earned the respect of many of us here at MichLib with his passion for Lansing, his ability to communicate with and for the people and his devotion to his family.  School board elections are less than three months away. 

Please consider jumping in and helping Chris out with his campaign.  To volunteer or donate, email Chris at christopher_lewless@yahoo.com.  Website coming soon!

Privatization kills union and 40 jobs

by: kjbas58

Tue Aug 14, 2007 at 17:09:20 PM EDT

The board said their shortsighted and anti-union move was a hard decision, but it apparently wasn't that hard. The move was unpopular, and according to the Livingston County Daily Press & Argus,  "another audience member - Barry Goode, leader of the Brighton Education Association teachers' union - called the board's actions "shameful," saying the district's highest-paid employees were "advocating cannibalism" of the lowest-paid employees."

So basically, the company that got the contract, Grand Rapids Building Services Inc., can hire all, some or none of the former dedicated custodians at minimum wage or near minimum wage with no benefits. This is just one more assault on a living wage, unions and the middle class.

Privatization of services and the race to the bottom for wages will soon have a devastating effect on the economy and country. Granted, this case of privatizing is not part of any Republican conspiracy, but overall it fits right into their mission to break unions. Republicans in both the House and Senate have bills pending to make Michigan a right to work for less state, and if that fails, a rightwing extremist who specializes in fraudulent and deceptive petition drives is marshaling money and resources to launch a petition drive to place it on the ballot.

If the decision was so tough why didn't the board cut from the top instead of the bottom? Howell administrators are some of the highest paid public employees in Livingston County, and the board is also considering giving them a raise. HPS has four assistant superintendent, 12 supervisors or directors and countless principals. Perhaps it would be easier to cut one of those positions or even cut their pay to save jobs.

For an excellent example of how to properly erase a budget deficit Howell does not need to look very far, just a few miles down the road to Fowlerville Community Schools.

Back in 2000 the district found itself facing budget a deficit after it opened a new school building, like Howell, coupled with the overestimation of expected new students. They lured popular long-time high school principal Ed Alverson out of retirement to fill the vacant superintendent position to right the ship, and shortly after he signed on it was discovered the district had mistakenly received two payments of $380,000 and $372,000 a few years ago from the state resulting from some tax abatements that it had to pay back.

Faced with a budget shortfall of more than $700,000 Alverson did everything he could to avoid layoffs. In the end, he only had to layoff the assistant superintendent for curriculum and the finance director. With the education and training they had they were unemployed for perhaps a week. Alverson saw them through that crisis even though the cut in central office personnel meant more of that load fell to him and the lone assistant superintendent, but he still managed to keep the ship afloat and eventually restored those positions.

It would also seem that because the district has already had its $67.1 million budget in place since June it would not need to make more cuts, but public schools are in the same boat Michigan's public colleges and universities are in: they have to pass their budget without knowing how much state aid they will or will not receive. Since the Senate Republicans have not passed one single budget bill and Senate Majority "leader' Mike Bishop is holding state government hostage until his demands are met, this is what we can expect.

Monday Coffee Talk

by: JPowers155

Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 07:43:23 AM EDT

Signs of the Apocalypse?

• WSJ:  Karl Rove to Resign at End of August.  Sorry about this being non-Michigan news except I'm pretty sure hundreds of Michigan soldiers just heaved a sigh of relief that there's one less barrier to them coming home.
• AmericaBlog:  Mitt says he 'misspoke' about his sons and military service.  Michigan native Mitt Romney now says that he didn't really mean to say that working on his political campaign was the equivalent of being shot at in Iraq or Afghanistan.  Mitt's having a bad week.  His top fundraiser resigned after being indicted for fraud.  To quote South Park "dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb". 

• Grand Rapids Press:  Anti-war campaign in town to work on Ehlers.  The Iraq boys (and girl) are working hard to build public support to bring our troops home.  For more on this story, check out Great Lakes, Great Times, Great Scott! and Eye on Ehlers.
• LSJ:  Rogers says strategic victory in Iraq possible.  Also, pigs fly.  Check out Rogers Watch, for a look at Congressman Rogers and his strategery.
• ToPlaytheKing:  Walberg Votes Against Our Troops.  Check out this new blog from Francis Pepper. 
• Freep:  Dingell sets proper long-term priorities.  In a controversial move, the octogenarian Congressman is pushing the House Energy & Commerce Committee  toward a "sensible energy policy".  Political suicide?  Legacy making?  Savior of us all?

• InterfaithFund Blog:  Michigan Development News.  A weekly roundup of the good things happening in our communities.  Too bad State Representative Rick Jones, R- Grand Ledge, is actively working AGAINST our local communities.  Check out Red Tape Blog's post on efforts to curtail the ability of Downtown Development Authorities.
  
• AbsoluteMichigan:  2007 Michigan Wine & Spirits Best of Class.  The annual Michigan wines competition was held last week and the winners were feted at the Kellogg Center.  Check out the blog MichWine for up to date information.  LiberalLucy and I sampled all of the winners and can report that Michigan wines are excellent and pair nicely with cheese.  Speaking of... the American Cheese Society has announced that a Michigan cheese is the top fromage in all the land.  Leelenau Cheese Company at Black Star Farms has taken the top honors with an aged Raclette.
   

• Flint Journal:  Commemorating an historic event in Flint.  40 years ago, peaceful protesters gathered at Flint's City Hall to raise the issue of civil rights and fair housing.  Proper grammar and a good story, all rolled up into one!

Shortsighted privatization is just one more assault on unions and reason

by: kjbas58

Sun Aug 12, 2007 at 22:57:34 PM EDT

This enemy of decent wages and quality workers allows public schools and government to fire quality workers who earn a living wage in order to hire a private company to hire other workers for minimum wage. Granted, this is not just a push from Republicans, but it stinks no less.

The latest assault has come here in Howell Public Schools where the school board is considering a resolution at its regular board meeting Monday to fire its union custodians in order to hire a private company to supply the services. According to the Livingston County Daily Press & Argus, "the union has offered to accept a wage freeze and have members contribute $2,400 yearly to health insurance benefits." School districts all over the state are struggling to stay afloat with shrinking revenue from the state, but this is a shortsighted move. The board just approved its $67.1 million budget in June with $517,000 from its ending fund balance - money set aside for emergencies - and it expects to save $400,000 or more by privatizing custodial services.

This comes on the heels of news the school board wants to give raises to its top five administrators. Great, let's give raises to the people who helped get us in this mess, but cut the wages of the people who are making do with less. According to the Press & Argus, those administrators being consider for raises include Superintendent Chuck Breiner, Deputy Superintendent Lynn Parrish, Assistant Superintendents Jeanne Farina and Rick Terres, as well as Paul Pominville, director of technology, and Mike Peterson, director of operations.

Howell is the largest public school in Livingston County, which is also the fastest growing county in the state, and Breiner is the highest paid public school employee in the county, as well as the third highest paid public employee in the county, raking in more than $140,000 a year. He only comes in behind U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers and the county administrator.

Public school administrators are always at the top of the pay scale, and both Terres and Parrish each earn more than $120,000 a year. Howell has the highest paid principal in the county at $111,000. I don't have a problem with people earning the most money they can, but not on the backs of those below them and if it hurts the quality of the services provided like this will.

Board President Phil Westmoreland is the second board member to make the shortsighted proposal to suggest the swimming pool at the high school be shut down in order to save $100,000. In the interest of full disclosure, one of my part-time jobs is teaching swim lessons to kids at the pool.

But as such, I see the segment of the Howell community it serves, and it provides services from the cradle to the grave, from teaching infants and their parents how to be safe in the water to exercise classes for seniors and those with arthritis. When the millage was passed to add the pool onto the high school in the early `90s it was sold to the voters that if they voted to approve it the pool would be a community pool available for use by everyone.

I don't mind paying school taxes even though I no longer have kids in public school anymore because it's my patriotic duty to do so, and it's our responsibility to provide a quality education for all children. However, as such the school and the swimming pool are community assets. It seems the board wants to go back on a promise, and I cannot see the sense of a useful asset like a swimming pool sitting idle when you are asking those who used the pool and don't have kids in the schools to continue to pay school taxes.

I supported this board and administration when it stood up to anti-gay hate group known as the LOVE" PAC (Livingston Organization for Values in Education) that tried to ban books by Nobel and Pulitzer Prize-winning authors from Howell High School classrooms, but their financial decisions have left something to be desired. The district's second high school is set to open this fall. But after getting voters to pass a $90 million-plus bond issue in 2003 to build the high school it realized it did not have the money to operate two high schools.

Back to the swimming pool issue, Parker has a new, eight-lane, competitive swimming pool that will, and can, only be used by students and swim teams. They ignore the success the newest high school in Livingston County, located just a few miles east down M-59, is enjoying.

Some three years ago when Hartland opened its new high school it built a swimming pool and fitness center that the community can use, and they can buy memberships to, as well as by the day. The swimming pool is the standard 25-yard, six-lane pool that the swim teams and physical education classes use, but right next to it is an indoor water park that is always crowded and draws people from all over mid-and southeast-Michigan. If it does not actually make a profit, it breaks even. Why that was success was not considered when the new pool was built is anyone's guess.

The school board has to do a better job that it's doing with the public funds entrusted to it.

Join the fight against union busting petition drive and join new Facebook group

by: kjbas58

Sat Aug 11, 2007 at 09:46:28 AM EDT

After recent news that a rightwing, anti-union operative has set up a Facebook group to launch a preemptive petition drive to put the question on the ballot if current legislation in the state House and Senate fails, progressives and liberals have set up a counter Facebook group called "Michigan Union Supporters."

This is a small step toward trying to stop the trend that has seen the gap between the rich and the working class widen like it never has before, the decline of the middle class and the workplace again becoming a dangerous place again, but it's a start toward that goal.

Unions have raised the standard of living for all workers, both non-union and union, and it has improved work and safety conditions for all workers so that the workplace is no longer a death trap. We can expect to see massive amounts of disinformation as the war on workers movers forward, and this group will be just one resource in countering that common tactic of the right.

This effort from the Republicans is an assault on worker wages, and a more descriptive name for this law should be the right to work for less law or the right to work and risk your life and health law. This is also an assault on wages and just one part of the appalling race to the bottom that we cannot win, and the average worker in a so-called "right to work" state makes about $5,333 a year less than workers in other states. It will be an assault on sane rules and regulations that protect the life and limbs of workers but cut into the stakeholder profits, and according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, the rate of workplace deaths is 51 percent higher in states with so-called "right to work" laws.

Join the fight today.

Rightwing extremist launches anti-union Facebook group

by: kjbas58

Fri Aug 10, 2007 at 13:54:39 PM EDT

The site was created by Chet Zarko, who was the communications director for the California group headed by Ward Connerly that came to the state to push the racist Michigan Civil Rights Initiative on the November 2006 ballot that did away with affirmative action. The group illegally lied to people and misrepresented themselves to get signatures, and because this is Zarko's MO, coupled with the other people who are involved with the Facebook group, we can expect the same tactics this time around.

Zarko said the purpose of "this board is to be able tell investors that there are hundreds of motivated folks out there ready to work for the right to work." Investors seems like a good choice of words because the result of this union-busting proposition is to maximize profits for management at the cost of employees. This bill will force unions to give the protections and benefits they won with hard work and determination to those workers who do not contribute to the union via union dues, enjoy the benefits won by collective bargaining by union leaders and receive the same physical protections won by the hard work and sacrifice of union members.

This petition drive seems really premature. Sen. Nancy Cassis, R-Novi, Rep. Jack Hookendyk, R-Kalamazoo, and Rep. Kevin Elsenheimer, R-Bellaire, have introduced so-called "right to work bills, and Senate Majority "Leader" Mike Bishop, R-Rochester, has included passage of the bills among his list of hostage demands before he will release the hostage, state government. No ballot question committee has been formed that will allow them to actually raise the money Zarko apparently is already illegally soliciting. It would seem logical to let the legislation run its course before a petition drive is launched.

This is not the first anti-union endeavor Zarko has been involved in, and here in Howell we felt the first salvo. In May he submitted a massive Freedom of Information (FOIA) request to get emails from the Howell Public Schools teachers union, Howell Education Association. After getting the emails, he alleged the HEA leaders have "conducted a large amount of union business on public time, including trying to "retain MEA (Michigan Education Association) affiliated MESSA health-insurance, and using parent-teacher conferences to recruit parents (to) their side of a collective-bargaining debate." He based his ridiculous claims on union leaders' e-mails that he received through the FOIA.

After school district officials admitted union leaders have a "recognized right" to use the district e-mail server for union business, Zarko clung to the ridiculous claim that they may have used a district copier to copy union material. Zarko also has ties to the anti-gay hate group known as the LOVE" PAC (Livingston Organization for Values in Education) that embarrassed the community and tried to ban books by Nobel and Pulitzer Prize-winning authors from Howell High School classrooms.

Despite describing himself as a "metro-Detroit, Michigan-based, political and marketing research consultant, focusing on conservative and "moderate" candidates and other clients," Zarko has steadfastly refused to say who is paying him and who is financing this witch-hunt against public school teachers and teacher's unions.

SOS plays politics with branch office closings

by: kjbas58

Fri Aug 10, 2007 at 10:38:33 AM EDT

The editorial made the outrageous claim that he is paying back Republican Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land for filing charges against him last year for not filing required campaign finance documents. The charges were dismissed by the trial judge and Cushingberry was cleared.

"Cushingberry's motives are suspect, to say the least. Cushingberry formed a special investigative committee to look into why Land decided to close a branch office in Saginaw. His claim of investigative power over this action by the secretary's office is a stretch. Land is a separately elected official. Lawmakers have oversight powers, but investigating the closure of one branch office appears to be micro-managing at best and more likely harassment."

"This (charge) is absolutely not true," Cushingberry said. "They seem to think there is some constitutional provision that says the secretary of state has unlimited control over everything having to do with the sectary of state's office."

The only thing in the state constitution that addresses the power of the SOS comes from Article V section 2 that sates, "All executive and administrative offices, agencies and instrumentalities of the executive branch of state government and their respective functions, powers and duties, except for the office of governor and lieutenant governor and the governing bodies of institutions of higher education provided for in this constitution, shall be allocated by law." How this is "micro-managing or harassment" is unclear.

The investigation and committee hearing came about because Land has only targeted branch offices for closing that are located in districts represented by Democrats; the latest in Milan and Saginaw, both poplar and efficient offices. The offices of Reps. Kathy Angerer, D-Dundee, and Andy Coulouris, D-Saginaw, were flooded with pleas to keep the offices open. According to subscription only Gongwer on Wednesday, Coulouris said he had "dozens of constituents protesting the closure outside of the Capitol, said it was contradictory for the secretary of state to pull out infrastructure from Michigan cities when other states agencies are investing in downtowns."

"City officials in Milan claimed the branch serves more than the 5,800 residents of the city and that with the growth of Milan continuing, it is important to have a branch office there so people can have easy access to the state's most basic services. Milan City Councilmember Bret Moyer said the city branch office is attractive to many people because it's right off the expressway and several local dealerships access it regularly.
"This would be a black eye to Milan for the state to say we are closing the doors," he said.

It was interesting to note that in speaking out against passage of the bill, the House Minority Floor Leader - Rep. Chris Ward, R-Brighton - said a branch office in his district was also going to be closed. Either I missed something or that's hot news here where I live in Livingston County. There are only two branch offices in the county: one in Howell and the other one is in Ward's district in Brighton.

CU increases tuition and can pony up $30 Gs for racist hatemonger

by: kjbas58

Thu Aug 09, 2007 at 20:20:58 PM EDT

According to a press release, Cleary is increasing tuition by just 3.51 percent while graduate tuition will rise by 4.71 percent. The press release makes a point of telling you that the average tuition for state universities rose 11.3 percent, but if failed to mention that Cleary is a private school that does not receive public funding.

According to a recent article in the subscription only Gongwer, since 2001 the state has reduced higher education spending dollars to universities more than any other state in the country, a drop of nearly 20 percent in the past six years. With the new budget expected to have a shortfall of $1.8 billon, university governing boards know they will see more cuts in funding, but they have no idea how much. It was with that uncertainty that they had to draft their budgets, and that has led to the increase in tuition.

Cleary is a great alternative for working adults, but you have to wonder how this business school can pay hatemonger and racist Ann Coulter $30,000 plus expenses to speak for just some 90 minutes at their Economic Club Speakers Luncheon Series and still raise tuition. It seems to me if it can throw that kind of change around to sully the reputation of Livingston County, perhaps they can hold the line on tuition. I am not aware of any cuts in funding to Cleary. It seems like a huge waste of money when you have to hike tuition.

Recently a question also occurred to me that I think I know the answer to, but I have not actually heard it answered. With one of their two main campuses located in Ann Arbor, why choose to have Coulter speak in Livingston County that already has a reputation as a community that welcomes racists of all ilks?

Bishop caves to pressure over censorship of the press but still does not get it

by: kjbas58

Tue Aug 07, 2007 at 18:34:02 PM EDT

Late last Friday Bishop blocked access to the liberal blog "Blogging for Michigan" and only BFM from Senate computers. Bishop and his staffers blamed, depending on who asked and the time of day, that BFM was banned for saying mean things about Republicans or political staffers should not waste government time by reading political content.

Bishop's office just released a statement that said:

"I stand by the position that Senate employees should be not be using taxpayer equipment to view political blogs pursuant to Senate Rule 1.401(c). These blogs are of questionable content and employees who are paid to conduct the business of the people of Michigan should not be interacting with them during business hours."

"Senate Democrats seem intent on making this a debate on censorship and their right to view questionable political content during business hours. Senate Republicans believe this a discussion of the proper use of taxpayer resources and appropriate conduct during business hours and establishing strict guidelines on employee use of the Internet and websites."

State GOP puts blogger and political operative in charge of communications

by: kjbas58

Tue Aug 07, 2007 at 08:38:51 AM EDT

Nowling is also a blogger, operating the rightwing blog the Lunchbox Conservative. He was most recently the director of media relations for the political consulting firm Sterling Corporation. Nowling was previously press secretary for former Senate Majority Leader Ken Sikkema, deputy speechwriter for former Governor John Engler and he worked for former state Sen. Mike Rogers. But Livingston County residents might remember Nowling from when he briefly worked as a reporter for the then weekly newspapers the Brighton Argus and the Livingston County Press when he was between political jobs after moving to Michigan. That's when I briefly met him when I took over the position at the newspaper he was vacating in 1998.

He got the job through his friend, then managing editor Buddy Moorehouse, who briefly had to quit his job after the newspaper went daily in order to run as a conservative Republican candidate for the 47th District seat in the state House in 2002. So much for the liberal media myth/strategy.

I came in contact again with Nowling around 2002 when I was covering politics for the Livingston County Daily Press & Argus, and Nowling was working for a political consulting group called Persuasion, Inc. The Rogers camp claimed Nowling - who at the time that was representing a large telecommunications, At & T, I believe- tried to blackmail Rogers, now a U.S. Congressman. The Rogers people claim Nowling said if Rogers didn't vote for a telecommunications bill the group's client wanted passed there would be hundreds of the company's employees picketing in his office the next day. Now, Nowling claims it never happened, and he says he and Rogers are now buddies. But the Rogers people sure made a big deal out of it at the time. Either Nowling is lying or Rogers Press Secretary Sylvia Warner, who I have a lot of respect for, was lying gin 2002.

The release said he will "head up the party's communications and research efforts through the 2008 election cycle." That fact, coupled with the recent GOP poll tax that requires showing a photo ID to vote, it will be an interesting election, and we will have to be especially vigilant for dirty tricks, voter intimidation and fraud.

Coffee Talk

by: JPowers155

Mon Aug 06, 2007 at 08:16:05 AM EDT

Around the State

• AP:  Ex-Home Depot Boss at Helm of Chrysler.  Bob Nardelli has been appointed to head up the #3 automaker.  Interesting twist on compensation - he gets paid only if Chrysler does well.
• Freep:  An emergency call for the State Police.  The state budget crunch has been especially challenging for the MSP.  Is a temporary telephone tax a solution?  How about levying an assessment on communities that don't have police forces and rely on the State for law enforcement coverage?  Some say we should disband the MSP altogether, leaving just the crime lab.
• AP:  Michigan has no new housing energy code because of dispute.  Party like it's 1999 folks because that's the last time the housing energy code was updated here in our Great State.  Energy efficient building methods?  Not required.  Updated health and safety rules regarding hazardous materials?  Nope.  Why not?  The Michigan Association of Home Builders likes the old regulations because it's cheaper.
• MI Interfaith Trust Fund Blog:  Michigan Devlepment News. New housing development, small businesses cropping up - there are good things happening in Michigan.  Check out a weekly round up of good news from this nonprofit blog.
• Mining Journal:  Firefighters Battle Luce Blazes.  More than 10,000 acres of Michigan's Upper Peninsula have burned thus far, coming close to some of our great state's treasures. No rain is in the forecast, so more fires are likely.  But you know, global warming is a liberal conspiracy, right?
• Grand Rapids Press:  Mayor's race left to the undecideds.  Mirroring the 2008 Presidential elections, the Grand Rapids mayoral race will be determined by those who haven't yet made up their mind.
  

• Daily Kos: Another Gate Crasher:  Rhonda Ross for Congress (MI-09).  The ring for this circus is getting a bit wilder with the entrance of Ms. Ross, a chemical engineer and small business owner.  For some amusing footage over in the 9th, check out Vote No on Joe.
  
• Walberg Watch:  Energy Bills - Walberg Votes No.  Pseudo-environmentalist Walberg voted no on HR 3221, a bill that pushes the U.S. toward energy independence and renewables.  Even Vern Ehlers and Joe Knollenberg voted for the bill!
• The Audacity of Hoek:  Pete is a No Vote on Agriculture Appropriations.  Currently lost in West Michigan on a bike ride touting his pro-ag stance, Pete voted down an appropriations bill for you know, agriculture.  I'm pretty sure this whole "vote no but try to take credit thing" has happened before...
  

• AFL-CIO:  State and Local Blogs:  Where it All Happens.  Both MichLib and Liberal Lucy get mentions in a sum-up of the YearlyKos Convention.

Coffee Talk (Afternoon Edition)

by: JPowers155

Sun Aug 05, 2007 at 15:55:49 PM EDT

Evil Doings & Skullduggery
Unless you've been hiding under a rock or in a cave for the last few days, you might be aware that a certain Senate Majority Leader has caused quite a stir amongst the blogosphere.

• Blogging for Michigan: BFM Blocked by Mike Bishop.  Senate Republican Majority Leader Mike Bishop blocked Senate staff access to a progressive, political community.  Senator Bishop?  Let me introduce you to a legion of ticked off bloggers, legislators (dead and alive) and netroots activists:
• Senator Mark Schauer (via BFM):  I Oppose Censorship of Blogs
• Among the Trees: Bishop's chief of staff responds to BFM ban
• Daily Kos:  MI State Senate Republican Majority Leader Declares War on Blogs
• Detroit News:  State Senate Bans Blogger
• Our Michigan:  Blocking Political Blogs in the Michigan Senate
  
• Late Governor Hazen Pingree (via MichLib):  An Open Letter to Mike Bishop
• The Conservative Media:  MI GOP Launches Full Court Press on Unions and the Middle Class.  Is the Senate majority holding the budget hostage in order to push forward union-busting legislation?  The Detroit News says that union employees do it better.  (Yes, that's the Detroit News.  I swear!)
• MLive:    Kalamazoo racist rally ends without serious incident.  White supremacists rallied in Kalamazoo.  Protesters outnumbered the hatemongers 3:1.  MediaMouse has more on the story.
• Red Tape Blog:  Michigan Supreme Court Rulings Controversial. Republican appointee activist judges are sending down rulings that benefit corporations, insurance companies and big business at the expense of citizens.
• Muskegon Chronicle:  Miliken:  State Supreme Court water ruling 'major setback'.  The Republican Four are at it again - gutting the landmark EPA legislation that protects our Great Lakes, our two peninsulas and our natural resources.  Great Lakes Blogger has more with a post called On Judicial Activism and Conservatism.
  

• WILS:  Lansing JazzFest 2007.  A two day gathering of music lovers gathered to remember and celebrate the life and legacy of Robert Busby, a man who tirelessly worked to revitalize the original downtown of Lansing, Michigan.  Robert was a close friend of many in the MichLib family.
  
• Lansing State Journal:  Help Old Town get an IKEA make over!  Old Town Lansing made the top 10 in a unique approach to downtown community development and revitalization.  Hundreds of communities from all over the country are competing, so go to IKEA's website to vote for your favorite community.  (P.S.  Batavia, IL is creeping up on our #1 spot, so vote now!)
• Absolute Michigan:  Ready to Pick:  Michigan Blueberries.  Tasty and good for you, Michigan blueberries are ready for harvesting.  Just try not to eat all you've picked on the way home from the patch.
• Freep:  Time to cooperate on regional transit.  About darn time!

Michigan GOP launches full-court press on unions and the middle class

by: kjbas58

Sun Aug 05, 2007 at 14:26:54 PM EDT

Now, there is word that Senate Majority "Leader" Mike Bishop, R-Troy, may use passage of the union-busting bills as one of his list of demands in order to release the hostage, the Michigan government, in the budget process. But the good news, according to subscription only Gongwer, is "a spokesperson for (Speaker of the House Andy) Mr. Dillon said this week that in no way is permitting a right to work measure to move forward part of the House leader's agenda to get policy or budgetary issues settled."

Sen. Nancy Cassis, R-Novi, has introduced the budget-busting bills in the Senate, Senate bills 607 and 608, and the companion bills in the House - House bills 4454 and 4455 - were introduced by two Representatives, Rep. Jack Hookendyk, R-Kalamazoo, and Rep. Kevin Elsenheimer, R-Bellaire. It seems fitting that Cassis is sponsoring both bills in the Senate, and she has emerged as the absolute enemy of the middle class and working people. She also introduced Senate Bill 662, which would suspend the Earned Income Tax Credit (EIC), that would give some tax relief to working families. The bipartisan measure was approved last legislative session by the GOP-controlled House and Senate.

Apparently, Cassis and the Republicans think rich CEOs really need the extra help but workers don't. These are the he same CEOs who in 1965 was earning 24 times on average what the average worker was making, but just 30 years later the average CEO was making 262 times what the average worker is making.

Criminal investigation may stop Coulter from speaking in Howell

by: kjbas58

Sat Aug 04, 2007 at 15:12:48 PM EDT

Despite the high-level FBI agent she was dating getting the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office to drop the voting fraud investigation against the queen of hate, Editor and Publisher magazine reported yesterday that "the Florida Elections Commission now is investigating the February 2006 incident in which Coulter allegedly cast her ballot in the wrong precinct in a Palm Beach election after registering with an address that wasn't hers."

The FEC could impose $2,000 in fines. And it could refer the case to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement or the state attorney's office for criminal prosecution.

Pro-smoking editorial ignores bars and restaurants are workplaces

by: kjbas58

Fri Aug 03, 2007 at 14:29:41 PM EDT

This editorial completely missed the fact that second hand smoke is not a nuisance, it's a public health hazard that kills 50,000 people annually and sickens thousands more. Like Sen. Basham has been saying for the past 10 years that he has tried to get his bill even a hearing, there is no amount of safe second hand smoke. There is also a lot of bull in this editorial about freedom, but why is anyone free to harm someone else? Your freedom should end when the smoke that contains more than 4,000 chemical compounds, many toxic, enters someone else's nose and lungs and causes the damage it does. There is absolutely no debate that second hand smoke is a killer.

Allowing separate smoking sections in bars and restaurants is like having half of a pool chlorinated and the other not: it's impossible. The editorial is also forgetting that both Basham's bill and Rep. Clack's bill ban smoking in the workplace. Why should the many people who work in bars and restaurants be exposed to deadly second hand smoke and suffer from heart and lung disease and die when you in the P & A offices are safe from secondhand smoke? When was the last time someone fired up a smoke in the newsroom, and if they did would you have a problem with it?

Again, the freedom thing is overblown. I would think any reporter or editor who has ever been to a planning commission meeting and watched the local zoning ordinances tell the person who wants to build a restaurant how many parking places he needs to have for the size of the building, how much frontage he must have or how tall his sign must be can possibly talk about the government not being able to regulate something as deadly as second hand smoke.

If you use that logic then we should do away with all those ridiculous and bothersome regulations and laws the local health department has to protect the public's health in the name of freedom. Why should the government be able to tell a restaurant what temperature the raw meat must be stored at, or that an employee must wash their hands after using the restroom or how to handle raw meat?

Certainly not in the `land of the free."

Although it may not have a lot to do with this issue, but Michigan is above the national average for smoking and obesity rates, and both are related. This debate has been held all over the country, and 30 states have enacted workplace-smoking bans, including bars and restaurants. Michigan is above the national rate of obesity, and 25 percent of our residents are obese. Only 11 other states are at 25 percent or above. We rank 12th in the country for Michigan residents who smoke, and only southern, tobacco growing states beat us out, with the exception of Indiana at number five.

Numbers prove this is the laziest state Senate in more than a decade

by: kjbas58

Thu Aug 02, 2007 at 21:49:31 PM EDT

Schauer told Gongwer this is fewest total roll call votes held so far in a decade and no budget bills having passed the chamber under chief obstructionist Mike Bishop. The Senate earned the reputation as the place where bills go to die in the last session even when Republicans controlled the House, and Bishop is only enhancing that reputation.

In contrast, by this time in 2006 the Senate had passed 23 budget bills, and at no time in the last 10 years had it passed fewer than 13 budget bills - in 1996 - by the end of July.
In addition, Mr. Schauer said the session overall have resulted in a paltry number of actual votes.  Through the end of July, the Senate had taken a total of 235 roll call votes, he said, compared to 614 in the same time frame a year ago.
"Michigan is burning, our people are struggling, we need to put down the fiddle and pick up the pace," Mr. Schauer said.

Gongwer is also reporting legislative sources said House Speaker Andy Dillon (D-Redford Twp.) and Bishop (R-Rochester) are preparing to hold an extensive series of meetings on the budget in August. Gongwer also reported sources indicate that both Houses could be preparing for a long-day on August 22. There are only two session days left before the budget has to be drafted. Gongwer said Aug. 22 is the only real day of action for the Senate.

"In the Senate little action is expected on August 8 and August 15 first because some members will be at the National Conference of State Legislatures annual meeting in Boston next week and second because several members are going to Israel the following week."

It also seems ironic that the leading rightwing blog - one of only three rightwing blogs in the entire state - continues to make the false claim that the House and Dillon are obstructions, dragging their feet and other ridiculous, false names.

Join the Livingston County Dems for an eye-opening movie and delicious dinner

by: kjbas58

Tue Jul 31, 2007 at 08:42:25 AM EDT

The LCDP is holding its second "Movie and a Dinner" at 7 p.m. Friday at its headquarters in Brighton where the Robert Greenwald film  "Iraq for Sale: The War Profiteers" will be shown. The price is just a $10 donation per person and $15 per couple and a dish to pass. I have been to a couple of these potluck dinners here in Livingston County and I can testify that the spread is indescribable. All the money goes to the LCDP to help keep the roof over our heads and the lights on.

The office is located at Suite 600 in the Fonda Place office park, 10321 E. Grand River Avenue, in Brighton. The zip code is 48116 for those who want to plug the address into MapQuest or Yahoo Maps. Guests are not only welcomed but encouraged, and the roomy office offers easy east/west access from the Spencer Road exit off of I-96 and for those coming from north or south you can get off on the Lee Road exit off of U.S. 23. The potluck will begin at 7 p.m. followed by the movie.

The screening is co-sponsored by Americans Against Escalation in Iraq, a group spearheading constituent action to persuade Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Brighton, and other Michigan Congressmen and women, to end their support of the civil war and occupation in Iraq. The film features individual soldiers talking about the waste of taxpayers' dollars they witnessed in Iraq due to government out-sourcing of the war to private corporations - including paying private companies $100 for doing a bag of laundry.

"This documentary should appeal to any taxpayer who is concerned about government waste and government over-spending, even if they support military action in Iraq," said Matt Evans, chair of the LCDP. "Certainly government waste is something that Democrats, independents and Republicans should all be against."

Greenwald has won numerous awards and recognition for his progressive documentaries, such as "Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism," and for another retail giant Wal-Mart called, "Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Prices." But Greenwald is a 30-year veteran of Hollywood whose previous credits include, "The Burning Bed," a 1984 made-for-TV movie starring Farrah Fawcett about an abused Michigan woman from just down the road in Durant who doused her sleeping husband with gasoline and set the bed ablaze.

The first Movie and Dinner was very successful and featured Al Gore's Academy Award-winning film "An Inconvenient Truth." Evans said more socially relevant films for the entire family will be offered in the future, and the price will allow the entire family to enjoy dinner and a movie and at the same time make our community, out state and our country a better place to live and raise that family.

Evans said more socially relevant films for the entire family will be offered in the future, and the price will allow the entire family to enjoy dinner and a movie and at the same time make our community, out state and our country a better place to live and raise that family. We look forward to meeting and greeting our many out of town visitors and showing off our digs in supposedly GOP-dominated Livingston County, and you certainly do not have to be a member of the party to attend. If you need directions or other information just call (810) 229-4212.

Some lawmakers are fighting back in the war to destroy the middle class

by: kjbas58

Sat Jul 28, 2007 at 20:47:52 PM EDT

The good news is both the U.S. Congress and the Michigan House are fighting to protect the fast-disappearing middle class with some new legislation. In March the U.S. House passed HR 800, the Employee Free Choice Act, that would allow workers to organize a union free of an employer's intimidation, free from fear of being fired and free from retaliation. The bill will allow employees at a worksite who want a union to simply sign a card clearly indicating support for a union, stiffen penalties for employers who fire union organizers and sympathizers and it addresses companies who simply refusing to bargain in good faith.

On the state level, the House passed House Bill 4316, known as the "Worker Freedom Act" sponsored by Representative Mark Meadows, D-Lansing. The bill would prohibit employers from making workers attend mandatory meetings where employers have a captive audience to put out negative and anti-union information. The bill passed by a 56-49 vote on July 18, 2007 and is currently in the Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee.

When workers band together for fair wages, workplace safety and protection against unfair labor practices, the pressure to break any pro-union move is intense, complete with intimidation and violence on occasion. Union organizers must meet with workers after working hours away from the plant or shop, and often the only initial contact they have with workers to make their case is when workers are speeding out of the employee parking lot and organizers try and pass a flyer or other info to the employee. Management does not have that problem.

Often, companies hire anti-union, union-busting consultants as part of expensive union -busting campaigns where workers are subjected to anti-union propaganda and mis-information at mandatory group meetings. Employees are also subjected to threats of dismissal and intimidation at mandatory, one-on-one, closed-door meetings.

According to the nonpartisan House Fiscal Agency,

A study of more than 400 union representation election campaigns, found that during 92 percent of union organizing drives, employers forced their employees to attend closed-door anti-union meetings. In addition, 78 percent of employers directed supervisors to deliver anti-union messages to employees in one-on-one meetings.

Michigan Repubs take page out of Bush playbook with anti-union legislation

by: kjbas58

Fri Jul 27, 2007 at 07:04:47 AM EDT

For example, Bush has saddled the country with the following legislation that does exactly the opposite of what its name implies: "The Clear Skies act," the "Healthy Forest Initiative" and "No Child Left Behind." Now we have House Republicans doing the same thing with House Bill 4454, introduced by Rep. Jack Hoogendyk, R-Kalamazoo, known as the "right to work law." A better name would be the right to weaken unions, do away with collective bargaining and endanger workers act.

Passage of smoking ban from committee is victory for healthy lungs

by: kjbas58

Tue Jul 24, 2007 at 13:39:00 PM EDT

  The committee voted 12-4 today to approve House Bill 4163, introduced by Rep. Brenda Clack, D-Flint, and send it to the full House floor for consideration. With seven Republicans on the committee, it appears this bill has bipartisan support.

According to the U.S. The Surgeon General, second-hand smoke is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States, killing more than 50,000 annually, and there is no amount of safe second-hand smoke. In addition to the 50,000 deaths caused by the more than 4,000 chemical compounds found in second hand smoke, many toxic, it also causes more than 790,000 doctor visits a year for non-fatal diseases, such as asthma, inner ear infections and other afflictions. Second-hand smoke is the single, greatest environmental hazard most people will ever face.

This is the House version of Senate Bill 109 that was introduced by Sen. Ray Basham, D-Taylor, and he has been pushing and introducing the legislation during his entire tenure in the state Legislature, both in the House and Senate. He said this is the first time in more than a decade that a vote of any kind was even allowed on the issue.

"I'm really excited that the committee chair actually allowed a vote," Basham said. "This is not a partisan issue, it's a public health issue."

Basham said some 30 states have enacted a smoking ban, including Tennessee just last month, and he said entire countries that have a tradition of heavy smokers have banned smoking in bars and restaurants, including Ireland, Norway and Canada.

The bill moves on to the House, but Basham's bill remains stuck in the Republican-controlled Senate in the committee for Economic Development and Regulatory Reform. It's hoped when the House bill is sent to the Senate it will prompt some action.

"I think it will turn up the pressure on the Senate to do the right thing," Basham said. "Again, people are dying."