Mark Brewer made this YouTube chastising the Michigan Republicans for partying while Michigan's budget deadline approaches. Republicans would rather party than do their work for the citizens of Michigan.
I didn't make it up to Mackinac for the famed Policy Conference put on by the Detroit Regional Chamber this past week, but looking back, there looks to be one event that sounds like it took the cake - Detroit News Editorial Page Editor Nolan Finley going down in flames.
Finley's always been pretty out of touch with most of the state, I mean the man does oversee all of the opinion crafting for the Detroit News for goodness sake, but his antics at Mackinac Island clearly plummet him to a whole new low. Now he's even ignoring his much-beloved base, the business sector.
In Sunday's DetNews, he blathered how Mackinac Island was full of GOP candidates, and while poor Democrats had only Lt. Gov. John Cherry, and woe is us. As Democratic Party Chair Mark Brewer rebukes just this morning, it's the GOP who has cause to worry.
The Detroit Chamber recently polled 500 business executives as to their choice for governor, and as they just published (page 10) Cherry came in top, ahead of all of the Republican candidates. Of course, we can't forget that GOP-authored white paper that spells out their demise, but clearly Finley chooses to ignore that too.
But if all of that wasn't enough, here's the icing on the cake. Finley actually started yelling at First Gentleman Dan Mulhern while moderating a panel at Mackinac, and what he said just proves it, the man's clearly lost touch with reality, and the crowd there just re-enforced that.
This was an exciting weekend to be a Democrat. In an effort to build on our many victories from November, the Michigan Democratic Party held its State Convention at Cabo Hall in Detroit on Saturday.
As Democrats, we had some important priorities at convention this year. My top priority at this year's convention was to ensure the re-election of Mark Brewer as MDP Chair.
Mark has a proven track record of victory for Democrats. Under Mark's leadership, Democrats in Michigan have gone 4-for-4 in Presidential elections, 5-for-5 in U.S. Senate elections and 2-for-3 in gubernatorial elections. We've built a 24-seat majority in the state House and we shocked the pundits by taking out Cliff Taylor, making it the first ever defeat of a sitting Supreme Court Justice.
Just as important, Mark is working hard to build the future of the MDP by traversing our state and working with tens of thousands of activists at thousands of local party meetings.
As Democrats, we've accomplished a lot with Mark Brewer as Chair, and there's plenty of work to do. That's why I supported Mark Brewer for re-election, and why I am excited that he will continue his service as Chair of the MDP.
I was glad to see so many Democrats out this weekend. It was a fun and productive weekend for the party.
Jack has spent many segments this week talking about and with the movers and shakers who are attending this week's Democratic National Convention in Denver. Folks like Democratic Party Chairman Mark, Brewer, former Michigan Governor James Blanchard, Local UAW President Robin Golden and 18-year old party delegate Jason Morgan.
Hear those clips and more from the world of politics, news and sports in our Audio Vault.
As recently posted, Mark Meadows (D-in name only) and other dems who don't want their names released have recently complained about the Ballot proposal. They don't articulate what's wrong with the proposal; they only complain they "weren't included" in the design. As someone who has read the ballot proposal, knows a little about the problems its trying to solve, and also has some idea about what michigan gov't has been like since the "engler era" started after the 92 re-districting, i thought i would post my first diary here in response to the complaints. Maybe someone here can read it and start passing on some information to dem activists first and the public later.
Read below, and i will go thru some background and explanations -
I have to admit, I thought Mark Brewer was going to have a tough job today. Whereas the FL delegation came in united in their belief that the primary should be used to select delegates (though they disagreed on the strength at which it would be seated). MI proposed something that--as one RBC member just called it--might seem willy nilly, completely arbitrary.
Mark just got asked whether he's relying on the rule that requires that the delegation be based on a "fair reflection" of the voters partiicpating in the presidential selection. He said no. He said there is no primary or caucus to measure the fair reflection of the voters.
Brewer--in all his glory as a numbers geek--did a very good job of presenting the 69-59 compromise seem very logical and fact-based.
He still has a hard challenge in front of him--the RBC members are obviously uncomfortable with the idea of awarding delegates without a vote on which to base them. But to his credit, he very quickly got to the point where RBC members are discussing how to figure out how to measure the voters.
And does Mark Brewer still plan on having Ferguson represent us on Saturday?
Update: No. Via Liz Kerr, Brewer will present the challenge and Senator Levin will speak as well.
According to the AP, Ferguson sent a letter out to the RBC members, stating that he thinks the MDP's proposal (which Ferguson himself signed) is fatally flawed.
A top Clinton supporter in Michigan said Thursday the state Democratic Party's plan to split the convention delegates between Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama is "fatally flawed."
Democratic National Committee member Joel Ferguson sent a letter Thursday to the co-chairs of the DNC's Rules and Bylaws Committee seeking to seat all of Michigan's delegates based on the results of the disputed Jan. 15 election.
[snip]
His letter puts him at odds with the Michigan Democratic Party's chairman and executive committee, which support a proposed 69-59 split.
Now to be fair to Ferguson, his argument seems to parrot what the RBC meeting materials say--that the RBC (unlike the Credentials Committee) doesn't have the authority to arbitrarily assign votes.
"I am convinced that neither the RBC nor the DNC have the authority to take pledged delegates allocated to Hillary Clinton by virtue of the popular vote and assign them to either Uncommitted or to Barack Obama as the challenge seeks," Ferguson wrote in his letter.
But Ferguson appears to be ignoring the DNC's evident inclination to give the uncommitted delegates to the four candidates who weren't on the ballot (Obama and three of his now-supporters) to divvy up accordingly. From Mark Ambinder:
Jane has me fairly persuaded that some good will come out of seeing the Democratic primary process extend for two more months. Except for one thing. As a Michigander, I see how the posturing about MI's DNC delegation is exacerbating the wounds of having had our January 15 presidential primary turn into a Clusterfuck of grand scale. More and more, I see volunteers who have been critical to our GOTV success in recent years tuning out of the party, utterly disgusted by the state and national politicians posturing about our vote.
There have been a number of solutions proposed--but they're really just more cynical attempts to game the Clusterfuck primary which, like the posturing, is only exacerbating the wounds. So yesterday, I proposed my own solution, one that accomplishes what everyone says they want, and one that has been pretty well received in the blogosphere. Today, I'm started a petition to collect the names of people who would like the MDP and the DNC to adopt this fair solution for the seemingly intractable problem of how to seat MI's delegation.
Well, apparently it's happened, Mark Brewer and the Michigan Democratic Party were unable to accomplish the basic task of holding an election for our delegates to the National Convention in Denver. The leadership of the MDP has proven itself completely incompetent -- no election, no campaigns, no discussion of Michigan issues, no movement to change the primary calendar. With or without delegates, this is a complete and total failure. So, it's time to head to your county clerk office, pick up a form and run for MDP Precinct Delegate so you can vote at your County Party Convention and the State Party Convention against Brewer, Dingell, and anyone who sat on the Central Committee during this farse.
Michigan Democrats are expected to decide Friday against holding a do-over presidential election, The Associated Press has learned.
The state party's executive committee is expected to hold a meeting by phone to vote on a statement saying any kind of election to replace the results of the January 15 primary no longer is possible, according to Democratic leaders who spoke on condition of anonymity because the discussions so far have been private....
Presidential hopeful Hillary Rodham Clinton supported holding a second election so the delegates could be seated, but rival Barack Obama feared problems [meaning, squashed all attempts at democracy in Michigan -- pgb].
State Democrats now hope the two campaigns can agree on a way to split Michigan's 128 pledged delegates so they can be seated at the Aug. 25-28 convention in Denver....
The state Democratic Party already has pushed back the date for choosing national convention delegates to April 19, hoping the matter can be resolved before delegates are chosen.
Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean and four top Michigan Democrats who have been trying to work out a way to get the delegates seated are expected to put out a statement Friday after the executive committee vote.
In the statement, they're expected to say the DNC is committed to seating Michigan's delegates at this summer's convention as long as any agreement is supported by the party's two presidential contenders....
A sad day for Michigan Democrats. We've lost an opportunity to reunify the MDP through a mulligan primary or caucus (blame: Obama), because this unity was harmed by the January 15 strawpoll powerplay (blame: Hillary, Granholm, D. Dingell, Levin and Brewer's weakness). And what will be the harm? Unenthusiastic activists, unmobilized voters who didn't get a chance to get excited by a primary campaign and hear the Democratic brand, and fewer memberships and donations. And this all leads to an opening for McCain to win Michigan (remember Kerry won by a mere 3% and for all McCain's faults, he isn't George Bush), harms our chances of retaining the State House, and prevents any coat-tail tidal wave at the county level because of low Democratic turnout.
Someone must stand up in opposition to Brewer-Dingell. Anyone listening?
Disclaimer: in case you didn't know already, I back Obama
Barack Obama
should endorse the current June 3 Michigan primary proposal.
Why?
Well, for one thing I still retain this quaint notion - only recently
subscribed to by Camp Hillary - that we ought to have a vote in
Michigan with more than one major candidate on the ballot.
But
here's another reason: I have $20 that says even if Obama gave the
go-ahead to this idea...it still wouldn't happen. So he may as well
cast his lot on the right side of the issue.
I'm not
necessarily saying that the Clintons and their Michigan backers are
bluffing - though the thought has certainly crossed my mind. But
there does appear to be more than a few other significant
obstacles to its enactment than just Barack Obama. Take for instance,
the terrific list offered up here
by the noble Mark Grebner last week at the instant the June 3 plan
surfaced.
The biggest problem: in order for this to
happen, both the Democratic-controlled House and Republican-controlled
Senate have to give it immediate effect. That means a 2/3 vote
of both chambers. And...unless they want to forgo their vacation, they
have to do it TODAY.
Call
me crazy, but given the
complexity of this proposal and the fact that it's never really been
done quite like this, I just don't see a 2/3 vote coming
together in
one day. And anyone who was around for the budget brouhaha last fall
knows how much our beloved legislature loves its vacations. Even with
the prospect of the first government shutdown in 50 years staring them
right in the eye, they still went on vacation. Does
anyone see Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop (R-Rochester) giving up any of his precious R
& R to pull the Dems' fat from the fire? Riiiight.
Well,
here's one
way to pay for a new primary/caucus:
James
Carville, a Democratic operative and Clinton supporter, said on
CNN that he had been calling deep-pocket Democrats and pledged to come
up with $15 million to help pay for primaries in Michigan and Florida.
He challenged Obama supporter David Wilhelm, a former DNC chairman, to
match it.
"I'll guarantee $15 million and have the
Obama people put up $15 million," Carville said. "And let's go to the
polls come June 7. I've got fund-raisers that are lined up ready to go.
I think the Democratic Party is going to look absolutely absurd if they
don't have primaries and let these people in Florida and Michigan vote."
Wilhelm
said the issue needs to be solved but was noncommittal to Carville's
suggestion.
Meanwhile, MDP chair Mark Brewer pointed
publicly to the Obama campaign as the immovable object standing in the
way of a
new Michigan primary/caucus. The Obama camp counters that they're still
open to
a "fair solution." This from
the Detroit News:
Michigan Democratic
Party
Chairman Mark Brewer said Friday that the Obama campaign opposes a
do-over election scenario preferred by Gov. Jennifer Granholm. On
Thursday, she advocated a "firehouse primary" -- a contest that is
somewhat less than a full-blown primary but broader than a caucus. It
would be run by the party, and allow Democrats to vote at as many as
1,000 sites across the state on a Saturday in June.
"Obama
opposes the redo as proposed by the governor and unless we can get the
two campaigns to agree on something it's not going to happen," Brewer
said.
A statement from the Obama campaign, however,
suggested Brewer overstated its position. While the campaign is adamant
that results from the Jan. 15 primary must not be recognized -- Obama
had his name stricken from the ballot, to protest the unauthorized
early primary -- it is open to a "fair solution."
"Our
campaign will support whatever the DNC rules are, including a fair
remedy to this problem," Obama spokeswoman Amy Brundage said. "However,
allowing Sen. Clinton to change the rules and award her the nonexistent
delegates when there was no campaign in the state and Obama's name was
not on the ballot is not the answer. Whatever the resolution, we are
looking forward to building a winning campaign in Michigan in the
general election."
Since no one has seen the
specific details of what's being proposed - and apparently rejected by
the Obama camp - it's hard to say for sure exactly what's going on.
Maybe they've decided they're better
off just going to Denver without
the Michigan/Florida issue resolved. What a disappointment
that would be (not to mention bad strategy for winning or
holding superdelegates).
Then again, perhaps there is some particularly onerous provision in
the "firehouse" plan that we don't know about. Maybe there's some weird
linkage to Florida. More likely in my mind is that Obama is
simply
holding out in favor of a format that's more favorable to him. I guess
that's somewhat understandable...but the clock is a-ticking. And it
would be pretty shameful if the whole thing fell apart just because
they're playing
tit-for-tat.
We'll see what tomorrow brings...
Finally,
in case you're missed it, our old friend and ML front-pager Mark Grebner
is the guest on Michigan Public TV's "Off the Record" this week.
If any
of you have ever wondered what Mark looked or sounded like, here's your
chance: watch the show here.
As
Commissioner Grebner's slogan goes: "he may be a fool, but he's OUR
fool!"
The Barack Obama campaign in not in favor of a do-over "firehouse" primary proposed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm, Michigan Democratic Party Chairman Mark Brewer told the Detroit News today.
MDP Party Chair Mark Brewer:
"Obama opposes the redo as proposed by the governor and unless we can get the two campaigns (Illinois Sen. Obama and New York Sen. Hillary Clinton) to agree on something it's not going to happen."
Brewer said he doesn't know why the Obama campaign opposes Granholm's approach.
Brewers assertion was not confirmed by anyone in the Barack Obama campaign, but the co-chair of the Obama effort in Michigan, State Sen. Tupac Hunter, D-Detroit, warned against a sudden change in the rules that may benefit one candidate:
"All of a sudden, a do-over election was seen as a chance for Sen. Clinton to add Michigan and Florida delegates to her total."
How can anyone justify this position?
And this is a matter between the MDP and the DNC, who cares what Obama or Clinton think.
According
to the
papers this morning, lack of money is the chief obstacle
standing in front of a new Michigan caucus. Okay...here's a
suggestion for dealing with the problem...
As soon
as possible, the MDP should put up a special website devoted to raising
cash for a new contest. Let it be known that the MDP will be soliciting
contributions for one week (either on the site or by delivering checks
to Hart-Kennedy House by mail or in person). At the conclusion of this
week, the amount of money raised will determine what sort of
contest we'll have. For example, if less than $1 million is
raised, there will be no re-vote (I'm just pulling these figures out of
you-know-where). Over $1 million, and we'll vote by mail or Internet.
Over $3 million and we have an Iowa-style caucus. $10 million and we
have a 2004-style closed primary (a.k.a. a "firehouse primary.")
It
is true that since Camp Hillary seems to be gunning for the "firehouse
primary" option, it would put significantly more of a burden on her
supporters to come up with the cash. On the other hand, if they want
the more expensive option then they ought to pony up more for it.
Another
option might be to allow people to indicate candidate preference when
they donate. The candidate with the largest total or most donors then gets to choose the
date (within certain parameters).
Of course, the
downside of both of these options is that it takes time to pull a
caucus or primary together...and time is running out. But if we could
spare a week...perhaps this is a way to settle the both funding issue
and some of the logistical sticking points in one fell swoop.
DetNews: Obama, McCain win decisively. You can read the AP story here.
The Fix: The Fix's First Take on Wisconsin Results. Chris Cillizza examines the primary results from Wisconsin.
Local, State, National Politics
Michigan Messenger: Campaign seeks state Supreme Court election reform. "A busload of activists from Northern Michigan is headed to Lansing today to lobby for voluntary public financing of state Supreme Court campaigns. Current Michigan law does not require financial disclosure for television issue ads about the state Supreme Court."
Dawson Bell: Mich. GOP chairman relishes game of politics. The accompanying profile of Mark Brewer by Chris Christoff can be found here: Brewer takes heat in stride.
State Government/Legislation
Flint Journal: A casino in Flint? Mayor says yes. "'It's going to be very difficult,"' Kildee said. 'I can't predict what's going to happen in the House, but the biggest hurdle is going to be in the Senate.' Kildee said U.S. Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., has expressed "strong opposition" to the bill establishing more casinos."
GR Press: Drug law hearings sought. More stonewalling on the push to repeal Michigan's shameful drug immunity law from Sen. Wayne Kuipers.
Saginaw News: Groups upset with Kahn over drug law. ''Roger Kahn took a Hippocratic oath when he became a doctor,'' said Gleason, a Flushing Democrat, ''and yet he joins those who would delay justice. He's not only wrong politically, he's wrong professionally as well.''
Walt Sorg: Interview with Rep. Mike Simpson on Drug Immunity. Kudos to Progress Michigan, Sen. Gleason and Rep. Simpson for turning the heat up on this issue.
Macomb Daily: Rep. Bieda wants coin sellers to come clean. "Bieda's new proposal would require mints, issuers or foreign governments that advertise in Michigan to 'clearly and conspicuously disclose'" that such coins 'cannot be exchanged or redeemed at face value for U.S. currency in the United States.'"
LSJ: Universities asked not to hire smokers. The Republican solution to rising health care costs? "Sen. Thomas George, R-Kalamazoo, challenged the presidents of the University of Michigan, Wayne State University and Michigan State University to find ways to make Michigan's population healthier, going so far as to ask the presidents to refuse to hire smokers."
Freep: Patterson: Plans for Cobo going nowhere. "Most of that benefit [to the local economy] flows from the annual North American International Auto Show, and organizers have warned for years that the show's preeminence would fade if aging Cobo isn't expanded and upgraded."
Environment, Energy & the Economy
Michigan Messenger: High-tech firm plans to make super-tiny nanotech particles in Lansing neighborhood. "XG is seeking a tax break of more than $100,000 to put its production facility in Lansing. In return, XG will locate two or three jobs in the city. The proposed facility would be a test site to show potential buyers the production possibilities."
Michigan Messenger: UP nickel mine clears DNR hurdle, opponents dig in. "This lease will leave the DNR and Michigan taxpayers vulnerable to bearing clean-up costs from pollution," NWF attorney Michelle Halley said, "and it would put the DNR in the inappropriate role of facilitating a mining district in the U.P."
BFM: The Pile is Just Too High. The latest blog post from financial literacy expert Lois Gibbons.
Saginaw News: Power plant battle hot. "Environmental groups are gearing up to block a $2 billion coal-fired power plant near the mouth of the Saginaw River in Bay County, along with another plant proposed for Midland by two out-of-state companies."
Odds & Ends
BFM: Governor Granholm at Activate '08. Bruce has video of Gov. Granholm from last weekend's blog training.
CNN Money: Delta-Northwest deal could mean fewer cheap seats. It now looks like the deal might be in jeopardy.
Let me know if I forgot anything. Drop your links in the comments section...
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.
Reflecting his misplaced priorities, Knollenberg hires Bush/Cheney insider as Washington Chief of Staff
Lansing, MI - The Michigan Democratic Party took Congressman Joe Knollenberg to task for hiring a Bush/Cheney crony as his Chief of Staff.
Knollenberg named Craig Albright, formerly the deputy assistant for Legislative affairs to Vice President Dick Cheney and most recently the special assistant for legislative affairs to President Bush as his new Washington Chief of Staff.
"We knew President Bush and Vice President Cheney were worried about losing one of their most loyal and vulnerable 'yes men' this cycle in Joe Knollenberg, but even we were surprised they resorted to parachuting-in one of their most trusted political cronies to try to salvage Knollenberg's fledgling campaign," said Michigan Democratic Party Chair Mark Brewer.
"As a thank you to Knollenberg for voting with the White House 95% of the time, President Bush has sent Michigan's 9th Congressional District a very unwated gift. Come Election day, we expect Michigan's voters to reject Knollenberg and his politics-as-usual and instead cast a vote for change."
Knollenberg's previous Chief of Staff, Trent Wisecup, left Knollenberg's office last fall after having a very public and heated exchange with a local activist.
This finally proves that the NRCC is scared of Gary Peters.
I have been musing that the MDP scheduled a primary on Martin Luther King's birthday (as opposed to the national holiday), when it was a primary that disenfranchised a black candidate who respected the letter and spirit of DNC rules (and a replacement February primary/caucus could easily have been scheduled); but maybe the forces of justice had their due last night.
...the exit poll results from this strange contest reveal some troubling trends for the New York Senator. ...
Among black voters, Clinton was crushed by "uncommitted," 26-70. If that kind of margin among African Americans continues into future primaries, she faces major problems in the heavily black January 26 South Carolina primary....
...Clinton was perfectly positioned. She had no serious opposition. She also had the strong support of top Michigan Democrats such as Governor Jennifer Granholm and U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow.
Usually, a prominent presidential contender running a primary campaign without serious opposition and with strong in-state support from party leaders can count on winning 90 percent or more of the vote. ...
A remarkable 40 percent of Michiganders who participated in the primary voted for nobody, marking the "Uncommitted" option on their ballots. ...
Ominously for the Clinton camp, the former First Lady was losing the African-American vote -- in Wayne County and statewide -- to "Uncommitted." African-American leaders such as Detroit Congressman John Conyers, who backs Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, had urged an "Uncommitted" vote. ...
It is hard[] to believe that Clinton will get very far claiming Michigan handed her a meaningful victory Tuesday night. When two out of every five voters choose nobody rather than a prominent candidate who is running with little or no opposition, that candidate's got no reason to celebrate.
With comments like the Mich Lib one recently about needing a Caucasian fella on the ticket (Why? I'd vote for an Obama/Sebelius ticket, no white guy there), I think it is good to be sensitive, racially and otherwise, when making comments, maybe. And with the Daily Kos observations today, John Kerry: Kicking ass, defending the right to vote, and flying to Nevada (on John Kerry's fighting the Clinton attempt to disenfranchise largely Latina/o workers' vote), and Say Goodbye to Howard Dean, (about the DNC entering the legal fray against the Clinton disenfranchisement attempt, and the likelihood of the Clintons booting Dean, in favor of Terry McAuliffe, if they win), it looks not just like a Michigan Dem struggle against Granholm/Brewer/Dingell's complicity with disenfranchisement, it looks like a national battle, of the reformers against the unworthy Establishment. I hope we'd all be on the side of the reformers.
(While the DNC can't per se oppose the Clinton campaign, it's nice to see them at least opposing a Clinton initiative. Maybe Dean knows that not only will he be booted if the Clintons return to power, but decency itself will be booted as well.)
--The message, as always, is, be active and take back your party. Find replacements for the people I mention above who need to be replaced. Run yourself if you have to. Be inclusive to minorities and to people in general. Promote the right over the wrong, and progress over stagnation. Keep the dream alive. MLK would expect no less of you.
If Barack Obama and John Edwards wanted to back up their blustery tough-talk about "change" and "the courage to take on the Washington establishment," they had the chance to show the world that they are willing and able to do whatever is required to get down and dirty and deal directly with the country's, and Michigan's, most pressing problems. But when push came to shove, these anti-establishment crusaders politely followed the Howard Dean-provided status-quo script.
If these two do not have the courage to challenge the Democratic National Committee's archaic rules, like Michigan can't move up its primary, why should we think they would or could ever muster the 'ganas' to take the bold actions required to effectively address real problems like corporate welfare, labor law, trade policies, education, health care, defense spending, infrastructure, civil liberties, climate change and more? The very problems at the forefront of why Michigan moved up its primary in the first place. Their cowardly actions in the Michigan primary tell us we simply cannot count on them to do what's right if the 'good old boys' say it's wrong.
Understand, Clinton's willingness to leave her name on the ballot does not, by any stretch, mean she would or could fights those fights either.
However, the whole ordeal certainly left this voter proud of his support for Dennis Kucinich.
This is a horrible idea dreamed up by a Californian. Democrats should vote in the Democratic Primary where something is at stake -- the media reports after the "primary." They can either read "Hillary On a Roll, Wins Michigan" or "Uncommitted Defeats Hillary, Clinton Can't Win Against Nobody." Supporters of John Edwards and Barack Obama along with those angry at Granholm (trying to get a job in a possible, if now less likely, Hillary Administration) for strong-arming this through the MDP should VOTE UNCOMMITTED.
The main problem with Kos' scheme is that we Michigan Democrats need to worry about picking our own nominee, rather than attempt to have some small impact on their nominee. It's more imperative that we Michigan Democrats do our little part so that we do not end up with Hillary, our weakest candidate and least progressive potential president.
Every vote for Romney is also a vote for the headline "Hillary Wins Michigan, Controls Race."
So, think before you follow a bunch of out-of-staters trying to get you to vote for a Republican and instead
