It'll have weekly posts from Senators and caucus staff, offering an insider perspective of the Capitol and focusing on the Senate Democrats' priorities for Michigan. There are currently only a handful of other legislative caucuses in the country that have a blog- Ohio, Hawaii, Iowa, Alaska- but few that focus exclusively on legislative issues.
On a day where women should be celebrating our legal right to make reproductive health choices, we are instead faced with another attempt to infringe upon our bodies in the form of Senate Bill 776.
"Michigan is going to make history next Tuesday," Sen Carl Levin said. "We're going to be the third state to be voting. Therefore we're early in the mix. We want to make sure Iowa and New Hampshire will not be allowed to keep their disproportionate impact on the process."
Michigan certainly has made history. Its Democratic party leaders have earned Michigan first prize as Jackass State of America while the rest of the clowns in the party infrastructure stand around like zombies and clap.
In election year that has already generated record interest on both sides of the aisle, Captain Ahab Levin has sold the soul of Michigan Democratic voters in pursuit of his White Whale Early Primary. Mark Brewer and the multi-talented Debbie Dingell, capitalizing on Levin's myopic madness, jumped on his poor judgement as the perfect opportunity to engineer Labor's Primary Dream: a nearly completely controlled and closed caucus where independents and non-labor Democratic interests are shut out of the process.
While Michigan voters still have the opportunity to participate in a festive, competitive, exciting and true Republican primary next week, there is no choice on the Democratic side. National news broadcasts are not even covering it. "Vote uncommitted if you don't love Hillary!" reasons your Senior Senator. Bravo, Carl Levin. What a victory for Michigan!
This isn't democracy. This is a sham organized by the same people who either can't see--or refuse to acknowledge--the distinct role they have played in accelerating Michigan's continuing demise.
Should Hillary win the Democratic nomination, it won't be because of Michigan, which now has the national influence of a eunuch in whorehouse. Even so, chagrined voters might think twice about voting for a Democratic nominee whose cabinet and/or staff would include any members of the Michigan Democratic Party who either actively or passively let this happen.
"Michigan Democrats: One party, one vote (except when Jim Barcia and Dennis Olshove are looking over their shoulders)."
Just the idea that Democrats in the Michigan Legislature take pride in bitching and moaning about the idea of requiring a picture ID to vote---while supporting, actively or tacitly, this ridiculous sham of a primary caucus, a grandiose mockery of the democratic process, is just one more example of the further degeneration of our/your government.
Has anyone in the Michigan Senate even bothered to raise a voice of concern? What is leadership doing, besides running for Congress? Promting false hope about free health care for everyone to increase voter turn-out? What a case of immoral, disingenuous, cynical snake oil.
This is really embarrassing and if you're not mad about it, well, you should be.
(A hearty MichLib welcome to one of the Senate's biggest advocates, Sen. Martha G. Scott. Hope to see more of you, Senator! - promoted by LiberalLucy)
For nearly four years now, I have risen every day the Senate was in session to send the same message to my colleagues: SOMETHING MUST BE DONE ABOUT THE SKYROCKETING INSURANCE RATES IN MICHIGAN, AND PARTICULARLY IN THE CITY OF DETROIT.
Back in 1978, when William Milliken was governor, the Michigan Supreme Court determined that auto and homeowners insurance are essential products for consumers, and that the state has a duty to GUARANTEE that insurance is available to EVERYONE at a fair and equitable price.
Today I ask: has the state upheld its duty? Have legislators made a positive effort to honor that guarantee? Has that promise been fulfilled? Have insurance companies made a good faith effort to provide fairly priced coverage?
Based on a recent independent report showing that where a driver lives has the greatest effect on their premium, and the fact that AAA's net profits more than doubled in the past four years, the answer seems to be a resounding NO. Just as an example: AAA does 2/3 of their business in Michigan and their surplus, the amount they hold over and above the amount they set aside to pay future claims, has increased by $619 million over the past five years. That means they are making those obscene profits on the backs of Michigan policyholders.
As the parent of a teenager, you might understand that I say that a lot. The frustrations of dealing with a pre-adult (her term, not mine) can be overwhelming. There is constant bickering, attempts at back-talk (NOT ALLOWED), ceaseless bargaining for more, MORE, MORE when it's something she wants, and the most amazing cases of hysterical amnesia that conveniently pop up when chores, tasks and general help-out-edness falls by the wayside. But I understand that living in this kind of an environment is part of the job when it comes to parenting. And despite the fact that I sure do get tired of saying I've had enough right before I lower the boom, I know that in order to raise a polite, dependable, trustworthy child, it's important to be relentless as a parent and not shirk my responsibilities just because it might be easier to do so.
This is why, Michigan Senate, I'm writing you today.
I've had enough.
Speaker of the House Andy Dillon is mad, really mad, and once you find out why he's so mad, well, I imagine you're going to be pretty hopped up too.
As reported here on MichLib last night, the Senate led by Republican Mike Bishop (R-Hair Gel) adjourned early for the evening until next Tuesday even though he had originally struck a deal with Dillon not too.
Dillon told reporters on the House floor that today was a "step backward" in the budget process, and claimed Bishop's refusal to go for the plan was just the latest roadblock the Senate Majority Leader has put in the way of finding a budget compromise. The Speaker also broke away from his longstanding demeanor of refusing to attack Bishop.
"I've been chasing Mike Bishop to try to get a budget deal since February," Dillon said. "All I've asked of Mike is to 'tell me what you want.' But he'd never say anything definitive. When I offered the proposal today, he said 'I can't do that.' If there's a government shutdown, the responsibility for it is Mike Bishop's."
If you were like most of the state, you fell for the line that had Dillon and Bishop as chums. It comes now as no surprise that Bishop's been the problem child all along, despite Gov. Granholm and Dillon's best efforts to keep things moving.
But tonight Dillon said he was breaking his silence on the alleged budget deal Bishop claims didn't happen in May.
"He (Bishop) cut a deal in May with the Governor that did include new revenues," Dillon said. "We weren't supposed to talk about so I haven't up to now. But yesterday Mike Bishop went too far when he made some remarks... about the House. He went over the line. I'm not going to keep getting punched by him."
The Speaker also remarked that the House was sill in the chamber and ready to work through the weekend if necessary, but the Senate had adjourned.
"Mike Bishop has a golf outing to raise funds," Dillon said.
(emphasis added)
After you pick your jaw up from the floor, be sure that's fact, we've had that independently confirmed here at MichLib.
We don't have a state budget, because Mike Bishop couldn't miss his donning his tweed pants for his golf outing today.
The Michigan Chamber of Commerce is backing a proposal that would extend the amount of time a lawmaker could spend in one chamber to 12 years.
It's been something of an open secret this past year that one of the things that has inhibited budget negotiations is a lack of experience on the part of lawmakers. Under the current system, representatives get four years six years (three 2-year terms) to serve in the House, and senators get six eight (two 4-year terms) to serve in the Senate. That hasn't been enough time for proper relationships to develop not just within chambers, but also between the House and Senate, and the Legislature and the Executive branch. Under the current proposal, a legislator would be able to serve a total of 12 years in either body. Term limits for the governor and attorney general would be left unchanged.
I really hadn't take a position nor intended to on the Senate Resolution introduced by Sen. Valde Garcia, R-Howell, that calls for an amendment to the state Constitution to allow the effected lawmaker to pick their own fill-in if they are called to active duty in the Reserves or National Guard a for more than a year until I saw the editorial in the Livingston County Daily Press & Argus.
"Bad idea. If a lawmaker can no longer perform his or her duties, he or she should resign. There are the provisions for filling the vacancy."
"A person who left a civilian job to enter active duty in the armed forces is entitled to return to the job after discharge or release from active duty if they gave advance notice of military service to the employer, did not exceed five years cumulative absence from the civilian job, submitted a timely application for re-employment, and they did not receive a dishonorable or other punitive discharge. The law calls for a returning veteran to be placed in the job as if they had never left."
Granted, I understand the situation differs for an elected official, but the principal should be the same. I also disagree with Garcia on how the position should be filled, but I agree with him 100 percent that it should be filled. There is no reason to penalize the lawmaker for serving their country, and to ask him or her to make another sacrifice and resign a position they worked so hard to obtain. Nor should the constituents be penalized for electing a patriotic lawmaker.
I think a district should have someone to represent them, and if not the voters are simply being cheated. In November of 2005 when Rep. Herb Kehrl, D-Monroe, passed away while in office, the residents of the 56th District did not have anyone representing them, other than the state Senator. I think they lost out. The position was empty until Rep. Kate Ebli was elected last November. The governor could have held a special election to fill it, but that would have cost a lot of money.
Senate Joint Resolution F, calls for the called-up legislator to recommend a substitute who meets all the requirements for holding the office, and the appointment would be contingent upon approval by the local political party in the district a lawmaker represents.
I think it should be handled the same way vacant state judgeships are handled with some slight variations. The Governor should appoint someone, and the Senate should confirm them. If could also be the house where the person will sit that confirms the nominee, or the political party could nominate someone.
The debate should be about how the position will be filled not that it should not be filled.
One of my favorite books over the last couple of years was Dave Dempsey's biography of former governor William Milliken. I read it during a four-day trip to the Upper Peninsula last year with my mom and the boy ... it was his first time over the Bridge and his first visit to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.
I'm a firm believer, on things like this, that the right book at the right moment can make the experience. So it was. It was, in purely Michigan terms, an inspiring four days.
I've been a fan of Milliken's for some time. Not only was he a leader in protecting the environment, but his leadership style had the reputation as being about inclusion, rather than winning for the sake of winning. The irony that over the last half decade, members of his own Michigan Republican Party have said that they appreciate his service, but no longer his opinion, is something that hasn't escaped me.
The other day, the text of a speech he gave earlier this month wound up in my Inbox. One of the most notable points he hits upon (below the fold) is, again, that the state needs to work together to solve its problems ... while identifying a good place for that to start:
(The new blogs just keep appearing! Welcome to GreenTuna, and here's hoping we see more of you! - promoted by LiberalLucy)
Over the past several months, the state of Michigan has been dealing with the idea of Anti-Bullying Legislation. Known as "Matt's Safe School Law," it is named for Matt Epling, a young man who killed himself after a hazing incident in 2002. The state House passed its version of the bill in March, 2007. As for the Senate?
Sadly, the bill sits, stalled in the State Education Committee. Why? Lots of reasons. Or no real reasons at all. In other words, because they can.
Senate Democrats seem intent on making this a debate on censorship and their right to view questionable political content during business hours.
One wonders how you define "questionable political content?"
Thankfully, we don't need to. We have our First Amendment that has held consistently for more than 200 years that no political content is questionable. It is all valuable and all protected under the First Amendment.
I've heard from Bishop's chief of staff on this, and they regard a number of blogs -- perhaps even this one -- as propaganda sites. Is it true? Well, one man's propaganda is another man's truth in this case. It is neither produced nor controlled by government agency, but are instead people's opinions and insights.
Apparently the heat was just too much to handle for Bishop in the kitchen of First Amendment Rights and Michigan's lefty blogs, according to Michigan Public Radio.
Citing "management issues" Bishop came out this afternoon with the news that Blogging for Michigan will no longer be blocked in the State Senate.
Apparently Bishop's also going to instruct Secretary of the State Carol Viventi to come up with an internet policy for Senate Staffers.
Does that mean uttering a 'Sieg Heil' before logging on to the Internet, Mike?
Senate Majority Leader Michael D. Bishop (R-Rochester) released the following statement today regarding Senate employees' access to blogs:
"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.
"Access to the site in question has been restored. Given the evolving nature of the Internet in politics and the emergence of blogging in political commentary, I am directing the Secretary of the Senate to perform a full review of the Senate's current policies concerning employees' use of the Internet."
Put your John Hancock down in comments. We will continue to bump this to the top as long as access to any political blog is blocked in the state Senate.
We, the undersigned, wish to declare our support for free speech and in opposition to undue restrictions placed upon it. It is with this in mind that we wish to declare our protest to the recent blocked access to Blogging for Michigan in the Michigan state Senate. We believe that this action has suborned the public good by stifling communication between elected officials and constituents, and has blocked off an important legislative body from exposure to criticism of its actions. We further believe this to be antithetical to the concept of free expression laid down in the U.S. Bill of Rights, and to be in direct conflict with the very basic notions of representative government. We sincerely and strongly urge the office of state Sen. Mike Bishop, R-Rochester, to reconsider its actions.
1) 12:18 p.m. - A well-respected blogger using a pseudonym, wrote a post on MichLib's fellow-blog Blogging for Michigan (BFM) critical of State Sen. Bruce Patterson.
2) 3:59 p.m. - The same blogger posted a YouTube video of Senate Minority Leader Mark Schauer criticizing the Senate Republicans. The same post announced that the Senate Democrats would soon start publishing posts about the legislation they would like to work on.
3) 4:26 - Within 27 minutes, BFM was blocked from Senate computers by order of State Senator Republican Majority Leader Mike Bishop's Chief of Staff Matt Miner. Miner, Michigan's own Scooter Libby, instructed Secretary of the Senate Carol Viventi to censor BFM only.
4) All other blogs in Michigan, left and right, still are accessible by Senate staff.
5) BFM is still censored by Senate computers, and an established blogger was forced to out herself by their witch hunt.
The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitutionreads -
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Folks, here in the land of the free and home of the brave, Mike Bishop has decided that the First Amendment just doesn't matter and that he is above the law.
Paid for by your tax dollars, your State Sentate Majority Leader Mike Bishop is hard at work destroying your personal freedoms.
It's not about a blog, or politics, or a person. It's about censorship, and your rights, or lack thereof as seen fit by your State Senate Republican Majority Leader Mike Bishop.
A rumor floating around about Blogging for Michigan's blocked access in the state Senate is just that, the chief of staff to Sen. Mike Bishop said today.
The rumor that a specific staffer in the Senate was, in fact, Grand Rapids blogger Wizardkitten started circulating soon after access to Blogging for Michigan was blocked in the state Senate. The rumor prompted Wizardkitten to unmask herself in a BFM post.
But, Matt Miner, chief of staff for Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop, said wizardkitten's identity wasn't the issue.
The issue with wizardkitten is not true. The issue is much more simplistic. We were of the belief that state employees were engaging in blogging on non-state related issues and decided to block access to the site. Our suspicions were confirmed when the Secretary of the Senate received complaints about access to the site.
A subsequent inquiry for additional information -- about what non-state related issues, and how the argument that the decision was prompted by work ethics jibes with comments that criticism of Senate Republicans played some role -- was sent shortly before this posted. Updates will be made as appropriate depending on responses.
Update! Miner says last week's MIRS report citing criticism on Blogging for Michigan misquoted him. From an e-mail today:
Actually, the quote in MIRS is completely inaccurate. My statement to them was "we don't ban sites because they say bad things about Republicans". My example to them was MichiganLiberal.com. They don't always say flattering things about us, which proves my point.
If he was misquoted, he's neglected to inform MIRS. MIRS news editor Kyle Melinn, in a phone interview this afternoon, says that no one's contacted the news service asking for a correction, and that there are no plans to take the report down from the site's Web site.
(Mike Bishop's chief of staff Matt) Miner blocked the Web site yesterday. He said he hasn't blocked sites such as Michiganliberal.com or Michiganconservative.com , but there may be some point where these type of blogs get blocked.
"The blog updated after session and it coincides with what the Senate's doing," he said. " Michiganliberal.com doesn't matter, they don't say bad things about us."
No. Of course not. We would NEVER dream of saying anything bad about that repugnant group of selfish, miserable, Karl Rove-wannabes known collectively as the Senate Republican caucus. Not us. We wouldn't dare do such a thing.
Okay...here's my letter...
Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop
The State Capitol
Lansing, MI
Dear
Mike:
I am deeply troubled by your decision
today to
ban Senate employees from reading BloggingforMichigan.com.
The fact
that you have singled out BFM for this type of treatment is absolutely
shameful. I mean really, Mike, Michiganliberal.com has a much
longer history of criticizing you and your minions. Yet, at last
report, we're NOT banned! Why not?
C'mon,
Mike! If you're going to mount a Stalinist purge of websites that you
disagree with, Michlib damn well better be on the list!
I
certainly mean no disrespect to BFM, but Michlib has a proven
track record
of open hostility to you, Sen. Bruce
"Dumb-Bitch-Go-Back-to-Ohio" Patterson (R-Canton) and
virtually everything you stand for. For instance...
...or
pictures like this one (featuring you, with Sen. McManus as Toto)?
Then was the time when we unmasked
your plans to run for Governor...or how we reminded people about your
embarassing drunken
brawl on Mackinac Island.
And that's not
even getting into our legendary "Better
Know an Obstructionist" series, in which we profiled you and
each member of your caucus in excruciating detail.
Mike,
you can't tell me all of that stuff doesn't qualify us for your
Michigan Senate Republican blacklist!
Honestly, I
expect better from you. If you're determined to join Falafel
Bill's war
on the blogosphere, you need to attack on ALL FRONTS...not
just here and there. But I suppose that sort of incompetence
is what you get with term limits.
Anyway,
if you're going to have any hope at becoming governor and running
Michigan with an iron fist, you're first going to have to do a much better
job doing it in the "up-yours" chamber.
Regards,
Hon.
Hazen S. Pingree Governor-Generalissimo of Michiganliberal.com
Mike Bishop Blocks 'Blogging for Michigan' from Senate Employees
Apparently bankrupting the state isn't all Michigan State Senate Republican Leader Mike Bishop wants to do. This time he's gone after one of Michigan's best lefty blogs, Blogging for Michigan.
After a post went up today on BFM about the wrong-doings one of Bishop's cronies, out-of-touch Senator Bruce Patterson (R-Canton), Mike Bishop's Chief of Staff Matt Miner, called Secretary of the Senate Carol Viventi and instructed her to block access to all blogs from the Senate offices.
After quickly realizing that all blogs also included the blogs on the Republican rag, The Detroit News, they specifically only blocked Blogging for Michigan.
Tsk, tsk Mike. First rules of the Netroots, don't piss off the bloggers.
Hell hath no fury as a lefty blogger scorned.
Most importantly, by instituting this block, Mike Bishop is promoting censorship and trampling on the high holy First Amendment, and trying to take away everything you, the netroots is trying to create.
Ladies and gents, your Republican State Senate Majority Leader is hard at work for you, abusing his power in every way he can.
Senate Minority Leader Mark Schauer (D-Battle Creek) called out the Republicans who control the Senate for not having a single appropriations bill passed for the 2007-2008 budget before July 31, according to subscription only Gongwer News Service.
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.
This accurate assessment comes on the heels of news, again reported by Gongwer, that the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State Police and Military and Veteran Affairs sent budgets for those departments to the full Appropriations Committee. However, the move represented the first action by the House taken on what are supposed to be Senate-originating budgets. Both HB 4353 and HB 4356 were unanimously adopted by the subcommittee.
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."
Cleary, the Senators are living up to their reputation as obstructions, and Schauer had it correct when he called it the "do-nothing-Senate." The fact that Senate Republicans have dragged their feet on the budget has also contributed to the hikes in tuition Michigan's colleges and universities have had to enact because e they had no idea what the state budget will look like.
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.
