MI-12: Shocker: Sandy Levin facing a primary challenge

by: Brainwrap

Sun Mar 22, 2009 at 00:38:28 AM EDT

Why am I mentioning this? Because a headline broke today that is sure to cause a whole lot of raised eyebrows throughout the MDP:

Annus Mirabilis: A Real Holiday Tale from Lansing

by: LiberalLucy

Fri Dec 14, 2007 at 16:53:25 PM EST

...as waxed today by Sen. Mickey Switalski of Roseville.  Quite fitting for the season if I may so myself.

Enjoy the video here, or read the pretty prose below -

  Annus Mirabilis, A Fiscal Odyssey

 Sing, Goddess, the Wrath of Constituencies displeased,
 As Solons took budgets in both hands and squeezed.
 Then, weary with cuts, dropped the red budget axe
 And seized its hated rival, the increase in tax.

 Heroes searched for a cure to the Plague economic
 Hit on Revenue, Cuts and Reforms as the tonic--
 That many brave Pols to the Fate of Recalls sent
 While their bodies by Perks the Pig were rent.

 Say then, What Cause first locked the parties in strife?
 Some say it was term limits that shortened our life.
 Or exuberant tax cuts. Or government waste.
 Whatever it was, we Chronic Deficits faced.

 Granholm threw down the Gauntlet at her State of the State.
 Said she "Sales Tax on Services will be Structurally Great."
 The blown away 'Crats cast their votes for fair Jenny
 Even Fiscal Conservatives, like two-penny Denny.

 But with just sixteen votes, it was never enough.
 Lawmakers decided to chew on this stuff.
 Insurmountable problems, an abundance of critics.
 Tempting solutions that hid pitfalls and gimmicks.  

Oh yes, there's lots more where that came from...

What you can't see from HouseTV

by: LiberalLucy

Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 22:54:05 PM EDT

Here's a brief list while I wait for both parties to return from Caucus.

• Sen. Mickey Switalski (D-Roseville) and Sen. Valde Garcia (R-Howell) have both been present on the floor tonight talking with various members of each party's caucus.
• The Gallery is chock-full of lobbyists some wringing their hands, others typing a million miles a minute on their Blackberries.
• Leon Drolet is sucking off power and wireless Internet from the state with his laptop in gallery. Very few people have been seen with him, but Rep. John Garfield (R-2 Drinking While Driving) of Rochester Hills has been quite cozy with him. If Drolet ever bothers to follow the law and file his donations, you'll see quite a sizable chunk of change from the Terrible Toupee himself.
• The Lt. Governor, Budget Director and former Senate Democratic Leader Bob Emerson, and representatives from the Governor's office are all present.

Hail, Hail the Gang's all Here

by: LiberalLucy

Sun Sep 16, 2007 at 18:25:52 PM EDT

Despite having an active role in talks all weekend-long, Governor Granholm made her first tour of the House floor today, shaking hands, and offering a big smile for the weary Democrats as they stood firm in their weekend-long Battle to Save the State.

Lt. Governor John Cherry, a permanent fixture during this standoff, combined with the Governor, have been fairly effective during talks.

Later this afternoon, Senate Democratic Leader Mark Schauer (D-Battle Creek) made an extended appearance on the floor and in talks. Also seen from the Senate Democratic Caucus was Gretchen Whitmer of East Lansing,  Mickey Switalski of Roseville, and Deb Cherry of Burton.

While Republican Majority Leader Mike Bishop (R-Hair Gel) was noticeably absent from the discussions, Senators Valde Garcia of Howell and Allan Cropsey of Dewitt were present throughout the weekend. Garcia in particular is rumored to be one of the most amenable of his caucus to work with a mixed package of reforms and revenue enhancements, as Dillon has continuously offered.

And so the wait continues....

Wednesday Coffee Talk/Open Thread

by: BZP

Wed Sep 12, 2007 at 07:23:01 AM EDT

Happy Hump Day, everyone! Enjoy your morning cup-o-links...

• DFP Editorial: Senate Republicans' cuts don't add up to sensible state budget plan. "The strategy still smacks of politics more than policy finesse. It's all about isolating tax votes for electioneering, rather than bringing the state's books into balance."
• LSJ: Report on Big 3 schools adds fuel to funding talks. This report outlines the statistics about the Big 3 that Mike Bishop doesn't want you to think about: $12.8 billion economic impact on the state's economy, $1.37 billion spent on research, 68,800+ jobs created, 133,000 students, and over half a million living alumni in the state. And yet, the state continues to disinvest in higher education.
• BFM: The Redemption of Andy Dillon. Coming to a theater near you this week.
• Michigan Messenger: Democratic Senator Urges Long Term Budget Outlook. Michelle Mustonen has an update on Sen. Switalski's comments from yesterday's Appropriations meeting. You can read her post on Sen. Cherry here, and an expanded story on the meeting from Kevin here. It also looks like some college students got the boot from yesterday's meeting. More on that here.

• Honest Errors: When We?ve Won the War on Terror. Rich imagines what the world will be like when we've won the War on Terror (which, by his own admission, will happen on the day hell freezes over).
• WWJ: Sold-out MSU wind power event shows strong interest. There's gold in them thar renewables!
• Media Mouse: Ehlers uses Petraeus' Testimony to back his Support for the Continued Occupation of Iraq. MM has an extensive update on Rep. Ehler's response to Petraeus' testimony. He gives us gems like this, ""Based on today's statements by General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker, it is now clear that coalition forces have made significant progress in curbing violence in parts of Iraq."
• LSJ: Old Town a winner in IKEA makeover. Thanks to all the MichLibbers who voted for OTCA. They won a $50,000 makeover and a $5,000 cash prize.

Friday Coffee Talk/Open Thread

by: BZP

Fri Aug 31, 2007 at 07:37:51 AM EDT

Thanks to JPowers155 for picking up my Wednesday Coffee Talk shift. Have a great Labor Day weekend and enjoy your morning cup-o-links...

Elections

• Capitol Journal: Dems, Obama winning online. Spartan Internet Consulting Corp's new Internet Political Performance (SIPP) Index proves what we already knew... Dems are kicking ass online.
• AP: Michigan House OKs moving presidential primary to Jan. 15. It looks like the 1/15 presidential primary is moving forward. Yesterday Wyoming jumped ten days ahead of us on the primary calendar, so I say we really mess with their heads and re-schedule ours for next Tuesday.
• Lessenberry: Primary Concerns. Jack weighs in on all the primary date hopping. You can listen to his interview with Rep. Stupack about the primaries here. You can also read Brewer's statement about yesterday's news here.
• Michigan for Edwards: The Carpenters Union Endorses John Edwards. Here come the labor endorsements. Sen. Dodd picked up the support of the IAFF this week.
• Walberg Watch: David Nacht Is Out. An interesting development in the 7th. You can read more in the Ann Arbor News and over on Swing State.

Legislation

• Skubick: Racinos revive on tax issue. The Skoob updates us on the latest scheme idea floating around Lansing to close the budget deficit.
• Senate Dems: Sen. Basham Introduces Climate Change Legislation. Read more about Sen. Basham's package of bills which aim to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide in Michigan.
• Senate Dems: Hunter Neighborhood Improvement Authority Bill Headed to Governor. Sen. Hunter's bill allows municipalities to create neighborhood improvement authorities within certain geographical locations to stimulate housing and other economic development projects.
• LSJ: Senate bill would let a quarter of state workers retire early. BFM has more on yesterday's action in the Senate. You can watch Sen. Switalski's video response right after the vote here.

Labor

• Conservative Media: Celebrate Labor Day and unions contribution to the country. The Comm Guru takes a look at the real meaning of Labor Day, and the labor movement's contributions to Michigan's middle class.
• Stone Soup Musings: AFL-CIO: Quality health care for ALL in 2009. The labor movement gave us the weekend... now they have their sights set on quality healthcare for all Americans by the end of the decade. Kathy has more.