South County Democratic Club
Election Campaigns

Posted 9/24/2012

Six ballot proposals heighten importance of November election

On Nov. 6, voters will be deciding the fate of six ballot proposals—five constitutional amendments and one referendum. The last time there was such a choice was 1982 when three constitutional amendments and three laws were being voted on.

The six new ballot proposals and MEA’s position are:

 Referendum on Public Act 4
(Emergency Manager)
MEA took an active part in making sure this referendum got on the ballot. PA 4 has had an adverse effect on our members—especially those in Muskegon Heights. The question on the ballot will be, “Shall PA 4 be enacted?” MEA recommends a NO vote, which will repeal the law.

 Protect Working Families - Protect Collective Bargaining
During the Protect Our Jobs campaign, MEA leaders, members and staff turned in 337,466 petition signatures to make sure this proposal to protect working families and collective bargaining rights made it to the November ballot. Our position has been clear all along—vote YES to protect collective bargaining and working families.

 Citizens for Affordable Quality Home Care
The state would be required to create a public registry of qualified, certified and vetted home care workers that provide health and human services to seniors and others needing in-home care. Those workers would also be allowed to unionize.

The Governor and the Legislature have threatened to disband this SEIU. Vote YES

 Michigan Energy, Michigan Jobs
MEA recommends a YES vote since this proposal would require that 25 percent of Michigan’s energy portfolio come from renewable sources by the year 2025. This effort would provide for cleaner air and water that will help address significant children’s health issues.

 2/3 Super-majority on Taxes
Either a 2/3 legislative majority or a majority vote of the people would be required for any new taxes. This would create a situation where adequate funding for public education could be blocked by a minority of elected legislators.
MEA recommends a NO vote.

 “The People Should Decide” to build new crossing with Canada
(Anti-Bridge/Border Crossing)
MEA has taken no position on this proposal that would require a majority vote of the public to build any new border crossing with Canada.

If the amount of money spent has anything to do with determining the importance of these ballot proposals, they should be at the top of the November ballot instead of at the end. So far, more than $20 million has gone for advertising and materials to make sure the proposals get attention. It will be up to the voters to decide if it’s money well-spent. MEA recommends that voters start from the bottom of the ballot to vote on these important initiatives, as well as the state supreme court race (which will be featured in the next issue of the MEA Voice).

REVIEW OF EACH PROPOSAL

PROPOSAL 1 - MEA recommends a NO vote.
A REFERENDUM ON PUBLIC ACT 4 OF 2011 – THE
EMERGENCY MANAGER LAW
Public Act 4 of 2011 would:
• Establish criteria to assess the financial condition of local
government units, including school districts.
• Authorize Governor to appoint an emergency manager (EM)
upon state finding of a financial emergency, and allow the
EM to act in place of local government officials.
• Require EM to develop financial and operating plans,
which may include modification or termination of contracts,
reorganization of government, and determination of
expenditures, services, and use of assets until the
emergency is resolved.
• Alternatively, authorize state-appointed review team to enter
into a local government approved consent decree.

PROPOSAL 2 – MEA recommends a YES vote.
A PROPOSAL TO AMEND THE STATE CONSTITUTION
REGARDING COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
This proposal would:
• Grant public and private employees the constitutional right
to organize and bargain collectively through labor unions.
• Invalidate existing or future state or local laws that limit
the ability to join unions and bargain collectively, and to
negotiate and enforce collective bargaining agreements,
including employees’ financial support of their labor unions.
Laws may be enacted to prohibit public employees from
striking.
• Override state laws that regulate hours and conditions
of employment to the extent that those laws conflict with
collective bargaining agreements.
• Define “employer” as a person or entity employing one or
more employees.

PROPOSAL 3 - MEA recommends a YES vote.
A PROPOSAL TO AMEND THE STATE CONSTITUTION TO
ESTABLISH A STANDARD FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY
This proposal would:
• Require electric utilities to provide at least 25% of their
annual retail sales of electricity from renewable energy
sources, which are wind, solar, biomass, and hydropower,
by 2025.
• Limit to not more than 1% per year electric utility rate
increases charged to consumers only to achieve compliance
with the renewable energy standard.
• Allow annual extensions of the deadline to meet the 25%
standard in order to prevent rate increases over the 1%
limit.
• Require the legislature to enact additional laws to encourage
the use of Michigan made equipment and employment of
Michigan residents

PROPOSAL 4 - MEA recommends a YES vote.
A PROPOSAL TO AMEND THE STATE CONSTITUTION TO
ESTABLISH THE MICHIGAN QUALITY HOME CARE COUNCIL
AND PROVIDE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING FOR IN-HOME
CARE WORKERS
This proposal would:
• Allow in-home care workers to bargain collectively with the
Michigan Quality Home Care Council (MQHCC). Continue
the current exclusive representative of in-home care workers
until modified in accordance with labor laws.
• Require MQHCC to provide training for in-home care
workers, create a registry of workers who pass background
checks, and provide financial services to patients to manage
the cost of in-home care.
• Preserve patients’ rights to hire in-home care workers
who are not referred from the MQHCC registry who are
bargaining unit members.
• Authorize the MQHCC to set minimum compensation
standards and terms and conditions of employment.

PROPOSAL 5- MEA recommends a NO vote.
A PROPOSAL TO AMEND THE STATE CONSTITUTION TO
LIMIT THE ENACTMENT OF NEW TAXES BY STATE
GOVERNMENT
This proposal would:
• Require a 2/3 majority vote of the State House and the State
Senate, or a statewide vote of the people at a November
election, in order for the State of Michigan to impose new or
additional taxes on taxpayers or expand the base of taxation
or increasing the rate of taxation.
• This section shall in no way be construed to limit or modify
tax limitations otherwise created in this Constitution.

PROPOSAL 6 – MEA does not have a recommendation on
this proposal (see Kate's recommendation below).
A PROPOSAL TO AMEND THE STATE CONSTITUTION
REGARDING CONSTRUCTION OF INTERNATIONAL BRIDGES
AND TUNNELS
This proposal would:
• Require the approval of a majority of voters at a statewide
election and in each municipality where “new international
bridges or tunnels for motor vehicles” are to be located
before the State of Michigan may expend state funds or
resources for acquiring land, designing, soliciting bids for,
constructing, financing, or promoting new international
bridges or tunnels.
• Create a definition of “new international bridges or tunnels
for motor vehicles” that means, “any bridge or tunnel which
is not open to the public and serving traffic as of January 1,
2012.”

PROPOSAL 6 - Kate's recommendation -- NO

See the article below.

Posted 10/14/2012

Canadians are offended by lies in anti-bridge ads, says consulate general

Roy Norton, Canada’s consulate general in Detroit, said his government is offended by the campaign to sway Michigan voters against the New International Trade Crossing (NITC) his nation is offering to build.

“Nothing in those ads should be believed. Nothing,” said Norton of the multi-million dollar advertising campaign being waged by the owners of the Ambassador Bridge.

Norton was in Grand Rapids on Monday, Oct. 8, to attend former Mexican President Vincente Fox’s keynote address to the World Affairs Council of West Michigan.

He also took time to campaign against Proposal 6, a constitutional amendment that would require a public vote on the bridge project after Gov. Rick Snyder went around the legislature and signed an agreement in which Canada will build the bridge.

The biggest lie in the anti-NITC ads is that Canada may not live up to its agreement to free Michigan of any financial obligation in building the bridge, Norton said.

“We Canadians find this offensive, to suggest we’re either lying or would renege on our contract,” said Norton. “The government of Canada does not renege and does not lie to the people of Michigan.”

Meanwhile, the owners of the Ambassador Bridge reneged on their commitments to upgrade their bridge exits until they were jailed by a federal judge, Norton said.

“They were carted off to jail,” said Norton, referring to a January contempt of court order against billionaire bridge owner Manuel "Matty" Moroun. “It’s a bit rich for them to imply that the Canadian government would renege on their commitment.”

Another lie is their contention that a second bridge is unnecessary, Norton said. “Their bridge is 83 years old, it carries 25 percent of all U.S.-Canada trade,” he said.

Companies that rely on the crossing for truck shipments would have to drive north to Port Huron-Sarnia or east to Niagara Falls, N.Y. if the Ambassador Bridge failed is forced to close, Norton said. “Redundancy is insurance,” he said.

Norton said the argument that the bridge should be privately held also is flawed. Of the 27 bridges that cross the U.S.-Canadian border, 25 are publicly owned. Besides the Ambassador Bridge, the only other private crossing is a logging bridge in Minnesota, he said.

NITC, which will be jointly owned by Michigan and Canada, will set the toll rates through a joint authority in which Michigan and Canada will have equal authority, Norton said.

After the Canadian government is repaid for its cost of building the bridge, Norton said Michigan will share in the toll proceeds.

Michigan legislators who refused to approve the agreement with the Canadian government are out of step with Indiana and Ohio, who approved resolutions in favor of the bridge crossing, Norton said.

Norton said he believes Michigan legislators feared they would face well-funded challengers if they went along with the NITC proposal.

Posted 9/4/2012

Posted 8/30/2012

Extremism

This week, Republicans are gathering in Tampa for their convention, posing for the cameras, falling over each other to prove who's the most severe conservative of them all. There's plenty of angry, misleading rhetoric, but not much in the way of real action or results.

Here's what Democrats are doing this week:

-- Welcoming volunteers to hundreds of field offices in all 50 states
-- Logging hundreds of thousands of volunteer-hours of one-on-one voter outreach, over the phone and at the door
-- Organizing thousands of watch parties for our convention next week

That's just one week for our organization, and it's only going to get more intense from here. Because that's the only way we'll win.

Help make sure we have the resources to get it done by pitching in $3 before our critical fundraising deadline on Friday.

Republicans are in the middle of four days of Obama-bashing and truth-distorting attacks -- and they're hoping it will give them a badly needed bump in the polls. The reality is, we're probably going to see it come true over the next couple days. When the Republicans leave Tampa, it's pretty likely they'll be ahead in the horse race.

That's why Democrats aren't wasting any time.

Our organizers and volunteers are working nationwide and around the clock to get our message out. While Republicans are ramping up the attacks and extremism, we're doubling down on our grassroots strategy. For us, the convention is an opportunity to share our message face to face with as many Americans as possible, culminating in a week of grassroots action immediately after the President officially accepts the nomination.

We're building our organization for the only polls that matter: the ones on November 6th. Your support now, before our fundraising deadline on Friday, is critical to making that happen. Donate $3 or more today:

https://my.democrats.org/August-Deadline

Thanks,

Gov. Howard Dean

P.S. -- Every day, every vote, and every dollar is critical. Donate to support Democrats today.

Posted 8/9/2012

Primary Election 8/7/2012

From the MDP Web Site - Posted 6/9/2012 move 7/1/2012

Democratic Candidates for Michigan Supreme Court:

Learn more about Shelia Johnson HERE

Learn more about Connie Marie Kelley HERE

Learn more abour Bridget Mary McCormack HERE

Posted 5/23/2012

From the DSCC -- 537:

Republicans are trying to scheme their way into office again.

We’ve just learned about a coordinated effort to disenfranchise 180,000 likely Florida Democrats by potentially purging the voting rolls of low-income and minority voters (sound familiar?)

Remember Florida in 2000? 537 votes put George Bush in the White House. This shady voter purge could actually change the outcome of some elections, and the GOP is launching similar ploys in Ohio, Nevada and other key battleground states.

We can’t let Republicans get away with purging voter rolls for political gain. Stand with Democrats against the GOP’s dirty voter suppression tactics.

Not only are Republicans working to gag registered voters, they’re also making it harder for new Democrats to register.

The Florida GOP’s intentionally complicated laws have made it nearly impossible to organize youth and minority registration activities. Many voter registration groups have been forced to pull out of Florida altogether.

These policies are already having a chilling effect: according to The New York Times, 81,000 fewer Floridians have registered this year compared to this time in 2008.

People shouldn’t be forced to jump through hoops to vote. Tell the GOP to end these despicable practices.

Thanks for all you do,

Guy Cecil

Posted 4/17/2012

Pete Hoekstra: Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act for women is a 'nuisance':

And the War on Women Continues

(From MLive.Com) Former U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra, who voted in 2009 against the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, again voiced his disdain for it Thursday, calling it a “nuisance.”

Hoekstra, in response to a question about the legislation during an event in Royal Oak, said there would be priorities ahead of repealing the law, but reminded people that he did not support it.

“That thing is a nuisance,” Hoekstra said. “It shouldn’t be the law.”

The remark has given Democrats an ability to spin the war on women back to Republicans, who were busy Thursday criticizing Hilary Rosen for her comment that Ann Romney had never worked a day in her life.

Hoekstra was among the group tweeting support for the wife of Mitt Romney, the likely GOP presidential nominee. Romney ran into trouble earlier this week when he didn’t immediately back the law and later issued a statement that he believes in pay equity.

Mark Brewer, chair of the Michigan Democratic party, led the charge against Hoekstra, who is the leading candidate to challenge Sen. Debbie Stabenow.

“It’s insulting to women and their families that Pete Hoekstra thinks a law that guarantees equal pay for equal work is a nuisance and should be repealed,” Brewer said. “When women are discriminated against, and paid less for the same job, it damages our economy and our community.

“Repealing this absolutely critical protection for women would be yet another blow against middle class families fighting to make ends meet.”

Hoekstra’s campaign did not immediately respond to an inquiry about his remark.

The 2009 vote on the Ledbetter Act passed the House 247-171 and went largely along party lines with three Republicans voting for it and five Democrats voting against it.

Stabenow, speaking Thursday before the Progressive Women’s Alliance in Grand Rapids, talked about the Republicans quest to jeopardize women’s health by fighting basic medical services.

She noted that she voted for the Ledbetter law in the address and that Democrats have sent Mitt Romney a copy of the legislation.

From MLive.Com -- Please visit the source.

Posted 4/12/12

From the AFL-CIO:

Corporate Tax Dodgers Didn't Miss a Beat in 2011

What’s the “job creation” centerpiece of the Romney/Ryan/Republican budget?

Cutting those burdensome, job-killing corporate taxes. American firms, according to Romney and friends, are being bled dry by the oppressive U.S. corporate tax rate. That might be good rhetoric, but it’s nowhere close to the truth.

A new report shows that most of the 30 Fortune 500 companies that paid no federal income tax from 2008 through 2010 were able to keep up their tax dodge two-step in 2011. Those nimble firms include Verizon, G.E., Boeing, Wells Fargo, Tenet Health Care and more.

The report by Citizens for Tax Justice and the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy shows that 26 maintained their negative federal tax rate—with tax breaks and loopholes, they actually made more money after taxes than before.

Don’t feel bad for the other four. Their effective tax rate was less than 4 percent. Overall, says the report:

In total, 2008-11 federal income taxes for the 30 companies remained negative, despite $205 billion in pretax U.S. profits. Overall, they enjoyed an average effective federal income tax rate of negative 3.1 percent over the four years.

It’s not just the dirty 30 ducking taxes. Overall the actual tax rate corporations pay, called the “effective” tax rate, is at 12.1 percent of profits—far, far less than what most of us pay.

But these corporations and other big companies have armies of tax lawyers who squeeze cash through the tiniest of loopholes. If they paid their fair share—along the lines of what working families pay—it would help raise the kind of revenue needed to support essential programs and services for working families, military service personnel, students, veterans, seniors and the poor. The same vital programs Romney, Ryan and the Republicans want to cut.

Join 100,000 activists of the 99% Spring on April 17, Tax Day, to demand that the 1% and corporations pay their fair share. Click here to find a Tax Day action near you. Click here to find a training session near you.

On April 19, we will launch our updated Executive PayWatch site that will look at the hundreds of billions of dollars of cash from profits and tax breaks corporations are stashing while they lay off workers, send jobs overseas and pay outrageous CEO salaries, bonuses and perks.

Posted 3/20/2012

Meet Bridget Mary McCormack, Candidate for the Michigan Supreme Court

It's time for a change on the Michigan Supreme Court. The current GOP-controlled Court sides with polluters, insurance companies, drug companies, and other special interests over 80% of the time. Victims and citizens can't get a fair shake. It's time we elect justices who will be fair and balanced and will rule by the law rather than legislate from the bench. 

Bridget Mary McCormack is one of the MDP's three endorsed candidates and has a long track record of standing up for fairness and justice. A University of Michigan Law Professor and mother of four, McCormack founded the Pediatric Advocacy Clinic which promotes the health and well-being of children and families. She has spent her career fighting as an advocate, representing clients who would otherwise have no access to the legal system.  

McCormack is willing to take on any fight to ensure individuals have the same rights as the powerful special interests.  She will bring integrity and fairness to our court.

Please watch the video below to find out more about Bridget Mary McCormack. 

It's time to restore integrity and fairness to the bench. It's time the Court stops ruling for corporate special interests instead of protecting Michigan families and children. It's time to elect Bridget Mary McCormack for the Michigan Supreme Court.

Sincerely,

Mark Brewer

Chair, Michigan Democratic Party

P.S. Please forward to at least five of your friends. Click here to learn more about our three Supreme Court candidates. 

Posted 2/23/2012

Robin Bays To Run for County Clerk Office

Robin Bays announced at Monday's general membership meeting (2/20/12) of South County Democratic Club that she will be a candidate for the County Clerk position for Berrien County. Robin, who works for the City of Niles, is challenging the chief Republican candidate Sharon Tyler who will not be running for re-election to the Michigan House, announcing earlier her intention to seek the post of county clerk. The salary and perks of this county office are said to be around $100,000 a year.

Robin his been a loyal and dedicated member of South County Democratic Club. She is known as capable, intelligent, and hard working -- often volunteering to help the Democratic cause as needed. She possesses the quality known as common sense and as such her political beliefs reflect that of a caring mother concerned for her family's future. She is no firebrand; nor will she be anybody's lackey. She will work for the people who elect her -- an honest and fair-minded administrator for Berrien County.

Posted 3/5/2012

Dave Crumley to run for County Commission - District 11 (Buchanan):

Dave Crumley announced that he would be the Democratic candidate for the Berrien County Commission from District 11 (Buchanan). Dave is a lifelong resident of the Buchanan area and has work in the construction industry for many years. He is capable and intelligent and, once elected, will work for the people of the 11th District to make county government more responsive to the needs of the people.  

From the MDP - Posted 2/27/2012

Hoekstra Has Said He Stands by Ad but His Actions Say Otherwise–What’s the Truth?
New Poll Shows Stabenow ahead by 21 Points

LANSING – In the days following the launch of his now infamous Super Bowl Sunday ad, U.S. Senate candidate Pete Hoekstra said he stood by the spot.  But now news reports reveal that Hoekstra is systematically eliminating all traces of it from the internet, deleting the ad–and even all comments and interviews related to it–from the campaign’s YouTube, Facebook and Homepages in recent days.  All of Hoekstra’s own campaign Facebook posts about the ad are gone, as are even the positive Hoekstra-fan comments about the ad.  Even Hoekstra’s interviews on the ad are being scrubbed from Hoekstra’s YouTube page and Hoekstra’s other sites. As of 9 a.m. this morning (Wednesday, February 22) Hoekstra’s campaign still had notices of removed videos on their campaign’s YouTube page–click here to still if they’ve continued to leave these up even as news outlets continue to write on their cover-up.

Hoekstra’s attempted cover-up comes as he is free-falling in recent polls.  A new poll out today from NBC News/Marist shows Hoekstra down 21 points to U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow.

“Pete Hoekstra is scrubbing all traces of his Super Bowl ad from the internet, just like he is trying to scrub his own record of voting for the Wall Street bailout and his work at a DC lobbying firm,” said Mark Brewer, Chairman of the Michigan Democratic Party.

Hoekstra’s ad earned national scorn and was roundly criticized, including by top Republicans. Hoekstra tanked in polls released last week as well, as the actress in his ad apologized for participating in it and Hoekstra pulled the ad from the airwaves.  For all of this, the Washington Post awarded Hoekstra with its “Worst Week in Washington” award last week. Today’s poll shows he has continued to fall even further since then. While he has said virtually nothing about the ad publicly in almost two weeks, Hoekstra has still never apologized or said anything other than that he stands by the ad.

Brewer asked, “After all the heat he’s taken, after all the criticism from even fellow Republicans–does Hoekstra really still stand by this deplorable ad?”

POSTED 2/22/2012

John Waltz's wife: 'There's no way for him to continue' race against Congressman Fred Upton

Janie Waltz said her husband John Waltz suffered a stroke and multiple seizures over the weekend.

"He's not doing great,"she said this afternoon on the phone. "There's no way for him to continue."

The Waltz campaign announced Tuesday that John Waltz was dropping out of the race because of a life-threatening illness. Waltz declared last summer that he would seek the Democratic nomination to run against U.S. Rep Fred Upton in November.

Janie Wlatz said John is back with her in Kentuckey, where she is living. "We appreciate his supporters standing behind him through his campaign," she said. "We're really sorry to see it end this way, not what we hoped to see."

SOURCE

From The Holland Sentinel - Posted 2/5/2012

Senate candidate, former congressman Pete Hoekstra pays $150,000 for Super Bowl campaign ads