Michigan News
Is the GOP Honeymoon Over?
Friends –
Over the past 18 months, Governor Rick Snyder and the Republican legislature have passed more than 600 bills into law, one of the most aggressive legislative periods that Lansing has seen in years. It often seemed over that time that no matter how controversial a proposal has been, whether it was taking billions of dollars from our public schools, raising taxes on seniors or throwing people off of the unemployment line, the GOP has put their stamp of approval on every single one of them with barely a whisper of disagreement.
Last
week, however, that unified front suffered one of its very first public
blows when Governor Snyder vetoed the most controversial portions of a
package of anti-voter legislation being pushed by Republican Secretary
of State Ruth Johnson and Speaker of the House Jase Bolger.
As
groups like ALEC push these types of policies across the country with
the sole purpose of disenfranchising voters, we see more and more
clearly the blatant disregard they have for protecting the right of
every single American to vote. The Governor's action in vetoing that
package sent a message that Michigan would not have to be the next state
in which thousands of voters have to go through the legal system to
simply exercise their constitutional right to have their voice heard in
the upcoming elections.
While
the national media took note of the Governor’s veto and applauded him as
the first Republican governor willing to stop these types of misguided
policies from being implemented, those pushing the legislation in
Michigan didn’t hide their displeasure with the Governor’s action.
Secretary
of State Johnson blasted the Governor’s veto, stating she was “deeply
disappointed” that the Governor would oppose the bills she had worked so
hard to get passed, while a spokesperson for Speaker Bolger expressed
apparent surprise that the Governor, “bought into the rhetoric being
spewed by liberal special interest groups.”
Of
course, what both Johnson and Bolger have yet to acknowledge is that
neither of them could find a single instance of the type of election
fraud taking place in Michigan that they claimed these bills were
solving. Instead, we see them angry to be left holding the bag as even
Governor Snyder said these bills went too far and would make it
extremely difficult for thousands of eligible voters to cast their
ballots in the upcoming elections.
I
welcome the Governor's action and hope that it is an indicator that he's
willing to put aside the partisan politics that have dominated our
state's capitol over the past 18 months and focus on the issues that
really matter to the people of Michigan. It remains to be seen whether
the Governor and the GOP legislators can, or even will try to look past
this very public disagreement, but as of today, their relationship is
looking far rockier than it was only a week ago.
Thad McCotter’s Lesson in Selfishness
There
were a lot of questions being asked last week as now Ex-Congressman Thad
McCotter finished his professional journey of self-destruction: How
could he fail to get on the ballot for re-election? Who was behind the
fraudulent signatures he turned in? Who will replace him in office now
that he has resigned?
Unfortunately, one very important question was seemingly overlooked: How could he be that selfish?
Congressman
McCotter was elected by the people of his district to serve his
two-year term in office. That wasn’t conditional on whether he made in
on the ballot again this year to run for re-election. It was a trust
his constituents gave to him and in return, he simply chose to break
that trust and resign rather than finish the job he was elected to do.
What
kind of a lesson does that teach our children about leadership? When
the going gets tough? Quit. When the people of Michigan desperately
need a strong voice in Congress? Walk away.
I
certainly did not always agree with Congressman McCotter’s policies or
votes, but I would have expected him to at least fulfill his promise to
Michigan and finish his term in office. To walk out on us in the manner
he did is the ultimate act of selfishness from an elected official.
Register to Vote!
Don’t forget, today is the last day to register to vote or change your voting address for the August 7th
primary election! If you aren’t already registered, please make sure
you do so today so that you can take part in these critically important
elections. You can get more information on how to register at the Michigan Secretary of State Web Site.
Looking Ahead
- Can the Governor and Republican legislators work out on agreement on moving a state Health Exchange forward to implement the Affordable Care Act in Michigan given their recent hostilities
- Now that Governor Snyder has come out against the punitive GOP voter legislation, will he also avoid the pressure to hold a special election to replace Congressman McCotter that would be curiously timed to benefit Nancy Cassis, the handpicked candidate of L. Brooks Patterson who was exposed for having manipulated the Governor’s office into signing the Oakland County Commission redistricting bills last year?
Sincerely,
Gretchen Whitmer
Michigan Senate Democratic Leader
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