Although the tidal wave - or tsunami that state GOP chair Saul Anuzis called it - of anti- Republican sentiment managed to bypass Livingston County without getting any one wet, there is some good news. House Majority Floor Leader Chris Ward will now be the minority floor leader. The Brighton Republican's arrogance, rudeness and attitude completely soured the atmosphere in Lansing between the two parties, and his move to the sidelines will be a major plus for Michigan.
The bitterness and acrimony caused by Ward was so bad that you may recall an incident in June when Democratic Floor Leader Mary Waters of Detroit said she was trying to see the bills on the rostrum because Republicans, who hold a majority in the House, won't give Democrats a daily agenda when she was wrongly physically blocked from doing so by a House sergeant.
The story in the Livingston County Daily Press & Argus today does not even scratch the surface by not going into how the Republicans completely shut out the Democrats from getting any bills out of committee and onto the floor, especially the Democrats they had targeted for defeat in the last election by putting politics over solving our state's problems, like Rep. Kathy Angerer after she unseated an incumbent Republican.
Let’s hope the Democrats don’t stoop to the level of the Republicans, but it will take a lot of will power not to do so after the Republican arrogance of the last 12 years.
By Dan Meisler DAILY PRESS & ARGUS
Lansing was swept up in the Democratic electoral sweep on Tuesday, handing the state House of Representatives to the Democrats. That leaves the Republican-controlled Senate as the remaining check on Democratic power in the House and governor's office.
After Tuesday's election, the Democrats went from having a six-vote deficit and three unfilled seats to gaining a 58-52 majority.
The GOP's loss of power means that Livingston County's two representatives, Chris Ward of Brighton Township and Joe Hune of Hamburg Township, stand to lose considerable clout.
In the age of term limits, Ward worked himself up to the position of House majority floor leader at the tender age of 32. Now, with the Democrats taking over, Ward will spend the final two years of his career in the state House in the minority.
As majority floor leader, Ward worked with Speaker Craig DeRoche, R-Novi, to decide what legislation to move and when to move it. But when the new batch of lawmakers is sworn in January, Ward and the rest of the Republicans will be on the sidelines when those decisions are being made.
Hune chaired the House Insurance Committee, but will be relieved of that duty under Democratic control.
Neither Ward nor Hune could be reached for comment.
In the Senate, Republicans lost one seat in the 38-member chamber, leaving 21 GOP lawmakers.
5 comments:
Why does it always have to be deocrats with you. I suport niether party. I pick the best man or woman for the job. I look right past thier political party and inot thier beliefs. And you can't tell me that all democrats have good beliefs or that all republicans are jack asses. I don't neccesssarily agree with what has been going on in the world lately but its been a down way spiral for alot longer than 12 years. I think people need to go back to thier roots and then the roots before that and remember what a VALUE is ,remember what MORALITY is and by GOD remember what the constitution says and what it stands for.
Thank you for posting, Anonymous. I’m a proud Democrat and a progressive liberal, and I refuse to apologize for that. I once felt like you, and I still do to a point. I have only voted straight party ticket once in my life, but that was on Tuesday.
Obviously, you must not be from Livingston County because we had a Democrat candidate in Mike McGonegal who went out every single evening for the last five months to talk to voters, had a successful business background and had could and has worked with many different people against a candidate who was rarely seen in the district, had questionable ethics and has never held a job in the private sector. Despite Mike’s qualifications and hard work and the anti-Republican wave sweeping the state and the nation he managed to only gain something like 5 percentage points over the margin from the last opponent.
Judging by your spelling, first poster, we are indeed in a down "way" spiral.
Kevin:
Mike M. lost because most Livingston County residents don't have a clue what their elected reps are saying or doing. The are sheep. That's all. They form their opinions strictly by what they hear from their neighbors, and what they see on Fox TV. They never pick up a newspaper, or think for themselves.
Despite the gains the Press Argus has made in reaching people, most still do not get a news paper. If they get news from the internet, it's because they are on lists from one opinion only. Lord help them if the report isn't exactly in their line of thinking.
Unless and until there are ways to communicate directly from a VARIETY of sources, they will continue to believe that democrats eat puppies, that the only good foreigner is a dead foreigner, and that everyone not exactly like them must be the product of the devil.
That's what we face.
Here's an idea:
How about starting a "debate club", where people can come and listen to intelligent debate on a regular basis. You can come sign up and take part, yuo are given a topic a month in advance, and if you want to contribute to the debate, you have to prepare in advance. We'll listen to all sides, but only if you do your research in advance, and come prepared to talk ideas instead of talking points.
Are you game?
I agree with much of what you say, but I think you have forgotten something I learned this past campaign season knocking on doors and making phone calls is that many people just refuse to even listen to you if you are from the party they are not. Many people just ask “what party are they from,” and if you give the right answer that’s all they need to hear to get their vote. That’s too bad for both parties.
However, I will be the first to admit for me to vote for a Republican it will take an extraordinary leader and an inept Democrat to make that happen. I have never voted straight party in my life until Tuesday because I have prided myself on doing the research, hearing the candidates and even meeting them before I voted. I still do that because I actually meet the Democratic candidates, but currently Democrats embrace what has made America great. I still have an open mind, but I have been less and less impressed with the actions of the Republicans and what they stand for than ever before
As for the debate idea, there is currently a group already formed that could do that, it’s called the Voters Voice.
My wife and I went to a dinner get together with them last year, and it was great. It consists of both moderate Republicans and moderate Democrats, and Jim Swonk, the Democrat, and Catherine Rae Dunning, the Republican, were organizers. I can find a contact number if you want.
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