The House Lame Duck session has caused the cancellation of the blogger get together with Speaker-elect Andy Dillon and Majority Floor Leader Steve Tobocman at the Brighton Democratic Party HQ tonight. As reported by Matt Ferguson over at Michigan Liberal, the House Session that began at 10 a.m. this morning is expected to last late into the night.
This was supposed to be the last day of the current session before the new House members take over in January, but current Majority Floor Leader Chris Ward has scheduled session days next week on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. They were on the schedule as tentative days, but the lame duck session will continue into next week.
The session with Reps. Dillon and Tobocman will be rescheduled at a later date. Thanks to Matt for both scheduling it and for getting the word out quickly about the cancellation.
Dec 7, 2006
Speaker and Majority Floor Leader-Elect in Brighton tonight
Don’t forget, newly elected Speaker of the House Rep. Andy Dillon and Majority Floor Leader Rep. Steve Tobocman will be here in Livingston County for a meet and greet with Michigan’s political bloggers at 6:30 p.m. tonight at our party's HQ at 10321 E. Grand River, Suite 600 in Brighton.
They will be speaking about the Democratic agenda for the coming session, and of course they will be answering questions from the attendees. The event was set up for and by bloggers, but the word is no one is checking your ISP at the door.
According to a press release by the Livingstion Couty Democratic Party, the Speaker-Elect will share his vision to end partisan paralysis and make a positive change to move Michigan's economy forward.
"House Democrats have a golden opportunity to make real changes to create jobs, strengthen our economy and end the partisan bickering that has paralyzed our Legislature for too long," Dillon said. "In the next Legislature, House Democrats will work to give businesses and working families all the tools they need to succeed.”
See you there.
They will be speaking about the Democratic agenda for the coming session, and of course they will be answering questions from the attendees. The event was set up for and by bloggers, but the word is no one is checking your ISP at the door.
According to a press release by the Livingstion Couty Democratic Party, the Speaker-Elect will share his vision to end partisan paralysis and make a positive change to move Michigan's economy forward.
"House Democrats have a golden opportunity to make real changes to create jobs, strengthen our economy and end the partisan bickering that has paralyzed our Legislature for too long," Dillon said. "In the next Legislature, House Democrats will work to give businesses and working families all the tools they need to succeed.”
See you there.
Dec 6, 2006
Newest progressive blog will shine the harsh spotlight on Mike Rogers and his voting record
I am proud to say I have enlisted in the blog Army to hold U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers accountable for his actions, votes and lack of representation of the people in the 8th Congressional District. I did so by becoming a contributor to the newest progressive blog, “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood.”
This blog is not sinister nor an attack on Mr. Rogers. It is simply shining a spotlight on his voting record and actions, and that will be accomplished by focusing a group of dedicated eyes from all of the municipalities in the 8th District on Mr. Rogers. I am proud my fellow progressive bloggers allowed me to be a part of this.
We have already gained some notice. In the Livingston County Daily Press & Argus a three-paragraph brief appeared today announcing our presence. I also expect to see a story coming soon from the P & A featuring the person who started the blog, Liberal Lucy from “Liberal, Loud and Proud.”
Despite the blog being up only a few days, more than 50 people a day are visiting the blog. The hits are not only from all over the 8th District but from all over the county, such as Washington, D.C, Los Angles and Chicago.
We also look forward to input from readers and our fellow progressive bloggers in the form of comments, and if you see something we may have missed on Mr. Rogers please feel free to bring it to our attention.
This blog is not sinister nor an attack on Mr. Rogers. It is simply shining a spotlight on his voting record and actions, and that will be accomplished by focusing a group of dedicated eyes from all of the municipalities in the 8th District on Mr. Rogers. I am proud my fellow progressive bloggers allowed me to be a part of this.
We have already gained some notice. In the Livingston County Daily Press & Argus a three-paragraph brief appeared today announcing our presence. I also expect to see a story coming soon from the P & A featuring the person who started the blog, Liberal Lucy from “Liberal, Loud and Proud.”
Despite the blog being up only a few days, more than 50 people a day are visiting the blog. The hits are not only from all over the 8th District but from all over the county, such as Washington, D.C, Los Angles and Chicago.
We also look forward to input from readers and our fellow progressive bloggers in the form of comments, and if you see something we may have missed on Mr. Rogers please feel free to bring it to our attention.
Dec 5, 2006
Former Brighton Mayor sets the record straight on slanted and false editorial on DDA Bill
Former Brighton City Council Member Kate Lawrence took the time to write a Letter to the Editor to the Daily Press & Argus Monday on its recent editorial aimed at trying to clean up Chris Ward’s image for a future run for a higher political office. Lawrence was the mayor of Brighton when Ward's scam to help a rich developer was attempted, and Ward's fellow Republican also considered a run at the seat Ward currently holds in the House when it was an open seat in 2002.
The editorial in question falsely claims that the change to the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) Ward sponsored and was approved to benefit just the developer of the new Green Oak Village Place mall would have significantly improved the U.S. 23 off ramp and did away with the hated roundabouts had he not been caught trying to sneak in an amendment at the last minute and had to rescind. The truth is the road, the roundabouts and the bridge would have looked exactly the same if the con had gone forward. The only difference would be the taxpayers would have paid for the improvements that would have benefited the developer.
Lawrence’s letter does not address that issue, but it does address the absurdity of drafting a bill that would benefit the very thing the original act was designed to help failing downtowns compete against.
As one individual member of the Brighton City Council, I wish to respond to your Nov. 24 editorial ("DDA plan would have widened roadway, not built three traffic circles").
Let's start with a little history for your readers. In 2004, state Rep. Chris Ward, R-Brighton Township, authored legislation that amended the state Downtown Development Authority financing law that allowed DDA financing to be used for specific large-scale commercial development related infrastructure improvements. As a past president of the Michigan Municipal League, I will tell you the legislation as written was bad policy.
You must remember that what Rep. Ward does in Lansing affects our entire state, and not just our little corner of the world. We did communicate to our state representative and the public that the legislation as written could have caused severe negative consequences for the downtowns of all Michigan cities.
The legislation, as originally adopted, created an uneven playing field between cities like Escanaba all the way to Monroe that have very few tracts of undeveloped property within their boundaries vs. neighboring townships that have large tracts of undeveloped land.
It was that specific section that was bad policy for our state.
Brighton did not act alone in lobbying Rep. Chris Ward to get his 2004 DDA-TIFA financing legislation repealed but, rather, we were part of a broad-based Michigan Municipal League-led effort, along with nearby Howell, which also testified at a committee public hearing.
The editorial in question falsely claims that the change to the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) Ward sponsored and was approved to benefit just the developer of the new Green Oak Village Place mall would have significantly improved the U.S. 23 off ramp and did away with the hated roundabouts had he not been caught trying to sneak in an amendment at the last minute and had to rescind. The truth is the road, the roundabouts and the bridge would have looked exactly the same if the con had gone forward. The only difference would be the taxpayers would have paid for the improvements that would have benefited the developer.
Lawrence’s letter does not address that issue, but it does address the absurdity of drafting a bill that would benefit the very thing the original act was designed to help failing downtowns compete against.
As one individual member of the Brighton City Council, I wish to respond to your Nov. 24 editorial ("DDA plan would have widened roadway, not built three traffic circles").
Let's start with a little history for your readers. In 2004, state Rep. Chris Ward, R-Brighton Township, authored legislation that amended the state Downtown Development Authority financing law that allowed DDA financing to be used for specific large-scale commercial development related infrastructure improvements. As a past president of the Michigan Municipal League, I will tell you the legislation as written was bad policy.
You must remember that what Rep. Ward does in Lansing affects our entire state, and not just our little corner of the world. We did communicate to our state representative and the public that the legislation as written could have caused severe negative consequences for the downtowns of all Michigan cities.
The legislation, as originally adopted, created an uneven playing field between cities like Escanaba all the way to Monroe that have very few tracts of undeveloped property within their boundaries vs. neighboring townships that have large tracts of undeveloped land.
It was that specific section that was bad policy for our state.
Brighton did not act alone in lobbying Rep. Chris Ward to get his 2004 DDA-TIFA financing legislation repealed but, rather, we were part of a broad-based Michigan Municipal League-led effort, along with nearby Howell, which also testified at a committee public hearing.
Dec 4, 2006
Ward’s alleged campaign finance reform bills die predictable death in lame duck session
It just boggles the mind that all Chris Ward has to do to get on the front page of the Daily Press & Argus is to write a letter. If I were at all cynical I would say this is just one more attempt to help clean up his record for his next run at political office. Has anyone from that newspaper ever asked him a tough question, and if they did ask a tough question did he answer it and did the response ever make it by the editors?
A package of bills pushed by Rep. Chris Ward, R-Brighton Township, was approved by the House but is awaiting action in the Senate, where Majority Leader Ken Sikkema, R-Wyoming, has been reluctant to schedule it for consideration.
A spokesman for Sikkema repeated the senator's stance Friday that he won't bring the bills up.
But Ward argued that, with the lame-duck session under way, now is the perfect time to move forward.
In a letter to Sikkema and Senate Majority Floor Leader Bev Hammerstrom of Temperance, Ward urged action: "I commend you for your efforts to make this lame-duck session as meaningful as possible. This issue rises to that level of importance in my mind, and there is no better time than now when a significant number of members no longer have a vested interest in retaining the status quo."
This so-called "election campaign finance reform" package of bills that came through the committee Ward chairs does more to benefit his party than anyone else, especially HB 6128. It was the only bill in the five-bill package passed in the House last June that Ward actually sponsored, and it was also the only bill that received any opposition. In fact, it barley passed by five vote because it really benefits his party.
Rich Robinson, Director of the non-partisan Michigan Campaign Finance Network, said in published reports in June that the bill favors Republicans because they rely on wealthy individuals for contributions. He also said an individual who violates the law faces up to three years in prison and fines of up to $5,000 or both, but if a large corporation or company violates the law all they face is a fine of up to $10,000. Huge corporations like Enron, other energy companies and pharmaceutical companies that funnel huge amounts of cash to Republicans would have no deterrent to continuing that practice.
With just three session days remaining in the Lame Duck session, there is little chance the bills will even get to the Senate floor. Perhaps Ward should have looked at real campaign finance reform instead of putting on a show.
With Ward’s record of junkets, free meals from lobbyists, gifts to rich developers and doing the bidding of rich contributors anyone would have been suspicious when he pushed for alleged campaign finance reform.
Veteran journalist Jack Lessenberry was just one who was suspicious of his alleged campaign finance reform, writing, "Be still, my sloshing heart. Actually, my personal blood pump never even skipped a beat once I noticed that the sponsor of these bills was Chris Ward. That is the moral equivalent of Monica Lewinsky opening a charter school of chastity.”
After January we can expect to see a stab taken at passing some real campaign finance reform that benefits the people and not the Republican Party.
A package of bills pushed by Rep. Chris Ward, R-Brighton Township, was approved by the House but is awaiting action in the Senate, where Majority Leader Ken Sikkema, R-Wyoming, has been reluctant to schedule it for consideration.
A spokesman for Sikkema repeated the senator's stance Friday that he won't bring the bills up.
But Ward argued that, with the lame-duck session under way, now is the perfect time to move forward.
In a letter to Sikkema and Senate Majority Floor Leader Bev Hammerstrom of Temperance, Ward urged action: "I commend you for your efforts to make this lame-duck session as meaningful as possible. This issue rises to that level of importance in my mind, and there is no better time than now when a significant number of members no longer have a vested interest in retaining the status quo."
This so-called "election campaign finance reform" package of bills that came through the committee Ward chairs does more to benefit his party than anyone else, especially HB 6128. It was the only bill in the five-bill package passed in the House last June that Ward actually sponsored, and it was also the only bill that received any opposition. In fact, it barley passed by five vote because it really benefits his party.
Rich Robinson, Director of the non-partisan Michigan Campaign Finance Network, said in published reports in June that the bill favors Republicans because they rely on wealthy individuals for contributions. He also said an individual who violates the law faces up to three years in prison and fines of up to $5,000 or both, but if a large corporation or company violates the law all they face is a fine of up to $10,000. Huge corporations like Enron, other energy companies and pharmaceutical companies that funnel huge amounts of cash to Republicans would have no deterrent to continuing that practice.
With just three session days remaining in the Lame Duck session, there is little chance the bills will even get to the Senate floor. Perhaps Ward should have looked at real campaign finance reform instead of putting on a show.
With Ward’s record of junkets, free meals from lobbyists, gifts to rich developers and doing the bidding of rich contributors anyone would have been suspicious when he pushed for alleged campaign finance reform.
Veteran journalist Jack Lessenberry was just one who was suspicious of his alleged campaign finance reform, writing, "Be still, my sloshing heart. Actually, my personal blood pump never even skipped a beat once I noticed that the sponsor of these bills was Chris Ward. That is the moral equivalent of Monica Lewinsky opening a charter school of chastity.”
After January we can expect to see a stab taken at passing some real campaign finance reform that benefits the people and not the Republican Party.
Election of Evans as chair of the Livingston County Democrats ushers in new era
As predicted last week, Green Oak Township attorney Matt Evans, 49, was unanimously elected by the Executive Committee Sunday as the new chair of the Livingston County Democratic Party, replacing long-time chair Joe Carney.
Officers were also selected by the Executive Committee at the annul holiday party at the party HQ in Brighton. Donna Anderson was chosen as the Vice-Chair. She has been a tireless volunteer for the party. She ran for state Senate in 22nd District last month, and she earned some great endorsements, including the endorsement of one of the state’s largest newspapers, the Detroit Free Press.
Pam Green was chose as the secretary. Her many volunteer activities with the party include serving as the web master, and she also ran for the Livingston County Board of Commissioners last month.
Brighton resident Nancy Bosak is the treasurer. Bosak is the Voter File Manager for the Michigan Democratic Party, and she is responsible for managing the Voter Activation Network (VAN) including outreach, and training.
The Executive Committee includes all of the candidates for state and county political offices during the last election, as well as party volunteers. I personally know all but a few of the members, and I am excited we have such quality people on the committee. The committee includes Jim Marcinkowski, Mike McGonegal, Mary Anderson, Jan Vogal, Dave Buckland, Joe Carney, Judy Volk, Jim Swonk, Judy Daubenmier, Tom Butts, Paul Perosak, JoAnn Murphy, Dale Smith, Nancy Sauvage, Mike Hatty, John Devon and Debbie Buckland.
One of Evans’s goals is to have a full slate of candidates for every election. He helped the party work towards that goal when he ran for County Commissioner last month, and it was the most Democratic candidates for the county board in many years.
New Livingston County GOP chair rolls out standard lame excuse for Republican loss of state House
Ronald Reagan's Morning in America also marked the awakening of Allan Filip's political consciousness.
Filip, 35, was just a boy growing up in Paw Paw during Reagan's 1980s heyday, but he felt a strong attraction to the president's message of optimism and hope.
So says Mr. Filip in a front-page feature story in the Livingston County Daily Press & Argus today. It’s a bit of a fluff piece, but that’s what the neighbors features were basically created for. Filip goes on to say, “There was kind of a defeatist attitude" in the country before Reagan came on the scene, Filip recalled. "He made me feel more secure, and he got me thinking more about being an American."
Filip apparently never heard of the Iran-Contra scandal or the 241 Marines who were killed in a terrorist bombing at the U.S. Marine Corps Barracks at the international airport in Beirut. The Marines were not even allowed to carry live ammo, and many Beirut veterans are still bitter because Reagan did not attend any of the memorial services or funeral for those killed in action, as well as the limited rules of engagement the Marines were operating under.
Filip said the reason that Democrats did so well in the November election — with
the exception of Livingston County — was that they were successful in nationalizing the election.
"People are not happy with the way Iraq has gone," he said.
He goes back on the same old excuse Republicans in Michigan have been trotting out since Nov. 7. I hope he honestly believes that, and I hope that’s the principal he operates under. It will ensure Democratic control of the Michigan House for some time. In the meantime, I would like Filip to show me one, just one, Michigan House or Senate candidate who ever mentioned the Iraq war as a campaign issue.
Often what’s left out in an article is what’s most telling. This is all the article says about Filip’s apparent brief stay in Washtenaw County.
While in Alabama — and later, when he moved to Washtenaw County — Filip lived in heavily Democratic areas. That, of course, ended when he came to Hartland Township in 2003. He served as vice chairman of the party for two years before taking over the top spot.
It never mentioned he ran for the Board of Commissioners in 2002 where he got walloped with just 29 percent of the vote. A year later he moved to heavily Republican Livingston County. I will stop short of calling him a carpetbagger who moved to Livingston County to run for political office because many people move to Livingston County for the open land and good schools, but Sterling Heights where he works for Vericorr may be a little closer to Ypsilanti where he moved from than Hartland.
Filip sounded like a practiced politician when asked about the possibility of running for office himself. He said he wouldn't rule anything out, although he has "no plans to do that now, with my family being young and bills to pay."
Filip, 35, was just a boy growing up in Paw Paw during Reagan's 1980s heyday, but he felt a strong attraction to the president's message of optimism and hope.
So says Mr. Filip in a front-page feature story in the Livingston County Daily Press & Argus today. It’s a bit of a fluff piece, but that’s what the neighbors features were basically created for. Filip goes on to say, “There was kind of a defeatist attitude" in the country before Reagan came on the scene, Filip recalled. "He made me feel more secure, and he got me thinking more about being an American."
Filip apparently never heard of the Iran-Contra scandal or the 241 Marines who were killed in a terrorist bombing at the U.S. Marine Corps Barracks at the international airport in Beirut. The Marines were not even allowed to carry live ammo, and many Beirut veterans are still bitter because Reagan did not attend any of the memorial services or funeral for those killed in action, as well as the limited rules of engagement the Marines were operating under.
Filip said the reason that Democrats did so well in the November election — with
the exception of Livingston County — was that they were successful in nationalizing the election.
"People are not happy with the way Iraq has gone," he said.
He goes back on the same old excuse Republicans in Michigan have been trotting out since Nov. 7. I hope he honestly believes that, and I hope that’s the principal he operates under. It will ensure Democratic control of the Michigan House for some time. In the meantime, I would like Filip to show me one, just one, Michigan House or Senate candidate who ever mentioned the Iraq war as a campaign issue.
Often what’s left out in an article is what’s most telling. This is all the article says about Filip’s apparent brief stay in Washtenaw County.
While in Alabama — and later, when he moved to Washtenaw County — Filip lived in heavily Democratic areas. That, of course, ended when he came to Hartland Township in 2003. He served as vice chairman of the party for two years before taking over the top spot.
It never mentioned he ran for the Board of Commissioners in 2002 where he got walloped with just 29 percent of the vote. A year later he moved to heavily Republican Livingston County. I will stop short of calling him a carpetbagger who moved to Livingston County to run for political office because many people move to Livingston County for the open land and good schools, but Sterling Heights where he works for Vericorr may be a little closer to Ypsilanti where he moved from than Hartland.
Filip sounded like a practiced politician when asked about the possibility of running for office himself. He said he wouldn't rule anything out, although he has "no plans to do that now, with my family being young and bills to pay."
Dec 1, 2006
Local GOP convention chooses leaders in secret smoke-filled back room behind barred doors
According to the Livingston County Daily Press & Argus, “Allan Filip was chosen as the new leader of the Livingston County Republican Party Thursday at its convention at the historic Livingston County Courthouse in Howell.”
The real telling important and telling detail was this from the article, “The news media were not allowed into the meeting.” Have you ever heard of any party convention where the local newspapers were barred from a convention, be it county or state convention? Me either. So much for openness and transparency for the local Republican Party. I wonder what they have to hide?
I really don’t know much about Allan Filip. The only thing I could find, if its the same Allan Filip, is he ran for Washtenaw County Commissioner from Ypsilanti in 2002, but he got only 29 percent of the vote.
The other officers elected were Russell Spencer as recording secretary; Allan Herdman as treasurer; Rick Pine, husband of Cindy Pine, as database secretary; and Jay Drick as treasurer of the Lincoln Club, which puts on the party's annual Lincoln Day Dinner.
Other members of the executive committee — which also includes 18 county- and state-level Republican elected officials — elected Thursday were Vicki Fyke, Bruce Hundley, Anne Belser, Debi Drick, Cindy Pine, Bill McCririe, Miles Vieau, Bill Vailliencourt, Teri Olsen, Sue Dolato, Cindy Denby and Lana Theis.
For the most part, these are quality people that I know, but there are a few I’m not so sure about. The sad part is blogger and wing nut Dan Wholihan AKA “republican michigander, is no longer on the executive committee. We could use more people with his mindset on the committee.
It’s funny, back when the local GOP put out the disgusting judicial questionnaire last summer when it took the unusual step of endorsing in a nonpartisan race, Filip and former chair Cindy Pine told candidates not to answer the biased questionnaire, but Wholihan took the opposite position, saying they choose to not answer it “at their own peril.”
Now he apparently supports him; saying, “He's not an extremist, nor a liberal (how can a republican ever hope to be a liberal?). He's a mainstream conservative and oftentimes filled the role being a consensus builder while he was vice-chair. That's what we need in a chair.” The Democrats will miss people of his ilk.
The real telling important and telling detail was this from the article, “The news media were not allowed into the meeting.” Have you ever heard of any party convention where the local newspapers were barred from a convention, be it county or state convention? Me either. So much for openness and transparency for the local Republican Party. I wonder what they have to hide?
I really don’t know much about Allan Filip. The only thing I could find, if its the same Allan Filip, is he ran for Washtenaw County Commissioner from Ypsilanti in 2002, but he got only 29 percent of the vote.
The other officers elected were Russell Spencer as recording secretary; Allan Herdman as treasurer; Rick Pine, husband of Cindy Pine, as database secretary; and Jay Drick as treasurer of the Lincoln Club, which puts on the party's annual Lincoln Day Dinner.
Other members of the executive committee — which also includes 18 county- and state-level Republican elected officials — elected Thursday were Vicki Fyke, Bruce Hundley, Anne Belser, Debi Drick, Cindy Pine, Bill McCririe, Miles Vieau, Bill Vailliencourt, Teri Olsen, Sue Dolato, Cindy Denby and Lana Theis.
For the most part, these are quality people that I know, but there are a few I’m not so sure about. The sad part is blogger and wing nut Dan Wholihan AKA “republican michigander, is no longer on the executive committee. We could use more people with his mindset on the committee.
It’s funny, back when the local GOP put out the disgusting judicial questionnaire last summer when it took the unusual step of endorsing in a nonpartisan race, Filip and former chair Cindy Pine told candidates not to answer the biased questionnaire, but Wholihan took the opposite position, saying they choose to not answer it “at their own peril.”
Now he apparently supports him; saying, “He's not an extremist, nor a liberal (how can a republican ever hope to be a liberal?). He's a mainstream conservative and oftentimes filled the role being a consensus builder while he was vice-chair. That's what we need in a chair.” The Democrats will miss people of his ilk.
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