Republican lawmaker introduces resolution supporting Andy Dillon

Sane people of all political stripes continue to line up behind House Speaker Andy Dillon to denounce the ridiculous and illegal recall against him for his vote for the increase of the income tax - and the since repealed sales tax on some services - that avoided a government shutdown and helped balanced the state budget on Oct. 1.

Both the subscription only MIRS and Gongwer reported that Rep. Dick Ball, R-Bennington Twp, introduced House Resolution 358 Thursday that would "express the sense of the House that recalls should be based on specific misconduct, criminal activity, or abuse of office and should not be based on a single vote and to denounce the effort to recall Speaker Andy Dillon." That’s also what the majority of voters think, and most state newspapers have editorialized that position. Both nonpartisan groups, like the Michigan Townships Association, and more partisan groups, like the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, have also taken the same position.

Some of the political posturing by some other Republicans was laughable. Rep. Kevin Elsenheimer, R-Bellaire - who is running to be the minority leader or for the Michigan Court of Appeals, depending on what day it is – said, according to Gongwer, that the supporters of the resolution were “…engaging the chamber in a political issue.” What, the House of Representatives is a political organization that engages in politics? Why, I never.

Even more funny was the reaction of Republican Macomb County Commissioner Leon Drolet, who launched the illegal and unethical recall that used faked signatures, paid petition collectors who lied to get signatures and used out-of-district petition gathers to collect signatures. He said in MIRS that “he felt he could get some public relations traction just on the basis that the House was considering taking the resolution up.” With Drolet, that’s exactly what this witch-hunt is all about.

He also, of course, brought up Dillon’s long planned week of vacation with his family. Ironically, the bill that Republicans used to embarrass Dillon and illustrate the fact that he was gone, passed by a vote of 60-44 on Thursday. You will recall that on Wednesday, the Capital Outlay Budget – Senate Bill 511 – failed by just one vote. Drolet and company used that to try and say that if Dillon had been in the chamber it would have passed. They ignored, of course, that eight members were not at session yesterday and three Republicans did not even cast a vote in order to embarrass him.

Somebody better tell Elsenheimer about this politics thing in the chamber. I fail to see how introducing a bill or a resolution is political, but refusing to do what you were sent to Lansing to do is not political. To me, the actions by the three Republicans in refusing to vote might be more of a reason to recall a politician; for not doing what they were elected to do, instead of for doing what we sent them to do.

Gongwer also reported that the Department of State said on Thursday that it has conducted its initial review of the recall petition signatures found they have the required 8,724 signatures. Now if the SOS does its job properly, the fraud will begin to surface even more. The department will now proceed in matching the signatures to the qualified voter file to determine if there are enough to put the measure on the ballot.

Smoking ban passes Senate

LANSING – After more than a decade of debate, a smoking ban in Michigan workplaces, including bars and restaurants, was finally approved in the Senate Thursday by a vote of 25-12.

“I would like to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for thinking of the health of patrons, workers and customers,” said Sen. Ray Basham, D-Taylor, who has championed the issue for the past decade.

Basham moved to discharged House Bill 4163 from further consideration of the Committee on Government Operations and Reform, chaired by Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop, R-Rochester. That passed with 27 votes.

Bishop had blocked a vote on the bill since it was introduced in January 2007, but a leading Lansing lobbying group, Public Sector Consultants, released a study last month that summarized 43 other studies and six public health reports across North America that have examined the economic and health aspects of banning workplace smoking in some form, with "the vast majority" concluding there is no net economic impact on bars and restaurants. It also included polls showing increasing public support for bans, with support even stronger after bans have been enacted. But more importantly was the position taken by PSC Senior Policy Fellow Ken Sikkema. He said the studies found food and liquor sales even increased slightly when smoking bans were instituted, and sales tended to grow more in subsequent years. Other studies found the value of restaurant properties increased after a ban was imposed.

Sen. Mark Jansen, R-Grand Rapids, introduced an amendment to Basham’s substitute that included casinos in the smoking ban. Jansen’s amendment would make the smoking ban invalid if the Indian gamming casinos were not included. However, it violates the sovereign status of the Indian tribes, and it was defeated 25-9.

Detroit-area Senators introduced amendments to the Basham substitute to allow smoking in Detroit casinos, in fear those casinos would lose business. Those all failed. The substitute passed 24-9.

Last December, the Democratic-controlled House approved House Bill 4163 -- introduced by Rep. Brenda Clack, D-Flint -- by a vote of 56-46. The bill was referred to the Republican-controlled Senate where it was bottled up in committee.

The House now has to concur in the substitute before it goes to the governor, but that should be no problem. That is expected to happen as early as today.

Action on smoking ban bill could come soon

After more than a decade of stalling and obstruction, Michigan may soon join the 33 other states that have banned smoking in workplaces.

A vote on House Bill 4163 that bans smoking in all workplaces, including bars and restaurants, could occur in the Senate as early as Thursday. The issue really picked up steam after a study released last month by Public Sector Consultants proves that smokefree laws have no negative impact on the bar and restaurant industry. The American Cancer Society has issued a mass e-mail urging supporters to contact their state Senator to ask them to pass the bill that ensures every worker and customer is able to breathe clean air.

The ACS has established a toll free number to help supporters reach their Senator. You can call 1-888-NOW-I-CAN and ask to be transferred to your senator's office to urge their support of a comprehensive smokefree workplace law that includes bars and restaurants. It’s also a good idea to contact Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop to urge him to allow the bill to move forward and to vote for the bill. He can be reached toll-free at (877) 924-7467. Bishop, at the urging of the Michigan Restaurant Association, has kept the bill bottled up in committee. It’s unclear if the bill will be discharged from Bishop’s Policy on Government Operations and Reform directly to the floor, or if it will be voted in the committee. The committee has not met this session.

Subscription only MIRS reported the Senate Republican caucus met Tuesday to talk about the bill, but no word on the outcome has leaked out.

By calling the toll-free number, an ACS representative can tell you who your state senator is and can transfer you directly to the senator's office where you can leave a message with the staff member who answers the phone. Your message can be as simple as "I am a constituent of the senator and I am asking for their support of a comprehensive smokefree law that includes bars and restaurants." Please leave a message even if you reach voicemail.

Michigan Chamber latest group to come out against Dillon recall

The Michigan Chamber of Commerce became the latest group to come out against the misguided and illegal recall against House Speaker Andy Dillon, D-Redford.

The chamber, which never endorses a Democrat, joins the Michigan Township Association in speaking out against the recall, calling it "counterproductive," according to subscription only MIRS.

A hearing over whether Republican Macomb County Commission Leon Drolet and company violated a court order by using out-of-district residents to collect petition signatures was postponed from Monday to May 12 before Wayne County Circuit Court Chief Judge William Giovan. Drolet, who asked for the postponement, wants to keep their illegal actions out of the public for as long as possible.

In more recall news, Drolet, a former state Representative, said he will not run for reelection to the Macomb County Board to devote more time as the executive director of the Michigan Taxpayers Alliance. It might be because he hasn’t spent much time in Macomb County recently. He also might be concerned about being recalled for his illegal actions, which most people believe recalls should be reserved for. We also know why he pushed so hard for this recall; so much so that he stopped to illegal activities, job security. Drolet has never held a job in the public sector.
That’s good news for Macomb County, but bad news for the rest of the state.

MTA calls recall against Dillon ‘Recall Abuse’

The Michigan Townships Association (MTA) called the attempted recall of Michigan House Speaker Andy Dillon, D-Redford Township, recall abuse.

In its weekly Legislative Report, the bipartisan MTA headlined the brief that goes to elected officials across the state “recall abuse spreads to state level.” “As so many township officials have experienced in the past, the recall is not based upon improper actions, but instead they are accused of making a tough decision on a critical issue.” As a reporter who coved local government, I saw lots of failed recall attempts launched because someone did not like a vote, but during election time when you should recall an elected official for a vote you do not agree with, you get less than 50 percent voter turnout.

Republican Macomb County Commissioner Leon Drolet and company launched a recall against 10 state Legislators who voted for the increase of the income tax - and the since repealed sales tax on some services - that avoided a government shutdown and helped balanced the state budget on Oct. 1. After the other nine recall attempts fell by the wayside, Drolet concentrated on just the recall attempt against Dillon by using illegal tactics and lying to get signatures.

According to the MTA, “Speaker Dillon is facing a recall for his vote to raise taxes. The Speaker is also charging recall organizers with lying to the citizens in order to procure signatures, a common complaint amongst township officials facing recall from office. “

The Michigan Townships Association promotes the interests of 1,242 townships and their elected officials.

Rogers is shocked, shocked that people are not happy with the direction of the country

U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Brighton is shocked, shocked I said, that people are not happy with the direction of the country.

Obviously, the Congressman needs to get out of Washington, D.C. once in a while and actually visit regular people in the 8th Congressional District.

According to a story in the Livingston County Daily Press & Argus, Rogers told one of his pat stories to a receptive audience at the Livingston County Republican Party's annual Lincoln Day Dinner that students at Okemos High School “seemed dejected with the state of the country.”

"They honestly believed the world was going to combust in 26 minutes," Rogers said, according to the paper. "I was shocked — shocked, and said, oh, wow, what work do we have to do.' "

The reason for this disillusion? Democrats, taxes and regulations. Well of course. It has nothing to do with the fact that we are in an endless war that did not need to be fought that's costing us millions of dollars a day, the greatest country in the world has stooped to torturing people and gas is almost $4 a gallon because oil companies drafted the energy policy.

If that were the case, the simple solution would be cutting taxes, but that has never worked. Maybe if we cut taxes and wages low enough we can be equal to a third world country where the jobs are going. If those students are really felling that way then I guess Barack Obama was right when he said voters are bitter over the direction of the country.

If Rogers' quote wasn’t ridiculous enough we get one from Michigan Republican chair Saul Anuzis, who said Obama was “unqualified and looking at the world through "rose-colored glasses.” He has more experience than the last Illinois resident to be president and the best Republican president on civil rights. I guess Obama was wearing his rose-colored glasses when he was raised in a struggling single-parent home or worked as a community organizer in the poorest neighborhoods in Chicago.

I actually agree with Allan Filip, chairman of the county GOP, who has proven to be the most insulting chair the local party has had in recent memory. He said “It's important those kids in Okemos realize we live in the best country in the world." I agree, and that’s why I will speak out when we stoop to torturing people, invades sovereign countries for no reason and when our government commits crimes.

Petition fraud is nothing new to Drolet and company

To quote a sage hall of fame former New York Yankee catcher, the recall farce against Michigan House Speaker Andy Dillon is "It's deja vu all over again.”

Despite mounting evidence of fraud and deceit to collect signatures, out of state money, illegal petition gathers, cash for signatures and illegal campaign contributions by Republican Macomb County Commissioner Leon Drolet and company, they are assuring the mainstream press that the recall will get on the ballot. Michigan Liberal and Eric Baerren have done an excellent job of documenting and presenting some of this fraud.

As evidence of the expected success of the Dillon recall, they point to the success of the racist Michigan Civil Rights Initiative (MCRI) that went on the November 2006 ballot that did away with affirmative action. Despite proof of the same deceptive tactics used on both petition drives – even by some of the same players involved in this recall, including Drolet – the petitions were certified and it went on the ballot and was approved by voters.

You may recall that the California group headed by Ward Connerly came to Michigan to push the initiative, and the group illegally lied to people and misrepresented themselves to get signatures. In fact, the Michigan Civil Rights Commission adopted a resolution against the racist initiative. Following a six-month investigation that concluded on June 12, 2006, it released the results that found “…that efforts to place the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative (MCRI) on the ballot appeared to be based upon a massive campaign of fraud and deceit.”

“The Michigan Civil Rights Initiative is a shameful attempt to confuse and manipulate unsuspecting Michigan voters, was what one member of the Civil Rights Commission said about the effort.

Sounds very familiar doesn’t it? Kind of like deja vu all over again.

Drolet and company submitted the signatures just before the deadline, but we have not heard much about their failures. It started recalls against Reps. Robert Dean, D-Grand Rapids, Marie Donigan, D-Royal Oak; Sen. Jerry Van Woerkom, R-Norton Shores; Rep. Mary Valentine, D-Muskegon; Rep. Marc Corriveau, D-Northville; Rep. Ed Gaffney, R-Grosse Pointe Farms; Rep. Steve Bieda, D-Warren, and Rep. Joel Sheltrown, D-West Branch, but all have failed. It seems sad that they are crowing about 1 out of 9. That’s a pretty crappy success rate, especially when you consider it’s the Michigan voters who are the losers.

Recalls should be reserved for officeholders who commit a crime, commit fraud or deceit or are dishonest. The kind of things that Drolet has done in this witch-hunt. It is not for a politician for simply doing their job, for casting one vote and keeping the state open. If you disagree, you vote for his opponent in the election, and you can do that in August or November, just three and six months.

Michigan continues to lag in protecting resident’s health

LANSING – Iowa became the latest state to go smokefree, including bars and restaurants, according to a press release by the Campaign for Smokefree Air.

The grrassroots coalition, dedicated to making Michigan smokefree, said it applauded the Iowa Legislature and Governor Chet Culver for their leadership in ensuring smokefree workplaces with the Smokefree Air Act, signed on April 15. Iowa joins more than 30 other states that have gone smokefree, but Michigan has not done the same. House Bill 4163, that bans smoking in all Michigan workplaces, including bars and restaurants, remains bottled up in the Senate because of Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop.

“Michigan senators need to stop ignoring the growing support for smokefree air and pass comprehensive legislation here in Michigan,” said Katherine Knoll, spokesperson for CSA. “We would like our lawmakers to protect the health of their constituents by passing a strong version of HB 4163 without any exemptions. Every Michigan worker should be protected from secondhand smoke.”

The news from Iowa comes on the heels of a report by the leading Lansing research firm Public Sector Consultants Inc. called “Smokefree workplaces: The Impact of House Bill 4163 on the Restaurant and Bar Industry in Michigan” that summarized 43 other studies and six public health reports across North America that have examined the economic and health aspects of banning workplace smoking in some form. The report concluded that "the vast majority" concluded there is no net economic impact on bars and restaurants. It also included polls showing increasing public support for bans, with support even stronger after bans have been enacted.

Perhaps more significantly was one of the authors of the study, former Senate Majority Leader Ken Sikkema, a senior policy fellow at PSC. It was Sikkema who refused to give the smoking ban bill, pushed by Sen. Ray Basham, a hearing when he led the Senate before Bishop.

Last December, the Democratic-controlled House approved House Bill 4163 -- introduced by Rep. Brenda Clack, D-Flint -- by a vote of 56-46. When the bill was referred to the Republican-controlled Senate, a brief fight ensued as to what committee it would be sent to. Proponents of the bill wanted it to go to what many saw as the most logical place for it: the Health Policy Committee. The chairman of that committee, Sen. Tom George, is receptive to the ban. George is a medical doctor. Instead, it was sent to the Government Operations and Reform Committee, chaired by Bishop. Although the ban has lots of support from people from both parties, Bishop has said he will not only not allow the bill to be voted on; it will not get even get a hearing.

However, Bishop told an audience at a town hall meeting in February in Oakland Country, sponsored by the League of Women Voters featuring Bishop and Speaker of the House Andy Dillion, that he would give the bill a hearing before his committee. However, Bishop did not give a date for the hearing.