Quote of the Week:OMG you guys are jerks

This week's Quote of the Week sounds like it can from the captain of the high school cheerleading team, but, surprisingly, it came from former Republican Vice-Presidential nominee Sarah Palin.

She was lashing out at a report from Faux News that she did not know Africa was a continent and what countries were part of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The reports from the McCain campaign were just confirming what glimpses we saw from the very few media interviews she did. Palin, of course, used the old GOP standby of blaming the media for her lack of intelligence, or maybe for daring to report it.

The weird thing is that during the campaign the press could not get within 10 feet of her to ask an impromptu question, but after the election I can't turn on the TV and not see her face. Granted, most of her appearances are on Entertainment Tonight and other show biz type shows, but isn't her 15 minutes up? We can only hope.

Her excuse for the more than $150,000 spent on her for clothes and makeup is laughable. Republican Party lawyers are still trying to determine exactly what clothing was purchased for Palin at such high-end stores as Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus, what was returned and what has become of the rest.

But here is our Quote of the Week:

"That’s cruel. It’s mean-spirited. It’s immature. It’s unprofessional, and those guys are jerks if they came away with it, taking things out of context, and then tried to spread something on national news.”

See Dick not run, not, not, not

The 2010 Michigan Governor's race will have two new names after Republican loser in 2006 Dick DeVos announced in an email that will not run.

"I have concluded that my ability to impact the future of Michigan will be more significant at this time from outside government, instead of inside." He said in his email.

His billons of inherited dollars ensured the nomination was his if he wanted it. That cleared the way for speculation on who will run from the GOP side. Attorney General Mike Cox is the only one who officially has formed a committee to run. His ties to former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and Cox's admitted infidelity make him suspect.

Other possible candidates mentioned include U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Howell, and Sen. Valde Garcia, R-Howell, and Sen. Mike Bishop, R-Rochester.

The biggest drawback to DeVos dropping out is we will not be able to see that cool cartoon called "See Dick Run."

Prusi chosen as the new Senate Minority Leader

LANSING – The Senate Democratic Caucus chose Sen. Mike Prusi, D-Ishpeming, as the new Senate Minority Leader today to replace Sen. Mark Schauer, who was elected to U.S. Congress from the 7th District on Nov. 4.

The caucus went behind closed doors this morning before session after days of lobbying, and Prusi and Democratic Floor Leader Sen. Buzz Thomas, D-Detroit, emerged as the leading two candidates. Following session, Schauer announced Prusi was chosen as the new leader and Thomas will keep his position.

"The most pressing item on my agenda is to address what is currently going on in Michigan," Prusi said. "We need to find common ground to address the problems facing Michigan."

Prusi currently serves as the Democratic Vice-Chair for the Senate Finance Committee. He is in his second and final term in the Senate, and he served three terms in the Michigan House of Representatives before being elected to the Senate.

"Senator Prusi has been at the forefront of the most pressing issues facing our state, including energy policy and the state budget," Schauer said. "These experiences will serve him well, and I am confident he will excel in his new role as Caucus Leader. We will work closely to ensure a smooth, productive transition."

Only four of the 17 Democratic Senators will be returning in 2010, and some people thought one of the returning Senators would be more motivated to help win a Democratic majority in the Senate in 2010. But apparently experience won out.

Michigan political junkies can see Off the Record live

The long-running weekly PBS show "Off the Record" will tape a segment live on Nov. 21 in East Lansing in front of a live audience, and the show is inviting fellow political junkies to join them for a special on the road show.

The show has been a staple on PBS stations all over Michigan since 1972, covering the governor's office, the state legislature, the political campaign trail and state government with host and longest-running Capitol Correspondent Tim Skubick. The on the road show will take a look back at the 2008 election with some of Michigan's top political pundits. The show will begin at 2:30 pm. At Michigan State University's Kellogg Center Auditorium, 55 S. Harrison Road in East Lansing, with a reception following at 5 p.m.

The program is sponsored by MSU's Michigan Political Leadership Program and the Michigan Political History Society. It will feature guests Steve Mitchell of Mitchell Research and Communications, Inc.; Susan Demas, a reporter for the newsletter MIRS that covers the Capitol; Bernie Porn of EPIC-MRA; Nat Ehrlich, of the Institute of Public Policy & Social Research; Bill Ballenger, editor of the newsletter Inside Michigan Politics and Coit Cook Ford III of CCF III Consulting & Associates.

The event is free and open to the public, but an RSVP is required by phone at (517) 353-1357 or by e-mail to cusickk@msu.edu.

The show airs on weekends on PBS stations beginning Friday evening. Check local TV listings in your area to see when the show airs on your local PBS station.

Help pick the 2008 Grinch of the Year

It may only be Veteran’s Day, but stores already have Christmas displays, the TV is filled with Christmas commercials and one radio station is already playing Christmas music.

So it’s not too early to make your nomination for “Grinch of the Year,” sponsored every year by Jobs with Justice. The Ninth Annual “Grinch of the Year” contest asks people to nominate the most deserving greedy Grinch in their hometowns who does the most harm to working families. With the financial crisis that has seen CEOs getting million dollar bonuses and golden parachutes and their employees getting the shaft and pink slips, it should be easy to come up with a nominee.

JwJ is asking people from all over the country to submit a nomination for the national 9th Annual Grinch of the Year by Nov. 26 with a few sentences on why you think the nominee is deserving of such an honor. Based on the nominations, JWJ will chose the top two or three and conduct online voting to chose the winner.

Last year’s winner was Smithfield Packing Chairman Joseph Luter III. Past nominees include Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, Wal-Mart, President George W. Bush, former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, Cintas, Comcast, Verizon Wireless, Angelica and Continental General Tire.

Jobs with Justice is a national organization that runs national campaign for workers' rights, with the vision of lifting up workers’ rights and struggles as part of a larger campaign for economic and social justice. Jobs Local Jobs with Justice Coalitions unite labor, community, faith-based, and student organizations to build power for working people.

Time running short on Michigan Legislative session

Time is running short for the Michigan Legislature to act on a number of bills before they die when the Legislature adjourns for the year on December 27.

All bills not signed into law before December 27 will die, and they must be reintroduced when the new Legislature goes into session on January 6. There are only five scheduled session days in the Lame Duck session before the legislature adjourns, with six tentative session days. This week the Legislature will meet on Wednesday and Thursday before it takes a two-week fall, or deer hunting, break before it comes back on December 2.

Among the Lame Duck priorities are reaching an agreement on expanding Cobo Hall in Detroit, getting an agreement for development of a light rail system along the Woodward Corridor in metro Detroit, completing action on promise zone legislation that will help communities allow residents to attend colleges free of tuition costs, addressing the surcharge on the Michigan Business Tax (MBT) and the workplace smoking ban.

Gov. Jennifer Granholm also wants action on proposals to try and reduce home foreclosures in the state, such a proposal that would allow for a 90-day freeze on foreclosures. In addition, action on the complex Blue Cross/Blue Shield individual market bills could be in the works.

Hundreds of hours of man-hours have been put into the package that was first passed out of the House way back in October 2007. The Senate approved its own version, and a conference committee to iron out the differences between the two bodies was just appointed in September. If the bills are not approved before the 27th the process begins anew. With 46 new members taking the oath of office in the House in January, there may be some incentive to get the bills done in Lame Duck.

The financial crisis could also have an effect on the situation. BC/BS has warned that it is facing a potential financial disaster if changes are not made to the state's individual coverage market.

Newspaper fails to find real cause for failure of bond milage

The local newspaper finally picked up on the fact that the Livingston County Republican Party was trying to influence the Brighton Area Schools bond issue that was defeated on Election Day.

Better late than never, but it certainly let the party chair get off with a lame excuse; letting him claim that the predominate party in the county was not advocating for the election but simply allowing the opponents of the bond issue to store the campaign signs there.

A group calling itself "Parents Union Local No. 1" that is made up of members of the county party’s executive committee advocated for the defeat of the bond issue, and according to the article, Allan Filip, chair of the party, claims the party did not take a position. Right, and I have a bridge in Brooklyn I can sell you.

The question the reporter or editor at the Livingston County Daily Press & Argus who wrote the piece should have asked is of the group operated by party officials is registered as a Political Action Committee or a ballot committee. In order to spend money to influence the outcome of an election must, which they admitted they paid for the signs, they must be registered.

The school district was seeking a $15 million bond for buses and technology, and a separate capital projects sinking fund on the Nov. 4 ballot. With the bond funds, the school would have purchased 1,600 new computers and 46 new school buses. While this is not entirely a new millage, it replaces an old one with a slightly higher millage.

The combined building millage and the technology/bus bond would equal about 1 mill, which is slightly higher than the building/sinking fund millage rate that expired in 2007. That millage rate was 0.9 mills, or 90 cents in taxes per each $1,000 of taxable value." It would have cost the owner of a $200,000 house $100 a year or about 28 cents a day.

That still would have left homeowners - in the most affluent area in one of the most affluent counties in the state - with the lowest school millage in Livingston County. Without those needed improvements, it will become more difficult to compete for school-of-choice students, causing the district to lose even more funding.

What is even more stunning is in light of the newspaper’s failure to ask a basic question, is an editorial in the same issue blaming the school board for the ballot failure because of the teacher’s contract they approved in April that gave teacher’s whopping 1.13 percent to 2.26 percent raise over three years, offset by requiring teacher’s to pay for their own health care.

“Tired of the fact that its school board steadfastly spends money it doesn't have, voters in the Brighton Area Schools district resoundingly defeated two requests for new taxes Tuesday,” the editorial begins.

Generally, editorials advocate for something, but I’m not sure what this one is advocating for. Being one of the most affluent communities in the area, it would make sense that in order to live here teachers need to make a decent salary. Many teachers live outside the community, but with zero mass transit opportunities they have to drive in to work. I know the price of gasoline has fallen steadily from its high marl of more than $4 a gallon, but I don’t think that’s going to continue. Teachers in Brighton are not even the highest paid in the county. That honor belongs to teachers in Pinckney Community Schools.

The editorial then goes after board member Joe Carney, who is a friend of mine. It calls him, “veteran board member Joe Carney.” I’m not sure how veteran a first-term board member can really be.

“Did the school board get the message? Not if the response by veteran board member Joe Carney is typical. As the thrashing of the tax issues became apparent election night, Carney deflected any responsibility from the school board. The fault, he said, belonged squarely on the back of recently departed Superintendent Jim Craig.”

The editorial goes on further to quote Carney, "I lay this on the very poorly ran campaign to get this done," Carney told our reporter. "The guy (Craig) that was supposed to be leading the parade, who recommended we do this, his mind was elsewhere."
Amazing. And wrong.”

I disagree. The superintendent is the one who recommended the millage. Plus, before being named superintendent he was the assistant superintendent for finance. His job is to sell the mileage within the constraints of campaign finance law. It seems a little suspect that in the most affluent district in the county he can’t sell a much needed millage that will cost homeowners a mere 28 cents a day. Instead, he was looking for a new job.

Clearly, that’s not the only reason for the defeat. The teacher’s contract, wrongly, contributed to the loss, but when the party that controls every political office in the county from U.S. Congress down to 90 percent of the township positions advocates for the defeat of a common sense proposal, some of the blame should be placed at their feet.

That’s where the newspaper should look, and they failed.

Republicans incognito try to influence millage election

Something is fishy in Brighton, and if that's the case it's a pretty good bet that the Livingston County Republican Party is behind it.

In Tuesday's General Election, the Brighton Area School district was seeking a $15 million bond for buses and technology, and a separate capital projects sinking fund that was defeated. With the bond funds, the school planned to purchase 1,600 new computers and 46 new school buses. While this is not entirely a new millage, it would have replaced an old one with a slightly higher millage. If approved, it would have cost the owner of a $200,000 house in affluent Brighton $100 a year or about 28 cents a day.

That still would have left homeowners with the lowest school millage in Livingston County. Without those needed improvements, it will become more difficult to compete for school-of-choice students, causing the district to lose even more funding.

While watching a Youtube video of Michigan Republican Party Chair Saul Anuzis make a stop in Brighton just a few days before the election for his highly successful "Fight to the Finish Tour," I was surprised to notice among the candidate yard signs stacked up was a stack of yard signs urging people to vote no on the millage. I had no idea why a political party would advocate against a local millage issue.

Raising further suspicions was a story in the Livingston County Daily Press & Argus two days after the election on a group calling itself "Parents Union Local No. 1" pushing to reopen the teacher contract that was just approved in April and put their health benefits out to bid. The name is an apparent attack on teacher's unions.

The so-called leader of this group is businessman John Conely, owner of Conely Auto Sales in Genoa Township. But his associates really raised my eyebrows, and their ties to the local Republican Party are strong. The rest of the group consist of Genoa Township attorney Neal Nielsen, county assistant prosecuting attorney Bill McCririe and former Brighton School Board Treasurer Miles Vieau.

Nielsen is a former Republican Regent for the University of Michigan, and an ardent Mike Rogers supporter. You may recall he caused a major controversy when he refused to take down a Rogers for Congress sign on property he donated to Genoa Township for a fire station in violation of campaign law.

McCririe and Vieau are both members of the Livingston County Republican Party Executive Committee. Vieau decided not to run for reelecting to the school board last year. Instead, he began recruiting Republicans to run for the nonpartisan school board seats in an underhanded attempted to do away with the nonpartisan designation.

Republicans are not content to control the majority of partisan seats in the county, and now they are apparently trying to make nonpartisan races a sham.

The Brighton teachers had been working without a contract since August 2007, and after some often bitter negotiations and with the assistance of a state mediator, the school board approved the three-year contract by a vote of 4-2. It included moderate annual raises from 1.13 percent to 2.26 percent and teachers must pay more toward their health care benefits.

According to the P & A, the anti-school group has previously called on school board members Joe Carney, Beth Minert and Joyce Powers to resign from the board. The three all voted for the teachers' contract. You have to wonder if it has anything to do with their ties to the Democratic Party. Carney is the former chair of the county party.

Not a cent from the recently rejected millage would have been used for teacher salaries, benefits or even to operate the schools. But the group admitted they bought and paid for the yard signs discovered stacked in the GOP "Victory Center" opposing the recent school bond and sinking fund millage

Now, I seem to recall that any group spending money to influence the outcome of an election must be registered as a Political Action Committee. I checked the Michigan Secretary of State's web site, and I could find no listing for "Parents Union Local No. 1" or anything to do with Brighton Schools.