dagblog - Comments for "News from Michigan, the Nation's First Dictator State"

I'm not so sure about

Ramona — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 10:43:00 +0000

In reply to Gov. Snyder is only popular

I'm not so sure about Snyder's popularity. We used to say the same thing about John Engler--that he couldn't possibly get re-elected given all the damage he had done (Including, on a personal note, taking away state grants from me and many others who foolishly chose not to take the entire amount at the time we received them).

I don't know anything about Mark Schauer, but I believe Virg Bernero would have made a great governor. He had the passion for it, he understood budgets, and he would have worked well with the activists who were ready to move the state along. He would have given hell to the Republican legislators, which might have energized the fence-sitters. Sadly, he never had a chance against Snyder's propaganda and money machines.

I'll miss Carl Levin and can only hope a Dem will fill his seat.

Detroit's new financial manager just reinstated the pay of the mayor and the council, so they're warily giving him some luv in Deetroit City. (Who had the authority to take away their pay in the first place? Questions, questions, always questions when you live in a dictator state.)

Michigan's schools are another matter entirely. They're in trouble and it's going to take a massive effort to keep them from going private.

Gov. Snyder is only popular

trkingmomoe — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 03:43:51 +0000

In reply to I hope you're right, Momoe.

Gov. Snyder is only popular with his base out side of that he is as popular as the black plague. Mark Schauer's name is being floated to run against him. At least he is being courted by the Democrats. You won't have a repeat of the Mayor of Lansing running this time. In the open Senate seat Amash from Grand Rapids is making noises about running and he is a screwball teabagger and only popular with wing nuts. That will leave his house seat open. It is early so there will be more. If the new city manager in Detroit gets mean then you will see a big turn out of Democrats. When school starts in the fall and the kids have to take toilet paper and paper towels to school as their supplies, that eats away at republican support.

I hope you're right, Momoe.

Ramona — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 23:54:15 +0000

In reply to You will get some relief

I hope you're right, Momoe. The problem with Michigan is that the outstate votes are so unpredictable. And now with the gerrymandering, it's even more unpredictable. The upper peninsula was historically securely Democratic, but that has changed for no apparent reason. Retired auto workers, still loyal to the unions, moved up north and kept the Dems going for decades. We thought it would go on forever. Silly us.

(Sigh) Yes, that was the one

MrSmith1 — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 07:52:01 +0000

In reply to Ha ha. Where you went wrong

(Sigh) Yes, that was the one flaw in my plan. Oh well, back to the drawing board.

You will get some relief

trkingmomoe — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 04:22:51 +0000

In reply to Yes, Flower, gerrymandering

You will get some relief after the 2014 election. I have been reading how weak the republican bench is for state wide elections in Michigan. There is a few Republicans considering to poke their noses out of their safe gerrymandered seats for a state wide run. Peterson's name is floating around for either Gov. or open senate seat. The behavior of the Republicans are setting themselves up for a backlash in Michigan. A Democratic Gov will put a check on the State House. There are several others being talked about for Gov. and Senate but the names did not stick because I am and outsider.

Ha ha. Where you went wrong

Ramona — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 02:47:23 +0000

In reply to Civil disobedience is

Ha ha. Where you went wrong way back in 2010, Mr. Smith, is that you forgot they have no shame. None. They don't care what we think. So, yes, they gerrymandered because they could win no other way, but they don't care. Winning is winning. And they turned out to be right. Winning IS winning. And when you win you get to make the rules. And when you get to make the rules you win.

See how easy that is?

Yes, Flower, gerrymandering

Ramona — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 02:34:33 +0000

In reply to This recent article sums it

Yes, Flower, gerrymandering has just about done us in, but I hope you're wrong that people are about to give up. That's what they want and that's what we have to fight against. This battle will not end until and unless we lay down and die, and I am so not ready to do that yet!

Civil disobedience is

MrSmith1 — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 01:58:28 +0000

In reply to I'm curious to know how

Civil disobedience is probably a better idea than the one I suggested just after the 2010 elections ... although I think my idea would be a lot more fun and bring more immediate satisfaction.

This recent article sums it

wabby — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 13:00:09 +0000

In reply to I'm curious to know how

This recent article sums it up pretty well, Sleepin.

Well, for example, in the most recent elections in 2012 over 170,000 more votes were cast statewide for Democrats to the Assembly than Repubs. But due to the manner in which those votes were apportioned, the Repubs acquired Assembly seats in a two-for-one landslide.

Same thing happened in Michigan. There were far more votes for Democrats than for Republicans, yet the Republicans took the majority of state seats because the Dems were shoved into fewer voting districts.

A fer instance: I live in a four county voting district. Before 2010 we were a swing district...going dem as easily as going rep. It was usually this one county that would swing us dem. (Unfortunately, not my county of residence.)

Then came the redistricting shenanigans. The dem county was stripped off and added to the district south of us (reliably dem) and another county (reliably rep) to the west was added to take its place.

Ta-da. No more swing district.

This same redistricting also assured that my U.S. Rep will be a Republican. Forever. Or at least until 2020.

There are attempts, like in momoe's Florida, to bring fair districting to the state. But of course, all attempts are shot down by the Repubs in power.

Right now, things in Michigan look desperate and disheartening.

Honestly? I don't think there's enough heart left in the people here to raise a good holler about it.

Here in Florida we were able

trkingmomoe — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 07:55:06 +0000

In reply to I'm curious to know how

Here in Florida we were able to pass by ballot a constitutional amendment for fair district reapportionment. That put an end to some of the long snake like districts that was gerrymandered. It made a difference in 2012 election. We picked up four US House seats and the republicans lost their super majority in Tallahassee. There was a battle in the courts to make the Republican held state house stick to the new rules. That was why Grayson didn't know really who was going to be in his district. It wasn't settled until August 2012. We have had extreme gerrymandering going on for a long time in Florida and people got tired of it. The ballot passed by a super majority of votes to put it on the constitution. That is also what removed Allen West from office. It takes time to break their strangle hold and we still have more work to do here in Florida.