Mark Schauer (MI-Gov) and Nancy Skinner (MI-11) -- both proud advocates of the "Blue Green Alliance."
This Diary first appeared in Michigan Liberal.
After losing his U.S. House seat in 2010, Mark Schauer became a leader in the national Blue Green Alliance in 2011, building its reputation and stature in Michigan and serving as Co-Chair of the BGA's "Jobs21!" campaign in 2011-2012.
Mark understood that one reason Democrats got hammered in 2010 was that two of its pillars -- Unions and Environmentalists, "Blue" and "Green" -- had spent too much time fighting each other and not enough on the common enemy, the now Tea Party-radicalized Republicans.
Sadly, today in MI-11 the old splits setting "Blue" vs. "Green" have reemerged; thanks to misrepresentations and backroom deals, many area unions (mainly SE Michigan-based locals) have settled on rookie candidate and Blue Dog (sorry, "independent thinker"), Bobby McKenzie, despite the extreme uphill battle he'd face trying to defeat Foreclosure King and Trial Lawyer David Trott in November.
But with time running out and McKenzie still badly trailing free-spending urologist (and fellow rookie candidate) Dr. Anil Kumar, it's high time Michigan's Unions started to have Second Thoughts.
It would if they REALLY knew Nancy Skinner -- not the caricature that some have spread. You see, Nancy IS the Blue Green Alliance, personified. Yes, she is a champion on Climate Change and the only Progressive in the MI-11 race. But she ALSO has a STRONG pro-Labor and pro-Worker background, developed through two decades of Democratic Party activism and support...as you'll see below the fold:
Read More