If you keep in touch with any local organizing at all, you know that events take place nearly daily now, all across Michigan. The best I can do is point you to other sources of updated information.
If you are on Facebook, you may be interested in joining Forward Action Michigan for updates. That’s a decent resource. The community calendar Activate! 313 would like to cover events in SE Michigan (even outside the 313) so they merit checking out — and supplying information to — as well. Obviously, I am not well-informed about much outside SE Michigan anyway, and even then I don’t claim to be comprehensively aware. If YOU have other excellent calendars and event clearinghouses to promote, please put them in the comments. List below the fold.
But an important UPDATE is here, courtesy the Michigan Democratic Party. RSVP HERE
DAY OF ACTION to save health care. Sunday, January 15, UAW Region 1 in Warren, 12:30 PM -
RSVP HERE
From an email this morning (Friday 1/6) by Brandon Dillon, MDP Chair, to MDP members:
On Sunday, January 15, communities across our country will be participating in a Day of Action - “Our First Stand: Save Health Care” – and we need your help!
Please help us take a stand and make sure Michigan’s voice is heard by joining me, U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, Senator Bernie Sanders, Senator Debbie Stabenow, Senator Gary Peters, and other Michigan congressional members at a statewide rally – Sunday, January 15, 12:30 p.m., at UAW Region 1 Pavilion, 27800 George Merrelli Drive in Warren. Click here … to RSVP.
The Republican plan will put insurance companies back in charge by repealing patient protections for every American who has insurance. They plan to take away health care coverage for over 30 million Americans by dismantling the health care system and ending guaranteed Medicare benefits by converting Medicare into a voucher program. Their plans threaten nursing home care for over 4 million seniors by slashing Medicaid and dramatically increasing prescription drug prices for seniors and the disabled.
It's important that Michigan’s voice be heard in this debate. Please join us in this day of action and share this message with your friends and family on social media.
Be sure to RSVP by clicking here now. I look forward to seeing you there and taking a stand together.
For our purposes, I’d like to focus on a few key dates and events. (I did say a few. Ha!)
Thursday, January 12: Last Day to Join the Michigan Democratic Party (to have a vote at the MDP Spring Convention, Saturday, February 11) See the MDP website for more details about membership and about the Convention.
Friday, January 13, 6:30 — 9:30 PM: Sign-Making Party in Ypsilanti, exact location TBD We’ll meet somewhere we can spread out posterboard and munch on fingerfood as we test slogans and images on each other before putting them on paper. Let me know you’re interested and I will send you details. It will not be a Daily-Kos-only event.
Sunday, January 15, noon, Campus Martius, Detroit: Detroit March to Protest Cuts to the ACA/SS/Medicare/Medicaid (Other locations across Michigan will have rallies that day, too.) I may join this one; stay tuned. If YOU plan to go to this one, or another, please share below.
Saturday, January 21: Women’s March on Washington Lansing, 1 — 3 PM, Michigan Capitol See story image above for event details, or the MarchonLansing website. We WILL have a Daily Kos banner to march behind — please let us know you’ll march with us!
**Please Note: This March will be followed by The Women Organize Michigan Summit at Saint Paul's Episcopal Church near the Capitol. Afterwards, we hope to hold a Daily Kos meet-up for all Michigan Kos members. Please comment below, or send me a Kosmail, if you would like to attend that Daily Kos event!**
Saturday, January 21: March for Love, Resilience and Action, Ypsilanti, 1 — 3 PM From the organizers: “This ad hoc group plans a procession route that will pass by and honor Ypsilanti locales significant to the movements for civil rights, women’s equality and human rights. It will conclude in a performance space where our people power will be celebrated as WE inaugurate OUR vision for an interconnected future.” See https://www.facebook.com/loveresilienceactionypsi/
That takes us through the inauguration weekend, mostly. But please keep us apprised of other events that you would like to promote.
In February, there are TWO more dates of significance already to put on your calendars.
Saturday, February 4: DNC Future Forum, 9 AM — 5 PM, Community Arts Bldg, Wayne State Yes, the DNC is coming to Detroit for a public forum, and YOU are invited to attend. The afternoon session will largely be Q & A involving the candidates for DNC offices, including the Chair. Doesn’t that sound fascinating?! :)
**Please note: Lunch is NOT provided (this is a free event) and I would like to set up a Daily Kos meeting place for lunch near WSU. I’ll propose the Cass Café to start, since they do take reservations — but I have not yet asked, and they might already be booked. Let me know ASAP if you’d like to take part in a lunch with us!**
Saturday, February 11: Michigan Democratic Party Spring Convention, 9 — 5, Cobo Center, Detroit
In case you don’t know already, this is where a number of key elections will take place. If YOU want to help shape the direction of the Michigan Dems for the next two years, this is the place to be. The link again for the MDP: MichiganDems.com
One last request for now. The Senate appears to have scheduled confirmation hearings for the despicable Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education starting next Wednesday, January 11. NOW is the time to write letters to the editor; call our Senators; call Democratic Senate Leadership to urge them to STAND FAST in opposition to DeVos.
Basically, our message is some variant on:
Betsy DeVos is a Christian theocrat who will seek to end public education throughout the United States.
While you are at it — Senator Stabenow has already gone on the record to express her opposition to DeVos at Education. Hooray for Debbie! Please show her that we have her back; she needs to know when she has our support. This link goes to her email page and it also includes the list of her local offices if you prefer to call. Or, if you tweet: @SenStabenow
Sen. Gary Peters’ contact link is here. (I do not know whether he has taken a stand yet himself on DeVos.) His Twitter handle: @SenGaryPeters
We are on a war footing now. Every day counts. Check out Kascade Kat’s great posts for daily to-dos (here is today’s installment of Defend Our Democracy) and keep us all apprised here of how you are faring.
Remember, this is an Open Thread of all things Michigan. The floor is yours!
Please help us build this weekly Michigan thread so that it includes any information relevant to turning MI Blue again that you would like me to highlight. MI contributors are always welcome! You can reach me through kosmail at peregrine kate. Or say hi through email here: peregrinekate@gmail.com And please follow me on Twitter @peregrinekate
Please feel free to drop in on ANY State Open Thread!
Colorado: Sunday Mornings
Kansas: Monday Evenings
Michigan: Thursday Evenings
Missouri: Wednesday Evenings
North Carolina: Sundays, 1:00 PM Eastern