Cross-posted to MichiganLiberal.com.
In This Week's Edition
- Michigan Lucky Numbers
- Motown Politics
- What's Happening in Washington
- Looking Ahead to 2006...and 2008
- Legislature Update
- Around the State
- Sound Bite of the Week
Michigan Lucky Numbers
- Jobs lost under Governor Granholm: 74,000.
- Jobs lost during last Engler's two years: 228,000.
- Metro Detroit's Arab population: 300,000.
- Judicial appointments by Governor Granholm: 42.
- Counties with workplace smoking bans: 9.
- 2005-06 tuition increase at Wayne State: 18.5 percent.
- Expected attendance at today's Michigan Brewers Guild festival: 6,000.
Motown Politics
Latest Poll: More Bad News for Kilpatrick. The latest Detroit News/Mitchell Research poll gave former deputy mayor Freman Hendrix a 15-point lead. Hendrix received 38 percent, compared to 23 percent for Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick. In a head-to-head general election matchup, Hendrix trounced Kilpatrick, 57-27. The poll also found that 60 percent favored scrapping the current at-large system for electing Council members and instead dividing the city into districts.
The Mitchell poll also asked suburbanites for their opinions about Detroit. They gave Mayor Kilpatrick an 80-percent negative job approval rating, compared to 61 percent for Detroit voters, and said that Detroit's image hurts the state's economy as a whole. However, a majority of suburban voters are open to increased state aid for the city.
Mayor Comes Out Swinging. This week, Mayor Kilpatrick went negative, running television ads attacking Freman Hendrix for the state takeover of Detroit's schools, more than $120 wasted on a computer system, and misuse of funds in the city's housing department--all of which happened during the Archer administration.
The mayor also retooled his campaign theme, adopting the new slogan "Standing Strong...for Detroit" in his ads and distributing yard signs referring to Kilpatrick as "Our Mayor."
Some observers see the campaign slogans as a not-too-veiled attack on the media. Laura Berman of the News accused Kilpatrick of waging "one of the most cynical campaigns of all time", noting that he is portraying himself as the victim of racial prejudice even though all of his major opponents are themselves African American. Berman also said that the local media toned down their coverage of the mayor's misdeeds for fear of exacerbating the region's racial tensions.
Police Fund-Raising Flap. In a Page One story, the Free Press reported that police commanders were summoned to a meeting where they were asked to buy tickets to a Kilpatrick fund-raiser The Detroit Police Command Officers Association contended that the administration's actions amounted to coercion. Michigan law bars elected official from coercing public employee to contribute to his or her campaign.
Thankless Task? No matter who wins the election, Bill McGraw of the Free Press says that he or she had better be a glutton for punishment: in recent years, occupants of the Manoogian Mansion have had their work cut out for them.
In Brief. Following the Detroit Free Press's lead, the News endorsed no incumbent council members for re-election....Yesterday was the deadline for mayoral candidates to submit their campaign finance reports....Detroit became the second city in the state to ban smoking in the workplace. However, restaurants, bars, and casinos are exempt.
What's Happening in Washington
Senators Back Homeland Security Funding. Senators Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow both voted in favor of a homeland security spending bill that would add 1,000 Border Patrol agents and defend against biological weapons. However Stabenow failed in her effort to appropriate an extra $5 billion for improved communications equipment for first responders.
In Brief. John Dingell criticized Tom Tancredo (R-CO) for having suggested that the United States might bomb Mecca if the Islamic terrorists detonate a nuclear weapon on American soil....Rumor has it that Michigan Supreme Court justice Maura Corrigan was on the list of possible replacements for retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor....The state's House delegation split along party lines on legislation renewing the Patriot Act....A House-Senate conference committee voted to extend Daylight Saving Time beginning this fall, when we'll have to "fall back" on the second Sunday of November. Representative Fred Upton (R-St. Joseph) was a co-sponsor.
Looking Ahead to 2006...and 2008
Governor's Race: Miller Time?. According to the News's George Weeks, Representative Candice Miller (R-Harrison Township) is thinking of challenging Governor Granholm. Weeks also says that despite recent bitter exchanges between Granholm and her critics, chances are good that the legislature will reach a compromise over tax reform and measures to stimulate the state's economy.
Chad Selewski of the Macomb Daily also speculated on a Miller candidacy, saying she might run if the Democrats damage Dick DeVos over his company's outsourcing jobs to China. But Selewski thinks it's more likely that Miller is waiting for 2008, when Senator Levin might retire, or 2010, when Governor Granholm is term-limited--assuming she's re-elected.
GOP Goes After African American Voters. The Republican Party has launched a new drive to woo African American voters, contending its pro-free enterprise, education reform, and traditional family platform is more compatible with their beliefs. Democratic leaders called the GOP two-faced, pointing to fraudulently-obtained signatures on anti affirmative-action petitions and televised appeals to racist sentiments during the 2002 governor's race.
Butler in the Driver's Seat. After better-known candidates took a pass on challenging Seantor Stabenow, Keith Butler has emerged as the front-runner in the GOP race. Two prominent ex-congressmen from out of state are heading Butler's fund-raising drive and he continues to pile up endorsements from GOP county chairs and state committee members. However, he might be in for a fight. Domino's Pizza CEO David Brandon is still thinking about jumping in.
If the Election Were Held Today... The people at EPIC-MRA asked Michigan voters for their views on issues that might be on next year's ballot. Here's what they found:
- By 42-40, they'd like to see the ban on dove hunting overturned.
- By 72-22, they backed a proposal to raise the minimum wage. Legislation to that effect is stalled in the legislature.
- By 74-20, they favored expanding the bottle deposit law to include bottled water and juice containers.
- By 55-33, they supported guaranteed funding levels for elementary and high school education.
- Finally, by 61-32, they favored legalizing the medical use of marijuana.
In Brief. Rumors are again flying that rocker Ted Nugent
is considering a run for governor....National Chairman Ken Mehlman said that
the GOP will target both Governor Granholm and Senator Stabenow....The Michigan Democratic Party
has unveiled its Great Stonewall on China" clock, which keeps track of how long like GOP gubernatorial opponent Dick DeVos has refused to answer allegations that his company outsourced Michigan jobs to China.
Legislature Update
New Law Restricts Access to Allergy Pills. Starting December 15, you'll have to show ID and sign a log book to buy certain anti-allergy medications. These restrictions are part of new laws aimed at curbing access to the ingredients used to make methamphetamine, a highly addictive drug that has become a major problem in rural areas. More than 20 states have similar laws.
DARTA Redux. After the Court of Court of Appeals ruled that local governments couldn't form a Detroit Area Regional Transit Authority on their own, Senator Buzz Thomas (D-Detroit) introduced legislation that would create a new DARTA. However, his bill faces tough sledding in the legislature. Senator Leon Drolet (R-Clinton Township), an outspoken opponent of the regional transit authority, made it clear that he intends to kill the DARTA legislation.
Banning Human Torture. A bizarre story of a man who repeatedly tortured his disabled wife led to the discovery that while torturing an animal is a felony, there is no law against torturing another human being. That is likely to change. Representative John Espinosa (D-Croswell) has introduced legislation that would make human torture an offense punishable by up to life in prison.
In Brief.
Around the State
New Call for Campaign Finance Reform. Rick Robinson, the executive director of the Campaign Finance Network, said that the state's campaign finance laws are inadequate. Robinson criticized Michigan's system for slow reporting, lax standards, and slap-on-the-wrist penalties for violators. One example he cited was the $450,000 spent by trial lawyer Geoffrey Fieger to unseat Supreme Court justice Stephen Markman in 2004. Fieger didn't disclose the contribution until months later, and faces only a $1,000 fine for the late filing.
Latest on Affirmative Action Petition Drive. Opponents continued their efforts to derail an effort to amend the state constitution to ban affirmative action in state hiring and education. This week, they argued before the State Board of Canvassers that those who circulated petitions to put the issue on the ballot obtained voters' signatures under false pretenses. The canvassers, in turn, defeated a motion to certify the petitions and a motion to reject them. As a result, the validity of the petitions will be decided in court.
Meanwhile, Governor Granholm vetoed a bill that would have limited the canvassers' authority to reject a petition in the proper form and having the required number of signatures.
Governor Expands Her Influence. The News's George Weeks wrote that Governor Granholm has expanded her influence over state government with two recent appointments to the Court of Appeals and, more importantly, her maneuvering loyalists Mike Flanagan and Mitch Irwin to head the State Board of Education and Department of Agriculture, respectively.
Granholm-Cox Spat Over Gay Marriage. Observers don't know the details, but Governor Granholm and Attorney General Mike Cox appear at odds over a lawsuit challenging Proposal 2, the voter-approved amendment defining marriage as between one man and one woman.
In Brief. Butch Holowell, a former co-chair of the state Democratic Party, is representing three Republican officeholders facing a recall effort. Holowell is a lawyer who specializes in election law....Lisa Webb Sharpe will be the new director of the Office of Management and Budget. She's currently the governor's policy director....The Court of Appeals upheld a 1965 law requiring state contractors to pay employees the prevailing union wage....The governor has left for a week-long trip to Japan where she will try to attract industry to Michigan.
Sound Bite of the Week
"Nugent for Governor, Let's Kick Ass in '06."--message on T-shirt printed by Ted Nugent.