Cross-posted from michiganliberal.com
In spite of record sales spurred on by its employee-discount-for-all discount pricing program, General Motors' North American operations
continue to bleed cash, losing $1.2 billion in the second quarter of 2005. According to published reports, rising health care costs continue to wreak havoc on the carmaker's bottom line. Policymakers are reacting to this news by boldly looking the other way and hoping the health care problem will fix itself.
Last month, Republican National Committee Chairman and
former Karl Rove subordinate Ken Mehlman proved his open-mindedness by hanging with
Hip Hop godfather Russell Simmons. Yesterday,
Mehlman
brought his "we like black people" crusade to Flint.
(this in the same week George Bush nominated a right-wing white male to the U.S. Supreme Court and the Board of State Canvassers rejected a ballot proposal to ban affirmative action in Michigan):
Ken Mehlman and Michigan Republican Chairman Saul Anuzis held an afternoon discussion with nearly 40 blacks and nearly as many whites at Mott Community College in Flint to tell them that the GOP shares many of their values on issues such as expanding economic opportunities, improving education and opposing gay marriage. (emphasis added)
Screw that other stuff. Gay marriage is what this is all about. Mehlman and Anuzis are gaga over the fact that
59% of Michigan blacks voted to deny health benefits to gay people last fall (though many probably thought they were voting only for a ban on gay marriage). The Republicans think they can translate hostility towards gays in the black community into a few more votes for candidates who think like Bush. To assist with this effort, they recruited
anti-sodomy crusader and African-American pastor Keith Butler to run for the U.S. Senate.
Republicans want to see how far they can push the gay marriage issue; whether they can grab a couple of points for Gubernatorial Candidate Dick DeVos (R-Amway) or whether they can even create a small base of religious black supporters. To do this, they're using Keith Butler as their test tube and Michigan as their laboratory.
How do we make sure their experiment fails? Bush. Bush, Bush, Bush, Bush, Bush, Bush, Bush and Bush. As I've mentioned before, he got 8% of the black vote in Michigan in 2004. This,
on the very same ballot as the anti-gay proposal. As long as African-American Michiganders remember that Republican = Bush, no amount of photo ops with Russell Simmons will change things.
Print:
Associated Press
GM North America reports $1.2B loss
Summary Box: GM posts another big loss
Republicans increase efforts to woo black voters
Summary Box: Republicans woo black voters
Wayne State Board of Governors approves 18.5 percent tuition hike
Granholm, Cox at odds over gay marriage ban, but won't say why
June unemployment rate drops to 6.8 percent
Aug. 20 strike deadline set for Northwest Airlines, mechanics
Granholm appoints policy director to head Management and Budget
Law bans sale of Sudafed to minors
Adoption agency reverses policy on Catholics
Bush nominee for high court represented Chrysler, Toyota
Michigan appeals court upholds state's prevailing wage law
Whirlpool's second-quarter profit falls 9 percent
Eyes now on Whirlpool in Maytag auction
Ford, Canadian Auto Workers begin labor talks
DaimlerChrysler, Canadian Auto Workers begin labor talks
Businessman working to bring professional baseball to Holland
Michigan man gets 34 months for wreaking havoc near White House
Natural fish kills on rise, DNR says
Booth Newspapers
Best of Ann Arbor's art fair includes housewares, jewelry
Detroit Free Press
Top cops pushed to pitch in for Kilpatrick's campaign
(Freman Hendrix) Behind-the-scenes veteran enters spotlight
About Freman Hendrix
Hendrix on the issues
NEWS IN A MINUTE: Wayne State's tuition going up 18.5% in the fall
Detroit council passes work site smoking ban
Bridge plans worry Downriver residents
MATT HELMS: MDOT finds $1 million to pay for Oakland County cleanup
-Op-Ed-
Supreme Choice: Key questions to ask nominee Roberts
Mike Thompson cartoon - Roberts nomination
Detroit News
GM vows to hasten cost cuts
State unemployment rate dips to 6.8%
Jobless struggle to find work
Detroit council bans workplace smoking
Judge dismisses gun charge
Feds crack down on porn spam
Ash tree borer cuts into shade
Building disrupts Royal Oak
Delinquent parents warned
It's official: Pistons pick Flip
-Op-Ed-
Bush's court pick divides legal experts
With massive tuition hike, WSU forgets role
George Weeks: Granholm expands influence through key appointments
Laura Berman: For the hip-hop mayor, the moment of truth has arrived
Barry Cargill (Small Business Ass'n): Michigan requires more electricity choices
Voters should adopt new Harrison Twp. tax
Oakland's future growth depends on I-75 expansion
Henry Payne cartoon: Rising tuition
Larry Wright cartoon: Roberts nomination
Lansing State Journal
Bernero turns campaign into family effort this time around
Michigan Works back in service
Challenged by rising expenses, state's family farms persevere
Soil map dishes the dirt on state's acres
-Op-Ed-
Court pick: No hard edges for Roberts, but terror ruling is disturbing
Hit the canvas
Terry Link: What are we thinking on recreation?
Gongwer ($ subscription required)
CABINET DEPUTY TO HEAD D.M.B.
SENATE G.O.P. BACKING AWAY FROM S.B.T. PHASEOUT
RALLY AT CAPITOL DRAWS MEDICAID CUT PROTESTORS
GRANHOLM, COX MOVE DELAY SUIT ON PARTNER BENEFITS
LEVIN, STABENOW SAY CAREFUL REVIEW OF ROBERTS NEEDED
APPEALS COURT REBUFFS SUIT AGAINST PREVAILING WAGE
SUPREME COURT HOLDS ROAD CONDEMNATION ALLOWED
PATTERSON CALLS FOR LONG-RANGE ENERGY PLAN
UNEMPLOYMENT, EMPLOYMENT RATES DOWN IN JUNE
MIRS ($ subscription required)
Webb Sharpe New DMB Director
Tax Policy Panel Pushes On
Governor Goes Abroad
DeRoche: DARTA Needs Opt-Out
Patterson Wants Long-Term Energy Plan
Star Wars 'Star'
A Peaceful House?
Bits And Tidbits
DeVos Camp: 'No Means No'
Jobs Dip 20,000, Unemployed Fall 18,000
Sudafed Gets Locked Up
Publicly Funded And Maintained Road Is For A Public Use
Court: Prevailing Wage Not Unconstitutional
Cox Files More Medicaid Fraud Charges
On This Day In Michigan History
Grand Rapids Press
White House threat brings prison term
Christian adoption group allows Catholics to adopt
Now departing: US Airways
No-swim warnings issued at beaches
-Op-Ed-
Better tracking of dropouts
Check the records
Flint Journal
(Flint) Finance director is back
Incumbents absent, late or silent at forum
Flint voters to decide bus service tax Aug. 2
Fueling rumors: Sign snafu sparks fears of $3 gasoline
Progressive Caucus elects officers
-Op-Ed-
Genesee Towers
Oakland Press
GM posts loss despite incentives
Use of Dome money questioned
-Op-Ed-
District shows responsibility by considering privatization
Macomb Daily
Split decision on Harrison Township recalls
Ann Arbor News
Ballot issue on race still in limbo
Roberts well-respected, local experts point out
People want voice in cleanup Residents irked that state, courts are making all decisions on dioxane
How's business at the fairs? Depends on the artist you ask Opening day finds visitors, exhibitors enjoying themselves
Bay City Times
Chatter about price spike fuels long lines at service stations
-Op-Ed-
Hard-up schools sell naming rights to come up with cash
Kalamazoo Gazette
Pfizer earnings up 21%, top predictions
City to state: Don't cut Amtrak
-Op-Ed-
Improve coverage for mental health care
Make torture a crime in Michigan
Muskegon Chronicle
Grand Haven state police post fate in hands of politicians
Mayoral candidates to appear on TV
Gas-price rumor has little effect
Saginaw News
GOP eyes Granholm next year
Candidate bruised in mugging
City, CPA officialsat odds over audit
DEQ tries to clarify polluted property criteria
School board president has emergency surgery
-Op-Ed-
Stepping up to civic duty (Saginaw violence)
A nation driven to distractions
Traverse City Record-Eagle
Civil rights leader to speak in Cadillac after Nazi incident
Interlochen Public Radio's music station expands
-Op-Ed-
Supreme Court choice is one of moderation
Battle Creek Enquirer
Two BRAC panelists meet with Schwarz
-Op-Ed-
Fair and civil scrutiny (Roberts)
Jackson Citizen-Patriot
City OKs tax break
(Former Columbia Twp. police chief) Porn, heroin charges added
-Op-Ed-
Item-pricing reform: A revision is needed
Dahlem Conservancy
Marquette Mining Journal
Spoelstra: Hoff will be rehired
Microwave steel process could lead to local jobs
Wildfire burning on Poverty Island
Broadcast:
WUOM-Ann Arbor
Great Lakes Myth Society
WKAR-East Lansing
Rustbelt Remake: Part 4: Plans To Revive Michigan's Economy
WDET- Detroit
Mayor Kilpatrick Absent from Weekly Mayoral Press Conference
Former Terrorism Suspect from Detroit Missing
Pistons Fire Coach Larry Brown