tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2707332214404248572024-02-25T05:24:46.104-05:00Elections, Politics & PolicyAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04271227175927992577noreply@blogger.comBlogger343125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270733221440424857.post-61427453332620104972014-10-10T10:26:00.005-04:002014-10-10T10:26:52.330-04:00'Should Read' looks at Michigan races for governor, U.S. Senate and Supreme Court<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
With the Nov. 4 election just around the corner, there's a couple 'should reads' out there for people trying to decipher Michigan's high-profile and tight races for governor and U.S. Senate, and a terse look at TV ad spending in judicial races for the state's highest court.<br />
<a name='more'></a> Inside Michigan Politics put together a panel to <a href="http://insidemichiganpolitics.com/story/14/10/09/imps-2014-election-predictions" target="_blank">assess the outcomes of Michigan's contests</a> for governor between incumbent Republican Rick Snyder and Democrat Mark Schauer, and for U.S. Senate between Republican Terri Lynn Land and Democratic U.S. Rep. Gary Peters.<br />
And the nonpartisan Justice At Stake breaks down known <a href="http://www.justiceatstake.org/newsroom/press-releases-16824/?tv_ad_spending_in_michigan_supreme_court_race_surges_past_1_million&show=news&newsID=19200" target="_blank">spending on television ads in Michigan's contests for supreme court seats this year</a>, postulating that it's the most known amount spent in the state's judicial election history.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04271227175927992577noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270733221440424857.post-7196241220840655192014-09-16T13:16:00.002-04:002015-05-22T09:18:19.872-04:00Bowzer for Peters in Michigan Senate race<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUhHf1NEpS2_wauLOOZWopskLVMT8Hoze6R46TnpnkJSBPcbn6Ov_eKZhVBXz9Pc9rpUmWwBfo5QrzAa9k3Cqtxagg3Qft5xTsz7cOO4E8K1jNf4e7GdAEp8WUX7HP47G0o9HmG6a5rck/s1600/Jon+Bowzer+Bauman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUhHf1NEpS2_wauLOOZWopskLVMT8Hoze6R46TnpnkJSBPcbn6Ov_eKZhVBXz9Pc9rpUmWwBfo5QrzAa9k3Cqtxagg3Qft5xTsz7cOO4E8K1jNf4e7GdAEp8WUX7HP47G0o9HmG6a5rck/s1600/Jon+Bowzer+Bauman.jpg" width="155" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jon "Bowzer" Bauman</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Finally a bit of a break in the months of negative advertising on behalf of candidates in Michigan's high-profile U.S. Senate race.<br />
In that race, U.S. Rep. Gary Peters, a Bloomfield, Mich., Democrat, is running for Senate against former Michigan Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land. <br />
Peters' campaign announced Tuesday, Sept. 16, that Jon 'Bowzer' Bauman, former member of the band <a href="http://www.shanana.com/history.htm" target="_blank">Sha Na Na</a>, will campaign for Peters Wednesday at two Senior Votes Count! events in Flint and Lansing.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
Bauman, now 67, is an advocate for seniors issues.<br />
Peters has been, by far, the more physically visible of the two candidates.<br />
With seven weeks until the Nov. 4 election, it's unlikely that Land won't agree to debate Peters, despite numerous invitations that Peters has accepted. That's because she likely afraid she wouldn't fare well in a head-to-head debate with Peters that voters deserve to see.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxwbzzxJozP38i6GWvVxrv4mIkOgqwDk3axw-TnHX9-w2CDEiRG1sEzxiFCSavcV11tewK2Pac1ep3cpNVISAkRCYgUWURHdRIEPteZs0rMF5zZFLqUjodR8Ao_3dE4eklew99w0jZVtQ/s1600/elvis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxwbzzxJozP38i6GWvVxrv4mIkOgqwDk3axw-TnHX9-w2CDEiRG1sEzxiFCSavcV11tewK2Pac1ep3cpNVISAkRCYgUWURHdRIEPteZs0rMF5zZFLqUjodR8Ao_3dE4eklew99w0jZVtQ/s1600/elvis.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Now, Land's and Peters' campaigns have been tit-for-tat when it comes to advertising and social media presence, but that's about all. Land is essentially running a "stealth" campaign for the statewide federal office.<br />
So she needs a musical act to balance out Peters' use of Bowzer in his campaign, one that reflects her current lack of visibility before the public.<br />
Someone like .... Elvis.<br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.63636302948px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04271227175927992577noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270733221440424857.post-77318095374648476322014-09-09T13:22:00.001-04:002014-09-09T13:22:35.285-04:00Michigan race for governer may be a nailbiter to the end<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The <a href="http://www.theoaklandpress.com/government-and-politics/20140909/peters-widens-lead-in-michigan-us-senate-race-polling-tied-in-governors-race" target="_blank">latest poll indicates</a> it's going to be a possible photo finish in the horse race for Michigan governor between incumbent Republican Rick Snyder and Democrat Mark Schauer.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br /></div>
<div style="-x-system-font: none; display: block; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 12px auto 6px auto;">
<a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/239185733/Latest-Michigan-Polling" style="text-decoration: underline;" title="View Latest Michigan Polling on Scribd">Latest Michigan Polling</a></div>
<iframe class="scribd_iframe_embed" data-aspect-ratio="undefined" data-auto-height="false" frameborder="0" height="600" id="doc_90950" scrolling="no" src="//www.scribd.com/embeds/239185733/content?start_page=1&view_mode=scroll&show_recommendations=true" width="100%"></iframe></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04271227175927992577noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270733221440424857.post-89278319051338025642014-06-13T08:46:00.001-04:002014-06-13T08:46:18.884-04:00IMP says poll has Lawrence ahead in Michigan 14th Congressional race<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> A poll obtained by <a href="http://www.insidemichiganpolitics.com/" target="_blank">Inside Michigan Politics</a> says Southfield Mayor Brenda Lawrence is the leader in the Democratic primary in the 14th Congressional District to replace U.S. Rep. Gary Peters.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Here's what the poll by Lake Research had to say:</span></span><br />
<a name='more'></a> <br /><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "The poll indicates that the battle to replace U.S. Rep. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gary Peters</span><span style="background-color: white; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (D-Bloomfield Twp.) is a two-person race. The MI-14 covers eastern Detroit, as well as Oakland County cities including Pontiac, Southfield and Farmington Hills.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "Lawrence took 35% of the vote in a four-way matchup and Clarke had 27%. </span><span style="background-color: white; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rep. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rudy Hobbs</span><span style="background-color: white; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (D-Southfield) placed third in the poll with 6%. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Burgess Foster,</span><span style="background-color: white; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> who has run Detroit City Council and the state House, was last with 0%. That leaves one-third of the electorate -- 32% -- undecided."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Peters is giving up the House seat to run for U.S. Senate against Republican Terri Lynn Land.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The Democrat-leaning 14th District is an S-shaped district starting in Pontiac in and ending in Detroit.</span></span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04271227175927992577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270733221440424857.post-23211401012980556542014-05-30T15:27:00.002-04:002014-05-30T15:27:58.383-04:00Congress shows its divide on medical marijuana amendment to spending bill<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
If there's any doubt that Michigan is divided over <a href="http://www.theoaklandpress.com/special-news-reports/20140528/medical-marijuana-has-keego-man-in-limbo" target="_blank">medical marijuana</a>, just take a look at a vote in Congress Friday.<br />
The U.S. House <a href="http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d113:HZ00748:" target="_blank">passed an amendmen</a>t to a <a href="http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d113:H.R.4660:" target="_blank">spending bill</a> that restricts the Drug Enforcement Administration from using money to target medical marijuana businesses that comply with their states' laws.<br />
Michigan's 14 members were evenly split on the amendment, with two not voting. The House was also split, passing the amendment 219-189. Here's how the Michigan voting shook out:<br />
<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
Voting in favor of the amendment were Republicans Justin Amash from Cascade Township, Kerry Bentivolio from Milford, Fred Upton from Saint Joseph, and Democrats Gary Peters from Bloomfield Township, Dan Kildee from Flint Township, and John Conyers from Detroit.<br />
Voting against were Republicans Dave Camp from Midland, Candice Miller from Harrison Township, Tim Walberg from Tipton, Mike Rogers from Howell, Bill Huizenga from Zeeland and Democrat Sander Levin from Royal Oak.<br />
Not voting were Dan Benishek from Iron County and John Dingell from Dearborn.<br />
Summing up the divide were Peters and Rogers. <br />
"Representative Peters believes that voters in Michigan should be able to make these choices for themselves," his spokeswoman Tatiana Winograd said Friday. "Having the federal government intervene is not only a waste of taxpayer dollars, it undermines the state's ability to implement programs supported and voted in Michigan."<br />
Countered Rogers: "I opposed this measure because I believe the benefits of medical marijuana do not outweigh the risks of legalizing access to this dangerous drug."<br />
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</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04271227175927992577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270733221440424857.post-91185368510184226632014-05-06T08:26:00.001-04:002014-05-06T08:26:25.961-04:00Understanding the 2014 U.S. Senate elections<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
If you're looking to understand the 2014 elections, <a href="http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/05/10-maps-that-explain-the-2014-midterms-106347.html?hp=t1#.U2jL7FcvCAZ" target="_blank">Politico has a lengthy 10-map explanation</a> that particularly dwells on U.S. Senate races around the country this year, including the <a href="http://www.theoaklandpress.com/government-and-politics/20131115/michigan-us-senate-race-by-the-numbers" target="_blank">Michigan contest</a> between U.S. Rep. <a href="http://www.petersformichigan.com/" target="_blank">Gary Peters</a> of Bloomfield Township and former Michigan Republican secretary of state <a href="http://www.terrilynnland.com/" target="_blank">Terri Lynn Land</a>.<br />
At stake, of course, is control of the U.S. Senate for the next two years leading into the 2016 presidential election. Republicans are likely to keep control of the U.S. House, but flipping the Senate to their side essentially blocks any remaining initiatives of Democratic President Barack Obama.<br />
Map No. 7 is of interest to <a href="http://www.theoaklandpress.com/government-and-politics/20131115/14-issues-in-michigans-us-senate-campaign" target="_blank">Michigan voters</a>. There, the analysis talks about states where Republicans have a chance to take traditionally Democrat-held seats this year.<br />
The states in play, Politico reasons, are Colorado, Michigan, Iowa and New Hampshire.<br />
In Michigan, Peters wants to replace Democratic U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, who is retiring.<br />
Polling <a href="http://www.theoaklandpress.com/government-and-politics/20140408/snyder-peters-hold-leads-in-michigan-poll-says" target="_blank">has flipped back and forth</a> between Land and Peters, essentially a dead heat with six months until the November election.<br />
The two <a href="http://www.theoaklandpress.com/government-and-politics/20131115/proposed-the-first-michigan-cold-butt-us-senate-debate" target="_blank">have yet to meet face-to-face</a> on the campaign trail, and it's unlikely such a meeting will occur until after the August primary elections, if ever.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04271227175927992577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270733221440424857.post-71570206093155368512014-04-18T13:08:00.000-04:002014-04-18T13:08:12.992-04:00Big bucks in some Michigan congressional races<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPCnywWD16V3J1JIvfzwT7TxgIoouJEROR0sRv41mACxF-egpE1dUXw8OyTpXSYq65TidGYW8ViNyrc6kP_gVmTCJjIGO7cJKswcUclFvt8rciosH5aYkegzNMe6KIUa3GSU0tkXxPPuc/s1600/campaign+finance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPCnywWD16V3J1JIvfzwT7TxgIoouJEROR0sRv41mACxF-egpE1dUXw8OyTpXSYq65TidGYW8ViNyrc6kP_gVmTCJjIGO7cJKswcUclFvt8rciosH5aYkegzNMe6KIUa3GSU0tkXxPPuc/s1600/campaign+finance.jpg" height="305" width="400" /></a></div>
At least in southeast Michigan, it looks like the big money is flowing into the 11th Congressional District so far. <a href="http://bit.ly/Pcl5Wg">http://bit.ly/Pcl5Wg</a><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04271227175927992577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270733221440424857.post-41333434553517809272014-03-17T14:51:00.002-04:002014-03-17T14:51:58.805-04:00Potholes a persistent problem since at least 1997<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br /><div class="single-image hide-for-phone span3 pull-right" id="secondary-media">
<figure>
<img alt="" height="295" src="http://www.theoaklandpress.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/storyimage/OP/20140317/NEWS/140319540/AR/0/AR-140319540.jpg&maxh=400&maxw=667" width="400" />
<figcaption>
In April 1997, Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson
taunted a former governor to do something about Michigan road
conditions. The conditions persist.
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In April 1997, Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson <a href="http://www.theoaklandpress.com/general-news/20140317/a-blast-from-the-past-potholes-were-bad-in-1997-too" target="_blank">taunted former Republican Gov. John Engler</a> about the condition of
Michigan roads by standing thigh-deep in a pothole holding a sign
saying, “Governor ... How about this pothole?”<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
“Engler didn’t talk to me for six months after that,” Patterson recalled Friday.<br />
Such taunting is so far unnecessary this spring, with lawmakers
in the Republican-controlled legislature moving to pass a supplemental
spending bill that includes money for potholes, perhaps fearing
election-year backlash from voters more frustrated with the costs of
bone-jarring, wheel-busting potholes than with the additional state
government spending.<br />
The <a href="http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2013-2014/billanalysis/Senate/htm/2013-SFA-0608-R.htm">supplemental spending bill signed into law Friday</a>
by Lt. Gov. Brian Calley allocates $100 million for potholes and
winter-related upkeep, plus another $115 million for priority
construction projects scheduled to begin by July 1. The additional
spending takes effect Tuesday.<br />
Oakland, Wayne and Macomb counties are <a href="http://www.theoaklandpress.com/government-and-politics/20140221/oakland-wayne-and-macomb-will-benefit-most-from-extra-pothole-money">projected to benefit the most</a> from the extra $100 million.<br />
The condition of Michigan roads has become a political issue this
year as Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder seeks a second four-year term against
<a href="http://www.theoaklandpress.com/general-news/20140317/markschauer.com">Democrat Mark Schauer</a>.<br />
Democrats have even put up a website<a href="http://snyderholes.com/">snyderholes.com</a> and encourage people to sign a petition to the governor for more money to fix roads.<br />
<a href="http://www.theoaklandpress.com/government-and-politics/20140307/democrats-blame-michigan-gov-rick-snyder-for-potholes"> Democrats say Snyder’s inability</a>
to get the legislature to approve significantly more spending for
Michigan roads is to blame for their current condition, although the
governor has advocated for nearly $1 billion in additional money through
new fees and shifts in taxes, calling the condition of the state’s
infrastructure an economic issue.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04271227175927992577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270733221440424857.post-7679421247986208822014-01-28T12:32:00.000-05:002014-01-28T12:32:07.163-05:00Countdown to the 9 p.m. State of the Union address<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
You can view it here:<br />
</div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/5djtYZuqz_8" width="480"></iframe></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04271227175927992577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270733221440424857.post-40822675091735893222014-01-24T15:03:00.003-05:002014-01-24T15:03:39.560-05:00Fun in the GOP: RINOs, PUMAs and Agema<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4em; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; padding: 0.5em 0px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<b style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">OUT —<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b>Mainstream Republicans finally decided they've had enough of Michigan's Republican National Committee member Dave Agema, a former state lawmaker under fire recently for whacky comments derogatory to gays, such as saying they're responsible for most murders in the U.S. RNC Chairman Reince Priebus and Michigan GOP Chairman Bobby Schostak issued a joint statement Friday from the RNC's annual meeting saying Agema should resign. With elections underway this year, Agema is about as welcome to mainstream Republicans as a Democrat at a Tea Party meeting.</div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4em; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; padding: 0.5em 0px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">TROUBLE IN THE GOP —</span><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Unity is something the GOP is finding difficult to achieve this year. Just consider the various Tea Party groups, often critical of more moderate Republicans whom they call RINOs — short for Republicans In Name Only. Now, some Tea Party people have adopted a new acronym, calling themselves PUMAs — short for Party Unity, My Ass!</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4em; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; padding: 0.5em 0px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.4em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">IN —</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Michigan's Republican Gov. Rick Snyder participated in a panel discussion Friday afternoon in Washington about the economic case for passing immigration reform, something the governor favors in his recent State of the State address. He was scheduled to appear with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, former U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos Guiterrez and U.S. Chamber of Commerce Senior Vice President of Labor, Immigration, and Employee Benefits Randy Johnson. Snyder wants to create the Michigan Office for New Americans, to attract immigrants to Michigan.</span></div>
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<b style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">UNEMPLOYMENT DEBATE —<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b>Democrat U.S. Rep.s Sander Levin from Royal Oak and Gary Peters from Bloomfield Township held an event in the Macomb County community of Roseville Friday to push for an extension of emergency federal unemployment benefits. The two Democrats say 56,619 Michigan residents lost those benefits when they expired Dec. 28, including 4,140 in Macomb County and 4,555 in Oakland County. Legislation to extend the benefits has failed to pass the U.S. House. Peters is a candidate for U.S. Senate this year against Republican Terri Lynn Land.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4em; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; padding: 0.5em 0px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<b style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">PART-TIME LEGISLATURE —<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b>A new nonprofit, The Committee to Restore Michigan's Part-Time Legislature, submitted ballot language to the Michigan Bureau of Elections to push for a part-time legislature in Michigan. The committee will have to gather some 400,000 valid signatures on petitions to put the question of a part-time legislature on the Nov. 4 ballot. The committee wants salaries and benefits capped at $35,000 a year and no more than 60 regular session days per year. The group claims Michigan had a part-time legislature until the state constitution was rewritten in 1963. Information is available at <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0012F6tfveFNfkV6QzS6g4cqc7ZQKa2k35Odkcv_LG1nrMFpl-YpirQYt_SbHBZIE5GRZt2qFHS2O6zxPSaNOnCseCkbujyr0vyirPG3wzuxWZ3Zv-SfElsYDSr6V1auF2sHM4LEG2_J5x-ezWvImjmQtgQbT-QCHPA3LxfVYqaLh2T5_eDBE_yyQ==&c=Nk8nlLynOJgt-y6tF8KEpZuT9BQPGiIYKBTadO0Kd-XURAGMnGN9kA==&ch=I6Sb1g1tcNAo5qU2K6VxvsHfKkMSFNBGzgUj6-RDctU81Z7VRnn46Q==" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgb(99, 198, 240); color: #329ad4; font-weight: inherit; text-decoration: none;">http://parttimemi.com/index.html</a>.</div>
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<div style="border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.4em; margin: 0px; padding: 0.5em 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: 0px; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">ANNOUNCED</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>— </span><span style="border: 0px; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Kathy Crawford, a Republican Oakland County commissioner from Novi, has filed as a candidate for the Michigan House seat held by her term-limited husband, state Rep. Hugh Crawford. Ken Darga, a Lansing Democrat and former state demographer, has announced he'll run against U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers from Howell in the 8th Congressional District representing Ingham, Livingston and north Oakland counties.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04271227175927992577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270733221440424857.post-47997785212702572012013-12-05T11:05:00.003-05:002013-12-05T11:05:53.257-05:00Michigan GOP push into Detroit: A serious or symbolic effort?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="photographer"></span>
<br />
<div class="byline-bar">
Are Michigan Republicans, who control the state legislature and governor's office, getting serious about winning statewide federal offices?<a name='more'></a></div>
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While they've been successful at persuading voters to pick GOP majorities for state offices, voters have cast their lot with Democrats for higher offices.</div>
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Notably, Michigan has backed President Barack Obama twice and, last year, returned Democrat Debbie Stabenow to the U.S. Senate for a third six-year term.</div>
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Now the Michigan GOP is opening an office in Detroit, and they're bringing in a high profile Republican to herald the Friday morning event.</div>
Kentucky <a href="http://www.paul.senate.gov/">Sen. Rand Paul</a>,
a tea party Republican and potential presidential candidate in 2016, is
scheduled to join Michigan Republican Party Chairman Bobby Schostak
and Republican National Committee Michigan Director of African-American
Engagement Wayne Bradley for the 10 a.m. event at the office on
Livernois, just north of Seven Mile Road.<br />
The most visible race in 2014 will the U.S. Senate contest between Republican <a href="http://terrilynnland.com/meet-terri/bio">Terri Lynn Land</a> and Bloomfield Township Democrat and U.S. Rep. <a href="http://www.petersformichigan.com/">Gary Peters</a> for the seat being vacated by Democrat U.S. Sen Carl Levin.<br />
Paul, 50, recently <a href="http://www.whiteoutpress.com/articles/q32013/first-gop-presidential-straw-poll-reveals-2016-field/">won a presidential straw poll</a>
taken at the every-other-year Republican Leadership Conference on
Mackinac Island in September, indicating his popularity among
conservative Republicans.<br />
How much effect Rand's profile and the GOP push into Detroit will have, however, remains questionable in the predominantly Democratic city.<br />
But the Detroit office opening may indeed send a signal that the GOP isn't going to go down without a fight this time when it comes to elections for federal office.<br />
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04271227175927992577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270733221440424857.post-84683536458694438662013-11-15T13:33:00.000-05:002013-11-15T14:36:05.266-05:00A modest proposal: The first Michigan Cold Butt U.S. Senate Debate<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Political campaigns, especially for statewide offices, are largely scripted affairs.<br />
Candidates
from either party announce they’re running. Sabers being out of date,
they then rattle their checkbooks to scare off competition within their
own parties, and start making the rounds solidifying the loyal and
raising money.<br />
_________________________________________________<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: white;">_________________________________________________</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">See Also:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"> <a href="http://www.theoaklandpress.com/government-and-politics/20131115/14-issues-in-michigans-us-senate-campaign" target="_blank">14 issues in Michigan U.S. Senate campaign</a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"> <a href="http://www.theoaklandpress.com/government-and-politics/20131115/michigan-us-senate-race-by-the-numbers" target="_blank"> Michigan U.S. Senate race by the numbers</a></span>_<br />
_________________________________________________<br />
Then follows nearly a year of public appearances,
manufactured news events and, if the race appears close enough, a debate
or two aimed at wooing Michigan’s large independent and
ticket-splitting population.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
Debates are usually at least a month
before the election so that either candidate, or sometimes both, has
time to do some damage control if they flub up, and before the
inevitable negative advertising kicks in. Debates are usually the only
time voters get to see the two candidates in the same place at the same
time.<br />
Which brings up Michigan’s U.S. Senate race in 2014 between <a href="http://terrilynnland.com/">Republican Terri Lynn Land</a> and <a href="http://petersformichigan.com/">U.S. Rep. Gary Peters</a>
. It’s an unusual race in that rarely is a senate seat in Michigan
without an incumbent — in this case, Sen. Carl Levin is retiring.<br />
Perhaps
it’s time to scrub the typical campaign scenario since Michigan
residents are likely to have the winner as their senator for a long time
— Levin will have 36 years in the Senate at the end of 2014, after all.<br />
Once
the Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s holidays are past, the
campaigning between Land and Peters will accelerate in earnest, and
Michigan voters should have the opportunity to see both Peters and Land
in as many places together as possible.<br />
Both say they’re willing to debate, even if noncommittal about the where, when and format of it.<br />
“We
assume we’ll debate next year,” says Land’s spokesman Matt Golden.
“We’ll expect those negotiations to start sometime after the first of
the year.”<br />
Says Peters spokeswoman Julie Petrick: “Gary is a
proven independent voice that Michigan middle class families and small
businesses can count on, and he is looking forward to ample
opportunities to debate the issues and to share his vision to create new
jobs and and reinvest in Michigan’s economy.”<br />
One suggestion is to hold a debate in January, rather than waiting until September or October.<br />
Not
just any debate, but in a format that will show their familiarity with
Michigan and the issues, ability to think and multitask under pressure,
and show some endurance. Many Michigan residents are, after all, hardy
folk who enjoy the four seasons, or at least endure them in as good
spirits as possible. <br />
A word about endurance.<br />
In Milford, Mich., the town holds a <a href="http://www.milfordmemories.com/1/mm/events.asp%3FartID%3D4094">Cold Butt Euchre Tournament</a>
as part of its August Milford Memories event. Card players sit on
blocks of ice while they play and they’re disqualified if the cold
forces them to stand up before the hand is finished.<br />
In the spirit of such hardiness, here’s the debate proposal:<br />
<br />
<b> The Name:</b> The first-ever Michigan Cold Butt U.S. Senate Debate.<br />
<b> The Participants:</b> U.S. Rep. Gary Peters, a Bloomfield Township Democrat, and Republican Terri Lynn Land from Byron Center.<br />
<b> The
Rules:</b> Peters and Land sit on blocks of ice for 90 minutes while
answering questions posed by a moderator in a warm, comfortable chair.
No extra padding is allowed, and they can only stand briefly at the end
of each topic covered. If either stands up before each has answered,
they lose their chance for rebuttal. Each is allowed a three-minute
opening and closing statement.<br />
<b> Topics:</b> Moderator’s discretion, but
candidates should be prepared at the least to discuss Obamacare, the
federal government shutdown, U.S. debt, immigration, gun laws, tax
reform, the economy, and the environment — and perhaps heating
assistance by the end of it.<br />
<b> The Venue</b>: The <a href="http://houghtonlakechamber.net/events/tip-up-town-usa/tip-up-town-history/">annual Tip-Up Town winter festival</a>
at Houghton Lake, the largest in Michigan, held in 2014 from Jan. 17-19
and Jan. 24-26. An exact date to be negotiated by the two campaigns.<br />
<b> The Moderator:</b> Perhaps <a href="http://wkar.org/programs/record">“Off The Record” anchor Tim Skubick</a> with play-by-play by Bill Ballenger and Susan Demas of <a href="http://www.insidemichiganpolitics.com/About.aspx">Inside Michigan Politics</a>. Ballenger is a former Republican lawmaker and Demas’ political leanings are a tad to the left of Bill’s.<br />
<br />
But a debate, whenever and wherever it occurs, shouldn’t be the only time voters get to see the candidates together.<br />
To
acknowledge the year 2014 and to offer both candidates a revised
campaign manual, here are 14 other places where Peters and Land should
appear and participate together:<br />
<br />
<b>Michigan islands </b><br />
The uninhabited <a href="http://www.isleroyale.info/">206-square-mile island Isle Royale</a>
is among the largest in the Great Lakes. It’s also the farthest north
in Lake Superior, where even summertime water temperatures are chilling.
Another endurance test, Peters and Land can answer questions about
protecting the Great Lakes while wading ankle deep in the lake’s
bone-chilling temperatures. Then they can visit some of Michigan’s other
islands, like <a href="http://www.mightymac.org/island.htm">Mackinac</a>, <a href="http://www.beaverisland.org/">Beaver</a> and <a href="http://bois-blanc.com/phpBB2/portal.php">Bois Blanc</a>. No additional wading required.<br />
<br />
<b>Smelt Dipping</b><br />
Any lake or stream in Michigan in early spring when water temperatures are in the low 40s and <a href="http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0%2C4570%2C7-153-10364_52261-21769--%2C00.html">smelt dipping season</a>
is underway. Historically, anglers have used buckets or nets to capture
the small game fish. Kudos to the first candidate who reaches the
state’s two-gallon limit first. Be prepared to discuss federal fish and
game regulations.<br />
<br />
<b>Menominee </b><br />
You can win a statewide office in Michigan without <a href="http://downtownmenominee.com/">winning in Menominee</a>, but voters there have largely mirrored the rest of the state in their selection of a U.S. senator over the years.<br />
The
city on the Wisconsin border and the shores of Green Bay in northwest
Lake Michigan is located in one of four of Michigan’s 83 counties that
are in the next time zone. The city’s location on Green Bay makes it
more likely that football fans there will prefer the green and gold of
the Green Bay Packers rather than the silver and blue of the Detroit
Lions, some eight or nine hours and nearly 500 miles away by car. It’s
also likely that Menominee residents have had more reported Big Foot
sightings in recent decades than sightings of a U.S. Senate candidate.<br />
That
said, Menominee voters have only missed picking the winning U.S. senate
candidate from Michigan once in the six elections since 1996. That was
in 2000, when they voted for incumbent Republican Spencer Abraham, who
lost to Democrat Debbie Stabenow. Menominee could be interesting since
there’s no incumbent this time around, and Menominee has steadfastly
backed incumbents.<br />
Be prepared to discuss economic revitalization and redevelopment and, if brave enough, football allegiances and favorite beer.<br />
<br />
<b>The city under the city</b> <br />
As
a metaphor, “back to the salt mines” is a phrase used to describe
heading back to work and toil. Under Detroit, however, is the real deal,
100 miles of roadways and <a href="http://goo.gl/maps/B1Woi%20http://detroitsalt.com/history/">salt mines some 1,200 feet below</a> the surface.<br />
“We
don’t do tours anymore,” says a company spokesperson for Detroit Salt
Company. But perhaps an exception could be made so that Land and Peters
can have a suitable venue to discuss proposals to increase the national
minimum wage and other labor issues.<br />
<br />
<b>Benedictine Catholic Monastery</b><br />
Since
monks take a vow of silence or discouarage idle chit-chat,
persuaviseness in the fewest amount of words gets points at this <a href="http://goo.gl/maps/B1Woi%20http://detroitsalt.com/history/">idyllic setting east of Oxford</a>,
Mich. Think of it as power tweeting. Be prepared to discuss abortion
and doctrines like separation of church and state — in as few words as
possible.<br />
<br />
<b>Bowling alleys</b><br />
Bowling alleys entertain a
cross-section of Michigan’s population, and the state is in the top five
in the number of alleys. But bowling alleys are also the bane of
politicians who sometimes feel compelled to roll a ball when they’re
running for election, just to connect with the common person. Think back
to 2008 when Barack <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3D-afpPb2NT2I">Obama visited one and scored a 37</a>.
Obama has since made many a struggling bowler shrug off a bad game when
reminded that they still bowled better than the president. The
president however, gets kudos for being game. How about a game, Peters
and Land?<br />
<br />
<b>Great Lakes National Cemetery</b><br />
Opened in 2005 in Holly Township, it’s the <a href="http://www.cem.va.gov/cems/nchp/greatlakes.asp">second national cemetery in Michigan</a>. There’s no more solemn place to discuss military and veterans issues.<br />
<br />
<b>Greenfield Village</b><br />
Located in Dearborn, it calls itself <a href="http://www.thehenryford.org/village/historicdistricts.aspx">an 80-acre time machine</a>
that takes in Michigan’s agrarian roots as well as the genesis of auto
production. A venue to discuss both national farm policy and the auto
industry at the same time.<br />
<br />
<b>Gibralter Trade Center </b><br />
In Mount Clemens or Taylor, the <a href="http://www.theoaklandpress.com/government-and-politics/20131115/www.gibraltartrade.com">large weekend public markets</a>
draw an estimated 2 million shoppers a year. Since that’s a pretty good
cross-section of Michigan, a topic Land and Peters could discuss might
be federal marijuana law versus Michigan’s medical marijuana law passed
by voters in 2008 as part of a larger discussion on the federal war on
drugs.<br />
<br />
<b>Frankenmuth </b><br />
Founded in the mid-1800s by German immigrants, the town that <a href="http://www.frankenmuth.org/">calls itself “Little Bavaria”</a>
may be a good venue for Land and Peters to discuss cultural diversity
and federal immigration policies — while sampling the beer.<br />
<br />
<b>On the Detroit River</b><br />
It’s
debatable whether a person should be allowed to run for statewide
public office in Michigan without actually having been on one of
Michigan’s major waterways at some point. The river <a href="http://goo.gl/maps/RBk7l">dividing the U.S. and Canada</a>
is another good venue to discuss federal immigration policy, which Land
and Peters can do from a boat pitching in the water. Of course, any
international waterway will do. Those include Lake St. Clair, Lake Huron
and Lake Superior.<br />
<br />
<b>Detroit Institute of Arts</b><br />
A big question looming in southeast Michigan is whether the art collection at the <a href="http://www.theoaklandpress.com/government-and-politics/20131115/www.dia.org">Detroit Institute of Arts</a>
is an asset that can be used somehow in Detroit’s pending bankruptcy.
Bankruptcy falling under federal law, the DIA is a venue for Peters and
Land to address the financial woes facing Michigan municipalities, as
well as federal bankruptcy law.<br />
<br />
<b>Cabela’s or Bass Pro</b><br />
How about a friendly target shooting competition? <a href="http://www.cabelas.com/stores/store_info.jsp%3FpageName%3D007">Cabela’s in Dundee</a> and <a href="http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CFPageC%3FstoreId%3D10151%26catalogId%3D10051%26langId%3D-1%26appID%3D94%26storeID%3D1%26tab%3D3">Bass Pro in Auburn Hills</a> are destinations for hunting enthusiasts. Be prepared to discuss federal gun laws during a stop at one or the other<br />
<br />
<b>Three uniquely-named towns</b> <br />
Along the campaign trail, Land and Peters should visit the uniquely-named Michigan towns of <a href="http://gotohellmi.com/">Hell</a>, Paradise, and Christmas. <a href="http://gotohellmi.com/">Hell is in the lower peninsula</a> while <a href="http://paradisemi.org/">Paradise</a> and <a href="http://www.exploringthenorth.com/christmas/chr.html">Christmas</a>
are in the Upper Peninsula. Don’t forget to buy the T-shirts and
stimulate the local economy. Be prepared to discuss tourism and small
business initiatives in each.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04271227175927992577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270733221440424857.post-86507037385207366142013-11-14T12:50:00.002-05:002013-11-14T12:50:52.255-05:00Issue advertising: A new push for disclosure<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
After outside spending in Michigan judicial races in 2012, Michigan Secretary of State Ruth Johnson is <a href="http://www.theoaklandpress.com/government-and-politics/20131114/new-disclosure-rules-proposed-for-issue-advertising" target="_blank">proposing new administrative rules</a> that would require disclosure of who pays for controversial issue ads.<br />
Issue ads are <a href="http://www.theoaklandpress.com/government-and-politics/20131114/beneficiaries-of-loose-campaign-finance-rules-may-not-be-who-you-think" target="_blank">gaining national scrutiny</a> because of their increasing use and because those who buy them are exempt from disclosing their identities. <br />
In Michigan, so-called dark money spending even reached down to the local level <a href="http://www.theoaklandpress.com/government-and-politics/20131114/mystery-money-pontiac-election-ads-paid-for-by-nonprofits-with-anonymous-donors" target="_blank">in Pontiac's mayoral race</a> Nov. 5.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04271227175927992577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270733221440424857.post-72698403252377373832013-11-06T16:38:00.000-05:002013-11-06T16:38:19.429-05:00Municipal elections over, next election cycle begins<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCbE3dt6hFm5mCgBCrmf9IkPm9Tu9-PtYDdvFgzvaqybSDXr59FrlmVitYL7HpQyO1rzBkAw4jAD0CBmYv8owVkE7O77hUoh1Sx7cKn7FRMuT7WTMtXdbgFAwYonrOJK9FwjSn93JANlQ/s1600/peters+before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="116" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCbE3dt6hFm5mCgBCrmf9IkPm9Tu9-PtYDdvFgzvaqybSDXr59FrlmVitYL7HpQyO1rzBkAw4jAD0CBmYv8owVkE7O77hUoh1Sx7cKn7FRMuT7WTMtXdbgFAwYonrOJK9FwjSn93JANlQ/s320/peters+before.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Farm photo before website</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The election is over. Long live the election.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRDTfZm936P7Y6VrdVAUpZ1tzr473EjfXpIgvrLCY8iGawjGYAt8jXco0Nn8bIag_v5Vave1ES7ChackN00cy7LQX8cNfDmb1iyUtOz_Q0Kfkj4TfFvSbGizHkkiA65FWsa6WAMfBpsCM/s1600/peters+after.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="104" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRDTfZm936P7Y6VrdVAUpZ1tzr473EjfXpIgvrLCY8iGawjGYAt8jXco0Nn8bIag_v5Vave1ES7ChackN00cy7LQX8cNfDmb1iyUtOz_Q0Kfkj4TfFvSbGizHkkiA65FWsa6WAMfBpsCM/s320/peters+after.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Farm photo after website</td></tr>
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U.S. Rep.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://petersformichigan.com/" style="-webkit-transition: 0.1s ease-out; color: #5278ae; text-decoration: none; transition: 0.1s ease-out;">Gary Peters</a>, a candidate for U.S. Senate against Republican<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.terrilynnland.com/" style="-webkit-transition: 0.1s ease-out; color: #5278ae; text-decoration: none; transition: 0.1s ease-out;">Terri Lynn Land</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>in 2014, launched a new website Wednesday, promising an aggressive online campaign in his bid to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Carl Levin next year, even as voters were still digesting the results of Tuesday’s municipal elections.</div>
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The jazzed up website shows Peters, a 54-year-old Bloomfield Township Democrat, in front of a pastoral picture of a farm. The website rotates through other background photos.</div>
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Farming is a background that is missing from the third-term congressman’s biography that notes his time spent pursuing law and philosophy degrees, in the military reserve, in the state senate, in the financial services industry, and as Michigan lottery commissioner before his election to Congress in 2008.</div>
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By comparison, Land’s campaign website is a bit bland, simply hosting at this point a biography, a short video, links to the social media platforms Twitter and Facebook, and a way to make campaign donations.</div>
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Land, 55, is a former Michigan secretary of state and current member of the Republican National Committee.</div>
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Peters entered the senate race in the spring, and Land announced her intent to do so in June. Both currently have no opposition within their own parties.</div>
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Polls over the summer and fall have alternately given the lead to each, indicating that next year’s voters are from settled in their choice for the U.S. Senate.</div>
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The U.S. Senate race is expected to be among the higher profile races in what will be a large ballot for voters a year from now.</div>
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Besides electing a U.S. senator, voters will also decide races for governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general, 14 seats in the U.S. House, all 148 seats in the Michigan Legislature, some judicial races, and scads of local township offices — not to mention the possible plethora of local and state questions that might make it to the ballot.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04271227175927992577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270733221440424857.post-48982564284187638552013-11-05T15:31:00.000-05:002013-11-05T15:31:00.776-05:00In Michigan, being in the top 10 isn't always a good thing<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Except for the FBI's 10 Most Wanted list, being in the top 10 is usually a good thing. But not when you're singled out as among the 10 most vulnerable politicians in an election.<br />
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The political site Roll Call has released <a href="http://www.rollcall.com/news/roll_calls_10_most_vulnerable_house_members_revealed-228867-1.html?pg=1" target="_blank">a list of the 10 members of Congress</a> who it considers to be most vulnerable in the 2014 elections.<br />
Among them are two of the nine Michigan Republicans in Congress — <a href="http://benishek.house.gov/" target="_blank">Rep. Dan Benishek</a>, who represents all the Upper Peninsula and the top of the northern Lower Peninsula, and first-term <a href="http://bentivolio.house.gov/" target="_blank">Rep. Kerry Bentivolio</a> from Milford.<br />
That may be little relief for the other seven Michigan Republicans and five Democrats in Congress.<br />
U.S. News & World Report <a href="http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2013/11/04/americans-dont-want-to-re-elect-their-own-members-of-congress" target="_blank">cites a George Washington University poll</a> indicating 60 percent want someone new and only 26 percent would vote for an incumbent.<br />
The source of the dissatisfaction is the perpetual stalemates in Washington, the poll indicates.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04271227175927992577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270733221440424857.post-59530080834733501562013-10-31T12:17:00.003-04:002013-10-31T12:17:52.264-04:00Patterson, former driver in America's Thanksgiving Parade?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
James Cram, former driver for Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson who was <a href="http://www.theoaklandpress.com/general-news/20130809/one-year-later-oakland-county-exec-l-brooks-patterson-reflects-on-accident-that-nearly-killed-him-with-video" target="_blank">left a quadriplegic in an August 2012 accident that also injured Patterson</a>, will be in <a href="http://www.theparade.org/index2.php" target="_blank">America's Thanksgiving Parade</a>, Patterson's office says.<br />
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The idea was Cram's, who suggested he and Patterson be a part of this year's televised Thanksgiving Day parade in downtown Detroit Nov. 28, a Patterson spokesman said.<br />
Cram and Patterson both use wheelchairs because of the severity of their injuries, though Cram's injuries were much more severe. They will supposedly be pushed in the parade by Wayne County Executive Bob Ficano and Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel.<br />
The Parade Company could not immediately be reached. A voice message said the company was taking a one-day Halloween sabbatical before the final push to parade day.<br />
Messages to Ficano and Hackel weren't immediately returned.<br />
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04271227175927992577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270733221440424857.post-75909493582849698942013-10-28T09:41:00.001-04:002013-10-28T10:49:04.543-04:00Politics and strange bedfellows, indeed. Tea party may be Democrats' biggest ally<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD4D7ZaI6CsB8735EmglQcQzhphqPCUZ7JKF-EIxAkGeZxLKdlue91WlyN1jw-sbY6gz7RW8QVVTiTuNBOmzxA3zpvJDMceJyLtV0r7jQ8tYGiUb2X3qDtQxcty6wccVWtv3bb2n9T3z4/s1600/TeaPartyNation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD4D7ZaI6CsB8735EmglQcQzhphqPCUZ7JKF-EIxAkGeZxLKdlue91WlyN1jw-sbY6gz7RW8QVVTiTuNBOmzxA3zpvJDMceJyLtV0r7jQ8tYGiUb2X3qDtQxcty6wccVWtv3bb2n9T3z4/s1600/TeaPartyNation.jpg" /></a></div>
Republicans are a divided party between its tea party conservatives and its moderates, and that division looks like it will carry over to the 2014 elections where Democrats hope to keep the Senate and wrest the U.S. House from Republicans.<br />
There's no indication that the tea party will back down from the GOP moderates it calls RINOs, short for Republicans In Name Only. Tea party conservatives, in fact, anticipate challengers to their candidates next summer from candidates recruited by moderates, and vow to hold their ground.<br />
That division may give Democrats the edge it wants and needs in next year's congressional elections.<br />
Consider this <a href="http://www.teapartynation.com/forum/topic/show?id=3355873%3ATopic%3A2692425&xgs=1&xg_source=msg_share_topic" target="_blank">message that Tea Party Nation sent out</a> Monday morning from Judson Phillips, a former Tennessee assistant district attorney and founder of that group:<br />
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"The RINO establishment’s plan is simple. They are planning to send out primary challengers to a number of Tea Party conservatives, including Steve King in Iowa. The establishment is also going after Justin Amash in Michigan......The establishment thinks it can win if it simply beats conservatives in a primary. They are wrong."<br />
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And:<br />
<br />
"In the next few months the leaders of the Tea Party movement as well as leaders of other liberty groups and smaller political parties need to meet and set a game plan. Here is that plan.<br />
"In every state where there is a RINO running for the Senate and certain establishment Republicans are running for reelection in the House, like John Boehner and Eric Cantor, conservatives need to agree on one challenger to support against the incumbent. <br />
"If that challenger wins, then everyone supports the challenger in the November 2014 elections. If the challenger fails, then instead of grudgingly supporting the establishment Republican, we all then need to fall back to supporting an independent or a third party candidate who is worthy of support.<br />
"The establishment will scream about that. They will say, you are splitting the vote and the Democrat will win. Perhaps they will. But how much worse is that than the Republican establishment right now?<br />
"The establishment Republicans have set the precedent of stabbing conservatives in the back. They still expect conservatives to rally to them despite that. They have news coming. They started this war and if it is a political war they want, it is a political war they will get."<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, Democrats will be campaigning and, during breaks, making popcorn and pulling up a chair <a href="http://dccc.org/page/s/house-majority?source=em_PET_2013.10.27_b1_dems_house-majority_nd" target="_blank">to watch the GOP fracas</a>.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04271227175927992577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270733221440424857.post-28409319668978466562013-10-25T15:50:00.000-04:002013-10-25T15:50:03.778-04:00Blame game continues after partial federal government shutdown<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><strong> </strong>Fresh off the 16-day partial federal government shutdown, Michigan U.S. Rep. Sander Levin, a Royal Oak Democrat, offers his own perspective in the October newsletter of the Oakland County Democratic Party.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><strong> </strong>Not surprisingly, Republicans get the blame for it from the long serving congressman, who criticizes the GOP's motivation, facts and bravery.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"> Here's what he had to say:</span></div>
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<a name='more'></a><span style="color: red; font-family: Georgia;"><strong> </strong><strong> Special Note from... </strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 20px;"><strong>Congressman Sander Levin</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20px;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">After experiencing the government shutdown for 16 days and our nation brought to the brink of default, I needed to write you personally about what I saw. I know it is easy to blame Washington. To conclude, “A pox on both your houses.” To wonder, “Why can’t they just work out their differences for the good of our country?” In my 30 years as a Member of Congress I have never seen a time that so fully defies this sentiment that both sides are to blame. </span></span></div>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: -webkit-left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">It is a pretty clear statement of fact that the Republican Party shut down the government to defund the Affordable Care Act. And, that even on the precipice of default, only 38% of the Republicans in the House would ultimately vote to re-open the government and avoid default.Let me share with you why I believe what we saw these last three weeks is so dangerous.</span></span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: -webkit-left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><strong>Motivation:</strong><span style="font-size: 14px;"> What motivates this Republican Party is<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="text-decoration: underline;">not</span><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>the conventions of smaller government, supply-side economics or individual freedoms. No, we are seeing a growing number of Republicans cast their motivation in a belief that their country is being taken away from them, that their image of America is at risk of “slipping into oblivion,” and that they will be the first generation to be asked, “What was it like when America was great?” One might be tempted to write these apocalyptic statements off as rhetoric, but please don’t. They have become far too fundamental for us to dismiss. The ugliness of the confederate flag appearing at a rally outside of the White House emerges from this motivation.</span><br />
<strong>Facts:</strong><span style="font-size: 14px;"> I have never seen such a complete rejection of accepted facts. Believe what you will about health care reform and government spending, but the growing chorus of “default deniers” was indeed shocking. With everyone from economists, business leaders, the international community, and credit rating agencies lining up to say that risking the full faith and credit of the United States by default would be catastrophic, there was a growing chorus of Republican Members who said that the “President was lying…there would be no default,” or that “it would bring stability to the world markets.”</span><br />
<strong>Cowardice:</strong><span style="font-size: 14px;"> What worried me, at times the most, about the last three weeks was the complete unwillingness among the throng of House Republicans to speak out and stand up in opposition to these destructive forces. While 20 or so House Republicans said publicly that they would vote to re-open government or extend the debt ceiling, few of these – and strikingly<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="text-decoration: underline;">none</span><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>of those holding key positions like chairmanships – stood up or did anything to force the issue. While "Tea Party" forces have taken the lead to bring an extreme, reckless ideology to the forefront, there was a silent majority in the majority House Republican caucus acquiescing day after day, by appeasing these extreme forces by abetting them on other issues. I have to state again that at the end of the day only 38% of the Republicans in the House voted with 100% of us Democrats to reopen government and avoid default. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;">This was a disturbing manufactured crisis – that cost our country $24 billion – and shined a bright light on what has been brewing beneath the surface, and that is what I said early on is a radicalization of the Republican Party. It must be a clarion call for us to understand this new reality and to equip ourselves to deal with it in the weeks and months ahead.</span></span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: -webkit-left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><strong>I hope you will help answer this call.</strong><br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;">In the next two weeks try these themes out with your family, friends and colleagues and let me know what they say.</span><br />
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<strong>Obamacare –</strong><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The Affordable Care Act (ACA) ended insurance company abuses for pre-existing conditions, caps on coverage and lifetime limits. It improved prevention, provided coverage for kids up to 26 on their parents insurance, and lowered prescription drug costs for seniors. As we get the glitches in the computer system smoothed out, let’s keep in mind that ACA is providing affordable insurance for the first time in some people’s lives. Republicans never offer a solution, but seek only to destroy the law, and take away these benefits from people.</span></div>
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<strong>Budget negotiations –</strong><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>By<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1227710117" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">December 15</span></span></span><sup>th</sup><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>the Budget Conference is to complete its work. Democrats have been calling for this conference for six months and the President made it clear in the last weeks that he is willing to discuss any issue. This is made very difficult by the Republican insistence that revenue – including close tax loopholes - is off the table. Make sure that everyone knows that of the $2.4 trillion in deficit reduction since 2008 two-thirds has come from the spending side of the ledger. In the face of the harm of this year’s across the board sequester cuts, this formula cannot continue.</span></div>
</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: -webkit-left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">The harm of where we find ourselves is also seen in what is not being accomplished in Congress. The House has shown no interest in taking up the comprehensive Senate bill on immigration reform, and they have done nothing to address other pressing issues our nation faces. I know this letter is discouraging, but I am not discouraged. I feel better letting you know the reality of what I saw these last weeks – a reality not always accurately portrayed in the 24 hour news cycle. Please be assured that I will continue to do everything that I can to represent our views and values during these difficult times. I know you will do the same.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;">With every good wish.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;">Sincerely,</span></span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: -webkit-left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Sander Levin</span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04271227175927992577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270733221440424857.post-64466172590857855712013-10-25T14:54:00.001-04:002013-10-25T14:54:13.943-04:00Michigan U.S. Senate and House races gear up early for 2014<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Never at a loss for words, Republican L. Brooks Patterson is weighing in on two of the higher profile races on the 2014 ballot 13 months from now — U.S. Senate and the emerging battle for the 11th Congressional District.<br />
Both races for next year already have active campaigns working.<br />
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The senate race is shaping up to be U.S. Rep. Gary Peters, a Bloomfield Township Democrat, against Republican Terri Lynn Land, a former secretary of state and current Republican National Committee member from Byron Center.<br />
Peters, 54, is in his third term in the U.S. House and is a former state lawmaker.<br />
Land, 55, was secretary of state for two four-year terms and is a former county clerk.<br />
Land has <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.tout.com/m/uqgfng" target="_blank">better statewide name recognition</a> while Peters can raise as much money as he needs, Patterson, the Oakland County executive, said Friday.<br />
"She's held statewide office eight years, she's run two statewide elections, and I think she's got a name up on ID with the public."<br />
But Land's disadvantage may be a less than fiery personality.<br />
"The public knows her, I don't know that they're necessarily wild about her," says Patterson. "Terri's not the kind of gal that you're going to throw yourself on the sword for. She did a solid performance day-to-day as secretary of state."<br />
That's a disadvantage Peters may share to some degree.<br />
"Nobody knows who Peters is, other than the people within his confined district, so he's got a disadvantage," Patterson said. "He's not well known outstate and Terri is."<br />
But Peters <a href="http://www.tout.com/m/37rfv0" target="_blank">may hold a financial edge</a> over Land when push comes to shove during the lengthy campaign.<br />
"He'll be super-well funded by the unions," Patterson said. "And if Gary wants to run up a kitty of $25 million, he'll have $25 million."<br />
Meanwhile Democrats AND Republicans are eyeing Michigan's 11th Congressional District, spanning western Oakland and northwest Wayne counties.<br />
Presumably the district shifted into more Republican areas when new district boundaries took effect after the 2012 election and moved the district more into Oakland County.<br />
But the once-safe GOP seat became less certainly so last year when former U.S. Rep. Thaddeus McCotter quit Congress amid an election fraud investigation of some of his staff.<br />
Current U.S. Rep. Kerry Bentivolio, a Milford Republican, ultimately won the two-year seat last November, but that was after efforts by some Republicans to write in an alternative GOP candidate in a regular and special primary failed.<br />
Some of those Republicans backing an alternative, including Patterson, <a href="http://kerrybentivolioforcongress.com/endorsements/" target="_blank">ultimately backed Bentivolio</a> in 2012 rather than concede the seat to Democrats.<br />
But this time, they're <a href="http://trottforcongress.com/bowman-cox-gratz-pappageorge-patterson-back-trott/" target="_blank">backing Birmingham attorney David Trott</a> over Bentivolio, a veteran, retired teacher and reindeer farmer.<br />
"Bentivolio hasn't been a bad congressman," <a href="http://www.tout.com/m/6n3fn5" target="_blank">Patterson said</a>, calling Trott a friend, campaign supporter and campaign donor. "Nor has he been an active congressman. He went to Washington and fell in that big old black hole down there."<br />
Trott announced high profile endorsements earlier this week. Bentivolio countered with separate lists of more than 100 precinct delegates who are backing him, suggesting Republicans remain divided.<br />
Meanwhile, 39-year-old <a href="http://www.bobbyformichigan.com/" target="_blank">Democrat Bobby McKenzie</a> from Canton announced he will be seeking the seat. And the political newsletter <a href="http://insidemichiganpolitics.com/" target="_blank">Inside Michigan Politics</a> reported Democrat Jocelyn Benson may also be interested in running, suggesting Democrats have yet to settle their own strategy for taking the seat next year.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04271227175927992577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270733221440424857.post-71020151680433330372013-10-24T12:57:00.001-04:002013-10-24T12:57:28.771-04:00McKenzie enters race for Michigan 11th Congressional District<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFTQ7vVDMGlD-lfwiFxOjV_-ViiZlOS6mfD_pFTXtdAb7jRbUK26vqH5sp0W7GY_0kcA2VhuAC60fXfIoPVDEe_ECC8eebtIfOlrMRK7BKyYDpmSB1FDhfhx5kTnC7p1Yuugce4C70QwA/s1600/McKenzieCong11Dem.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFTQ7vVDMGlD-lfwiFxOjV_-ViiZlOS6mfD_pFTXtdAb7jRbUK26vqH5sp0W7GY_0kcA2VhuAC60fXfIoPVDEe_ECC8eebtIfOlrMRK7BKyYDpmSB1FDhfhx5kTnC7p1Yuugce4C70QwA/s320/McKenzieCong11Dem.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="http://www.bobbyformichigan.com/" target="_blank"> Bobby McKenzie</a>, a former counterterrorism advisor, has jumped into the 11th Congressional District race as a Democrat.<br />
McKenzie, 39, announced Thursday that we was running for the seat held by Milford Republican <a href="http://bentivolio.house.gov/" target="_blank">Kerry Bentivolio</a>.<br />
In making his announcement, the Canton resident was critical both of Bentivolio and Bentivolio's Republican primary opponent <a href="http://trottforcongress.com/" target="_blank">David Trott</a>.<br />
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"The men and women of this district deserve better than a divisive Tea Party extremist like Kerry Bentivolio, and we deserve better than the prospect of David Trott, a man who made a fortune off the bankruptcies and foreclosures that have devastated our region," McKenzie said in his announcement.<br />
McKenzie was raised in Dearborn Heights, earned an economics degree from Michigan State University and a master's degree in security studies from Georgetown University.<br />
For the past 15 years, he has worked for U.S. intelligence at the state department.<br />
He may face an uphill battle in the 11th Congressional District representing western Oakland and northwest Wayne counties.<br />
New district boundaries that took effect after the 2012 election shifted the district more into Oakland County from Wayne County, where Republicans are stronger.<br />
However, Bentivolio, 62, is in his first term and faces a challenge from Trott in next year's GOP primary.<br />
A Bentivolio spokesman said Democrats are desperate.<br />
"The Democrats are desperate to build support for their radical liberal agenda in Washington," Bentivolio spokesman Matt Chisholm said. "McKenzie will be just another rubber stamp for President Obama and his failed economic policies. We look forward to having a debate with McKenzie about Obamacare and the best path forward for our country."<br />
Trott, meanwhile, announced endorsements Thursday by Republicans who didn't favor Bentivolio as the replacement for former Rep. Thaddeus McCotter, who abruptly quit Congress in 2012 over election fraud by some of his staff.<br />
Those endorsements include former Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox, state Sen. John Pappageorge, and Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson.<br />
The 11th Congressional District now represents the Oakland County communities of Auburn Hills, Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, part of Clawson, Commerce Township, Farmington, Highland Township, Lake Angelus, Lyon Township, Milford, Milford Township, Northville, Novi, Novi Township, part of Rochester Hills, South Lyon, Troy, Walled Lake, Waterford Township, part of West Bloomfield Township, White Lake Township, Wixom and Wolverine Lake, and the Wayne County communities of Canton Township, Livonia, Northville Township, Plymouth and Plymouth Township.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04271227175927992577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270733221440424857.post-767432825026386942013-10-23T15:12:00.004-04:002013-10-23T15:12:55.061-04:00Conyers to endorse Benny Napoleon for Detroit mayor tomorrow<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">U.S. Rep. John Conyers, a Detroit Democrat, has announced he'll endorse</span> Benny Napoleon for mayor of Detroit tomorrow. His office sent out the following:<br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia, serif;"><strong>WHO:</strong> The second longest serving United States Congressman, <strong>Congressman John Conyers, Jr.</strong> (D-Detroit), will endorse <strong>Benny N. Napoleon</strong> for Mayor of the city of Detroit. He will be joined at tomorrow’s announcement with Detroit clergy, leaders of labor and other supporters.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, serif;"><br /><strong>WHAT:</strong> Like Napoleon, Conyers strongly believes that Detroit citizens’ right to democracy has been challenged and he is concerned about continued disinvestment in urban centers across America, especially in his hometown of Detroit. Conyers specifically endorses Napoleon’s bold and comprehensive plan to economically revitalize Detroit’s neighborhoods.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, serif;"><strong>WHEN/WHERE: </strong>The endorsement announcement will be <span><span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_697216887" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Thursday, October 24 at 2 p.m.</span></span></span></span> at the Benny Napoleon for Mayor Campaign Headquarters, 2652 E. Jefferson, Detroit (in the Chene shopping plaza).<br /><br /><strong>WHY: </strong>As a lifelong Detroit resident, Conyers has seen the rising crime and focus taken away from the city’s real core – its neighborhoods where most residents live. Napoleon’s Neighborhood Growth Strategy, coupled with his Five-Point 50-Percent Crime Reduction Plan, will affirm Detroit as a safe city; stabilize and revitalize the neighborhoods; develop economic anchors to create jobs, shopping and dining opportunities; build neighborhood public safety service centers and Fire/EMS superstations; and initiate other necessary resources.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04271227175927992577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270733221440424857.post-8109696719887982702013-10-22T14:50:00.002-04:002013-10-22T14:50:35.802-04:00Peters donates federal shutdown money to local nonprofits<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Two charities are the beneficiaries of the two-week partial federal government shutdown that ended Oct. 17.</div>
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U.S. Rep. Gary Peters, a Bloomfield Township Democrat, is donating his $5,000 take-home pay during the two weeks to charities in Detroit and Pontiac.</div>
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The beneficiaries are Care House in Pontiac and Piquette Square for Veterans by Southwest Solutions in Detroit.<br />
Care House helps children suffering from abuse or neglect, and Piquette Square for Veterans by Southwest Solutions offers affordable housing to southeast Michigan veterans.</div>
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Both are within the S-shaped 14th Congressional District that Peters currently represents and which begins in Pontiac and ends in Detroit.</div>
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Peters was among the five Michigan Democrats and four Republicans <a href="http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2013/roll550.xml" target="_blank">who voted to end the partial government shutdown</a> last week.</div>
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The other Democrats were John Conyers from Detroit, Sander Levin from Royal Oak, John Dingell from Dearborn, and Dan Kildee from Flint. Republicans voting to end the shutdown were Dan Benishek from Iron County in the Upper Peninsula, Dave Camp from Midland, Mike Rogers from Howell, and Fred Upton from St. Joseph.</div>
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Republicans opposing an end to the shutdown were Justin Amash from Cascade Township, Bill Huizinga from Zeeland, Candice Miller from Harrison Township, Tim Walberg from Tipton, and Kerry Bentivolio from Milford.</div>
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Peters, in his third two-year term in the U.S. House, is running for U.S. Senate next year against Republican Terri Lynn Land.</div>
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Land was scheduled to be in Oakland County, Mich., at an event in Birmingham Monday night but canceled her appearance. Land spokesman Matt Golden said there was a scheduling conflict.</div>
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Dennis Marburger, from the Birmingham/Bloomfield Republicans, said all Republican candidates are welcome at their meetings.</div>
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"We have an open invitation to her," he said. "We have an open forum for all Republican candidates. They were looking forward to seeing her but the vast majority who came enjoyed the program we had."</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04271227175927992577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270733221440424857.post-39657013404036177072013-10-16T14:11:00.001-04:002013-10-16T14:11:06.183-04:00Voters may punish members of Congress who supported shutdown<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBtosEiWxTijSHVqs9QHRxVqj9FrWX4pK9pvboMDDdJ-6qugr6X2zzh1wy7k6q_u8T3IGGsnZ7gDBIPgj61LMQVqdFFUknAC75sxQ9RCewjRIeIqkslNiUa-iZwqQRBCq0Fux60rAynBk/s1600/Gary_Peters14thcong.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBtosEiWxTijSHVqs9QHRxVqj9FrWX4pK9pvboMDDdJ-6qugr6X2zzh1wy7k6q_u8T3IGGsnZ7gDBIPgj61LMQVqdFFUknAC75sxQ9RCewjRIeIqkslNiUa-iZwqQRBCq0Fux60rAynBk/s200/Gary_Peters14thcong.jpg" width="131" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">U.S. Rep. Gary Peters</td></tr>
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The 16 days of a partial government shutdown has done nothing for the popularity of Congress.</div>
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But individual members who opposed the shutdown are getting a boost in some political polls, while those who supported it aren't.</div>
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A <a href="http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/main/2013/10/shutdown-hurts-gop-senate-chances.html" target="_blank">poll released Wednesday</a> as Congress teetered on the edge of ending the shutdown showed U.S. Rep. Gary Peters, a Bloomfield Township Democrat, ahead of Republican Terri Lynn Land in the race for U.S. Senate next year.</div>
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The poll of 642 registered voters in Michigan was taken by North Carolina-based Public Policy Polling on behalf of the liberal group American United for Change Oct. 14-15.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgafhMrrq-ftfH3BcB7_QdUWXnHYjlmthHnN16Nc4NSqwsRLxBvs4GNkAGYrzur5j1rB-qWy9O3zgypIL5GJ9NN65LEJlZSgY5ZkAaXEbfItzrphPo97xMwikmZzBlFFYL07yBpbnZcoJs/s1600/Terri-Lynn-Land-238x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgafhMrrq-ftfH3BcB7_QdUWXnHYjlmthHnN16Nc4NSqwsRLxBvs4GNkAGYrzur5j1rB-qWy9O3zgypIL5GJ9NN65LEJlZSgY5ZkAaXEbfItzrphPo97xMwikmZzBlFFYL07yBpbnZcoJs/s200/Terri-Lynn-Land-238x300.jpg" width="158" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Terri Lynn Land</td></tr>
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It showed Peters with a 43-36 percent lead over Land, but that expanded to 50-36 percent when voters were told that Peters opposed the shutdown.</div>
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Polling was also conducted in Iowa, Louisiana, Georgia, Arkansas and North Carolina — all states with active Senate races next year.</div>
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Overall, voters polled were opposed to the shutdown 65-27 percent.</div>
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<a href="http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/latest_polls/" target="_blank">according to a different poll</a> released Wednesday.</div>
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Collectively, the approval rating of Congress is at 7 percent, <br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04271227175927992577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270733221440424857.post-78401733363755516022013-10-16T14:01:00.001-04:002013-10-16T14:01:14.324-04:00Schauer criticizes Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder on economy in advance of 2014 election<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://www.markschauer.com/" target="_blank">Mark Schauer</a> says the 2014 election will bring wholesale changes to Michigan's political makeup.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioo8jwhK0vgp1O1oVXkficzR976x2UzKZm-YPu2j8f8wN7-aAdvGG9ke85afWbKSaVUbqesuxyh_Y-trFDQTzeKybxAeVWEUqE9WHFjxT1CVjEbxe8MOY6RJKGtEfMZaplglgANejaers/s1600/MarkSchauer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioo8jwhK0vgp1O1oVXkficzR976x2UzKZm-YPu2j8f8wN7-aAdvGG9ke85afWbKSaVUbqesuxyh_Y-trFDQTzeKybxAeVWEUqE9WHFjxT1CVjEbxe8MOY6RJKGtEfMZaplglgANejaers/s200/MarkSchauer.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mark Schauer</td></tr>
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Democrat <br />
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The 52-year-old former one-term congressman hopes he'll be part of the change.</div>
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Schauer, from Battle Creek, wants to unseat first-term incumbent Republican <a href="http://rickformichigan.com/home" target="_blank">Gov. Rick Snyder</a> next year, criticizing the Snyder policies he says have depressed wages, cut revenue sharing and education, taxed individual pensions, and rewarded the state's largest corporations.</div>
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"This will be a 'change' election in Michigan," Schauer said late Tuesday afternoon in an interview with The Oakland Press. "The public wants change from Rick Snyder and his party."</div>
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Schauer has been making the round since he formally entered the race May 28, visiting 44 of the state's 83 counties, so far.</div>
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In his swing through Oakland County Tuesday, he announced the support of Oakland County Democrats on the county commission.</div>
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Schauer says the key issue of next year's election will be the state's economy.</div>
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"The economy is the central issue," he said in an interview with The Oakland Press.</div>
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"Is Rick Snyder's economy working for you?" asks Schauer in what will likely be the theme of his campaign.</div>
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Schauer was elected to a two-year term in Congress in 2008, losing the seat to Republican Tim Walberg in 2010.</div>
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He was elected to the state House in 1996 and to the state Senate in 2002. He's a former Battle Creek city commissioner.</div>
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A late May poll gave Shauer a four-point lead over the governor in a hypothetical matchup.</div>
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But <a href="http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2014/governor/mi/michigan_governor_snyder_vs_schauer-3506.html" target="_blank">a more recent poll of 600 likely voters</a> taken Sept. 12 by EPIC-MRA showed the governor in the lead 44-36 percent.</div>
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Snyder's popularity plummeted after a controversial right-to-work law was hustled through the Michigan Legislature and signed last December, though his numbers have recovered somewhat. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxJkMsKlWCE" target="_blank">In promotional videos</a>, Snyder calls the law "freedom-to-work."</div>
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Michigan voters face a huge ballot a little over a year from now. They'll vote for U.S. Senate, governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general, all 148 members of the state House and Senate, members of Congress, some judicial seats and local township offices.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04271227175927992577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270733221440424857.post-38116988998477485462013-10-15T10:48:00.000-04:002013-10-15T10:48:13.434-04:00Public anger may force Congress to reach a budget/debt deal the Dems and GOP aren't inclined to make<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Will Congress reach at least a short-term deal on the budget and borrowing power in time to end a partial government shutdown and avoid a financial default?<br />
The odds are that they will, if for no other reason than their collective popularity can't get much lower and the election cycle for next year is starting to gear up.<br />
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Two different polls last week by The Associated Press and The Economist showed congressional approval ratings at 5 percent and 10 percent. <br />
Nowhere is the public ire so notable as on social media platforms like Facebook, where people have routinely posted blistering memes directed at both parties and both chambers in Congress since the shutdown began Oct. 1.<br />
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Some are scolding.... <br />
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...some are poetic .... <br />
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.... some are satirical ..... <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr1kebeZmcBxJ1w3WOgIupAU4RfmCAnWK5PXv18WLEpZGZfWuYARG1r_lPriEsUUmYVWoVwa56FAb8c4WPVagCRAIjqIXdjtI5jvR2LnolZKYaTHjQxI3we7_AWW4rR4qmxt9_DiKBywU/s1600/shutdown+law.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr1kebeZmcBxJ1w3WOgIupAU4RfmCAnWK5PXv18WLEpZGZfWuYARG1r_lPriEsUUmYVWoVwa56FAb8c4WPVagCRAIjqIXdjtI5jvR2LnolZKYaTHjQxI3we7_AWW4rR4qmxt9_DiKBywU/s320/shutdown+law.jpg" width="299" /></a></div>
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<br />
....some express outrage ..... <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNORnun7xKiavH8zkZiShtnQJvCulserQG8IpfOHGTqK-leYfEXzsGT6SJnlh8-e8OmWlBqVNqZzb7r5ctVxdkOYmwd1sYTom9XouqD3lXGXmoQIHOjuTPJWkmMfBJl8t5gY7J-5wj1wI/s1600/shutdown+zombies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNORnun7xKiavH8zkZiShtnQJvCulserQG8IpfOHGTqK-leYfEXzsGT6SJnlh8-e8OmWlBqVNqZzb7r5ctVxdkOYmwd1sYTom9XouqD3lXGXmoQIHOjuTPJWkmMfBJl8t5gY7J-5wj1wI/s320/shutdown+zombies.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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.... some are comical ....<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgepHK56KcmbWQWDf2sauIIBwWaqziRJOTefxsgppNENqfGKo4CaBnQc6VfNUK8lUZLNVojaBf9XyLCsmeX2YY-IBZTfrqkKbXm8El-x-dfIntrKqqXT3ZnXS4FycQsWf5zKeoOofeoE8s/s1600/shutdownfurloughsmokey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgepHK56KcmbWQWDf2sauIIBwWaqziRJOTefxsgppNENqfGKo4CaBnQc6VfNUK8lUZLNVojaBf9XyLCsmeX2YY-IBZTfrqkKbXm8El-x-dfIntrKqqXT3ZnXS4FycQsWf5zKeoOofeoE8s/s320/shutdownfurloughsmokey.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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.....and some reflect the grim reality of the partial shutdown in the country's national forests....<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoqUC4D7wZDAwGrdgxzFtg_AKEXBQ5_zFe8hFNG7fhRufGGJkmZgSqC3hbFtMG3na5eV-qNUPEnKMxBWQAZF2x1cAnAS-e-nIMHaYb3LxxiHRwqu2l3DUpXPsp9vmoLScVAKd64I24aw4/s1600/shutdownwwIImemorial.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoqUC4D7wZDAwGrdgxzFtg_AKEXBQ5_zFe8hFNG7fhRufGGJkmZgSqC3hbFtMG3na5eV-qNUPEnKMxBWQAZF2x1cAnAS-e-nIMHaYb3LxxiHRwqu2l3DUpXPsp9vmoLScVAKd64I24aw4/s320/shutdownwwIImemorial.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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.... and at Washington's closed national monuments. <br />
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Another question looms for members of Congress once some kind of deal is reached.<br />
And that is whether the public will remember today's anger and take it out on incumbents up for election from either party.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04271227175927992577noreply@blogger.com1