UMich Solar Car Team Finishes First

by: Cordelia Lear

Thu Jul 24, 2008 at 12:49:02 PM EDT

The team's final time was 51 hours, 41 minutes and 53 seconds, almost ten hours ahead of the second place team, Principia College from St. Louis, MO.  The car, named Continium, raced at an average speed of 44.9 mpr. FH Bochum from Germany, the University of Waterloo from Ontario, and the University of Minnesota finished third, fourth and fifth respectively.

Teams from colleges and universities throughout North America design, build, test, and race solar-powered vehicles in a long distance road rally. NASC is a test of teamwork, engineering skill, and endurance that stretches across thousands of miles of public roads. Only 25 teams qualified for the challenge and only 15 completed it this year.

Congratulations to the Five-Time National Champion Michigan Wolverines.

Go Fast, Go Smooth, Go BLUE!

Should we throw a pity party for McCain?

by: Kathy

Thu Jul 24, 2008 at 11:30:00 AM EDT

According to a video report posted by Scranton, Pennsylvania's Times-Leader, John McCain's town hall event in Wilkes-Barre earlier today featured an underwhelming turnout -- more than half the seats were empty. About seven hundred folks showed up -- a decent sized crowd, perhaps, but it left nine hundred seats empty.

Contrast that to Obama's visit to Wilkes-Barre in April, when more than two thousand people attended and the fire department had to turn people away.  

Obama isn't McCain's only problem. Republican Ron Paul is generating quite a bit of enthusiasm among his followers too.

Ron Paul, the former Republican presidential candidate, and his followers have been making plans for their own mini convention when his party gathers in St. Paul to nominate Senator John McCain. Except the Paul-ite gathering is no longer so mini.

Due to popular demand, as the saying goes, Mr. Paul had to scrap plans to hold his event at the nearly 15,000-capacity Williams Arena at the University of Minnesota. Instead, his "Rally for Liberty" will move to the Target Center in Minneapolis, which can hold up to 18,000.

To add insult to injury, Grover Norquist is scheduled to appear at the event. Hmm...Norquist recently said he was happy with McCain, although it's well-known he's been a big critic of him in the past.

Norquist has regularly denounced McCain as a fraud, a flip-flopper, and, on one occasion, a nut job.

Of course, there was no love on McCain's side either. He's condemned Norquist as corrupt and a shill for dictators, and McCain has even refused to sign the Americans for Tax Reform Pledge.

So, even though the two men are telling the public they're BFFs, it sure sounds like Norquist is less enthusiastic about McCain than he's led us to believe. I almost feel sorry for old John McCain - almost.  

Schauer Breaks Record, Raises $427,000 in Second Quarter

by: wizardkitten

Thu Jul 24, 2008 at 10:07:53 AM EDT

Today State Senator Mark Schauer (D-Battle Creek) announced that his Congressional campaign raised more than $427,000 in the second quarter, which breaks the previous fundraising record he set earlier this year for the most money raised by a Democrat in the 7th district. Combined with the last quarter when he outraised his incumbent opponent, Schauer has now brought in more than $1.33 million and has more than $928,000 cash on hand.

"The people of south central Michigan are hungry for change and ready for a leader who will fight to turn our economy around, one job at a time," said Schauer. "I'm a strong believer in the power of grassroots organizing, and this overwhelming support will help us continue building momentum as we reach out to new voters in all seven counties of the seventh district."

In this quarter alone, the campaign collected more than 1,100 total contributions, with more than 83 percent of individual contributions from donors in Michigan. With just over 100 days to go before the general election, Schauer has now raised more than Tim Walberg brought in during the entire 2006 election cycle.

Very impressive! But don't go counting chickens yet- look for Republicans to step up the attacks and the big money fundraising efforts to try to defend Walberg's seat. These numbers are sure to get their attention once again.

Good Morning Michigan! July 24, 2008

by: Christine

Thu Jul 24, 2008 at 05:00:00 AM EDT

Today's photo is from Louis L's  Flickr Photostream:

Munch is now making signs in Metroparks around South Eastern Michigan

What I like about this is not so much the picture, but the hilarious comments left by visitors...

"Warning Aliens might jump out screaming!"

Why is this idiot wearing mittens while swimming? This is how you drown people.

NO SWIMMING ... Apparently only DROWNING is allowed.

Answer to yesterday's trivia:

Michigan's oldest Governor was Luren D. Dickinson.  Dickinson was elected Lt Gov 7 times, before taking the office of Governor at the age of 80.  He is the only Michigan governor to succeed an incumbent who died in office.  

There's more ...

Senate Republicans Playing Games With Appointments

by: wizardkitten

Thu Jul 24, 2008 at 00:56:11 AM EDT

Why? They won't say, but given their past and/or ongoing arrogant behavior, it's probably part of the partisan game of wasting everyone's time and creating problems so the administration and government itself looks bad. Remember, Republicans need government to be dysfunctional for their talking points to stick, so, dysfunctional it shall be. Gongwer tonight-

Declaring Senate Republicans are engaging in McCarthyism, the Granholm administration stepped up the confrontation over the appointment of Colleen Pobur to the Liquor Control Commission, sending a letter demanding the release of information the majority party asserts disqualifies Ms. Pobur for the post.   The letter was hand-delivered the day before it is now anticipated the Senate will reject Ms. Pobur's appointment.

A spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop (R-Rochester) dismissed the letter from Granholm legal counsel Kelly Keenan to as a stunt. "The administration knows what our problems are" with Mr. Pobur, said Matt Marsden.

Liz Boyd, Ms. Granholm's spokesperson, said, "We wish that Sen. Bishop and the Senate Republicans would spend more time on job creation than they are on character assassination" of Ms. Pobur.

Senate Republicans and Saul Anuzis (dead giveaway as to partisan motive right there) are alleging that Pobur was fired from her job at Detroit Metro Airport by Ed McNamara; supporters have released a letter written by Ed himself that shows that isn't true. So that's not it. Other rumblings about her qualifications are supposedly being made - but no one will offer any details.

What could it be? A simple power play to keep one of their people on the commission. Apparently Republicans at one time were offering to trade a Pobur confirmation in exchange for keeping Engler appointee Republican Judy Allen on the board. They had no problem with Pobur then, but no deal was at hand. Pobur was slated to replace Virgie M. Rollins, and when the Republicans claimed they had this "confidential information" and asked the governor to withdraw her name, right before the vote she re-filed Pobur for Allen's spot instead. Whoop, there it is.

Ms. Pobur's appointment was nearly voted down last week when Ms. Granholm withdrew it and then resubmitted it. In the second resubmission, Ms. Pobur replaced Judy Allen.   Republicans had at one time offered to approve Ms. Pobur in exchange for Ms. Allen, a Republican, staying on the LCC.

But that offer was rejected and following that Republicans say they had received confidential information that challenged Ms. Pobur's qualifications. They have refused to publicly release that information in detail.

Uh huh. Maybe because it doesn't exist? Because Republicans didn't get their way, they are going to damage this woman's reputation by inferring that something is wrong with her - they just aren't going to tell you what it is or who said it. Besides, they don't have to anyway. So there.

Senate Republican officials have indicated that one reason they have not released the information brought them is to protect the sources from possible retribution.

And Mr. Marsden, Mr. Bishop's spokesperson, said there is no requirement in the Constitution that a hearing be held on an appointment (in fact the Senate only restored an active advice and consent process when Ms. Granholm was elected governor. The chamber routinely allowed the appointments of former Governor John Engler to take office without comment.) and that the chamber can reject an appointment for any reason or no reason. "We can reject an appointment for having purple hair or wearing the wrong shoes," he said.

Hair and shoes. With that one statement, Marsden reveals the Senate Republican's continuing arrogance and immaturity and dishonors the entire chamber once again. They can waste your time, waste your money, ignore the real problems in Michigan, hurt someone's reputation - all because they want to play their partisan games.

And they wonder why that ballot proposal looks so good to the public...

The Big Lie: McCain Credits Bush for the Drop in Oil Prices

by: wizardkitten

Wed Jul 23, 2008 at 16:07:17 PM EDT

Republican John McCain on Wednesday credited the recent $10-a-barrel drop in the price of oil to President Bush's lifting of a presidential ban on offshore drilling, an action he has been advocating in his presidential campaign.

Bush recently lifted the executive order banning offshore drilling that his father put in place in 1990. He also asked Congress to lift its own moratorium on oil exploration on the outer continental shelf which includes coastal waters as close as three miles from shore.

"The price of oil dropped $10 a barrel," said McCain, who argued that the psychology of lifting the ban has affected world markets.

Even the White House, usually so quick to spread The Big Lie, wouldn't bite.

The White House didn't go that far. Presidential spokeswoman Dana Perino said the price drop also could reflect diminished demand.

"I don't know if we fully deserve the credit," Perino said.

"We don't predict what happens in the market," she said. "We can't really tell. Certainly, taking that action would send a signal that at least the executive branch is serious about moving forward and increasing the supply we have in America."

Truth is, 75% of offshore reserves are open to drilling now, even though McCain and Bush want you to believe that Obama and the Democrats are stopping new domestic exploration and production.

Most of the country's estimated offshore reserves - about 75 percent - lie in areas that have been drilled for years or are being opened for exploration. Roughly 48 percent of the nation's estimated reserves, or 41 billion barrels, lie beneath the western and central Gulf of Mexico, where oil companies armed with new drilling technology are pushing into ever deeper water. Another 27 percent of the estimated reserves, or 23.6 billion barrels, are believed to lie off the north coast of Alaska, where the federal government sold oil exploration leases this spring, despite fears that the work would hurt the polar bear population.

So, are the oil companies using all those big profits to drill in areas already open to them? Of course not. That's too expensive. Much easier to make money in the stock market.

The companies insist they're trying to find new oil that might help bring down gas prices, but the money they spend on exploration is nothing compared with what they spend on stock buybacks and dividends.

It's good news for shareholders, including mutual funds and retirement plans for millions of Americans, but no help to drivers already making drastic cutbacks to offset the high cost of fuel.

The five biggest international oil companies plowed about 55 percent of the cash they made from their businesses into stock buybacks and dividends last year, up from 30 percent in 2000 and just 1 percent in 1993, according to Rice University's James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy.

The percentage they spend to find new deposits of fossil fuels has remained flat for years, in the mid-single digits.

Go read the article to find out why the oil companies don't want to risk the money on new projects - "the easy oil is gone". They have shareholders to think about. So, even if you lifted all the bans on all the drilling tomorrow, there is no guarantee that you would get any oil, if you did, it would be well over a decade away, and "opening the coasts to offshore drilling would have no significant impact on oil prices before 2030". And that's according to the US Dept. of Energy. The Facts aren't stopping McCain and the Republicans from spreading the The Big Lie.  

What is really disturbing is that we are falling back into this familiar pattern that we see every election: Republicans lie, Democrats run around refuting it, by that time it has lodged in the public consciousness, and the Republicans simply move on to the next lie.

Haven't we seen this movie before?

Join the Granholm Cherry Ground Crew in Muskegon Saturday for Rep. Mary Valentine!

by: grahamdavis

Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 16:58:28 PM EDT

Join the Granholm Cherry Ground Crew as we go door to door talking to voters this Saturday for Rep. Mary Valentine in Muskegon! Going door to door talking to voters is the best way to maintain our Democratic State House majority, and we want to show Rep. Valentine a strong showing of support!

RSVP and find out more at http://www.jennifergranholm.com/valentine. We'll be having lunch after canvassing back at the Valentine for State Rep headquarters. If you have any questions, contact Graham Davis. We hope to see you Saturday!

Good Morning Michigan! July 23, 2008

by: Christine

Wed Jul 23, 2008 at 05:00:00 AM EDT

Today's photo is from Gregory Lee's Flickr Photostream:

Contested urbanscape, Ann Arbor alley.

Answer to yesterday's trivia:

Eddie Slovik was the only US serviceman executed for desertion in World War II.  His remains were returned to Michigan in 1987, and buried next to his wife.  Slovik was born in Hamtramck, Michigan.

There's more ...

Mark Schauer: Help us Mobilize for Change!

by: SchauerforCongress

Tue Jul 22, 2008 at 14:36:37 PM EDT

I'm a big believer in the power of grassroots organizing - that's why I've been such a loyal reader and supporter of blogs like Michigan Liberal, Blogging for Michigan and DailyKos. These sites have empowered a whole new generation of voters to get involved in the political process and fight for the kind of change that will move our country in a new direction.

For this race to be successful, I'll need your help online and on the ground to organize supporters and spread our message across the 7th district this year.

That's why I'll need your help this Saturday, July 26, when we will be competing with congressional campaigns across the country for Mobilize for Change: A National Day of Action. The goal is to see which Democratic campaign can recruit the most volunteers to phone bank and canvass that day, and the winner will receive a fundraising letter from a prominent Democrat to a national email list with more than 3 million subscribers!

Will $45 million buy Romney the Vice-Presidency?

by: Kathy

Tue Jul 22, 2008 at 13:44:07 PM EDT

So the news last week that Romney was giving up any chance of recouping the $45 million he loaned his presidential campaign immediately raised the question: What does the cautious, but shrewd, dealmaker think he's going to get for this money?

The answer, apparently, is his selection as John McCain's running mate.

Romney's decision to formally reclassify his loans as contributions - a seemingly small bureaucratic gesture - removes a deceptively large obstacle to his vice presidential nomination. Had he become McCain's veep without giving up hope of retrieving the cash, Romney might have wasted a lot of time at fund-raisers trying to retire his personal debt. McCain, obviously, would prefer a vice president who's free to do other things and willing to use his fund-raising time to help the party. So Romney is signaling to McCain that he's willing to join the ticket free and clear.

Romney may have a problem according to OneNewsNow, a division of the American Family News Network, a Christian news service.

Twenty-six leaders of national and state conservative groups have signed a letter addressed to Senator McCain (R-Arizona) that declares "the unvarnished facts of Mitt Romney's record as governor of Massachusetts make him utterly unacceptable as a vice-presidential running mate."

The group that opposes Romney is the Government Is Not God PAC, and their letter to McCain was published in a full-page ad in the Daily Courier of Prescott, Arizona, the same day the campaign held a rally in the city. The group believes Romney is trying to "get in through the back door."

Signers of the letter to McCain include former Romney backer and Free Congress Foundation president Paul Weyrich, Sandy Rios of the Culture Campaign, and Matt Barber of Concerned Women for America. They argue Romney's recent "conversion" to conservative and pro-life principles is "not credible," and that his record on such issues when he was governor conflicts with the values of social conservatives.

Nobody, says Murray, knows what Romney's "real" positions are. "He was pro-life, then ... when he ran for governor of Massachusetts ... all of a sudden he was pro-choice; and then when he ran for president, he's pro-life again," he says. "He has held different positions on the whole issue of gay marriage and gay unions and homosexuality. He continually talks about being a fiscal conservative, yet he left Massachusetts in a total mess."

If the PAC is concerned about Romney's flip-flops, they need to reconsider their support for John McCain too. He was fairly consistent for the quarter-century he was in Congress, but since deciding to run for president, he's abandoned his position on more than five dozen issues for political gain.  

Meekhof Wants to Take Away Health Benefits, Says GVSU "Promotes Immorality"

by: wizardkitten

Tue Jul 22, 2008 at 09:05:51 AM EDT

The best and the brightest be damned; you are all living in sin!, and we will just see what Mike Cox has to say about this. As if you didn't know already.

State Representative Arlan Meekhof called the plan "A slap in the face to Michigan taxpayers and morality."

The benefits will apply to gay partners and other live-in partners who are unrelated adults.

In attacking the school's board of trustees Meekhof released the following statement, "Not only are they increasing the university's expenses, but this institute of higher learning has chosen to use taxpayer dollars and student tuition dollars to allow and promote immorality."

Meekhof says he will request a legal opinion on the plan from Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox.

Arlan has no problem using "taxpayer dollars" in an attempt to impose his idea of morality on Grand Valley and other institutions. How dare they "allow" people to live together. Last time we checked that wasn't against the law, but if Arlan had his way, it probably would be. Meekhof's angst is directed at gay people even though he doesn't come right out and say it, but his reach is now extending into the lives of others he has deemed "immoral" as well by trying to deny their children health care.

The change also reflects demographics, with 51 percent of U.S. households headed by unmarried parents, said David Smith, director of benefits and human resources.

"It's really about recruiting and retention. We compete with other public universities that offer similar benefits," said Scott Richardson, GVSU's associate vice president for human resources. "We want (the best) to pick us."

The vote by the board at Grand Valley was 7-1, and the "nay" came from Chairwoman Lucille Taylor, wife of Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Cliff Taylor. She offered up some lame excuses and tried to obfuscate the issue. Didn't work, but she gets a cookie from the radicals that control the Republicans in this state for towing the party line.

Let's take a quick look at Meekhof's "values" and the scenarios he would deem immoral. The following cases were cited in a brief before our Supreme Court - people who needed the health care that Arlan seeks to deny.

A brief filed by a group of Michigan public universities details the role that domestic partner benefits play in recruiting and retaining faculty members. The brief also included specific cases where such benefits played a major role in helping a couple. For example, an assistant professor's partner had a near fatal heart attack and the "life-saving, ongoing treatment" that led to his recovery would not have been possible without coverage under the university's plan. In another case, the benefits allow the partner of an employee to stay at home and care for the two young children of the employee and parter. One of the children was born with a birth defect and can't be in day care. In addition, the brief noted that passage of the gay marriage ban had led some professors to take jobs elsewhere, viewing the measure as a sign of hostility.

The American Association of University Professors argued in its brief that the ban on partner benefits also amounted to inappropriate state intrusion in the autonomy of universities.

Meekhof is OK with state intrusion into your life when it comes to enforcing his version of morality. He also would raise your insurance rates and taxes by forcing these people to seek care through uncovered emergency room measures, which would in turn be passed on to you through premiums or higher demands on taxpayer funded medical services. He also would deny economic growth to Michigan by forcing the creative class to leave the state in search of a place where they are accepted.

That is Meekhof's version of "values" - government mandates on morals, higher costs on essentials as a consequence, and impedeing Michigan's universities and cities the chance to compete with the rest of the country because he wants to stubbornly cling to an extremist agenda. In other words, he is the typical face of the Michigan Republican Party as it stands today; insisting on moving backward in a world that is already moving on without us.

Good Morning Michigan! July 22, 2008

by: Christine

Tue Jul 22, 2008 at 05:00:00 AM EDT

Today's photo is from the  Flickr photostream of Squeez91270:

2006 2007 Michigan State Police Dodge Charger Slick Top Police Car

Answer to yesterday's trivia:

From Michigan History magazine:

1847 - Francis Troutman and four other Kentucky slave catchers arrive at the home of the Adam Crosswhite family-Kentucky slaves who had escaped to Marshall.  Troutman, who planned to return the Crosswhites to their former master, was confronted by several hundred Marshall residents who threatened the slaveholders with tar and feathers. While Troutman was being charged with assault and fined $100, the Crosswhites fled to Canada.

There's more ...

New EPIC Poll: Obama 43, McCain 41

by: wizardkitten

Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 19:07:31 PM EDT

WOOD puts the whole script online - very important to see how these questions are worded because sometimes it does make a difference in answers. 600 "likely voters" were asked-  

In the election for President, if the election were held today, would you vote for [ROTATE] John McCain the Republican, Barack Obama the Democrat, Ralph Nader the Independent, or Bob Barr the Libertarian?

40% Vote for Barack Obama the Democrat
3% Lean toward Barack Obama
43% Total Obama

38% Vote for John McCain the Republican
3% Lean toward John McCain  
41% Total McCain

2% Vote for Ralph Nader the Independent
1% Lean toward Nader  
3% Total Nader

2% Vote for Bob Barr the Libertarian
0% Lean toward Barr
2% Total Barr

12% Undecided/Don't know/Refused

I like looking at the favorable/unfavorable/don't recognize numbers myself.

Bush: 35% favorable, 61% unfavorable. No surprise there. Granholm: 49% favorable, 45% unfavorable. You go governor! But wish that number were higher. Obama: This is where it gets interesting. 3%, likely voters mind you, don't recognize his name. 51%-37% are the totals , but his "very favorable" numbers are 10 pts higher than McCain. McCain holds a gerneral lead in favorables, 58%-32%.

Other questions in the poll: Levin is stomping Hoogendyk 58-32. 87% of the people don't know who Hoogendyk even is, but some will vote for him anyway. Tribalism in action.

The poll also asks the generic who will do a "better job" on various issues - Obama seems to win on all domestic issues, McCain on war, terrorism and taxes. Natch. They also ask about race and age, and that is pretty much split as to whether either of those will be a factor in a voter's final decision.

There you have it, your "snapshot in time" for July 21st, 2008.

UPDATE: After I posted this, I wandered over to the Freep where they are reporting that the Reform Michigan Government Now prop has a whopping 70% approval rate - 73% amongst Republicans. Guess that "sinister Democratic plot to take over government" spin hasn't sunk in yet - or maybe it has. ;-)

GR Veterans Rally to Support Obama, Denouce McCain Attack Ad

by: wizardkitten

Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 17:45:34 PM EDT

Local Democrats countered with a small gathering at Veterans Memorial Park, calculated to blunt a McCain campaign ad attacking Obama's foreign policy credentials.

A McCain ad that began airing Friday notes that Obama "hasn't been to Iraq in years" and voted "against funding our troops."

The ad states that McCain "has always supported our troops and the surge that's working," a reference to troop increases in Iraq backed by McCain.

Those in attendance included Army veteran and Democratic Kent County Commissioner Paul Mayhue and White Cloud resident Buck Geno, who served as a Marine during the Vietnam War.

Geno argued that McCain's service "does not make him more qualified for president.

"Where was he when the vets really needed him?" Geno said. "He voted against enhancing the GI bill and medical benefits for vets. And where was he went the Walter Reed scandal went down?"

Mayhue rattled off many of the votes on McCain's record when it came to "supporting the troops" - points that DJ has posted here before. He also pointed out support for the idea of drawing down in Iraq and shifting troops to Afghanistan, where Obama has called the situation "precarious and urgent".

"As a veteran who has served our country, I honor McCain's service to America," Mayhue said.

"But for (him) to suggest that Obama does not support the troops, that's dishonest."

Good to see Dems and veterans out countering these Republican rallies and unfair attacks on Obama's record - it is being noticed by the media. Not only did it hit the GR Press, WOOD will have a report tonight on the "split support" of veterans as well. Represent!

League of Conservation Voters Endorse Sen. Obama

by: Kathy

Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 12:45:00 PM EDT

Here's part of their statement endorsing Obama:

"Senator Obama's proven record and his commitment to a clean, renewable energy future make him the best choice for President," LCV President Gene Karpinski said.   "At a time when this country must reinvent itself for a new energy future, we can imagine no better steward than Barack Obama. Under his leadership, America will finally achieve the economic growth, environmental protection, and national security that are possible with a new, clean energy economy."

"We have a real choice here," said Carol Browner, LCV board member and the longest-serving EPA Administrator in the agency's history.  "Barack Obama has been a committed leader and has offered bold and comprehensive proposals when it comes to global warming, energy and the environment. John McCain, whose plan will be a continuation of Bush-era political gimmicks, will carry on Bush's legacy of failure when it comes to energy policy,"

For thirty-eight years, LCV's annual Environmental Scorecard has been the nationally accepted, non-partisan, environmental report card for our leaders. Barack Obama has earned an impressive lifetime 86% score.  His opponent, Senator McCain, has earned only a 24% score.  

Solving the related challenges of energy and global warming is LCV's top priority, and the records of McCain and Obama are very different on these issues. Barack Obama plans to raise fuel efficiency to 52 miles per gallon by 2030, invest $150 billion in clean energy technology, require utilities to produce 25% of energy from renewable sources by 2025, and to implement a cap and trade program that will reduce global warming pollution by 80% and make polluters pay for their emissions.   Senator McCain has no plan to accomplish any of these goals and has voted against them throughout his career.  He opposes new fuel efficiency laws, opposes a national renewable electricity standard, and offers only $300 million for the development of clean technologies.

The Sierra Club and Friends of the Earth announced their support for Obama earlier this year.

You can read more here, including LCV's fact sheets on the voting records of Senator Obama and Senator McCain.

Michigan Gains Jobs in June

by: wizardkitten

Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 11:57:20 AM EDT

Here's the good news: Michigan had the second-highest employment increase from May to June of all states. But the bad news, of course, is that unemployment is stuck at 8.5 percent, the nation's highest.

Michigan added 16,700 jobs. Only Texas recorded a bigger increase with 47,700.

This comes on top of the jobs added in May. Granted, it doesn't cover the number of people looking for work, or the people that have dropped off the map entirely, but perhaps it shows we are headed in the right direction - or at least, holding our own in the face of a national economic downturn.

Good Morning Michigan! July 21, 2008

by: Christine

Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 05:00:00 AM EDT

Today's photo is from Gregory Lee's Flickr photostream:

Squint your eyes to see his camouflage in action! (Most predators see only in shades off gray. Squinting reduces the your ability to see color...)

Robins stick out like a sore thumb on the uniform tone of a suburban lawn. Put one in a midwestern woodland and their outline breaks up... the robin disappears!

Taken in Gallup Park, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Answer to Friday's trivia:

The county government is the largest unit of local government in Michigan.

There's more ...

Dave Camp's Vote On Medicare

by: Andrew Concannon

Sat Jul 19, 2008 at 15:55:41 PM EDT

Given our economic situation in Michigan, Rep. Dave Camp's vote to sustain the President's veto of H.R. 6631, a bill that would prevent the reduction in payments for Medicare and help ensure that seniors have access to doctors, is simply inexcusable. Once again, Mr. Camp has sided with President Bush and the ideological right-wing of his party instead of making his constituents and their well-being his priority.

The veto override received overwhelming bipartisan support, by a vote of 383-41. The law that has now gone into effect provides for improved reimbursement rates of physicians, which was designed to prevent physicians from opting out of Medicare participation in rural and low income areas. As one of the most rural districts in the state, residents of Michigan's 4th district cannot afford a representative in Congress who cares so little about their access to healthcare.

This is just more of the same from Mr. Camp, who has repeatedly voted against the interests of constituents in his District by siding with special interests. He has sided with pharmaceutical companies over our seniors, the mortgage companies instead of homeowners, and insurance companies over children.

It is time for voters in the 4th District to take a hard look at Mr. Camp and his priorities. Instead of working in the interests of hard-working regular people - the families in Midland, children in Big Rapids, and senior citizens in Traverse City - he has served a different constituency: the special interests in Washington.

It is time that Michigan's 4th District got its voice back and had a Representative with a different agenda, one whose priority is to try to make life better for people in our District. I am running for Congress to do just that.

Andrew Concannon
Democratic Candidate - Michigan's 4th Congressional District

In order to have the resources to remain competitive, we need the continued help of supporters like you. Please make a donation, which will be used to bring Andy's message of change to all corners of Michigan's 4th District. Now is the perfect time to step up and own a piece of this campaign. If you make a donation right now, you'll receive a special gift. Make a donation of $50 or more, and show your support for Andy with an official campaign shirt and two bumper stickers.

Meisner for Treasurer -- A Call to Action

by: Michael McGuinness

Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 19:54:09 PM EDT

Dear Friends,

Thank you for your support of my campaign to protect our property values and prevent foreclosures as our next Oakland County Treasurer. Thanks to the support and participation of great friends like you, our campaign is not only up and running, but is making serious moves throughout the county and getting a tremendous response from the voters of Oakland County.

This Sunday, July 20, will be the first campaign finance deadline this year. At that time, it is essential for our campaign to demonstrate fundraising strength. My opponent, when he saw that I was running against him, wrote his campaign a personal check for $125,000.

I need your continued help to meet this great challenge and ask you to consider a contribution of $15, $30, $125, $250 or whatever you are able to give through my website at http://contribute.andymeisner.com

Contributions may also be sent care of: Andy Meisner for County Treasurer, PO Box 2197, Royal Oak, MI 48068.

Donors of $125 will join what we call our "Club 125" to directly counteract the incumbent's massive personal cash influx.

Thank you again for your incredible friendship and encouragement. Together, we can succeed in our quest to protect our property values and prevent foreclosures in Oakland County.

Your friend,

Andy

P.S., That URL again is http://contribute.andymeisner.com

Strange Things Are Afoot In The Race For Oakland County Commissioner

by: djtyg

Sat Jul 19, 2008 at 01:10:35 AM EDT

From The Spinal Column:

A complaint has been filed with the Waterford Township police department questioning the legality of state Rep. Fran Amos' use of the words "Re-Elect" in a recent campaign post card mailed to voters in the County Board of Commissioners 5th District, where Amos hopes to knock off incumbent Commissioner John Scott in the upcoming GOP primary election now that term limits prevent her from seeking re-election to the state office.

There also are questions about Amos' use of the county's official seal on the same piece of campaign literature.

Some officials have said the allegedly misleading and false incumbency reference is a violation of state law. It's less clear whether use of the county seal in the political piece violates state law, but such use appears to violate a county policy.

Former Waterford Board of Education member and attorney Stan Kurzman said he has filed a complaint with local police over Amos using the term "Re-elect" in the campaign post card.

"Yes, I have filed a police report on that matter," he said. "Amos' cards say to re-elect her to the county commission. The statute described in MCL 168.944 says any person who advertises or uses in any campaign materials the phrases incumbent, re-elect, or otherwise indicates and represents and gives the impression that the candidate for public office is the incumbent when in fact they aren't the incumbent is guilty of a misdemeanor. She's not an incumbent."

Where the story gets wierd is that Amos was a County Commissioner years ago before she ran for the State Legislature.  

"The 're-elect' is what I understand the issue is all about," she [Amos] said. "Because I was a county commissioner for eight years, I am (seeking to be) re-elected. The county seal I have used before and it was never an issue. I got it from them. I had permission to use it years ago."

Her opponent, of course, was not pleased:

"It's a shame someone with as many years in public office would resort to breaking the law and pose as an incumbent just to win an election," Scott, the incumbent in the 5th District, said. "I'm disappointed."

Sigh....I love watching Republicans fight each other:).