Tenthers are people who basically think that the Tenth Amendment renders everything the federal government does unconstitutional. They also conveniently chose to ignore over two hundred years of court decisions where the relationship between the states and the federal government has been shaped.
These efforts are all part of a movement whose members are convinced that the 10th Amendment of the Constitution prohibits spending programs and regulations disfavored by conservatives. Indeed, while "birther" conspiracy theorists dominate the airwaves with tales of a mystical Kenyan baby smuggled into Hawaii just days after his birth, these "tenther" constitutionalists offer a theory that is no less radical but infinitely more dangerous.
Tentherism, in a nutshell, proclaims that New Deal-era reformers led an unlawful coup against the "True Constitution," exploiting Depression-born desperation to expand the federal government's powers beyond recognition. Under the tenther constitution, Barack Obama's health-care reform is forbidden, as is Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. The federal minimum wage is a crime against state sovereignty; the federal ban on workplace discrimination and whites-only lunch counters is an unlawful encroachment on local businesses.
The emphasis is mine.
He concludes:
After years of raging against mythical judges who "legislate from the bench," tenther conservatives now demand a constitution that will not let anyone legislate at all.
Nationally prominent "Tenthers" include Congresswoman Michele Bachmann (R-MN), Senator Jim DeMint (R-NC), Governor Rick Perry (R-TX) and Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court Clarence Thomas. Now that's some mighty fine company for State Senator and State Attorney General hopeful Patterson.
In Michigan, the Republican-controlled State Senate has two major functions: (1) obstruct everything proposed by our governor and the Democratic-controlled State House; and (2) test-drive every right-wing hobby horse that arrives in Lansing.
The latest such hobby horse is the Tenth Amendment, a favorite of the "Don't Tread on Me" crowd that voted for Ron Paul and shows up at anti-government tea parties.
"It's time to go back to the old Engler style of leaving the bloody bodies in the street," one source declared. ~ Mirs News, Friday, June 20
Last Thursday started out like any other day in the State Senate, where the Republicans are normally in control, 22-17. But Thursday was special, because on Thursday, a handful of the Senate Republicans were missing in action, which meant that the GOP had control of the Senate by only one vote.
And when Bruce Patterson is one of those votes, anything can happen.
As some of you may recall, Patterson introduced legislation some time ago, that would amend the laws governing Charter Townships and property annexation. This is an issue near to his "heart" (ahem) because of the upcoming special election in Northville, which Patterson represents. 414 acres of Northville land may be annexed by Livonia. Patterson's legislation addresses that.
Mike Bishop has promised, over & over & over again, to deliver Patterson's annexation legislation. Patterson doesn't follow BFM, so he doesn't realize that the only thing Mike Bishop delivers is obstruction. So now, with only about 6 weeks until voters go to the polls, Patterson decided he was done waiting for Bishop. He's had enough of that, bucko.
MIRS is reporting that Senator Bruce Patterson (R-Canton) is working with the Democrats to push both the Kreiner and annexation reform bills to the Senate floor today.
From MIRS Breaking News:
The Senate is aflutter with procedural motions, including five failed attempts by the Republicans to recess. There has been a Call of the Senate.
For the love of God, please. If there is one thing this Legislature can do to create jobs and investment in this state, it is passing a renewable portfolio standard.
I don't know how much overwhelming evidence is necessary. I don't want to run around yelling "obstructionists!" all the time. I'm tired of it. I really am. But we are going on five months later now, other states are moving forward with either setting their initial renewable standards or beefing up existing ones, taking that investment money that would be coming into our economy, creating jobs that would go to Michigan workers.
And what is going on in our Senate? Little. Excuses, stall tactics, indications that they aren't going to be moving anytime soon, but maybe they are, nobody knows. Today could be the day, but they also said that last week... from MIRS, June 3rd, Wayne Kuipers indicates he sees no need for further action.
However, it's not clear that the Senate panel will move either bill at all. Sen. Wayne KUIPERS (R-Holland) said the Senate had passed its own legislation and "didn't see a need for any additional RPS bills."
The Senate passed SB 1000, which set RPS standards for state government only, and which Republicans said was a much more business-friendly bill than a government mandate.
The people who don't believe in government mandates slapped a mandate on the government and called it done. Makes your head hurt to think about the irony there. The interesting thing is the support amongst other Republicans is seemingly being ignored by certain leaders at the top of the Republican food chain; the energy bills passed with strong bipartisan support in the House, Sen. Cameron Brown moves to break the tie-bar on the RPS from the rest of the energy package, and Sen.Patty Birkholz moved to strengthen the steps we need to take to get to 10% by 2015, which I believe would put us more in line with what the American Wind Energy Association was asking for when they complained that the House renewable standards were too vague.
No. Of course not. Don't be silly. But that is exactly what is going to happen if we don't get moving on this issue. You see, in Ohio, it's the Republicanswho are pushing for a strong renewable portfolio standard. They also this get this tied up in utility regulation, and that might slow them down a bit, but still...
Husted and top GOP House leaders were planning to unveil new legislation today that rewrites -- and beefs up -- renewable energy provisions in the governor's comprehensive utility regulation bill, pending since last fall.
The new bill will be sponsored by State Rep. Jim McGregor, a Republican from Gahanna, who earlier introduced a bill requiring utilities to generate 22 percent of their power with wind, solar and other renewable technologies by 2020. They would have had to pay heavy fines if they did not meet a strict time table. The measure stalled, but parts of it are now expected to resurface.
Ohio has the same sort of manufacturing base that we do - and they are targeting the manufacturing and R & D jobs in alternative energy, just like we are. Mark Barbash, chief economic-development officer for the Ohio Department of Development, told the Columbus Dispatch that the state is courting "courting six foreign companies interested in opening manufacturing operations or research and development centers", and he cited a report by the American Solar Energy Society that the number of renewable energy jobs in Ohio could grow to 174,000 by the year 2030.
The big emphasis, he said, is on wind energy.
"We look particularly at wind as an incredible opportunity for 'green-collar' jobs," he said. "The state's business infrastructure is absolutely attuned to wind. Making wind turbines is kind of (like) bending metal."
That kind of work is still common in Ohio, despite manufacturing's struggles. Gov. Ted Strickland's administration wants to spur existing manufacturers to build components used to generate alternative energy.
The story goes on to give the manufacturing example of Minster Machining, a company similar to our Dowding Industries or K & M Machining, that is looking at making parts for wind turbines. Barbash also points out "state's chances of adding renewable-energy jobs will improve if Strickland's proposed advanced-energy portfolio standard becomes law", which is the same thing that every one else has said in every story that you read on RPS.
Ohio is right on our heels and poised to take those manufacturing jobs if they get out of the gate faster than we do. And this weekend, Governor Granholm gave a scary quote along those lines during a reporter roundtable at the NGA meeting. MIRS reports-
"Policy making is such a slog sometimes," said Granholm. "We've got to have people understand that every day we wait, job providers are going somewhere else. We just lost one, as a matter of fact. A turbine company took us off their list because we don't have a renewable portfolio standard."
At one point during her press roundtable, Granholm said that if a complete energy passage doesn't begin moving soon, she would encourage legislators to just move the renewable energy portfolio standard (RPS) piece. The RPS she suggests, is the minimum admission fee to the renewable energy investment game.
Let's do that. Split this from PA 141. Now. Over the flip, see why... and yes, Bruce Patterson comes into play once again.
Did that get your attention? Hope so. This is serious.
First, let's start with the governor running around and freaking out respected business reporters. Look what she did to Tom Walsh at the Freep-
She's always calm, carefully spoken, fastidious about avoiding showy perks and trappings of power.
That's why I was startled, during an interview in her office this week, to hear Granholm say, "I feel very Machiavellian about this," referring to her desire to bring alternative energy jobs to Michigan. According to definitions of Machiavellianism I consulted, this suggests that she might deceive or manipulate others, or use any means necessary to get those jobs.
Uh oh. Don't think we want to see that. But it might be necessary to get the Senate to move on a very important piece of the puzzle- the most important piece of the puzzle- when it comes to creating alternative energy jobs and bringing investment to Michigan.
Yes, we are back to the RPS standard, once again. Every day we that we wait to implement this, we fall further behind.
Michigan is a laggard because other states have beaten us to the punch with policy actions that make them look attractive and welcoming to inventors, entrepreneurs and giant companies that have spied alt-energy as a growth opportunity.
Enter Bruce Patterson. Recently, some movers and shakers in this industry testified before the Senate Energy and Technology Committee, and once again the need for a RPS played a prominent role. Will the Senate Republicans listen this time?
In testimony last week before state Sen. Bruce Patterson's energy policy committee, Seth Dunn, general manager of strategic marketing for Atlanta-based GE Energy, said more than $9 billion was invested last year in wind-energy facilities in the United States. Of that total, 96% went to states with renewable standards.
"We are now at a point in the industry where the presence of RPS is very important to our investment decision," Dunn said. Fred Keller, CEO of Cascade Engineering in Grand Rapids, agreed.
"Michigan has a onetime opportunity to win a leadership role in competition among many states in the renewable energy industry that is growing at over 30% a year. But it takes enlightened policy in addition to our many other assets to do so," Keller said at Patterson's hearing.
This meeting, coupled with a trip around the state to see various forms of alternative energy already in action, seems to have softened up Patterson a bit. Check Gongwer over the flip...
Bills that could be approved as early as Wednesday by the full Senate would set up a system where lawmakers elected after this year get a percentage of their health care paid for based on the number of years worked. The bills would not affect current legislators.
Future lawmakers would have to work 14 years to get the same level of coverage at 55 that current lawmakers now get in six years.
The Senate Government Operations and Reform Committee also passed a resolution calling for cutting lawmakers' pay by 5 percent, and limiting future pay hikes to the inflation rate.
That proposal would require action by the State Officers Compensation Committee to take effect. The committee isn't scheduled to meet until 2009, however, so the earliest lawmakers could see salary cuts is 2011. Lawmakers earn $79,650 a year, and legislative leaders make more.
As we have pointed out before, Michigan lawmakers earn well above the national average, and a 5% cut doesn't do much to change that fact. But don't tell that to Nancy "Right to Work for Less and Kill the EITC, too" Cassis. Her buying power has been severely curtailed by inflation, you know.
And Sen. Nancy Cassis (R-Novi) said that since legislative salaries were boosted by 38 percent - to their current $79,650 (legislative leaders are paid more and legislators are also allowed up to $12,000 in expenses) in 2002 - inflation has eroded the buying power of those salaries by 17 percent.
I'll give you a moment to dry your tears.
OK. Moving on, Bruce Patterson had this to say-
If the two bills are enacted then that would be a reduction in legislative compensation, and Sen. Bruce Patterson (R-Canton) said, "It seems to me we would have trouble attracting the best and brightest without adequate compensation."
Bruce is right. If $79,000 a year only gets us the likes of Bruce Patterson, just how much would we have to pay to attract someone who is bright? Food for thought.
Dan Farough, executive director of Progress Michigan, is trying to keep them honest. Best of luck, Dan.
The group Progress Michigan, which has been leading an effort to force reductions in legislative salaries and retirement benefits, charged that the two bills and the resolution effectively protect legislative perks.
Dan Farough of Progress Michigan said the measures would still mean the taxpayers are paying the bulk of the cost of health insurance for retired legislators. And the change to the resolution means lawmakers could count on future salary increases, Mr. Farough said.
The action is a "slap in the face to every Michigan family struggling to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table," Mr. Farough said. Lawmakers should lead by example and enact measures that cut their benefits, he said.
But if our lawmakers weren't slapping us in the face on a daily basis, would we recognize them?
The Senate Journals are a treasure trove of wonder. Many times I have gotten a hearty laugh (or I just shake my head in disbelief) at some of the things uttered on the Senate floor.
Usually it is Cassis or McManus providing the bewildering statement of the day, Cropsey and Patterson come up with some real doozies, too.
I'll highlight the absurdity when I can- sometimes they don't speak, most of the time lately they aren't even there. With a whole five- count' em five- session days scheduled in August (crisis? what crisis?), we might not get much material for this series.
