Event to honor those who fought for worker’s rights, protest anti-worker legislation-
Houghton — On May 5, the Western Upper Peninsula Community Action Team (WUPCAT) will lead a coalition of labor, activists and the local Democratic Party at a rally to take place at the Boat Launch in Houghton, near the Power House at the foot of the lift bridge. The rally, which begins at 12 p.m., celebrates International Workers’ Day, a holiday that commemorates the efforts of workers around the world who have organized for better working conditions and fair compensation.
Among the rally’s speakers will be Scott Dianda, who is announcing his run as the Democratic Candidate for Michigan’s 110th State Representative District seat, as well as local labor leaders. The event will be followed by a march on the Houghton-Hancock Bridge, with a taco social to follow at the Super 8 Motel in Houghton at 3 p.m.
The May Day Rally is both a celebration of labor history and a protest against the record breaking amount of anti-worker, anti-working- and middle-class legislation that has been passed since the current Michigan legislature took office in 2011. Key pieces of legislation were supported by the Copper Country’s own representatives, 110th District State Rep. Matt Huuki and 38th District State Senator Tom Casperson, who voted to cut funding to their districts’ own local governments and schools.
The most egregious laws include Public Act 28 of 2011, which raised taxes on seniors and the working poor while giving an 86 percent tax cut to Michigan corporations; as well as the Emergency Financial Manager law, which gives Lansing-appointed managers the power to city and county governments and school districts.
State Rep. Huuki and State Sen. Casperson also voted to slash the number of unemployment weeks laid-off workers are able to attain, and also to make it more difficult for employees injured on the job to seek workers’ compensation.
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(Update: corrected link to statewide caucus sites)
MDP Presidential Caucuses Just Over One Week Away - Caucus Locations Available on MDP Website
LANSING – The Michigan Democratic Party’s Presidential Caucuses are a little more than one week away. The Party will hold caucuses in more than 200 locations across the state on May 5, 2012. All caucuses begin at 11 am Eastern Standard Time.
“This list will let voters know where they need to go to vote in the caucus on May 5th,” MDP Chair Mark Brewer said. “There will be about 200 sites throughout the state and at least one in each county. We ask all interested voters to visit our website and check the list to ensure they go to the correct caucus site to vote – you must vote at the caucus site for your area.”
“People do not need to be members of the Michigan Democratic Party to vote – they simply have to indicate at registration that they are participating as a Democrat,” continued Brewer. “People who voted in the February 28th primary are welcome to vote on May 5th. We also welcome young people who are eligible to register to vote before the November election.”
A list of the caucus sites can be viewed by clicking the link below.
Note: Houghton County’s Democratic Party Presidential Caucus will be held at Super 8 in Houghton, MI. Arrive early to register, hear from candidates, and meet fellow Democrats. Only those voters who have properly registered by 11 AM will be permitted to vote.
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Information on the petition drive to amend the Michigan Constitution is available at protectourjobs.com. The following is excerpted from their site:
The proposal would add the following to Article XI, Section 5 of the State Constitution:Classified state civil service employees shall, through their exclusive representative, have the right to bargain collectively with their employer concerning conditions of their employment, compensation, hours, working conditions, retirement, pensions, and other aspects of employment except promotions, which will be determined by competitive examination and performance on the basis of merit, efficiency and fitness.
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LANSING – The Michigan Democratic Party has released the sites for its Presidential Caucuses on May 5, 2012.
“This list will let voters know where they need to go to vote in the caucus on May 5th,” MDP Chair Mark Brewer said. “There will be about 200 sites throughout the state and at least one in each county. We ask all interested voters to visit our website and check the list to ensure they go to the correct caucus site to vote – you must vote at the caucus site for your area.”
“People do not need to be members of the Michigan Democratic Party to vote – they simply have to indicate at registration that they are participating as a Democrat,” continued Brewer. “People who voted in the February 28th primary are welcome to vote on May 5th. We also welcome young people who are eligible to register to vote before the November election.”
Southfield District Court Judge Shelia Johnson, seen here engaging Houghton County Dems in discussion in May of 2010 about the Supreme Court. Judge Johnson's candidacy for the Michigan Supreme Court was endorsed this weekend by the MDP.
(via MDP Press Release) DETROIT – The Michigan Democratic Party [Saturday] endorsed three candidates for the Michigan Supreme Court and eight candidates, two each, for four State Education boards.
Southfield District Court Judge Shelia Johnson, Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Connie Marie Kelley, and University of Michigan Law Professor Bridget Mary McCormack were all endorsed by the Party on Saturday.
“Shelia Johnson, Connie Kelley, and Bridget McCormack have worked tirelessly in their legal careers to mentor and protect children. On the Michigan Supreme Court, they will ensure individuals and families get a fair hearing, and not just give preferential treatment to powerful, corporate special interests.”
“Under the current Supreme Court, Michigan families have been under assault with robo-foreclosures, taxing senior pensions, and allowing polluters to pollute and the taxpayers paying the cleanup bill. We need a Supreme Court that will work to make our communities safe, and where middle class families can be protected.”
“The choice is clear. This November, voters will choose between two distinctively different set of candidates – those supported by Democrats who work to protect children and middle class families, versus those supported by Republicans who side with insurance companies over patients, banks over homeowners, corporations over consumers and polluters over families. The Democratic Party is proud to endorse Shelia Johnson, Connie Kelley and Bridget McCormack who have worked hard in their legal careers to protect and mentor children.”
Delegates also endorsed Joel Ferguson and Brian Mosallam for Michigan State University Board of Trustees, Lupe Ramos-Montigny and Michelle Fecteau for the State Board of Education, Mark Bernstein and Shauna Ryder Diggs for the University of Michigan Board of Regents, and Sandra Hughes O’Brien and Kim Trent for Wayne State University Board of Governors.
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LANSING – Republicans have invited Democrats to vote in the GOP presidential primary on Tuesday, February 28th. GOP Senators Rick Jones and Arlan Meekhof extended the invitation yesterday. You can watch a video clip of the invite below:
“Democrats who accept this invitation will still be able to vote in our May 5th caucuses,” MDP Chair Mark Brewer said. “If Democratic crossover votes affect the results on February 28th, Republicans will have no one but themselves to blame.”
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Paid for by the Michigan Democratic State Central Committee
606 Townsend St., Lansing, MI 48933
Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee
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Action Eliminates Confusion Caused by GOP Secretary of State Ruth Johnson
(via press release from the Michigan Democratic Party)
DEARBORN, Mich. – The Michigan Democratic State Central Committee has voted to allow Democrats to participate in both the presidential primary on February 28th and the MDP’s caucuses on May 5th. A party rule prevented Democrats from voting in both. Democrats decided last year not to participate in the presidential primary in order to save taxpayers $10 million. The MDP will instead hold presidential caucuses at its own expense.
“Today’s action by the MDSCC will help to alleviate confusion caused by Ruth Johnson’s partisan mischief,” MDP Chair Mark Brewer said. “Johnson purposely placed President Obama’s name on the ballot to confuse and disenfranchise Democratic voters. In order to ensure all Democrats have the opportunity to participate, the MDSCC has decided to allow Democrats to vote in both.”
A copy of the resolution is below:
Resolution on Voting in the Presidential Primary and the Presidential Caucus
WHEREAS, the Michigan Democratic Party (MDP) decided a year ago not to participate in the February 28, 2012 presidential primary election in order to save taxpayers $10 million – money that would be better spent preserving the jobs of valuable public employees who provide important public services; and
WHEREAS, the MDP will instead hold caucuses throughout the state on May 5, 2012 in order to select delegates to the Democratic National Convention on Sept. 4-6, 2012 in Charlotte, NC; and
WHEREAS, the MDP asked Michigan Republicans to agree to cancel the primary and hold their own presidential caucuses in order to save taxpayers $10 million; and
WHEREAS, Michigan Republicans refused to cancel the February 28th primary; and
WHEREAS, Republican Secretary of State Ruth Johnson put President Obama’s name on the primary ballot to cause partisan mischief and to confuse Democratic voters; and
WHEREAS, neither the MDP nor President Obama asked to have his name put on the ballot; and
WHEREAS, as a result of Johnson’s partisan actions, Democratic voters who want to support President Obama are confused and concerned about violating the Party rule which prohibits voting in the February 28th primary and at the May 5th caucus;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that in order to alleviate confusion and ensure that no Democratic voter is disenfranchised, the Michigan Democratic Party will not enforce the rule prohibiting voting in both the primary and the caucus; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the MDP encourages all Democrats to vote in local elections on February 28th regardless of whether they vote in the primary.
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UPDATED 2/22/12: The MDP rules were changed to allow Democrats to participate in the GOP primary and ALSO participate in the May 5 Caucus.
The Republicans run Michigan so they decided they can take your money and hold their presidential primary election, thinking you won’t notice since the Republican Secretary of State has turned their partisan affair into a state-funded election at a cost of ten million Michigan tax dollars. Nice, eh?
For Democrats who haven’t read about it in the real press, we want Democrats wishing to exercise their party right to help decide the 2012 Democratic Party nominee for President of the United States to skip this Republican primary. Why? Because voting for Barack Obama (whom the SOS put on the ballot, maybe to make the Republican party primary event seem fair and balanced) will not count!
You read that correctly. Michigan Democratic Party members wishing to have their vote count will cast their vote for party nominee for President on May 5, 2012 at their local county caucus locations. Yes, CAUCUS. Here in Houghton County, the caucus site will be at the Super 8 in Houghton, Michigan. Those wishing to support President Obama should plan to join us at the caucus Saturday morning, May 5, 2012.
Democratic Party caucus participants will register, attest to be a Democrat who states they have not participated in any other vote for 2012 Presidential candidate (e.g., the February Republican primary), and they will be admitted to the caucus activities. The caucus plan is to be brief and to the point and we will submit the results to the state party, who will bring the results to the national convention in September.
Confused yet? Blame it on the Republicans. While you are at it, tell them you do not approve of them taking ten million dollars in your taxes to hold their political party event.
P.S. Cleverly, the February 28 election may also include local elections in your area. If this is the case, the Michigan Democratic Party is urging Democrats to vote on those candidates or issues, but do not vote on February 28 for President. Come to our caucus on May 5 to do that. Link to the Michigan Democratic Party F.A.Q. on the delegate selection process can be found here.
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Posted Under: Party Games
This post was written by Brian Rendel on January 16, 2012 Comments (0)
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