How The Tea Party Spoiled A GOP Governor’s Plot To Appear Competent

@LOLGOP/The National Memo

Let’s be clear: Michigan’s Republicans can get things done quicky — especially when they’re doing the bidding of their big donors.

Since taking over the governorship and winning a supermajority in the state Senate in 2010, they’ve shifted the tax burden from big business to pensioners and the poor. They’ve cut a billion dollars from education and twice implemented an emergency manager law that replaces local elected officials — almost exclusively in African-American communities – with appointed bureaucrats.

And late in 2012, just after President Obama won the state by more than 9 percent, legislation designed to cripple labor unions supported by Amway heir and one of the state’s largest GOP donors, Rich DeVoss, passed both houses of Michigan’s legislature and was signed into law by Republican governor Rick Snyder in just a few days.

They got all that done. No problem.

But the issue of Medicaid expansion, which could cover 300,000-500,000 poor Michiganders who earn too much to currently qualify for subsidized health care, was left to the last minute — because saving lives and eventually lowering everyone’s health insurance rates just isn’t a priority for Michigan’s Republicans.

It began in February. After his sudden attack on unions made him one of the most vulnerable governors in the nation, Governor Snyder followed fellow Republican swing-state governors Brian Sandoval (R-NV), Jan Brewer (R-AZ) and John Kasich (R-OH) in announcing that he wanted his state to accept Medicaid expansion as offered to states through the Affordable Care Act.

The Tea Partiers who dominated the state legislature opposed expansion as if it were Obama himself and for months, nothing happened. As the end of the legislative session neared without the law the governor needed to give his state and the federal government the six months they would need to implement expansion, Snyder stepped up the pressure. He brought in Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius to beg Republicans to let the $1.5 billion Michiganders will be paying anyway go back into the state’s economy.

This was too much for the Tea Party.

“Governor Snyder has gone too far by seeking help from one of the most polarizing figures in modern history, a representative of the most destructive American President of our history as a nation,” local leaders wrote in a letter and vowed to sit out the governor’s re-election campaign in 2014.

But just days after Arizona’s Brewer overcame Tea Party opposition to pass expansion in her state, Michigan’s House of Representatives finally voted on the “Healthy Michigan” compromise.

About half of the Republican caucus joined Democrats in passing the bill.

Governor Snyder cheered the result and instructed the Senate to finish the deal while he made a week-long trip to Israel.

Of course, as the governor toured the Holy Land, Senate Republicans refused to take a vote.

Many of the same party funders who supported anti-union legislation  – including the Koch brothers’ Americans for Prosperity — came out against Medicaid expansion, encouraging the Tea Partiers who were flooding their reps with calls and visits.

With just hours remaining in the legislative session, Snyder — a former CEO of Gateway computers who ran as “one tough nerd” — flew back to Lansing in order to rally his troops.

And Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville (R-Monroe) decided to adjourn for two months. He did this knowing the measure likely had the eight Republican votes it needed to pass.

LOL.

Except it isn’t funny at all. Because Republican governors and legislatures are turning down expansion, the Rand Corporation estimates that 19,000 Americans a year will die. And that number doesn’t even factor in the states like Michigan, Ohio and Florida where the governors are being blocked from implementing the program they want.

Smarting from the early end of his travels and his most public defeat as governor,  Snyder held a press conference to denounce his own party.

“Take a vote, not a vacation,” he said.

Democrats blame him for leaving the state at a crucial time. But the fact is, now that the Tea Party machine is fueled by GOP donors,  Snyder praying at the Wailing Wall would probably be as effective as him lobbying Republicans directly.

As someone who had never run for political office before, the governor has no real political constituency. He was elected in 2010 in the Tea Party wave by promising competence over divisiveness.

And the GOP said, “Tough, nerd.”

Recognizing that he’s probably lost, Snyder has taken to saying that he simply wants to resolve the issue, to get it off the agenda, one way or another.

This is what the Tea Party won in 2010, the ability to deny the working poor health care that their state will pay for anyway. And that they get to do it while humiliating a Republican who is trying to seem moderate is just a little bonus.

Rick Snyder is no Jan Brewer. And thanks to the Tea Party, Michigan is now less progressive than Arkansas.

MDP Releases New Video: End Bolger’s Reign

From The Michigan Democratic Party:

Video Shows How Bolger’s Reign Has Been Shrouded in Controversy and Scandal

LANSING – The Michigan Democratic Party today released a new video exposing GOP House Speaker Jase Bolger’s inability to lead. The video shows how the Speaker’s office has been in the middle of controversy and scandal throughout Bolger’s tenure.

“Speaker Bolger has attacked children, seniors, middle class families, the working poor, women, the list goes on and on,” MDP Chair Mark Brewer said. “Michigan has become a national punchline thanks to Bolger’s failed leadership. His office has been entrenched in scandal and controversy from day one.”

“There have been drastic cuts to public education, tax increases on those who can least afford it, an election fraud scandal, and most recently, vagina-gate,” added Brewer. “It’s time to end the Speaker’s autocratic reign. We must turn the House blue this November.”

Watch the video by visiting the link below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6jh5K2L1Mg&feature=youtu.be

As Punishment For Opposing Anti-Abortion Bill, Male Michigan House Leader Bans Two Female Reps From Speaking

By Amanda Peterson Beadle/Think Progress

A male Republican House leader in Michigan silenced two female Democratic state legislators on Thursday after the pair tried to advance a measure that would have reduced access to vasectomies.

While discussing a bill that would erode the availability of abortion, Reps. Barb Byrum and Lisa Brown introduced an amendment to apply the same regulations to vasectomies that GOP lawmakers wanted to add to abortion services. The debate grew heated, as Republicans sought to gravel down the women. Byrum was not permitted to speak in favor of the measure and Brown was repeatedly interrupted. “I’m flattered that you want to get in my vagina, but no means no,” she said. The next day both were silenced. Watch their comments:

Majority Floor Leader Jim Stamas (R) was “uncomfortable with me saying vasectomy,” Byrum explained, noting that no one told her why she had been banned or how long it would last. “I can only assume it’s because I stood up for my district and women in Michigan yesterday,” she added.

Ari Adler, spokesman for House Speaker Jase Bolger (R), said the women “will not be recognized to speak on the House floor today after being gaveled down for their comments and actions yesterday that failed to maintain the decorum of the House of Representatives.”

Michigan GOP Has Worst Week of 2012 Campaign

From Michigan Democratic Party:

Bad Poll Numbers, Election Fraud, and Hoekstra Exposed as a ‘Birther’ Cap Off Worst Week of Year for Michigan GOP

LANSING – It was a bad week for Michigan Republicans. A slew of new polls show the GOP trailing in major statewide races; Congressman Thad McCotter, House Speaker Jase Bolger, and State Rep. Roy Schmidt are embroiled in election fraud scandals and investigations; and GOP frontrunner U.S. Senate candidate Pete Hoekstra is exposed as a “Birther.”

“Things could not have gone any worse for Michigan Republicans this week,” Michigan Democratic Party Chair Mark Brewer said. “Voters are starting to take notice of the Michigan GOP’s corruption, election fraud, scandal, and extreme political views.”

The week began with McCotter’s election fraud. The Department of State found only 244 of the nearly 2,000 petition signatures submitted to be valid.  Later in the week, GOP Attorney General Bill Schuette announced he’d be investigating Congressman McCotter for election fraud.

“The wheels are coming off the wagon for Republicans,” added Brewer. “McCotter’s election fraud and forged signatures were so blatant, not even partisan Attorney General Bill Schuette could ignore it. Couple that with Michigan State Police investigating election fraud and perjury in House District 76 – an investigation which could implicate Schmidt and Bolger – and you’ve got a statewide pattern of lies, fraud, and deceit perpetrated by Michigan Republicans.”

Things didn’t get any better on Mackinac Island with a Presidential straw poll. The overwhelming Republican crowd showed support for re-electing President Obama with the President receiving 71% of the vote compared to Romney’s 29%. Public Policy Polling also released results of a statewide Presidential and U.S. Senate poll. President Obama leads Mitt Romney 53% to 39% while Sen. Debbie Stabenow leads Pete Hoekstra by 16 points – 53% to 37%.

“And if that wasn’t bad enough, Hoekstra got himself into hot water with comments at a Tea Party forum that he wants to create a ‘Birther office’ with members of the CIA and FBI to investigate presidential candidates’ birth certificates. Does it get any more extreme?” asked Brewer. “The Michigan GOP has proven throughout the week how out-of-touch they are with Michigan’s citizens and the problems Michigan families are facing. Instead of offering solutions, they’re focused on extreme policies and election fraud. Voters are paying attention to the GOP’s antics and are showing they won’t tolerate them.”

Rick Snyder takes credit for Jennifer Granholm’s investments and their economic payoff, says he isn’t

Eclectablog/Blogging for Michigan/Eclectablog

During her time as governor, Jennifer Granholm made significant investments in diversifying and expanding Michigan’s economy. These things take time to have their impact but, according to a new study, they are.Michigan is second in the nation in recovering from the recession.

Michigan’s economy is recovering from the recession at the second-fastest pace in the U.S., lifted by reviving carmakers and local manufacturers, according to a new index of state growth.

The home of Motown was topped only by North Dakota, where an oil boom is raising incomes at the nation’s quickest rate. California, Massachusetts and Illinois round out the top five in the new Bloomberg Economic Evaluation of States Index.

Michigan’s high ranking comes because the index measures growth since 2008, when the country was mired in recession and as General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC were on the path to bankruptcy. Then, Michigan’s index score was negative — at -7.3 — and top-rated North Dakota was the only state with a positive rating, at 3.6 percent. The worst state was Wyoming, which turned in an index of more than -30.

Governor Rick Snyder and his administration are, apparently, quite willing to take credit for this turn-around, despite having been in office less than a year.

Gov. Rick Snyder and other state officials touted the ranking.

“We’re still going to be gunning for first, but compared to where we’ve been for the last decade, it’s exciting news,” Snyder said. “We’re going to stay dedicated to doing even more.”

Though he’s been governor for only two of the 10 quarters measured by the index, Snyder added, “We don’t care about credit. It’s all about getting results.”

More from MLive.com:

Snyder, speaking on a conference call from Ottawa, Canada, said he’s not taking – or giving credit – to anyone for the ranking, saying it came from a number of changes and factors over a period of time.

But he said lowering businesses taxes, eliminating the Michigan Business Tax and removing other barriers to growth played a role. The state’s budget provides fiscal stability, eliminating one-time fixes and overspending, “paid down future liabilities and sends a strong signal to job providers that Michigan is open for business.”

And even more from WXYZ:

Michigan’s economy is recovering at the second fastest pace in the nation. That’s according to a new economic index that ranks growth in the states.

The Bloomberg Economic Evaluation of States says that the growth in auto manufacturing is driving Michigan’s recovery.

Governor Rick Snyder says that “the evaluation shows that Michigan’s strategy for regaining its economic vigor is on track.”

For a guy who doesn’t “care about credit”, that sounds an awful lot like he’s taking plenty of credit. These results don’t show we ARE on track. They show were WERE on track. Considering that he has completely reversed many of the things that Granholm did to achieve this success, I think we should all be worried about the impact of hispolicies on Michigan’s recovery.

I know I am.

Stark Contrast: Obama Working to Create Jobs While Snyder and GOP Working to Destroy Jobs

Just you wait my millionaire friends
will create jobs any day now.

From Michigan Democratic Party

GOP’s Elimination of Alternative Energy Credits Hurts Job Creation

LANSING – President Barack Obama visits Michigan today to tout the success of the job-creating advanced battery federal tax credits. Federal credits and grants have helped to create thousands of good-paying jobs in Michigan and have made the Great Lakes State the nation’s leader in the fast-growing auto advanced battery sector.

“President Obama and state and federal Democrats are working to create good-paying jobs in Michigan while Governor Snyder and the Republicans are working to destroy jobs,” Michigan Democratic Party Chair Mark Brewer said. “These federal tax credits and grants have been a proven success – helping to lure new businesses and thousands of good-paying jobs to Michigan.”

“Governor Snyder and legislative Republicans have chosen to eliminate credits like these which will cost Michigan jobs,” added Brewer. “President Obama is working to fix our economy while the Republicans seem dead set on destroying it.”

A new study shows that Michigan leads the nation in “green” auto jobs with nearly 40,000 workers. The study also concludes that Michigan has great growth potential. You can read the study here (http://detnews.com/article/20110810/AUTO01/108100361). Other studies have shown the job-creating potential for renewable energy in Michigan. You can read about that study here (http://www.ucsusa.org/news/press_release/clean-energy-investment-would-5323.html#.Tibvsgx9nwc.twitter).

Poll: Many local leaders say Mich. on wrong track

According to Tim Skubick I'm doing
a good job.

From CNBC

LANSING, Mich. - After lawmakers cut their funding and gave financial managers sweeping new powers earlier this year, half of local government leaders now think Michigan is on the wrong track, according to a survey released Thursday. Only a third said it's headed in the right direction, while a fifth were undecided.

The county administrators, mayors, city managers, township supervisors and other leaders surveyed by The Center for Local, State and Urban Policy at the University of Michigan also gave Republican Gov. Rick Snyder and the GOP-controlled Legislature poor marks.

Just 37 percent gave Snyder a positive job rating while 53 percent gave him a job rating of fair or poor. Ten percent were undecided. In addition, 21 percent gave the Legislature a positive job rating while 73 percent gave it a job rating of fair or poor, with 6 percent undecided.

The ratings were better than the marks local leaders gave Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm and the last Legislature in a fall 2009 survey, according to Thursday's report. It noted that the latest responses "do represent a positive shift in opinions compared to those toward the end of Governor Jennifer Granholm's tenure."

Center administrator Thomas Ivacko said local government officials are trying to cope this year with new laws giving state-appointed financial managers the right to take away local officials' powers in certain circumstances and requiring local governments to cut spending and consolidate services to win a larger share of revenue sharing payments from the state.

"My sense is the types of policy changes that are coming out of Lansing this year are so high-profile and such high impact" that they're causing concern about the direction the state is headed, Ivacko said.

The changes are "reshaping the state-local government relationship in pretty significant ways," he added.

Snyder doesn't think state officials are stepping on local governments' authority, even if some officials feel that way.

"These are difficult times. We're just going to continue to work hard, build great partnerships and be a good team," he told reporters Thursday.

His communications director, Geralyn Lasher, noted that "the status quo hasn't worked for Michigan."

"We certainly understand that some local officials may not fully understand or may not have embraced the cost-saving measures we are asking them to undertake, but we remain committed to work with them ... to help them understand why it is so crucial to move forward with items like shared or consolidated services to ensure we have financially sound communities," Lasher said.

Local governments that heed Snyder's call to cut spending and consolidate public services — meeting what the governor calls "best practices" — will be eligible to share $100 million of the $200 million set aside for revenue sharing in the budget that starts Oct. 1. But all will be receiving less money, since the 2011-12 revenue sharing budget will be nearly $100 million smaller than the current one.

Local governments still will share in nearly $660 million the state constitution requires be given to them. But faced with smaller property tax revenues because of falling home prices and less state money, many local governments are laying off workers, closing parks or reducing services.

Despite the challenges, most local officials are optimistic about how their local communities are doing, according to the survey. Eighty-six percent said their own governments are going in the right direction and just 9 percent said they're on the wrong track, with 5 percent undecided. Eighty-two percent gave their local city councils or township boards a grade of excellent or good.

Political affiliation played a role in the survey, with Republicans significantly more likely to give the GOP governor a positive job rating than Democrats. Yet even then a bare majority of Republicans surveyed — 52 percent — said the governor was doing an excellent or good job, and only 46 percent said the state was on the right track.

"It's not surprising that some of these local officials think this is taking us down a track that isn't going to be good," Ivacko said. "On the other hand, there are some local officials who think they've done everything they can and their local jurisdictions are still in fiscal straits, and it may require some pretty drastic changes to be effective at this point."

The biannual survey was conducted from April 18 to June 10 and is based on responses from 69 percent of the 1,856 local government units in Michigan. The margin of sampling error was plus or minus 1.5 percentage points.

GOP Recycling Hoekstra for Senate, Even Though Originally Seen as Inadequate

From Michigan Democratic Party

LANSING—The Michigan GOP’s floundering effort to find a candidate to run against Debbie Stabenow for U.S. Senate took another bizarre turn over the weekend, as news reports revealed Republican leaders were working to convince Pete Hoekstra–a candidate party leaders once considered inadequate–to go back on his decision not to run.

Last March, when potential Republican candidates considering a run included former congressman and current Washington lobbyist Hoekstra, Michigan GOP Chairman Bobby Schostak told the Detroit News that he was hopeful that a much stronger candidate, one who was “head and shoulders” above Hoekstra and the rest of the current field, would enter the race.  Now that Republicans have failed to find a serious candidate Republican leaders have apparently decided they may have to settle for Hoekstra.

Reporting on this news, Politico wrote Friday: “Hoekstra has a reputation as a weak fundraiser and was stung by his loss in the 2010 gubernatorial primary.  Nevertheless, the fact that he’s reconsidering indicates the problems Republicans are having recruiting a top candidate in the Midwestern battleground state.” (More publications on Hoekstra’s weakness as a candidate below).

“First Republicans said they wanted someone much stronger than Hoekstra, now they’ve decided they may have to make do with him,” said Michigan Democratic Party Chair Mark Brewer.  “Hoekstra is seen as a lackluster campaigner and fundraiser, as evidenced by his failed run for governor last year.  Even with new candidates announcing they were getting in the race last week, Republicans are looking at their field and deciding once-inadequate Hoekstra may be the best they can come up with.”

Hoekstra is not only seen as a lackluster campaigner, but also has a long record of consistently voting against Michigan families while simultaneously voting for special giveaways for special interests.  Hoekstra supported President George W. Bush’s failed plan to privatize Social Security, taking seniors’ benefits and risking them on Wall Street.  He supported Paul Ryan’s 2009 budget plan to end Medicare.  And while representing the state with the highest unemployment rate in the country, Hoekstra voted to completely end unemployment insurance benefits for thousands of Michigan residents laid-off through no fault of their own.  But while voting to cut middle class seniors and families, he voted against limiting the billions of dollars in taxpayer-funded bonuses bailed out executives were awarding themselves.

State and national observers have suggested that Stabenow’s ability to achieve results on issues important to Michigan families and her record of winning elections have dissuaded top candidates from entering the race.  As Chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, Sen. Stabenow is helping to strengthen Michigan agriculture, the state’s 2nd largest industry.  She is also a prominent leader on stopping other countries’ unfair trade practices, working to create jobs in high-tech manufacturing like advanced batteries and fighting to stop Asian and Canadian trash from ruining Michigan’s natural resources.

Senator Stabenow is a skilled campaigner who has never lost to a Republican opponent.  She is in an extremely strong position heading into the campaign, with over $4 million on hand for the 2012 race.  Facing a strong incumbent, the GOP is floundering in its effort to find a serious candidate to enter the race.

What People Are Saying About Pete Hoekstra:

Hoekstra “Weak Fundraiser.” Politico wrote, “Hoekstra has a reputation as a weak fundraiser and was stung by his loss in the 2010 gubernatorial primary.” [Politico, 7/15/2011]

Hoekstra “Lackluster Fundraiser.” According to the Detroit Free Press, Hoekstra has a “reputation as a lackluster fundraiser who was relatively unknown outside his west Michigan base.” [Detroit Free Press, 8/4/2010]

Hoekstra Has Virtually No Michigan Base From Which to Build a Campaign or Fundraise. In 2010, Hoekstra’s campaign suffered “by joining the race from Washington…he had no natural statewide organization from which to raise money or build a campaign.” [Detroit Free Press, 7/25/2010]

Hoekstra: One of Weakest Fundraisers in 2010 Governor’s Race. According to the Hotline, in the 2010 Republican gubernatorial primary, “Hoekstra’s emphasized the time he has spent in the state more than the dollars he’s put up behind his relatively few TV ads, as he’s proven one of the weaker fundraisers in the race.” [National Journal’s Hotline, 8/3/2010]

Hoekstra Suffered From “Lack of Campaign Cash.” In the 2010 governor’s race Hoekstra suffered from “a lack of campaign cash that has limited his ability to counter early attack ads with his own campaign spots.”  [National Journal’s Hotline, 7/20/2010]