Bloggers - A Campaign's Best Friend

Statement: Bloggers are a force to be reckoned with.

It's true. Some people don't quite realize it, but the NetRoots Movement is on, and wow, what an impact we had on the '06 Elections.

For some of us, like me, blogging's become an outlet where we can combine our passions, writing and political activism.

When I write and post, I have no idea who reads this and what, if anything, they take away from it.

It is my hope that people who aren't as into state and local politics as I am find this blog to be somewhere where they can stay informed on the important stuff without having to read everything everywhere (and trust me, there's tons!). I think that's happened because every once in a while some of you are kind enough to comment or email me about something that you loved or something that just really stirred you up. That's good. That means I'm being effective.

Nonetheless, I've been saying all along that we can't rest on our laurels, just because we won. Democrats saw the political climate change in our favor, but I'm hoping we won't just stop with a win. If anything, this victory means pat ourselves on the back and then get going on the '08 elections. Let's focus on what we did do right, and what we didn't.

Here's what was disappointing/tragic in Michigan -

8th Congressional District - Mike Rogers has never been a friend of our district, and Jim Marcinkowski was the best candidate that's been run against him yet. He should have won. He needed to win. How do we kick Mike out in '08?

Proposition 2 - No way did we need to follow in the disgraceful footsteps of California in eliminating Affirmative Action. Talk about digging our own graves. We're too smart for that, and while everyone agrees Affirmative Action isn't the answer to our inequity, its a step in the right direction to achieving equity.

Secretary of State - I know, I know. How many of you really care about who's running the DMV, right? That's exactly what I thought till I read up on what it is the SOS really does and what they have control over, say, voting machines? Terry Lynn Land has done a poor job protecting us against ballot fraud, and Carmella Saubaugh has definitely been an innovator for the people down in Macomb County. Read more about it here.

Attorney General - Regardless of what he does in and out of his bedroom, Mike Cox is not exactly working for you and I. He's working for Mike Cox, Saul Anuzis, and the many special interests that lined his campaign war chest. Our own governor should not have to do his job for him when he refuses to protect everyday citizens like you and I (UofM Admissions Case). Amos Williams has had a long record of serving the people, even those who can't contribute to his campaign.

And these are just a few. So many areas to improve upon.

That's why I have to give props to Nirmal. His post is chock-full of brainstorms for how our community moves forward is exactly the nudge (or kick!) we all need. I'm grateful that he's posted it before we start to get together for what I hope will be a very effective planning session. What we'll come away with, I can only guess and hope for.

I hope that our party leaders, our elected officials, and all of the players in front of and behind the scenes realize the potential and power of the bloggers and online community.

Did You Know -

• We can go places and do things that traditional media and campaigns can't.
• We reach an enormous (and often hard to reach) audience and have an incredible pull when it comes to soliciting donations. I believe whole-heartedly that campaigns can't afford to ignore us any longer.
  
• The best part is that for most of us, we're the most dedicated, hard-working, and inexpensive (sometimes practically free!) group of volunteers any candidate/campaign can hope for. We feel honored and appreciated when we're reached out too, and that initial email/conversation could reap more votes than can be counted.

So as candidates are starting to position themselves, races are considered, and campaigns are started in people's kitchens and living rooms, I ask just one thing. Don't forget about the bloggers. We are most definitely a force to be reckoned with.

Just Say NO to Dick and YES to Jen - Reason #8

Equality, equal rights, anti-discrimination, a color-blind society...
All terms we hear a lot nowadays.
Do we hear it just because it's politically correct, or do our leaders truly believe in these concepts?
Michigan needs to work for ALL of it's citizens, not just the privileged few.
We've heard the soundbites from Amway Guy "I accept affirmative action as an effective, albeit imperfect solution." (Michigan TurnAround Plan, Vol. 5, pg 15)
Now we follow the money trail...
And surprise, surprise - once again Tricky Dick's money and actions sure speak a lot louder than his cute little 30 second ads.






8. Dick DeVos does not support affirmative action.
Despite his strong Christian conviction that he frequently touts, Tricky Dick apparently doesn't love all of his brothers and sisters as much as the rest.
The Dick and Betsy DeVos Foundation has given at least $209,900 to the Acton Institute, an extreme conservative think tank that openly opposes affirmative action. (Dick and Betsy DeVos Foundation: IRS 990 Forms, 1999-2004; Anthony B. Bradley, The Acton Institute, September 3, 2003)
But there's more - there's the questions he won't answer, the word on the street, the advisers he chooses, and the running mate. They all have a clear history of anti-affirmative action behavior. (Check below the fold...)






8. Governor Granholm has been a life-long supporter of civil rights and has worked tirelessly to promote equality all over Michigan.
From high school to Law School, to her job as Michigan's Attorney General, to Governor, Jennifer Granholm has a proven record of fighting for equality and strike down the chains of discrimination. (See the details below)
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Tricky Dick DeVos

With Dick, its not always about the money. As usual Dick's playing political dodge ball, dipping, diving and dodging all the tough questions...

While speaking in April, Dick DeVos was asked directly if he supports affirmative action. DeVos responded, “If you define for me what affirmative action means then we can have that conversation.” (Dick DeVos, Freedom Forum, April 28, 2006)

And there's the word on the street from his cronies...

According to Ward Connerly, the man behind the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative that would ban affirmative action, Dick DeVos personally supports banning affirmative action. “DeVos is opposing the ballot proposal for political gain, Connerly said, because he doesn't want his opponent, Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm, but suggested DeVos personally supports MCRI.” (Detroit Free Press, August 25, 2006)

And that's not all folks!

There's the staff he hires...

Dick DeVos hired infamous race-baiter Alex Castellanos to advise his campaign. “In 1990, he created for [Senator Jesse Helms] what is widely viewed as one of the most racially charged political commercials ever, with white hands crumpling a job rejection letter while a narrator criticizes Mr. Helms's black opponent, Harvey Gantt, for supporting ‘racial quotas’.” (The New York Times, September 15, 2000)

and the person he picked as his running mate...

Dick DeVos’ running mate, Ruth Johnson voted YES on a GOP amendment to ban affirmative action. “No state institution of higher education shall receive funding under this act if the state institution of higher education discriminates against, or grants preferential treatment to, admission applicants on the basis of race, religion, creed, or national origin.” (RC 451, 6/9/04, SB 1067)

Dick DeVos' record on equality STINKS! How can we trust him to do what's best for Michigan?

Gov. Jennifer Granholm

As a high school student, when racial integration brought racial strife to her school Governor Granholm served as a mediator. (Granholm Campaign)

In law school, Governor Granholm was editor-in-chief of Harvard’s Civil Rights-Civil Liberties law review. She was a student activist leader on the issue of divestment from apartheid South Africa, organizing daily protests that shut down the Harvard President’s office and pushed the administration to divest its multi-billion dollar endowment from any investments in companies doing business in South Africa. (MSU 3/20/03)

After law school, Governor Granholm was the first white law clerk to work for the great Judge Damon Keith, who to this day thinks of her as a daughter. Judge Keith first introduced her to the Detroit NAACP and other racial justice groups in Michigan, and she has been a constant supporter ever since. (MSU 3/20/03)

As Governor, she has been vehemently and publicly opposed the so-called “Michigan Civil Rights Initiative” since the day Ward Connerly suggested it.

Governor Granholm was a strong supporter of the University of Michigan in its landmark affirmative action case. As Attorney General, she filed a brief supporting U of M on behalf of the State when the case was in the federal court of appeals. When the case before the U.S. Supreme Court, Governor Granholm asked the Republican Attorney General Mike Cox to again file an amicus brief on behalf of the State of Michigan. Despite his role as the Governor’s attorney, Cox refused. So the Governor did something extremely rare - she went around the Attorney General and filed her own brief.

In three years, she has appointed 84 African Americans to state commissions and boards. In twelve years, John Engler appointed only 44 African Americans to state commissions and boards.

Governor Granholm appointed a cabinet that reflects 'One Michigan'. Women make up 23 out of the 44 policy leaders in the Governor's administration, including department directors.

When African Americans complained of voter fraud and intimidation in the 2004 election and during the signature collection process for the MCRI, Governor Granholm’s Civil Rights Commission investigated the abuses and stood up to Republicans in the Legislature who opposed these investigations. (Detroit Free Press 8/16/06)

Governor Granholm gave an extremely moving speech at the funeral of civil rights giant Rosa Parks, calling her a war hero and noting that the war is not yet over.

I, like you, imagine the day when the war will be won. The day when a brilliant 8-year-old chess player has the same chances in life, whether she lives in Livonia or off Livernois. We know that this war will be won when the son of a barber on Grand River receives from each of us the same looks of hope and words of encouragement as the son of a doctor in Grand Rapids. We know that the war will be won when the city of Bloomfield Hills and the city of Detroit have the same college graduation rates and the same low prison incarceration rates as well.
We know we will be winning the war when people in the state of Michigan do not have to vote on whether diversity in our university classrooms is a good thing. (WZZM-13)

So who do you trust to uphold YOUR civil rights?