My governor could kick your governor's butt...

I'm a huge fan of Jennifer M. Granholm. I think she's an incredible role model for women like me who are political, and unlike certain other female governors *cough* Sarah Palin, *cough, cough,* she's smart, savvy, charismatic, and could trample you in a debate with a smile. That's not to mention how fabulous she looks. The woman's a complete package.

That being said, I've decided it's official - my governor could kick your governor's butt.

Today was the Detroit Free Press' 31st annual marathon. From one of their many stories on the event -

Starting anonymously with the 7,266 half marathoners was Gov. Jennifer Granholm, a rookie who ran with husband Dan Mulhern. She didn’t wear one of the shoelace tags that electronically records the start and finish time for each runner, but with a single security officer running alongside Granholm finished in 1:56:04, achieving her goal of breaking the two hour mark in her first long race (the same time as her husband, who did wear an electronic tag and waited to cross the lined with her after running a couple of minutes ahead during most of the event).

“I kept it real low-key because I was afraid I wouldn’t make it,” said Granholm, who wore blue running shorts, a black Barack Obama T-shirt and pearl earrings. “I didn’t want anyone to know I was here until I finished. It was a grueling experience, but because you’re out there with so many other people, and you’ve got the crowds cheering you on and clanging cowbells, it seems a lot shorter, like a 6-mile run.”

The Freep's sports editor had an entire blog post devoted to the subject and here's a great photo of the Lady Gov as she celebrates with First Gentleman Dan Mulhern.

Like I said - my governor could kick your governor's butt. Gosh knows she already took care of that pesky woman from Wasilla in Joe Biden's debate prep!

Bill and I

Last night at the Cure Michigan event in Oakland County with this guy, Gov. Jennifer Granholm, and many other wonderful folks all who came out to support Proposition 2 - a real cure for Michigan.
Kudos to the Cure Michigan team for a fabulous event, and to everyone who came out to support the event. Of course, a very special thank you to this man whom I so admire for his continuing efforts towards a very worthy and necessary cause. I'll post more pictures later.

Stem Cell film featured in E. Lansing Film Festival

If you're in the Mid-Michigan area on Sunday and looking for something to do, stop by MSU's campus and take in a film or two. Specifically take in Life is for Living by U-M pre-med student Michael Rubyan.

The following information was sent out to her constituents by State Senator Gretchen Whitmer, one of the distinguished politicans interviewed in the 41 minute film -

EAST LANSING - Michael Rubyan, a pre-med student at the University of Michigan, was so moved by a class presentation about stem cell research that he decided to make a movie about it.

"Life is for the Living," a documentary film directed by Michael Rubyan, a junior majoring in film, will be featured at the East Lansing Film Festival on Sunday, March 16, 12 p.m., in Wells Hall on the Michigan State University campus in East Lansing.

The 60-minute film highlights the touching - both painful and hopeful - stories of six families struggling with incurable diseases and includes appearances by CBS's Mike Wallace, former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno, Gov. Jennifer Granholm, and others.

Rubyan produced the documentary to highlight the importance of moving forward on promising and potentially life-saving medical research.

"'Life is for the Living' was created to educate the public about the complex issues surrounding embryonic stem cell research," Rubyan said.
"The film seeks to explain the issue from four different perspectives - the people, the politics, the science and the hope."

The film presents the stories of six American families living with the painful realities of diseases such as juvenile diabetes, Parkinson's and spinal cord injury. It is set against the national debate over embryonic stem cell research and features three generations discussing their frustration with President Bush's restrictions and their hope that more funding for embryonic stem cell research will relieve suffering and perhaps even save lives.

"Life is for the Living" also explores the science behind stem cell research and the political debate taking place across the country, as well as here in Michigan. More than 15 political leaders were interviewed, including Reno; Granholm; Michigan U.S. Sen. Carl Levin; Dr. Sean Morrison, director of the UM Center for Stem Cell Biology; and Dr. David T. Scadden, co-director of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute.

View the trailer and learn more at www.lifeisfortheliving.org

For a complete list of films featured at the East Lansing Film Festival visit their site.

If you have the opportunity to check it out this film or any of the other 93 films at this record-setting film festival, between now and Thursday, March 20th, you should definitely a point of it!

I am Emily, and so are you

I was doing research for a post that I'm working on and a friend sent me this link. I had heard about the fabled "I am Emily" speech, and you would think that by now I would be used to speeches like this from one of my heroes, but as I watched it the goosebumps came and my eyes welled up.


That's right. I am Emily, and so are you. Don't ever forget that.

Let the Live-blog Continue!

Without ever really meaning to, I carved a little niche into the world of live-blogging. (And yes, it's okay to think that's an incredibly geeky niche, because it really is.)

I think it started with a Stabenow v. Bouchard debate way back in the days of the '06 Election Cycle when I thought it would be fun. It was fun, but it was also physically draining. Fingers flying a million miles trying to keep up with what's being said and all the while trying to stay somewhat grammatically correct, well let's just put it this way, I was never cut out to be a court reporter.

But live-blogging is a big part of who I am as a blogger and as an activist. Live-blogging from the Capitol during the Budget Crisis was incredibly physically draining, but I was on an emotional high, even when I would have been excited to watch paint dry I was so bored. To be on the sidelines of history, to experience the action, to feel the tension, to capture the decisiveness between the players, to be part of the cognizant Stockholm Syndrome that everyone eventually gave into, the whole thing was incredibly thrilling.

So Tuesday night I'll head back to what I know and a home away from home, the State House. Under the beautifully lit dome stalwart in the crisp air, I'll be live-blogging the Governor's State of the State address. It will probably be hot, stressful, cramped, and very close quarters with the rest of the press, but it will definitely be thrilling and another experience I won't ever forget. Join me next door at MichLib or peek through the curtains of BFM because I'll finally be joined by a fellow blogger and one of my mentors from way back in the day, Christine Barry from BFM. I'm excited for the message, anticipating the atmosphere and ready for this event to signal a new year and a new time in Michigan politics.

Just Full of the Dickens

Sometimes I find that the snark bug bites me early in the morning.

Today is no exception.

If you get a chance to stop by MichiganLiberal this morning, be sure to check out my Fantasy Blogger Baseball - Michigan Senate Style.

Why?

I think it's safe to say like every other politico and Michigan citizen, I've had it up to here with this budget two-step that's going on in Lansing. The Senate Republicans can't pull their heads out of the sand, or away from their tube of hair gel - if they're a particular Senate Republican, and it's like watching a bad car wreck. All you can do is stand there and watch this tragedy unfold. Rumors from the capital have frustrated politicians walking around muttering to themselves they are so besides themselves, and who can blame them?

So, my snark meter hits yet another all-time high. Call this a way of dealing with extreme frustration. Some people walk around muttering to themselves, I write snarky commentary. Could be worse I guess.

But in some good news, check out this front-page article from the Lansing State Journal about how local area teens are putting together the very first Gay Prom next month. My heart literally swells with pride when I hear of these young people who are marching forward, despite their state passing two state-wide ballot proposals encouraging hate and intolerance. A special moment of pride to Governor Granholm and U.S. Senator Carl Levin for publicly congratulating them on their hard work. Today's progressive leaders supporting tomorrow's societal leaders, if that doesn't just warm the heart, I don't know what is.

I was all prepared to write what a well-attended event Tuesday's Domestic Partner Benefits March, albeit a sobering one, but with the news from our up-and-coming LGBT community, I'm just going to let it rest at that.

I'll be staying in LucyLand this weekend, continuing with the unpacking of boxes and healing the sinuses that have been continuing to plague me. With a little help from my friends, and apologies to the Beatles, I know I'll still have a great weekend, and won't break the bank buying gas.

Here's hoping your weekend is a fun-filled time, that even our forecasted storms can't dampen!

A Reader Wonders...and I can't help but agree

Every once in a while, I get email from those of you who read my stuff on here, MichganLiberal, or Daily Kos. Whether it's fan mail or hate mail (just as long as it's rational) I always read it and usually enjoy it, because it makes me think about things in a different perspective. This morning I got this bit and I thought I'd share it.

Dear Liberal Lucy,

I just opened up my Detroit Free Press this morning and saw the awful numbers about our Michigan Budget Deficit. My husband and I were in Chicago over the weekend and saw a wonderful TV campaign from their Governor (I think his name is Gov.Voinovich) -- not sure. Anyways he is "taking the bull by the horns" and saying that the medium, big, and even some small companies have to have their TAXES INCREASED. These companies can jump thru many loopholes and get away with not paying "their fair share of the taxes" and of course it is us the hard working middle class that end up paying these taxes. He really had a very good presentation.
Perhaps Gov. Granholm could take a page out of his playbook and do the same thing. Certainly we have to do something to make Michigan whole again. In a cilvilized society everyone has to pay their fair share of the taxes and this includes those "uppity corporations" as well. Thanks for listening.

~M

Here's my response -

Dear M -

I couldn't agree with you more. I know Governor Granholm has been fighting an up-hill battle with the Senate Republicans to get a budget plan passed.

Since you seem like a very well informed person, I'm sure that you already know that the Governor's proposed budget included a number of cuts and a very small, but fair, tax increase for services (for everything from lawyers to hair cuts, to funerals) which amounted to a 2 cent increase. Of course, all the Republicans have done is wail and moan about tax increases. All they want to do is continuing slashing taxes and funding for much-needed government services left and right. Rational people like you and I know that a government needs revenue to operate on, and if we keep cutting taxes, we'll never get anywhere.

We can support the Governor and the Democrats by having conversations just like this one with our friends and family, sending in letters to the editors, anything to educate people. Of course no one wants to pay more taxes, but if people understood that it's taxes that keep our state and our schools running, they might think twice before screaming for more cuts.

Keep up the good work M, we need more people like you out there.

All the best,

~Lucy

Everyone is welcome to email me anytime, and I always do my best to get back to you as soon as I can. Thanks for your thoughts and your efforts on behalf of everyone in Michigan!

Lansing Town Hall with the Governor Tonight

Governor Granholm will join area residents tonight at Pattengill Middle School for an old fashioned Town Hall meeting to discuss the state's economic future and more importantly, how we get Michigan back on track.

The meeting will be televised live on WILX TV-10, and similarly there will be a live-stream for those who want to watch online.

This from the LSJ:

At a televised town hall-style event, the Democratic governor said her administration has grappled to put together an economic package in the wake of the manufacturing sector losing hundreds of thousands of jobs.

"We need to decide what kind of Michigan we need to create together because we know our economy has been challenged," Granholm said.

Regardless of where you fall on the political spectrum, this is going to be a frank discussion that we all need to participate in, whether its on TV, in the newspaper, on the blogs or in the grocery store. It's going to take all of us working together to pull this off.

The Blue Tiger within All of Us

Many thanks to all the bloggers and bloggers in the works who came out for the Blogger's Caucus 2.0. It was such a success because of them. Check out the full scoop on MichLib.

This convention was a success for me on so many levels. Not just because of a great Blogger's Caucus of over 80 people, or because I got a chance to hear how so many folks are using the blogs to stay informed and get involved, or because I had the chance to meet so many incredible people and hear them say "Oh, you're Liberal Lucy!", but because I found a group within our great state party that exactly embodies the very reason that I live the way I do, I speak out on this and several other blogs every day, and the amount of time and dedication that I give of myself to the causes and people that I do - The Blue Tiger Democrats.

I'm not a Democrat because I was raised to do so. In fact I'm the only person in my entire family that claims a party membership. I'm not a Democrat because it's trendy, or someone said I should join. I'm a Democrat because I believe in giving back to my community, to my state and to the world, and that is who the Democrats are - the Party of the People.

I attended a session, along with about 50 others during the convention about the Michigan Blue Tiger Democrats, and I found myself continually nodding my head in agreement with what they had to say. A guy sitting next to me summed it up best, "What that guy (Blue Tigers founder Bill Samuels) just said in 5 minutes was the exact reason I've been coming to state conventions half my life."

Here are the Principles of the Blue Tiger Democrats:

• A Party isn't a Party if it's built top-down or supported primarily by large individual and corporate donors.
• A Party isn't strong if it only debates the major issues or refines a concise message that can be communicated in a thirty-second commercial.
• A Party is only as strong as its number of involved and dedicated members who believe in individual responsibility and demonstrate it by working in their communities.
• A Party must not just debate the issues of the day, but demonstrate its values by individual actions.
• A Party is strong if it is connected to its community through day-to-day work solving problems that exist in that community. People working outside the government, outside the bureaucracy, connect the Party to the voters.
• For Politicians to be Respected, we must free them from the humiliating and enormously time-consuming task of fundraising.
• Civic Engagement is a two-way street: it not only benefits individuals in the community, but it ensures that the Party is in touch with communities across America.

I wasn't surprised when I heard Blue Tiger's founder, Bill Samuels say that bringing this project to Michigan, from New York, was Governor Granholm's idea. A huge thanks to MDP Chairman, Mark Brewer who has this to say about Blue Tiger

I am proud that Michigan is the nation's first official Blue Tiger state.

-snip-

Our goal is to regain respect for the Democratic Party and for the political process. The Michigan Democratic Party is committed to making civic engagement an integral part of our state organization. By giving Democrats things to do between elections and providing meaningful services we, as Democrats, can show citizens that parties want to engage them more than just on election day.

The best part about Michigan's Blue Tiger program is that its so much more than talk. Back to Brewer-

Our first project was an educational program designed to help urban residents of our state manage the surging cost of their utilities.

The project formed local organizations to educate community members about options and solutions for energy efficiency to cut the cost of utilities. It began in ten of the poorest areas of Detroit and Macomb County.

This project is just the first of many we will launch with Blue Tiger to improve the lives of our people through serious, committed civic engagement. These projects will enable us to put our principles into practice and expand our foundation. In addition, we will develop new generations of political leaders and community activists who are committed to helping our citizens, and experienced in how to do it. In this way, our civic engagement projects will bare fruit for years to come.

Our leadership is committed to keeping Michigan a Blue State and we believe that Civic Engagement is integral to this mission.

That is exactly what it is about. It's not about television ads, or stump speeches or even who can have the coolest website and raise the most money.

It's about giving back, it's about really rolling up our sleeves and making our state and our party great again. It's not about you or me, Governor Granholm or Mark Brewer.

It's about how we serve each other and the effective mechanism for change that we become. That is what being a Democrat is about, and that is what being a Michiganian is about.

It's about what's best for MI, not just for me.

Why Republican Gay Discrimination Costs Us

Earlier this month, Michigan continued to take several steps back into the Dark Ages with the Appellate Court ruling that prohibits public universities and state and local governments from providing health insurance to the partners of gay employees. The Court based the ruling on the asinine 2004 vote on the so-called Gay Marriage Amendment Ban, aka the first failed Proposal 2.

Congratulations, Michigan. You join 26 other states in officially discriminating against the very people who pay your taxes, start and own businesses, and traditionally have the most disposable income of any major demographic.

When I talk to my GLBT friends, I find myself unable to convince them why they shouldn't leave Michigan. As a person with a chronic illness and someone who's *technically* classified as disabled, would I want to stay here if suddenly the government ruled I was a second-class citizen because of something that I have absolutely no control over? Of course not.

Honestly, for a party that's supposedly about helping businesses and decreasing the size of government, the Republicans are clearly headed in the wrong direction.

According to Fortune magazine, about 175 Fortune 500 brands advertise specifically to gay and lesbian audiences.

For the first time, more than half of Fortune 500 companies - 263, to be precise - offered health benefits for domestic partners, according to the Human Rights Campaign. Ten years ago only 28 did.
Along with health benefits for their families, many workers also get bereavement leave when their same-sex partner dies, adoption assistance or paid leave if they have children and relocation assistance for their partners if they are transferred. Put another way, gay marriage - an idea that has been banned by all but one of 27 states that have voted on it - has become a fact of life inside many big companies. "Corporate America is far ahead of America generally when it comes to the question of equality for GLBT people," says Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign.

Consider this - Raytheon, a defense contractor that makes Tomahawk Missiles (think Gulf War I) is rated as one of the Best Places to Work by the Human Rights Campaign, because they are reaching out to the GLBT community. Why the outreach? (Also from Fortune)

... it belongs to gay chambers of commerce in communities where it has big plants. Why? you may ask. Not because gay people buy missiles or radar - at least as far as we know. No, it's because the competition to hire and retain engineers and other skilled workers is so brutal that Raytheon doesn't want to overlook anyone.

To attract openly gay workers, who worry about discrimination, a company like Raytheon needs to hang out a big welcome sign. "Over the next ten years we're going to need anywhere from 30,000 to 40,000 new employees," explains Heyward Bell, Raytheon's chief diversity officer. "We can't afford to turn our back on anyone in the talent pool."

Isn't it interesting that Michigan is in that very same situation, except we are the shareholders. The financial futures of ourselves, our children and our grandchildren depend on how well we advertise and promote our state to the rest of the global community.

It seems to me that Michigan can't afford to turn our backs on anyone, and yet thanks to certain narrow-minded individuals, that's all we seem to be doing. While the Governor, Dillon, Schauer and others are attempting to hang out the biggest welcome sign of them all, the Republicans are tearing it down faster than we can cry "Stop, thief!"

If the Republicans want to convince Michigan's voters that they really deserve to be in charge in '08, they should remember the words to one of the first songs we all learn as kids...

Jesus loves the little children
All the children of the world...

...not just the white straight ones.

Govenor Granholm Live on Daily Kos - 4 p.m. Today!

From Daily Kos-

On Monday at 4pm, Governor Granholm will be posting a diary and responding to questions and comments. She will be focusing on her economic plan and the investments that she layed out in her State of the State address as well as her 2008 budget proposals to solve the state's fiscal crisis.

For a number of reasons, Michigan is facing a very important set of choices in the coming weeks, and it is vital for everyone to understand what is at stake. Here is some background and detail on the Governor's budget proposals and her State of the State address. I know that the Governor is eager to read thoughts on what she has presented and how we can move forward.

Many thanks to Clint from the Governor's office for setting this up. Hope you can be there, it will be an important discussion and I'm anxious to see what the Governor has to say!

See you there!

State of the State: Git 'Er Done!

Once upon a time there were the Republicans, occaisionally refered to as the Grand Old Party, Repugs, and the Cult of the Shrub. Governor Granholm just likes to call them The Naysayers.

In telling Saul & Co. where to stick it, Governor Jennifer Granholm managed to deliver a passionate and eloquent summary of what's broken and gave an outline of how we're going to fix it.

With her recent triumph over Mr. Soap and Hope himself, the Governor added a whole new level of steel to her spine and drew a new line in the sand. There will be stem cell research, there will have to be some sort of tax adjustment and that no one will slash school funding.

P.S. The Governor's cut taxes 93 times. The Naysayers? Well all they really did was create a lil ol' 1.9 billion dollar hole.

For the full blow-by-blow, be sure to check out Capital Viewpoint. Feel free to leave your snarks, your spitballs or your swarmy praise below.

A New Year, A New Michigan, A New You - The Office of the Governor

Governor Jennifer M. Granholm, Michigan's first female governor, and only one of nine female governors currently serving in the entire U.S.

The Governor's website can be seen here.

Don't let the subdued appearance fool you, this website is chock full of interactive features, including various video clips of important state addresses, and conversations outlining her growth plan for Michigan.

Did you know that the Gov is one hip lady? You can listen to her weekly radio addresses (guaranteed to be more interesting, grammatically correct, and uplifting than that guy in D.C.) through the website or you can download a podcast.

Check out the list of executive orders, and executive directives, special privileges granted only to the Governor. (I'm an especially big fan of this executive directive, I think you might be too.)

Here's a little factoid - There are 21 members of the Cabinet, that are responsible for everything from Education to Agriculture, to the State Budget and the State Police.

Never forgetting who she works for, Governor Granholm has a very large constituent services program. Whether it's sharing a comment/suggestion, a request for assistance, requesting a birthday greeting for a loved one, or recognition of an achievement (Eagle Scout, Retirement, Wedding Anniversary, etc) the Governor is there to help you. Probably one of the most important divisions of the Executive Office, Constituent Services is there to provide an outlet for you, the citizen to make your voice heard.

Of course these are only a few of the different features found on the Governor's website. Be sure to check them all out, and to get to know your government a little better.

Granholm Continues to Protect Against Identity Theft

Every 19 minutes a person becomes the victim of identity theft.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice Statistics, identity theft is now passing up drug trafficking as the number one crime in the nation.

About 10 million people each year are victimized by identity theft.

Identity theft cost U.S. businesses and consumers $56.6 billion in 2005. (Source: Identity Theft Resource Center)

Something must be done.

Michigan citizens can rest a little easier knowing that Governor Jennifer M. Granholm has signed legislation today continuing to protect us from identity theft.

Granholm signed Senate Bill 309, sponsored by former Senator Shirley Johnson (R-Troy), which requires that Michigan residents be notified if the security of a database containing their personal information is breached.

The legislation stems from measures called for in Granholm's 2006 State of the State Address.

“Today’s technology has taken commerce and communication to new heights, but it also puts citizens at additional risk of identity theft as ever-increasing amounts of personal information are stored and transmitted electronically” Granholm said. “While I am pleased to sign legislation that provides critical information to consumers, we must do more to provide our citizens with the tools they need to truly protect themselves.”

The legislation signed today requires that individuals and government agencies notify consumers when a security breach puts personal information, including social security numbers, drivers license numbers, and financial information, at risk. Failure to properly notify consumers of a security breach can result in a fine of up to $750,000.

The new notification requirement is similar to one part of the legislative package Granholm called for last year. That proposal would have allowed consumers

• to freeze their credit reports in the event of identity theft,
  
• broadened the amount of data covered by the notification law and
  
• increased penalties for identity theft crimes.

“I am confident the new Legislature will build on this new law to provide consumers with the protection they need to guard against identity theft,” said Granholm.
(Courtesy: Office of the Governor)

(See post below for what to do if you believe you are the victim of Identity Theft)

Granholm's Early Christmas Gift to You

If you don't succeed at first, try, try again.

Words that our great Governor has definitely taken to heart, particularly in dealing with the Republican-controlled Legislature these past 4 years.

Since 2002, Governor Jennifer Granholm has called for legislation that increases patient confidentiality of medical records and ensures their proper disposal. Today, she was able to finally sign that legislation into law.

"As technology increases in the 21st century, we have a duty to help citizens protect their privacy," Granholm said. "This legislation will ensure that citizens' personal information remains between them and their health care provider when they seek medical treatment and assistance."
Senate Bill 465 requires medical records to be maintained for a minimum of 7 years and provides a system for health facilities or agencies to dispose of records older than seven years, while ensuring patient information remains confidential. The bill requires health facilities to notify patients if their businesses cease, or if they plan to transfer or destroy existing medical records. The bill also imposes fines of up to $10,000 if businesses fail to comply.
Senate Bill 468 amends the Freedom of Information Act to make is clear that "protected health information" as defined by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act is exempt from disclosure, giving patients protection against unwarranted invasion of personal information.
"Patients deserve the utmost respect and privacy as they seek medical attention," Granholm said. "This legislation will provide that privacy for patients and their families."
The two bills signed today are Senate Bills 465 and 468. The bills were sponsored by Senators Gilda Z. Jacobs (D-Huntington Woods) and Deborah Cherry (D-Burton), respectively. Governor Granholm is also expected to sign similar legislation, Senate Bill 466, sponsored by Senator Bruce Patterson (R-Canton). --Office of the Governor

This legislation might not sound flashy, life-altering, or exciting, but as a client of the health care system, I can assure you it's much needed. Consider filling out one form at your doctor's office. On it you have your home address, your birth date, your SSN, your driver's license number, your insurance information, emergency contact information, among other things. Think about how many people handle that information once you hand over that form. It's not just your doctor's office, it can be outside laboratories, your insurance carrier, hospitals, drug companies, etc.
Identity theft is quickly becoming a growing problem for more and more people and an expensive one at that. According to the Federal Trade Commission, the most common ways for thieves to obtain access to your personal information include:

1. stealing records from their employer,
2. bribing an employee who has access to these records
3. hacking into the organization's computers.
4. They rummage through your trash or the trash of businesses or dumps in a practice known as dumpster diving.

Knowing that this legislation will make it even harder for thieves to get a hold of my personal information makes me feel a little more secure. It also reaffirms the faith I hold in our government, particularly in Governor Granholm and our Democratic legislators such as Senators Jacobs and Cherry.

What a great gift, and right before Christmas!

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.

The Real Skinny on the Michigan '06 Elections

To say this election was a bit of a doozy is an understatement. I'm glad that I was able to get the real breakdown of the numbers and what it all meant with lpackard this past Friday at the Kellogg Center at MSU for the Off the Record - On the Road 2006 Election Wrap-Up, hosted by our 'favorite' Tim Skubic.

I went to hear what the pollsters had to say, what wasn't in the papers, and what the real numbers were. I think you might be as surprised as I was.
Better yet, we got post-election thoughts from the Granholm, DeVos, Stabenow, and Bouchard campaign people. Pretty interesting. So interesting, I took notes. Not quite live-blogging, but I think you'll enjoy it.

This bit's from Ed Sarpolus with EPIC + MRA...

• The ad that helped Governor Granholm win more women was her Abortion Ad. Even with the Right-to-Life group, women sided with Granholm because in the end, they didn't want anyone telling them what to do with their body.
• DeVos lost most retirees after itwas revealed that he believed that if you want health care, you need to get a job.
• More Michigan voters liked President George W. Bush more than they liked Dick DeVos, and that ain't saying much.
  
• Between 8 and 10% of Republicans voted for Granholm based on their feelings over Iraq.
  
• More people believed that Michigan's poor economy was the fault of President Bush, not Governor Granholm's.
  
• Most people did not believe Michigan is experiencing a single-state recession, contrary to what DeVos said.
  
• More voters believed that out of the two candidates, Governor Granholm was the one who "was more honest and truly cares about you."
• The Single Biggest Complaint voters had about Dick DeVos was that he was unable to define himself for the voters.
  
• 51% of voters knew more of Granholm's plan (if re-elected) compared to 31% of DeVos.
• 59% of voters believed that Governor Granholm was more charismatic, compared to 23% for DeVos.
• 49% of voters believed that on issues of abortion, stem cell research, intelligent design, gay marriage, Granholm better reflected their personal views, as compared to 35% for DeVos.
• 45% of voters believed that DeVos' role as President of Amway hurt his chances of winning. - Biggest single factor that he was unable to shake.
  

and my personal favorite - after the 1st Debate, Dick DeVos lost votes based on (in Sarpolus' words) The Wimp Factor. No explanation, she beat him senseless in that first debate.

Then there's Steve Mitchell. Ah yes, that guy that called it right before the election 46%-44% for Granholm, which quite obviously was not the case. Not too mention that he's good friends/worked for the DeVos team (something that's addressed below).

• Both Mitchell and Saropolus agreed that this race was most comparable to the 1966 race due to the Vietnam War in terms of negative backlash.
  
• Total of 3.8 Million voters, up 600,000 from 2002.
  
• DeVos actually won 100,000 more votes than Dick Posthumus did in 2002.
  
• Granholm won 500,000 more votes than she did in 2002.
  
• Of those who voted in the 2004 Presidential Race, Granholm took 86% of those who voted for John Kerry, and DeVos took 70% of the voters for George W. Bush.
• Noted extremely high Democratic turn out for Granholm.
  
• Granholm won two-thirds of the Independent vote.
  

Mitchell also credits DeVos' loss with a failure to present his biography through ads, and was not effective in answering the 'China Accusations' from the Granholm camp.
He believes that Governor Granholm ran a superb campaign, but it was more of a national campaign, with lots of backlash over the war, GOP handling of the country, etc.

Upon being questioned by a member of the audience about his integrity in polling, given his association and paid polling services by the DeVos team, Steve Mitchell responded "I'm glad you asked that question." To para-phrase him, he is proud to be very good friends with Dick Posthumus, and did polling for him that showed him down. "As a pollster, all your integrity lays in your numbers." Hmmm...famous last words?

John Truscott is Dick DeVos' man still to this day. He thinks they ran a great campaign, that the media did an excellent job reporting things (I wanted to know about the media, NOT just the Detroit News) and when asked what it was like to have a campaign where money was not issue he responded "Beyond your wildest dreams!" to which everyone laughed at. Too bad it was so true.

Chris DeWitt spoke on behalf of the Granholm campaign and it was nice to see both him and Tom Russell (campaign manager for Stabenow for Senate) thank and credit their campaign staff and workers with a job well done, including our own lpackard. I was happy to see DeWitt also mention how important the Internet was in this campaign (props given to our favorite Granholm Campaign Internet Communications Director, Clint!) and how it's going to increasingly be a larger factor in the future of campaigning.

All-in-all, it was a fruitful evening, and even a bit of a spectator sport. I'm never ceased to be surprised how snarky Michigan politics can get. No one was out right rude, but each side knew how to get their dig in here and there, and it made for a little entertainment throughout the evening.

I was glad to see that the Democrats were the primary ones to touch on the importance of netroots activism in this campaign. I hope that they continue to see how crucial it is to invest time, money and people into this area. I have no doubt that like everything else in this state and country, the Internet is the future. Americans, particularly the 30-somethings and under, are the instant-gratification generations, they want their news and information instantly, pulled up by a couple mouse-clicks. Our party and our candidates must keep up, or get out. I just hope that our party leadership understands that now before its too late.

And now, onward to victory again in '08!

(Cross posted on MichganLiberal and Daily Kos)

Post-Victory Ponderings....

Wow, even still in my exhaustion, I'm awed by the results. I had my hopes, but I never imagined it would end like this. Even still in Virginia, so much hangs on one race (fingers crossed!).

Not to take away from Zack's incredible daily roundup (and you know I read it every morning!) but I wanted to point out a couple posts worth reading....

As we rake these past couple days in, djtyg at MichLib has some wise words to share, and he makes some excellent points.

From last night, both WizardKitten and I took some great photos, although she clearly had the superior camera of the two as she took good enough pictures to post hers, and mine...will be up after some serious color-correction. :-D Show her some love.

Kathy's got a real break-down on what Dick and the gang really lost. It's pretty insightful, check it out at Stone Soup Musings.


Alright...so a couple of thoughts on my mind as I think about where we go, where I go, and where this blog goes, something I'm guessing several of us are thinking about.

What's the policy agenda going to look like here in Lansing? We've got some new reps that will be coming in, and unlike DC, it's going to be interesting to see what the Dem-controlled House can squeeze thru the Senate. I really want to see the Governor expand her Michigan First Healthcare program here, but who's willing to lay down the partisanship and roll up their sleeves? Can the GOP really risk another (and almost constant) assualt on the so-called character of the party by refusing to actually get to work on some real issues? Andy Meisner in the House and Gretchen Whitmer in the Senate both have bills up on stem cell. When you consider that an entire Senate seat was practically won on the issue of stem cell research (Missouri), well you would hope that the GOP has their ear to the ground.

Speaking of which - leadership. Any guesses on this one? There's whispers here and there, but what's going to actually happen, well I'll be awaiting and watching...

Notice what no one is talking about at all? What's going to happen (or not) between now and January. Hmm...anyone want to take a gander???

LLP Coming Attraction...get your knives and forks polished...I'm going to take a walk about the town with a friend or two and see what's cooking, literally, here in Lansing. Be prepared to drool, it's going to be fabulous!

Unbelievable (almost!)

Wow, I've just returned from Detroit where I spent some time with the Granholm/Stabenow gang, and of course, my fellow liberal bloggers.

So many of us walking around tonight just in a daze, with a look of wonderment about our faces. We won what? We took what? Leadership where? - That was the basic sentiment of everyone.

I know that I wasn't the only who almost cried with joy (literally) and breathed a sigh of relief when we heard that Granholm had won swept the gubernatorial race. I happened to be there with WizardKitten, and we just kept repeating out loud - She won, she took it, we won!
And then of course, came in the news about the State House, the US House, and both the State Senate and US Senate are still too close to call, but wow!

I got some incredible pictures of the entire event and will be posting them soon. First order of business - sleep!

A tired LL - Over and Out!

Duh

If you're sitting here reading this and you still haven't voted, shame on you.

GO VOTE

Keep Michigan Great with Granholm.