Twas the Night Before the Election....

I'm tired.
Bone-tired.
My mind and my body, both, need this election to be over.
Tomorrow morning I'll wake up and head to the polls first thing to avoid the rush (or will I be walking into it?)
Because then I've got a full day afterwards, with an even fuller evening.
Tomorrow, I'll be headed down to Detroit.
I'm going to be wrapping up campaign season with one final live-blogging exclusive from Governor Granholm and Sen. Stabenow's Victory Party at the Renaissance Center. I wouldn't miss it for the world. This time, I'm bringing the camera to upload pictures as I go!

But before tomorrow, there's still tonight. I believe we could all use a good laugh. So it is in that spirit (and because I'm so tired) that I pass this along. Enjoy!

Political Science for Dummies

DEMOCRATIC	You have two cows. Your neighbor has none. You feel guilty for being successful. Barbara Streisand sings for you.
REPUBLICAN	You have two cows. Your neighbor has none. So?
SOCIALIST	You have two cows. The government takes one and gives it to your neighbor. You form a cooperative to tell him how to manage his cow.
COMMUNIST	You have two cows. The government seizes both and provides you with milk. You wait in line for hours to get it. It is expensive and sour.
CAPITALISM, AMERICAN STYLE	You have two cows. You sell one, buy a bull, and build a herd of cows.
BUREAUCRACY, AMERICAN STYLE	You have two cows. Under the new farm program the government pays you to shoot one, milk the other, and then pours the milk down the drain.
AMERICAN CORPORATION	You have two cows. You sell one, lease it back to yourself and do an IPO on the 2nd one. You force the two cows to produce the milk of four cows. You are surprised when one cow drops dead. You spin an announcement to the analysts stating you have downsized and are reducing expenses. Your stock goes up.
FRENCH CORPORATION	You have two cows. You go on strike because you want three cows. You go to lunch and drink wine. Life is good.
JAPANESE CORPORATION	You have two cows. You redesign them so they are one-tenth the size of an ordinary cow and produce twenty times the milk. They learn to travel on unbelievably crowded trains. Most are at the top of their class at cow school.
GERMAN CORPORATION	You have two cows. You engineer them so they are all blond, drink lots of beer, give excellent quality milk, and run a hundred miles an hour. Unfortunately they also demand 13 weeks of vacation per year.
ITALIAN CORPORATION	You have two cows but you don't know where they are. While ambling around, you see a beautiful woman. You break for lunch. Life is good.
RUSSIAN CORPORATION	You have two cows. You have some vodka. You count them and learn you have five cows. You have some more vodka. You count them again and learn you have 42 cows. The Mafia shows up and takes over however many cows you really have.
TALIBAN CORPORATION	You have all the cows in Afghanistan , which are two. You don't milk them because you cannot touch any creature's private parts. You get a $40 million grant from the US government to find alternatives to milk production but use the money to buy weapons.
IRAQI CORPORATION	You have two cows. They go into hiding. They send radio tapes of their mooing.
POLISH CORPORATION	You have two bulls. Employees are regularly maimed and killed attempting to milk them.
BELGIAN CORPORATION	You have one cow. The cow is schizophrenic. Sometimes the cow thinks he's French, other times he's Flemish. The Flemish cow won't share with the French cow. The French cow wants control of the Flemish cow's milk. The cow asks permission to be cut in half. The cow dies happy.
FLORIDA CORPORATION	You have a black cow and a brown cow. Everyone votes for the best looking one. Some of the people who actually like the brown one best accidentally vote for the black one. Some people vote for both. Some people vote for neither. Some people can't figure out how to vote at all. Finally, a bunch of guys from out-of-state tell you which one you think is the best-looking cow.
CALIFORNIA CORPORATION	You have millions of cows. They make real California cheese. Only five speak English. Most are illegals. Arnold likes the ones with the big udders.

More Legal Action Against Amway

(From one of my favorite writers over at MichiganLiberal, DemWave caught this beauty earlier this evening. I just had to post it - as if you really needed a 26th Reason Why NOT to Vote for Dick! Nice work DemWave! ~LL)

On the eve of the coronation planned by Dick DeVos (R-Amway), the Grand Rapids Press reports that a new legal action has been initiated against Alticor Inc. President Doug DeVos (little brother of Dick), Chairman Steve Van Andel, and the Amway guy himself, former President Dick DeVos.

Four former investors in the Asian subsidiary of Amway Corporation claim they were cheated out of $1 billion. According to the Press:

Chicago attorney Clinton Krislov has filed an appeal with Michigan Supreme Court on behalf of former Amway Asia Pacific shareholders Nancee and Donald Turnwall, of Irons, local attorney Robert Wardrop II and Texas resident Mark Metro.
. . .
A federal court dismissed the breach of fiduciary duty claim. But Krislov maintains while Amway's offer was a 53 percent premium over the market value of the shares at the time, they were worth closer to $40 and would be valued much higher today.

"They literally took a billion dollars that rightfully belonged to their shareholders," Krislov said. "You can buy the ticket, but if there's a train to be ridden, you're not on it."

Earlier this year, the Michigan Court of Appeals said the claims should have been brought against DeVos and Amway in Bermuda:

Most recently, a three-judge panel of the Michigan Court of Appeals decided in favor of Amway on July 22. Judges Richard Bandstra, Alton Davis and David Sawyer ruled the investors ought to have sought appraisal with the Supreme Court of Bermuda, where they company was incorporated.

"Under Bermuda law, appraisal of a fair share price by the court ... was plaintiffs' exclusive remedy," according to the judgment. "Because plaintiffs failed to avail themselves of that remedy, they cannot maintain this cause of action."

Amway Asia Pacific's Bermuda incorporation was thrown into the political ring, with Democrats claiming it could have been a move to dodge taxes.

It looks like Dick DeVos's decision to incorporate Amway Asia Pacific in Bermuda is working out for Dick DeVos. How is it working out for you Michigan?

Apparently not well given that Dick DeVos is a quitter, with a record of failure.

Why Carmella Sabaugh Deserves Your Support on Tuesday

There's not a whole lot that we hear about when it comes to the Secretary State. What do they do, how do they do it, and more importantly why is the SOS a partisan position?
All very good and very real questions that many of us have wondered for most of our lives.
Straight from the state's website...

The Department of State is the oldest department of Michigan state government and is administered by the secretary of state. Elected to a 4-year term, the secretary of state is a member of the executive branch of government and has constitutional as well as statutory duties.

The department collects nearly $2 billion in revenue each year. Those monies are distributed between the Michigan Transportation Fund and the General Fund and are used for a variety of other purposes as required by law.

The Department of State has contact with more Michigan residents than any other state agency.

The mission of the Department of State is to provide the most efficient and effective services to the people of Michigan through the licensing of drivers and the registration and titling of vehicles; the regulation of automobile dealers and repair facilities; the registration of voters and administration of elections; and the streamlined collection of revenue.

Terry Lynn Land (R) is the current Secretary of State, hailing from Kent County (Tricky Dick's territory). Problem is, she's not doing a proper job, and risking Michigan elections in the process.

Even Dick DeVos' running mate, Ruth Johnson (herself the Oakland County Clerk) has publically criticized Land for her failure of election equipment to protect against voter fraud.

"With no alternative, I would like to make a formal complaint against ES&S and ask that you investigate these problems... Secretary Land, Oakland County would not accept this behavior or these product failings from any other vendor." Republican Oakland County Clerk Ruth Johnson, currently the Republican Lieutenant Governor candidate, in a May 5, 2006 letter to Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land

(Be sure to check out the video and see Johnson's letter to Land here.) Ouch!


Land was also responsible for sending out this postcard to voters at the whopping cost of $1.9 Million dollars. Read how terrible it was here.
Credit to Matt at MichiganLiberal for getting to the bottom of it.

So why Carmella Saubaugh?

Well for starters, Carmella's another great Michigan woman, born, raised, educated, and dedicated her life to serving the people of our great state.

• Born Carmella Visconti August 3, 1938 in Detroit
• Baptized at San Francisco Catholic Church in Detroit
• Orphaned at age 8
  
• Raised by aunt and uncle in Detroit
  
• Graduated from Denby High School in Detroit, January 1956
  
• Awarded a scholarship from the Detroit Board of Education
  
• Attended Wayne State University
  
• Warren resident, Michigan's third largest city
  
• Mother of five children, all graduates of Warren Woods Public Schools and
  
• Michigan colleges and universities
  
• Honored as Italian American Woman of the Year in 2005 by the Italian Cultural Center

And then there's her long history of serving all of Michigan's people.

• Elected to Warren City Council , 1975-1979
• Elected Warren City Clerk in 1979
• Served as Warren City Clerk for 11 years
• Elected Macomb County Clerk in 1992
  
• Re-elected as Macomb County Clerk 1996, 2000, 2004
• Second highest vote-getter countywide in 2004
• Past president of Macomb County Clerks' Association

Since being elected to serve, Carmella's achievements are long and vast and she clearly has a proven record of working for the people of Michigan. Here are just a few, but the entire list is here.

• Sabaugh was the first county clerk to partner with the Social Security Administration to create a system allowing quick electronic verification of birth certificates to prevent fraud.

• First Michigan clerk to post online the names of candidate committees failing to pay campaign finance fees.
• First Michigan clerk to create an online concealed weapons permit system letting CCW permit applicants securely check their own application status.
• Let students “learn and earn” by hiring more student election inspectors than has ever been hired in an official capacity in Macomb County.
• Was the first county clerk in Michigan to offer evening hours, making it easier for working people to get their vital records and get personal service.
• Placed Macomb County among the most accountable in Michigan by putting county and local candidates’ campaign finance reports on the Internet free of charge.

Carmella Saubaugh - the only candidate for Secretary of State that's looking out for your best interests.

Just Say NO to Dick and YES to Jen - Reason #1

(When I started this list, I did it in the hopes of reaching the average, non-politically involved citizen. I wanted to bring the facts, as they already existed, together and show voters exactly where the candidates stood on the issues. Michiganians have a right to know exactly who they are voting for.
I never imagined how many hours of research, moments of stress ("@$!*^ How am I ever going to come up with 25!"), this would take from me. I still had to go on with my life, job, responsibilities, even with losing my grandfather (my inspiration for #15) in the middle of it all. But as I toiled, my resolve strengthened, my dedication deepened, and this list became a true labor of love. I know I've educated myself, and I hope that I've educated and opened even a few people's minds along the way.
A thanks goes out to all of my friends, mentors, supporters, and those of you who take the time to read my simple little list. An even bigger thanks goes out to everyone who loves our great state just as much as I do, and works hard to keep it great by voting tomorrow. Without you, this list would be pointless and completely in vain. Without further adieu...)

************************************************************************************

Tomorrow we decide.
Who will lead us into the next 4 years?
Who will help us get jobs, healthcare coverage, keep our rights, and protect our children?
Who will fight for us?

Let's see where they stand, on all of the issues.


1. Dick DeVos - fighting for special interests and the uber-wealthy. (click on the link for proof!)

Jobs - Amway Guy cuts thousands here, and sends even more to China. #25, #24, #3

Healthcare - Dick says either get a job or fend for yourself. #21

Education - Tricky Dick has donated millions to undermine our public education system through a voucher system, and has failed our kids. #23, #22, #4

Leadership - Dick lost more jobs and more money as President of Amway. #20

Our Cities - Dick's tax plan will crush our local cities and towns. #19

Job Creation - There's no proof Dick ever created a single job as President of Amway. #18

Great Lakes - Dick supports destroying our Great Lakes through drilling. #17

Campaign Finance - Dick is hiding his tax returns from us, why? #16

Stem Cell Research - Dick says "No Way" - but won't explain himself. #15

Middle Class and the Minimum Wage - Dick's out of touch, and Betsy thinks workers 'make too much'. #14

Public Health - Dick's going to cut it, period. #13

Job Outsourcing - Dick supports outsourcing through NAFTA. #12

Environmental Funding - Dick's going to cut necessary funding to keep our beautiful state pristine. #11

Women's Rights - Tricky Dick wants to outlaw a women's right to choose. #10

Michigan's Problems - Dick thinks it's our taxes, too bad research says different. #9

Affirmative Action - Dick doesn't really support it. Just look at his words, his staff, his record, his running mate, and what his friends are saying. #8

Honesty - Dick and Amway lied about their products and importing goods made in China to the US. #7

Lobbying and Ethics - Dick's donated millions to President Bush and the GOP. #6

The Single Business Tax (SBT) - Dick says he's going to fix it, but his solution will cost us $4 Billion extra. #5

Political Affiliations/Donations - Dick's a good friend (and donor) to Tom DeLay and Jack Abramoff, has donated 80% of his campaign money himself, is lobbying for tax breaks that will leave us with a $1.3 Billion tab. #2




1. Jennifer Granholm - fighting for all of us, always putting Michigan First!

Jobs - Governor Granholm has helped thousands find new jobs, created over 7,000 jobs and brought over $200 Million in investment from overseas. #25, #24, #3

Healthcare - Jen's making sure no citizen goes without healthcare coverage. #21

Education - The Governor has invested record amounts of money into education, created the toughest school curriculum, made our schools safer, and is creating early education opportunities. #23, #22, #4

Leadership - Jen has brought more businesses to Michigan, and helped existing ones stay and grow here. #20

Our Cities - She's brought millions of dollars to strengthen our cities and towns. #19

Job Creation - Employment in Michigan is up 24,000 jobs since the Governor took over. #18

Great Lakes - Jen's created necessary legislation to protect our Great Lakes. #17

Campaign Finance - The Lady Gov has nothing to hide, and has fully disclosed her report to voters. #16

Stem Cell Research - The Governor has been fighting like hell to allow research here in Michigan. #15

Middle Class and the Minimum Wage - Lady Jen has signed into law a historic minimum wage law, helping Michigan's poor. #14

Public Health - The Governor has created innovative programs that are working for all of Michigan. #13

Job Outsourcing - She's signed 59 Business tax cuts into law and promoted job insourcing. #12

Environmental Funding - Jen has successfully signed multiple vital funding for environmental projects into law. #11

Women's Rights - Not only does the Governor protect a woman's right to choose, she's also hard at work preventing unwanted pregnancies and saving the taxpayers millions of dollars. #10

Michigan's Problems - Jen's made sure Michigan has one of the lowest tax burdens in the country. #9

Affirmative Action - The Governor has a life-long history of protecting everyone's rights. #8

Honesty - Michigan's largest media outlets agree - Jen's always been working hard for us., and not special interests. #7

Lobbying and Ethics - The Governor has outstanding professional ethics. #6

The Single Business Tax (SBT) - Jennifer Granholm is the only candidate with a detailed plan to get rid of the SBT without hurting us in the process. #5

Political Affiliations/Donations - Donations to the Governor are from us, the citizens, not checks written to herself. Jennifer Granholm supports strong ethics and lobbying reforms, to keep candidates honest. #2

As you remind your friends and loved ones to vote tomorrow, pass this list along. Even if you affect one person's vote, you've still helped democracy, and made sure that Michigan stays GREAT!

Good news for Granholm. Tricky Dick continues to slip

Yay!

More good news from the Detroit Free Press, thanks to the ladies of Michigan. (Way to go, girls!)

A surge of support from women gave Gov. Jennifer Granholm a double-digit lead over Republican challenger Dick DeVos in a race for governor that's entered its final 48 hours.

Granholm's overall 54% to 41% lead is fueled by her 26 percentage-point margin among women, according to the Detroit Free Press-Local 4 Michigan Poll. DeVos has a 1 percentage-point margin among men.

-snip-

The Free Press-Local 4 poll shows Granholm held a 17-point edge among independent voters, who likely will decide the outcome of the race. About 5% in the poll said they were undecided or will choose a minor party candidate.

Granholm had a 21-point lead in metro Detroit, which comprises almost half of the state's voters.

Alright guys and girls, are you listening?

The key to keeping Michigan on track and keep your government working for you is simple.

Go out and vote for Granholm!

(and the multitude of other progressive candidates in your district.)
That's it, so simple, one little act, takes mere minutes and yet can determine how good or bad this state is going to get in the next 4 years.
Why? (other than the obvious?)

"This is all about turnout," she said. "The way this could go for DeVos is voters in metro Detroit stay home and there's an exceptionally high turnout in the west part of the state."

But that's not the only interesting bit....

Besides showing Granholm with a firm lead, the poll suggests trouble for Republicans on Election Day.

Independent voters said they are more inclined to vote for Democrats than they had been in the past. Independent voters are the key to winning the governor's race and others where neither party has a big advantage.

Also, the poll shows a significantly higher percentage of Democrats than Republicans plan to vote straight ticket this year -- 56% to 47% -- which would benefit Democrats in their attempt to wrest control of the Michigan House and Senate from the Republicans.

National polls have shown Democrats have a good shot at capturing the U.S. House or Senate, and that the public's anxiety over the war in Iraq is weighing heavily against Republicans.

I have to be honest though, my favorite bit of this article once again show's how Amway is bringing the sheep to the polls.

Nicole Baker, 33, of Otsego is voting for DeVos. She said she voted for Granholm in 2002, even though she disagreed with her pro-choice stance on abortion.

But Baker said she's disappointed with Granholm because of the state's poor jobs climate.

"It's gotten worse in the last year. There was no way I was voting for her," Baker said, adding that she likes DeVos' views opposing abortion.

Baker said her husband, a mechanical engineer, could easily make more money in other states, but they're reluctant to leave their families in Michigan. She said her brother is an Amway distributor and speaks highly of DeVos.

:sigh: And you wonder why I dislike Amway so much?

~LL

Just Say NO to Dick and YES to Jen - Reason #2

Campaigns - want to know who's really involved?
Follow the money
The mighty dollar speaks much louder than any sound bite or slogan.
Based on these money trails, which candidate would you rather have working for you?

Dick DeVos = ultra-conservative, out-of-touch, criminally-affliated, laden with special interests.

Jennifer Granholm = progressive, supported by working classes, enriched with hard work and old fashioned elblow grease.


2. Dick DeVos is not working for the people of Michigan, and we can't trust him.

The DeVos campaign has already spent over $39 million on the race, easily the most in Michigan history. In this reporting cycle alone the campaign spent over $18 million. On thirteen different occasions, DeVos wrote seven-figure checks to his own campaign, including one for $9 million on September 8. DeVos has personally given almost $35 million to his campaign, which represents well over 80 percent of the total campaign contributions. (DeVos for Governor Campaign Finance Report 10/06)

Dick DeVos had personal meetings with Tom DeLay on DeVos’ yacht. DeLay, a former Amway distributor, was indicted on a state law charge of conspiracy to illegally use soft money. (Washington Post, 5/15/00; Fox News Special Report with Brit Hume 5/20/99)

According to campaign finance reports, DeVos and his Political Action Committee (PAC), Restoring the American Dream exchanged thousands of dollars with DeLay, his campaign committee and his PAC, Americans for a Republican Majority. DeVos gave the Tom DeLay Congressional Committee $1,000 in 2000, DeLay’s PAC $5,000 in 1999 and DeLay’s legal defense fund $5,000.

DeLay’s PAC in turn gave DeVos’ PAC $5,000 over the course of two weeks in the fall of 2000. (Federal Election Commission Disclosure Database and Citizen.org)

Dick DeVos held a yacht party for convicted felon and lobbyist Jack Abramoff. It was hosted on the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., “to launch a new fund-raising drive for GOP House conservatives. Many of the guests were heavy hitters from the Religious Right. But when pledge time came, the first to sign up was no churchgoer. It was Jack Abramoff, an Orthodox Jewish lobbyist who is among the right wing's most aggressive fund-raisers.” (Business Week, July 5, 1999)

"Three months after the DeVos' $ 1 million GOP donation, Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott and House Speaker Newt Gingrich put a last-minute provision onto the compromise tax bill that gave Amway a $19 million tax break on its Asian branches, the magazine reported." (Associated Press, 10/28/98)

The DeVos family is one of a handful of super-wealthy families lobbying for the repeal of the federal estate tax. The tax affects only 8,200 families in the entire country, and the repeal would save the Amway heirs approximately $1.3 billion. The report revealed Amway first lobbied on the estate tax under Dick DeVos’ presidency in 1998 and has lobbied every year since. (Public Citizen Report, April 2006)

"Amway, its parent company, Alticor and their family owners have given at least $7.5 million to federal campaigns since 1990. [The Alticor PAC is called “ALTIPAC."] All of it went to Republicans and most was soft money -- cash or assets given to political action committees or parties and not directly to candidates or their committees."(Detroit Free Press, 6/18/06)

"Restoring the American Dream, a PAC created by gubernatorial candidate Dick DeVos, has given $1 million to scores of Republican candidates around the country, mostly those running for the U.S. House and Senate. The PAC received $180,000 from DeVos family members." (Detroit Free Press, 6/18/06)

In total, Dick DeVos and family members contributed more than $4.7 million in the 2004 election cycle alone. (Detroit Free Press, 6/18/06)

Dick DeVos and his family were the largest contributors in the nation to the Bush-Cheney presidential campaign in 2000, giving $602,000. (The Wall Street Journal, 12/28/00)


2. Jennifer Granholm, candidate for the people, by the people, always putting Michigan first.

Governor Granholm has raised $13.8 million from 30,323 donors. 16,444 donors have given $100 or less. Governor Granholm has received contributions from every county in Michigan. (Granholm Campaign Finance Report 10/27/06)

Jennifer Granholm believes in a strong campaign finance reform package, something that Dick DeVos stands against.

Comparison of Proposed Ethics Reforms

Reform	Governor Granholm	Dick DeVos
Financial Disclosure	Comprehensive disclosure for all state elected officials and candidates of financial and business interests and holdings as required for federal officials and candidates.	None.
	All candidates for Governor must release tax returns for 3 prior years. Pres. Bush & Cheney release their tax returns.	No disclosure of tax returns.
Political-Contribution- Free Zones in Government Buildings	Prohibit candidates or agents from accepting or soliciting political contributions in government buildings. Prohibit lobbyists or agents from delivering political contributions in government buildings.	No new prohibitions on campaign contribution / solicitation.
Ban Paid Speaking Fees	Extend ban on paid speaking fees (honoraria)	No new restrictions on paid speaking fees.
Ethics in State Contracting	Eliminate no-bid contracts. Prohibit state contract managers from soliciting or accepting political contributions from state vendors. Require contract managers to disclose conflicts of interest in writing and abstain when a conflict of interest exists. Prohibit state contract managers from seeking/negotiating job offers from state vendors.	“A DeVos administration will prohibit state contractors from giving to gubernatorial campaigns.”
New Legislative Ethics Act	Create clear standards on ethics and conflicts of interests for legislators. Require legislators with conflict of interest to disclose conflict in writing and abstain from voting or chairing committee hearing relating to conflict. Create new bipartisan legislative ethics committee to enforce compliance and include penalties for violations.	No new ethics / conflicts of interest standards for legislators.
New Ethics Act for Executive Branch Officials and Employees	Create clear standards on ethics and conflicts of interest for elected executive branch officials and employees. Require written disclosure of conflicts of interest. Enhance powers of State Board of Ethics and require referral of criminal matters to prosecutors.	No new ethics / conflicts of interest standards for executive branch officials or candidates.
Lobbying Ban	Prohibit elected officials or state department directors from lobbying for 1 year after leaving government. (HB 4226 – Ward, Passed House 98-9 in Feb. 2005)	“A DeVos administration will require a three-year wait before government officials can become lobbyists.”
Robo-Call Disclosure	Require full disclosure of recorded telephone communications in elections, including who paid for and authorized the calls.	No robo-call disclosure.
Lobbyist Funded Activities	Require full financial disclosure.	“A DeVos administration will ban all tickets and trips for government officials from lobbyists.”

Sources: Detroit News 4/22/06, Granholm for Governor 10/06,

Who's looking out for your best interests?

Blog o' the Day - ChristineBarry

I'm not your typical blogger.
I never really much read blogs because my idea of a blog was just one more forum for people in their angst to rant and rave. I'm a busy girl, and personally, I've got a lot of better things to do than listen to other people rant. If I'm going to take time out of my day to read something, than I need to know that I'm going to walk away from it with something new that I've learned.
Since then I still don't read too many blogs regularly, but there are a few that I've found that are truly out to educate others (as is the point of LLP). Here's yet another stand-out in the massive sea of blogs.

ChristineBarry.com

Christine touts her blog as "The only blog focusing on the people & politics of Shiawassee County, Michigan", but it's so much more than that.

Christine manages to bring things to light in a witty and plain-spoken kind of way. I really think CB is one of those blogs that the non-politico could sit down and read and just get it. Something that I think Liberals/Progressives and the Democratic Party all need to do much better than the status quo.
Christine's incorporating all sorts of multi-media and new technologies into her blog. Don't let the vanilla look of the blog fool you. Just recently she managed to inspire and educate me by featuring a YouTube video of the singer Pink with a live performance of "Dear Mr. President". It's an incredible song that you need to experience yourself, but I think after a view, you'll be hooked. (It's currently on its 6th play today on my computer). What was even better, was the post was titled "Dear Mr. DeVos" and is aptly named for our fight here in Michigan.
Besides all that, Christine is a bit of a celebrity in the blogosphere. She's a regular contributor at the Detroit News Political Blog. She even went toe-to-toe with columnist George Bullard in all of his conservative glory over one of the Granholm/DeVos debates, and came out with the guns blazing. Read all of her DetNews posts here, and you'll see why she's such an inspiration.
So if you're looking for another way to educate yourself and add a little something to your day, be sure to stop on by christinebarry.com
~LL

Just Say NO to Dick and YES to Jen - Reason #3

China - one of our biggest global competitors.
China - A place that Tricky Dick sent and created thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars.
China - The place that Dick DeVos' Amway calls home.
Michigan - Where Jennifer Granholm is bringing thousands of jobs and millions of dollars to.
Michigan - The place where Jennifer Granholm calls home.
The difference is clear.

Dick DeVos = China

Jennifer Granholm = Michigan

3. Dick DeVos has a clear record on lobbying for unfair trade practices with China, hurting Michigan jobs and workers.
The facts speak for themselves - Dick DeVos isn't working for the people of Michigan, but those of China.

"One CEO firmly in the China camp is Amway's Dick DeVos -- though that's not surprising given the millions he has bet on Beijing." (Business Week, 9/14/98)

Official records through the clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives showed the Amway Corporation, while Dick DeVos was President, lobbied for U.S. trade with China, including Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) status. (Amway Lobbying Report, 2/14/01)

On February 23, 2000, while Dick DeVos was President of Amway, Steve Van Andel, Chairman of Amway, testified before the Senate Committee on Finance in support of the PNTR.

The China Daily reported Amway Corp was "working hard to ensure the US Congress grants China Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) status. The act is needed to pave the way for China's entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO)."(China Daily, 1/30/00)

Dick DeVos chose China, NOT Michigan. On May 17, 2006, the Detroit News published a letter from the former Amway President himself. In the letter, Dick DeVos said his company invested $200 million in China. (Detroit News 5/17/06)

Today, there are more Amway jobs in China than the company’s home state of Michigan. Alticor’s Media Blog admitted DeVos’ China investment ended with 4,300 jobs in China. (Alticor Media Blog, 4/13/06)

Today, Amway no longer considers itself an American company, admitting that it "…considers itself an Asian company, with nearly 70 percent of its sales coming from the region."(Detroit Free Press, 10/22/04)

3. Jennifer Granholm has worked tirelessly to bring jobs back to Michigan.
In 2005 and 2006, Governor Granholm made 2 trips to Japan, and brought back over 1,000 jobs and $200 million in investment for Michigan.

Eighteen Japanese companies chose to invest in Michigan after meeting with Governor Granholm:

Konica Minolta Holdings purchased newspaper printing plate manufacturer American Litho in Grand Rapids. Konica plans to invest $13.3 million in expanding their facility to create 70 new jobs.

Meiden American, a heavy electrical equipment manufacturer, is planning to expand its Michigan presence by investing $10 million to open a new facility.

Shikoku Cable Company plans to invest $250,000 to expand its sales operations in Novi. The company manufactures coaxial cable for the satellite and cable television industry.

Taichi-S, an automotive seating manufacturer, is planning to invest $700,000 to expand its existing engineering facility in Farmington Hills.

JTETK, a partnership formed earlier this year between Toyoda Machinery and Koyo Seiko, nnounced the company will expand operations in Plymouth. The company manufactures auto parts including steering systems, bearings and drivelines.

Takao Metals, which currently has an engineering facility in Wixom, has recently begun construction on a new facility in Canton to expand engineering and light assembly operations. The parent company of Takao America will invest $10 million.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America, which currently has an office in Sterling Heights, will locate a new facility in Wixom this summer. The company produces heavy equipment, including engines and power systems.

Mitsui Chemical, one of the world’s largest producers of chemical products, has announced the company will consolidate production at its Adrian facility this summer. The consolidation will generate approximately $6 million in investment and move jobs from the company’s Indiana plant.

Hitachi Automotive, one of three core member companies of the Hitachi Group, a leading maker of powerful, corporate transaction oriented mainframes as well as semiconductors, PCs and other information system and telecommunications technologies will grow in Michigan. Hitachi is located in Farmington Hills and employs 130 people.

Sekisui Chemical is a diverse company with a range of products from housing and agriculture to medical, electronics and automotive. Its Voltek division is located in Coldwater where it employs 170 individuals and generates sales of approximately $60 million.

Nippon Antenna is undertaking a site search for a new R&D facility in Michigan. The company produces a variety of antenna devices, including automotive and satellite systems, and currently has a sales center in Farmington Hills.

Nippon Piston Ring is completing a new plant in Grand Haven under the name NPR Manufacturing Michigan and preparing to hire new workers. The company currently operates its Assembled Camshafts, Inc. in Grand Haven.

Advanced Special Tools in Battle Creek will create a new subsidiary called Advanced Plastics Molding in Battle Creek. AST currently employs 55 workers at its manufacturing facility in Battle Creek’s Fort Custer Industrial Park.

Nakagawa Special Steel is opening its first sales office in Novi. Nakagawa is a steel trading company, established in 1924, specializing in steel for manufacturing including automotive, industrial machines and home appliances.

Taiko Device Technologies is opening its first North American office in Southfield. Established in 1968, Taiko manufactures and sells various electronics devices such as relay systems for automobile use.

A&D Inc. is establishing A&D Technology Inc. as its wholly-owned subsidiary in Ann Arbor, to commence development of its Measurement, Control and Simulation Systems business in the North American region. The company is investing $500,000 and hiring several employees. The company also recently acquired MTS Systems Corp.’s Powertrain Technology Division in Ann Arbor.

DENSO will invest $36 million to expand its North American headquarters in Southfield and create 250 new jobs.

Tokai Rika will invest $50 million to grow its operations in Battle Creek, Jackson, and Plymouth, creating 230 new jobs.

Sources: michigan.gov 5/18/06, Detroit News 9/22/06, Detroit Free Press 5/18/06, Michigan Economic Development Corporation 5/16/06)

Good news (Polling Numbers) for Michigan Democrats

Alright, so I'm a bit superstitious, and I normally try not to look at poll numbers this close to E-Day, but there's so much good news that I just can't help myself.

First off, from my good buddy Nirmal at Capital Viewpoint.
Nirmal is a statistical whiz and he's broken down the latest EPIC-MRA Poll on the Granholm v. Tricky Dick DeVos race. Of course leave it to Lansing's very own WILX-TV to read it wrong.

The latest EPIC-MRA poll shows Granholm leading DeVos 52 percent to 43 percent. They sampled 600 likely voters over the past three days, with a margin of error of 4 percent.

The previous EPIC-MRA results, released Tuesday, showed Granholm leading DeVos 52% to 42%. Unfortunately, this has led WILX 10 to falsely claim that the "Race for Governor Gap Tightens." This is simply untrue. The margin of error is 4%, so a 1% difference in the results is not significant.

Of course, then there's Matt at MichLib who sat down with East Lansing's very own Poll Papa, Mark Grebner. Mark says the Gov's up by 5 (Matt's coming in at an optimistic 7). Jump on over to the story here and listen to Matt's interview with Mark. Good work, Matt!

And this just in from the LSJ's very own Election Blog. Derek Wallbank is the poor guy that got stuck with this beast of a blog and so far, he's done a pretty decent job of covering it. I don't always agree with him and I've commented to that effect on the blog a couple times, but for the most part, he deserves an 'A' for effort.
Today's post is aptly called "Dems chances to win MI Senate, House, upgraded"
Basically Derek got a hold of the recently released Rothenberg Political Report. Here's an excerpt.

Democratic chances to take the Michigan Senate and House were upgraded today as Lou Jacobson of the Rothenberg Political Report and Roll Call, moved them both to the "Lean Republican" category from "Likely Republican".

In Michigan, both chambers are now in play. While the improving fortunes of once-vulnerable Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D) have helped her party, the bigger issue may be that a Kalamazoo-based millionaire, Jon Stryker, is spending several million dollars on independent expenditure TV ads that slam GOP incumbents in key districts.

Control of the Senate looks like it's coming down to four races, each currently held by a Republican:

Sen. Tom George vs. Rep. Alexander Lipsey (Kalamazoo area)
Sen. Laura Toy vs. Rep. Glenn Anderson (Westland/Livonia)
Rep. Roger Kahn (R) vs. Rep. Carl Williams (D) (Saginaw)
John Pappageorge vs. Andy Levin (Royal Oak)

Democrats need 3 of 4 to get a tie (broken by the Lt. Gov), 4 of 4 for a win.

Control of the House is a much tougher thing. Insiders say Democrats may lose former Rep. Herb Kehrl's seat, but should pick up Rep. David Farhat's. Beyond that, who knows?

As I've been saying, look south. If either party wins 3 out of the LSJ political blog's 3 target seats: the 67th (South Ingham County), 64th and 65th (Jackson County), they would almost assuredly win control. But polling in House races is very tough, and there's not much of it outside of internal polls. Anything could happen.

Anything could happen indeed!! Can't wait to see how the next couple days are going to play out. Keep your eyes and ears open!!!

~LL

Just Say NO to Dick and YES to Jen - Reason #4

Our kids.
Our hope, our dreams, our future.
So why would we ever elect someone who can't help our children succeed?
Our kids deserve someone who has a proven record of fighting for them.



4. Dick DeVos is intent on bankrupting our public schools.
School vouchers - if you thought Dick and Betsy were done with them in 2000, you couldn't be more wrong. Dick's long and vast history on working against Michigan's public schools from elementary to university shows where his interests lay. We can't trust Dick with our kids futures. (There's more below)


4. Governor Jennifer Granholm has made education her top priority with tremendous results.

Pushed K-12 Funding to an All-Time High. Under Governor Granholm’s leadership, state funding for K-12 public education is at an all-time high of $7,085 per pupil. Even while eliminating $4 billion in budget deficits, Governor Granholm has made investing in public schools her top priority. (There's more)

Dick's Slippery Path

Tricky Dick's own hometown paper, The Grand Rapids Press called Dick and Betsy DeVos 'the face of the voucher movement' (GRP 7/9/06)

Dick and Betsy DeVos founded a national pro-voucher group called All Children Matter (ACM)

All Children Matter is currently pushing vouchers nationwide. "All Children Matter Director Greg Brock says along with Florida, Louisiana, Ohio, Missouri, Virginia and Wisconsin, Utah is a key state for the school-choice movement…" (Salt Lake Tribune, 6/25/06)

According to the organization’s website, Betsy DeVos is still leading the organization and is still a big contributor. On April 19, 2006, Betsy wrote a check to the tune of $200,000 to "All Children Matter."(http://www.allchildrenmatter.org/leadership.php)

In Michigan, Dick and Betsy DeVos led the way in the unsuccessful 2000 campaign for school vouchers. DeVos spent $10 million and only got some 30 percent of the vote. (The New York Times, 12/20/00)

"As a candidate for governor, Dick DeVos has carefully calibrated his comments on education, skirting the incendiary issue of vouchers. But the Republican businessman spoke with more candor in a Dec. 3, 2002, speech before the conservative Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C. 'But when the time comes, we will bring the fight back to Michigan again and do everything we can there.' That statement directly contradicts DeVos' statements as a gubernatorial contender." (Grand Rapids Press, 7/9/06)

Dick DeVos has no plan for improving education in Michigan. There are no policy initiatives listed on his website. Just a lot of rhetoric.

Dick DeVos supports a gas cap on Michigan’s sales tax that would take "about $285 million" from public education. When asked about the impact on schools, DeVos said, “I don’t happen to think the consequences would be substantial.” (Associated Press, 5/3/06)

Of course, then there's always his running mate to consider, and she's not much better.

Ruth Johnson has a record of giving up on public education, too.
She voted YES on passage of a Republican budget plan that cut more than $529 million from public education over three years: $71.5 million in 2001, $189.49 in 2002, and $268.5 million in 2003. [RC 381, 6/28/01, HB 4371; RC 453, 9/20/01, HB 4371]
She voted NO on an amendment that would establish a mandatory core curriculum for Michigan schools. [RC 113, 3/16/99, SB 297].
Ruthie voted against an amendment that would have doubled the Merit scholarship from $2,500 to $5,000. [HB 4302, RC 196, 3/24/99].
Ruth Johnson also voted NO on an amendment to allow more students to qualify for the Merit scholarship. [HB 4302, RC 195, 3/24/99].

Lady Jen - Our Fighter!

Proposed Plan to Give Every Student a $4,000 Scholarship. The Governor proposed her New Merit Award scholarship, which would give every student $4,000 to continue their education at a college, university or technical training school. The amount is equal to the cost of two years at most community colleges and would make a college degree affordable for every student.

Made our Schools Safer. Governor Granholm led the fight to keep sexual predators away from Michigan’s schools. She signed legislation that keeps sex offenders away from schools and childcare facilities, ensuring our children are safe on the bus, on the playground and in the classroom. (Detroit News 4/25/06)

Established a New Rigorous High School Curriculum. The Governor called for and signed into law one of the most rigorous curriculums in the nation to ensure all students are well prepared for college and the jobs of the 21st century. (Detroit Free Press 4/21/06)

Launched Early Childhood Education Efforts. Governor Granholm launched the Great Parents, Great Start program to improve school readiness and give parents the tools they need to help their children learn in the first five years of life. The Governor required licensed Michigan day-care providers to read for 30 minutes a day to children in their care. And Governor Granholm also approved the formation of a new non-profit public corporation, the Early Childhood Investment Corporation, to coordinate state and local efforts to promote early childhood development activities in Michigan.

Increased Accountability for School Districts. Governor Granholm believes we should hold our schools to high standards and give them the support they need to achieve those standards. She has pushed for comprehensive improvement plans at schools that are not meeting academic goals.

Urged Legislators to Pass Anti-Bullying Legislation. In her 2006 State of the State address, Governor Granholm called legislators to pass bills that would protect Michigan children from harassment or bullying at school. (State of Michigan, 3/21/06)

Our kids deserve someone who will fight for them and Governor Granholm's the only one.

Howard Dean's Coming to Town! (and you should go!)

Like all good liberals, I love Howard Dean. In fact, I'm even proud of the fact that I'm an original Deaniac. March of 04 was a rough month for me when the man dropped out of the race. Too bad he was ahead of his time.

However, all is not lost, as he's found a great fit as Chairman of the Democratic National Committee. I've been really impressed with how he's been invigorating the Party and focusing on wide-spread outreach, and strengthening local party efforts, and not just dumping money in the swing states.

In carrying out his duties as Chair, the former Vermont governor is coming to stump for MI-08's challenger - Jim Marcinkowski. As the LSJ briefly explains

Former Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean will visit Lansing on Friday to campaign for congressional hopeful Jim Marcinkowski.

The event will begin with a private reception for donors from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the law offices of Hay & O'Rourke, 221 W. Saginaw St.

A rally will follow from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. featuring remarks from Dean and Marcinkowski, who is challenging U.S. Rep Mike Rogers, R-Brighton, in Tuesday's election.

Soooo...if you missed your chance in '04 to get revved up by someone nearly as charismatic as our own lovely Lady Gov, now's the time!

Who's going? :-D

~LL

Just Say NO to Dick and YES to Jen - Reason #5

SBT (Single Business Tax) - Everyone's talking about it.
It's an almost $1.9 Billion tax.
Dick says he's going to fix it when he's governor.
But let's back up and figure out exactly what Dick's definition of fixing actually is.
Last time I did math, fixing did not mean leaving the average citizen footing $5 Billion.
Since when is a $5 Billion tab better than $1.9 Billion?
Who's Dick fixing things for himself or the people of Michigan?



5. Dick DeVos' Turn Around Plan will cost Michigan taxpayers over 5 Billion dollars.
Tricky Dick is trying to pull another fast one on the people of Michigan. Using his figures here's the estimates of his so-called Turn Around Plan. (see below)


5. Governor Granholm is going to get rid of the SBT responsibly, without cutting vital programs.

Governor Granholm is the only candidate for Governor who has proposed a detailed plan to get rid of the Single Business Tax and replace it with the fair tax on businesses that will protect vital funding for health care, education, and public safety.

Granholm has said she favors eliminating the business tax, but only if it has a replacement as part of the deal. (Detroit News 6/11/06)

Some of the key points in her replacement plan include:

• Encouraging Major Employers to Keep Jobs in MI.
• Encourage Small Businesses to Grow, Attract Jobs of the Future.
• Make Business Tax Structure More Fair

More from Amway Guy

The Michigan General Operating Budget is just over $9 Billion. (Office of the Budget)

Dick DeVos' Turn Around Plan will cost the people of Michigan $5.1 Billion. (Michigan Democratic Party, 7/06)

This calculation does not include Amway Guy's proposed cap on sales tax on gasoline. That number is estimated at an additional $285 Million. (Gongwers News Service 6/27/06)

What's more, DeVos is willing to steal from public education, police and fire just to make a tax cut.

The DeVos' plan, "would save drivers about $1 per fill-up, while wiping out an estimated $285 million that goes to public schools, local police and fire services and mass transit. Incredibly, DeVos reportedly called the revenue loss inconsequential." (Detroit Free Press 5/14/06 editorial)

Dick wants to cut a tax that the State doesn't even collect on.

Treasury officials cited the same law (CL 211.9(j)) in noting that current law does exempt farm equipment from the personal property tax. (Gongwer 6/26/06)

Here's the proof -

	DeVos’ Economic Agenda	What’s the Cost?
	Revenue Cuts
1	Eliminate the Single Business Tax	$1.85 billion
2	Reduce tax on technology and equipment	$1.5 billion
3	Cut taxes on farm machinery and new technology	SOM doesn’t collect
	Spending Increases
4	Increase K-12 funding	$635 million
5	Invest in merit pay for teachers	$205 million
6	Increase funding for higher education	$200 million
7	Loan forgiveness program	$195.5 million
8	Add more police officers	$150 million
9	Incentives for research and development	$140 million
10	Increase health care provider rates	$117.4 million
11	Increase technology in the classroom	$110 million
12	Increase road spending	$70 million
13	Increase electric transmission	$55 million
14	More funding for math and science classes	$34 million
15	Invest in technology in health care	$20 million
16	Increase funding for tourism	$15 million
17	Increase funding for environmental cleanup	$7.5 million
18	Expand dual enrollment	$5.6 million
19	Increase funding for agriculture marketing	$2.3 million
20	Increase funding for life sciences	$1.8 million

(source: MI Dems)

Dick's Turn Around Plan = Turn us all Broke Plan

Just Say NO to Dick and YES to Jen - Reason #6

George W. Bush.
Ethics.
Michigan Voters.
Not really three terms that really make sense when you put them all together.
Bush - Otherwise known as The President Who Forgot the Michigan Auto Industry
If you're Dick DeVos, you might call him one of your best friends.
That is, if you determine your friends by how much money you give to them.
But you got to ask yourself, why raise all that money if you don't want something in return....


6. Dick DeVos loves him some George W. Bush (as long as he gets a little something in return...)
Nothing wrong with having money, that is unless you use that money unethically. The DeVos record is clear.

DeVos Money and Ethics - not in Michigan's best interest.

Dick DeVos and his family were the largest contributors in the nation to the Bush-Cheney presidential campaign in 2000, giving $602,000. (The Wall Street Journal, 12/8/00)

In the 2004 Bush Campaign, Betsy DeVos was named a “Pioneer” for raising more than $100,000. (Detroit Free Press, 6/18/06)

Dick and Betsy DeVos were the nation's fifth largest donors to state Republican organizations and caucuses in 2003-04, giving $981,486. (Detroit Free Press, 6/18/06)

In total, Dick DeVos and family members contributed more than $4.7 million in the 2004 election cycle alone. (Detroit Free Press, June 18, 2006)
Here's the real problem -

Betsy DeVos admitted she expected something in return for her contributions. “I know a little something about soft money, as my family is the largest single contributor of soft money to the national Republican party. Occasionally a wayward reporter will try to make the charge that we are giving this money to get something in return, or that we must be purchasing influence in some way. ..I have decided, however, to stop taking offense at the suggestion that we are buying influence. Now I simply concede the point. They are right. We do expect some things in return.” (Roll Call, 9/6/97)

And Amway Guy's Dad agrees.

DeVos’ father Rich explained that Amway’s massive lobbying efforts and record political contributions allowed them to “buy access.” (Business Week 2/16/98)

And Dick won't disclose his tax returns, so who knows what else he's hiding from Michigan voters.

“I will be disclosing to the people of Michigan that which I think is appropriate to understand as they look to make a decision about their next Governor.” (WILX-TV, 1/11/06)



6. Governor Jennifer Granholm's personal and professional ethics are unassailable.

Speaking about her ethics proposal, Granholm said “Accountability and openness are at the heart of any democracy. This comprehensive package will ensure that Michigan voters have accurate, honest information on which to judge candidates and elected officials,” said Granholm. Michigan has recently been shown to be among the weakest states in the Union for public servant’s financial disclosure, and Granholm has asked the Legislature to approve the changes she is proposing in early 2006. (PAA Online 12/16/05)

Even the traditionally Pro-DeVos Detroit News agrees, saying "Granholm's ethics proposal deserves action by lawmakers. Gov. Jennifer Granholm's proposed ethics legislation serves a useful purpose. It should put pressure on GOP state lawmakers to finish up some ethics business of their own. The governor announced that she and Democratic lawmakers have introduced a package of bills to require state appointed and elected officials to disclose their financial interests. Part of the legislation requires candidates for governor to reveal their federal income tax returns going back for three years." (Detroit News 4/22/06)

Who's got your best interest at heart?