For Our Veterans

I always get a lump in my throat when I stand up to sing the Star Spangled Banner, but it often seems as if I'm the only one. The daughter and granddaughter of several of America's heroes, I believe that to have given all or a part of your life to our country and what it stands for is truly one of the most self-less acts, ever.

My dad is a Vietnam Veteran, and I will never know exactly what he suffered, or how wet a monsoon really is, or how terrifying the jungles appeared at night. I couldn't tell you what it's like to spend months and years knowing that it could all be over in a flash, sometimes only because you fly a different flag than the guy at the other end of the gun. I don't know what it's like to return to a country only a year or two older than when you left but be aged beyond words. But our heroes can - and those who serve even now, will return with their own age spots, both emotional and physical.

On this Veterans Day, I am sad to see how little respect our veterans have been given by the press, by our government, and by the people in general. Just with those who have lost their lives in the last 6 years, it seems as if we've swept our heroes under the rug of our daily lives. Now grown men and women have to be told to take their hat off while our anthem plays, and too many still don't know all the words to the Pledge of Allegiance. I'm tired of patriotism being played as a campaign card when it's fashionable, and forgotten when it matters most. Our vets are our heroes, those who stand among us with scars that will always linger, and too often, those who are left behind us as we go forward. These men and women deserve so much more than the societal breadcrumbs we throw them when the media spotlight needs a new poster boy or girl.

So how do we honor our veterans and fallen heroes? I think of my dad, and my grandfathers, and I know that the greatest form of respect we can give them is to never, ever forget - what they've given, what they endure to this day, and the battle that they face even now, on our own soil, through finances, education, and health care. Perhaps we all need to stand as a state and a country, remove our hats, and swallow the collective lump that should form in all of our throats. Wipe the tear that forms in the corner of our eye, and turn to salute our veterans, our heroes. Contrary to what many may think, they are what keeps us great, not the other way around.

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!

Musings of an Exhuasted Blogger

As the minutes and hours seem to slowly tick by, and I anxiously await the results of today's elections, I can't help but reflect.

I've always been the most politically involved person that most of my family and friends know. This campaign season, I took it to a whole different level, and finally found my place within it all.

I was raised by parents who despite their claims to be Independents, regularly cancelled out each other's votes every election day. We never had yard signs, and politics wasn't regularly discussed around the dinner table. Both Mom and Dad always went to the polls, and my siblings and I were taught that not to vote equated to treason.

As I grew up, I was diagnosed with a severe chronic illness in my teens and spent the next 10 years hospitalized over 70 times made it through each of my 35+ surgeries. Between my parents and I, we spent hundreds of hours on the phone with insurance companies, hospitals and doctors offices. I got sicker, and with each day, angrier and more frustrated with a healthcare system that by all accounts, isn't designed with the patients in mind. Someone suggested that I start advocating my elected officials for funding for health research, much-needed changes to our healthcare policy, and things like a patient's bill of rights, and I decided it couldn't hurt. So in those rare moments of good health, I managed to squeeze an over-night trip to D.C. or Lansing into my schedule, or time to send an email to my representatives, or to friends urging them to send one of their own. And as they say, the rest is history.

I was hooked. Hooked on the possibility that I could spur a change that would help others (and hopefully, myself) and I found an outlet that I could use my mind, something that has always run circles around my fatigued body.

Nowadays, I follow politics at every level, and I'm known for walking up to a candidate I believe in and asking "How can I help you?". I've stuffed more envelopes, made more phone calls, knocked on more doors than I care to remember. Come the second Tuesday of November, my body was exhausted, my mind numb and I would trudge to the polls only to collapse for the next week in recovery. This year, this campaign season, things are different.

I'm a Blogger - and a legit one at that.

I've logged more hours at my computer in the past 6 months than I think I have in the last 4 years that I've owned it. My feet aren't worn down and I don't mistakenly answer my cell phone "Granholm for Governor, how can I help you?" I've made friends in every corner of the state, but I couldn't tell you what most of them look like, because we've never actually met. My regular circle of friends complain that they've forgotten what I look like, and I've had to endure a lot of their teasing, but I almost have their IP addresses memorized. I can spout more facts about why Dick DeVos is bad for Michigan than I probably should know, and I know how to master most Internet search engines. Live-blogging makes my shoulders ache for hours but gets my adrenaline rushing. A peak in my site traffic merits a "Whoopee!" and I've discovered exactly how many words I can type before my tea kettle starts to boil. I've embraced my dorkiness, and now I'm officially liberal, loud, and proud.

Don't get me wrong, I've still stuffed envelopes, made plenty of phone calls, and knocked on more doors than I count this season. But this next week won't find me in recovery mode all seven days. And, no matter the results tonight, I feel an incredible sense of accomplishment.

I've found an outlet where I can use my mind without abusing my body and still have helped the cause and the candidates. I'm still shocked when I get an email from a candidate/campaign who says "Hey, we wanted to give you a heads-up...and thought we'd send you this before it goes to the press." What's even more rewarding, the people I've hero-worshipped as I read their daily posts and diaries for the last couple years have started to accept me as one of their own and call me their peer.

So tonight, just as I have the last four or five elections, I'll whoop for joy with the news, and there will be news that will probably leave me crestfallen. But when I fall into bed tonight, I'll know that I gave it my all, left my mark, no matter how tiny, and found a place where I can help others and the cause, and still not physically pushed myself to the point of exhaustion. I've found my place in the world of 21st Century campaigning, and I'll be darned if it isn't quite fitting.

Duh

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

GO VOTE

Keep Michigan Great with Granholm.

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)