As disdainful of democracy as ever, the GOP-dominated Michigan legislature has three more weeks of a lame duck session to toss aside the will of the voters. Come January, they will still retain majorities in both houses, but they lose the executive branch to Democrats. Hence they’re working hard to do as much damage as they can while they hope to avoid vetoes from outgoing Governor Rick Snyder. It’s our job to work overtime ourselves to limit their destruction.
Some of the malfeasance was expected. Back in the late summer, when the One Fair Wage (raising minimum wage and eliminating the two-tiered wage structure) and Time to Care (guarantee of earned paid sick time) initiatives were headed to the ballot, the Republican legislature cynically passed both proposals into law. Doing so meant they could overturn both laws during the lame duck session with a simple majority rather than the two-thirds majority required to do so if the ballot proposals passed. They knew it, we knew it, and there was nothing we could do to stop it. And yes, now both bills are about to be gutted, if they have their way.
But the extent of the other legislation introduced, some related to the three ballot proposals we just passed and some arising seemingly out of sheer malevolence, is jaw-dropping. A sample:
- SB 1197 (Line 5) — Mandates a tunnel under the Straits of Mackinac to replace the obsolete and hazardous pipelines now carrying a million gallons of oil and natural gas liquids per hour. This tunnel would be supervised by the Mackinac Bridge Authority (an entity ill-suited for this duty), and the terms of the bill would shield Enbridge from ALL LIABILITY should the tunnel fail. Taxpayers would be on the hook instead! Action on this bill in the House is expected this week.
- SB 796 & HB 6474/HB 5368 (Public Employees) — Eliminates paid release time for union business for certain public employees; first responders’ locals are exempt. This bill is a follow-up to the Right to Work (for less) bills that the 2012 lame duck session succeeded in ramming through.
- HBs 5916 & 5917 (Puppy Mills) — Limits the ability of municipalities to regulate pet stores and bar the acquisition of puppies for sale from unscrupulous breeders.
From the large to the small, the GOP seeks to maximize the harm they can cause. A full list, with bill numbers and short descriptions of each, is viewable here. More could be introduced in the nine days currently scheduled!
So what can we do, when they apparently have the upper hand? Plenty!
One key strategy is to flood Gov. Snyder’s mailbox with letters and postcards expressing opposition to these underhanded moves. There is some reason to expect he could exercise his veto power on at least some of these bills, given how blatantly they flout the small-d democratic process.
Governor Rick Snyder
P.O. Box 30013
Lansing, Michigan 48909
Separate messages for each issue/bill will be more effective, if you can take the time to write multiple letters/postcards.
Calling his office is also an option, though likely to be less effective overall.
517-373-3400
Another is to call these Michigan representatives who may be persuadable on one or more of these bad bills. EDITED to include district numbers and key towns AND this caution: Calls from people OUTSIDE the district may not have a positive effect. I know, their decisions affect the whole state. But the realities are what they are. See HERE for the full list of Michigan Representatives by district, with their contact information and district map. (No reason not to reach out to your family and friends in those districts to ask them to call.)
Rep. Afendoulis
|
R
|
District 73 (E Grand Rapids)
|
517-373-0218
|
Rep. Calley
|
R
|
District 87 (Hastings)
|
517-373-0842
|
Rep. Crawford
|
R
|
District 38 (South Lyon)
|
517-373-0827
|
Rep. Garcia
|
R
|
District 90 (Holland)
|
517-373-0830
|
Rep. Inman
|
R
|
District 104 (Traverse City)
|
517-373-1766
|
Rep. Lilly
|
R
|
District 89 (Grand Haven)
|
517-373-0838
|
Rep. Maturen
|
R
|
District 63 (Marshall)
|
517-373-1787
|
Rep. McCready
|
R
|
District 40 (Bloomfield Hills)
|
517-373-8670
|
Rep. Pagel
|
R
|
District 78 (Niles)
|
517-373-1796
|
Rep. Roberts
|
R
|
District 65 (Eaton Rapids)
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517-373-1775
|
Rep. Sheppard
|
R
|
District 56 (Milan)
|
517-373-2617
|
Rep. VanSingel
|
R
|
District 100 (Hart)
|
517-373-7317
|
Another is to head to the Capitol for protests and to sit in the gallery to bear witness. Progress Michigan has this to say:
We are mobilizing for action on Tuesday (12/4), Wednesday (12/5), and Thursday (12/6) while the legislature is back in session trying to pass damaging policies for our communities. Please sign up here to take action! Every role is vital, no matter if you're joining us at the Capitol or from your kitchen table.
If you can attend a protest this week, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, gather at 8:30am at the Progress Michigan/America Votes Office for prep and training (215 S. Washington Square, Ste 135, Lansing, MI 48933). If I can attend one myself I will update this post. Kosmail me, please, if you’re interested in carpooling from Washtenaw. Please also feel free to report on the results of your calls in the comments.
For those who use Facebook, the public group “Michigan Lame Duck Action” serves as another central place for announcements.
ALL of the organizations that took part in the successful ballot proposals are activating their members now to continue our advocacy. All Michigan citizens who support democracy and the rule of law need to make our commitment known.
What do we do when we’re under attack? Stand up! Fight back!
Monday, Dec 3, 2018 · 10:25:40 PM +00:00 · peregrine kate
And more opportunity to take part, offered by We the People!
Want to plug in on the action against lame duck? Join tonight for an Emergency Call tonight at 8pm to get involved. This call is for folks who are just learning about lame duck and how to fight back.
Whether you got 2 minutes, 2 hours, or 2 days to fight this week, we need your help. Register at http://bit.ly/2rikesR.