Senator Carl Levin (D. MI) decided to call it quits today:
http://www.freep.com/...
U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, who has been a force for progressivism in the Senate since 1979 and made his mark in recent years as chairman of the powerful Armed Services Committee, will not run for re-election next year, likely setting off a political avalanche of interest in the seat.
Levin, 78, released a statement Thursday afternoon saying he made the decision believing “I can best serve my state and my nation by concentrating in the next two years on the challenging issues before us … in other words, by doing my job without the distraction of campaigning for re-election.”
Speculation had been running high that Levin might decide not to run for reelection, but Levin had repeatedly said he hadn’t made up his mind. Last month, his office staff knocked down speculation that he might not seek a seventh six-year term in 2014 after filing a small fundraising report for the last quarter of 2012. - Detroit Free Press, 3/7/13
Before he exits, Levin has a few things he wants to get done before he leaves:
In his statement Thursday, Levin said he wanted to concentrate on passing laws that target offshore tax avoidance schemes, a pursuit of his for years. Second, he said he wanted to ensure that “the manufacturing renaissance that has led to Michigan’s economic comeback continues.” Thirdly, he said the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations he chairs will look into the failure of the Internal Revenue Service to enforce tax laws that “are supposed to prevent secret contributions to tax exempt organizations for political purposes.” - Detroit Free Press, 3/7/13
I have mixed feelings about seeing him go. I wasn't happy that he worked with Senator John McCain (R. AZ) in blocking filibuster reform:
http://www.dailykos.com/...
So they quietly drafted a compromise that would block filibusters on proceeding to legislation and guarantee the minority party at least two amendments on the floor. It also would make it easier to go to conference with the House and confirm certain presidential nominations. The agreement would last only two years. - Politico, 1/2/13
But I always respected Levin's ongoing fight to close corporate tax loopholes:
http://www.dailykos.com/...
One way we can bring down the deficit while avoiding those damaging cuts is to close some egregious corporate tax loopholes.
Over the last year, I’ve fought for changes to bring down the deficit and make the tax code fairer. For example, we should end the tax loopholes and accounting gimmicks that allow companies to give lucrative stock options to executives and stick Uncle Sam with the tab; that allow companies to avoid taxes by shifting U.S. income to offshore shell corporations; that subsidize companies for moving U.S. jobs offshore; and that allow hedge fund managers to pay a lower tax rate than their staff.
Revenue from closing those loopholes will help us preserve programs that support the aspirations of average families. For example, Congress acted over the summer to avoid a doubling of student-loan rates that would have put college — already a financial strain for most families — even further out of reach. We beat back attempts to reduce the budgets for education, research into groundbreaking technology and life-saving medical treatments. We must continue to fight to preserve these important investments in our people and their future. - Press & Guide, 1/29/13
Levin even authored legislation known as the Cut Unjustified Tax Loopholes Act that would bring in $200 billion in revenue over 10 years:
http://www.dailykos.com/...
Senator Carl Levin’s push to close tax loopholes will target corporate deductions for stock options and rates on investment income known as carried interest, seeking to raise at least $200 billion by one estimate.
In a memo to Democratic Senate committee leaders on Friday, the Michigan Democrat described proposals to end what he called excessive corporate tax deductions, scrap the blended tax rate for derivatives such as commodity futures and strengthen enforcement of the tax code, Bloomberg BNA reported.
Levin -- chairman of a Senate investigations subcommittee that has jurisdiction over offshore banking and tax practices and federal waste, fraud and abuse -- plans to introduce a measure called the Cut Unjustified Tax Loopholes Act. - Bloomberg, 2/4/13
And of course there's this:
So today I say farewell to Senator Levin. So now that Levin is out, there are a number of potential candidates to run for his seat on the Democratic side:
http://atr.rollcall.com/...
Contenders from both parties could come from the House: Rep. Gary Peters, a Democrat, has said he’s keeping his options open for 2014, and Michigan Republicans said Rep. Justin Amash is eyeing the seat.
Democrats also named Jocelyn Benson, nominee for secretary of state in 2010, and former Rep. Mark Schauer as potential candidates. State Senate Minority Leader Gretchen Whitmer could also consider a bid, though she announced earlier this year that she would not run for governor because of family considerations.
An attorney by trade, Levin worked for the Michigan Civil Rights Commission in the 1960s. He was elected to the Detroit City Council in 1969, where he served for eight years before running for Senate. In 1978, Levin defeated Republican Sen. Robert Griffin by 4 points. - Roll Call, 3/7/13
I'm not too worried about this seat. I believe we can still hold it and if we have a charismatic candidate running in the same year that vulnerable Governor Rick "Right To Work " Snyder (R. MI) also has to face the voters, we might be able to pick up some seats on a local level. We shall see and I am looking forward to knowing more about Congressman Gary Peters (D. MI-14) who has been mentioned quite a bit from community members. But now that Levin is retiring, this guy needs to put his money where his mouth is:
http://www.dailykos.com/...
WASHINGTON -- U.S. Rep. Justin Amash, the west Michigan Republican who has had difficulties with leaders in his own party, is reportedly interested in running for the U.S. Senate.
The website for the conservative National Review reported Thursday that Amash is "privately considering a Senate bid, should incumbent Democrat Carl Levin retire."
Amash's office did not immediately return an e-mail for comment to the Free Press.
The National Review said that Amash, a 32-year-old former state legislator from Cascade Township, who is in his second term in Congress, has met with allies to talk about running for the Senate but that no decision is expected until Levin -- a Michigan Democrat who joined the Senate in 1978 -- makes up his mind whether to run for a seventh six-year term next year.
Levin, 78, told the Free Press on Thursday that he isn't ready to announce one way or the other.
"We're still thinking it through," he said. - Detroit Free Press, 2/15/13
I wrote about the possibility of Amash running a few weeks ago:
http://www.dailykos.com/...
Amash is a Tea Party loon who isn't even loved by his own party. John Boehner even stripped him of his committee responsibilities:
First elected in 2010, Amash’s voting record has mostly lined up with the conservative-to-libertarian wing of the Republican Party. He has voted against Hurricane Sandy relief, against unbalanced budgets, and against congressional pay raises. He also votes against his party nearly 25 percent of the time, one of the higher percentages in Congress. He is often mentioned as Ron Paul’s ideological successor in the House.
Amash became the face of an intra-party feud. After the November elections, Republican US Reps. Amash, Tim Huelskamp, Walter Jones, and David Schweikert were all allegedly “purged” from their committee assignments for insufficient party loyalty. Amash and Jones both later voted against John Boehner’s retention as speaker of the House.
At only 32, Amash is one of the younger members in the House and is one of the top utilizers of social media. In addition to Twitter, Amash posts every vote on Facebook. In each post, Amash lists the legislation, its title, its number, an explanation of what the bill seeks to accomplish, and why he voted yes, no, or present.
Amash’s presence in the Senate might also animate the libertarian wing of the GOP. He would potentially join Kentucky’s Rand Paul, Texas’ Ted Cruz, and Utah’s Mike Lee as the members of the Senate with a libertarian bent. However, a prospective Amash candidacy also faces a few challenges. - IVN, 2/17/13
Of course Amash's biggest fan, Reason.com's Nick Gillespie (libertarian asshole), must be excited about the possibility of an Amash Senate run. Here's Gillespie interviewing Amash about the sequester:
By the way, Gillespie stated on Real Time with Bill Maher last year that he believed that Elizabeth Warren (D. MA) would lose to Senator Scott Brown (D. MA) in the 2012 election. Man was he wrong. Oh and here's Gillespie being a dick to John Fetterman (D), the mayor of Braddock, PA, who I am a big fan of and is from my home state of Pennsylvania:
I remember my dad talking to me about this episode. Being that we're from Pittsburgh and we know how bad of shape Braddock has been and we respect Fetterman for doing everything he can to save his town, my dad said, 'That guy in the leather jacket is an asshole. I wouldn't want to piss Fetterman off." Me neither. If there is any reason I want to see Amash lose is to taste Gillespie's sweet, sweet tears of defeat. So I hope Amash mans up and runs because I would love to see him go down and hopefully his run will give us another pick-up opportunity in the House.