Party on the Peninsulas

Version 2.0! (Guest: Representative Jason Morgan)

Welcome to version 2.0 of our podcast:
“Party on the Peninsulas with Curtis Hertel”!

This Week’s “Party on the Peninsulas”

✹ Chairperson Hertel
 Dangerous GOP Budget Games in Lansing

✹ Representative Jason Morgan
Protecting marriage equality

✹ Senator Elissa Slotkin
Full video: where Trump got it wrong

In the News

Elissa Slotkin Trolls Donald Trump From First Line of Democratic Rebuttal Speech – The Daily Beast

Michigan Politics and Policy

Trump/Musk’s Assault on Government and the Constitution

Fact-Checking Trump’s 99-minute Performance

Lawlessness and Corruption

The Clown-Car Cabinet

The Nation

Michael de Adder via Meidas+

State of the State 2025

Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s 7th annual State of the State address: view the full speech.

Governor Whitmer delivered her 7th annual update on Michigan’s progress and needs this last week. We have extended highlights of her presentation.

But there’s also important work from the 2024 session hanging over Lansing: the refusal, to date, of newly elected Republican Speaker Matt Hall to send 9 bills enacted by the Legislature to the Governor for signing or vetoing. The state Senate has taken the unusual step of suing the state House and Speaker Hall to force the Speaker to comply with the state constitution’s requirement that the bills go down the hall to the Governor’s office for final action. The lead attorney for the state Senate is former MDP chair Mark Brewer, commenting on the ruling this past week by Court of Claims judge Sima Patel:

“We had a great decision from the judge. People should understand the context of this lawsuit.

It’s very difficult for legislators to bring lawsuits. particularly against the other house. There’s always questions where they have what’s called standing to even be in court. And then people always throw up, well, this is just a political fight, political dispute, court doesn’t have any business doing that.

And so we had to cut through all of that. The judge rejected those defenses. Hall had also thrown up a lot of objections about the quality of the bills and other kinds of things. She would cut through all of that. And she said she set a deadline. She said the Constitution requires that these nine bills be presented to the Governor.

And the House has until March 19th to do that. It’s a very strong decision. It applies not just to these nine bills, but to all bills going forward. She was very clear. If bills pass the legislature, they have to go to the Governor. In this case, by March 19th, so the Governor has enough time.

To consider them before they’re supposed to take effect, which will be April 2nd, if the governor signs them. So, it was a great victory. We’re not there yet. I’ve been telling people, if you use a football metaphor, we executed an option play. We got to the red zone. We got to the red zone. And we’re gonna keep pushing.

We’re not gonna let the Speaker off the hook here. And I know there is and should be lots of public pressure on him. To obey the Constitution, which is what the judge told him to do yesterday.

There were parts of the judge’s decision yesterday that she disagreed with us. For example, she said the speaker is immune from liability here. We’ve got other defendants. We’re suing the house and the clerk. So we’ve got other ways to get. Get those bills presented. My clients, the Senate, could appeal that.

The House and the Speaker and others could appeal the judge’s decision, that they only have until the 19th. Both sides have 21 days from yesterday to decide whether to appeal. But you’re right, Jeff, this could quickly be resolved by the Speaker simply doing the right thing, and Sending those bills to the governor.”

House Democratic Leader Ranjeev Puri added: “Holding these nine bills hostage came at the cost of Michigan taxpayers. The bills, if signed into law, would lower health care costs, add pension benefits for corrections and conservation officers, help to financially protect struggling workers and more. I applaud the ruling today and call on Speaker Hall to comply with the court’s decision.”

In the News This Week…

Governor Whitmer’s 7th Annual State of the State Address

Michigan Policy and Politics

The Musk/Trump Administration’s Assault of Democracy

The Trump/GOP Assault on Americans

The Trump Assault on Ukraine

The WØRD — “Thrilled!” (Guests: Garland Gilchrist, New MDP Chair Curtis Hertel)

This Week’s “Party on the Peninsulas”

AnnTelnaes.com

✹ Chairperson Barnes
     — Trump puts the nation and world at risk
— Moving on…

✹ Lt. Governor Garland Gilchrist
Danger: Musk takeover of federal computer systems

Chairperson Curtis Hertel Jr.
     — Building on Lavora Barne’s Six Years of Success

In the News

Hertel to lead Michigan Democratic Party into pivotal 2026 elections – Detroit News

Trump Friends-and-Family Corruption

Michigan Politics and Policy

Trump/Musk’s Assault on Government and the Constitution

Lawlessness and Corruption

The Clown-Car Cabinet

The Nation

Clay Bennett, Chattanooga Times Free Press

The WØRD — Corruption (Guest: Sheriff Chris Swanson)

This Week’s “Party on the Peninsulas”

Pedro Molina

✹ Chairperson Barnes
Trump policies a direct threat to Michigan’s economy

✹ Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson
Candidate for Governor of Michigan

This week’s Trump/GOP outrages
Corruption is now legal if Trump likes you

In the News

2025 State Convention – Michigan Democratic Party

Trump Friends-and-Family Corruption

Michigan Politics and Policy

Trump/Musk’s Assault on Government and the Constitution

Lawlessness and Corruption

The Clown-Car Cabinet

The Nation

The WØRD — “Illegal” (Guest: Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson)

This Week’s “Party on the Peninsulas”

✹ Chairperson Barnes
The Trump-Musk Reign of Lawlessness
The New DNC Leadership

✹ Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson
Candidate for Governor of Michigan

This week’s Trump/GOP outrages
Bringing back the Spoils System

In the News

Michigan Politics and Policy

Trump/Musk’s Assault on Government

The Grifter in Chief

The Clown-Car Cabinet

The Nation

AnnTenaes.com

The WØRD — “Celebration” (Guest: Women’s Progressive Caucus Chair Laurie Pohutsky)

This Week’s “Party on the Peninsulas”

Clay Bennett – Chattanooga Times Free Press
Representative Laurie Pohutsky

✹ Chairperson Barnes
Gary Peters’ Selfless Service
Black History Month

✹ Representative Laurie Pohutsky
The GOP’s War on Diversity

This week’s Trump/GOP outrages
America at risk: National Security, Law Enforcement, Public Health

In the News

VIDEO – Gary Peters – Thank You! (Full announcement on not seeking reelection)
Ken Martin elected next DNC chair – The Hill

The GOP War on Transgender People

Michigan Politics and Policy

Purging the Government in Trump’s Image

The Dangerous Clown-Car Cabinet

The Transition

The Nation

The WØRD – “Pettiness” (Guest: Representative Mai Xiong)

This Week’s “Party on the Peninsulas”

Michael Deadder – cagle.com
Representative Mai Xiong

✹ Chairperson Barnes
Trump’s First Week: Executive Orders, A Multi-Billion-Dollar Grift and Petty Revenge

✹ Representative Mai Xiong
The GOP’s Unconstitutional 9-bill Hostage Ploy

This week’s Trump/GOP outrages
Risking Another Pandemic Through Intentional Inaction

In the News

Michigan Politics and Policy

Felonious Trump

The Clown-Car Cabinet

The Transition

The Nation

Nick Anderson – Tribune Content Agency.

The WØRD — “Transitions”

This Week’s “Party on the Peninsulas”

Ann Telnaes – www.anntelnaes.com

✹ Chairperson Barnes
    Government of the Billionaires, by the Billionaires and for the Billionaires

✹ Governor Gretchen Whitmer
    The Road Ahead  

This week’s Trump/GOP outrages
    Putting National Security at Risk

In the News

Michigan Politics and Policy

The Transition

Felonious Trump

The Clown-Car Cabinet

The Nation

Matt Wuerker – Politico

The WØRD — “Contrasts”

This Week’s “Party on the Peninsulas”

✹ Chairperson Barnes
    Jimmy Carter and Donald Trump – The Yin and Yang of the Presidency

✹ Senator Kevin Hertel
    Raising Michigan’s Minimum Wage  

This week’s Trump/GOP outrages
    The 2nd Term Corruption Begins
    A Hyper-Partisan Start for 2025 in the Michigan House

In the News

RSVP: Democratic National Committee Officer Candidate Forum

Opinion | Joe Biden: What to remember about Jan. 6 – The Washington Post

Michigan Politics and Policy

Felonious Trump

Lalo Alcaraz, laloalcaraz.com

Across the Nation

Los Angeles and Climate Change

The WØRD — “Promises”

This Week’s “Party on the Peninsulas”

✹ Chairperson Barnes: Holding Trump to His Promises

✹ Two Michiganders Honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom 

Endangering Our Health

In the News

Michigan Politics and Policy

Trump Grifting

Across the Nation

Mike Luckovich, Atlanta Journal-Constitution