Party on the Peninsulas

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The WØRD – “Danger”

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Rep. Jasper Martus (D-Flushing) is one of the lead sponsors of legislation addressing the needs of Michigan workers in the transition to a green economy.

From the Chair:

DANGER!

Michigan Democratic Party chair Lavora Barnes

There’s an old saying “beware of a wolf in sheep’s clothing.” After 3 weeks of chaos, Republicans in the U.S. House lined up 100-percent behind an unknown Louisiana back-bencher, Michael Johnson, as Speaker. Republicans unanimously elected the affable Johnson only after Donald Trump instructed Republicans to oppose the member they nominated hours earlier, Minnesota’s Tom Emmer. Emmer’s sin: he publicly recognized that Joe Biden was elected in a fair and honest election. To Trump, that’s all he needs to hear to attack someone.

Johnson has a charming, low-key demeanor. But his political views are anything but. He’s a radical right extremist – anti-choice, anti-LGBTQ and even openly anti-democracy. Based on his political record, the soft-spoken Michael Johnson poses a threat to our democratic system of government. 

“MAGA Mike” Johnson still doesn’t admit that Joe Biden won the 2020 election which Johnson has repeatedly said was stolen. He openly promotes the same lies that led to 3 Trump attorneys pleading guilty to election fraud-related charges. Johnson led efforts in the U.S. House to have the Supreme Court overturn Biden’s decisive victory in Michigan and three other states. When that failed, he joined the majority of House Republicans in voting against certifying Biden’s victory. On the day of Johnson’s elevation to the most powerful position in Congress, his Republican colleagues booed a reporter who asked about Johnson’s leadership is trying to overturn the election. They even told the reporter to shut up. They are totally under the thumb of the man accused of 91 different crimes in four courts.

What could it mean for democracy? Consider this scenario:

It’s January 6, 2025. After still another close election, Joe Biden prevails again in the electoral college vote. But the House of Representatives, operating under instructions from Donald Trump and implemented by Michael Johnson, votes to reject the results from one or more swing states, denying Biden the electoral college majority. Without any candidate getting 270 electoral votes, the President is then chosen by the House with each state getting one vote. That means Wyoming’s one Congressman’s vote is equal to the combined votes of the 53 from California or the 13 from Michigan. 

Under that scenario, despite losing the popular vote for a third time, Donald Trump would reinstalled in the White House…possibly as a convicted criminal.

Far fetched? It shouldn’t even be a possibility, but with all Republicans in the House operating under orders from Donald Trump, and Michael Johnson as Speaker, it could happen.

So what do we do? We start by holding Michigan’s 6 Republican members accountable for endorsing an election denier as their leader. With that vote, none of them is worthy of the honor of representing our state. And we need to retake the majority in the House so that Hakeem Jeffries is Speaker of the House on January 6, 2025. We do that by increasing our majority in the Michigan delegation (and also holding Debbie Stabenow’s seat in the Senate). The mission is clear.

In Michigan, legislative Democrats are working on issues that impact families across our pleasant peninsulas. One increasingly discussed issue is the impact of fighting climate change on jobs and our economy. Change can be frightening. The transition of our major industry from internal combustion engines to EVs is happening. That decision has been made by the manufacturers. What does it mean for their employees and other industries that could be impacted by clean energy initiatives?

According to Bridge Michigan, nearly 20 percent of the jobs in our state are tied to auto manufacturing. Even more jobs are connected to electric power generation. Both are undergoing major transitions: autos from gas-powered to electric, power generation from coal and natural gas to renewables.

The Legislature is considering bills that would establish an economic transition office focused on helping workers and communities facing job losses related to those transitions. We’re joined on the podcast by a lead sponsor of the bills, Flushing state Representative Jasper Martus.

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The WØRD – “Contrasts”

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House Majority Whip Ranjeev Puri (D-Canton Township) is one of the main sponsors of legislation requiring the use of A.I. for political ads to be disclosed.

From the Chair:

MDP Chair Lavora Barnes

Contrasts.

As the world watched, President Biden flew into a war zone to provide leadership in protecting Israel from the terrorism of Hamas, and working to prevent that war from growing. At the same time, Republicans in Washington continue to embarrass themselves and the nation as they can’t even elect a Speaker of the House, paralyzing Congress for more than two weeks – making it unable to do anything in support of America’s allies in Israel and Ukraine.

In Lansing, Governor Whitmer and legislative Democrats continued the work of governing. Just this week, the Governor signed into law Democratic bills guaranteeing Michigan citizens their rights under the Affordable Care Act, and another bill creating a first-in-the-nation guarantee of clean, healthy water for every school child. The state House approved legislation reforming our juvenile justice system. The state Senate passed bills expanding reproductive healthcare rights. 

Republicans, meanwhile, held a news conference in support of the aging and environmentally dangerous Enbridge 5 pipeline … amazingly on the same day another oil pipeline ruptured spilling thousands of gallons of oil in Branch County.

While Michigan Democrats were passing reproductive rights laws, a Republican would-be U.S. Senator was working to hide his anti-reproductive rights record. The non-profit online publication “The Gander” exposed Mike Rogers record of supporting a complete ban of abortions, even in the case of rape or incest – a position he’s now trying to hide. There’s a link to the exposé on our website.

While Michigan Democrats were enacting legislation to protect and expand voter rights, 5 Michigan Republicans in Congress were voting to elect as their Speaker a leader of the efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election. And the other Republican, John James, waited until every other Representative had voted before casting a totally symbolic vote against Trump ally Jim Jordan. 

Jordan, by the way, has never had a bill signed into law during his 16 years in Congress. None. Zip. Nadda. He’s been a disrupter, a constant guest on Fox News and a fast-talking attack dog in committee hearings. He’s never shown an interest in actually legislating.

Bottom line: one political party governs. The other major party shows it is incapable of governing.

Also this week, a state House committee approved a three-bill package regulating the use of Artificial Intelligence in political campaigns. It used to be the “seeing and hearing was believing.” With deep fakes so easy to create, that’s no longer true. The state House Elections Committee has approved a three-bill package aimed at preventing deception of voters through the use of deep-fake audios and videos. We talked with one of the sponsors of the bipartisan package, House Majority Whip Ranjeev Puri of Canton Township.

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The WØRD – “Violence”

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This week’s guest: House Majority Floor Leader Abraham Aiyash on Democratic efforts to promote job-creating energy conservation programs.

From the chair

Michigan Democratic Party Chair Lavora Barnes

Violence is infecting our political system both directly and indirectly.

Last week in Lansing, one of our party’s local volunteer leaders was gunned down while canvassing on behalf of a city council candidate. The shooting was not motivated by politics. 

Ted Lawson, secretary of the Ingham County Democratic Party, was the victim of a holdup attempt in the middle of a Sunday afternoon. He was allegedly shot by a 15-year-old who had asked him for money.

A GoFundMe account has been established to help defray funeral expenses for murdered Ingham County Democratic Party officer Ted Lawson

It wasn’t directly political. But this random act of deadly violence wouldn’t have happened if Ted hadn’t been out there knocking on doors. This growing street violence is something that weighs on the minds of every volunteer knocking on doors. It amplifies the recommendation that when you canvass, you do it in teams of 2 or more … just to add a layer of safety.

As tragic as this senseless murder if, even more frightening is the open advocacy of violence by some political leaders. In a time when political leaders should be speaking out against using violence in politics, some are actually encouraging it. Donald Trump regularly speaks in praise about violence, topped by his open praise for the January 6 rioters. But that certainly wasn’t the first time. He’s done it often – there are links below to Trump’s history of advocating violence.

We’ve had more than our share of violence and intimidation attempts in Michigan. Among them: the April 2020 armed invasion of the Capitol; the plot to kidnap and murder Governor Whitmer; the gun-toting protesters outside Jocelyn Benson’s home after the election; the angry mob outside the TCF Center when the 2020 ballots were being counted; the countless death threats against public officials at all across Michigan (including Attorney General Nessel). Sadly, the examples are endless.

We need to begin with all political leaders, Democrats and Republicans, forcefully and repeatedly speaking out against violence and against those advocating violence. There’s no room for politicians who talk about “2nd amendment solutions” to political disagreements, and certainly no room for a candidate for President openly encouraging people at his rallies to physically attack protesters, or hint that they physically assault the news media.

It has to stop. 

—

There is some good news from our elected Democrats this week. While DC Republicans play out their leadership soap opera that’s paralyzed Congress, Michigan Democrats are focused on a future that combines clean energy and good-paying jobs. Joining the podcast this week is state House Majority Floor Leader Abraham Aiyash who is sponsoring a package of bills that are good for the planet, and good for Michigan workers.

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The WØRD – “Paralysis”

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Rep. Hillary Scholten (D-Grand Rapids) talks about the chaos in the U.S. House, and her efforts to craft a bipartisan immigration reform bill.

From the Chair

MDP Chair Lavora Barnes

Paralysis.

That’s exactly what Republicans have given us in Congress. With the Matt Gaetz fringe wing of the party firing Speaker Kevin McCarthy, the House of Representatives can’t do anything until it elects a new speaker. There’s no consensus on his replacement, the talk of installing accused felon Donald Trump into the job is pretty much a fantasy, and the federal government faces another shutdown deadline in about 40 days. Republicans are once again demonstrating they are unable to govern.

We got more great news this week about jobs. We have record-low unemployment for the 20th consecutive month, wages are growing, and inflation is coming down. Under President Biden’s leadership more than 13.9 million jobs have been created. That’s the biggest two-year job creation number of any President in history. 

There’s also more Democrat-led action at both the federal and state levels to reduce the price you pay for healthcare. At the federal level, the manufacturers of 10 expensive medications have agreed to negotiate with the federal government for lower prices for Medicare recipients. Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, called the decision by the companies “another major step in President Biden’s fight to lower health care costs for seniors and families.”

In Michigan, the state Senate has approved (on a party-line vote) legislation creating a Prescription Drug Affordability Board which would focus on the prices you pay for your prescriptions.

We’re joined on the podcast by U.S. Congresswoman Hillary Scholten. Representative Scholten is part of the Problem Solvers Caucus, a bipartisan group of centrist House members focused on finding bipartisan solutions to the nation’s challenges. An attorney with two decades’ experience in immigration law, Rep. Scholten is at the center of finding answers to one of those challenges: Immigration Reform.

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The WØRD – “Chaos”

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Rep. Dan Kildee (D-Flint): McCarthy, MAGAs and Chaos

The interview with Rep. Kildee was recorded before the weekend’s last-minute Democratic-led passage of the 45-day continuing budget resolution.

From the Chair

MDP Chair Lavora Barnes

“Chaos”. No other word can better describe Republicans in both Michigan and Washington D.C. and what they have brought to the American people.

In Washington, we got a temporary 45-day reprieve from chaos as Democrats led the way to passing a short-term federal spending authorization. 90 House Republicans voted to shut down much of the government. And the reprieve from chaos there could end any day.

For all practical purposes, Speaker Kevin McCarthy has turned over control of the House to a handful of extremists led by Matt Gaetz, Lauren Boebert and Marjorie Taylor Greene. They may well add to the chaos by voting Speaker Kevin McCarthy out for the sin of finally agreeing to a bipartisan compromise.

The threatened MAGA Republican shutdown would have had a huge impact that hurts every American:

  • slashing funds for schools with low-income students,
  • gutting law enforcement,
  • raising housing costs,
  • eliminating critical job training and workforce development programs;
  • sending home food safety and drug safety workers, endangering our health.

The MAGA-Republican shutdown would have had devastating consequences for our communities, economy, and national security:

  • Armed service members not getting their paychecks,
  • Travelers facing likely airport delays with air traffic controllers and TSA agents working without pay,
  • FBI agents going unpaid – a welcome opening for both foreign and home-grown terrorists.

Ironically, the same Republicans yelling loudest about border security voted to take paychecks away from border control officers.

The MAGA extremists wanted to inflict pain on families as well:

  • WIC nutrition assistance delayed for nearly 7 million women and children,
  • Daycare disrupted, and
  • Interruptions in Head Start and Meals on Wheels.

Rather than working for a bipartisan budget compromise, those same MAGA extremists are instead devoting their energies to a fact-free impeachment inquiry into President Biden. Even their political allies at Fox News call the Impeachment Inquiry a waste of time. The first witnesses for the GOP gaggle openly stated, under oath, that there was no evidence against President Biden warranting the idea of impeachment.

In Michigan, the MAGA Republicans held what amounted to a rally of election deniers and conspiracy promoters billed as a “leadership conference” – a bit of a misnomer since hardly any elected Republican leaders showed up for the event. Normally the Mackinac Island conference features multiple presidential candidates. This year, only extremist Vivek Ramashwamy appeared, speaking to a half-empty room. Just 2 of the state’s 6 GOP congressmen were in attendance; neither of the party’s state legislative leaders could be bothered to attend.

Party chair Kristina Karamo told attendees that Darwin’s theory of evolution is a fraud and a hoax: man was created in his present form by God, but that leftists cling to evolutionary theory because when children are taught that one part of the Bible is false, they are more inclined to also question its other teachings.

Paul Egan of the Detroit Free Press reported that frequent themes at nearly all the sessions were attacks on scientific elitism and globalism, criticism of electric vehicles as reliant on technology linked to the Chinese Communist Party, and the need to enhance border security and adhere to Christian principles and the Constitution as envisioned by the nation’s founders. There was even a workshop on “Globalism in Chile”.

One so-called headline speaker was defeated Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake who, like Karamo, still refuses to concede that she lost in 2022 (claiming election fraud). Lake continues to spout evidence-free claims of ongoing fraud as she prepares to run for the U.S. Senate in Arizona.

While the GOP wallows in chaos with its pointless investigations, tanking of the American economy and leaderless leadership events, Democrats are getting the job done.

Even with the smallest of possible majorities in both our state House and Senate, Democrats and the Whitmer administration have compiled a record-smashing set of successes for the people of Michigan in advancing education, voter rights, reproductive healthcare rights and gun safety. Under the leadership of Speaker Joe Tate and Majority Leader Winnie Brinks, Democrats are united for progress. There is no chaos in Lansing, just results.

In Washington, the Biden/Harris administration and a one-vote Senate Democratic majority continue to craft bipartisan solutions to some of the nation’s most urgent challenges: creating jobs, combating climate change and restoring America’s stature in the world.

Today’s Republicans stand for chaos, undermining democracy, and against working people. Democrats stand on the side of workers, we fight to protect our democracy, and we work FOR the American people.

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris support workers, while Trump just talks (via YouTube)

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The WØRD – “Reckless”

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This week’s guest: State House Elections Chair Penelope Tsernoglou on expanding automatic voter registration in Michigan, and outlawing firearms at election precincts.


From the Chair

“Reckless”.

No other word can better describe Republicans in Congress. It’s likely that much of the federal government will shut down because a handful of extremists led by Marjorie Taylor Green and Matt Gaetz have decided that America can do without the government while they make a point about … something. In the Senate, one Senator is abusing the rules to personally wreck our military’s leadership structure, single-handedly stopping the promotion of hundreds of senior officers. His demand: that women in the military be denied full access to healthcare.

Add to that demands from some right-wingers that the FBI be abolished – and the Attorney General impeached –  because they are doing their job and prosecuting the criminal who stumbled his way into the presidency 6-and-a-half years ago. Donald Trump has ordered his minions in Congress to “…defund these political prosecutions against me and other Patriots.”

Instead of working on the many challenges facing our country, they devote their time to attacks on Hunter Biden, a private citizen whose father is President … while ignoring the billions collected by Donald Trump’s daughter and son-in-law as a direct result of things they did as senior White House advisers.

And then there’s the impeachment inquiry into President Biden, driven not by any facts of “high crimes and misdemeanors” … but motivated by revenge for the two bipartisan impeachments of Trump.

No wonder Senator Mitt Romney – the Republican son of a former Republican Michigan Governor – said “a very large portion of my party really doesn’t believe in the Constitution.”

All of this is why we need to work tirelessly to stop the radical Republicans by taking them out at the ballot box. Two of our congressional districts are rated among the closest in the nation: the 7th district, now represented by Elissa Slotkin, is ranked the most vulnerable Democratic seat in the nation. And the 10th district, where right-wing extremist John James won by a handful of votes, is one of the Republican-held seats considered among the most likely to flip.

Add to that protecting Senator Debbie Stabenow’s seat. After a spirited primary we will have a high quality candidate to battle whatever right-wing extremist emerges from the Republican field.

At the top of the ticket, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris need Michigan to protect the world from the danger of a return of Donald Trump.

Make no mistake: it’s going to be close in all those races, as well as in the battle to protect and expand our majorities in the Michigan Legislature. Each of us needs to make a commitment to devote the next 12 months to helping save America from the reckless, dangerous and anti-democracy Republican extremists.

——

The passage of voting rights ballot proposals in 2018 and last year were just the beginning of making it easier for Michigan citizens to be a part of our democratic system. With Democrats now leading the state, individual rights are being expanded. On this week’s podcast we get an update from state House Elections Committee chair Penelope Tsernoglou on bills to protect the safety of election workers, and also expand options for automatic voter registration.

“These Guys” want the government to make reproductive healthcare decisions for women – YouTube

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The WØRD – “Solidarity”

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This Week’s Guest
Senate Judiciary Committee chair Stephanie Chang
on proposed new common-sense gun safety laws

From the Chair

MDP Chair Lavora Barnes

For the first time in history, 13,000 United Auto Workers members bravely walked off the line on Friday at all Big Three automakers to strike for a fair contract after corporate greed got in the way of negotiations. The targeted strikes of three plants include the Ford Assembly Plant in Wayne, MI where Michiganders are fighting to be able to put food on the table. 

The UAW has brought reasonable demands forward to be compensated fairly for their work and to ensure a pathway for job security in a changing economy, but the Big Three chose to keep building on their historic profits and let their workers starve.

If the Big Three can find the profits to keep lining the pockets of their executives, they should have no problem supporting the workers who made those profits possible. Autoworkers built Michigan’s economy and have continued to be a central pride for the American economy. Workers have made countless sacrifices for our country that deserve to be repaid, and now, they are bravely fighting for the future of labor and our economy. The Michigan Democratic Party stands in solidarity with the UAW as they righteously strike for a fair contract and for a brighter future for Michigan.

75% of Americans side with the union’s 150,000 members in the ongoing negotiations, and this is a ‘which side are you on’ moment for this country. 

To save the auto industry during the Great Recession, autoworkers took massive cuts to their wages and benefits. While the auto companies have recovered and are making record profits, autoworkers haven’t and many struggle to make ends meet. When labor wins, the middle class wins and we are focused on ensuring that security here in Michigan.

Despite united opposition from the NRA and its Republican supporters in the Legislature, Democrats are continuing to work on gun safety bills. Hearings are underway in the state Senate’s Judiciary Committee dealing with one of the most common types of gun violence: shootings growing out of domestic disputes. One of the leaders for gun safety laws in Michigan is our guest this week: Senator Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit), the chair of the state Senate Committee on Civil Rights, Judiciary and Public Safety.

She is the first Asian American woman elected to the Michigan legislature. Senator Chang worked as a community organizer in Detroit for nearly a decade before serving two terms in the Michigan House of Representatives and then as the Democratic Floor Leader for her first term in the Senate. Senator Chang has built a strong track record of getting things done. In the state legislature, she has led on air quality and environmental justice, criminal justice reforms, affordable, safe drinking water, and immigrants’ rights issues. 

Before her election to the Legislature, she served as state director for NextGen Climate Michigan, alumni engagement and evaluation coordinator for the Center for Progressive Leadership in Michigan, deputy director for the Campaign for Justice and as an organizer for Michigan United/One United Michigan. Senator Chang earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology and master’s degrees in public policy and social work from the University of Michigan. She lives in Detroit with her husband and two young daughters.

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Biden Defends Striking Autoworkers: They Deserve a ‘Fair Share’ – The New York Times

VIDEO: President Biden Speaks Out in Support of UAW Workers

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The WØRD – “Perceptions”

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Downloads:
Democrats Deliver Fact Sheet
Economist/YouGov Poll

This week’s guest: Speaker Pro Tem Laurie Pohutsky (D-Livonia)

This week’s guest: Speaker Pro Tem Laurie Pohutsky (D-Livonia)

From the chair

MDP Chair Lavora Barnes

A new poll from The Economist and YouGov shows there’s a huge disconnect from what people believe is happening in America and what cold, hard statistics show is our very excellent reality. The perception: our economy is in a bad place, it’s getting worse, and the President has done a poor job bringing us back from the Trump-era downturn.

The numbers tell us something far different. The U.S. has the strongest economic growth since the pandemic of any leading economy in the world. While economists predicted a recession as the Fed raised interest rates, it hasn’t happened. The economy continues to grow:

  • Wages are rising—higher than last year and higher than before the pandemic, accounting for inflation
  • Annual inflation has fallen by two-thirds since last summer and has averaged less than 2% over the last 3 months
  • 187,000 jobs were created last month— a total of 13.5 million jobs have been created since President Biden took office (that includes 1.5 million in manufacturing, construction and engineering)
  • The unemployment rate is just 3.8% —under 4% for 19 months in a row—the longest stretch since Neil Armstrong walked on the moon
  • The share of prime-working-age Americans with jobs is at a 20-year high
  • The share of prime-working-age women with jobs is at a record high
  • We’ve regained all the jobs lost during the pandemic, and created 4 million more

You can download a “cheat-sheet” with a lot of the relevant data (a.k.a. “reality”). Just click here to download it. You can also download the polling from The Economist and YouGov to fully understand just how much the perceptions differ from reality.

We know that it’s perceptions that drive voters. Many of the assaults on reality are fueled by partisan Republicans and their right-wing media allies who constantly spread misinformation as they gear up for 2024. 

We cannot stand idly by and let those distortions and lies go unanswered. It’s something each of us needs to do every day in our personal conversations and social media. We have a great story to tell, backed up by facts. Let’s keep telling it.

We’re joined this week by the Speaker Pro Tempore of the Michigan House, Representative Laurie Pohutsky (D-Livonia), lead sponsor of bills expanding the rights of women to make decisions on reproductive healthcare without government interference.

Rep. Pohutsky is serving her third term representing the 17th House District, which encompasses parts of Northwest Detroit, North Redford Charter Township and Northeast Livonia. She is a long-time activist and volunteer, and spent time as a crisis hotline volunteer and a caregiver at Angela Hospice.

Pohutsky graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in microbiology. After college, Pohutsky worked in the fields of food safety, toxicology and health care. She brings this knowledge, along with her experience in water quality testing, with her to the Michigan House of Representatives where she chairs the Committee on Natural Resources, Environmental, Tourism and Outdoor Recreation.

Joe Biden leading the world on the International Stage: “War Zone”



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The WØRDS – “What’s Next?”

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State Representative Sharon McDonell (D-Troy)

From the Chair

MDP Chair Lavora Barnes

While assorted Republicans are getting booked, arraigned, found liable for slander and generally spending millions on defense attorneys, Joe Biden and Gretchen Whitmer are talking about “what’s next.” For Biden – what’s next is a battle with pharmaceutical companies over prices; for Whitmer – an ambitious “families and workers first” agenda for a fall legislative session.

The first half of the year was historic: a legislative session that passed a dozen major laws, all of which contribute to a future Michigan that is more prosperous, works to protect our planet from the ravages of climate change and expands the individual rights of our citizens. Last week Governor Whitmer took the unprecedented step of laying out an agenda for the fall session to do even more – her “what’s next” agenda.

Legislative Republicans responded as expected: arguing for maintaining the status quo or even moving backwards.They called it a “left-wing, progressive” wish list; one Republican leader said taking steps to combat climate change would turn us into a “third world country” unable to compete for jobs.

The bottom line is Michigan Democrats have delivered historic results for our state and are not done fighting for our future. This legislative agenda is laser-focused on making Michiganders’ lives better, with or without Republicans who continue to fall down a rabbit hole of MAGA extremism. Whether it’s improving health care, fighting climate change, or growing the middle class, what Michigan Democrats are doing is unprecedented. Democrats’ work is setting the standard for the country while ensuring that everyone can make it in Michigan.

In Washington D.C., it’s the same story. While Republicans focus on defending the former President’s crimes, staging hyped-up investigations, and even talking about impeaching President Biden just for revenge, the President is locked in on a better future for Americans. 

Just this week he announced his latest effort on our behalf: taking on the powerful pharmaceutical industry by negotiating the price Medicare pays for life-saving prescription drugs. There is no justifiable reason Americans pay four times more for prescription drugs than is paid in Canada: the exact same pills, a much higher price.
Thanks to the Biden Inflation Reduction Act the price of insulin is being slashed to no more $35 a month. Now President Biden is expanding the ability of Medicare to negotiate drug prices to 10 more commonly used prescription drugs.

Joining the podcast this week: a Michigan legislator who is part of the new wave of self-described Suburban Moms who are a growing political force in Michigan and across the nation, Troy state Representative Sharon McDonell.


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The WØRD – “Contrasts”

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Representative Kara Hope (D-Holt) — Chair, House Committee on Criminal Justice

From the Chair

MDP Chair Lavora Barnes

Last week eight Republican presidential candidates staged their first campaign debate just hours before the leading candidate was booked for the fourth time in four months for a series of felonies. Those two events contrast sharply with what we as Democrats offer the state and nation. The GOP primary debate highlighted the extremism inside the Republican Party, with each candidate showing just how out of touch they are with the real needs of Americans by pushing conspiracy theories and culture wars over actual plans. 

Instead of following them down the rabbit hole, Michigan Democrats are prepared for a fall legislative session which is sure to be chock-full of more initiatives to uplift the middle class and put money back in the pockets of Michigan families.

And the booking of Donald Trump for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election? Republicans have long claimed to be the party of “law and order.” But six of the eight candidates on that debate stage said they’d support a convicted criminal to lead our nation; two of them pledged to pardon him on “day one.” The two candidates who won’t support a convicted felon poll in single digits.

Trump is even using his mug shot as a fundraising tool, apparently proud to be the only former U.S. President charged with being a criminal – a total of 91 felony counts spread over 4 indictments.

Trump and 18 alleged co-conspirators who allegedly worked to steal the 2020 election.

No matter how chaotic the GOP becomes, Michigan Democrats are focused on building a brighter future for our state every week, month, and year. Make no mistake, the MDP doesn’t take days off from working to deliver for Michiganders.

On this week’s podcast, we will talk with one of the leaders working on that promise. State Representative Kara Hope chairs the House Committee on Criminal Justice where she’s focused on issues like voter rights, openness in government and juvenile justice.

Clarence P. Jones, Dr. Martin Luther King’s trusted adviser was tasked with writing the opening paragraphs of what became known as the “I Have a Dream” speech. What happened after King moved away from the prepared remarks made history.

Also on the podcast this week: a special bonus. This week marks the 60th anniversary of the historic march on Washington, remembered forever because of Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” oration.

At the end of the podcast we hear from Dr. King’s lawyer, Clarence B. Jones about that seminal day in American history. Jones wrote the first draft of a speech many consider the most greatest speech of the 20th century. He was standing just a few feet away as Dr. King used his voice to inspire future generations of Americans to work for a more just future.


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The Nation

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Republicans in Disarray

The March on Washington 60th Anniversary