Rag, mama, rag

Rape insurance for Michigan's wives and daughters.  Right to work for less laws.  The privitization of our prison food system, which resulted in maggots in the food and drugs sold by Aramark's employees.  The shutting off of the people's water in Detroit.  Taxing the pensions of retirees.  Tax breaks for big business that resulted in zero improvement in our economy.

And yet, and yet, our supposedly Liberal big city newspaper, The Detroit Free Press, has once again endorsed Rick Snyder for Governor over Mark Schauer here in Michigan.

They said it was a close call, but that they believed Governor Gutless would somehow grow a pair in the next four years and stand up for all that is right and good and buck that tea party dominated Michigan legislature. And that--all evidence to the contrary--he would grow Michigan's economy.

And when I wake up tomorrow morning, I'm going to flap my arms and golly, gee, I'll be able to fly.

God, I am so glad I cancelled my subscription--for fuck's sake, any idiot can see we could elect my son's fucking cat and it would be an improvement over Snyder, except for apparently, the idiots on the Free Press  editorial board.

Peace,
emaycee

Nothing like a lefty

Like most people, I don't much care for dealing with solicitors who come knocking at the front door of your home.  Making it even worse for me, is the fact that my wife seems to think that the responsiblity for shooing these people away belongs solely to me.

So you can imagine my chagrin today when, up to my elbows in dishwater, the Beautiful Girl said there was someone coming up to the door that I needed to talk to.  As the previous homeowners had a big sign on the front door proclaiming "NO SOLICITING" which we decided not to take down, my response upon hearing the knock at our front door was the usual--"What part of NO SOLICITING don't these people understand?"

I opened the door and gave the young lady standing before me my best scowl.  She merely smiled and said, "Hi, I'm [her name] from Working America--what do you think the most important issue is for Michigan's leaders?"

Immediately, a light went off in my head--I get e-mails from Working America (they're an organization supporting labor rights and groups).  My scowl goes disappeared pronto.  "Jobs."

"Of course," she said, "Now, in the race for Governor are you leaning toward Democrat Mark Schauer or republican Rick Snyder?"

"I'm not leaning," I said.  "I will be voting for Schauer."  A big smile came upon her face.

"And in the Senate race, are you..."

"I will be voting for Peters.  Again, not leaning."

She continued smiling brightly, thanked me for my time, and walked from our front porch.

After I closed our front door, I called out to my wife, "She was a really nice young woman."

And I thank God for young people like her who stand boldly before idiots like me trying to ensure that we have a better state and a better country.

Peace,
emaycee

Wow

A staffer for Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder attended a private fundraiser for his Democratic challenger Mark Schauer wearing a pair of spyglasses (note:  at this point, a snicker, a guffaw, a "what the fuck?", a "for fuck's sake, Francis!" are all perfectly legitimate reactions), which she then proceeded to fucking lose and let fall in the hands of the Schauer campaign.

Now I have no problem with the Snyder campaign's tactic--bullshit trying to get a leg up in an election campaign has been done probably since the very first elections mankind ever held.

And I'm not surprised by the ineptness of the Snyder administration--I'd be hard pressed to name a single thing they've done right in the past four years here in Michigan.

What the story leaves me with, though, is hope.  Schauer is a good man, a good Democrat, and about as exciting as vanilla ice cream.  Snyder has the power of incumbency and wealth via the Koch Brothers, the DeVos family (of Amway fame), and his own fortune to make good King Midas envious.  Frankly, as much as I'd like to see Snyder go down to defeat, I thought the odds were long, at best.

But not so fast--if the Snyder campaign has to resort to such Donnie Dorko tactics, I've got to believe we have a much better chance than previously thought.

One tough nerd, indeed.

Peace,
emaycee

A hollow victory

Michigan's legislators passed an increase in Michigan's minimum wage which was signed by Gov. Rick Snyder on Tuesday that will raise our rate from $7.40 to $9.25 an hour over the next four years.  Some are hailing its importance because Michigan is the first state with republican legislators and a republican governor to pass such an increase since President Obama's call for a hike in the minimum wage to $10.10.

My ass.

What it is, once again (see also the Emergency Manager fiasco), is Michigan republicans doing an end around the will of the people.  See, on Wednesday, Progressive organizers are going to deliver 300,000 signatures to put an initiative on this November's  ballot calling for a $10.10 minimum wage (this measure probably kills the initiative, though no one knows for sure).  Since raising the minimum wage is universally popular and this initiative has an excellent chance of passing, what republicans have done is help pad the bottom line for Wal-Mart, Target, McDonald's, Burger King, et al, while costing hundreds of thousands of Michiganders up to $1700 a year (.85 cents per hour times forty hours a week times 52 weeks).

While republicans introduced the bill (extra perk:  it kills minimum wage as an issue for Democrat Mark Schauer in his uphill battle this year against the aforementioned Gov. Snyder), it passed because virtually all Democrats voted for it (about half of republicans voted for the measure).  How long do you suppose it is before republicans start running ads about how Democrats raised the minimum wage to only $9.25 when it could have been $10.10?

All of this intrigue would be entertaining were this a soap opera, but  we are talking about the financial well-being of real people.  Real people who, thanks to craven legislators, are going to get much less than they should have yet again.

Peace,
emaycee

Kotex, Monistat, and Lisa Brown

Michigan Democratic gubenatorial candidate Mark Schauer last week chose former Michigan House representative Lisa Brown for his running mate.  While many may recall from a couple of years ago that two Democratic female representatives were barred by republican legislators from speaking on the floor concerning anti-abortion bills for saying the word "vagina," not many may know that Lisa Brown was one of the two ("Finally, Mr. Speaker, I'm flattered that you're all so interested in my vagina, but 'no' means 'no.'").

Predictably (it's not called "politics" for the hell of it), republican pundits have begun chastising Schauer for his choice, but Nolan Finley of The Detroit News this week set the bar pretty fucking high for abject political lunacy here in the Wolvernine State by stating that Brown was "...still milking the vagina business, and is a minor celebrity among feminists."

What the fuck?

While it wouldn't be words I would choose, one could say that Kotex was in the vagina business.  The same could be said for Monistat.  But an accomplished female running for Lieutenant Governor in the great state of Michigan in the 21st century?

Methinks Finley's greatest fear is that Lisa Brown will be a stark reminder to many of the voting women in Michigan of our current governor, republican Rick Snyder, standing helplessly by as Michigan republicans rammed anti-abortion bills through the legislature in our left of center state that basically will necessitate our mothers, wives, and daughters getting rape insurance.

Peace,
emaycee

The poster child for why you should get your ass out and vote Democratic in 2014

That would be my state of residence, the of late rather frigid and snow-filled territory known as Michigan.

Our very own Governor Gutless, Rick Snyder, gave his State of the State address this past week, and as you might expect, he highlighted the good his administration has done.  Not surprisingly, I would be hard pressed to name a single good thing that came from his administration, unless I count the fact that they didn't burn the state to the ground.  Considering that no other Governor in our state's 177 year history has managed to burn the state down, it isn't much of an accomplishment.

But the damage done?  To wit:  lowered corporate taxes under the guise it would create jobs, alas we currently have the third highest unemployment rate in the nation and Snyder has created zero new jobs, let alone good jobs.  To wit:  to make up for the lost revenue, raised taxes on the poor and middle class (caveat:    
I'm one of the poor bastard Michiganders who had his taxes raised).  Snyder has also made us a right to work for less state, overturned the people's will on the Emergency Manager referendum, stood by while the republican legislature trampled all over the right to choose, and has gutted our public school funding to hand over money to his wealthy friends and benefactors who couldn't care less the quality of the education our kids get as long as we send said money to whatever private enterprise/private school/charter school mumbo jumbo that they have a vested interest in.  Oh, and one other thing:  Detroit.

This is what happens when republicans control all three branches of government.  You get screwed.

So if you're in favor of corporate welfare, paying more in taxes to support said corporations, like having your  vote circumvented, want to work for less money, have less rights over your own body, and enjoy seeing public employees thrown under the bus, by all means, stay home (or vote republican).

Otherwise, get off your butt next November and vote.

Peace,
emaycee

The tea party's bitch

Earlier this week, our own Governor Gutless, Rick Snyder, was asked if he thought it was okay for people to be fired for being gay.  As a very successful businessman, Snyder knows damn good and well that it's not--it's bad for business and even worse for attracting businesses to our state.  Nonetheless, Snyder tried to dance a two-step around it.  Unfortunately for Snyder, he dances about as well as most older white men.

Have you ever wondered how good a job being a politician is?  It must be an awfully good one--sure seems like there are lots of republicans who are more than happy to get bitch slapped by the tea party for a couple more years in office.

Peace,
emaycee