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Ann Arbor Dems host candidates for Michigan Dem Party Chair at the political event of the year (so far)

By on February 10, 2013 in Ann Arbor, Michigan Democratic Party, Michigan Democrats

The Michigan Democratic Party’s center of gravity is in Washtenaw County

Yesterday, the Ann Arbor Dems held their monthly meeting and it featured a powerhouse line-up. In addition to Dr. John Callewaert, a University of Michigan professor who spoke for nearly 30 minutes on hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) in Michigan, the meeting attendees heard from Dean of the U.S. House of Representatives Congressman John Dingell, President of the Michigan State Board of Education John Austin, and local State House Representatives Jeff Irwin and Adam Zemke.

The highlight of the day, however, was appearances by both Michigan Democratic Party (MDP) Chair Mark Brewer and his opponent in the upcoming election for MDP Chair, Lon Johnson. The event was extremely well-run by Ann Arbor Dems chair Mike Henry and in the overflow crowd of around 250 people was nearly every elected official from the Ann Arbor area. It was, without question, the biggest political event in Washtenaw County since the election last November.

Details and lots of photos after the jump.


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Michigan House Dems introduce resolution to require bipartisan redistricting, prohibit gerrymandering

By on February 8, 2013 in Michigan Democrats

A nonpartisan issue that’s about fairness over politics

Yesterday, Democrats in the Michigan State House introduced a Joint Resolution that would significantly reform the redistricting process that happens every decade after the national Census. In contrast to the current process where the political party that is in control creates districts that favor their candidates and makes it harder for the opposition party to win seats, the new process would be conducted by a bipartisan commission, would be far more transparent, would allow input from any Michigan citizen and, perhaps most importantly, would prohibit the type of gerrymandering that currently plagues our state.

Details on this extremely important resolution, House Joint Resolution I, after thejump.


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Mark Brewer & Lon Johnson to speak about their run for Mich Dems Party Chair this Saturday in Ann Arbor

By on February 8, 2013 in Ann Arbor, Michigan Democratic Party, Michigan Democrats

This is a meeting not to miss

If you are a Michigan Democrat, by now you probably know that Mark Brewer, who has been the Michigan Democratic Party Chair for 18 years, is being challenged for that position by Lon Johnson.

The UAW, the Teamsters, Senators Stabenow and Levin, and the entire Michigan Democratic House delegation have thrown their support behind Johnson while the Michigan Education Association and over 40 county party chairs are supporting Chair Brewer.

Both men will be speaking at the Ann Arbor Dems meeting this Saturday, February 9th starting at 9:30 a.m. Details are after the jump.


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Where the States Stand

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder gives full-throated endorsement of Medicaid expansion, tea party freaks

By on February 6, 2013 in Michigan Democrats, Michigan Republicans, Tea Party

Well hallelujah…

In what was not by any far stretch of the imagination a forgone conclusion, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder gave his hearty endorsement to the expansion of Medicaid coverage in Michigan as part of the Affordable Care Act. I couldn’t be more pleased.

Tea partiers in Michigan, however? Not so pleased.

All the fun after the jump.


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Mark Brewer shores up support to retain position as Chair of Michigan Dems, 40 local Dem chairs sign on

By on February 6, 2013 in Michigan Democratic Party, Michigan Democrats

Game on!

On the same day the Senators Stabenow and Levin and the entire Democratic Congressional delegation announced their support of Lon Johnson to replace Mark Brewer as the Chair of the Michigan Democratic Party, Chair Brewer released an impressive list of 40 District and County Party Chairs that have lined up to support him. Additionally, the Michigan Education Association remains in Brewer’s corner and is hosting a fundraising event for him next week.

Details and more after the jump.


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Senators Stabenow & Levin + ENTIRE Mich Dem Congressional caucus support Lon Johnson to replace MDP Chair Mark Brewer

By on February 5, 2013 in Michigan Democratic Party, Michigan Democrats

Time to change quarterbacks?

Mark Brewer has been the chair of the Michigan Democratic Party for the past 18 years. This year, however, the leadership of both the UAW and the Teamsters have pulled their support. Today, in a signal that this power struggle for control of the MDP may have legs, Senators Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin along with every single Michigan Democratic member of Congress sent out a letter in support of Lon Johnson who has been selected to run against Brewer at the statewide Democratic Party Convention on February 23rd.

The letter was sent out under Stabenow’s letterhead and was signed by her, Senator Levin, and Congressmen John Dingell, John Conyers, Sander Levin, Gary Peters, and Dan Kildee.

You can read it in its entirety after the jump.


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Convicted Oakland County Dem Chair accuses state Chair Brewer of election scam involvement 2 years late

By on February 3, 2013 in Michigan Democratic Party, Michigan Democrats

Really? NOW you bring this up?

During the summer of 2010, across the state you could find paid petitioners circulating petitions to put the “Tea Party” on the November ballot. Candidates were recruited and it looked as if the tea party folks were finally going to get some skin in the game instead of trying to take over the Republican Party.

It later turned out to be a giant scam, orchestrated by people in the Oakland County Democratic Party including its chair Mike McGuinness. He and another party employee, Jason Bauer, were both convicted of forging election paperwork to put people on the ballot as Tea Party candidates, some of whom were never even contacted about running as phony candidates.

Michigan Democratic Party (MDP) Chair Mark Brewer denied all knowledge or involvement in the embarrassing scandal. However, out of the blue, McGuinness resurfaced this week in the comments section of the Michigan Liberal website to say he was recruited by Brewer for this scheme. With Brewer being challenged as MDP Chair, the timing is so suspicious as to be completely unbelievable.

More after the jump.


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Democratic Senator Gretchen Whitmer drops out of 2014 gubernatorial race

By on January 30, 2013 in Michigan Democrats

And then there were three

Senate Democratic Leader Gretchen Whitmer announced today that she will NOT be a candidate for Governor in Michigan in 2014. Her stepping aside narrows the immediate field from four to three: 2010 candidate and Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero, Detroit-area Congressman Gary Peters and former MI-07 Congressman Mark Schauer. While that’s not to say that others won’t throw their hat into the ring, these three are certainly the top three at the moment.

My analysis after the jump.


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Michigan doctors ready & willing for Medicaid expansion — IF the GOP allows it

By on January 28, 2013 in Michigan Democrats, Michigan Republicans

How about it Republicans? Do you care for Michiganders or not?

With Republicans actively seeking to prevent the expansion of Medicaid in Michigan under the Affordable Care Act and Democrats seeking to make it happen, doctors in Michigan are ready, willing and able to take on the new influx of patients that would entail. Think about it: a savings of $1 billion over ten years, 400,000 new Michiganders covered by health insurance and doctors expanding their practices to accomodate.

Who could be against THAT? Only conservative ideologues, that’s who.

Details after the jump.


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Mark Brewer faces fight for his political life as head of Michigan Democratic Party – Register today to play a role!

By on January 25, 2013 in Michigan Democratic Party, Michigan Democrats

This ought to get VERY interesting

Are you grumpy with (or even angry at) the leadership of the Michigan Democratic Party? If so, there may be a chance to do something about it but you must be a registered member of the MDP no later than today to do so. You can do that HERE. This will allow you to vote at next month’s 2012 State Convention at Cobo Hall in Detroit.

Current party Chair Mark Brewer no longer has the support of the UAW, the Teamsters, or of several major Democrats including Congressman Sander Levin. Gongwer and MIRS both report that Bob King of the UAW and James Hoffa of the Teamsters have told Brewer he no longer has their support. Brewer is determined to run anyway.

The battle has already gotten nasty with MIRS reporting that a party insider is calling King’s move “the temper-tantrum school of politics,” saying that he seems “more than happy being in a minority, a shrinking minority, than growing the Democratic Party.”

Yeeouch.

Much more after the jump.


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