This is why we need to be thinking about the 2014 midterm election

Back in August, I wrote about how the repeal of Public Act 4 — Michigan’s anti-democratic Emergency Manager Law — would, by law, leave Michigan without any law creating Emergency Managers or Emergency Financial Managers. I showed pretty clearly how the law prevents PA 72, the predecessor to PA 4, from coming back.

This week, the Michigan Court of Appeals chose to completely disregard the Michigan constitution and, in essence, allow the resurrection of Zombie Law PA 72 anyway.

Zombie fighters are on the case

In early August, after an intentionally absurd legal battle, Public Act 4 — Michigan’s anti-democratic Emergency Manager law — was repealed. Attorney General Bill Schuette immediately declared that the former version of the law, Public Act 72 — the Emergency FINANCIAL Manager law — was back in force. The lengths to which Schuette went to justify this decision were nothing short of epic.

Now a group of civil rights attorneys has stepped up to slay the zombie beast. Click through for details.

May justice be served

The Ingham County Circuit Court has chosen to convene a one-person grand jury to investigate the election fraud misdeeds of Michigan House Speaker Jase Bolger and newly-minted Republican House caucus member Roy Schmidt. This same type of arrangement was used recently to investigate fraudulent behavior by Democrats to run fake tea party candidates and resulted in convictions. The justice that will investigate is Ingham County Circuit Judge Rosemarie Aquilina who was chosen by random draw.

More after the jump.

It’s time to get this done

Now that the ballot initiative to make collective bargaining rights part of the state constitution has been ordered placed on the November ballot, it’s time for Democrats around the state to make sure it passes handily. As part of that effort, the Protect Working Families (formerly Protect Our Jobs) alliance is conducting forums across the state to ensure people are educated and engaged in making that happen.

This Thursday, August 30, 2012 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the Ann Arbor Second Baptist Church, 850 Red Oak Road, one such forum is being held in Washtenaw County.

Details after the jump.

This is NOT going away…

Republican State House Speaker Jase Bolger may want the story of his involvement in the biggest election fraud in memory in our state to go away, but it’s not. This week, leaders in the Michigan Democratic Party are calling for a one-person grand jury investigation into possible criminal behavior by the beleaguered and corrupt Republican.

More about this and Michigan Republicans continued support of Bolger after the jump.

Thanks, Thad. Allow us to clean up this huge mess you left behind for you.

When last we left the Thad McCotter MI-11 Trainwreck, Republican Kerry “Reindeer Farmer/9-11 Truther” Bentivolio had $300,000 dumped into his pocket by a Ron Paul SuperPAC, while the Michigan GOP desperately tried to save face (and the House seat) by scrambling to run former state Senator Nancy Cassis as a write-in candidate.

Meanwhile, on the Democratic side, Dr. Syed Taj, Canton Township Trustee, former head of medicine at Oakwood hospital and all around good egg, could nary believe his good fortune by seeing his campaign–which was already solidly run and raising some decent money ($200K in the spring quarter)–suddenly go from a longshot against 5-term incumbent McCotter to reasonable odds (if still an underdog) in an unexpectedly open, and very confusing seat.

Well, there have been three major developments since then.

You’ll find them and more after the jump.

Like we didn’t see THAT coming…

The Michigan Board of State Canvassers today deadlocked on putting the Protect Working Families (formerly Protect Our Jobs) ballot initiative on the November ballot. With help from Republican Attorney General Bill Schuette who recently issued a ruling saying the ballot proposal is unconstitutional, the two Republicans on the elections board refused to certify the petitions.

Details and information on how you can help after the jump.

A long history of corruption

As Michigan Republicans work to suppress voting rights in our state under the guise of “election reform”, one of their own, disgraced former Congressman Thad McCotter, has had long history of election fraud. After being busted for submitting fraudulent nominating petitions THIS year, MIRS news service is now reporting that he did the same in 2010.

Details after the jump.

Taking back control

In the wake of the suspension of Public Act 4, Michigan no longer has “Emergency Managers”. We now have, once again, “Emergency FINANCIAL Managers”, men and women with reduced power and a singular focus on financial matters. Several school districts and municipalities around the state have wasted no time in reasserting their power as elected officials.

Many examples and commentary after the jump.

This will NOT be pretty

Now that Public Act 4 — Michigan’s anti-democratic Emergency Manager Law — is suspended pending the November election, stuff is really beginning to hit the fan around the state.

Follow the drama after the jump.

Fer cryin’ out loud, was THAT so hard???

The Michigan Board of State Canvassers met today in Lansing and followed the order given to them by the state Supreme Court to put the repeal of Public Act 4 – our state’s anti-democratic Emergency Manager Law – on the November ballot.

While you would think that this is the final piece in the Republican Stall Machine, it’s not. Although PA 4 is now officially suspended until the election to determine if it’s repealed or upheld, there is now certain to be a court battle over what happens in the interim.

More after the jump.