Politics

Elites and Ron DeSantis

Thoughts from a post by Diane Ravitch at: https://dianeravitch.net/category/curriculum/ regarding curriculum, critical race theory (CRT), and the definition of ‘elites.’ Ms. Ravitch quotes Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis regarding CRT, “Nobody wants this crap, OK? This is an elite-driven phenomenon being driven by bureaucratic elites, elites in universities and elites in corporate America and they’re trying to shove it down the throats of the American people.” Clearly Gov. DeSantis is using the word ‘elite’ as a …

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Pension Plan Deceptions and DeVos Diversions

Michigan’s Republican governor and its Republican legislature are at odds over finalizing the state budget for upcoming fiscal year. The main hangup for pols is the state teacher retirement system and whether the current system should be maintained or turned into a 401k styled plan. Politicians favoring the 401k system are falsely arguing that Michigan cannot maintain the current system. Taxpayers should not be fooled. Republican leaders are following the marching orders given to them …

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Letters to Congressional Leadership

Democracy needs everyone’s participation. I wrote similar letters to Sen. McConnell and Speaker Ryan: Dear Senator McConnell, I am writing you today to call on you to fulfill your oath of office to protect and uphold our Constitution. The conflicts of interest on display by President Trump and members of his administration are flagrant, alarming, and dangerous to our nation and all of its citizens.

Mr. Trump Must Hold Russia Accountable

Our nation was founded in order to be free of foreign intervention in the affairs of its people and its political processes. In the Revolutionary War, patriots valiantly fought and died for the right to hold democratically determined elections. Our men and women have laid down their lives in wars since in order to preserve and protect our nation and our right to elect the citizens who will lead us. Russia’s intervention in our presidential …

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Legislative End-Run around Wolf Hunting is a Dangerous Precedent

Before leaving Lansing during the recent Lame Duck session of Michigan’s congress, the Michigan House and Senate passed legislation permitting wolf hunting and sent the package to Gov. Snyder’s office for his signature. The governor should not sign the bill. Even though I did not agree with the outcome of the 2014 vote in which Michigan voters struck down wolf hunting in Michigan, I do not believe that legislators should then use their power to …

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Response to Speaker Ryan

A few weeks ago I took the time to write Speaker of the House, Paul Ryan about my concerns regarding increasing partisanship in politics. I received a response from his office today. My response and his office’s email are below: Dear Speaker Ryan, Thank you for your response regarding the unceasing partisanship in today’s politics. I agree that we should be working on ideas from both sides of the aisle and would ask you to …

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Who needs to do their job? Nobody!

Because I did not vote for the current governor and because I do not like many of the policies he and the Republican legislature pass, I have decided that I will not, from now and until the public elects the people I believe should be in office, do my job. I mean, I’ll show up and sit in my office and interact with my fellow workers…but get anything done? What? Why?

Michigan Burning

In Nolan Finley’s article in the Detroit News today, Mr. Finley accuses the folks involved in the water mess in Flint of doing little but point fingers. While doing a fair amount of finger pointing himself, Mr. Finley is correct that little has been done to actually correct the situation. What Mr. Finley avoids pointing out is that so little is being done in large part due to the current leadership in Lansing in every …

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Flint, DPS, and the State of Schools in Michigan

Recent revelations about the Flint water crisis and conditions in Detroit Public School buildings are emblematic of the poor leadership of Governor Snyder and Senate and State Representatives in Lansing. Citizens throughout our state should take notice and offense at the terrible harm to our state’s reputation on the national and international stage. The Flint and Detroit tragedies will not be the end of poor outcomes if Michiganders do not demand more realistic and responsible …

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