Michigan Political Week in Review
It seems that summer has arrived, and the unseasonably steamy weather has us daydreaming about hot-headed politicians and perhaps climate change. Here’s your Political Week in Review:
State
The 2009-2010 Michigan Environmental Scorecard was released Tuesday, May 25. The report highlights key environmental votes from the 2009-2010 state legislative session. As a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to holding elected officials accountable for their actions, the Scorecard is our signature accountability tool. This year, 32 representatives and 11 senators scored 100%, while 3 representatives and 9 senators (including Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop) scored a pathetic 0%. This year’s Scorecard release was a statewide effort, and received widespread media coverage.
Here’s what outlets around the state had to say:
“If there's any organization that holds feet of state politicians to the fire — or at least to the bright light of public scrutiny — on environmental issues, it is the Michigan League of Conservation Voters (MLCV).”
- George Weeks, in the Traverse City Record Eagle
“The Michigan League of Conservation Voters annual environmental scorecard will be released tomorrow. Unfortunately, it will show that when it comes to taking care of our most precious resources, our lawmakers have been letting us down.”
- Jack Lessenberry on Michigan Radio
Other coverage came from AnnArbor.com, Michigan Messenger, the Metro Times, Bay City Times and Grand Rapids Press.
You can find the Scorecard online at michiganlcv.org/scorecard.
Race for Governor
Officially out of the gate after the May 11t filing deadline, the race for the primary is on:
Republicans:
Congressman Pete Hoekstra
Attorney General Mike Cox
State Senator Tom George
Businessman Rick Snyder
Sheriff Mike Bouchard
Democrats:
House Speaker Andy Dillon
Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero.
Recently, the five Republicans campaigning for the highest office in the state have been busier pointing fingers than kissing babies and shaking hands. Television ads aired by Cox accuse Hoekstra of big spending in Congress.
The Hoekstra campaign has responded by calling Cox’s attack an “act of desperation.”
Businessman Rick Snyder called out Cox and Hoekstra for their mudslinging, asking for “less bickering, more results.” And at a Republican debate in Grand Rapids this past Monday, George bashed Hoekstra again for his spending, and Snyder for his inexperience in the political realm.
Sheriff Mike Bouchard hasn’t gone after any one of his opponents directly, although he did compare the current Lansing political machine to a vending machine in a briefly entertaining campaign ad.
Across the aisle, Bernero had some choice words for Dillon, calling Dillon “Speaker of the mess,” and criticizing his conservative bent on many issues. Dillon himself has been quiet.
For more on candidate positions, you can watch coverage of this week’s Republican debate on taxes and reforms HERE;
And you can watch full coverage of Michigan LCV Education Fund’s May 12 forum, focused on Michigan’s environmental and economic future, HERE.
Coal in Michigan
A bit of good news for environmentalists and consumers alike, Consumers Energy decided to “defer” the construction of a new 830-megawatt coal-fired power plant, which was proposed to go online in 2017. The decision follows closely on the heels of the Michigan DNRE’s decision to deny Wolverine Power Co. the air permit they needed to operate a proposed coal-fired power plant near Rogers City. We applaud this turn of events, which reflects a 2009 Michigan Public Service Commission report that detailed the declining electric service demand in Michigan and the decisive lack of necessity for new baseload power generating plants.
On a related note, Rep. Jeff Mayes, the chair of the House Energy and Technology Committee, canceled the clean energy hearings which were scheduled for this past Tuesday.
Saugatuck Dunes
In another exciting bit of news, the Saugatuck Dunes was named one of America’s 11 most endangered places. This is great news for the area, which is one of Michigan’s most ecologically and historically significant places, and which also faces threats from developers.
Federal
This past Monday, Great Lakes Senators, including Michigan Senators Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin, signed and submitted a letter to the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, urging Congress to study and implement a permanent barrier between the Mississippi River watershed and the Great Lakes. The barrier would serve to protect both watersheds from the threat of invasive species, namely the Asian Carp. The support of the Great Lakes senators is a positive step in combating the threat from this invasive fish; efforts so far have been met with resistance from the Obama administration, the Supreme Court, and Chicago-area barge operators.
And in case there was any question in your mind regarding the importance of this year’s election, a slew of VIPs have already been sighted around the state, campaigning for their politicians of choice:
Former Governor of New Jersey and Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency Christine Todd Whitman has officially endorsed Republican Field Reichardt in the 2nd Congressional District, and was campaigning with Reichardt on the west side of the state this week.
Former White House advisor Karl Rove was in Oakland County this week, attending a GOP fundraiser on Wednesday night. Four Oakland County Republican candidates are currently running against Dem. incumbent Gary Peters in the 9th Congressional district. Peters was endorsed by National LCV in the 2008 Congressional election.
Have a great week!
