The Michigan Lame Duck session is for the birds

Brian Dickerson, in his article today today in the Detroit Free Press makes an excellent case why the Michigan  Lame Duck session, since the enactment of term limits, has become a reckless, anti-democratic dark period. Instead of respecting the will of the people as demonstrated in the most recent mid-term election results, the defeated party, especially those office holders who are term limited or were defeated, feel emboldened to snub their noses at the voters and strive to thwart their wishes.  The reason is of course because they are no longer accountable to the electorate.

Under cover of night, GOP legislators have been busy coming up with bills that will effectively subvert the Dems proposed agenda.  If passed,  the bills would strip much of the power of the incoming Dem executive office holders, muck up current legislation relating to the minimum wage, make 500,000 acres of Michigan wetlands vulnerable to potential destruction and make if impossible for incoming Gretchen Whitmer to close line 5.

Now that should be enough for most  sensible voters who believe in the sanctity of majority rule, to start looking at ways to make the Lame Duck session less powerful.  For example, the Michigan Legislature could pass a law prohibiting  the ability of either the state house or state senate to pass laws during the Lame Duck session. 

Dickerson is totally on board for such a measure. He believes it is essential to take the legislative powers out of the hands of lawmakers whose party was defeated in the previous election and many of whom are heading out the door. Of course, in Michigan such steps must wait until the Dems control the majorities in both the state house and the state senate.

Sure, the outgoing legislators may make their get away unscathed. However, those members planning to run again in two years may regret getting involved in these  ill-conceived under-handed efforts. Dems and Independents will not be happy about what the GOP set out to do during the Lame Duck session of 2018.

For now, our actions steps are obvious. Our state senator, Darwin Booher and our state representative Curt Vanderwall need to hear from us re our outrage at the GOP’s covert efforts to undermine the will of the majority of voters. These renegade efforts to throw a grenade into the Dems plans by the Michigan GOP lawmakers will not be forgotten by voters in 2020. 

And now for Gov. Snyder. He is a term limited lame duck as well. If any of this dirty work by the GOP is to be enacted, it will have to be with approval of Snyder. He absolutely needs to hear from each one of us. 

We must appeal to him on the grounds that if he signs any of Snyder these bills into law his legacy goes into the dumpster. He already is being eyed by the new Dem Chairman, Elijah Cummings,  of the House Oversight Committee.  Cummings stated “I am not done with Flint”.  meaning that Snyder will definitely be called to Washington.   If Snyder  approves these bills which undermine democracy in his state he will be heading to Washington  to testify with an even bigger cloud hanging over his head. We can only hope that he will see the light and refuse to sign any of these measures.

Please let him know your thoughts. Emailing is an easy peasy way to state your opinion – but calling works too.

Enjoy the article – it is excellent..
https://www.freep.com/story/opinion/columnists/brian-dickerson/2018/12/02/kill-lame-duck/2161241002/

Gov, Snyder – 517-373-3400 [email protected].
Sen. Booher -517-373-1725 [email protected]
Rep. Vanderwall -517 -373-0825 [email protected]