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NAVIGATION
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Presidential politics heating up in MichiganBy Nick, Section News
Astute observers will note that this week is, unofficially, the first big week of Campaign 2008. With the fourth of July behind us politicians of all sorts (minus the Michigan House of Representatives which is inexplicably taking another week off) are hitting the pavement across the country, shaking hands, kissing babies, making campaign pledges and doing their best to get their mugs on TV.
Presidential politics in Michigan are getting particularly interesting these days, especially when you consider we don't have a primary date set yet. Not for lack of trying. By way of refresher, last time out in 2000 the GOP ran an open primary. Lots of Democrats voted and John McCain walked away with the delegates. Last time out the Dems ran a caucus system. Debate was limited to a bunch of well connected and tuned in party activists and they got the guy they wanted. But it was a headache and the party was rightly called out for a serious lack of inclusion, choosing the few over the many. Fast forward to 2007 and Saul Anuzis and Mark Brewer seem to have found something they agree on... maybe. They've actually been working together to set a joint primary. Has it been a perfect union? Of course not. Still, we're this close to having something ready to go, at least from the party perspective. But there's a catch (isn't there always?). There are a million and one benefits to moving Michigan to an early joint primary. Everyone has a chance to vote... people are enfranchised, as opposed to limiting access through a caucus or convention system when very few people decide things for everyone else. Voters pick one party and only one party preventing the bad guys from giving Michigan to Ron Paul (boy am I going to hear about that one). Of course, that means the good guys can't go vote for Joe Biden, but that's a price I'm willing to pay. And the big one with the press these days, moving to an early joint primary keeps Michigan relevant, ensuring candidates keep stopping by and focusing on issues important to the Great Lakes State, especially important since Carl Levin won't do it in the Senate. Under current law Michigan will hold it's primary on February 26. As the Oakland Press reports today, that ain't good for us:
With so many states scheduled to hold primaries Feb. 5, it's almost certain that each party's nominee will be decided on that day. Pundits have called that date "Super Super Tuesday" or "Tsunami Tuesday."
... that's the date when Michigan's parties should vote, too. It gives the average citizen the most chance of having some type of effect on the process.
To select a presidential candidate after that date, practically speaking, would be a waste of time. So why haven't we made the switch? Good question. Please direct it to Speaker Andy Dillon and Governor Jennifer Granholm. While the Senate has the appropriate legislation moving through the appropriate committees as we speak (Senate Bills 624 and 625 for those in need of nighttime reading) there just isn't anything going on in the House. And I don't mean that in a "they're not in session today" way (though they aren't). I mean there's nothing. They're not moving legislation. They're not introducing legislation. They seem content to disenfranchise voters across the state. And make no mistake, without a change to existing law that is exactly what's going to happen. Read on...
MDP is on record stating they'll run another caucus should the necessary changes fail to be made. And word out of MRP and all over Saul's blog, MIRS and Gongwer is that they're absolutely not going to let 2008 be a repeat of 2000. They'll go to a convention on 2/5/08 before they allow another open primary.
That ain't good. I'm not a stranger to the party convention apparatus. I've volunteered at state conventions. I've organized state conventions. I've run state conventions. I've worked the caucus system. I've twisted arms for votes. I've fought and scrapped and argued and yelled on the convention floor. I'm no novice and I know enough to help accomplish whatever I want to accomplish in that particular format. But is my voice more important than Sue Smith's in Algoma? Conventioneering is all well and good when you're taking a vote for the national committeeman or the third district chair or trying to get a word or two struck from the language of an "issue" before the delegates for ratification. But it is absolutely NOT how Michigan should select the next leader of the free world (assuming the power of positive thinking helps pull off a win in November). In a state of millions, two thousand hardened political veterans should not make this decision alone. Sure, a convention would eliminate the cross-over votes and a lot of hassle for the GOP Presidential campaigns on the ground. It's a lot easier to talk to a room full of activists than a state full of swing voters. It's one of the reasons the Dems have used the caucus system. Oh, sure, they'll tell you it's because national DNC rules prohibit this or prohibit that. But it also lets party leadership run heard. They've been called on it. They understand it. Even MDP wants to change it. Michigan needs a joint primary and we need it February 5th. Andy Dillon needs to come back to Lansing, get his staff started on the legislation and get something done day one next week. In the meantime, the politicing continues. Thursday the Michigan Republicans welcome former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani to the state for a giant MRP fundraiser. The FREEP reports that the same day Cobo Hall will welcome all eight announced Dem candidates on Thursday along with one Republican, Tom Tancredo, during the NAACP National Convention.
W.A. Merritt, a registered Republican and NAACP member from Washington, D.C., said candidates tend to participate "when they feel welcome. And it's unfortunate that the African-American community has felt we can only affiliate with one political party."
William Madison of Columbia, Ga., said the GOP has ignored black voters. Mr. Madison clearly wasn't visiting Michigan last fall. Dick DeVos probably averaged three full days IN the city of Detroit a week through the entirety of 2006. I know. I was with him through the whole thing. But Madison may be a prophet. DeVos was told again and again he was wasting his time. Told he shouldn't be in the city. Told he shouldn't appear at the NAACP roundtable for an early "discussion" with the governor. But he kept going, kept talking and kept listening. I'm just afraid there aren't a lot of men like Dick DeVos anywhere in politics these days. Speaking of DeVos, he and Betsy, his wife and former MRP Chairman were named by the Washington Post with Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land as the most elite potential endorsements in the Presidential nominating contest here in Michigan. Other major power players according to the paper are Cong. Pete Hoekstra, a member of Romney's team, National Committeeman Chuck Yob, a steadfast McCain booster (and father of Jon Yob, McCain's Michigan boss) and Cong. Candice Miller, a fan of Rudy Giuliani.
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