GR Pundit would like to express contentment with the outcome of the elections in Michigan this year. We have been in favor in a split government, that's why we weren't very big fans of a DeVos election. The re-election of Jennifer Granholm will ensure that continued split, with the addition of a Democrat-controlled State House. We just hope that the legislature and governor can get together and see the light about really turning Michigan around. Pet economic development plans won't work - and when government picks economic winners and losers, we all lose. It's time to make Michigan friendly to all businesses, not just a few that the governor likes.
As for the proposals, we are very pleased about how they turned out.
Proposal 1 - Ensuring that state park funds are actually spent on state parks - Passed
Proposal 2 - Banning racist hiring, admissions, and contracting practices by any unit of government in Michigan - Passed
Proposal 3 - Allowing morning doves to be hunted - Failed
Proposal 4 - Banning eminiment domain for economic development purposes - Passed
Proposal 5 - Setting up mandatory funding levels for K-16 education - Failed
We were most worried about Proposal 5 passing because it would have caused the most economic damage and would have done nothing but protect the bloated public education bureacuracy and continue the lack of accountability of education in Michigan. Now it's time to lift the cap on charter schools - which cost less than traditional public schools and do a better job. Parents desperately want and need the choice.
Proposal 2, which we were also hopeful would pass, did so handily. Michigan, and any unit of government in Michgian, will no longer be able to engage in racist hiring, admissions, and contracting practices. We now have true equality in Michigan. Of course, groups such as By Any Mean Necessay (BAMN) have filed lawsuits trying to overturn the passage of Proposal 2. This just shows their complete contempt for the will of the people. In addition, their lawsuit invokes the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment in trying to argue that creating a color-blind government somehow creates unequal treatment.
Let the gnashing of teeth begin.
It's hard to argue that the 14th Amendment doesn't allow government to take into account race when crafting remedies to racial discrimination. The post Civil War civil rights legislation did exactly that. But it may be more of a stretch to say that the 14th Amendment precludes voters passing something like Proposal 2. We'll see. I'm still waiting for proponents of Proposal 2 to come forward with ideas on how to address the inequities that exist and that will be exacerbated by the passage of Proposal 2.
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