LSJ Blogs: Capitol Journal by Scott Davis

Michigan Dems and redistricting: Trying to lasso the moon

Minutes after state representatives were sworn-in this month, I happened across Rep. Barb Byrum,  a third-term Democrat from Onondaga. Like many representatives, she seemed caught up in the moment – like a kid on her first day of school – and I asked her what her priority was for the coming year.

 She didn’t pause.

 “Redistricting,” she gushed. “We want to make sure it’s done fairly and openly.”

Admittedly, I was caught a little off-guard by that. It seemed to me that Democrats, who currently aren’t in power in the governor’s office, House or Senate, had as much chance of steering redistricting this year as throwing a lasso around the moon.

When it comes to redistricting in Michigan, traditionally what party is in charge – whether it’s Democrats or Republicans – have complete control over the process. The minority party generally has leave to complain afterwards to a federal or state judge about the final map. As they say, to the victor goes the spoils.

This week, I got a clearer idea of what Byrum had in mind. She led a charge to revise the joint rules governing redistricting by requiring at least six statewide hearings on a redistricting plan, and a website posting any redistricting plans and listing any contacts made to legislators or their staff regarding redistricting.

Byrum’s proposal in fact would make the process more transparent and open – not a bad idea – but House Republicans weren’t ready to change the rules: They voted down the measure. State Rep. Pete Lund, a Shelby Township Republican and chair of the Redistricting and Elections Committee, said Democrats merely wanted to change the rules after losing control of the House this year.

He pledged that committee hearings in the House on redistricting would be open to the public, as required by law.

Little Johnny: Pack your notebook, pencil, and Kevlar vest

In the wake of a tragic shooting that wounded Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and killed several in Tucson, Ariz., it appears that one Michigan state senator has the solution to the problem.

More guns  -- and everywhere.

Sen. Mike Green, a Mayville Republican, has introduced legislation to eliminate gun-free zones in such areas as schools, hospitals, day care centers, churches and casinos. Also, it would hasten the permitting of concealed weapons permits by eliminating local gun licensing boards and allowing the Secretary of State to issue permits.

Well, as much as I favor having eight parents and three day-care aides packing pistols during story time for pre-schoolers at the neighborhood day care center, it’s an image that strikes me as a little disconcerting. That’s partly because I’ve written dozens of stories about adults who haven’t handled guns responsibly, in some cases resulting in the death of children.

Green has a different notion. He believes putting guns in daycare and schools will be a winning blow for law and order.

“The fact is, they’re more threatened now than they would be under my proposal,” Green told the Associated Press. “See, the people that are on the other side of this issue think that there are no crooks in these gun-free zones, and all they have to do is whistle and a police man will come running. That is the farthest from the truth you can find.”

While one can debate whether more guns in such places increases the danger to kids, there’s no question it’s educational. At least, children can learn about the Second Amendment and their Constitutional rights.

One prays it won’t be the last lesson they will ever learn.

Stabenow vulnerable in a Land/Hoekstra matchup?

Boldened by a strong national showing in the 2010 elections, Republicans are trying to lay the groundwork to unseat U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow in 2012.

Surveys recently commissioned by Republicans concluded that the Democratic Michigan senator is vulnerable in her next election, with only 33 percent of likely voters saying they would vote to re-elect Stabenow. About 36 percent said they would first consider another candidate.

The study, prepared by Wilson Research and Sterling Corp., concluded that Stabenow failed to gain the commanding leads expected of an incumbent against two possible Republican opponents – former Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land and former U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra.

In those matchup polls, Stabenow led Land 46 percent to 41 percent and led Hoekstra 47 percent to 41 percent.

Neither Land nor Hoekstra are confirmed candidates for the 2012 Senate seat, but the pollster tested them because both have previously run statewide campaigns in Michigan and have statewide name recognition.

Reader puts reporter in cross-hairs: And that's fine

Some recent feedback from a reader regarding “violent language” in my stories makes me convinced that this new heightened concern about rhetoric after the Tucson attack has gone way off the rails

The stories in question? In a story about the State of the State address Thursday, I stated that thousands of state employees may have felt like they “dodged a bullet” because Gov. Rick Snyder did not mention wage cuts.

Then in today’s paper, I wrote the city of Lansing is “looking down the barrel” of a $15 million shortfall.

 Granted, neither one of these are examples of inspired metaphor. They’re common tools of my trade. But is it possible that the use of such terms leads to a culture of violence – the kind of atmosphere that leads one person to pull out a revolver, aim squarely at an opponent and fire one clean between the eyes?

People are certainly free to ask the question. I personally find it hard to believe that using such metaphors in news stories leads to any degradation of our culture – and subsequent outbreaks of violence. If it does, then our problems run much deeper than my new stories, given that we have a TV and movie culture in which gunfire, pain and misery seem to be main theme.

As I feared, the call for toning down our language following the Jan. 8 attack on Rep. Gabrielle Giffords is going too far. Democrats recently were unreasonable by demanding that Republicans change the (admittedly asinine) title of their healthcare repeal bill because it contained the words “job-killing.”

And even I’ll admit that the jabs at Sarah Palin for using cross-hairs on an election map are somewhat idiotic. I mentioned them critically in another staff’s member blog recently only because everyone was talking about them, but, in truth, putting a crosshair on an election map is fairly innocuous: More yawn-producing than violence-provoking.

 (Having said that, Palin does deserve to be rapped for coarsening our culture in other ways. I remember vividly her political rallies in 2008, while running for vice-president, in which she implied Barack Obama was an enemy of the state for supposedly consorting with a former domestic terrorist. As she said this, I recall at least one person at a rally yelled “Kill him!” Palin, to her discredit, said nothing in response. Does this kind of speech by Palin encourage violence? I’ll let you decide.)

 At any rate, rest assured I have no plans to holster up my verbiage. I’ll continue to tell stories in the most direct, engaging way that I can. And I do welcome any and all feedback.

Readers, give me your best shot!

Snyder as Richard Simmons: A healthy diet over fiscal one

Like a wonkish version of Richard Simmons, Gov. Rick Snyder was sure jazzed up during his State of the State address Wednesday, calling for new state initiatives to keep Michigan residents healthy and whip them into shape.

This health kick came as quite a surprise to many in the audience who expected the governor to call for a diet of a different kind – a fiscal one that includes deep spending cuts, state employee wage reductions, more bumps on the roads.

The governor not only did not specify any spending cuts to address a $1.8 billion deficit, he didn’t talk about how he would pay for his goal of encouraging annual physical checkups for all state residents.

That didn’t stop some groups, like Healthy Kids, Healthy Michigan, a coalition fighting childhood obesity, from gushing over Snyder’s proposal today,

 “The coalition looks forward to working with the governor and members of the legislature to develop strong policies which will improve the health of Michigan, especially its youngest residents,” Katherine Knoll, chair of the Healthy Kids, Healthy Michigan steering committee said in a release.

That’s all well and good. Obesity, especially among the state’s children, remains a serious problem.

But the governor did run on a campaign that there was much obesity/fat in the state’s budget. Dr. Snyder, what diet will you prescribe for Michigan?

New poll: Widespread support for revenue hikes

A new poll of the eve of Gov. Rick Snyder’s State of the State address revealed some interesting nuggets of information.

It’s main finding was that Snyder has quite the honeymoon going on – with approval ratings of 59 percent in his first month – higher than ratings Gov. Jennifer Granholm saw in her first month.

That’s probably no surprise. Snyder is a highly popular persona who was swept into office amid a wrecked economy and high expectations that he can solve the state’s fiscal crisis.

More surprising in the poll by EPIC-MRA is that 64 percent say they would accept some increase in taxes or fees to help balance the budget, which has a projected shortfall of $1.8 billion.

That runs counter to the dogma spouted by Snyder and the Republican-controlled Legislature. Both have said they won’t entertain tax increases to balance the budget – only spending cuts.

Two-thirds of the electorate seems like a lot of support for revenue increases. Anybody out there in positions of power listening?

Note to Snyder: New House dress code

Gov. Rick Snyder may want to invest in a lot of ties after-all, in case he ever gets the itch to pay a visit to the state House floor.

In an effort to raise the decorum of the chamber, House Republicans – members of Snyder’s own party – have for the first time established a “business attire” dress code for anyone conducting business on the House floor or the House Appropriations room.

That’s an interesting departure from the relaxed style of our new governor, who is famous for not wearing ties around the office or at official functions.

Thankfully, news media will still be allowed to do their Rick Snyder-impersonations and go onto the floor sans ties. For news media, the new dress code is “business casual.” And for videographers, there is no dress code.

Outer Limits: Michigan's revenue looking better

Do not adjust your Internet settings. There is nothing wrong with your computer monitor.

Here’s some actual good news, for a change.

According to a new House Fiscal Agency report, Michigan’s revenue outlook for the current fiscal year is better than expected.

According to Gongwer News, the state is expected to bring in $7.313 billion in general fund revenues in the 2010-11 fiscal year -- a 7.8 percent increase or $527.9 million over 2009-10. And the School Aid Fund is expected to collect just over $11 billion, up 2.1 percent of $231.7 million.

That led the agency to recommend increasing the revenue forecast from May by $216.4 million for the general fund and by $215.7 million for the SAF.

Total general fund and SAF revenue is expected to be $18.6 billion in 2011-12 -- a 1.1 percent increase from the current fiscal year.

Sure that’s good news – and we’ll take it. Still, there is a billion-plus shortfall ahead for the next fiscal year – and plenty of tough decisions to be made.

A Supreme Court pick, the Kelly/Kelley factor?

Among the names being floated as a possible successor to Michigan Supreme Court Justice Maura Corrigan is state appellate court Judge Kirsten Frank Kelly.

Qualifications aside, Kelly has certainly proven to be an electable name on the Supreme Court. Already, there are two Kellys on the bench – Justice Marilyn Kelly, a Democrat, and Justice Mary Beth Kelly, a Republican, and Gov. Rick Snyder’s selection of Kirsten Frank Kelly would add a third to the seven-member bench.

Not only that, but the selection could be a dig at Frank J. Kelley, a highly popular Democrat who served as state attorney general between 1961 and 1999.

Voters pulled that lever for Frank Kelley so many times they naturally gravitate to another “Frank Kelly” on the ballot – even a Republican one.

Snyder assured reporters Thursday that such political considerations would not be part of his selection process. He pledged to select the most qualified jurist who can carry on Corrigan’s style of judicial review.

Snyder will do State of State early this year

Apparently, Michigan’s newest governor isn’t kidding around: Rick Snyder is “chomping at the bit” to get down to business.

On Wednesday, Geralyn Lasher, Snyder’s communication director, let slip to the AP that Snyder’s first State of the State address will be Jan. 19 – the earliest date in more than a decade.

Typically, governors use the State of the State to give lawmakers and constituents the lay of the land and set broad themes in preparation for the unveiling of the governor’s proposed executive budget.

This year will be no different. Snyder likely won’t do into detail about his forthcoming budget – which must address at least a $1.85 billion expected shortfall. But I expect him to allude to the need for potential reductions in state employee pay and benefits.

That should give lawmakers of both parties – particularly those representing mid-Michigan, which has high numbers of state employees – plenty to chew over as the budget unveiling approaches.

A budget will follow by the end of February. Under state law, a new governor must present a proposed budget to the Legislature within 60 days of inauguration.