LSJ Blogs: Capitol Journal by Scott Davis

Obama has lost his glimmer. Maybe it's time to return that gold Peace Prize

Not only does former Rep. Pete Hoekstra want to see President Obama join the ranks of the unemployed next year.

Hoekstra, who is now trying to unseat Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow, is calling on Obama to return the Nobel Peace Prize he received in 2009 for what Hoekstra sees as a lackluster performance in promoting a secure world.

The world was overly giddy with Obama when they awarded the prize to him, Hoekstra argues. At the time, Obama had accomplished nothing on the world stage, and he has not accomplished much since, Hoekstra said.

What little has been achieved has resulted from continuing former President Bush’s policies in Iraq and Afghanistan, Hoekstra said.

“So smitten was the international community with the prospect of ‘change’ in American foreign policy, that they awarded President Obama the Nobel Peace Prize before any of his proposed changes had even been implemented and results seen,” Hoekstra said.

Hoekstra does have a point here. It’s hard to say that Obama had merited winning the Nobel Peace Prize when a) he hadn’t done anything yet, and b) he has been, to a large extent, a Bush clone.

So what do you say, Prez? I’m sure that shiny gold medallion has looked good on your mantle for more than a year now. Maybe it’s time to pass it on to someone more deserving.

Michigan's only recall ballot measure hits road block

The state’s only recall effort that has made it on the ballot has hit a stop sign three weeks before the Nov. 8 election.

This morning, Ingham County Court Judge Clinton Canady issued a temporary restraining order stopping the campaign to recall Rep. Paul Scott, a Grand Blanc Republican, until a further review of Scott’s appeal is made, Gongwer News reported..

Dozens of recall efforts have been launched in the state, including a failed one against Gov. Rick Snyder, but Scott’s is the only recall effort in which organizers have gathered enough signatures to place the recall on the ballot Nov. 8.

Scott has appealed that recall, saying any signatures gathered before a Genesee County Circuit Court rejected his appeal are invalid.

Republicans do a lateral pass on Meadows complaint

For unclear reasons, it appears state House Republicans have handed off the ball to the Michigan Republican Party in a beef about Democratic state Rep. Mark Meadows’ praise of his potential successor in a taxpayer-funded newsletter.

Kim Jorns, executive director of the Michigan Republican Party, filed a formal campaign finance violation compliant against Meadows of East Lansing on Tuesday, according to Gongwer News.

The complaint, filed with the Secretary of State’s office, alleges Meadows violated campaign finance law by stating in his newsletter in August that he hoped his former chief of staff, Susan Schmidt, would be elected to his seat in 2012. Meadows is term-limited.

Meadows has said it wasn’t a violation because Schmidt wasn’t a candidate at the time. She has since declared her intent to run.

Last month, House Republicans filed a complaint against Meadows with the Secretary of State, saying it was an improper use of the taxpayer-funded newsletter, which was distributed by email. However, the Secretary of State dismissed it on a technicality.

After years of squabbling, lawmaker retiree healthcare to end (for some)

The Michigan Legislature has signed off on a plan to eliminate retiree health care coverage for its members.

But (big surprise), the plan approved Thursday by the House – and Wednesday by the Senate  --- keeps health benefits intact for lawmakers who will have served six years in the Legislature before Jan. 1, 2013.

That means most current senators will keep the benefits, while most representatives, who have served fewer years, won’t keep the benefits.

 The state savings will be a few million dollars a year, but the issue was never about money. It was about state lawmakers setting an example for other state workers as lawmakers ask them to make big sacrifices in pay and benefits to balance the budget.

After years of squabbling over legislative benefits, lawmakers have finally set that example (even if that example is diluted by senior lawmakers protecting their own benefits.)

Hoekstra is a tax 'superhero.' As long as he avoids that Kryptonite.

U.S. senatorial hopeful Pete Hoekstra has been given a moniker that will look nifty in a campaign poster: “Taxpayer Super Hero.”

It’s not clear whether the honor comes with a cape and T-emblazoned suit, but the Republican is glad to be one of six U.S. congressmen to win the award from Council for Citizens Against Government Waste, a government watchdog group.

Last week, Hoekstra firmed up his superhero credentials by signing the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, in which he promises to never increase taxes and, when removing a tax loophole, to match it dollar-for-dollar with budget cuts.

Of course, every superhero has his Kryptonite. For Hoekstra – and like-minded Tea Party candidates – that Kryptonite is reality.

For instance, I’ve never heard a no-tax pledger explain how he or she will fund the next war that comes along. Wars (always) are incredibly expensive. For instance, we’ve been spending $2 billion a week on Iraq (which President Bush financed by increasing the debt ceiling, a solution the Tea Party opposes.)

You want to temporarily dismantle a huge chunk of federal government – like say, Social Security – to fund the next Iraq War? Good luck with that.

Without a way for the nation to increase revenues to address such emergencies, the nation will go down the tubes pretty quickly.

What would Superman do? He likely would not make a silly promise.