LSJ Blogs: Capitol Journal by Scott Davis

Lawmakers vote 12th hour to provide heating aid

With brutal winter storms likely around the corner, Michigan’s Legislature chose not to go “Full-Metal Scrooge” and ignore the state’s neediest citizens.

On the last day of its session this year, the Legislature on Thursday approved a plan to provide aid to protect low-income residents to prevent utility shut-offs. The plan raises $58 million to keep the heat on in these households.

Lawmakers needed to act because a state appeals court this year ruled the financing system used by Michigan's Low Income and Energy Efficiency Fund was not authorized to continue.

Congratulations to lawmakers for helping to avert a crisis among Michigan’s poor this winter and taking care of business. But the hard work is not finished. The bill passed Thursday is only temporary; now lawmakers must find a long-term solution to provide heating assistance.

Michigan House Republicans give Obama a Bronx cheer

For roughly two years, national healthcare reform has been the law of the land – the country’s first attempt to implement fairness, decency and cost controls in an often predatory, anti-consumer healthcare insurance industry.

You wouldn’t know that by Tuesday’s vote by Michigan’s Republican-controlled House.

In what amounted to a Bronx cheer, the House voted overwhelmingly to reject a $9.8 million federal grant to continue the planning and development of the MIHealth Marketplace, a health care exchange mandated by the federal law.

This seems like a classic tantrum – a child holding his breath in hopes of getting extra dessert at the dinner table. Except, as noted earlier, this is the law of the land. Nothing will change. Michigan still has to set up the health exchange.

Just Michigan now has less money to do it.

There really is no reason for this, except that House Republicans seem to hate what they call “Obamacare” with every fiber of their existence. I’ve seen some House Republicans casually dismiss the federal law as some kind of bizarre, Stalinist holdover from the Soviet Union.

This shows a real lack of understanding of what Stalinism or socialism is, or what the new reformed system is in the nation – a private industry system, with a few regulations and many of the same predatory, anti-consumer faults that existed in the previous private sector healthcare system.

Political posturing aside, we essentially have the same healthcare system as before. Keep holding your breath, Republicans. If you pass out, healthcare will be on the way – if you can afford it.

Jones finds himself in hot water with one Tea partier

State Sen. Rick Jones’ outspoken ways landed him in a little hot water.

That would be the hot water often served up by Michigan’s Tea Party.

This week, Joan Fabiano, a mid-Michigan Tea Party official, fired off a complaint about Jones to Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville after the Grand Ledge Republican asked her through Facebook if she used “head meds,” according to Gongwer News.

In return, Jones sent an apology letter Thursday to Fabiano. Fabiano and Jones had been communicating regarding Jones’ support for health exchange legislation.

"I apologize for the last communication," he wrote. "We've been communicating for years...it's become unproductive."

Jones encouraged Fabiano, who does not live in Jones’ district, to contact her own senator is she wishes to discuss legislation.

Amber McCann, spokeswoman for Richardville, said the matter is under review.

It was not the first time Jones has asked someone publicly about drug use. At a Senate Judiciary Committee meeting earlier this year, Jones asked a medical marijuana advocate who was testifying whether he was high on marijuana; the advocate seemed taken aback by the question.

Afterwards, Jones, a former law enforcement officer, said he was merely asking, because it seemed obvious to him the person was under the influence of some sort of drug.

Will Legislature rise to the challenge?

Two heating assistance plans being debated today in the state House and Senate may prove to be a key test of how the Republican-controlled Legislature addresses the needs of Michigan’s poorest citizens.

 So far, the Legislature, along with Republican Gov. Rick Snyder, has proven adept at passing legislation to reforming Michigan’s tax code and reducing unemployment benefits in an effort to make the state more business friendly.

Now, Republicans face a different challenge as they scramble to create a temporary fund to avert what may be a crisis this winter as Michigan’s poor and  unemployed runs out of money to pay for heat.

Almost nothing could put a greater stress on the state’s homeless shelters and non-profits this winter than having thousands of Michigan residents forced from their unheated homes.

The Senate plan would create a $58 million fund that would be funded by several sources including a surcharge on utility bills. The House plan would transfer $62 milllion in  Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funding to the state’s Emergency Relief Fund. Next year, some lawmakers are hoping to reach a more long-term solution to the problem.

With temperatures dropping outside daily – and a harsh winter ahead – one hopes that lawmakers move quickly to reach consensus and put a plan into place.