PLEASE VOTE TODAY

How do you know an incumbent career politician is running scared over his ability to hold his seat in the US House of Representatives the day before an election? He sends his staff off to the back forty of his district where he seldom if ever treads and in a last-ditch effort to scare people into voting for him, spreads lies about his opponent, Dr. Rob Davidson. Huizenga’s staff came to Ludington, Michigan, and passed out fliers around downtown the late afternoon of November 5th claiming that Rob Davidson wanted to shut down the SS Badger over the boat dumping coal ash into Lake Michigan.

HUIZENGA STANDS UP FOR THE BADGER, LUDINGTON, OPPORTUNITY

The S.S. Badger is under attack again. This time from a candidate actually running to represent us here in Ludington. Bill Huizenga’s opponent, in a recent debate in Newaygo, made disparaging remarks about the Badger, and the ship’s recent fight with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to stay in business.

He clearly must not know what the S.S. Badger means to the Ludington community. The S.S. Badger contributes $21 million annually to the Ludington economy. Losing this would not only devastate our entire community but would have negative repercussions throughout West Michigan. Not to mention, the S.S. Badger employs over 200 people. It is startling to see a candidate with such disregard for potential constituents’ jobs and our economic well-being.

Bill Huizenga has always stood up for the Badger and Ludington. When the EPA tried to shut the Badger down, he fought for a solution. In 2013, the S.S. Badger signed a Consent Decree agreement with the Department of Justice and the EPA allowing the ship to continue to operate. It’s unfortunate that Bill Huizenga’s opponent appears to be just as misguided as the EPA bureaucrats who tried to shut down the S.S. Badger not based on scientific facts but rather only trying to advance a partisan agenda. Bill was also instrumental in getting the S.S. Badger named as a National Historic Landmark by the National Park Service further protecting it from future EPA attacks.

For this and numerous other reasons, I will again be voting for Bill Huizenga for Congress on November 6th. I hope you will join me in supporting a candidate that is working to help our community prosper and not a candidate that shows clear contempt for one of Ludington’s most important economic and cultural landmarks.

Joe Lenius

This letter to the editor appeared in the Ludington Daily News on Friday, October 26th.

First, some facts about the SS Badger:

  • The SS Badger is a car ferry shuttling vehicles and passengers between Ludington, Michigan and Manitowoc, Wisconsin. The boat is a section of US Highway 10.
  • The SS Badger has been in operation on Lake Michigan for the past 65 years.
  • The SS Badger can carry vehicles as large as a semi-tractor trailer. It can hold 180 cars
  • It is the only coal-fueled ship in operation in the United States.
  • The SS Badger generates $35 million in revenue every year for Ludington, MI, and Manitowoc, WI.
  • The SS Badger is a National Historic Landmark.

In 2011 the EPA required the company operating the SS Badger to stop dumping coal ash into Lake Michigan. Coal ash is the waste product of spent coal. Coal ash contains toxins like cadmium, mercury, arsenic, and depending on the coal, other hazardous substances. People exposed to water containing coal ash can become susceptible to diseases like cancer. The EPA also required the Badger to pay $25,000 in fines and required them to update the ship so it no longer dumped four tons of coal ash into Lake Michigan every single day it operated.

Lake Michigan Carferry, the owner of the SS Badger, went to Congress looking for help to stay in business with their coal-fueled boat. Bill Huizenga was more than happy to help. He helped with getting exemptions for the Badger from following EPA rules and the car ferry was declared a national historic landmark, which made it more difficult to enforce pollution laws on the boat.

During the debate held in Holland, Michigan, on October 30, 2018, Dr. Rob Davidson commended the SS Badger for efforts to stop dumping coal ash into Lake Michigan. His statement on finding different solutions in no way meant that the SS Badger should stop operating as a ferry across Lake Michigan. That Huizenga would use this statement with hours left before the election to scare people into voting for him shows he’s the one who’s afraid right now. Otherwise, why resort to such disgusting tactics.

Who is Joe Lenius? He currently serves the First Ward on the Ludington City Council.

Dr. Rob Davidson has no intention of taking away the SS Badger from Ludington, Michigan. Huizenga is using the methods of a desperate man to scare people into voting for him. Dr. Rob doesn’t need to scare anyone. He will listen to his constituents and do what they want. Vote for Dr. Rob Davidson tomorrow on November 6.

Election Day is almost here! Only one more day until we can vote for progressive candidates and change things for the better in Northern Michigan and the United States. There are lots of polls out there right now and Up North Progressive is going to ask you to please IGNORE ALL OF THEM. Polls are really good at convincing people they don’t need to get out and vote. Everybody needs to vote tomorrow.

If you’re not sure if you can vote or where you need to vote there are resources to help you. For Michigan voters, there’s the Secretary of State’s Voter Information Center where all of your voter questions can be answered and you can see what your ballot will look like when you go to the polls. Samantha Bee made these wonderful videos that also have voter information available with voting tips on election day. If you’re reading this and you don’t live in Michigan, Sam’s Soothing Voter Guides has resources and voting tips to help you out.

 

 

Some other things to remember for tomorrow:

 

  • You don’t need a driver’s license to vote. Any picture ID such as a student ID, military ID, passports are all valid ID’s. If the poll workers hassle you, call 866-OUR-VOTE and report the issue.
  • If for some reason you are not on the rolls, demand a provisional ballot. If you know you are registered you must be allowed to vote. After you vote, call 866-OUR-VOTE and report the issue.
  • Pay close attention to instructions on Michigan’s new voting machines. They were first used during Michigan’s primary in August and there were problems. Check your paper receipt to ensure your selections are tabulated correctly before leaving. If there are any irregularities call 866-OUR-VOTE and report the issue.
  • STAY IN LINE. If people are still waiting and the 8:00 PM closing time arrives, polling places are required to stay open until everyone has voted. If there are problems, call 866-OUR-VOTE and report the issue.
  • The weather forecast for Michigan tomorrow is rain showers and gusty winds. Dress for the weather just in case you have to stand outside.
  • Some county Democratic Parties and other organizations are offering free transportation to the polls tomorrow. Call your local Democratic Party office to see if this service is offered in your area. If you can give a friend a ride to the polls, please do!

 

This election is so important for Michigan. We have an opportunity to put progressive candidates into office who are interested in listening to the people of Michigan and working with us instead of against us.

Don’t forget the non-partisan portion of the ballot. and vote YES on all three ballot proposals. Proposal 2 will make our voting districts fair for all voters. Proposal 3 will make it much easier to register and vote in future elections.

Happy Election Day!

Besides Governor, House of Representatives, Senate, State Senate, and Legislature, there are other important elections happening on Tuesday, November 6, 2018. It’s been shown that many people forget to vote down their ballot for the rest of the candidates listed, and some skip nonpartisan sections completely because they’re not sure who to vote for. Here’s the progressive slate endorsed by Up North Progressive.

Our new Secretary of State will be Jocelyn Benson. Her professional career includes Dean of Wayne State University Law School and CEO of RISE. She serves on the board for the award-winning civics curriculum iCivics founded by Sandra Day O’Connor, and she’s also authored a book about the importance of Secretaries of State defending the democratic process.

Jocelyn Benson’s Secretary of State office will provide a 30-minute guarantee for all license and registration renewals, stop fee increases, provide more comprehensive election security and protect voters rights, and work to raise Michigan’s dead last ranking in the country on government transparency.

 

Dana Nessel is a champion for Civil Rights and as our next Attorney General will return the office to its proper role of fighting for the people of Michigan. Dana Nessel worked for the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office. She started her own practice in 2005 where she defended indigent defendants and handled Civil Rights cases. In 2012 she was counsel for the Deboer v. Snyder case to make it legal for same-sex couples to marry. Nessel along with other cases went before the United States Supreme Court and successfully fought for same-sex marriage to become law in the United States.

Civil Rights, defending labor unions, and protecting senior citizens will be the focus of the office of Attorney General when she is elected. She will also work to shut down Enbridge Line 5, legalize and regulate marijuana, and go after companies that fraud consumers.

 

On the non-partisan portion of the ballot, Michigan voters will have the opportunity to elect two progressive candidates to the Michigan Supreme Court. They are Megan Kathleen Cavanagh and Samuel Bagenstos.

 

Megan Kathleen Cavanagh is an experienced appellate attorney. She has served on the Appellate Practice Section and Negligence Section of the State Bar of Michigan. She is also a member of the Michigan Attorney Grievance Commission. Cavanagh has worked for over 15 years as an appellate attorney. Coming from a family dedicated to public service. She will bring her experience to the State Supreme Court to keep it honest and fair and works for the people of the State of Michigan. She will approach her term on the bench with Compassion and Credibility.

 

Samuel Bagenstos currently works as a Professor of Law at the University of Michigan. His prior experience includes working for the United States Department of Justice working under President Barack Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder. He also served as a law clerk under United States Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Bagenstos in his career has been a champion of Civil Rights. His work in Michigan includes defending residents in Flint for injuries caused by the water crisis, defending women’s rights, and voting rights.

 

Make sure on November 6, 2018, you vote for these candidates on your ballot. Their progressive approach to their offices will make Michigan a safer, compassionate, and more transparent place for people to work and live.

It’s certainly not on the same level as dead movie stars rising from the grave to campaign for you or your 19-year-old campaign manager cooking up fake tales of it came from the internet to discredit your opponent, but this one is still pretty terrible.

Sarah Schulz, the next Representative of the 98th State House District, is endorsed by the Police Officers Association of Michigan, or POAM. Her Republican opponent, Annette Glenn, is not. This didn’t stop Annette Glenn or the Michigan Republican Party however from listing POAM as endorsing Annette Glenn on one of her recent fliers mailed out to everyone in the district.

POAM already issued a statement on the fraudulent claim:

“We didn’t endorse her, and her using our name improperly is offensive and more of a reason not to vote for Glenn.”

Indeed, why should any human being with even basic empathy vote for any member of the Glenn family ever again? They figured Gary Glenn out in deep red Idaho twenty years ago and voted for the Democratic candidate running against him for Ada County Commissioner. That’s how much they dislike Gary Glenn in Idaho today.

Annette Glenn appears to have the same moral compass as her husband. There is a process for receiving endorsements from organizations. Just printing POAM’s name on your flier is not how it’s done.

When it comes to politics comedy Gary Glenn and now his wife Annette are the gift that keeps on giving. The people of the 98th State House District can eliminate the Glenn legacy on November 6, 2018, when they vote for Sarah Schulz.

Not even 24 hours after the MAGAbomber was captured in Plantation, Florida, an antisemite in Pittsburgh walked into a synagogue and murdered 11 people attending services. He even telegraphed this on right-wing social media:

Gab is the MAGA-loving Nazi version of Twitter. The social media platform appeared the beginning of 2018 when Trump lovers got mad Twitter purged all of their Russian bot “friends.” The site’s logo is a frog, and they declare the website promotes free speech, which means you can post the most racist, bigoted stuff you want and it’s all good.

Gab is a perfect example of how mainstream racism has become in the United States and just about every other predominantly white European country. The blatant in-your-face bigotry didn’t start with Trump however, it started happening much sooner.

The Tea Party originally started by financial personalities like Rick Santelli angry over President Bush’s 2008 bank bailouts morphed into an openly racist movement against anything President Obama supported. Republicans quickly latched on to it to push their agenda. In 2010 and 2014 they were rewarded by gaining the majority in both houses of Congress and sweeping many Republican governors into state government. It was during this time names like George Soros became a mainstream dog whistle for every global Jewish conspiracy to control whatever it is white supremacists believe the global Jewish conspiracy controls. Racism fueled by hatred of President Obama and the fear that every Muslim on the planet is a bomb-wielding terrorist post 9/11 pushed growing hatred for everything that is not white, Christian and dominated by CIS males.

People are still trying to figure out what happened with the 2016 election, but that doesn’t change the fact that a racist sundowning narcissist currently sits in the White House. It also doesn’t change the obvious fact that the tea party has grown into the cult of Trump.

Trump supporters have no problem with violence. All of the people targeted by the MAGAbomber were people Trump enjoys ranting about at every rally he holds. His recent claim he’s a nationalist solidified with racists he’s one of them and everything they stand for. Blaming George Soros and globalists is how conservatives now attack the Democratic Party and the left whenever they make any headway in American politics. That progressive candidate is leading in the polls? George Soros must be paying for their campaign. The progressive candidates’ supporters outnumber the conservative candidates’ at a debate? They’re just people the progressive candidate brought with him to make it appear he’s more popular. Everyone knows these demonstrators are all paid George Soros actors.

And when ballot proposals gain favor in the polls it must be a globalist George Soros-funded plot to infiltrate the government.

Nothing but pure racist dog whistle for “globalist Jews will take over our government if the Democratic Party wins.” Think some fringe group paid for this flier? Check the bottom: Michigan Republican Party.

This rhetoric is fueled by the internet. From Pepe to kekistan to Qanon to red pilling and now the really obtuse NPC nonsense, all of this is where the real proliferation of hate takes place. Banning InfoWars and Alex Jones from the internet hasn’t stopped the spread of racism one bit.

Racists don’t have to hide anymore. Thanks to Trump being openly vocal about his bigotry, conservatives can come out of hiding and show their true character hood-free. Proud Boys in New York can openly beat up people on the street. Patriot Pride in Portland, Oregon, can stockpile weapons on the roof of buildings where they know demonstrations will take place, and the police will forget to mention that in their report for months. Homeless strippers can send pipe bombs through the mail to 12 people Trump loves to complain about at his rallies and a man in Pittsburgh actually critical of Trump not being nationalist enough walks into a synagogue and guns down 11 people on a Saturday morning.

Trump’s first response to the massacre that also left four police officers wounded? Blame the victims by saying if they had guns and armed guards, maybe they wouldn’t be dead now.

It’s time to stop with both sides need to dial it back rhetoric. The idea that people fighting against racism and bigotry is just as bad as the people fighting for racism and bigotry is the worst kind of false equivalencies. Trump is the top of the racism chain that legitimizes and promotes open racism in this country. The best way to put a stop to it is to get out and vote out of office the party of hate and bigotry – the Republican Party. Vote blue on November 6, 2018.

Back on July 15, 2018, Lee Chatfield (R-Can’t Remember Where His Unregistered Loaded Guns Are) was arrested at Pellston Regional Airport after attempting to bring a loaded, unregistered firearm through airport security. Emmet County Prosecutor James Linderman didn’t press charges, and Progress Michigan reported in August that Linderman donated $625 to Chatfield’s campaign for re-election. Through a FOIA request, Progress Michigan published this video of Chatfield’s arrest.

In the video, you can hear the TSA agent inform Lee Chatfield that the County Prosecutor has a policy of not prosecuting people caught with unregistered firearms. They also tell Chatfield that he’s not going to jail, and assume the reason why the semi-automatic pistol isn’t in the registry is probably that the paperwork got lost. One interesting thing is the serial number on the gun raised some flags. Chatfield is then unhandcuffed so he doesn’t have to walk out in front of gawkers. The TSA agent jokes that Chatfield picked the right airport to bring a loaded unregistered firearm because if this had happened at any other airport TSA agents would have done their job and hauled him straight to jail.

Comforting to know the TSA in Northern Michigan think it’s cute they don’t have to do the job they were hired to do because of the County Prosecutor not doing the job he was elected to do.

Lee Chatfield plans on returning to the State House in January as the State Speaker of the House. You don’t have to put up with this; there is a candidate who is ready to go to Lansing and work for the issues that matter to you. Such as keeping people safe from 2nd Amendment fetishists like Lee Chatfield. Vote for Joanne Galloway on November 6, 2018. She’s endorsed by Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense, so you know she will make sure people like Lee Chatfield don’t get away with breaking federal law at your local airport.

You can tell election day is three weeks away. Media are full of ads, signs proclaiming the names of people who want your vote are popping all over people’s front lawns, and the GOP lies are reaching obtuse levels never seen before.

With eight years of GOP manipulating the Affordable Care Act to make it unaffordable, the majority of Americans are interested in single-payer health care. In 2009 during the battle over the ACA in Congress, expanding Medicare to every American became a war cry for the tea party and the GOP to kill “Obamacare”. The AARP came out in favor of Obamacare, which made retired insurance agent Dan Weber create his own conservative senior’s club called the Association for Mature American Citizens. Just like AARP, AMAC sells supplemental insurance plans for people on Medicare. Weber uses AMAC to demonize AARP as a liberal Soros funded front group for taking away for-profit health insurance.

So now that people in 2018 are interested in Medicare For All, AMAC has launched a misinformation campaign to scare voters away.

 

Take the Pledge to Save Your Medicare

Your Medicare is on the ballot in November: The program dedicated to seniors is under attack by socialists.
THE HOUSE BILL: Over 70 Democrats have their name on a Medicare for All bill that would turn Medicare into socialized medicine – European style.
THE SENATE BILL: Bernie Sanders has a bill that has the support of 1/3 of Senate Democrats. In his program, kids would be enrolled in Medicare at BIRTH.
Folks, these bills won’t just change Medicare. They’ll destroy it!
MASSIVE TAX INCREASE TO FUND THE PROGRAM
HEALTH CARE RATIONING TO CONTAIN COSTS
Your Medicare is on the ballot this November.
Take the AMAC pledge to save Medicare. And bring a senior to the polls.
THAT’S HOW WE STOP SANDERS CARE FOR ALL

Providing affordable health care for all Americans will bankrupt the system and then no one will have health care! This is nonsense of course. Overhead costs are so low with Medicare it will save the country money if all Americans participated in it. The fact that it will cost the country less is exactly why insurance salesmen like Dan Weber hate it. There go all the profits for insurance companies! This scary message from AMAC is showing up in social media now and it’s designed to misinform you about the benefits of a single-payer health care system. If you take the time to ask anyone who lives in a civilized country with single-payer health care, you will discover they love it and wonder why Americans refuse to switch when it’s a better way to manage health care.

Also, why “Sanderscare?” Is it because when you say it fast enough it sounds like Sander scare? “Berniecare” just rolls right off the tongue.

Proposal 2, the ballot initiative to end partisan gerrymandering and create a non-partisan commission to draw voting districts in Michigan has received lots of negative attention from Republicans. This is because Republicans worked very hard to gerrymander districts to make it impossible to ever vote Republicans out of office.

The effectiveness of REDMAP is perhaps most clear in the state of Michigan. In 2010, the RSLC put $1 million into state legislative races, contributing to a GOP pick-up of 20 seats in the House and Republican majorities in both the House and Senate.  Republican Rick Snyder won the gubernatorial race, and with it Republicans gained control of redrawing Michigan’s 148 legislative and 14 congressional districts.  The 2012 election was a huge success for Democrats at the statewide level in Michigan: voters elected a Democratic U.S. Senator by more than 20 points and reelected President Obama by almost 10 points. But Republicans at the state level maintained majorities in both chambers of the legislature and voters elected a 9-5 Republican majority to represent them in Congress.

Passing Proposal 2 will put an end to this deliberate rigging of Michigan elections by Republicans. Which is why they are now using the George Soros bogeyman to scare people into voting against Proposal 2.

This flyer is full of falsehoods, but the most ridiculous claim of all is Proposal 2 will lead to George Soros running Michigan’s Secretary of State office. So by GOP logic, Ruth Johnson is a paid puppet of conservative donors like the Koch Brothers, or Robert Mercer, or some Super PAC that doesn’t have to disclose who gives them money. Scary!

Proposal 2 will actually make the process of drawing voting districts in Michigan transparent. It will not gerrymander districts against minority voters (that’s what we have now!). It won’t force people in politics to get out of politics. It won’t draw districts based on “identity politics” and it certainly won’t disenfranchise voters. Proposal 2 will stop all of those things because that is what we have now thanks to politicians in the state custom drawing their districts so they can never lose, even when the majority of people vote against them.

There’s plenty of lies floating around right now to scare you into voting against candidates and proposals that will make things better in the state of Michigan. Take the time to learn the facts before making any decisions. Be an informed voter when you go to the polls on November 6, 2018.

Are you finally fed up with the good ole boy network running Washington D.C. and Lansing? Have you reached a point where the ever-rising levels of chaos, incompetence, and downright hate, spite, and contempt of the GOP towards anyone who isn’t white, male, rich, and Christian motivating you to do something about it? Feeling drained and outraged over the cover-up by the GOP to railroad an alcoholic sex predator into the Supreme Court? You can do something about it: VOTE.

Tuesday, October 9, 2018, is the last day in Michigan you can register to vote on November 6, 2018. You can apply by mail as long as the postmark on the application is October 9, 2018. This year the Republicans were successful in eliminating straight-ticket voting which means longer lines at the polls. Republicans hate it when more people vote, which is all the more reason you need to register to vote, go vote on November 6 and STAY IN LINE until you do vote.

If standing in line due to age or disability keeps you from voting, apply for an absentee ballot. If this is your first time voting and you are disabled or a senior, voting in person requirements are waived. Register to vote and apply for your absentee ballot. Republicans in Michigan also require voters to have a photo ID. IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE A DRIVER’S LICENSE. Student ID, military ID, tribal ID, passports, or any ID that has your photo on it is legal ID to vote. Don’t let the poll workers intimidate you with their scanners.

Now Up North Progressive can use lots of words to explain why it’s important that everyone who can legally vote get out to the polls on November 6. Pictures, however, will do a much better job.

If we can raise voter participation to 50 percent in Michigan, the Republicans are finished. They know this, which is why they require photo ID and took away straight-ticket voting. Republicans want you to feel frustrated. Republicans want you to get out of line and go home. Republicans want you to feel like your vote doesn’t count. Voter suppression and disenfranchisement is the only way Republicans can win.

This year, there are two ballot proposals that will help Michiganians vote in the future. Proposal 2 will require a non-partisan commission to draw up voting districts for future elections, rather than the Republicans in Lansing hand-picking their voters so they never lose, even when the majority of Michigan voters don’t vote for them. Proposal 3 will make it much easier to vote by having automatic voter registration, same-day registration, straight-ticket voting, and no-reason absentee voting. These proposals need your vote to pass.

Please register to vote. Please vote on November 6, 2018.