That's all my opinion is worth... actually less; only one vote. But THAT is what is more important than anything else about our Local, State, National election this November 6, 2012... is YOUR VOTE is just as important as any other vote! "Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost." John Quincy Adams
A personal background, My parents met and are both graduates of Northwestern University Evanston Illinois. My father a World War II veteran from Flint Michigan... my Mom from New York City. They taught me many valuable lessons and one was voting -- My parents would mail absentee ballots to me to fill out in college -- that's how important they felt voting was... and I have passed this valuable lesson onto my two kids who are now in their 20's. I would strongly recommend you do the same. P.S. My parents... they will be voting in Arizona.
One who has spent the last 30 years in the Detroit advertising industry -- I also learned a valuable lesson from a Creative Director at BBDO -- "you are only as good as the people you surround yourself with."
Jack Lessenberry http://comm.wayne.edu/profile.php?id=76 -- I have never met Jack, and I certainly don't agree from time to time with what he writes but I do respect, and love his words! So I thought a great way to sum up our upcoming November election would be to start with his words and add... My Two Cents.
National Presidential Election
"Personally, I have no opinion to share as to whether you should vote for President Obama, who saved the domestic auto industry, killed Osama bin Laden, and saved the country from falling into economic collapse, or for Mitt Romney, who would end any hope of universal health care and allow large corporations and billionaires to finish making serfs of us all. That's a hard decision." Jack Lessenberry -- Jack I'm with you 100%. Michigan will remain a blue state and not decide the Presidential election.
My Two Cents... If you want a good job careful what you post on Facebook. If you want a job in politics careful what you post in the Press. Op-Ed Contributor "Let Detroit Go Bankrupt" By Mitt Romney Published: November 18, 2008 http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/19/opinion/19romney.html Historically will go back and forth a million times with this -- but this is going to be one of the closest presidential races in American history... and the American Car Industry... the American Auto Worker... will pick the next President of the United States of America, and they are going to pick the guy who wrote the check not the op-ed. Cities like Toledo Ohio will be the swing votes that re-elect Barack Obama for another four years. Why wasn't the Grand Old Party smart enough to see through this pre-convention...? Don't know... sometimes like a lot of things in life you have to learn your lessons the hard way... like posting frat parties on Facebook or Op-Eds in newspapers.
note: A personal thought this will be one of the most deceiving presidential elections in American history... don't believe their websites -- click here instead before voting http://factcheck.org/ -- http://factcheck.org/archives/search-results/?cx=000672474746801930868%3... -- and -- http://factcheck.org/archives/search-results/?cx=000672474746801930868%3...
Michigan Ballot Proposals
Proposal 1: The Emergency Manager Law: "VOTE YES. This is the only one that is not a constitutional amendment, but a simple referendum on a law, one newly elected Republican Gov. Rick Snyder got the Legislature to pass last year. Most liberals and progressives are opposed to the emergency manager law, saying it takes away too much local power. But I disagree. I think the EM law is, sadly, a necessary tool for cities whose deeply flawed governments have proven themselves unwilling or unable to make the tough decisions needed." Jack Lessenberry -- Jack I'm with you 100%.
Proposal 2: Collective Bargaining: "VOTE YES. This would simply 'grant public and private employees the constitutional right to organize and bargain collectively through labor unions.' Much of the right wing's outrage will be directed against the fact that the amendment would protect public sector unions. However, the proposal does say 'laws may be enacted to prevent public employees from striking,' which ought to dispel any nonsense about our governments being held hostage by radical unions." Jack Lessenberry -- Jack I'm with you 50/50%. My Two Cents -- is Michigan's future anti-union, don't know... I would hope no. I don't feel this kind of language is necessary in our Michigan constitution. If that day did ever come that would prevent workers to organize in the state of Michigan; I would support a constitutional amendment to overturn that legislation. This proposal seems more like the cart before the horse.
Proposal 3: The Renewable Energy Standard. "VOTE YES. This is the "25 by 25" proposal to require electric utilities to provide at least a quarter of all their annual retail sales of electricity from renewable sources — wind, solar, biomass and hydropower. The utilities are screaming that this is impossible, that it will lead to energy shortages and/or massively spiraling costs, etc., etc. They sound, in other words, like the auto companies did when it was first proposed they should be required to make cars that got more than eight miles to the gallon. It isn't clear who would decide if that was necessary — possibly, the state. Setting a renewable energy standard is also something that ought to have been addressed as a simple law, rather than as part of our constitution. But environmentally speaking, it is worth a yes." Jack Lessenberry -- Jack I'm with you 50/50%. My Two Cents -- I'm 100% in anyone's camp who agrees the sooner humanity divorces the fossil fuel age the better for the human race. This proposal is not the correct approach and should not be part of our Michigan constitution. We first need to revamp our outdated Michigan dirty coal plants to natural gas which is an abundant resource available in Michigan. Hence cutting our greenhouse gas emissions in half. We need to also upgrade our Nuclear capabilities which omit NO greenhouse gas! Renewable sources of energy will need over the long hall these kinds of power plants as backup.
Proposal 4: "This would amend the constitution to establish a registry for home health care workers (The Michigan Quality Home Care Council) and to allow them to bargain collectively. VOTE NO. Constitutions are supposed to be basic guiding documents, not junked up with trivia. If Proposal 2 passes, these folks will have the right to bargain collectively anyway. I have no problem with them having a registry. But it shouldn't be mandated by the constitution." Jack Lessenberry -- Jack I'm with you 100%.
Proposal 5: "The tax prevention amendment. VOTE NO, NO, NO, NO. Defeating this is more important than the fate of the first four combined. If passed, it would paralyze government." Jack Lessenberry -- Jack I'm with you 100%. "What's does this proposal mean for you and me? It means that special interest groups and even a small group of lawmakers could stop our ability to make the necessary policy changes we need in Michigan. It means that it would be more difficult for us to pay for our schools, fix our roads, or make sure that our law enforcement officers have the tools they need to protect us. Also, it will be viewed as negatively by bond ratings agencies which could raise our interest costs and make us look less attractive to job creators." Governor Rick Snyder -- Governor Snyder I'm with you 100% proposal 5. http://www.michigan.gov/snyder/0,4668,7-277-60279-286346--,00.html
Proposal 6: "International Bridges and Tunnels. VOTE NO. Megalomanic Moroun spent almost $5 million to deceive enough voters into signing petitions to support this obscene turkey of an amendment. Basically, it says that there has to be a statewide election before the state could spend a penny for 'designing, soliciting bids for, constructing, financing or promoting new international bridges and tunnels.' Plus it would apply ex post facto to any bridge not open as of last January. The whole point is to prevent anything from ever threatening the 85-year-old billionaire's monopoly. This amendment would be bad for everyone except one man, his wife and his son. The price of freedom is, indeed, eternal vigilance." Jack Lessenberry -- Jack I'm with you 100%. My two cents -- I think over the past decade this has been more driven by a Canadian Government that actually represents the voices of their constituents. This is a land use issue and our neighboring friends of Windsor Ontario. Sandwich Town a historical middle class neighborhood that doesn't want additional bridge truck traffic... I personally have had great advertising clients from this area of town... it's quite pretty. The Battle Of The Bridge http://www2.metrotimes.com/news/story.asp?id=9236 "They're as bad as any corporate neighbor could ever be," she says. "They've never once consulted with the people here" on the planned expansion. "For them to go ahead and twin the bridge, Sandwich Town would lose 120 acres and they'd build a road right through the center of the area." Sandwich Town is located along the Canadian border of the Detroit River, and was established in 1797. It is considered one of the oldest, most historically significant settlements in Ontario. Many historic buildings remain in Old Sandwich Town. I also continue to find it sad that some Americans continue to have a pompous attitude towards the world, even its closest Canadian neighbors. note: More great info on the new bridge at... http://buildthedricnow.com/
Ballot Proposals: "That's why studying these amendments, voting on them, and stopping attempts to steal our lives is so damn important." Jack Lessenberry -- Jack I'm with you 100%.
source: Jack Lessenberry http://metrotimes.com/columns/those-ballot-props-1.1382150
Please vote... please vote November 6, 2012! Thanks Scot Beaton http://rochester.patch.com/users/scot-beaton
