ACHTUNG: This is not a “fair and balanced” article. It is an editorial by the editor.
The Republican Party has been earning a reputation lately for bypassing the will of the people. Eleven members of the GOP in the House of Representatives have filed a lawsuit to overturn statewide ballot proposals that were passed in 2018 and 2022 by at least 60 percent of the electorate.
This unholy alliance of 11 lawmakers contends that the U.S. Constitution permits only the Legislature to set the time, place and manner of state-wide election ballot issues. Essentially, this renegade group wants to bypass the will of the people in favor of letting lawmakers decide.
We have witnessed too many do-nothing state legislators drag their feet to stop meaningful reforms in elections because they just might hurt those already in power.
I am sad to say that two of the 11 lawmakers filing suit are from this neck of the woods — State Rep. Rachelle Smit of Shelbyille and State Rep. Angela Rigas of Caledonia, who represents Leighton Township. Both are regarded as beyond conservative, perhaps better characterized as religious right-wingers.
If it is true that the Constitution permits state legislatures to govern, such a privilege is not exclusive. In fact, at the turn of the previous century, the concepts of initiative, referendum and recall were incorporated from the Progressive Era in attempt to put election into the category of “power to the people.”
The right flank of the Michigan GOP is seeking to take away that power of the people, the only real power we working stiffs and common rabble have in our democracy, or what the GOP insists is instead a constitutional republic. Making that difference amounts to nothing better than splitting hairs.
One of the most precious rights in our democracy or constitutional republic is letting the public decide on matters that lawmakers refuse to settle or have a special stake in promoting the status quo. Letting our lawmakers decide elections for us essentially makes them a ruling class and us working stiffs the ruled.
The attorney handling the lawsuit on behalf of the eleven has maintained “leftist activists” have been trying an end-around the constitutional process. Nothing could be further from the truth. The activists over the last three years have been making a concerted effort to give common working men and women more rights in deciding how they want their elections conducted.
It should surprise no one that I fervently hope the unholy eleven are soundly defeated in court. Meanwhile, I am disappointed in our two local state representatives’ inclusion in this shameful power grab.
A special message from Captain Bringdown:
I am as pleased with the Detroit Lions’ quality start to the 2023 season in the National Football as everybody else. We long suffering Lions fans have been rebuffed for too long in our quest for a winner.
Nonetheless, I really do have to bring up the Detroit Lions of 1980, who started their season at 4-0. Players were videoed singing “And Another One Bites the Dust” in a gleeful interpretation of what had been happening on the field.
The team, back then under the tutelage of coach Monte Clark, featuring running back Billy Sims and quarterback Gary Danielson, went 5-7 for the rest of the campaign to finish at 9-7 and out of the playoffs.
By the end of te season, some disappointed fans were singing., “And Another One Beats Our Butts.”
Let us not get too carried away. Let this serve as a cautionary tale.
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