PEG 12th Congressional District
Newsletter #84, Friday, November 9, 2018*
104 weeks down, 8 weeks until
116th congress convenes
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*Newsletters usually go out on each Thursday
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This is PEG Newsletter #84, which means that those of us writing this publication have been working together on a weekly basis for more than 1-1/2 years. Initially strangers, we have become a team, totally dedicated to working together to provide a publication which supports the PEG mission of equality in government. Our collaboration, however, is only a small piece of the thousands of hours of volunteer time which were contributed across our county and across our state in order to elect politicians who were committed to a government in which equality and fairness are hallmarks.
In the collective work of so many volunteers, we encouraged each other, we lifted each other’s spirits, and we brought contagious enthusiasm – whether we were knocking on doors, distributing Voter Guides, standing on the streets to register voters, participating in meetings to strategize, sitting at our computers researching material or sending out emails to voters or writing articles for publication! Our work helped produce wonderful results in Michigan, and we are grateful for what was clearly a volunteer corp’s “labor of love” for this midterm election.
And a special word of thanks to Chuck Newman and Susie Ayer, whose leadership of the PEG effort was remarkable! Their visioning, their organizational skills and even their prodding were critical to the success of our work!
Most of all, thank you to all our readers and volunteers who were able to channel their frustration with our current political system into volunteer work that was productive and fruitful! This week, before we begin directing our efforts to the next election, it’s time to take a deep breath and enjoy the extraordinary results we saw in Michigan. Thank you for your efforts!!
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Alan Cotzin and Susie Ayer
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PEG's own newsletter contributor, Richard Gaeth, delivering to voters in Lenawee County, Michigan
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A Potpourri in Washington
Three days after the 2018 midterm elections, those of us who worked hard to restore a more equitable government are left with a sweet taste in our mouths: The Democrats have taken control of the House of Representatives, putting a check on the single party, Republican stranglehold on both congressional houses. Although there are some million votes left to be counted and some races are not yet resolved, Democrats seem to have won at least thirty more seats than they had before, seven more than necessary to give them a majority in the House. And they may win as many as five more seats when the dust is settled on the congressional races yet to receive a complete count.
Besides winning a majority in the House, Democrats can take pride in the diversity they are bringing to Congress. Most notably, Tuesday’s election brought a record number of women to Washington. That day Americans elected to Congress the first two Muslim women, the first two Native American women, the first lesbian mother, and the first Black congresswomen from the great states of Connecticut and Massachusetts. And as the Arizona senate race demonstrates, some races were outstanding for pitting woman against woman. So two years before the one hundredth anniversary of women receiving the right to vote, we’ve entered a congressional era in which women will be major decision-makers in our democracy!
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We Did it!! Thank you all for your hard work and...
4 Likes, 1 Comments - PEG (@equalityingov) on Instagram: "We Did it!! Thank you all for your hard work and dedication to our cause with PEG and other vital..."
Read more
www.instagram.com
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US
Democrats win the House 223 to 197, Republicans the Senate 51-46. Read more
here
. -
Politico
Democrats Governor seats increase by 7 going from 16-33 to 23-27. Read more here. -
Governing.com
Michigan
Read more for Michigan
here
, plus cool graphs of demographics drivers. -
Politco
- US Senate – Michigan: Debbie Stabenow (D) over John James(R) 52% to 46%.
- Governor: Gretchen Whitmer (D) over Bill Schutte (R) 53% to 44%.
- US House-Michigan: Democrats held 5 flipped 2, at least. Republicans held 7 flipped 0.
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All Three ballot proposals were passed!!
Proposal 1: Legalization of Marijuana
This is the voting initiative to legalize sale of marijuana in the state of Michigan. To learn more about how this proposal will affect us,
read this article by Bridge
.
Proposal 2: Independent Commission for redistricting voting districts
Prop 2 ensures that after the 2020 census our districts will be more fair and it will last for at least the following 10 years, until our next census.
Proposal 3: Reform Michigan’s voting system
Also known as
Promote the Vote
and Endorsed by the Detroit Free Press and many others, this proposal will improve access to the ballot box and make it easier to vote.
Read more here.
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Join the Pilgrimage on 11-15 to protest the Teen Internment Tent City in Tornillo,TX
The conditions have been described by some as a “prison.” Children between the ages of 13 and 17 are living in a tent city locked within the confines of a barbed wire fence.
Under the leadership of Rabbi Josh Whinston of Temple Beth Emeth, Ann Arbor, MI, a nationwide multi-faith pilgrimage is being organized for next Thursday, Nov 15, 2018. Entitled
“
Let Our Families Go! Pilgrimage, Protest, Prophetic Witness,” the morning program will take place at the US/Mexico border and the Tent City, while the afternoon and evening programs will occur at the Annunciation Center and the Hope Border Center. Articles describing the horrific conditions have been published in publications such as the
New York Times
and
The New York Review of Books
.
There will be a caravan driving from Ann Arbor beginning Sunday night, with stops in Indiana, Missouri, and Oklahoma on the way to Texas. Those not driving will be flying to El Paso on Wednesday.
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Only two Republican Senators expressed “concern” about protecting the Mueller investigation after Sessions was fired
Susan Collins (Maine): “It is imperative that the administration not impede the Mueller investigation. I’m concerned Rod Rosenstein will no longer be overseeing the probe. Special Counsel Mueller must be allowed to complete his work without interference—regardless of who is AG.”
Lamar Alexander (Tennessee): Republican senator for Tennessee, issued perhaps the stormiest warning, saying the Senate would not confirm an attorney general who sought to stop the Russia probe.
Please call to thank them and urge them to keep their voices heard.
- Susan Collins (202) 224-2523
- Lamar Alexander (202) 224-4944
One Senator who was critical last year stayed silent
Lindsey Graham (South Carolina) said last year there would be “hell to pay” if the attorney general was got rid off. Senator Graham offered fierce defence of both Mr Sessions, and Mr Mueller’s probe, just 12 months ago. Time to remind him about what he said.
- Lindsay Graham (202) 224-5972
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News about #ProtectMueller on Twitter
Many protests were held Thursday to get out the message “Nobody is above the law”—Several PEG members attended the Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti demonstrations.
Read more
twitter.com
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Things to Read, Watch and Listen
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SAVE THE DATE
Sunday, December 2. “The November Mid-Term Election: What Happened and What Does It Mean?”
Professor Michael Traugott, Senior Research Professor in the Center for Political Studies at UM and Professor Emeritus in the Department of Communication Studies, is nationally recognized for his research on the media and its impact on political campaigns and candidates as well as for his expertise in polling and survey design. Jewish Community Center of Greater Ann Arbor,
2935 Birch Hollow Dr, Ann Arbor
. 3 pm
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Follow PEG on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook!
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PEG is a non-partisan volunteer organization whose mission is to assure that our government will treat all Americans with equality and acceptance. We do our work by recruiting, educating and nurturing supporters for worthy organizations, actions and events that reflect our beliefs.
This newsletter contains suggestions to contact your congresspeople. Find their contact information
here
.
To subscribe to this
free
newsletter go to our website by
clicking here
.
To share with your friends and networks, use the sharing buttons at the top of the newsletter or just "forward" from your email!
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Thanks to Newsletter contributors:
Bernie Banet, Carolyn Christopher, Ellen Halter, Leslie McGraw, Richard Gaeth, Carol Dickerman, Susan Ayer and Chuck Newman
for their help preparing this newsletter. Write us at
info@equalityingov.org
if you would like help create our weekly newsletter. It’s fun and no ongoing commitment is required.
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