An Anniversary Message from Chuck Newman, Founder of PEG (Protectors of Equality in Government)
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When I look back at my introduction to our first newsletter I’m struck how faithful we have been to our mission and what an important contribution the hard working newsletter team has made. I want to especially thank Leslie McGraw...and all the others for their contributions. With their help we have publicized over 5,000 events and things each of our readers could do to make a difference.
Protectors of Equality in Government was started on November 9, 2016 when I realized that the America I loved and the values which were the reason that I loved it, were in danger. These values are reflected in PEG's beliefs mission statement.
Mission
"To recruit and engage Americans to assure that our government will treat them with equality and acceptance.”
The following meme ran in our first newsletter and says it all:
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One person, One vote guaranteed
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Interview by PEG Contributor, Ellen K. Halter
Erica Peresman, a lawyer and the Voter Protection Director for the Michigan Democratic Party, is passionate about her belief that “every eligible voter gets to cast a ballot that counts.”
Perisman comes to her current position with years of experience volunteering for elections and voting issues. An Election Challenger in Pontiac during the 2000 presidential election, she witnessed the confusion and disenfranchisement caused when a polling place lacks precinct signs (many voters often waited on long and “wrong” lines) and relies on novice poll workers who are slow or poorly trained at the requisite computer program.
Peresman worked on expediting the voting process and expanding the electorate
before
it became Proposal 3. Approved by Michigan voters in 2018, Proposal 3 gives all Michigan citizens the right to an absentee ballot. In the March, 2020 primary, 877,414 voters (out of about two million) took advantage of that right.
According to Peresman, while the expansion of absentee ballot voting has been a huge success, the procedures surrounding absentee ballot voting needs fine-tuning. For example, in the Michigan March 10 primary, 3,552 absentee voters did not have their ballot counted because they arrived late—after 8 pm on Election Day. Unfortunately, many voters mistakenly thought their ballots had to be postmarked by March 10th rather than be
received
by that day.
The Covid-19 pandemic is causing laws governing voting procedures to change rapidly. In the last few days, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson has mandated that all voters in communities holding local-issue elections on May 5 will have their
applications
for absentee ballots mailed to them rather than having to apply for them. Additionally, that mailing will include a postage-paid envelope and instructions for e-mailing the application back if they prefer.
And on March 27, Governor Whitmer signed
Executive Order 2020-27 (COVID-19)
mandating that for districts scheduled to hold a local-issue election on May 5th, that every provision must be made to run the election “to the greatest extent possible by absent voter ballots issued and submitted without in-person interaction.”
Peresman believes these are important steps in expanding the voting public in future elections. It is her hope that we develop a “single absentee ballot application that works for
all
elections in a given year, which the state or local clerks mail to every registered voter with a postage pre-paid return envelope. Return postage should also be paid for the ballots themselves."
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National Census Day and Michigan Count
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National Census Day
was April 1. Anyone living in the United States was encouraged to complete the Census before and after April 1. If you have not done so yet, it only takes a few minutes. Participants are asked to respond questions based on the place they will be/or are living in April 1, 2020. All children born before or on April 1st should also be counted. College students who have gone home from school due to COVID-19 should be counted where you would have been living on April 1st if the outbreak hadn’t occurred.
As of March 31, 2020, Hard to Count (HTC) 2020 reports that the Michigan response rate is 41.9%. Click
here
to see and study the map of years 2000, 2010 and 2020 to date. So far, most households have responded online. The internet response rate as of 3/31 is 35.8%. The higher self-response rates mean fewer people are likely to be missed or counted inaccurately.
The Urban Institute estimates that as many as
52,700 Michigan residents
may be undercounted in 2020. This projection could be reduced if Michigan's self-response rate is higher than expected. Visit
this link
for more info on the low, medium, or high undercount risk scenarios, with population estimates by race/ethnicity and age groups.
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Federal Aid may be subject to favoritism
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A phone call with Trump gets results -- and those he dislikes (especially Democratic governors), don’t
Corporate executives, governors, celebrities and foreign leaders looking to get something from the U.S. government seem especially eager to secure a telephonic audience with the president. And those that do are getting what they’ve asked for, sometimes within hours, and to the detriment of others. Read more
here
.
And those who he feels have not “treated him right” get insults and their needs unmet. Michigan now has the 4th highest number of COVID-19 cases in the country. After Governor Whitmer said that Michigan was not getting the critical medical equipment it needed from the federal government, Trump bragged that he told Pence not to take Governor Whitmer’s calls on COVID-19 help for Michigan.
At a news conference last Friday, the president also laid out his expectation for governors seeking help during the COVID-19 pandemic. “I want them to be appreciative,” Trump said. “I don’t want them to say things that aren’t true,” he said. “I want them to be appreciative. We’ve done a great job.” To read the complete article on Michigan Advance, go
here
. To read related article in Forbes, go
here
.
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Michigan hotline
Governor Whitmer has created the COVID-19 hotline. Public health experts will answer health-related questions about the virus and direct residents and providers to the right resources.
The hotline is open seven days a week from 8 am–5 pm at (888) 535-6136.
Information around this outbreak is changing rapidly
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Help your candidate win in November
Research shows that a personal contact from someone you know is highly effective at encouraging voting. WAVE Michigan has created a simple, proven way for you to reach out to your friends so they can Vote From Home. Every registered voter in Michigan can now vote by absentee ballot. It's so easy for you and it's so easy for them.
- Friday, April 3. Introduction to the WAVE system for beginners. See how easy it is to use the system and the amazing things you can do with it. 10–11 am
- Monday, April 6. Introduction to WAVE. Learn about our mission and how we plan on seeing that your candidates win this year and how you can help. 7–8 pm
- Wednesday, April 8. What’s new with the WAVE system. Previous users will see and learn to use all the wonderful improvements in the system. 2–3 pm
- Friday, April 10. Introduction to the WAVE system for beginners. See how easy it is to use the system and the amazing things you can do with it. 10–11 am
All of these events will be held with Zoom and will provide plenty of time for Q and A. To get an invitation, contact
waverjesse1@gmail.com.
If you are interested in winning in November by getting out the vote, subscribe to the WAVE-Michigan newsletter by emailing
contactwavemichigan@gmail.com
.
This free weekly newsletter covers the meaningful things that people can do to make the decisive difference in November. To help support WAVE Michigan and see that we all win, you can make a donation at
https://secure.actblue.com/donate/wave-michigan
.
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A Haiku for Michigan Voters
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By Sonya Lewis, PEG Contributor
Hey Michiganders!!!
Are you totally sure you’re
REGISTERED TO VOTE???
Verify right now!
It’s super quick and easy
Use this link to check:
If not registered,
You can now do this online.
Just go to this page:
One more thing to know -
EVERY Michigan voter
Can vote absentee:
COVID can’t suppress
Voter participation
In 2020.
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Basic Framing 101 – Workshop with the Liberal Leadership League
This course takes a step-by-step approach to reframing a message by having teams drop conservative language and frame the message based on values. Participants will use a simple tool, the LEAF Method, to reposition the conversation and grab the narrative. This course is designed for concerned citizens, political staff and activists who want to learn how to encourage alternative perspectives. All people committed to doing the work are welcome. This is a 3 hour virtual, instructional-led class. Each class is limited to 20 students. $35 per person is suggested; however, email
liberalleadershipleague@gmail.com
for special pricing. Donations are welcome.
- Saturday, April 4. Register here. 9–Noon workshop; course opens at 8:30 am
- Sunday, April 5. Register here. 1–4 pm workshop; virtual course opens at 12:30 pm
- Saturday, April 25. Register here.1–4 pm workshop; virtual course opens at 12:30 pm
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Saturday, April 4. A2Zero on Climate Emergency
WCDP will hold an online town hall, where you will hear updates on what many groups are undertaking to help in Washtenaw County, followed by the A2Zero program as scheduled. In the midst of one fast-moving crisis, the slower-moving one continues, and work to avert it must be ongoing.
Read for more
and for updated information.
Click
here
to join.
Webinar ID:
820 810 152
.
Ann Arbor. 9:30 am–Noon
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Wednesday, April 8. Telephone Town Hall with Rep. Debbie Dingell
Join US Rep. Debbie Dingell (MI-12) with updates on actions being taken to keep us healthy and financially secure. Link to event
here
or call (855) 920-0560. 5:30 pm
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Thursday, April 9. A2D2 Meeting: How to Flip the House
Please join A2D2 to discuss how to leverage technology and use our army of passionate volunteers to FLIP the HOUSE in Michigan and protect those doing great work. Michelle Pallas and Sheri Mason from SWIM (State Wide Indivisible Michigan) will discuss how we can protect impressive legislators and adopt a district(s) with progressive Democrats running for the Michigan House. Sign up to attend this virtual event
here
. 7–9 pm
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What to do about April rent
Congress passed a $2 trillion relief bill, but that money won't be available before many of us have to make rent and utility payments on April 1st. Much of the relief is also one-time payments and we all have recurring expenses. Use this template for an email or text (
see it here
) you can send to your landlord. Also you’ll find additional information on what's in the relief bill so you can plan for the future. Thank you to the folks at the Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center for much of this content. -
Fair Housing Center of Southeast & Mid MI (
FHCMichigan.org
)
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Governor Whitmer steps up to the Coronavirus Plate
Governor Gretchen Whitmer has been utilizing the powers vested in her through The Emergency Management Act, to issue multiple Executive Orders regarding the Coronavirus pandemic over the past few weeks.
She has issued approximately two dozen
Executive Orders
related to the Covid-19 pandemic, the first of which was issued on March 10 after two cases of the virus were confirmed in Michigan. The list is comprehensive and can be reviewed chronologically
here
. The orders include: expanding unemployment compensation; closing schools; restricting non-essential medical, dental and veterinary procedures; extension of Michigan tax filing deadline; use of absentee ballots for May 5 election; restricting price gouging; suspension of activities that are not necessary to sustain or protect life; and restrictions on large assemblages. Also among these orders is
Executive Order 2020-28
which requires that water services be restored to residents who have had their water shut off. According to a
Michigan Radio
report, this will effectively end shut-offs for the duration of the pandemic. Suppliers must identify the hose, then make their “best efforts to restore service….where water has been shutoff because of non-payment or damaged infrastructure.”
For clarification, according to the
Mich.gov website
, Executive orders can be used in a variety of situations, including proclaiming or ending an emergency. Wikipedia elaborates
that “Executive orders issued by state
governors
are not the same as statutes passed by state legislatures but have the force of law, like in the federal system. State executive orders are usually based on existing constitutional or statutory powers of the governor and do not require any action by the state legislature to take effect.
"
Governor Whitmer’s Executive Orders, when taken together, serve to combat the virus and protect the residents of Michigan.
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Things to read, watch, listen
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Michigan Prisoners’ New Lot In Life
The
pandemic
has reached Michigan prisons, the number of cases of the Coronavirus doubling over the weekend. Sick prisoners have thus far been quarantined in the Cotton Correctional Facility in Jackson.
Authorities are making efforts to contain the epidemic, quarantining infected prisoners and tracing their contacts. Social distancing is strongly encouraged among the non-infected. However, since prisoners haven’t been allowed visitors since March 13, it’s apparent that staffers and contractors are the source of the contamination. Hence, new and intensified screening has been instituted for them.
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COVID-19: Using a Racial Justice Lens Now to Transform Our Future
“This might sound obvious to some who believe they already incorporate a racial equity or racial justice lens in their grantmaking. For others who have not, incorporating racial equity in their giving might seem daunting. Regardless, more than good intentions are required to reach those who will feel the brunt of the pandemic’s impact, especially Black, Native American, Latinx, and Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.
There is no doubt that everyone—no matter their race, economic, or immigration status, gender, age, or ability—will feel the impact of COVID-19 in some way. But people who are already targeted, marginalized, and underserved will
feel the pain more than others
.
For these communities, COVID-19 comes on top of existing economic, health, education, gender and information inequities, as well as state violence that has shaped their everyday lives.” -
Equal Justice for All
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Coronavirus Compounds Inequality and Endangers Communities of Color
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We are grateful to everyone who has contributed to the PEG newsletter over the past three years. Special thanks to our current newsletter contributors:
Sonya Lewis, Mieko Preston,
Leslie McGraw, Richard Gaeth, Lisa Kamil, Leslie Kamil, Bernie Banet, Susie Ayer, Bette Cotzin, Ellen Halter,
and Chuck Newman
for their help preparing our newsletters. Write us at
equalityingovinfo@gmail.com
if you would like help create our weekly newsletter. It’s fun and no ongoing commitment is required. Everyone brings something to the table! A special moment of gratitude is extended to Leslie Kamil for her faithful and thorough updates about Census 2020, Ellen Halter for her personal interviews, Bette Cotzin for her thorough updates last year on all things immigration, Susie Ayer for her proofreading chops, Lisa Kamil for her passionate social justice and planet-centered articles, Richard Gaeth for his consistent contributions and support in keeping our event pages up to date on the website. Also, we are very excited to have newcomer, Mieko Preston on board. In addition to her written contributions, she has also contributed some of our visual elements, including the current anniversary header.
Please note:
The picture, shown below, was taken at El-Harissa's Marketplace Cafe long before COVID-19. Not pictured: Mieko Preston, Bernie Banet, and Sonya Lewis.
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The PEG Newsletter typically goes out each Thursday, with a repeat send on Sunday to recipients that have not opened it. PEG is a non-partisan volunteer organization whose mission is to assure that our government will treat all Americans with equality and acceptance. PEG's work is primarily done by recruiting, educating and nurturing supporters for worthy organizations, actions and events that reflect our beliefs.
WAVE
is its own entity. Currently, information is distributed via the Protectors of Equality (PEG) Newsletter. Stay tuned for important WAVE updates and an upcoming newsletter dedicated to all things WAVE!
To subscribe to this
free
newsletter, go to our website by
clicking here
.
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