PEG 12th Congressional District Special Edition
Michigan court temporarily stops enforcement of state’s 1931 abortion ban
The Michigan Court of Claims has granted a preliminary injunction in a lawsuit filed by Planned Parenthood of Michigan and Dr. Sarah Wallett. This decision temporarily halts the enforcement of the state’s 1931 abortion ban if Roe v. Wade is overturned.
This decision itself does not declare the 1931 law, which makes abortion a felony and does not grant exceptions for rape or incest, unconstitutional. Instead, it grants time for the legal challenges to proceed before allowing the law to take effect. Read more here. – MichiganRadio.org
Resources to help shift the Conversation about Reproductive Rights
L3 blog post: https://www.liberalleadershipleague.org/post/a-force-for-freedom
Messaging Guide one pager: https://drive.google.com/file/d/14aahLel_GydJvTMMNGAxvBD0BwR39ywl/view
SHARE THESE and repeat, repeat, repeat
- A woman must have the freedom to decide her healthcare, including abortion care.
- Don’t use the word “choice.” Choice is a libertarian/marketplace value that trivializes this decision.
- Three Word Statements: freedom to decide; trust women; abortion is healthcare
Look out for petitions to sign for these ballot proposals
The Washtenaw County Democratic Party (WCDP) voted overwhelmingly to endorse these 2022 statewide ballot proposals:
● MI Right to Vote 2022 Citizen Initiative Reform
● Reproductive Freedom for All
● Michiganders for Fair Lending
● Voters for Transparency and Term Limits
● Michigan United (Good Time Credit)
● Michigan Initiative for Community Healing (Decriminalize Nature)
Events and Classifieds
Washtenaw County Petition Signing Events
At these events you will find Promote the Vote, Reproductive Rights, Raise the Wage, Good Time Credits ballot initiatives, and more. You’ll be able to take home a petition or two to help your friends and family sign.
- Sunday, May 22. 2154 McCormick Drive, Saline, MI 4–8 pm
- Tuesday, May 24. 1312 Cambridge Road, Burns Park, Ann Arbor, MI 5:30–6:30 pm
- Saturday, May 28. 2129 Autumn Hill Drive, off Miller a mile west of Maple, Ann Arbor, MI 1–3 pm
If you’d like our help to organize one, contact poc@washtenawdems.org. We have the circulators, the petitions, tables and signage, email language- full service!
More locations to sign the Reproductive Freedom For All petition
The RFFA initiative needs help collecting 425,000 signatures by July 11 in order to be put on the November ballot. The following is a list of locations where you can find the petition in the upcoming dates. See all Michigan locations here.
Ypsilanti Farmers Market. RSVP Here.16 S Washington St, Ypsilanti, MI 48197
- Saturdays thru June 25, 9 am – 1 pm
Saline Farmers Market. RSVP Here.100 S Ann Arbor St (Lot #4) Saline, MI 48176
- Saturdays thru June 25, 8 am-noon
Thursday, May 24. School Expulsions with Senator Jeff Irwin and Peri Stone-Palmquist, Student Advocacy Center
This virtual panel discussion is hosted by Washtenaw Regional Organizing Coalition (WeROC). Washtenaw County decision makers will share information and respond to questions from local citizens with time for audience Q&As. Click here to register. For details on each session, click here. Download and share the event flyer here. 6:30 pm
PETITIONS
Share information about these petitions and discourage others from signing. Learn more here bit.ly/3v7vA3F and tracker at Bridge MI
OK TO SIGN
Commonly known as “Good Time Credit”, this measure would establish credits that reduce sentences for those who earn degrees or work in prison, among other provisions.
Offers flexibility for voters to cast their ballots, makes elections more accessible, saves early voting
Makes reproductive freedom a right, repeals a 1931 law that makes abortion a felony.
The measure would increase Michigan’s $9.87 minimum wage to $15 per hour over five years, starting at $11 in 2023
DO NOT SIGN
Educators within the coalition argued Wednesday the measure would drain money a public education system and offer tax breaks to wealthy donors.
This measure proposed would add safeguards to the election process and to protect minority voters. This is aimed to suppress the votes of minorities.
This would limit the length of emergency orders from state or local health officials to 28 days. This measure puts the power to limit emergency measures in the hands of the legislature rather than in the hands of the experts.
The petition would force a “forensic audit” of the 2020 election and change how Michigan conducts audits after elections.
Things to do, read, watch, and listen to
Stay connected with your elected representatives
- Find your County Commissioner here.
- State Senator Jeff Irwin, District 18, has a regular Virtual Coffee Hour. To receive the Zoom access code and the next date, fill out this form: https://senatedems.com/irwin/coffee-hour-sign-up/
- State Rep. Yousef Rabhi, 53rd House district: yousefrabhi@house.mi.gov, Phone: (517) 373-2577. Currently virtual coffee hours with Rep. Rabhi are at 10 am on the 4th Saturday of the month. Register for Saturday coffee hours
- State Rep. Ronnie Peterson, 54th House district: ronniepeterson@house.mi.gov Phone: (517) 373-1771 | Toll-Free: (855) 347-8054, https://housedems.com/ronnie-peterson/
- State Rep. Donna Lasinski, 52nd House district: donnalasinski@house.mi.gov, Phone: (517) 373-0828 | Toll-Free: (855) 627-5052. Sign up for emails here.
- State Rep. Felicia Brabec, 55th House district: FeliciaBrabec@house.mi.gov, Phone: (517) 373-1792, https://housedems.com/felicia-brabec/.
On the precipice of our democracy
“Rescuing Democracy 2022—Before It’s Too Late” is the title of a Zoom talk sponsored by both “Washtenaw Faces Race” and the Ypsilanti District Library. Speaker LaRon Williams outlined the ignominious history of racism in the New World. He traces racism from the time the first Africans were brought to this continent, to the institutionalism of slavery by the Founding Fathers, to the relatively open years immediately following the Civil War, through to the Jim Crow era, and then, to the new freedoms established in the 1960s and, finally to now—at the precipice of our democracy. To listen to this talk in full, follow this zoom link (also above) or check out the slides and resources here.
Black women will bear the brunt of Mississippi’s abortion banT
The new 15-week abortion ban in Mississippi “was passed on the backs of black women.” So says Laurie Bertram Roberts of the Mississippi Reproductive Freedom Fund, an organization which helps finance abortions and contraception for poor women.
Before the new abortion ban in one of the poorest of states, all Mississippi women have had very limited access to abortion; 91% of their women live in a county without an abortion clinic. Mississippi’s inordinately high maternal death rates is highest among black women, And, as measured in 2016, the black infant mortality rate in the state is disastrous–70 percent higher than the mortality rate of white infants.
Leading Social Justice Organizations Call for National Summit on Right-Wing Extremism
After yet another horrific mass murder this past week fueled by white supremacist and antisemitic conspiracy theories, national organizations which represent racial and ethnic groups which are being targeted by violent extremists called for President Biden to convene a summit on hate and extremism. The National Urban League, the Anti-Defamation League, the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), Asian American Advancing Justice – AAJC and the National Action Network are calling for action. It is “long past time for a whole-of-society response…. We are not safe until we are all safe and that we cannot fight hatred, violence and white supremacy alone. Fighting this threat requires government, civil society, industry — the entire nation — to act.” They are calling for a summit to develop a plan to “combat hate crimes, white supremacy and violent extremism.” – ADL
Furthermore, according to The Hill, Rep Liz Cheney (R-Wyo) and Rep Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill) have criticized the Republican leadership for not doing enough to combat bigotry. Cheney tweeted, “The House GOP leadership has enabled white nationalism, white supremacy and anti-Semitism. History has taught us that what begins with words ends in far worse. @GOP leaders must renounce and reject these views and those who hold them.” This week President Joe Biden labeled the deadly attack as “domestic terrorism” and vowed that the white supremacist ideology espoused by the gunman must not be allowed to prevail. (Politico) It is clear that the call for a summit to develop a strategy for dealing with extremism needs to be heard in Washington!
Biden’s commitment to diversity and democracy
Biden’s cabinet, selection of judges, and now press secretary, consistently show he believes the highest levels of government look like the country.
Karine Jean-Pierre, our new press secretary, says, “I am obviously acutely aware that my presence at this podium represents a few firsts. I am a Black, gay, immigrant woman, the first of all three of those to hold this position.”
Jean-Pierre noted that President Joe Biden and the members of his administration believe that the press room belongs “to the American people. We work for them,” she said. “And, I will work every day to continue to ensure we are meeting the President’s high expectation of truth, honesty, and transparency.” Jean-Pierre told members of the press she had “tremendous respect for the work that you do. Read more
Election Season At a Glance:
The Washtenaw County Clerk’s webpage enumerates in detail the elections, proposals and candidates to date. A few of the important dates are listed below.
What are the remaining election dates in 2022?
- August 2 – State Primary as well as proposals that are not yet “official” – including the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority proposal
- November 8 – State General Election
What are the deadlines for submission of ballot proposals?
- By 5 pm, June 1: petitions to place a legislative initiative proposal on the November general election ballot filed with the Secretary of State (340,047 valid signatures required). (168.471)
- By 5 pm, July 11: Petitions to place a proposed constitutional amendment on the November general election ballot filed with the Secretary of State (425,059 valid signatures required). (168.471)
What are the voter registration deadlines?
Visit MichiganGov/Vote to register
- July 18: Last day to register in any manner other than in-person with the local clerk for the August primary. (168.497)
- July 19: through 8 pm on August 2 In-person registration with local clerk with proof of residency. (168.497)
- October 24: Last day to register in any manner other than in-person with the local clerk for the November general election. (168.497)
- October 25 through 8 pm on November 8: In-person registration with local clerk with proof of residency. (168.497)
Write us at equalityingovinfo@gmail.com if you would like help create our weekly newsletter OR if you would like to be a guest contributor! It’s fun and no ongoing commitment is required.
A special thanks to our newsletter contributors: Ellen Halter, Leslie McGraw, Leslie Kamil, Lisa Kamil, Richard Gaeth, Susie Ayer, Bette Cotzin, Bernie Banet, and Chuck Newman for their contributions and help preparing our newsletters. PEG is a (somewhat) 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. To subscribe to this free weekly newsletter, go to our sign up form by clicking here.
