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PEG 6th Congressional District Newsletter 351
Michigan Democratic Presidential Primaries: February 27, 2024
Michigan Legislation: A Closer Look at Reproductive Health
The January 4, 2024, PEG Newsletter 350, listed much of the positive work of the Michigan Legislature in 2023. The following is a more specific look at the Reproductive Health Act (RHA).
The RHA, signed by Governor Whitmer on December 11, 2023, builds on the efforts to expand access to abortion in Michigan after the passage of Proposal 3 and to repeal the state’s extreme 1931 abortion ban and related restrictive laws. Collectively, this package of bills codifies the language of Proposition 3 into law and creates a fundamental right to abortion in state law, in addition to the language in the Constitution, as well as prevents any form of perceived infringement of that right by any form of government including schools. The bills will go into effect in February.
The act removes several anti-abortion laws, such as unreasonable regulatory requirements on providers, restrictions on private insurance coverage, bans on sharing information at public universities, and discriminatory laws that make it difficult for abortion providers to access funding opportunities.
Additionally, the act eliminates various laws, including clinic licensing, humane disposal of fetal remains, priority funding for family planning money, abortion reporting, abortion insurance opt-out law, the partial-birth abortion ban, and the “quick-child” law and repeals Michigan’s TRAP Laws, which are designed specifically to close abortion providers. These medically unnecessary and burdensome restrictions have nothing to do with a clinic’s ability to deliver care.
Furthermore, the act ensures students at Michigan public universities have access to accurate information about all their reproductive health options, including abortion, and repeals the law that forced patients to buy a separate insurance rider for abortion. It also amends the Medicaid program to eliminate cost-sharing for abortion services and allows reimbursement at 100% of the provider’s normal charge.
While Whitmer had called on lawmakers to repeal Michigan’s 24-hour waiting period for those seeking abortions and a ban on Medicaid funding for the procedure, both of these issues failed to pass.
Refer to these two articles for the specifics of each bill with the Michigan Compiled Law (MCL) citations, the history, background, and description of the RHA.
Planet on Fire: Michigan’s Own Campaign Against Climate Change
Phil Roos, the director of Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), touts its actions in protecting our beautiful state from climate change during 2023.
Here is a summary of its activities in the past year:
- Replacing the lead-contaminated drinking water pipes in Benton Harbor.
- Distributing $1.4 billion dollars to communities to help them rebuild water infrastructure, boost recycling and renewables, and enhance energy efficiency.
- Working to monitor and improve Michigan’s air quality and remove pollutants. In addition, they’re working with the EPA to solve “ozone non-attainment concerns” on Michigan’s west coast.
- Distributing millions to clean up and redevelop 627 contaminated sites throughout Michigan.
- Identifying and redressing “sites of Per- and Polyfluorinated Substances (PFAS) contamination, protecting its citizens from these toxic substances.
Clearly, EGLE is propelling Michigan into national leadership in combating climate change.
How does one vote in the Michigan Presidential Primary?
The date and candidates for Presidential Primaries in Michigan will be held on February 27th, 2024. And remember–voters can sign up for the **NEW** Permanent Mail Ballot List at the same time as they apply for their ballot for the Presidential Primary. To do so, they can simply check the relevant box on the application: Signing up for the Permanent Mail Ballot List means that voters will automatically receive a ballot before every election, eliminating the need to submit a new application each time.
Voters can apply for an absentee ballot for this election in all the usual ways: online (if they have a current Michigan driver’s license or state ID card), by completing a paper application in person at their city or township clerk’s office, or by mailing a completed paper application to their city or township clerk.
Any Michigan voter can vote in the Presidential Primary election
To quote a friend, “We must do everything we legally can to prevent Trump from being elected.” She is voting for Nikki Haley and said if Haley, another MAGA, is the nominee, my friend will “worry about that later.” “Trump is an existential threat to our country and the world and must be stopped!”
In Michigan primaries, voters can cross party lines. Selecting a partisan ballot is not the same as joining a political party, and your selection does not carry over from the previous presidential primary. This means that Republicans can opt to cast their vote on the Democratic ballot and vice versa. Since Biden is considered a shoo-in, many Democrats are considering voting for Nikky Haley or another Republican candidate in the Michigan primary to dilute Trump’s numbers.
The February Michigan primary exclusively focuses on the presidential race, while the August primary we are used to will be for all other offices.
So what do you think? Would you consider doing this? Let us know on our Facebook page.
Events and Opportunities
Exciting Climate Action Opportunity: Apply by January 21!
Are you or someone you know passionate about supporting climate action and exploring a future in Michigan’s thriving climate and energy economy? Here’s your chance! Washtenaw County has an exciting opportunity with an open MI Healthy Climate (MHC) Corps position for 2024!
As a member of the MHC Corps, you’ll have the chance to:
- Provide meaningful capacity support for climate action projects in the county.
- Contribute to implementing strategies for a more resilient, greener, and cleaner Washtenaw County.
- Stay connected to federal and state resources that support our climate efforts.
- Participate in fellowship building and professional development training to enhance your skills for the long term.
The MI Healthy Climate Corps program, initiated by the MI Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), is an innovative opportunity aligned with Governor Whitmer’s MI Healthy Climate Plan. Administered by the Community Economic Development Association of Michigan (CEDAM), the program encourages applications from all interested individuals, with a special focus on those from historically underserved communities and those impacted by climate changes. No degree or formal work experience is required, and individuals must be 18 years old to serve.
For more information, visit: MI Healthy Climate Corps.
Wednesdays. America at a Crossroads Virtual Series
- January 17. Erwin Chemerinsky, Dean of Berkeley Law, with Larry Mantle: “Anti-semitism and Anti-Zionism on College Campuses: What can we do?” (Register here.) 8 pm ET
- January 24. Damon Linker, Senior Lecturer of Political Science at University of Pennsylvania, with Warren Olney: “2024: Another Year in Defiance of Political Reality?” (Register here.) 8 pm ET
- January 31. Ron Brownstein, a CNN political analyst, and Stuart Stevens strategist for Mitt Romney and on the media team for G.W. Bush, with Patt Morrison discuss “Election 2024: The Countdown Begins” (Register here.) 8 pm ET
Monday, January 15. MLK Symposium – Keynote Memorial Lecture featuring Michelle Alexander
Essential to the ministry and social justice advocacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr is his belief in the transformative power of faith, hope, and love to mend the rifts in society. In his historic “I Have a Dream” speech, he articulates his dream of racial equality and social and economic justice. Keynote Memorial Lecturer, Michelle Alexander, is the Best-selling author of The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness. This event is Free and open to the public. University of Michigan, Hill Auditorium, 825 N. University Ave, Ann Arbor. 10 am
Monday, January 15. Freedom Songs Sing-Along and Voting Rights
oin the Jewish Community Center of Greater Ann Arbor for a special sing-along inspired by songs from the Civil Rights Movement. Matasha Allen, Crystal Harding, Steve Somers, and the Ypsilanti Youth Choir will lead the songs of freedom, which will be followed by an educational event,” Voting Rights through Time: An Immersive Workshop for Children and Families.” Register for this free event here. 3–5 pm
Visit the PEG Events Page for more upcoming events at www.equalityingov.org/events!
Things to do, read, watch, and listen to
Why I volunteer
By Ellen Halter
I was born a few years after the end of World War II. My mother was proud of America for having helped defeat the Nazis. She wasted no time in conveying to her pre-school daughter that we lived in the best country in the world. We were a democracy, she told me, where all citizens were equal under the law.
I became an activist when Donald Trump was elected president. For me, his presidency threatened the democracy I had early learned was precious. When he issued a Muslim ban a few days after his inauguration, leaving many stranded at airports, it was no longer a question of Democratic vs. Republican but prejudice vs fairness, presidential whim vs due process. As each day of Trump’s presidency went by, I saw our democracy threatened as well as the lives and well-being of Americans.
If I wanted a return to the America I prized, I could not be a couch complainer. I’d have to get off my rump and work for democracy, the Democratic party and its candidates. And if retired persons like me don’t volunteer, who will?
Volunteerism doesn’t have to mean leadership. Much of what I did was scut work like going door-to-door in the days before the election, reminding committed Democrats of the importance of their vote. Or getting signatures to put an anti-gerrymandering petition on the ballot. From the smiles of the people I encountered, I never doubted my work was meaningful. I worked hard for Biden’s election in 2020, and took personal pride in his victory. I intend to do the same for him in 2024. That way, if Trump’s campaign for re-election succeeds and America turns into a fascist state as he promises to do, I’ll be able to look my grandchildren in the eye and say, “I did my very best.”
How does one vote in the Michigan Presidential Primary?
To quote a friend, “We must do everything we legally can to prevent Trump from being elected.” She is voting for Nikki Haley and said if Haley, another MAGA, is the nominee, my friend will “worry about that later.” “Trump is an existential threat to our country and the world and must be stopped!”
In Michigan primaries, voters can cross party lines. This means that Republicans can opt to cast their vote on the Democratic ballot and vice versa. Since Biden is considered a shoo-in, many Democrats are considering voting for Nikky Haley or another Republican candidate in the Michigan primary to dilute Trump’s numbers.
The February Michigan primary exclusively focuses on the presidential race, while the August primary we are used to will be for all other offices.
So what do you think? Would you consider doing this?
PEGGY’S Glossary: Disinformation
Disinformation refers to the deliberate spread of false or misleading information with the intent to deceive, manipulate, or create confusion, often for political, ideological, or malicious purposes. It can take various forms, including fabricated news articles, manipulated images, and deceptive narratives and is designed to influence public opinion or undermine trust in reliable sources of information. Disinformation is corroding democracy. For example, CNN recently polled Republicans and found that 70% of their sample think that Biden’s 2020 win was illegitimate.
For how disinformation corrodes democracy, see:
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/howdisinformationcorrodesdemocracy/ninajankowicz/11/30/21.
Note: The Glossary Graphic is Shareable on Social Media! Just hover near the bottom right corner of the graphic and voila! You can also just right click and download or, if all else fails screenshot it!
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