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PEG 6th Congressional District Newsletter 361

Monday, March 25, 2024

PEG’s Glossary:

Information, Misinformation, and Disinformation – Download and Share!

Planet on Fire: Our Natural World at Risk

Climate change has had a profound effect on nature—its animals and flora, “its oceans, forests, and fresh water supplies,” observes Manuela Andreoni. She cites a 2020 report that half the world’s gross domestic products are dependent on nature, including corporate production. For example, what happens to agriculture production if pollinating insects are decimated? Will groundwater depletion affect the production of data centers? And will plastic production be curtailed by attempts to stop ocean pollution? Clearly, we can no longer take nature for granted.

Climate change has also provided new challenges to those who rescue old and sick animals. Hence, the Catskill Animal Sanctuary, located at a site which experiences this new era’s higher rainfall, is no longer a safe place for its frail four-legged residents with its ongoing flooding and marshy pastures. Its founder, Kathy Stevens, is searching for a new home on higher ground. Other animal sanctuaries have fled wildfire dangers on the west coast and hurricane dangers in the southeast. Eryn Leavens, a founder of Happy Compromise Farm + Sanctuary, observes that “climate change affects every corner of the planet, and you really have to pick and choose your battles.” In other words, no place is free of risk from the extremes of climate change.

Events and GOTV (Getting Out the Vote)

#VoteReady

Michigan has the dubious distinction of having the most election deniers among other states .*

*Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin

Michigan Advance reports that there are 30 deniers running for the state House and 14 running for the state Senate. 

What constitutes Election Denial? 

Claiming that Trump won the 2020 election, pressuring election officials to refuse to certify results, promoting disinformation and conspiracy theories, questioning the legitimacy of the 2020 elections and filing or supporting legislation to overturn the election results.

Election Deniers Bottom line- Donald Trump is the President of the United States (not Joe Biden)

Here are just a few election denier legislators who want your vote- there are so many to choose from:

• HD-12: Diane Saber attended the Jan. 6, 2021, protest in D.C., has claimed Democrats and others set up the event to make Trump look bad, has made Facebook posts alluding to Trump winning the 2020 election and has shared a photo of herself wearing a “Trump won” tank top. She is running as a Republican against Democrat Kimberly L. Edwards for the 12th House District.

• HD-51: Trump-endorsed incumbent state Rep. Matt Maddock (R-Milford) and his wife, Michigan GOP Co-Chair Meshawn Maddock, were involved in the Jan. 6, 2021, rally outside the U.S. Capitol. Both gave speeches to a crowd the day before and Meshawn Maddock organized buses to transport Michiganders to Washington, D.C. Two months earlier, Matt Maddock also warned: “As soon as we lose our faith in elections…the next step was the Civil War.”

• HD-73: Norm Shinkle has cast doubt on the 2020 election results based on conspiracy theories and is known in Michigan politics for being the sole member of the State Board of Canvassers to abstain from certifying the results of that election. He resigned from the panel in June to seek a seat in the state House. Shinkle is challenging incumbent state Rep. Julie Brixie (D-Meridian Twp.) for the 73rd House District, who is endorsed by VNP.

• HD-79: Trump-endorsed Angela Rigas has openly admitted to participating in the Jan. 6, 2021, rally at the U.S. Capitol and claims she was tear-gassed within the Capitol grounds. She has also said that she considers being called an “insurrectionist” and “terrorist” a “compliment,” and does not believe participants of the insurrection should “apologize” because they were “exercising their God-given Constitutional rights.” She has still been endorsed by the Police Officers Association of Michigan (POAM). Rigas is running against Democrat Kimberly Kennedy-Barrington to represent the 79th House District.

Good News

Distill Social’s Podcast is among most listened to podcasts in the nation

Distill Social’s new podcast, Point of Disorder, is now ranking in the top 25% of all podcasts gleefully tear apart the fabric of far-right hypocrisy with the precision of a surgeon on a caffeine binge, dissecting everything from awkward cheerleader dances at Mar-a-Lago to Taylor Swift’s apparent terrorizing of MAGA supporters. Plus, they name their first ever “Loser of Lansing.” Between the snarky commentary on “family values” and the endless supply of political scandals, it’s a wonder anyone has time to actually govern. Listener discretion is advised. Click here to listen on Apple or Spotify here