“Governor Rick Snyder and Lansing Republicans have deliberately starved our communities of billions in revenue, while giving corporate special interests a huge tax break,” said Michigan Democratic Party Chair Lon Johnson. “Snyder and Lansing Republicans are forcing an unnecessary, hostile takeover as a solution to the problem that they themselves created. Meanwhile the democratic rights of Detroit’s citizens are being trampled to protect the interests of Snyder’s wealthy CEO friends and their lobbyists.

“Just yesterday, a Bloomberg report revealed that Wall Street banks have reaped nearly half a billion in fees from the city of Detroit. Now Snyder is making sure Wall Street continues to get their handsome cut, while services dwindle to nothing and assets are sold off for a song.

“Let’s not forget that a mere six months ago the voters of Michigan tossed out the emergency manager law, only to have Lansing Republicans re-enact it during lame duck. It’s not just Detroit voters who are being snubbed with this move; it’s every Michigan voter that showed up on Election Day and rejected the emergency manager law.

“Kevyn Orr may have an impeccable corporate background, but if Rick Snyder wants him to run Detroit, he should move to Detroit and run for mayor.”

To view the Bloomberg story, click here:

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-03-14/only-wall-street-wins-in-detroit-crisis-reaping-474-million-fee.html

“Carl Levin is an icon of integrity and a model for distinguished and courageous public service. For 34 years, Senator Levin has fought for Michigan’s working families, and as Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee he has stood up for our brave men and women in uniform,” said Michigan Democratic Party Chair Lon Johnson. “For decades he has sought truth and demanded accountability from special interests. Today Senator Levin demonstrated his selfless commitment to those principles, announcing that he will devote himself entirely to serving the people of Michigan until his term ends in January 2015.

“There will be another day to discuss the 2014 election, but today I join with all Michiganders in expressing my gratitude to my friend and role model, Senator Carl Levin.”

“While we are disappointed in Judge Friedman’s decision to wait for guidance from the Supreme Court, we believe today’s hearing continues the momentum toward equality for our brothers and sisters in the LGBT community here in Michigan,” said Johnson. “No matter what the final ruling is, the Michigan Democratic Party will continue to stand against discrimination and push for the repeal of Proposition 2, which denies same-sex couples the benefits afforded to other Michiganders. Even Judge Friedman admitted today, things change. We are on the right side of history, and equality will eventually prevail in this struggle.”

Attorneys from the office of Attorney General Bill Schuette argued against marriage equality at today’s hearing, while the American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU of Michigan, Human Rights Campaign, Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, Inc., National Center For Lesbian Rights, Family Equality Council, Affirmations Community Center, Equality Michigan, Ruth Ellis Center and KICK filed a friend-of-the-court brief arguing that that denying second-parent adoptions is unconstitutional.

The Michigan Democratic Party’s 2012 platform includes the following plank on LGBT equality:

• The Michigan Democratic Party strongly opposes all measures that aim to criminalize same-gender relationships and conduct. We call for the repeal of 2004 Proposition 2, which under the guise of “protecting” marriage, has deprived same-sex couples of being eligible for medical insurance coverage, visitation rights, and many other employment benefits, as well as having incorporated discrimination into our State Constitution. Our opposition to these discriminatory measures is in accord with the Michigan Civil Service Commission’s prohibition of discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity in state employment.
• We strongly support the inclusion of LGBT persons in the protection given by the Elliot-Larsen Civil Rights Act and Michigan’s Ethnic Intimidation Act. We favor the addition of sexual orientation to the equal protection and non-discrimination provisions of Article I, Section 2 of the Michigan Constitution.
• We support full inclusion of LGBT families in the life of our state and seek equal responsibilities, benefits and protections for those families, including the right to adopt and raise children.

“The more Michigan voters learn about Rick Snyder and what he has done to our state, the less they like, and that is why only 37 percent give him a passing grade as governor,” said Michigan Democratic Party Chair Lon Johnson. “Snyder’s record of giving more breaks to corporations at the expense of middle-class families will lead to his defeat in November 2014.”

Democrats also lead in a generic matchup for the state legislature by 48 to 36 percent. Legislative Republicans have a 56 percent unfavorable rating with voters.

“As families sit down and fill out their taxes this year, they are finding out they owe more thanks to Lansing Republicans and their $1.8 billion tax giveaway to corporate special interests,” said Johnson. “It’s not surprising that Michiganders are rejecting the Lansing Republican agenda of more breaks for wealthy CEOs and their lobbyists while leaving seniors and our middle-class families to pick up the tab.”

Public Policy Polling was found to be one of the most accurate polling firms in the country during the 2012 election. The complete poll results can be viewed here:

http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/main/2013/03/snyders-numbers-still-down-in-the-dumps.html

“Democratic groups from across the state, as well as hundreds of individuals — including many new online donors to the Michigan Democratic Party — chipped in a little to make a big statement to Rick Snyder,” said Michigan Democratic Party Chair Mark Brewer. “Our grassroots supporters couldn’t wait for 2014 to send a message to Snyder that working toward his defeat is ‘on their agenda.’ Snyder’s anti-worker, anti-woman and anti-middle class policies will spell doom at the ballot box.”

Nearly 160,000 commuters every week will see the billboard just as Snyder’s tax hikes are beginning to take effect for seniors and working families across Michigan.

“As President Obama said today, the top priority for our representatives in Congress must be to grow the economy and create good middle-class jobs. However, if Republicans in Congress allow the sequester to happen, the drastic cuts will result in a host of devastating effects on everything from the economy and military readiness to first responders, health care and education. Middle-class families, children and seniors will bear the brunt of these harmful, but completely avoidable cuts to vital government initiatives.

“These deep, automatic spending cuts were meant to be so unattractive and unappealing that Congress would act to avoid them by passing a balanced plan to reduce the deficit. Instead Republicans have repeatedly walked away from efforts to find a balanced approach, placing a higher priority on protecting tax breaks and loopholes for the wealthy and corporate special interests than on getting our fiscal house in order and growing our economy in a smart and balanced way. If Republicans allow the sequester to take place, it will diminish our military’s ability to respond to threats across the world and weaken our border security. These cuts will cause longer lines at airports and could threaten flu vaccinations and medical screenings. It’s wrong to ask the middle class and seniors to bear the burden of devastating budget cuts while protecting the interests of the wealthy. It’s wrong to lay off teachers and first responders to protect tax loopholes that allow some CEOs to pay a lower effective tax rate than their secretaries. These cuts are unfair, they are not smart, and they will increase unemployment and hurt our economy.

“And we can’t, as many Republicans profess we can, simply cut our way to prosperity by slashing Medicare benefits and asking our senior citizens to pay more or by laying off teachers and first responders. Republicans face a choice: will they compromise to protect vital investments in education, health care and national defense or will they put the entire economy in jeopardy to protect tax loopholes for corporate special interests? It’s time for Republicans to put our economy and middle-class families first by supporting the Democrats’ balanced plan that pairs more spending cuts with tax reform that closes special interest loopholes and makes sure billionaires won’t pay a lower rate than middle-class Americans.”

“During last night’s State of the Union address, President Obama laid out a plan that builds on the progress we made during his first term and strengthens the middle class. He spoke directly to Michiganders about how we can make America a magnet for jobs and manufacturing, equip every American with the skills they need to do those jobs, and ensure hard work earns a decent living by raising the minimum wage and making sure women receive equal pay for equal work. Combined with the President’s plan for balanced deficit reduction, none of these proposals will add a dime to our deficit.

“The time has come for Republicans in Congress to stop their partisan grandstanding and start voting on commonsense proposals that will help the middle class thrive and secure a better future for our children.”

To learn more about President Obama’s plan for a strong middle class and a strong America, visit:

LANSING – The Michigan Democratic Party today released a new video, “Metrics and Measurements,” that highlights Michigan’s lack of progress under Gov. Rick Snyder, who told the Heritage Foundation last week that the “role of government is customer service.”

“If Rick Snyder likes to think of Michiganders as his customers, then we haven’t been getting very good customer service,” said Michigan Democratic Party Chair Mark Brewer. “Snyder has said his goal is to make Michigan a top 10 state, but he is failing on nearly every metric. Michigan’s recovery has stalled compared to the rest of the nation.”

Snyder has been touting Michigan as the “comeback state,” but Michigan remains at the bottom in key measures on the economy, education, quality of life, public safety and government accountability. A year ago Michigan’s unemployment rate ranked 41st among the states, but as of December 2012, Michigan had fallen to 45th in the nation, behind competitor states like Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin and Minnesota.

Other statistics highlighted in the video include:

• Michigan’s per capita income — 36th
• Violent crime — 38th
• Credit rating — 45th
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree — 35th
• Pupil/teacher ratio — 43rd

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