Houghton — On May 5, the Western Upper Peninsula Community Action Team (WUPCAT) will lead a coalition of labor, activists and the local Democratic Party at a rally to take place at the Boat Launch in Houghton, near the Power House at the foot of the lift bridge. The rally, which begins at 12 p.m., celebrates International Workers’ Day, a holiday that commemorates the efforts of workers around the world who have organized for better working conditions and fair compensation.

Check out our Facebook Event or download our posters Here and Here.

Among the rally’s speakers will be Scott Dianda, who is announcing his run as the Democratic Candidate for Michigan’s 110th State Representative District seat, as well as local labor leaders. The event will be followed by a march on the Houghton-Hancock Bridge, with a taco social to follow at the Super 8 Motel in Houghton at 3 p.m.

The May Day Rally is both a celebration of labor history and a protest against the record breaking amount of anti-worker, anti-working- and middle-class legislation that has been passed since the current Michigan legislature took office in 2011. Key pieces of legislation were supported by the Copper Country’s own representatives, 110th District State Rep. Matt Huuki and 38th District State Senator Tom Casperson, who voted to cut funding to their districts’ own local governments and schools.

The most egregious laws include Public Act 28 of 2011, which raised taxes on seniors and the working poor while giving an 86 percent tax cut to Michigan corporations; as well as the Emergency Financial Manager law, which gives Lansing-appointed managers the power to  city and county governments and school districts.

State Rep. Huuki and State Sen. Casperson also voted to slash the number of unemployment weeks laid-off workers are able to attain, and also to make it more difficult for employees injured on the job to seek workers’ compensation.

MDP Presidential Caucuses Just Over One Week Away - Caucus Locations Available on MDP Website

LANSING – The Michigan Democratic Party’s Presidential Caucuses are a little more than one week away. The Party will hold caucuses in more than 200 locations across the state on May 5, 2012. All caucuses begin at 11 am Eastern Standard Time.

Those planning to participate should visit http://www.michigandems.com/page/2012-caucus-site-locations.html for a list of the sites throughout the state.

“This list will let voters know where they need to go to vote in the caucus on May 5th,” MDP Chair Mark Brewer said. “There will be about 200 sites throughout the state and at least one in each county. We ask all interested voters to visit our website and check the list to ensure they go to the correct caucus site to vote – you must vote at the caucus site for your area.”

“People do not need to be members of the Michigan Democratic Party to vote – they simply have to indicate at registration that they are participating as a Democrat,” continued Brewer. “People who voted in the February 28th primary are welcome to vote on May 5th. We also welcome young people who are eligible to register to vote before the November election.”

A list of the caucus sites can be viewed by clicking the link below.

http://www.michigandems.com/page/2012-caucus-site-locations.html

__________

Note: Houghton County’s Democratic Party Presidential Caucus will be held at Super 8 in Houghton, MI. Arrive early to register, hear from candidates, and meet fellow Democrats. Only those voters who have properly registered by 11 AM will be permitted to vote.

PROGRAM GUIDE:

If your business would like to sponsor the program, you may purchase space in our program guide. Also, we are holding our third annual silent auction.

SILENT AUCTION:

We are looking for items that will help raise money for the Houghton County Democratic Party. Please let us know if you would like to contribute.

The proposal would add the following to Article XI, Section 5 of the State Constitution:Classified state civil service employees shall, through their exclusive representative, have the right to bargain collectively with their employer concerning conditions of their employment, compensation, hours, working conditions, retirement, pensions, and other aspects of employment except promotions, which will be determined by competitive examination and performance on the basis of merit, efficiency and fitness.

“This list will let voters know where they need to go to vote in the caucus on May 5th,” MDP Chair Mark Brewer said. “There will be about 200 sites throughout the state and at least one in each county. We ask all interested voters to visit our website and check the list to ensure they go to the correct caucus site to vote – you must vote at the caucus site for your area.”

“People do not need to be members of the Michigan Democratic Party to vote – they simply have to indicate at registration that they are participating as a Democrat,” continued Brewer. “People who voted in the February 28th primary are welcome to vote on May 5th. We also welcome young people who are eligible to register to vote before the November election.”

A list of the caucus sites can be viewed by clicking the link below.
http://www.michigandems.com/page/2012-caucus-site-locations.html

Southfield District Court Judge Shelia Johnson, seen here engaging Houghton County Dems in discussion in May of 2010 about the Supreme Court. Judge Johnson's candidacy for the Michigan Supreme Court was endorsed this weekend by the MDP.

(via MDP Press Release) DETROIT – The Michigan Democratic Party [Saturday] endorsed three candidates for the Michigan Supreme Court and eight candidates, two each, for four State Education boards.

Southfield District Court Judge Shelia Johnson, Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Connie Marie Kelley, and University of Michigan Law Professor Bridget Mary McCormack were all endorsed by the Party on Saturday.

“Shelia Johnson, Connie Kelley, and Bridget McCormack have worked tirelessly in their legal careers to mentor and protect children. On the Michigan Supreme Court, they will ensure individuals and families get a fair hearing, and not just give preferential treatment to powerful, corporate special interests.”

“Under the current Supreme Court, Michigan families have been under assault with robo-foreclosures, taxing senior pensions, and allowing polluters to pollute and the taxpayers paying the cleanup bill. We need a Supreme Court that will work to make our communities safe, and where middle class families can be protected.”

“The choice is clear. This November, voters will choose between two distinctively different set of candidates – those supported by Democrats who work to protect children and middle class families, versus those supported by Republicans who side with insurance companies over patients, banks over homeowners, corporations over consumers and polluters over families. The Democratic Party is proud to endorse Shelia Johnson, Connie Kelley and Bridget McCormack who have worked hard in their legal careers to protect and mentor children.”

Delegates also endorsed Joel Ferguson and Brian Mosallam for Michigan State University Board of Trustees, Lupe Ramos-Montigny and Michelle Fecteau for the State Board of Education, Mark Bernstein and Shauna Ryder Diggs for the University of Michigan Board of Regents, and Sandra Hughes O’Brien and Kim Trent for Wayne State University Board of Governors.

A copy of the resolution is below:

The Republicans run Michigan so they decided they can take your money and hold their presidential primary election, thinking you won’t notice since the Republican Secretary of State has turned their partisan affair into a state-funded election at a cost of ten million Michigan tax dollars. Nice, eh?

For Democrats who haven’t read about it in the real press, we want Democrats wishing to exercise their party right to help decide the 2012 Democratic Party nominee for President of the United States to skip this Republican primary. Why? Because voting for Barack Obama (whom the SOS put on the ballot, maybe to make the Republican party primary event seem fair and balanced) will not count!

You read that correctly. Michigan Democratic Party members wishing to have their vote count will cast their vote for party nominee for President on May 5, 2012 at their local county caucus locations. Yes, CAUCUS.  Here in Houghton County, the caucus site will be at the Super 8 in Houghton, Michigan. Those wishing to support President Obama should plan to join us at the caucus Saturday morning, May 5, 2012.

Democratic Party caucus participants will register, attest to be a Democrat who states they have not participated in any other vote for 2012 Presidential candidate (e.g., the February Republican primary), and they will be admitted to the caucus activities. The caucus plan is to be brief and to the point and we will submit the results to the state party, who will bring the results to the national convention in September.

Confused yet? Blame it on the Republicans. While you are at it, tell them you do not approve of them taking ten million dollars in your taxes to hold their political party event.

P.S. Cleverly, the February 28 election may also include local elections in your area. If this is the case, the Michigan Democratic Party is urging Democrats to vote on those candidates or issues, but do not vote on February 28 for President. Come to our caucus on May 5 to do that. Link to the Michigan Democratic Party F.A.Q. on the delegate selection process can be found here.