Up North Progressive
Politics and commentary for Northern MichiganGary Glenn Almost Apologizes To Tony Lascari For “Agenda Alert” Then Files Amicus Brief With SCOTUS
Tuesday , 7, April 2015 LGBT Rights, Tea Party Leave a commentAgenda Alert — Midland Daily News’ new news editor: political science major who “lives in Midland with (his)… http://t.co/nz4yJobcHO
— Gary Glenn (@GaryGlennUS) March 22, 2015
While most people spent the last Sunday morning eating eggs and candy, Gary Glenn (R-Homophobe) Waited until the early morning to issue a statement that attempts to mimic an apology for his uncivilized, bullying behavior toward Midland Daily News editor, Tony Lascari. On March 22, 2015, Glenn issued an “agenda alert” on social media informing the world that the local newspaper had promoted a gay man to the editor position. A gay married man. A gay married man married to a man. Glenn decided this fact alone, despite Lascari’s impressive credentials stating otherwise, disqualified him for the job and the world had to know about it.
Gary Glenn’s supporters promised to cancel their subscription to the paper. What Glenn didn’t expect was the public outcry or media coverage condemning him for his attempt at forcing the Midland newspaper to reconsider their decision to promote Lascari to the position. So now we have the almost apology with a “Christ died for your sins” disclaimer:
To the editor:
I apologize for having publicly and unfairly prejudged Tony Lascari’s ability to fairly, impartially and professionally serve as news editor of the Midland Daily News. There is no evidence in your 10 years as an MDN reporter that you have used that position to advance any personal or political agenda.
My posting on Facebook of the article announcing your promotion — under the title “agenda alert” — was a snap judgment that was both thoughtless and inappropriate to my new position.
I also apologize to you and to my constituents for the uproar that has followed. The 60 seconds it took on a Sunday morning to thoughtlessly cut and paste an article to Facebook is not indicative of the focus of my time, attention and judgment as a legislator. Voters who supported me, and those who didn’t, deserve my best and most measured judgment — all the time. I’ll strive to demonstrate that over the totality of my time in service, that’s what you and they can expect.
Again, Tony, my sincere apology. I wish you, your staff and readers a Happy Easter, especially grateful this weekend in particular to have a Savior who died for and forgives all our transgressions.
Sincerely and respectfully,
Rep. Gary Glenn
Midland
In other words, “I’m sorry you’re a sinner and going to hell. Happy Easter!”
Today, the American Family Association submitted their amicus brief to the Supreme Court of the United States, arguing in favor of keeping Michigan’s ban on same-sex marriage. Gary Glenn is President of the American Family Association in Michigan and helped write the state ban forbidding marriage for gay couples in 2004. He also believes that homosexuality should be criminalized
Gary Glenn is about as sorry for his “agenda alert”against Tony Lascari as he’s sorry for his fear-ridden hatred against all LGBT people. Perhaps Gary Glenn needs to remember Matthew 7:5 while he he takes that old-growth redwood tree out of his own eye.
Want To Vote On The May 5 Sales Tax Hike? Today Is The Last Day To Register
Monday , 6, April 2015 Community, Nerd Problems Leave a comment
On May 5, 2015, more than the celebration of the 1862 Mexican victory over France in the Battle of Puebla will be taking place. The referendum ballot initiative to raise the state sales tax from 6% to 7% and provide minimal funding to fill in a few potholes, while raising a whole long list of other taxes will be happening across the state. If you want to vote on that referendum ballot, you must be registered to vote today.
This is what you will see on the ballot on May 5:
PROPOSAL 15-1 A proposal to amend the State Constitution to increase the sales/use tax from 6% to 7% to replace and supplement reduced revenue to the School Aid Fund and local units of government caused by the elimination of the sales/use tax on gasoline and diesel fuel for vehicles operating on public roads, and to give effect to laws that provide additional money for roads and other transportation purposes by increasing the gas tax and vehicle registration fees.The proposed constitutional amendment would:
- Eliminate sales / use taxes on gasoline / diesel fuel for vehicles on public roads.
- Increase portion of use tax dedicated to School Aid Fund (SAF).
- Expand use of SAF to community colleges and career / technical education, and prohibit use for
4-year colleges / universities.- Give effect to laws, including those that:
- Increase sales / use tax to 7%, as authorized by constitutional amendment.
- Increase gasoline / diesel fuel tax and adjust annually for inflation, increase vehicle
registration fees, and dedicate revenue for roads and other transportation purposes.- Expand competitive bidding and warranties for road projects.
- Increase earned income tax credit.
Should this proposal be adopted?
Not listed in this description of the ballot measure are other bills passed by the state that waits on the vote to pass. They include a new vehicle registration fee that pretends your car has the same value as when it was brand new and never decreases, and a tax on electric cars because they don’t pay fuel taxes.
If you’re not registered to vote by the end of the business day today, then you will have to live with whatever the people of Michigan who do vote decide. Election days that happen in months other than the traditional November usually have a very low turnout, which is an advantage to the people who want this tax hike bill to pass. Please take the time to register to vote today so your voice can be heard about this important ballot measure on May 5.
Graymont Will Cooperate With Wilwin Lodge: Ecotherapy Mission For Veterans Continues
Sunday , 5, April 2015 DNR, Environment, Upper Peninsula Leave a comment
Wilwin Lodge is located near Trout Lake, Michigan. Nestled on 600 acres of Upper Peninsula forest, the facility is owned and maintained by the American Legion Michigan Chapter. The mission of Wilwin Lodge is to provide disabled veterans and their families a tranquil location for rehabilitation and therapy. The lodge specializes in treating veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injuries. The peace and quiet of the forest surrounding the lodge is perfect for providing ‘ecotherapy’ in a relaxing environment by offering free or low-cost accommodations to combat veterans and their families. VA Medical Center staff work with the lodge to provide care. There are rooms at the lodge, at a newly built annex, campgrounds, and over 10 miles of trails available for hiking, horseback riding, camping, and bivouacking.
The property has been used as a logging camp, a family hunting deer camp, and vacation spot. In 2009, Bob Considine donated the land to the American Legion. The Korean War veteran and Legionnaire wanted the 100 year-old lodge and land to be used as a therapeutic retreat for returning veterans, and the American Legion has worked since then to create the retreat Considine envisioned. Veterans who served in the Gulf War and more recent military operations can stay at Wilwin Lodge with their families for free. Veterans of earlier wars can stay for a small fee.
The eight-member board of Wilwin Lodge and volunteers have worked hard since receiving the land to create a peaceful, quiet retreat for veterans who served in the armed services. The mission faces challenges now with a new neighbor moving in – Graymont. The lodge is surrounded by one of the parcels of land The DNR just approved for sale to the limestone mining company, and the sound of blasting in the forest will become a reality when Graymont begins mining operations.
A spokesman from the Michigan American Legion, Ron Runyan, says they have been in contact with the DNR and Graymont, who were very accommodating when the American Legion, “voiced our concerns and explained the impact on providing care for veterans.” He then went on to say, “They are willing to work with us.”
Ecotherapy missions at Wilwin Lodge run from June through September. There are typically eight to ten of these missions during that time, Runyan explained that, “We will give Graymont advance notice, and they agreed not to conduct blasting during our missions.” Through continuing contact with the limestone company, Wilwin Lodge plans to continue their therapeutic care for returning combat veteran suffering from PTSD.
The Mission of Wilwin Lodge to provide therapeutic care for veterans in a serene outdoor, noise-free setting will continue, provided with the cooperation of Graymont. The Michigan American Legion deserves the support of the DNR and the state to make sure they can continue providing vitally important care for our veterans.
Tea Party Charter School Has A New Lobbyist: Barney Charter School Initiative Director Philip Kilgore
Wednesday , 1, April 2015 Section 16, Tea Party Charter School Leave a comment
While Pasquale Battaglia and friends still frantically search for someone, anyone to charter it’s not really a taxpayer-funded Christian school Livingston Classical Academy (or is it Lindbom?), there’s a new friend joining the LCA team to help the God And Country Education Project become a taxpayer funded, for-profit charter school – Hillsdale College’s Barney Charter School Initiative Director Philip Kilgore. In the Livingston Daily Press & Argus it appears Kilgore is now actively involved in helping LCA find a charter authorizer.
One of the (former potential charter partners) told us that they were looking for a school that had a larger demographic need for a charter school, and since there are already several charter schools in the area, our location didn’t fit their needs,” said Phillip Kilgore, Hillsdale College charter school initiative director. “We just need to find a charter that meets their needs.
Kilgore’s use of pronouns is very compelling, it appears Hillsdale College may now be directly involved in getting LCA the charter they need to open their doors to the 200 interested families they claim want to send children to their for-profit charter school, even though they admit now it won’t likely open this fall as they originally planned.
Hillsdale College eschews ALL forms of public funding in order to keep their strict Christian, Ludwig von Mises worshiping, Classical Liberal Arts institution out of the evil clutches of the State. It seems like if Kilgore is directly involved now with LCA gaining a charter, wouldn’t that be getting very close to the college being involved with the state? Why would the Barney Charter School Initiative be so involved with one charter school?
Because so far Hillsdale College charter schools don’t exist in Michigan. The reason why is obvious, and it comes from the source. Pasquale Battaglia from the beginning intended to open taxpayer-funded charter schools that use Hilldale College’s Judeo-Christian philosophy as a basis for the curriculum, just like they do at Hillsdale Academy. That school is the only Hillsdale College school operating in Michigan, and it is a private school. That is the only legal way Hillsdale College can operate a school based on their classical education philosophy in the state.
No matter how much Battaglia, Streetman, and now Kilgore insist LCA won’t be a Christian school, there’s too much evidence from the source that proves otherwise. There’s a reason why we don’t pay for religious education with taxpayer dollars – it’s unconstitutional.
Paul Mitchell’s Proposal 1 Tax Day Road Rally: Come To Lansing And Get Trained
Wednesday , 1, April 2015 Community Leave a comment
Nothing gets a God and country loving guy’s blood boiling like April 15th. That’s the day those dirty rotten revenuers from the gubmint steal their private property – their hard-earned money – and use it to pay for things like defense and interest on the national debt; prompting the God and country loving guy to blame the poor for stealing his hard-earned money.
Rich God and country loving serial Republican candidate, Paul Mitchell, also hates paying taxes. Especially when his taxes are going to pay for things like roads, schools and gasp – the poor! That’s why his group, “Say NO To Higher Taxes and Special Interest Deals” urges all Michiganians to vote no on Proposal 1. His group has so far released two ads and now there are plans to take the show on the road to Lansing on April 15th – if they don’t break an axle in the process.
On May 5th Michigan voters have been asked by legislators to vote on what will be the largest tax increase in nearly 50 years, if passed. This “Transportation” tax will raise $2 billion and once fully implemented in 2018 nearly 40% ($700 million plus) won’t go to fix a single pothole/road.
Noon – 2 pm – Citizen Lobbyist Training and visit your legislator
2 pm – 3 pm – Call to Action/Road Rally
Come help us send a message to Lansing that we will not pay ransom to Lansing Special Interests to get our roads fixed. Michigan families can’t afford a $800 per year, every year tax increase so that 40% can be siphoned off to non-road projects.
The event, scheduled to be on the east lawn of the state Capital, offers lobbyist training and possibly the opportunity to meet your legislator. After that there is an hour long rally to get people fired up to vote no on Proposal 1. Helping Paul Mitchell is Koch-funded Americans For Prosperity Chair Scott Hagerstrom and Faith Steketee. Mitchell hopes the other anti-proposal 1 groups led by John Yob and Tom McMillin will join him for the rally.
In May of 2014 I started Up North Progressive to be a voice for political candidates and issues important to Progressive Democratic people in Northern Michigan. Over the past 11 months I have used this blog to introduce candidates, expose widespread corruption in for-profit education reform, the plight of Michigan wolves and the sale of public-owned land for profit. I have also met many wonderful people in this state all working together to make Michigan a better place to live for all of it’s residents, not just the wealthy and well-connected.
The other reason I started this blog was because I unfortunately still work part time. I couldn’t afford to make campaign contributions to support candidates, so I wrote about them as a way to contribute and support them instead. The articles I write take time in research and writing, but I didn’t mind the work because I wanted to help in any way I could.
Up North Progressive’s first year is coming to an end, and my excellent web host needs payment to keep the blog on their server for another year. To those of you who have already donated, thank you so much. You will help me stay online. I need more help however to keep Up North Progressive running. There are real costs such as registering the domain name and taking up space on a server. If you like what you’re reading on Up North Progressive and can help out with the costs, it would be very much appreciated.
Thank you,
Kelly Weaver
Up North Progressive
Rick Snyder Hints At White House Run If Feds Retire Warthog
Saturday , 28, March 2015 Nerd Problems, Presidential Primary 2016 Leave a comment
Quick, we need a distraction!
That’s what The Nerd was likely thinking when he told the media in Washington D.C. on March 25 that he’s much too preoccupied with what’s happening in Michigan at the moment but said, “there’s time to evaluate opportunities.” By opportunities he means consider running for President of the United States.
In an already crowded cesspool of bland milquetoast mid western governors considering a run for the White House, Snyder would be a tough sell in this ‘can’t raise taxes no matter how much the state resembles a third world country’ presidential race. He’s facing down a May 5 ballot initiative to raise the sales tax. This tax increase, like all of the other tax increases in Michigan since Snyder took office are imposed on the struggling middle class, retired and poor, but it’s just about impossible to run as a Republican when your legacy is saying yes to Obamacare, Common Core and raising taxes.
Nobody really knows who the Nerd is outside of Michigan, which is obvious when one of the reasons he was in the nation’s capital on Wednesday was to receive an award on bipartisanship. The other reason he was there was because that voodoo math 5.9% unemployment rate the state’s pretending to have (Many parts of the state are still suffering with double digit unemployment) is in deep jeopardy when the Pentagon finally gets around to retiring the A 10 “Warthog” fighter. The plane was slated for retirement before the first Iraq war in 1991, but proved itself so worthy against Saddam Hussein’s considerably less equipped and disadvantaged military, that after Desert Storm the planes were dumped on Air National Guard bases, like Fort Custer in Battle Creek and Selfridge in Macomb County. What an honor! These planes are the heroes of Desert Storm! Providing care and feeding of the mighty but aging Warthogs meant these small bases could be kept open and a few more people employed during the true beginning of Michigan’s economic dark ages by boosting Governor John Engler’s own employment numbers.
Like most Republican economic plans, it’s more kicking the can down the road until people get fed up and send a Democratic governor to Lansing again, where all of the bad stuff can be blamed on them instead of owning up to the fact Republicans only care about helping their rich donors get richer at taxpayer expense. In other words, once the Warthog goes to that air base in the sky for good, Michigan’s unemployment rate is going to go back up. Way up.
So after raising taxes yet again while hundreds of people in Michigan face losing their jobs, making a run for the White House could be just the thing Snyder will do to save his neck. Once he begins his “I saved Detroit” tour of the country later on this year, we’ll just have to wait and see if Iowa is one of his scheduled stops.
Michigan Department of Education Awards Three-Year Contract To Two Companies For M-STEP
Thursday , 26, March 2015 Section 16 Leave a comment
Today Superintendent of Education Mike Flanagan announced that two companies were awarded contracts for administering the new standardized assessment for Michigan’s public schools, known as M-STEP. The companies are Data Recognition Corporation and Measurement Incorporated. The Michigan Department of Education and Department of Technology, Management and Budget awarded the contracts together. The three-year contract will cost the state $103.7 million.
The two companies are currently under contract for 2015 to administer M-STEP during testing this spring in the states’ public schools.
Mike Flanagan in a statement issued today stated that:
“This now allows Michigan schools and teachers to move forward and fully transition form the 40-year-old MEAP to M-STEP, a 21st Century assessment system.”
Data Recognition Corporation is based out of Minnesota. DRC, like other big testing corporations such as Pearson are well-known for hiring temporary employees to score high-stakes standardized tests that will determine a school district’s proficiency in reading, writing and mathematics. Often the requirements for the temporary job that pays $11 to $13 per hour is a bachelor’s degree, but not much else.
Measurement Incorporated is based out of North Carolina. They get mixed reviews from employees who are temporary hires, paid about $11 an hour and don’t get benefits or vacation time. Measurement Incorporated hires people to work remotely from home requiring them to have a high speed internet connection.
The Joint Evaluation Committee that made the decision to hire DRC and Measurement Inc. were presented with bids from five companies. The members of the JEC, made up of educators, parents, and staff from the MDE and DTMB. They spent hours looking over proposals and samples of assessments offered by each company before selecting an offer.
M-STEP, the standardized test used in Michigan this year and the next three years will be managed by two large out of state corporations who both have reputations for hiring temporary employees with no real background in education, and score the tests school districts rely on for funding and staying open. Teachers, professional educators who spend years in college to become experts in teaching practices and specialize in their subject areas are evaluated and rated on tests scored by temporary employees who’s only requirement is to have a bachelor’s degree in something and a high speed internet connection.
According to outgoing Superintendent Mike Flanagan, “This fortunate outcome will give this year’s tests greater significance and be a foundation from which to build.”
Looks like M-STEP is here to stay.
Tea Party Republican Dan Benishek Lies: Promises To Run For A Fourth Term In 2016
Thursday , 26, March 2015 Tea Party Leave a comment
Remember when Dan Benishek promised he would only run for three terms? Dan Benishek lied. He’s decided to run again in 2016. Having no integrity or honesty is something we expect from Republicans, especially tea party Republicans, so it should come as no surprise that Dan Benishek, without a bit of shame or remorse, wants a fourth term.
Since Benishek won Michigan’s first congressional district seat in the 2010 election, The former veterans hospital M.D. has used his office to vote down every bill that would benefit veterans, and use his leadership in the House Committee on Veteran’s Affairs to make sure veterans get shafted again and again. He made sure low-income veterans couldn’t hire lawyers to sue the United States government, and that veterans didn’t get any mortgage relief or help for homeless veterans needing a place to live. He happily voted against the Veterans Backlog Reduction Act; the bill that could have saved lives when veterans were waiting years for care, and then when the scandal became public, stood with other Republicans and tried to pin the blame President Obama. He voted with Republicans to shut down the government in 2013 and turned down an emergency bill during that time to keep veterans services open, while loudly complaining about veterans memorials being closed to the public.
And with only 19 out of a 24 month term left, he’s already decided he needs to screw over veterans along with other Michigan district 1 residents even more:
“Serving Northern Michigan has been – and continues to be – a privilege, and it is my sincere hope that the voters of the 1st district will allow me to continue representing them and their families. I recognize this conflicts with past statements I made when first running for office. After serving our veterans for 20-years as a doctor in our local VA hospitals, and now as the only Michigan member on the House Veterans Committee, I know that there is more work that must be done to ensure veterans are getting the benefits they have earned. But the fight to hold bureaucrats in Washington accountable won’t happen over night – it was a problem a long time in the making and will take a long time to undo. I believe I bring a unique perspective to overcoming those challenges as well as others facing families throughout the 1st District, and my hope is voters will agree.”
Dan Benishek doesn’t care about veterans, and won’t keep his promises. The quintessential Republican, he represents everything we expect from the GOP.
That Moment In The Story When The Hero Finds Proof of The Villain’s Evil Plan: Richard D. McLellan’s 1990 Notes On School Choice
Monday , 23, March 2015 Section 16 7 Comments
In Michigan, one of the first instances of school choice happened in the 1970s when Jack Hoekstra, president of the Kalamazoo School Board, tried to stop desegregation of Kalamazoo Public Schools by allowing parents to choose the school they wanted their kids to attend with the condition they were responsible for transportation. School choice has been championed by others in the state over the years, but there is one name that has become synonymous with the Michigan education reform movement – Richard D. McLellan.
When Michigan drafted their charter school law, Richard D. McLellan was there. When Michigan tried to set up a voucher system in 2002 that failed, Richard D. McLellan was there. When EMU chancellors were approached about getting behind the EAA in 2011, Richard D. McLellan was there. Skunkworks? You bet, he was there too. Richard D. McLellan was part of the school choice movement in Michigan before it actually became a movement. How do we know? He took notes.
In 1990 before “school choice,” “education reform movement,” or “the civil rights movement of our time” uttered by conservatives like Rand Paul were common phrases, Richard D. McLellan jotted down a plan to fundamentally change Michigan’s schools. In this page of scribbled notes leaked recently is the proof McLellan already planned the demise of Michigan’s public schools 25 years ago.
The RDM in the upper right-hand corner is his initials. The list of names seems to be associated with “Michigan Citizens for Choice.”
McLellan knew that the majority of Michigan citizens wouldn’t want public schools to be taken over by churches, so here he jots down a note that it’s important to mainstream the “school choice” message, and separate it from the nonpublic schools that most people were familiar with at the time – parochial schools.
Every school reformer from GLEP director/DeVos yes man Gary Naeyaert to presidential hopeful Rand Paul have been quoted saying that school choice is the “civil rights issue of our time.” 25 years ago you can see one of the goals of McLellan’s was to use the phrase “civil rights issue of the 90’s” to get blacks and Hispanics on board supporting it. School choice is a dog whistle for segregation.
Here’s another goal of McLellan’s to make sure minorities not only get on board but take leadership roles in supporting school choice. He also lists businesses and taxpayers as people who need to help with the cause.
It’s really hard to convince people they need to stop sending their kids to public schools if they think their public schools are doing a good job. 25 years ago Richard D. McLellan wrote down as part of his plan for promoting school choice was the need to discredit public schools. He also linked this goal to making sure fewer revenues went to Detroit. Now, why would McLellan see that as a necessary goal for school choice?
“What’s In It For Me” is another way of getting people to support something by making them think what they have isn’t good enough. This “matrix” as McLellan calls it is a very common method used by politicians to push an agenda onto people.
And finally, the last goal of McLellan’s listed on this page is the importance of selling the idea that this is not a plan to switch public school for parochial schools, but an “education reform movement” that will appear on the outside as something to make public schools better, while you’re actually starving them of funds and dismantling them at the same time.
Here in Richard McLellan’s own chicken scratching is a plan that most of us today recognize as reality. 25 years ago Richard D. McLellan wrote down a list of goals to change Michigan’s public schools, not to better educate our kids, but to eradicate public education. This is what our new superintendent is up against, will he fight for our public schools? Or go along with the plan McLelland penned a quarter of a century ago.