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Jack Bergman votes NO on aid to Ukraine…shame, shame, shame!
House lawmakers supported $60.84 billion in additional assistance for Ukraine on a 311-112 vote, while cheering and waving small Ukrainian flags on the floor. The Michigan delegation was divided 7-5, with U.S. Reps. John Moolenaar (R-Caledonia), Jack Bergman (R-Watersmeet), Lisa McClain (R-Bruce Twp.), Tim Walberg (R-Tipton) and Bill Huizenga (R-Zeeland) voting no.
From Michigan Advance via Beth Freeman
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What’s Up This Spring and Summer!
Get involved! Real Issues plus Real Fun!
And Jack Lessenberry returns this fall. Details to come.
- Candidate Meet & Greets–Mallory McMorrow, 7 p.m., May 17, Charlevoix Library; Coffee with Callie Barr, April 24, 10-12, Charlevoix Library
- Help with Get Out the Vote
- Candidate Fundraisers–Beer Tasting, June 30, 12-2 p.m., Boyne City Taproom
- Public Demonstrations
- CCDP Social Events–Union Appreciation Picnic, May 19, 12-2 p.m., Emmet County Fairgrounds
- Can We Talk? Women’s Group–10 a.m., every Wednesday, Boyne City
- East Jordan Freedom Festival Parade–June 2024
- Boyne City 4th of July Parade–July 2024
- Charlevoix Venetian Parade–July 2024
- Boyne City Stroll the Streets
- Adopt-a-Highway pickup–11 a.m., April 30, 2024, south of Ironton
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Petoskey Paper Seeks Letters to the Editor
Good News!! The Petoskey News-Review is soliciting letters to the editor. The letter-writing season is getting underway and runs to November–time for eight letters at one per month.
So, sharpen your pens or loosen your typing fingers. Unload your pent-up political feelings. Jim Rodgers rodgers@ltu.edu and Beth Freeman bethfreeman0312@gmail.com will give you all the help you need with editing or ideas.
Try out a longer guest column. If they printed mine, they’ll print yours for sure.
Here’s the News-Review‘s announcement:
“Send us your letters
Letters on public interest issues should be 300 words or less. Letters should be signed, and include a number for verification (address and phone number will not be printed). We will not publish more than one letter per author per month. Letters, guest commentaries and columns published do not reflect the editorial policies or beliefs of this newspaper. Letters containing libelous statements will be rejected. Email your letters to petoskeynews@petoskeynews.com.”
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Charlevoix Dem’s Letter
in News-Review
Walt Cherry does it again. His latest letter appeared in The Petoskey News-Review on Tuesday, April 23. 2024. Walt is an inspiration: he keeps writing them and they keep publishing them. Let’s all do it! Read his letter on this website’s “What We Think” page.
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NW Michigan Health Department
Protects Our Community
Discover what the Health Department of Northwest Michigan does for you and your neighbors by following this link. The HDNW has come through a difficult period of keeping us safe from COVID. More recently, it has, with strength, courtesy and intelligence, stood up to political interference from organized citizens’ groups and even from Board of Health members. We are fortunate to have the Health Department serving us.
From Beth Freeman with commentary from Jim Rodgers, Webmaster.
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Good news for Michigan Democrats!
In special elections on Tuesday, state House Democratic candidates Peter Herzberg and Mai Xiong scored victories in two Southeast Michigan districts to help secure a 56-54 voting majority for their caucus.
Xiong defeated Republican Ronald Singer 65% to 34%, according to unofficial returns, in the 13th District, which includes Macomb and Wayne counties, as well as the city of Warren and a small part of Detroit.
Herzberg, a Westland City Council member, won the 25th House District that includes the Wayne County cities of Wayne and Westland. He won 60%, per unofficial returns, defeating Republican Josh Powell, who earned 38%, and U.S. Taxpayer candidate Robert Stano, who had 2%.
From Michigan Advance via JoEllen Rudolph
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Michigan Seniors Blast Trump’s Social Security and Medicare Comments
On CNBC, Donald Trump was asked about long-term solvency issues for Social Security and Medicare. Trump responded, “First of all, there is a lot you can do in terms of entitlements in terms of cutting and in terms of also the theft and the bad management of entitlements, tremendous bad management of entitlements.”
President Joe Biden pounced on the statement, posting on X: “Not on my watch.”
JoEllen Rudolph supplied this article by Steve Carmody from Michigan Public on March 12.
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Meet our Candidates
Check out our candidates for U.S. Congress: Callie Barr and Bob Lorinser, and for the Michigan House of Representatives: Jodi Decker. They introduce themselves on the “Candidates” page. You can get there by clicking here or on the “Candidates” tab in the header bar at the top of this page.
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Defend Democracy! Be a Poll Worker!
Tap this link to learn how.
Are you interested in serving as a poll worker in 2024?
If so, please visit Michigan.gov/PollWorker to learn more and complete the Election Worker Interest Form.
Already signed up? If you’ve already completed the Election Worker Interest Form, you do not need to re-submit your information. Your details have already been provided to clerks in your area who may contact you if additional workers are needed.
Have you previously served as a poll worker in Michigan? If you have been contacted, hired, or trained by a local clerk for a previous or upcoming election, please contact that clerk’s office directly to ask about serving in 2024. Find your clerk at Michigan.gov/Vote.
For more information or for answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs), please visit Michigan.gov/PollWorker.
Information from Beth Freeman.
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Democrats Act for Northern Michigan
Benson Counters Trump’s False Voter Fraud Claims
| Secretary Benson statement on former President Trump’s false claims of voter fraud: Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson issued the following statement regarding former President Donald Trump and Speaker Mike Johnson’s false claims about “potentially hundreds of thousands of votes” being cast by non-citizens: “When former President Trump, Speaker Johnson, and others call for states to do things we are already doing or ban things that are already banned they aren’t actually supporting election integrity. They are intentionally misleading American voters. Why? Because they want to scare us. They want to diminish citizens’ confidence in valid election results so that they can try to block those valid election results if they don’t like them. But here’s the truth. Every professional election official across the country is working every day to make it easier to vote and harder to cheat, ensure only those legally registered and eligible are casting ballots, and protecting the election process from nefarious interference from bad actors – be they foreign or domestic. Our goal is to, transparently and honestly, make sure every citizen has rightly placed faith in their voice, their vote, and in democracy. So, in the months ahead, I encourage everyone to seek out trusted information from election officials and professional administrators who are actually committed truth and integrity. Help us debunk misinformation wherever it comes from, including when it comes from a former President or current Congressional Speaker of the House. Because that’s how we actually protect the integrity of our elections. Standing together, rejecting the scare tactics, and ensuring every valid vote is counted.” |
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Biden Admin Offers Relief for Student Loan Debt
Last Monday, the Department of Education announced a new set of student debt relief plans aimed at helping borrowers who:
- Owe more than they originally borrowed due to high interest rates
- Qualify for forgiveness through programs like the SAVE Plan (https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/save-plan) or Public Service Loan Forgiveness but are not enrolled
- Have been in repayment for 20 years or more
- Attended colleges that lost certification or eligibility to participate in the federal student aid program or didn’t provide sufficient value
- Are experiencing hardship, like a medical expense, that prevents them from paying back loans
What it means: Potential student loan relief if you qualify—some forgiveness will only go to those in certain income groups. But first, the proposed plan will have to go through a public comment period, which could change some of the proposal before it’s finalized and takes effect. It might also face legal challenges, which could delay or even derail things. Stay tuned!
From Fidelity Investments via Beth Freeman
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Police Use New “Red Flag” Laws to Confiscate Guns
Michigan’s new “red flag” law, implemented in February, allows authorities to seize guns from people deemed at-risk of hurting themselves or others. The Democratic-led state Legislature and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer approved the red flag law last year following a mass shooting at Michigan State University, championing it as a way to help prevent firearm deaths. Police and prosecutors say implementation has gone well despite concerns about due process, volatile encounters.
But Republicans and other critics argued the weapon confiscation procedure could be used vindictively and violate a person’s right to due process or could be put policemen in harm’s way. So far, at least, none of those worst-case predictions about the law have come true, Bob Stevenson, executive director of the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police, told Bridge Michigan.
Thanks to Beth Freeman for this news.
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Michigan Dems Aid Homeless Veterans
The Michigan Legislature and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer have allocated $2 million to veteran homelessness prevention this fiscal year and have proposed another $1.5 million for the 2025 budget.
The funding, which will be distributed by the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency, will take place in the form of $150,000 grants. These will be used for a various projects, including the creation of a four-unit traditional housing complex in the Upper Peninsula.
This good news comes from Marquette’s The Mining Journal via JoEllen Rudolph.
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Nessel’s Pride Video Shows All Are Welcome Here
A video from Attorney General Nessel’s office proudly displays Michigan’s welcoming of all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender preference. It makes you proud to be in Michigan, and it might attract people fed up with their treatment in other states. Watch it by clicking here.
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Join the Charlevoix Democratic Party!
Sign up by clicking here.
You CAN make a difference. And have fun at the same time. Email us and we’ll get back to you. Or Click Here to let us know how you would like to help.
Membership funds support & elect Michigan Democrats who stand up for:
Good paying jobs with benefits
A woman’s right to choose
Clean lakes & air
Affordable housing
Gun laws that keep our kids safe
MDP membership dollars also help fund county Democratic parties, including the Charlevoix County Democratic Party (CCDP). The CCDP supports local candidates as well as state & national Democrats, without duplicating MDP resources.
Your member benefits include:
Voting rights at all party meetings & state conventions
Local & digital training opportunities
Monthly newsletter
Notification of local events & activities
The chance to meet active Democrats in northern lower Michigan
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Keep in Touch:
Receive email event notices — Click HERE!
Like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, and Twitter; to join the community of Charlevoix Dems and our lively discussions.
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Click here to see our Calendar. You will find a printable, downloadable, interactive calendar of meetings and events.
Charlevoix Democrats 
The 1st person in 1st pic of Venetian Fest parade is Laura Ford & not Suzanne.
Thanks. I’ll make the change.