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DECEMBER 9, 2011 | |
In This Update From the AV President America Votes in the Field Partner Pushback State Storylines
Democrats Pursuing Protections to Voting Rights in Aftermath of New Regressive Voter ID Laws Arizona State Supreme Court Orders Redistricting Official Reinstated Florida House Democrats Urge House to Investigate New State Voting Laws
Ohio Supreme Court Denies Democrats Full 90-Day Window to Collect Referendum Signatures
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This is the first in a series of bi-weekly updates from America Votes. With these Field Reports, we aim to provide a snapshot of the work being done in the America Votes states by AV and it's over 300 partner organizations. As we get farther into 2012, we will also use this update as a place to share polling, race ratings and other pertinent information on races important to the progressive community. We hope the information included in these reports will give you a better feel for all of the great work being done by America Votes and its partners in states across the country.
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From the America Votes President
As we continue to move quickly through the month of December, we can all look forward to the Holidays. But not far on the other side of the month, the Iowa caucus looms. While it seems like the race for the Republican Presidential nomination has lasted forever, time is running short for this particularly extreme group of conservatives to make an impression on primary voters. Over the past few months, they have certainly provided an endless supply of one-line bombshells and strategic blunders. It’s sad to think, though, that 20 years ago, John Huntsman would have been the ideal Republican nominee in the mold of George H.W. Bush, but today he’s virtually a radical liberal when put up against today’s crop of Republican frontrunners. Over the last few months of debates and constant campaign stops, it could not be clearer that the Republican candidates represent a world view that is so different from the one Barack Obama made the centerpiece of his 2008 campaign. The worldview of these Republicans candidates is far outside the American mainstream on issue after issue – choice, gay rights, international diplomacy, tax policy, the role of government and so many other areas. Take a look at some quotes from the current frontrunners in early states: Bachman "I don't know how much God has to do to get the attention of the politicians. We've had an earthquake; we've had a hurricane. He said, 'Are you going to start listening to me here?' Listen to the American people because the American people are roaring right now. They know government is on a morbid obesity diet and we've got to rein in the spending." Perry "I don't think the federal government has a role in your children's education." Romney "Corporations are people, my friend... of course they are. Everything corporations earn ultimately goes to the people. Where do you think it goes? Whose pockets? Whose pockets? People's pockets. Human beings, my friend." Santorum "If hunger is a problem in America, then why do we have an obesity problem among the people who we say have a hunger program?" Gingrich (too many to choose from, but here’s a sampling): “The idea that a congressman would be tainted by accepting money from private industry or private sources is essentially a socialist argument.” “It is tragic what we do in the poorest neighborhoods, entrapping children in child laws which are truly stupid…These schools should get rid of unionized janitors, have one master janitor, pay local students to take care of the school.” “We should replace bilingual education with immersion in English so people learn the common language of the country and they learn the language of prosperity, not the language of living in a ghetto.” “I think one of the great problems we have in the Republican Party is that we don’t encourage you to be nasty. We encourage you to be neat, obedient, and loyal and faithful and all those Boy Scout words.” It’s not hard to see that the contrasts next year will be stark, no matter whom the nominee will be. And we know this is the kind of rhetoric we can expect to see up and down the ballot. 2012 will not be 2010, but we know that it will be an incredible difficult fight. Take the time this Holiday season to relax, because we will all need to be ready to go come January. Have a safe and happy Holiday. - Joan Fitz-Gerald, President, America Votes
America Votes in the Field
In New Hampshire, after 11 months of work, America Votes and it's Labor parnters helped sustain the veto on Right to Work for Less. The fight isn’t over, however. It is very likely the bill will be proposed again next session along with a a series of other attacks on workers rights. The labor table is continuing to meet weekly and is currently drafting a plan for next session.
In Ohio, America Votes, in a collaboration with Innovation Ohio, Ohio Voice and ProgressOhio, brought together nearly 75 progressive leaders at their first Fairness Summit to discuss broad progressive messaging and pinpoint overarching themes to frame progressivism. The summit received tremendous feedback, and the groups are planning a follow-up meeting early in 2012.
Partner PushbackMICHIGAN: In Michigan this week, Planned Parenthood prepared for legislative hearings on abortion coverage inclusion in healthcare exchanges and prepared reaction/actions around a GOP legislative event around defunding Planned Parenthood. Also in Michigan, Progress Michigan successfully spearheaded a story this week exposing the ultra-conservative and ultra-powerful Mackinac Center in their overt plans to use their power to dismantle the MEA. See some of the national coverage here.
MINNESOTA: Governor Dayton signed an executive order that allows in-home child care workers to have a union vote. If the vote were to pass, the 12,000 workers will be split between AFSCME and SEIU. However, a Ramsey County, MN judge halted the election. In issuing a temporary restraining order, Judge Dale Lindman said the unionization issue should have gone through the Legislature rather than Dayton's approach of calling the vote through an executive order. Dayton says he plans to meet with the state attorney general to consider the next steps on a union push for in-home child care providers, and wants to speak with state attorneys before determining how to proceed now. While both the SEIU and AFSCME admit that going through the Republican-controlled legislature is not a viable option, the judges decision is not the final ruling of the court. Another hearing is scheduled for January 16th.
State Storylines
TALLAHASSEE — Surrounded by environmental officials who served under previous governors, former Gov. Bob Graham forcefully urged Gov. Rick Scott on Wednesday to reverse the environmental damage done by lawmakers in the last legislative session and "now lead." In a rare rebuke, Graham said the 2011 Legislature "reversed 40 years of Florida's progress in water and land conservation." "We are in a time machine which has now delivered us back to the 1960s," Graham said to a rally of activists and former officials of previous administrations outside the Old Capitol. The Bottom Line: Graham stopped short of openly criticizing Governor Rick Scott for the deep budget cuts that have hindered the ability of environmental regulators to do their jobs. A spokesperson for Governor Scott said that his leadership, ""goes beyond mere statements" and has included numerous meetings with officials in Washington. "He understands a healthy economy is dependent on a healthy environment,'' he said. So holding a few meetings in D.C. shows real leadership? The truth of the matter is that Governor Scott and Republicans in Florida have gutted environmental regulations in the name of fiscal discipline, but Graham makes a good point when he says: "There are over 1 million unsold homes. There are hundreds of thousands of vacant commercial facilities. Does anyone believe that by changing the character of our water management districts we are going to suddenly put millions of people back to work in construction in Florida?"
OHIO: Anti-abortion activists want to bring 'personhood' fight to Ohio ballot COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Anti-abortion activists, undaunted by a defeat last month in Mississippi, are pushing to get a "personhood" amendment on next year's ballot. The effort, while still in the preliminary stages, has in-vitro fertilization doctors and abortion-rights groups digging in for a fight. The proposed amendment would change the Ohio Constitution to define a person as including "every human being at every stage of biological development, including fertilization." It would essentially criminalize abortion and clash with the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision which granted American women the right to have abortions.
The Bottom Line: This is another in a series of abortion-related bills being introduced during this session in Ohio. This is happening in D.C. and in many other states, Wisconsin and Michigan being two more prominant examples. Even after the monumental failure of the Personhood amendment in Mississippi last month, anti-choice groups are forging ahead, often with the support of ultra-conserative lawmakers. While the GOP hammers President Obama and Democrats about the poor jobs numbers, and after they ran on fixing the economy and created jobs in 2010, it seems they'd much rather throw red meat to their base and pass overreaching bills on abortion and other social issues than propose real solutions for struggling economies. That is, besides massive budget cuts and tax breaks for the wealthy and corporations. Could it be it's because they don't have any real solutions for the economy?
PENNSYLVANIA: Gov. Corbett hopes to sign bill for voucher program by end of month HARRISBURG -- This should be the time for the final charge to deliver a school voucher program to Pennsylvania, advocates say. Gov. Tom Corbett says he wants families to have taxpayer-funded vouchers so they can move children out of bad schools. With a General Assembly controlled by his fellow Republicans, Corbett hoped to see a voucher program in place for parents next fall. Corbett has said it is crucial for the Legislature to get him a bill before the end of the month. Many concede there is virtually no chance a voucher bill will make it to Corbett this month. Even among the foot-soldiers, there is a pervading sense of realism that what so many hoped would be a triumphant fall campaign is destined to fall short.The Bottom Line: Governor Corbett has made school vouchers one of his top legislative priorities. Whether he will be able to impliment them on a broad scale in a state where voucher bills have gone to die in the past is another question. It's no question that a statewide voucher program would hurt children at already-struggling schools, while allowing private schools to avoid state-issued curriculum mandates and testing requirements. This is another example of conservatives implimenting policies that favor those at the top, even while they disguise vouchers as a program to help middle-low income families. Michael Crossey, President of the Pennsylvania Education Associated said of the bill, “This legislation would drain more resources from public school students who are already feeling the consequences of brutal school funding cuts. Even though two-thirds of Pennsylvanians oppose vouchers, this bill would put the burden of this very bad and costly choice on the backs of taxpayers, schools and students.”
WISCONSIN: Dueling Claims Over Wisconsin Redistricting WAUKESHA, Wisc. (CN) - Republican voters want Gov. Scott Walker's 2011 Redistricting Plan declared constitutional so that any recalls of state lawmakers be held in newly drawn districts that favor the Republican Party. Democratic voters previously filed a federal complaint seeking to overturn the Republican-drawn maps. A trial on that is scheduled for February. In the new complaint, Republicans want the state enjoined from using the old districts, drawn in 2002, for the recall elections. Wisconsin Democrats are gathering signatures to recall four Republican state senators - Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald of Juneau and state Sens. Pam Galloway of Wausau, Terry Moulton of Chippewa Falls and Van Wanggaard of Racine. The petitions are due Jan. 17, which means the courts will most likely rule quickly on which maps to use. Republicans who control the Legislature drew new maps of legislative districts to account for population changes reflected by the 2010 U.S. Census. Shortly after the enactment of the 2011 Redistricting Plan, the state's Government Accountability Board "issued formal guidance" that any recall elections held before the November 2012 be conducted in the old legislative districts.
The Bottom Line: Republicans are attempting to avoid having the defend Senate seats in recall elections using the old maps, which are more favorable for Democrats. As of right now, it looks as though this won't fly; progressive groups have begun collecting signatures this past week as they look towards recalling Governor Walker and a handful of vulnerable Republican state Senators.
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