On Thursday, April 25th, a panel of three federal judges ruled 3-0 that Michigan must redraw dozens of Congressional and state legislative districts for the 2020 election because they unconstitutionally “advantaged Republicans and disadvantaged Democrats”. Judy Karandjeff, President of the Michigan League of Women Voters, which filed this lawsuit, declared that this ruling was a “great victory for the voters of Michigan and for our democracy”. The three federal judges reportedly based their decisions on emails and other records produced during the closed door redistricting process that was managed by Republicans and their consultants. One consultant said, “We’ve spent a lot of time providing options to ensure that we have a solid 9-5 (congressional) delegation in 2012 and beyond.” A Republican Congressional aid said that the process “in a glorious way makes it easier to cram ALL the Dem garbage in Wayne, Washtenaw, Oakland and Macomb counties into only four districts”. For more information, click HERE.
The ruling requires the GOP legislature to re-draw boundaries for 9 of 14 Congressional seats and 25 of 148 State legislative districts by August 1st. The number of changed districts, however, would be larger because of the impact on adjacent districts. Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s signature would be required for this plan. If this new map isn’t agreed upon by August 1st, the federal judges ruled that they would create the map that could affect races for both Congress and the Michigan legislature in the 2020 election. Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey has said “we will comply with this most recent ruling while we await the outcome of the appeal”. The state Republican party has said it will appeal this decision to the U.S. Supreme Court to “uphold the will of the people”. Currently, the Supreme Court is ruling on two gerrymandering cases in North Carolina and Maryland. One source indicated that the high Court could rule by the end of June.
The three federal judges’ ruling, which would also step up state Senators elections by two years, would apply to the 2020 election. After that, the Voters Not Politicians ballot proposal, approved by 61 percent of Michigan Voters, would be implemented to reduce gerrymandering in the 2022 election.
We live in interesting — and more hopeful — times.
This week the House and Senate Judiciary Committees voted, on a bi-partisan basis, to adopt versions of raise the age bill packages that would ensure that 17 year-olds are not automatically tried as adults. Instead, youth can be tried in juvenile justice courts and are less likely to be sent to prisons for adults. Michigan is one of only four states that prosecutes 17 year-olds as adults. Statistics show that states that have enacted similar raise-the-age laws have experienced a significant decrease in juvenile court referrals and recidivism.
Alicia Guevara Warren, Kids Count in Michigan Project Director at the Michigan League for Public Policy, said “Michigan is one step closer to joining the rest of the country in having the cases of 17 year olds originate in the juvenile courts”.
On Thursday, April 4th, the House voted 247-175 to demand an end to U.S. support for Saudi Arabia’s brutal war in Yemen. According to the UN, this war has resulted in the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, with 22 million people on the brink of starvation. This bi-partisan vote followed a vote in the Senate to also adopt this Resolution. Thanks to all who called their Senators when MUUSJN issued its last alert. For more information, click HERE. The U.S. has a vast leverage to stop the killing, starting by cutting off military support for this unconscionable war.
Now that Congress has acted, legislators from both parties sent President Trump a letter calling for him to sign the Resolution. It’s conventional wisdom that Trump will veto this Resolution, the second of his administration. When asked about the resolution on late Thursday, Trump said “I’ll take a look at it”. We shouldn’t be let him off the hook. Let’s put pressure on him to sign. CALL HIM MONDAY OR EMAIL HIM TODAY.
Utah Senator Mike Lee, a Republican, said it’s “long past time that we end U.S. involvement in this unauthorized, unjustified and immoral war that has caused immense human suffering”.
Senators Lee and Senator Rand Paul, who signed the letter along with members of the House, said Trump has expressed a desire to avoid “costly and never ending conflicts around the globe”. They also urged Trump to “set a new precedent”and “take on entrenched opposition to foreign policy restraint”.
Two anti-immigrant bills have reared their ugly heads in the Michigan legislature and will be up for a hearing before the House Military, Veterans and Homeland Security Committee at noon on Tuesday, April 9th in Lansing in room 307 of the House Office Building. That happens to be the same day that Michigan United is holding their Capitol Day for immigration and other justice issues (see notice below). MUUSJN invites you to call members of this committee before April 9th or attend this hearing while at Michigan United’s Capitol Day on April 9th.
Information you need to challenge these bills:
TWO BILLS (HB 4083 and HB 4090) would prohibit a county or a local unit of government from adopting or enforcing policies that limit local law enforcement communication or cooperation with federal officers (e. g., ICE or border patrol) about the immigration status of Michigan residents. Similar bills were introduced in previous years. Governor Rick Snyder said he would veto them if they were adopted.
| Beau LaFave | (R) | Committee Chair, 108th District | 517-373-0156 |
| Mike Mueller | (R) | Majority Vice-Chair, 51st District | 517-373-1780 |
| Steve Marino | (R) | 24th District | 517-373-0113 |
| Lynn Afendoulis | (R) | 73rd District | 517-373-0218 |
| Gregory Markkanen | (R) | 110th District | 517-373-0850 |
| Jewell Jones | (D) | Minority Vice-Chair, 11th District | 517-373-0849 |
| John Chirkun | (D) | 22nd District | 517-373-0854 |
| Tyrone Carter | (D) | 6th District | 517-373-0823 |
| Mari Manoogian | (D) | 40th District | 517-373-8670 |
Michigan United has gotten confirmation with many lawmakers who have agreed to talk with constituents about issues such as: the environment, helping people integrate after they’ve been released from prison and treatment of immigrants. Transportation being provided from Detroit, West Bloomfield, Macomb County, Flint, Kalamazoo & Grand Rapids.
This conference was inspired by Catholic parents struggling to protect our LGBTQ children and seeking to renew their Church.
Aaron Bianco, a courageous Catholic leader
Wine and Cheese Reception
Guild Hall of Christ Church Cranbrook
CO-SPONSORS: Inclusive Justice (an interfaith LGBTQ welcoming and advocacy organization); Fortunate Families Detroit; Christ Church Cranbrook; Metropolitan Community Church of Detroit; Sisters of Mercy West Midwest Community; Michigan Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Network; The Sexual Literacy Project; Dignity Detroit; Space for Grace WithOutWalls UCC.
On March 11th, President Trump released his FY 2020 budget proposal. It slashes funding for health services and human needs, cuts funding for mandatory programs such as Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, expands pentagon spending and makes permanent $1.1 trillion in tax cuts for the wealthy approved in November 2017. Congress, not President Trump, ultimately decides federal spending priorities. However, reviewing the Trump budget proposals gives us an important glimpse at his budget priorities.
On a regular basis, we need to let our members of Congress know how we think about our country’s spending priorities. Remember to speak with your members of Congress this week and during the April 15 – 26th recess.
Decisions will be made first through Congress’ appropriations committees. Michigan does not have representation on the Senate Appropriations Committee, however, it has two members on the House Appropriations Committee. Review this action alert and express your views to these two key members of Congress:
Rep. Brenda Lawrence: (D-Southfield) 1-202-225-5802 & Rep. John Moolenar (R-Midland): 1-202-225-3561
Also Call Senator Debbie Stabenow: 1-202-224-4822 and Senator Gary Peters: 1-202-224-6221 & Your U.S. Representative: 1- 202-224-3121
(Capitol Switchboard)
TELL YOUR MEMBER OF CONGRESS: Oppose These Cuts:
MANDATORY PROGRAM CUTS (over 10 years): Medicaid: $ 1.4 trillion; (health care for low income persons)Medicare: $845 billion; (health care for elderly & persons with disabilities)Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): $220 billion; (food for poor)Supplemental Security Income (SSI): $70 billion; (for low income persons)Social Security: $25 billion; Temporary Assistance to Needy Families – $21 billion. (for low income families)
(Sources: Congressional Budget Office, Coalition on Human Needs, Vox, 3/12/19)
DOMESTIC PROGRAM CUTS (over 10 years):Environmental Protection Agency: 31%;Department of Transportation: 19%;Department of Housing & Urban Development: 18%;Department of Agriculture: 13%;Department of Health & Human Services: 12%;Department of Education: 12%.Department of Labor: 10%.Department of Homeland Security – a 15% INCREASE. (This includes an additional $8.6 billion for building a border wall and $2.7 billion to continue jailing immigrant families and children.)
(Source: Congressional Budget Office, Office of Management and Budget 2020 Request)
These cuts include: elimination of loan forgiveness programs and subsidized loans for low-income students; elimination of home heating and cooling programs for low income families; and food packages for low income senior citizens.
Trump’s 2020 Pentagon Budget:The Trump Administration proposed $750 billion for its FY 2020 “Defense” budget. This budget is $20 billion more than defense officials requested and was above the $746 billion figure that Trump himself called “crazy” as recently as of last December. Most disturbing is the proposed $170 billion “Overseas Contingency Operations” fund that, according to former OMB Director, Mick Mulvaney, has been used as “slush fund” used to avoid budget caps. This fund was dramatically increased more than 150% from last year’s appropriation of $67.9 billion!
A coalition of 17 organizations, from across the idealogical spectrum, this month sent a letter to Congress (click HERE for a copy) urging our elected officials to set defense spending at or below $576 billion, the amount Congress agreed in the Bi-partisan Budget Act of 2018 should be the cap for pentagon spending for FY 2020. This coalition further agreed that Congress should put an end to OCO slush fund.
Tell Your Members of Congress: Keep the 2020 pentagon budget at or below $576 billion agreed by Congress; ELIMINATE the Overseas Contingency Operations slush fund. It will just lead to more waste, fraud and wars!
TAX CUTS FOR THE WEALTHY AND CORPORATIONS MUUSJN strongly opposed the Trump administration $2 trillion tax giveaway over 10 years that was adopted on a partisan basis in December 2017. These tax cuts mostly went to the wealthy and corporations. Trump claimed that these tax cuts would result in mind-blowing economic growth. Tragically, the most mind blowing results of these tax cuts has been President Trump’s proposed massive cuts in mandatory programs like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. These proposals all violate his campaign promises to the American people. Some say that the Trump budget is dead on arrival. However, it is important that our members of Congress hear how we think our tax dollars should be spent.
For more background on the proposed Trump 2020 budget, click HERE.
On February 15th, President Donald Trump declared a “national emergency” to allow himself to grab billions of dollars already appropriated by Congress to build his unpopular wall between the U.S. and Mexico. More than two-thirds of Americans don’t think the wall should be a priority. On February 26th the House passed a joint resolution to terminate the national emergency by a vote of 245 to 182. On March 14th, the Senate also passed it (59- 41) with 12 Republicans voting with Democrats. Trump vetoed this resolution on March 15th.
The House is scheduled to hold a veto override vote on Tuesday March 26th; a two thirds majority is needed for it to pass. While courts will likely determine the ultimate decision about checking President Trump’s power grab, how much Congress resists can play a part in restoring democracy.
Michigan United has gotten confirmation from at least 26 lawmakers who have agreed to talk with you about issues such as: the environment, helping people integrate after they’ve been released from prison and treatment of immigrants. Transportation being provided from Detroit, Flint, Kalamazoo & Grand Rapids.
The Unitarian Universalist Association is offering a webinar with information on “Expanded Sanctuary & Solidarity with Asylum Seekers”. Expanded sanctuary can involve sponsorship and accompaniment.
Register HERE The First Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Ann Arbor has taken steps to offer on-site residency for an asylum seeker. For more information, click HERE.
We stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in the Muslim faith. At least 50 people were killed and 50 wounded in a hate-filled terror attack targeting two mosques in the New Zealand city of Christchurch. We recall that a year ago 11 people were massacred at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. In both cases, violence was committed against people while in their places of worship. Unitarian Universalists believe we are called to affirm the worth of every human being. We must understand how prejudice can lead to violence. We must take next steps to collaborate with other people of faith to create change.
You are invited to stand in solidarity with your Muslim neighbors by participating in a vigil at 6 p.m. Sunday, March 17th at the Muslim Unity Center located at 1830 W. Square Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills.
You are also invited to participate in a special dinner on Thursday, April 11th from 6-8 p.m. at the Muslim Unity Center. The cost of the dinner is $20. Register HERE. The dinner is part of a “Faith Over Fear” conference being held at the Center on April 11th and 12th.
The purpose of the conference: explore ways to dismantle anti-Muslim bias and Islamophobia. Leadership from the Unitarian Universalist Association urged MUUSJN to let people in Michigan know about this conference. Not able to attend this conference? Get more information and action ideas by going to: http://www.takeonhate.org/
Meet at the First Presbyterian Church, 510 W. Ottawa Street, Lansing for introduction to new water justice bills, press conference, visit legislators. Click HERE for flyer.
World Water Day Celebration: Friday, March 22nd, 4 – 9 p.m. at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History.
For more information and to register for events go to: www.miworldwaterday.org
What is valuable in the Catholic tradition? What needs to be reformed?Saturday, April 13th, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Christ Church, Cranbrook, 470 Church Rd., Bloomfield Hills
This FREE conference, co-sponsored by Inclusive Justice, MUUSJN and many others, includes lunch and workshops for current and ex-Catholics. Opportunity to speak with a courageous Catholic spiritual leader on Friday, 7- 9 p.m. in Guild Hall of Christ Church Cranbrook. Click HERE for more information and to register. MUUSJN is pleased to have helped plan these two events.
