President Biden visits Michigan and Michigan Dems pass major legislation while RNC files sham lawsuit against Sec. Benson
LANSING — 2024 is ramping up and it won’t be stopping anytime soon – state Dems are passing legislation left and right, President Biden is campaigning in Michigan, Trump is getting involved in the Senate race, and Republicans are filing admittedly political, frivolous lawsuits.
Trump started the week by voicing his support, once again, for cutting Social Security and Medicare — despite the millions of Michiganders who rely on these critical programs. Quickly, Michigan Dems reminded everyone that his MAGA chorus in the MIGOP Senate race all also support cutting Social Security, demonstrating their willingness to throw older Michiganders to the wolves. Still, even as all the sycophants running for Senate followed Trump’s lead, this week he chose to endorse Mike Rogers as the nominee for the MIGOP Senate race.
This week was also jam-packed with Democrats showing up for Michiganders. Between President Biden visiting Saginaw and state Senate Dems passing payday lending reform through the Senate and surrogacy protection through committee, Democrats are not letting their foot off the gas.
Of course, we can’t forget that National Republicans also tried to file a bogus lawsuit against Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson for Michigan’s voter rolls – one that is nearly identical to the lawsuit a judge dismissed two years ago. But don’t worry, Democrats were quick to clap back on this frivolous effort.
This week was a whirlwind so let’s break it down below:
First, Chair of the Michigan Democratic Party Lavora Barnes slammed Trump’s callous desire to cut Social Security and Medicare and laid out every time Trump has openly stated how he plans to gut the largest federal program. As everyone expected, every candidate in the MIGOP Senate race is eager to cut Social Security and parrot Trump’s every move. Thankfully, Chair Barnes quickly shut down the reality of cutting this funding:
“It’s unfortunately no surprise that once again, Donald Trump is threatening the lives of millions of Michiganders by promising to try to cut Social Security and Medicare. Trump sold out Michigan’s workers and our middle class for his entire presidency, and if elected, it’s clear he will put these essential programs back on the chopping block.
“MAGA Republicans have a clear agenda if they take power – threaten our freedoms and put billionaires and corporations before our families. Michiganders can’t afford to lose access to these critical programs. It is our job to remind voters that the only way to safeguard Social Security and Medicare is by reelecting President Biden and Vice President Harris this November.”
Also early in the week, Trump, as Chair Barnes put it, “poured gasoline” on the already messy MIGOP Senate Primary this week by endorsing fellow extremist Mike Rogers for Michigan’s Senate seat. It goes to show how radical the MIGOP is that Rogers got Trump’s endorsement, despite each candidate marching to the beat of Trump’s drum. It has clearly become a race to the bottom for the MIGOP:
NBC: Trump endorses former Rep. Mike Rogers in Michigan’s GOP Senate primary
- A Trump-Rogers alliance would have seemed unlikely a year ago. Rogers, who had been out of politics since 2015, had been exploring a long-shot Republican presidential bid. Rogers has praised Trump since he launched his Senate campaign, and he endorsed Trump in January.
- “The chaotic Senate primary is getting even nastier as Trump pours gasoline on the fire,” Michigan Democratic Party Chair Lavora Barnes said in a statement responding to Trump’s endorsement.
On the legislative side of business, on Thursday, Michigan Democrats passed critical legislation through the Senate to reform predatory payday lending practices and passed reforms to Michigan’s antiquated surrogacy laws through Senate committee.
When left unchecked, payday lenders charge exorbitant interest rates that hurt Michigan families, solely for the sake of their own profits. It is greedy, it is wrong, and thanks to leaders like state Sen. Sarah Anthony, Dems are holding payday lenders that prey on our most vulnerable communities accountable. Michigan Democrats are laser-focused on building a fairer economy for all Michiganders, and this was another win for that brighter future:
Gongwer: Senate Passes Cap On Payday Loan Interest Rates
- If the bill are signed into law, Michigan would join 20 states and the District of Columbia that have enacted similar laws. The 36 percent rate is a recommendation long pushed by the Center for Responsible Lending.
- Michigan Democratic Party Chair Lavora Barnes in a statement called the votes an important step in stopping predatory loan practices. “Thanks to leaders like Sen. Sarah Anthony, Michigan Dems in the Senate are holding payday lenders that prey on our most vulnerable communities accountable,” Barnes said. “By capping interest rates, we are protecting families and individuals from the most exploitative behavior of these predatory lenders.”
Also in the Senate on Thursday, Michigan Dems passed state Rep. Sam Steckloff’s bill package, the Access to Fertility Health Care, through committee to reform the state’s outdated surrogacy laws. These bills would protect fertility health care by repealing surrogacy restrictions and ensuring equal rights to those who choose assisted fertility. All families should be treated equally, and Democrats are committed to protecting Michiganders’ personal freedoms:
While Michigan Democrats were hard at work in the state Senate, President Biden was showing up for Michiganders in Saginaw at a campaign event, his second visit to Michigan in the past month. President Biden highlighted the stark contrast between another Biden-Harris administration and another Trump presidency; one will see further investment in American jobs, infrastructure, and working families while the other will see bigger and bigger tax cuts for the 1% while the middle class is left high and dry:
AP: Biden visits Michigan county emerging as the swing state’s top bellwether
- “Our democracy’s at stake” Biden told the group that packed the front porch of a Saginaw city council member’s home to meet with him. “I really mean it.”
- “I think that the president recognizes the importance of getting into a community as diverse as Saginaw and having the conversation and having the face-to-face time with folks,” said Michigan Democratic Party chair Lavora Barnes.
The visit was a wonderful reminder of what Joe Biden represents for Michigan and for America – our moral center in the face of Trump’s dangerous Republican Party. Chair Barnes was proud to greet him and continue our righteous fight alongside President Biden now that the stakes are higher than ever:
Meanwhile, ALSO this week, the Republican National Committee filed a lawsuit against Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, claiming Michigan’s voter rolls are overinflated with deceased voters. This is going to be a tough sell for the RNC, given that Michigan is ranked in the top five states for clearing out the deceased from current records and a very similar lawsuit was thrown out two years ago. This lawsuit proves that Republicans will do everything in their power to attack our electoral process and leave our democracy destroyed in their wake, but with strong leaders like Sec. Benson, these sham lawsuits that attempt to sow distrust in our elections won’t scare us:
WLNS: Republican Party Sues SOS Benson
We can’t wait to tell you how Michigan Dems will deliver for Michiganders next! For Republicans, it was the same old malarkey as always, but when you’ve given up actually helping your constituents, causing chaos is all that’s left. Til next week.
Signing off,
Michigan Dems
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