California Democrat Henry Waxman was voted in as the Energy & Commerce Committee Chair in the House today. The 137-122 vote ousted Michigan Dem. John Dingell from the position. As a Michigan native, I have met and personally like Congressman Dingell, but this is an appropriate move. As the trifecta of crises (economic, food, energy) sweeps our way, the House must have an environmentalist willing to take bold action against global warming, while creating jobs in alternative energy.
Now, perhaps instead of handing $25 billion to Rick Wagoner for a failing business plan, the Obama-led government can offer a $25 billion grant to discontinue SUVs (since there's zero demand, ahem) and use the human resources they already have to build an innovative light-rail system for Detroit.
Where were you on that one, Dingell? Let's hope Waxman responds to letters with helpful policy suggestions.
Showing posts with label Michigan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Michigan. Show all posts
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Saturday, November 8, 2008
The Douglass-Debs Dinner
I've just come home from the Douglass-Debs Dinner in Dearborn, Michigan. The Democratic Socialists of America honored David and Judy Bonior and Judge Claudia Morcum.
It's a shame that there's no wealth of information out there about either Judy Bonior or Judge Morcum. Both are powerful, strong, amazing women who have been invaluable in the progressive movement, both with roots in the civil rights movement in Mississippi (that's right, Mississippi).
Mrs. Bonior spoke for a total of, perhaps, 2 minutes. She thanked her husband, David, and she told the following short story:
She went to an underserved Detroit junior high school to speak on a career day. Feeling like an odd duck in a group of professionals in "concrete" industries (of a tangible nature, that is, e.g. police officers), she spoke about the book that she and David authored about their walk from Macomb County to Mackinac. Not knowing whether she had connected or not, Mrs. Bonior went out into the hallway. A student physically grabbed her jacket, hard, and she tensed up.
"Hey lady," he bellowed, but then dropped his voice to barely above a whisper. "Was it beautiful out there?"
That touched her because this was his state, too.
And this being a meeting mixed of young and old, white, hispanic, black, men and women, civilians and elected officials, she turned it over to us, told us that our task is and will always be to make it beautiful out there for him.
Simple, articulate, and touching, Mrs. Bonior energized and inspired me tonight. I feel ready to take my career and my politics to the next level, in order to make it beautiful out there.
Thank you, Judy, David and Claudia. See you in Washington.
It's a shame that there's no wealth of information out there about either Judy Bonior or Judge Morcum. Both are powerful, strong, amazing women who have been invaluable in the progressive movement, both with roots in the civil rights movement in Mississippi (that's right, Mississippi).
Mrs. Bonior spoke for a total of, perhaps, 2 minutes. She thanked her husband, David, and she told the following short story:
She went to an underserved Detroit junior high school to speak on a career day. Feeling like an odd duck in a group of professionals in "concrete" industries (of a tangible nature, that is, e.g. police officers), she spoke about the book that she and David authored about their walk from Macomb County to Mackinac. Not knowing whether she had connected or not, Mrs. Bonior went out into the hallway. A student physically grabbed her jacket, hard, and she tensed up.
"Hey lady," he bellowed, but then dropped his voice to barely above a whisper. "Was it beautiful out there?"
That touched her because this was his state, too.
And this being a meeting mixed of young and old, white, hispanic, black, men and women, civilians and elected officials, she turned it over to us, told us that our task is and will always be to make it beautiful out there for him.
Simple, articulate, and touching, Mrs. Bonior energized and inspired me tonight. I feel ready to take my career and my politics to the next level, in order to make it beautiful out there.
Thank you, Judy, David and Claudia. See you in Washington.
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