Surprise! Rick Snyder makes nice with Donald Trump

A few weeks ago, I wrote a column entreating Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder to stand up to Donald Trump, given his status as a businessman-turned-Rust Belt governor who preaches the virtues of civility.

While Democrats and liberal activists can be expected to do the heavy lifting when it comes to opposing the authoritarian elements of Trump's presidency, it's vital to have as many conservative and Republican voices as possible join in. For starters, this supersedes ideology. And historically, bipartisan movements are taken more seriously by the public and the media.

Here's part of my argument:

You may not have liked what President Hillary Clinton may have wrought in terms of taxes and regulation, but I believe you stay up at night wondering what President Trump will do with the nuclear codes.

Warning signs abound. The president-elect’s chief White House adviser is Steve Bannon, who runs the white nationalist website, Breitbart.com (which is primed to become some sort of state-run media a la Pravda). Trump refuses to set up a blind trust for his far-reaching business interests, instead saying he’ll turn them over to his children (who may have access to state secrets). And he’s playing footsie with Vladimir Putin on the national stage already.

None of these are partisan issues. These are all red flags about how our republic will function.

I got some pushback from readers for my alleged naiveté, mostly coming from those unfamiliar with my frequent criticism of Snyder over the Flint water crisis, Right to Work, child poverty, LGBT rights and much more. And no, I didn't believe my column would have any impact, as I indicated in the column itself:

Of course, I’m not the right person to ask this of you. It should be the Detroit News’ Nolan Finley or better yet, a Republican colleague. I’ve been one of your fiercest critics over Right to Work and the Flint Water crisis. I’m probably about as popular in your inner circle as I was with that of your predecessor, Jennifer Granholm.

And even if you were to vocally oppose Trump, I wouldn’t stop holding your feet to the fire over your policies in Michigan. Neither will my colleagues. It doesn’t work that way. So this is all probably sounding like a terrific proposition for you.

I doubt the governor reads me or cares what I think. But it was worth a shot. And sometimes it's important to put things on the record.

So last week, Snyder did exactly what you'd expect, declaring that he looks "forward to building a relationship" with Trump. That's quite the change from his October take, when he called Trump's "grab 'em by the pussy" remarks "revolting and disgusting." Time heals all wounds, I guess. 

The governor even went so far as to defend Trump in a tweet Monday against the Green Party's attempt to get a recount in Michigan. 

So Rick Snyder is who he's always been: A Republican who feigns moderation, but has repeatedly proven to be unwilling or unable to stand up to the extremist elements of his party.

I'm not surprised. I just remain very, very disappointed. 

Susan J. Demas is Publisher and Editor of Inside Michigan Politics, a nationally acclaimed, biweekly political newsletter. Her political columns can be found at SusanJDemas.com. Follow her on Twitter here.

When Post-Election Bullying Hits Home

For the last week, I've been trying to process the election, both as a political analyst who got a lot wrong, and a human being who believes this was a potentially disastrous outcome. Donald Trump's move to install the owner of a white nationalist website as one of his chief advisers does not assuage the dread.

But much of my time has been consumed by something closer to home. My 14-year-old daughter, Angela, has made news of her own. Two days after the election, she brought a homemade sign to Okemos High School that said, "We Will Fight for America." She crossed out the words, "We Failed America," which is something she had heard a lot and doesn't believe is true. As a member of the school Political Club and Prism (LGBTQ students), she's no stranger to speaking her mind.

However, when Angela walked through the halls with the sign, a group of older boys surrounded her and started screaming, "Lock her up!" One got up on a bench and loomed over her. Like all of us, Angela had heard that phrase before in watching Donald Trump rallies. And while I found it unacceptable for Trump supporters to scream that about Democratic presidential Nominee Hillary Clinton, I was especially saddened to see teenagers take that cue to bully another student.

The school district has handled this and other incidents swiftly and with sensitivity. This is just one of dozens of school incidents in the news. Not all schools have responded like Okemos administrators did. The video of kids harassing Latino students in the Royal Oak school cafeteria with "Build a wall!" is particularly hard to watch. 

My daughter made the call that our family could post about her incident on social media. Since then, several reporters have interviewed me. You may have seen some stories. I am a journalist by trade. I much prefer being on the other side where I'm asking questions. But the reason why we've talked publicly about this incident is simple. Angela will be OK. She's strong. She isn't going to back down from her beliefs. She has support. But a lot of kids are scared to speak up. She's heard from several of them since she was shouted down in the halls. So if Angela speaking up helps other kids, it's worth it.

It's been an odd experience. Angela and I have had to deal with anonymous trolls (although as a columnist, that's nothing new for me). Some of my conservative friends have been visibly uncomfortable, which breaks my heart. It sometimes seems like the divide is so vast it can't be breached, even when children are involved. And some people who don't even know us have tried to exploit the incident for their own pet cause or agenda.

I've accepted all of that and so has my daughter. That's just the way the world works in the age of social media. What keeps us going is the lovely letters and messages from those who have been bullied. They appreciate Angela taking a stand. As a parent, I couldn't be prouder of her.

Susan J. Demas is Publisher and Editor of Inside Michigan Politics, a nationally acclaimed, biweekly political newsletter. Her political columns can be found at SusanJDemas.com. Follow her on Twitter here.

Susan J. Demas: So What Do We Do Now?

Susan J. Demas, 2016

I am not the optimist in my family. That role is filled by my husband, Joe. All of us are devastated right now, but his mantra has always been, "Time to get back to work." We're both doing this, though without many smiles. When he starts singing Christmas carols around the house, I know it will be OK.

We've been hugging our kids a lot. Our 13-year-old said yesterday morning, "I've lost all faith in humanity. Are women going to lose their rights?" He then tried to comfort Joe and cracked jokes. Our 14-year-old is busy organizing against harassment of LGBT and minority students at her school. They are good eggs. They fight for others while we fight for their future. 

I am not a maudlin hippie. But here is how I truly feel right now. Be kind to one another. Try to bring some light into the world. Stop punching down. Stop trying to prove you're the smartest person in the room. And definitely stop tearing each other down to fight through your own pain. I have been guilty of all of these things too many times.

It accomplishes nothing right now. It's self-defeating. It emboldens those who seek to do us harm. We all just need to take a breath and feel. And if anyone wants to mock me for saying this, so be it. I'll have been called worse.

This is the fight of our lives. As conservative David Frum said, democracy itself is likely on the line. Take care of yourself. Take care of your family. Take care of one another.

Some Sanders supporters are running for the Michigan House, but it's a slow start

A few weeks ago, I wrote a column asking where Bernie Sanders' revolution was in Michigan. Given his stunning win in the March 8 primary, I would have expected that Sanders supporters would be fueling grassroots efforts in the state and running for office themselves.

However, I wrote that I hadn't seen much evidence of either. Since then, a few readers wrote in about some candidates organizing and running at the local level, which is crucial.

Today, the Detroit News had a story on six Sanders supporters running for the state House. That's the good news for those trying to push the Democratic Party in a more liberal direction.

Here's the bad news. There are literally hundreds of Democrats running for the Legislature this cycle –– all 110 House seats are up. And the News could only identify a half-dozen diehard Sanders supporters. 

It gets worse. Of the six candidates, only two look well-positioned to even win the primary. One is Eric Anderson, who's running unopposed in the Dem race for 87th District, which has a 62-percent Republican base, according to Inside Michigan Politics. To make matters worse, he's running in the general against Julie Calley, wife of Lt. Gov. Brian Calley.

The second is Betsy Coffia, who has the advantage of having previously run in the 104th District. Even if she again becomes the Democratic nominee, she's still facing an incumbent, Rep. Larry Inman (R-Traverse City) in a northern Michigan district with a 59 percent GOP base, where Donald Trump is polling well.

Sanders did as well as he did in the primary because of enthusiastic grassroots organizing. How many times have progressives gasped in horror at what the GOP-controlled Legislature has done in terms of education policy, LGBT rights, abortion rights, labor law and the social safety net? I still believe that's fertile ground for self-declared "Berniecrats" to truly make their mark with grassroots efforts.

Susan J. Demas is Publisher and Editor of Inside Michigan Politics, a nationally acclaimed, biweekly political newsletter. Her political columns can be found at SusanJDemas.com. Follow her on Twitter here.

Hoekstra & Demas Announce 'Two Chicks Speakers’ Bureau'

Communications Experts Offer Corporations, Organizations and Lobbying Firms their Unique Perspectives on Politics, Policy and PR in Michigan

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, May 12, 2016

Contact: Kathy Hoekstra, 989.284.2095, Kathy@kathyhoekstra.com

               Susan J. Demas, 517.420.6779, susan@sjdemas.com
 

The next time you need a speaker for a corporate event, organizational meeting or association training, don’t go with the same old, same old.

Think Kathy Hoekstra and Susan J. Demas.

You’ve probably seen us both on Off the Record. We’re the blonde chicks with lots of opinions. We also have a combined 30 years in journalism, are experts in political analysis and strategy, understand social media and crisis management, and run our own communications firms.

We’ve been doing speaking events for years at corporate retreats and association conferences. Now we’ve decided to team up.

Why? Well, we got the idea when we did a presentation together at the MSU Michigan Political Leadership Program kickoff in February. And it hit us that even though we’ve both done plenty of public speaking, it’s pretty rare that we’ve been paired up with another woman.

Most importantly, we had a blast. No one fell asleep, even though we were on during the dreaded post-lunch time slot. 

---

"At the Michigan Political Leadership Program, with humor and wit, we found Susan Demas and Kathy Hoekstra hit the mark on providing astute and informative commentary."

–– MPLP Co-Director Anne Mervenne, former senior aide to Gov. John Engler

---

Both of us bring different perspectives –– Kathy from the right and Susan from the left –– and we play off each other well. It helps that we’re friends in real life and know how to crack each other up. We’re both moms of teenagers and daughters of accountants who shaped our worldviews –– although, somewhat ironically, Kathy’s was a diehard Democrat and Susan’s is a staunch Republican.

And we know how to disagree without being disagreeable, something that’s become all too rare nowadays.

Interested in having us speak at your event? Contact us for a quote today!

Here’s a little more about us:
 

Kathy Hoekstra spent 15 years in local radio and television news in the Port Huron and Flint/Saginaw/Bay City markets, respectively. She went from traditional broadcast to video production and investigative reporting for the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, followed by a stint as media relations director for former presidential front-runner and businessman Herman Cain. She now is the Michigan State Director for Job Creators Network, an employer to employee education program. She also is a contributor for the Detroit News Politics Blog and occasional guest host for the Frank Beckmann show on WJR Radio in Detroit.

Susan J. Demas is CEO of Susan J. Demas Communications, specializing in editing, ghostwriting, public speaking and research. Since 2013, Susan has been Editor and Publisher of Inside Michigan Politics, a biweekly newsletter analyzing political and policy trends for several thousand readers. Susan is the most-quoted pundit in Michigan, recently appearing in or on MSNBC, National Public Radio, The New York Times, The Washington Post and Politico. Susan has spent 15 years in journalism and is a syndicated political columnist, appearing in The Huffington Post, Salon, Dome Magazine, Deadline Detroit and Taegan Goddard’s Political Wire.

###

Susan J. Demas: Flint water crisis means Rick Snyder can't sell Michigan's 'comeback' to national media

Now that Super Tuesday is over, all eyes are on Michigan. Both parties have scheduled debates here in the runnup to our March 8 primary.

This would be the perfect time for GOP Gov. Rick Snyder to grab some headlines about the "Michigan comeback," his favorite topic.

And there's no doubt that the economy is on the upswing since he took office in 2011 –– unemployment is down and the business climate has improved (although it's always debatable how much credit governors should get, for good or for ill).

Last year, amid breathless speculation that Snyder was running for president, he made a series of out-of-state trips to tell "the Michigan story."

Our primary week provides a unique window of opportunity for him to sell our state, as national and international media swarm the Mitten.

But Snyder probably won't be talking much about Michigan's comeback this week, which could attract investment and boost our national reputation. He probably won't be highlighting our vaunted "Pure Michigan" tourism campaign. 

And don't expect Snyder to hit the campaign trail, either, in sharp contrast to other Michigan politicians, like U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and state Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof (R-West Olive), who will bask in the limelight. But neither Snyder nor Lt. Gov. Brian Calley, who hopes to succeed his boss in 2018, have endorsed a candidate for president.

That's because the devastating Flint water crisis is dominating everything. Every day brings a new and horrifying story, whether it's about Flint women miscarrying or a resident using bottled water who still tested positive for lead. There may be a few "Flint truthers" out there who still deny the crisis, but they've been quiet lately.

Snyder has been badly wounded by the crisis. Reams of emails reveal that his high-ranking staff, including his legal counsel and chief of staff, were well aware of health problems early on, but their concerns were ignored. Snyder has maintained that he didn't know the severity of the Flint crisis until October 2015. If that's true, he appears to be just about the last one in his executive office to know. The other possibility, of course, is that he was told and failed to act.

The end result is the same: This is a tragedy for the people of Flint. 

And while Michigan Republicans stew about Democrats Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders swooping in and "politicizing" the crisis, they know that Snyder –– the leader of their party –– is a huge liability right now.

That's a problem from the GOP. But it's a much bigger problem for all citizens of Michigan, who have lost their leader and biggest champion.

Susan J. Demas is Publisher and Editor of Inside Michigan Politics, a nationally acclaimed, biweekly political newsletter. Her political columns can be found at SusanJDemas.com. Follow her on Twitter here.

Susan J. Demas: Marco Rubio is the perfect candidate for Millennials –– not Bernie Sanders

Bernie Sanders may have captured millennials' hearts, but Marco Rubio should really be their guy.

It's not because the 44-year-old Republican is obviously closer to that generation than Sanders, who will turn 75 before Election Day.

No, it's because Rubio embodies the ethos of Millennials, which the Washington Post snidely dubbed the "Participation Trophy Generation." Hey, it's an unflattering stereotype, but trend-story hazing is a rite of passage for each generation coming of age.

As a Generation Xer, I recall being told how lazy and entitled we all were, as well. And some of us were, just like snot-nosed twentysomethings who act like they're ready to run the company on their first day just because they know what Snapchat is. (Hey, I'm 90 percent sure that I do, although I've clearly never used it).

But Rubio is the ultimate "Participation Trophy" candidate of 2016. He's gone an embarrassing 0 for 4 in the first nominating contests. And yet he still parades around like he's the frontrunner, enabled by the desperate GOP establishment that's determined Rubio is their last, best (and dreamiest) hope against Donald Trump.

When Rubio finished third in Iowa, he had the chutzpah to give a victory speech. It wasn't a bad strategic move, and plenty of pundits ate it up. Politics is often about faking it till you make it, and the freshman senator has that motto down cold.

But then Rubio went on to take fifth in New Hampshire. He failed to capture a single delegate in South Carolina and still gave another "victory" speech. Donald Trump then crushed him 2-1 in Nevada.

And yet Rubio backers are out there goading other candidates to drop out, like Ted Cruz, who actually won something (Iowa) and John Kasich, who pulled out a surprise second-place finish in New Hampshire and could do well in the Midwest primaries ahead. New polling shows Rubio is even losing to Trump in his home state of Florida. 

Rubio has the swagger of a candidate who's never lost anything, because he hasn't until now. When Republican powerbrokers have been pumping you up as the fresh face of the party –– the only one who can defeat the Democrats –– it goes to your head.

People are always quick to blame parents for raising selfish millennials who crack under pressure. Maybe the Republican establishment deserves some for emboldening a green freshman senator. Because Marco Rubio obviously doesn't seem ready to be commander-in chief.

Susan J. Demas is Publisher and Editor of Inside Michigan Politics, a nationally acclaimed, biweekly political newsletter. Her political columns can be found at SusanJDemas.com. Follow her on Twitter here.

Could Michigan's restrictive student voter law hurt Bernie Sanders?

The kids may be all right -- but they may not be able to save Bernie Sanders in Michigan.

The Vermont U.S. senator made his first campaign visit here on Monday, dazzling college students at Eastern Michigan University and adding another stop in metro Detroit.

Michigan's March 8 primary could prove pivotal in the Democratic nominating contest, as it's just after Super Tuesday. The Flint water crisis has become a national firestorm, prompting Democrats to schedule a debate in the city on March 6. Little wonder why all three Clintons -- Hillary, Chelsea and Bill -- logged time in the state last week. 

Sanders' lock on younger voters helped him win a double-digit victory in New Hampshire, and almost put him over the top in Iowa. It's little wonder why he chose EMU as the site of his first Michigan event.

But Sanders could have a tougher time earning the youth vote in Michigan. That's because first-time voters  are barred from casting an absentee ballot if they didn't register to vote at a clerk's office or the Secretary of State –– which could impact college students.

Then there's the law that your voter registration address must be at the same address as your drivers license. But many college students keep their home address on their license. So if your license has your Detroit address, but you attend Michigan State University, you're still required by law to vote in Detroit. Since the primary is on a Tuesday, it's safe to say most students won't be home to vote.*

This law has been around for roughly 15 years, courtesy of then-state Sen. Mike Rogers (R-Brighton). Democrats have long groused that Rogers parlayed the law into a razor-thin victory for Congress in 2000, as many MSU students in the district discovered they couldn't vote on campus.

Now this same law might hurt Sanders on March 8, although the election may not be close enough to make a difference. Clinton held a commanding 32-point lead in Inside Michigan Politics/Target Insight's polling taken Feb. 2-4. And the former Secretary of State led every age group, including voters 18-34.

Still, the Democratic primary has been full on unexpected twists. Voter restrictions in Michigan could be another one. 

*This section has been updated at 4:12 p.m. with additional information.

Susan J. Demas is Publisher and Editor of Inside Michigan Politics, a nationally acclaimed, biweekly political newsletter. Her political columns can be found atSusanJDemas.com. Follow her on Twitter.

Watch the National Review shift the goalposts in the SCOTUS confirmation debate

Thanks to my former MLive editor, Jen Eyer, for directing me to this. 

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia's unexpected death has triggered a furious debate whether President Obama should appoint a successor.

The idea that a president with more than 10 months left in his term shouldn't do so is curious, but let's not pretend this is a serious tussle over constitutional intent. 

This is about Republicans, who have a majority in the U.S. Senate, flexing their political muscles to prevent a Democratic president from reshaping the High Court, as is his right. And yes, Republicans have the right not to confirm a nominee. 

But it is breathtaking that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell sent out a statement shortly after Scalia's death decreeing that "the vacancy should not be filled until we have a new President." He's not arguing Obama's nominee is unqualified –– there is no nominee yet, of course. McConnell has declared that the Senate shouldn't confirm anyone, presumably even if Ronald Reagan came back to life armed with a law degree.

McConnell's stance is particularly questionable when you consider a 2007 piece in the National Review, the conservative journal of record. After the Democrats won control of the U.S. Senate in '06, there was great Republican consternation that then-President George W. Bush couldn't get a SCOTUS nominee confirmed.

National Review judicial columnist Edward Whelan argued thusly:

"Briefly put: Under long-established Senate practice, every Supreme Court nominee is afforded an up-or-down vote on the Senate floor. A departure from that practice would threaten to impose severe political costs on Senate Democrats. In a competently run confirmation campaign, a strong proponent of judicial restraint will win majority approval in the Senate, with votes to spare."

In 1988, the Senate followed the Whelan rule and voted confirm Reagan's Supreme Court nominee, Anthony Kennedy, on a 97-0 vote. This was during Reagan's last year in office, and yes, McConnell was one of the 97 votes.

But things change. Now a Democrat is president with a Republican Senate. And so has Whelan's argument. Not long after Scalia's death, he posted this:

"Senate Republicans would be grossly irresponsible to allow President Obama, in the last months of his presidency, to cement a liberal majority that will wreak havoc on the Constitution. Let the people decide in November who will select the next justice."

Whelan seems vaguely aware that this might contradict his previous position, so he throws this in here:

"There has never been an election-year confirmation that would so dramatically alter the ideological composition of the Court."

Gotcha. Keep moving those goalposts, sir.

Susan J. Demas is Publisher and Editor of Inside Michigan Politics, a nationally acclaimed, biweekly political newsletter. Her political columns can be found atSusanJDemas.com. Follow her on Twitter.

Welcome to my New Home!

I knew this day was coming for a month, but I still can’t believe it’s here. January 26 is the last day my column will run on MLive, which, as pretty much everyone knows, has announced a big restructuring. It’s been a bit lonely on the Opinion page for the last few weeks, as my statewide political columnist colleagues, Tim Skubick and Ken Braun, are already gone.

Don’t worry (or start cheering). My column isn’t disappearing. You can find it right here! I also have a new Facebook fan page. I’m thrilled that I’ll begin to write columns once again for The Huffington Post, and will be contributing to Taegan Goddard’s Political Wire, which is an indispensable source for what’s going on in politics today. I’ll be writing for other state and national publications, as well.

And, of course, with a busy election season, I will continue to provide the top-notch political analysis that my publication, Inside Michigan Politics, is known for. Owning my own business for over two years has been a dream come true, and I’m proud to be one of the (too) few female publishers and executive editors in the state.

But what I’d like to do here is thank the people I’ve had the pleasure of working with at MLive over the years. I’ve written columns there since 2008, starting with my “Capitol Chronicles” blog. My contributions there have been in various forms and frequency, but it’s been a great ride from start to finish.

Eight years is a long time to be somewhere (in journalism, that’s a lifetime.) I’ve tried my best to include everybody, and I apologize if I’ve overlooked anyone.

I worked with Bill Emkow the longest and he was just a rock. He’d always go to bat for journalists and had a passion for new media. James Schmehl and Justin Rogers helped me on the technical side of blogging (as I’m a Gen X dinosaur.)

I’ve known Meegan Holland pretty much since I moved to Michigan almost 12 years ago, and was delighted when she became my primary editor. You may have heard, but she’s moved on to bigger and better things. Dan Hawkins has been my editor since last year, and he has a wonderful eye for detail. Every writer needs an editor –– and I will sorely miss him being mine.

It’s been an honor to share Opinion page space with Ken, who has a unique conservative voice and more importantly, fabulous taste in women, as the brilliant Kathy Hoekstra will attest. And Skub and I go way back. Around the same time I started at MLive, he decided to start inviting me on “Off the Record” for some reason (he’s periodically shared viewer complaints about my hair being too long and distracting.) Tim is the best in the business and I already miss his daily contributions to MLive.

I’ve worked with several great reporters at MLive (although never in the office) –– Dave Eggert, Melissa Anders, Jeff Wattrick, Jonathan Oosting and the legendary Peter Luke. Two have a special place in my heart –– Emily Lawler, who I worked with in my MIRS days and whose love of cats and cycling is contagious –– and Angela Vasquez-Giroux, a poet at heart and one of the strongest women I know.

Jen Eyer and Tim Martin deserve my special thanks. They’ve had to monitor the hundreds of thousands (millions?) of reader comments on my columns, so they deserve hazard pay. I’ve always appreciated Jen’s insights (especially as a fellow mom) and her no-nonsense attitude. Tim and I served for years together in the Capitol press corps and he’s one of the absolutely nicest people I’ve known.

And finally, as a fellow media business executive, I have great respect for John Hiner and we’ve talked shop several times. I sincerely wish him luck as he navigates these difficult and uncertain times for the newspaper industry.

Thanks to everyone who’s read me over the years –– be it out of love, hate or both (depending on the day). All I know is that I never inspire indifference, which is something I’m very proud of. Writing should never be boring. I hope you’ll join me here, where I promise it never will be.