The fruits of divisive politics and politically driven ballot proposals. Is it even possible to find an impartial review of these things? Any reason we can't kick it to the judicial branch?
LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- The Michigan Senate passed legislation Thursday stripping powers from the state elections board, a backlash against Democratic members who've been criticized for the way they handled an anti-affirmative action ballot measure.
The Republican-led Senate voted along party lines to send the legislative package to the House, which has already approved some of the bills. Democrats opposed the legislation.
The proposal would shift responsibility for putting ballot issues before Michigan voters from the Board of State Canvassers to full-time secretary of state staff.
The four-member canvassers board has two Democrats and two Republicans, causing partisan splits in recent years over controversial ballot issues such as gay marriage and affirmative action.
Last year, the Democratic board members initially refused to comply with a court order to place a constitutional amendment banning some affirmative action programs on this November's ballot, citing concerns that signature gatherers misrepresented the proposal to minorities and others.
Sen. Buzz Thomas, D-Detroit, said the bills were a "partisan attempt to create an election-year wedge issue," and added that full-time secretary of state staff report to Republican Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land.
But Republican Sen. Alan Cropsey, a DeWitt Republican and sponsor of the legislation, denied a partisan motivation for the bills.
"This is an issue of, 'Are you going to let people speak, are you going to let people vote?"' he said.
Quite frankly I'd like to see a ballot proposal that says something to the effect of, "There shall be no ballot proposals that seek to deny civil rights or benefits to a specific group of citizens".
The fact that we can vote on who gets "benefits" or "rights" and who doesn't is absurd.