Fifteen House Democrats supported the measure:
Rep. Ed Clemente (D-Lincoln Park),
Rep. George Cushingberry Jr. (D-Detroit),
Speaker Andy Dillon (D-Redford Twp.),
Rep. John Espinoza (D-Croswell),
Rep. Richard Hammel (D-Flushing),
Rep. Michael Lahti (D-Hancock),
Rep. Richard LeBlanc (D-Westland),
Rep. Gary McDowell (D-Rudyard),
Rep. Mark Meadows (D-East Lansing),
Rep. Tim Melton (D-Auburn Hills),
Rep. Roy Schmidt (D-Grand Rapids),
Rep. Mike Simpson (D-Jackson),
Rep. Jim Slezak (D-Davison),
Rep. Dudley Spade (D-Franklin Twp.),
Rep. Jon Switalski (D-Warren).
Republicans had only one member jump ship on the vote; Rep. Sharon Tyler (R-Niles) opposed the bill that includes the elimination of the Promise Grant to college students.
Rep. Fred Miller (D-Mount Clemens), who opposed the budget, said he was troubled that his party is in the majority yet it is making decisions to cut programs "we used to stand for."
"It feels like a total betrayal," he said.
Well, Fred, just think of all those people who went out and knocked on doors, raised and donated money, and put a lot of time and effort into electing Democrats to run the House. Little did they know they were working for Mike Bishop.
So, yeah. Passing Republican budgets with Republican votes is betrayal of the worst kind. It's a betrayal of the intent of the electorate, who threw the Republicans out of power for a reason.
Here are the Democrats who voted to cut revenue sharing:
Democrats who supported the bill were:
House Majority Floor Leader Kathy Angerer (D-Dundee),
Rep. Pam Byrnes (D-Chelsea),
Rep. Bob Constan (D-Dearborn Heights),
Rep. George Cushingberry Jr. (D-Detroit),
Speaker Andy Dillon (D-Redford Twp.),
Rep. Kate Ebli (D-Monroe),
Rep. John Espinoza (D-Croswell),
Rep. Richard Hammel (D-Flushing),
Rep. Michael Lahti (D-Hancock),
Rep. Richard LeBlanc (D-Westland),
Rep. Gary McDowell (D-Rudyard),
Rep. Tim Melton (D-Auburn Hills),
Rep. Mike Simpson(D-Jackson),
Rep. Jim Slezak (D-Davison)
Rep. Dudley Spade (D-Franklin Twp.).
Rep. Tory Rocca (R-Sterling Heights) broke with GOP ranks to oppose the bill. (MIRS adds Kevin Green R-Wyoming, to the list as well)
There is time for atonement. Thirty days in fact.
House Democrats can still make this right, and do what they promised us they would do - protect Michigan's priorities of education, health care, and public safety.
If they still choose to side with Mike Bishop and the Republicans after all of this - it's time to find some Democrats who will put the needs of this state and its citizens above all else.
People like Mike Prusi, who have the courage to stand up to bullies like Mike Bishop.
Mr. Prusi was unbowed and said rejecting immediate effect would hopefully force Mr. Bishop to reconsider the revenues Senate Democrats have proposed, such as decoupling from the federal estate tax and the physicians tax.
"They've slashed and burned and wrecked their way through state government and now they want to point the finger," he told reporters. "He has to come to the table and solve these problems without making it his way. His one-way, all cuts budget is just a load of crap and we're not going to buy into it."
Find me Democrats like that. Until then, don't bother asking for my vote.