Closer, closer ... checks for jobless are almost in the mail
Gov. Jennifer Granholm today signed the necessary papers for the federal governoment so that Michigan's jobless workers will soon get their 13 weeks of extended benefits checks. Workers are expected to start getting checks the week of July 20.
"No state has been challenged by the nation's econoy more than Michigan, so it is important that these federal benefits make their way to our workers sooner rather than later," Granholm said.
Next week, the state will send out letters to 230,000 people in a database who had exhausted the standard 26 weeks of jobless benefits. Those eligible can expect their letters by July 18. Those who are still unemployed will return the application to qualify for the 13 additional weeks of benefits.
McCain's too old? Obama lacks experience?
National Journal magazine asked its stable of political insiders to name the top two vulnerabilities of presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain.
More than 170 of the biggest movers and shakers in the political world weighed in anonymously.
For McCain, Democratic and Republican insiders listed President Bush's unpopularity (Dems 69 percent; Republicans 66 percent), the economy (Dems 57 percent; Republicans 42 percent), and age (Dems 37 percent; Republicans 31 percent).
Here's what one Democratic insider anonymously said about McCain's age: "Every time McCain gets off the airplane, he hikes his pants up like a grandpa. That does not speak to voters' hopes for the future." A Republican said, "Every (time) McCain and Obama are shown next to each other is a reminder that McCain is an old man. Something unique has to be done to reassure voters he is up to the task."
The insiders split more over what they see as Obama's vulnerabilities, although both Democrats (61 percent) and Republicans (69 percent) picked as No. 1 inexperience.
Following that, Democratic insiders picked race (49 percent) and perceived elitism (30 percent).
Republican insiders pointed to Obama's liberal voting record (56 percent) and his race (25 percent).
One Republican said about Obama's inexperience, "McCain can undermine Obama's entire candidacy with just three words uttered daily: 'Just not ready.'" A Democratic insider said of Obama's race, "This is the hidden issue in some of the key states that could swing the election. McCain can't push it directly; he doesn't have to. It is there."
Insiders from Michigan include Democratic National Committee woman Debbie Dingell, Michigan Democratic Party chair Mark Brewer, and Ed Bruley of Macomb County. Republicans include state party chair Saul Anuzis, pollster Fred Steeper and Ziad Ojakli, a Ford vice president.
Weigh in BLOG READERS: What do you think are each of the presidential candidates' biggest vulnerabilities?
McCain would look for 'judicial restraint' in court picks
Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, today contrasted the kind of judges he'd appoint to the Supreme Court and lower federal courts with that of Democrat Barack Obama.
"Should I be elected president, I will look for accomplished men and women with a proven record of excellence in the law, and a proven commitment to judicial restraint," McCain said, in a nod to his conservative base, whose members often criticize "activist judges" who they say legislate from the bench.
McCain continued, "They will be the kind of judges who believe in giving everyone in a criminal court their due: justice for the guilty and the innocent, compassion for the victims, and respect for the men and women of law enforcement."
Michigan recently got a preview of what's ahead in the presidential race over judicial nominees when the Senate confirmed three Michigan judges, one of whom had first been nominated in 1997 by then-president Bill Clinton.
Should a president have military experience?
Sen. John Warner, the ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, and several retired military officers today pounced on questions raised about the military experience of presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain.
On Sunday's "Face the Nation," retired Gen. Wesley Clark -- a supporter of presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama -- said of McCain: "In the matters of national security policy making, it's a matter of understanding risk It's a matter of gauging your opponents and it's a matter of being held accountable. John McCain's never done any of that in his official positions. I certainly honor his service as a prisoner of war. He was a hero to me and to hundreds of thousands and millions of others in the armed forces, as a prisoner of war.
"He has been a voice on the Senate Armed Services Committee and he has traveled all over the world. But he hasn't held executive responsibility. That large squadron in the Navy that he commanded -- that wasn't a wartime squadron."
The McCain camp was quick to respond to Obama supporter's remarks in a teleconference call with reporters.
Warner called the comments "disrespectful," a characterization echoed by other McCain supporters on the call. The McCain team appeared hopeful that Obama would be hurt by Clark's remarks, especially in terms of Obama offering a different kind of politics not based on personal attacks.
The issue of military experience could prove important in a wartime election pitting McCain, who was a POW during the Vietnam War and served for years on the Senate Armed Services Committee, against Obama, who has no military experience.
McCain is the grandson and son of admirals and was shot down as a Navy pilot over Vietnam in 1967. He was severely wounded in plane crash and then tortured in a Vietnamese POW camp for more than five years. His captors offered to release him -- realizing the public relations gains they could realize because of McCain's prominent family -- but McCain refused to leave. McCain's story -- including how he mentally survived his POW years -- is told in the powerful book, "Faith of My Fathers."
QUESTION for blog readers: Does McCain have a leg up over Obama when it comes to war and military issues generally because of his extensive military experience?Is the (jobless benefits) check in the mail?
Well, it's getting closer to when Michigan jobless workers can expect that unemployment benefits will be extended by 13 weeks.
The Senate passed the benefits extension late last night in the Iraq war bill. The president is expected to sign the bill shortly. And the checks would begin within a few weeks after that, according to Rep. Sander Levin's office.
Here are some details: People who are currently getting checks would just keep getting them for the 13 weeks if they still can't find a job. Those who've exhausted benefits would get a notice in the mail and then reapply at Michigan Works.
Sens. Debbie Stabenow, D-Lansing, and Rep. Sander Levin, D-Royal Oak, say they'll keep pushing to get their colleagues to pass another 13 weeks of extendeded benefits for hard-hit states like Michigan. Under a deal worked out with the White House, a provision under which states with jobless rates of 6 percent of higher -- Michigan leads the nation at 8.5 percent -- was dropped.
Meanwhile, Sen. Carl Levin, D-Detroit, says he'll join that effort, too.
"By extending unemployment insurance -- just as we have done in previous downturns of this magnitude -- we can boost the economy and help some families cope with exceedingly difficult circumstances," Sen. Levin said.
"If the trend of rising unemployment rates continues, it is my hope that Congress will consider another emergency unemployment insurance package that will do more to help states struggling with the highest rates of unemployment."
Mich. Reps. Miller and Walberg praise gun ruling
Reps Candice Miller, R-Harrison Township, and Tim Walberg, R-Tipton, today praised the 5-4 Supreme Court ruling that individuals have a constitutionally protected right to own guns.
"I have never understood those who sought to ignore the Second Amendment to the Constitution. The Second Amendment says 'the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.' Yet some have continually sought to infringe upon those rights by suggesting the Constitution doesn't really mean what it says," Miller said.
"Today's decision is the end of a long effort to uphold the true meaning of our Constitution and I applaud the justices for defending the freedom of every American."
Walberg said, "The framers of our Constitution purposely created the Second Amendment to ensure that Americans retain a measure of freedom to protect and defend themselves. This decision affirms the Constitutional rights provided under the Second Amendment, and is a victory for the millions of Americans who responsibly enjoy the use of firearms for recreation, collection and protection."
Bush happy about new Michigan judges, asks for more
President Bush this morning thanked the Senate for confirming three Michigan judges -- two of them to fill the vacancies on the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.
"I appreciate the Senate's work on filling these important seats, which had been declared judicial emergencies," Bush said in a statement.
But the president went on to complain about the pace of confirmations. The complaint is expected to intensify as the country getes closer to electing a new president who will have huge say over the direction of the federal bench.
"(T)oo many other federal judgeships across America remain vacant," the president said. "This is unacceptable and inexcusable.
"Since the beginning of the 110th Congress, the Senate has confirmed only 10 circuit court nominees. In the last two years of the past three administrations, the Senate has confirmed an average of 17 circuit court judges.
"I strongly urge the Senate to hold hearings and votes on the 28 pending circuit and district court nominations to ensure that our nation has a fully functioning judicial system," Bush added.
Sen. Stabenow not juiced by McCain's battery prize
Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Lansing, today blasted as a game show" the idea of a certain Republican presidential candidate for a $300 million prize funded by taxpayers to develop an advanced car battery.
Stabenow detailed how much money other countries are sinking into helping their car companies get to the next era of greener cars. "We have not seen the same kind of investments proposed, year after year in the president's budget ..." she said.
Stabenow said when the Ford first made the Escape Hybrid, they got the advanced battery in Japan. "Mr. President, we cannot afford to be on a road to dependency on foreign technology as we are trying to get off foreign dependence on oil. And this needs proposals that feel like game show prizes down at the end of the road, a road that we may not be able to get to if we are not serious as a coutry about what we need to do in making investments right now," she said in a floor speech.
Germany is helping its auto makers with $650 million in invesment in battery technology. South Korea by 2010 will have spent $700 million on developing advanced powered vehicles. China has invested more than $100 million in advanced battery technology, she continued. Over the next five years, Japan will spend $230 million on advanced battery research.
"These countries understand that they need to be stepping up to compete in the global economy and partnering with their automobile industry," she said. "We need to do no less."
Instead of helping the U.S. automakers, the government placed higher fuel standards on them, she said.
Stabenow said the country needs to focus more resources on helping the domestic automakers with advanced battery research.
"It should not be treated as something that is trite," Stabenow said. "It is something that is very, very serious and very doable if we are willing to step up and partner and make the investments that need to be made."
Stabenow said the domestic automakers are competing with other countries, not companies, that know "whoever gets to advanced battery technology first will have the edge."
House to vote on Rep. Stupak 'price gouging' bill
Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Menominee, told reporters he expects the House today will pass his legislation to ban oil price gouging by a veto-proof margin.
"It's only going to get worse as prices continue to rise," Stupak said.
Michigan is not among the 28 states that have a state law banning price gouging by gas companies. Stupak wants to create a national standard and give the Federal trade Commission the clout to investigate and punish companies charging excessive prices.
The Stupak measure is one of several ways the Democrats are trying to attack high gas prices. The House is looking at bills to crack down on speculators who, critics like Stupak contend, drive up the price of oil. The Democrats also are pushing "use it or lose it" legislation that would require oil companies with federal drilling permits to drill or lose the permits.
Republican have sensed the Democrats are vulnerable on the energy issue and have been showcasing their own alternatives, including a comprehensive energy plan that would expand domestic drilling and build nuclear power plants.
House Republican leader John Boehner dismissed Stupak's price gouging bill, arguing there's no evidence of widespread price gouging and that any such behavior is already illegal. "We need an `all of the above' energy policy that includes renewables, increased conservation, more emphasis on nuclear energy, and increased domestic production of oil and gas," Boehner said.
Stupak's bill would slap criminal penalties of up to $150 million on corporations, and fines up to $2 million and prison sentences up to 10 years for individuals found guilty. The penalties would go to the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Prorgam (LIHEAP) to help poor people pay for their heating and air-conditioning. It only applies to big companies -- those with sales greater than $500 million annually.
Speaker Pelosi and those 13 extra weeks of unemployment checks
The House last week passed 13 extra weeks of unemployment benefits in a Iraq war-domestic spending bill that the Senate is expected to take up this week. President Bush has agreed to sign it. That'd mean 13 extra weeks beyond the 26 weeks of checks jobless workers already get in Michigan.
But to get the president to go along, the House dropped a proposed bonus 13 weeks for hard-hit states like Michigan that have jobless rates of 6 percent or higher. Michigan tops the nation at 8.5 percent.
Asked about whether the House may go back to add those bonus 13 weeks later, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters at a breakfast today, "for us, that (the House-passed 13 weeks) was not the end of the day. Because that is all related to the need that workers have."
Pelosi pointed out that the House only has about six work weeks left, with the two parties' national conventions coming up soon. "... We'll have to revisit where the economy is in say eight weeks ... and make a judgment then."
Pelosi said she would have prefered the bonus 13 weeks, but ended up at least pleased at having gotten the president to agree to the basic 13-week extension. "But you know what. We are going in a forward direction. We're very pleased to have gotten the 13 weeks."
It sounds like those basic 13 weeks of checks -- assuming the Senate gets the bill to the president to sign -- are likely the last of an extension to be seen for many months to come.
