Tag: Secretary of State

You have seen her on the Harley biking around the state before, and now Michigan Secretary of State Ruth Johnson is Kayaking across the Mackinac straits in an effort to promote the Online ExpressSOS.COM site and online services provided by the Secretary of State.  The trip, a Seven-mile voyage across the straits in 18-foot kayak is expected to take 3 hours. A potentially cool venture with the backdrop of the Mighty Mac, she will be starting her trek at roughly 4pm.

Weather permitting, TOMORROW Ruth will kayak from the Mackinac Island State Harbor to the Mackinaw City - Straits State Harbor.

The online services are designed to provide greater efficiencies and make use of the increasingly technological possibilities and advantages. Ruth says:

"Our staff levels are 25 percent below what they were a decade ago so it's critical to promote online services. The more people we have online means fewer people in line, reducing wait times at our branch offices."

She's using her personal boat, a kayak that can be paddled, pedaled, and is also outfitted with a sail that features ExpressSOS.com. Decals on the boat highlight organ donation, the Pure Michigan license plate, the state Recreation Passport and Ruth's initiative on behalf of active military and our veterans, OPERATION: Our Troops Count.

Updates on Ruth's progress across the Straits will be posted on Twitter at www.twitter.com/michsos using the hashtag #Kayakinac and Facebook at www.facebook.com/michigansos.

The secretary of state requires candidates to complete their POST-ELECTION CAMPAIGN FINANCE COMPLIANCE STATEMENT before assuming office. the bullet points read:

• This form must be filed by any candidate subject to Michigan's Campaign Finance Act who is elected to a state, county, city, township, village or school office. The form must be filed before the candidate assumes office. Exceptions: an elected candidate whose Candidate Committee did not receive or expend more than $1,000.00 during the election cycle is not required to submit this form. In addition, this form does not have to be filed by an individual elected to a U.S. Senate, U.S. House or precinct delegate position.

• An elected candidate who is required to file a Post-Election Campaign Finance Compliance Statement must submit this form to the filing official designated to receive the elected candidate's campaign finance disclosure filings.

• An elected candidate subject to the Post -Election Campaign Finance Compliance Statement filing requirement who fails to submit this form prior to assuming office is guilty of a misdemeanor.

• If you need information on your current compliance status under the Michigan Campaign Finance Act, contact the Michigan Department of State's Bureau of Elections and/or the appropriate county clerks as necessary.

One might presume that failure to do so would exclude a candidate from assuming their elected position.

According the to BOE, Republican majority leader Randy Richardville filed This (image at right - click to view full sized) as his post election compliance. So naturally one might assume all is done, and properly.

Who is it from?

Who do you think?

This meant that, for the two months between Election Day and Inauguration Day, a rule-of-empathy majority still existed on Michigan's State Supreme Court.  And just like the legislature, the high priesthood of creative interpretation held a lame-duck session, in which they've managed to come up with a way to screw us all.

Some question has been raised as to why several Michigan daily newspapers have endorsed Jocelyn Benson (D) instead of the clearly better-qualified Ruth Johnson (R) for Secretary of State. The answer requires  an understanding of newspaper editorial boards, rather than an understanding of the candidates.

Most local newspapers are granted a high degree of autonomy by their corporate ownership,when it comes to editorial policy. Endorsements in a presidential or gubernatorial race might be dictated, but rarely an endorsement below that level.  Newsmen and editorial writers of local papers are generally"soft-left", fitting the characterization of mainstream media.

Elections featuring several offices pose a problem for that mindset.  The editorialists want to be seen (and see themselves!) as thoughtful and even-handed. They feel their influence in a community will be compromised if the public sees the local paper as overwhelmingly one-sided.  Thus it is required that a demonstration of thoughtful deliberation and "fairness" be reflected in the editorial page endorsements before every election.

And how does all of this translate itself for the 2010 election in Michigan?

The Democrats cannot be trusted with such a task as securing our ballots.  particularly OAKLAND County DEMOCRATS and their choice Jocelyn Benson.  If they will lie to you BEFORE they are elected, surely one would not expect them to be straight up AFTER the fact.   The Fake tea party fiasco was a perfect example of the disrespect for voters the Democrats in Michigan truly have.  The Secretary of State as their "top of the ticket" Really drives it home.

The Independence Caucus is not a political party, nor is it affiliated with any political party.  It is the anti-incumbent, non-affiliated group of concerned citizens devoted to electing candidates truly committed to constitutional loyalty and fiscal responsibility, regardless of party.  The goal is the election of such candidates to not less than 40% of the seats in the House and the Senate in 2010 . . . and in each following election year.  It is a not-for-profit organization of concerned citizens from all walks who recognize the responsibility to act now to protect future generations of this nation from the disastrous consequences of our unfathomable deficits and debts, and exists to teach us how to govern our country as citizens, and to provide the practical tools and resources to actually make it happen.