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The Devil is in the Details! Here are some basics that may help you understand some important issues in 2020: 1. Worker protections: The protection of workers’ health and safety and the right to have some say in working conditions has been opposed by Republicans since at least Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal. The U.S. Department of Labor is the basic government agency originally set up to help workers. Two parts of the Labor Department have been used by Trump to undermine worker protections:
3. Payroll tax holiday: Trump and the Republicans have used the pandemic as the newest excuse to attack Social Security, which gets its funds through the payroll tax that on average is about 7 percent. The current payroll tax holiday idea is simply a delayed collection of the tax that all regular workers would be required to pay back in 2021. But the big threat of the tax holiday is to start undermining the funding for Social Security and Medicare-- the devil is in the details. Democrats focus on protecting Social Security, not stealing from it! Take a close look at Joe Biden’s Social Security proposals here. 4. Health care: Trump and the Republicans have waged a relentless war against Democratic efforts to control the cost of health care, expand health coverage, and protect health care workers. They have also dramatically diminished the leadership of U.S. medical science in the world. Through lawsuits they are trying to end protections for young adults who can currently stay on their parents’ health insurance coverage until age 26, and they are threatening to end access to health insurance by those with pre-existing conditions. Trump and Republicans use words like choice and freedom to gloss over changes that will undermine protections of access for working families to affordable, state of the art care – the devil is in the details. Dems want health care access protected and support science-based health policy -- especially related to COVID. See a detailed comparison of where the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates stand on health care here. 5. Essential workers: Trump and the Republicans repeatedly have shown disregard for the safety and family needs of workers in health care, public safety, commerce and education. They failed to give priority to procuring or producing the massive amounts of personal protective equipment that were needed to protect frontline workers. They have not supported wage enhancements to guarantee essential workers have help for child care when schools have closed, nor have they provided support for teachers – especially for teachers who happen to be parents of school-aged children to meet the burdens from remote teaching and schooling. Once again, they talk big about our “heroes” but the devil is in the details, and Trump and Republicans have proven they do not support these workers. Democrats, in contrast, are prepared with a four-point plan to protect and support esse 
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A Brief Look at the FactsAs you may have heard, Mid Michigan College (Mid) will have two propositions on the November ballot asking residents of the Gratiot-Isabella RESD (GI-RESD) if they would like to officially join our district. We wanted to provide you with some factual information that will help you make an informed decision when you vote this November. When we talk about our proposal in the community, we typically receive two general questions:
1) What are the benefits? 2) What are the costs? Benefits 1. If the proposal passes, Gratiot-Isabella residents will pay the in-district tuition rate which is 40% less than the out-district rate they currently pay; 2. Per Economic Modeling Specialists International (EMSI), for every $1 of public money invested in Mid, taxpayers will receive a cumulative value of $5.50 over the course of the students’ working lives (a 12.5% return on investment); 3. Mid has an annual impact of $69.2 million on the local community and supports 1 out of every 43 jobs...these numbers will increase significantly with higher enrollment as a result of lower tuition; 4. If the proposal passes Mid will bring $3.11 million in additional annual revenue, but students will collectively save nearly $2 million annually through the reduction of tuition. Costs 1. Mid's current millage rate is 1.2232 mills (the second lowest community college millage rate in Michigan) which means for every $1000 in ASSESSED home value (this is about 1/2 of the fair market home value), residents will pay $1.2232; 2. For the average home in Isabella County, it will cost approximately $69.31/year; 3. For the average home in Gratiot County, it will cost approximately $54.62/year; 4. For a student that enrolls full-time (24 credits) for just one year, they will save $2112 in tuition (using 2020-21 rates), which is more than what the average GI-RESD resident will pay in 30 years of taxes to support Mid at its current millage rate. In our view the benefits significantly outweigh the costs. We hope you will support us this November by checking "Yes" to both proposals: (A) joining our district; (B) allowing us to assess our millage rate of 1.2232 mills. Both proposals must pass with a majority "Yes" to officially join Mid Michigan College's district. If you would like additional information please visit our website at www.midmich.edu/annexation or e-mail us at friendsofmidmich@gmail.com. Thank you very much for your consideration. Here are some links to a variety of videos meant to help you understand and connect to some of the most important topics we are dealing with right now.
 Action Alert!
Take Action - Tell the MI Senators And Representatives "Make Sure Everyone's Vote Counts!" The Legislature can improve the election process in Michigan by passing these bills: 1)Senate Bill 756 - allows poll workers on Absentee Ballot Counting Board to work in shifts. 2) Senate Bill 757 - allows election officials to begin processing Absentee Ballots before Election Day. 3) House Bill 5987 - requires ballots be counted if they are postmarked by Election Day and received within the following 48 hours. 4) House Bill 5991 - requires clerks to contact voters if their signature on their absentee ballot doesn't match the signature on file so voters can fix the problem. Take action now by sending an email to express your support for these changes to your members of the MI House of Representatives and the MI Senate. Click here to Take action now! LWVMPA | POB 1352, Mt Pleasant, MI 48804-1352 Unsubscribe 4ngott@gmail.com Update Profile | About our service provider Sent by lwvmpmi@gmail.com powered by
My name is Karla and I work with, RetireGuide.com; a free site dedicated to providing accurate, useful information to help seniors fulfill their retirement goals.
We recently published a non-partisan, educational guide on voting in 2020. As you know, the pandemic has brought many uncertainties. This free resource addresses how to safely vote this November and dives into some of the issues that matter to seniors such as the future of prescription drug prices, Medicare, Social Security and more. retireguide.com/guides/seniors-voting-guide-2020/ retireguide.com/medicare/
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fVvJ7yZS28-ltXKYU7t1Hq_agxpo2Fp8Rpw6JSqrvTk/edit?usp=sharing
Vote2020 Registering to Vote: Voting is the lifeblood of our democracy. It’s the most powerful way for you to be a part of decisions made that affect the lives of all Americans. Haven’t registered to vote? You’ve registered, but need to update your address? It’s never been easier! Do so online through the Michigan Online Voter Registration System. You can register to vote right up until Election Day. To register on election day, you must do so in-person at your city or township clerk’s office. These locations are listed by municipality below. In order to register you will need one (1) of the following:
For more information, visit the Michigan Voter Information Center. In Person Voting: For many people, this is the way they have always voted. Some people may feel comfortable voting in person, while others do not. Here are some key things to keep in mind if you plan to vote in person:
Not sure where you vote? A person’s voting location is determined by where they live. Use the Michigan Voter Information Center to look up your voting location. Absentee Voting: For many, absentee voting is the most convenient and practical method of voting. It’s how our service members vote, how many of our politicians vote, and for many is considered a safer alternative as we continue to face public health challenges. Absentee voting is the process of being mailed a ballot, filling it out at home, and mailing or dropping it off to your municipalities clerk or a designated drop-box. Your clerk’s contact information is listed below; click the link for the corresponding municipality to learn more. In Michigan, anyone can vote by absentee ballot, though they do need to request to do so. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, everyone in Michigan was mailed an absentee ballot application form. Gratiot County, City of Alma, Arcada Township, Bethany Township, Elba Township, Emerson Township, Fulton Township, Hamilton Township, City of Ithaca, Lafayette Township, New Haven Township, Newark Township, North Shade Township, North Star Township, Pine River Township, Seville Township, City of St. Louis, Sumner Township, Washington Township, Wheeler Township. If you did not receive an absentee ballot application form you can request one online by filling out the absentee voter request form before October 30th. If you voted in the primary election you may have already indicated wanting an absentee ballot for the general election. You can also call your city or township clerk to request an application be mailed to you. Follow the links below to learn more about your clerk and drop box locations for your municipality. Ballots need to be returned to your clerk by 8:00 p.m. on election day. There are a few ways you can do this: By Mail: Mail-in ballots are a safe and convenient way to vote. You can mail your ballot to your clerk. Their mailing address can be found below. In-person: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many people will be voting by mail. For some, they prefer to drop off their ballots in person. This can be done at your clerk’s office, found below. Alternatively, some municipalities have drop boxes. These can be used to drop of your ballot at your own convenience, and in many cases these are available 24/7. The following municipalities have drop-boxes: Bethany Township, City of Alma, City of Ithaca, Pine River Township, Sumner Township, Wheeler Township. Click the links to see where they care located. You can check if your ballot has been received through Voter Information. Gratiot County Clerk: Angie Thompson 214 E. Center Street Ithaca, MI 48847 989-875-5215 gratiotcountyclerk@yahoo.com City of Alma Drop Box Locations: 525 E. Superior St. - Open 24/7 500 E. Superior St. - Open 24/7 Accessible through Drive-Thru at the Alma Public Library Clerk: Sara Anderson 525 E. Superior, PO Box 278 Alma, MI 48801 989-463-9500 sanderson@ci.alma.mi.us Arcada Township Clerk: Laureen Baxter 1798 N. Ely Hwy Alma, MI 48801 989-620-6272 arcadaclerk@yahoo.com Bethany Township Drop Box Locations: 9958 N. Blair Rd - Open 24/7 Clerk: Greg Mikek 4850 E. Jefferson Rd St. Louis, MI 48880 989-842-1099 tgmbethany@yahoo.com Elba Township Clerk: Madalin Morris 109 W. Oak St. PO Box 209 Ashley, MI 48806 989-847-2210 elbaclerk@casair.net Emerson Township Clerk: Jodie Reeves 1103 Baldwin Rd. Ithaca, MI 48847 989-875-5041 clerk@emersontwp.com Fulton Township Clerk: Chad Marecek 3425 W. Cleveland Road PO Box 68 Perrinton, MI 48871 989-236-5102 chadclerk@fultontwp.com Hamilton Township Clerk: Laura Ahearn 7914 E. Johnson Rd. Ashley, MI 48806 989-763-5401 ahearnlaura@hotmail.com City of Ithaca Drop Box Locations: 129 Emerson St. - Open 24/7 Clerk: Barbara Fandell 129 W. Emerson St. Ithaca, MI 48847 989-875-3200 clerk@ithacami.com Lafayette Township Clerk: Corey Schaub 4426 N. Ransom Rd. Breckenridge, MI 48615 989-620-4354 cschaub40@gmail.com New Haven Township Clerk: Candy Smith 3080 S. Ferris Road Sumner, MI 48889 989-584-3707 bcsmith@cmsinter.net Newark Township Clerk: Tamey Skinner 3239 S. Begole Road Ithaca, MI 48847 989-620-6493 tameysknner@hotmail.com North Shade Township Clerk: Kathy Keiffer 11666 Cleveland Rd. Carson City, MI 48811 kathykeiffer1@gmail.com North Star Township Clerk: Heidi Drowley 3064 S. Crapo Rd. Ithaca, MI 48847 989-875-3352 hdrowley@cmsinter.net Pine River Township Drop Box Locations: 1495 W. Monroe Rd. - Open 24/7 Clerk: Andi Whitmore 1495 W. Monroe Rd. St. Louis, MI 48880 989-681-5523 clerk@pinerivertwp.org Seville Township Clerk: Terresa Frisbie 8341 W. Madison Rd. PO Box 222 Elwell, MI 48832 989-463-8769 sevilletwpclerk@gmail.com City of St. Louis Clerk: Mari Anne Ryder 300 N. Mill Street St. Louis, MI 48880 989-681-2137 mryder@stlouismi.com Sumner Township Drop Box Locations: 8644 Polk Rd. - Open 24/7 Clerk: Carlene McGill 8644 W. Polk Rd. Sumner, MI 48889 989-463-4531 cmcgill@fmdnetwork.com Washington Township Clerk: Laura Crocker 7338 S. Crapo Rd. Ashley, MI 48806 989-620-1906 townshipclerkwashington@gmail.com Wheeler Township Drop Box Locations: 8510 E. Monroe Rd. - Open 24/7 Clerk: Kelly Bushre 8510 E. Monroe Rd. Wheeler, MI 48662 989-842-3428 clerk@wheelertownship.com |
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