The Griffin - Fall 2022

Griffin The

Fall 2022

A publication for the Robert P. and Marjorie Griffin Endowed Chair in American Government

Griffin Endowed Chairs

Craig Ruff (‘00-’03)

William Ballenger (‘03-’07)

Gary Peters (‘07-’08)

Griffin Advisory Committee

Andrea LaFontaine, Griffin Endowed Chair

Christi Brookes, Acting Associate CLASS Dean David Rutledge, Former Griffin Endowed Chair Elbert Almazan, Chair of the School of Politics, Society, Justice and Public Service

Jason Griffin, Grandson of Robert and Marjorie Griffin Jim Hill, Emeritus PSC Faculty and Instrumental Person for the Griffin Endowment

Kay Purtill, Staff, School of Politics, Society, Justice and Public Service

Kyla Stepp, Political Science Faculty Member Toby Roth, Associate Vice-President of Government & External Relations

Maxine Berman (‘09-’13)

Gary Randall (‘13-’17)

David Rutledge (‘17-’21)

Andrea Lafontaine (‘21-present)

Editors

LaFontaine Sarita Puri

Contributing Writer

Dr. Richard Rothaus

Graphic Design

Talon McGraw - Media Graphix, Bovee UC 205

Printer CMU

Printing Services

Contact Information

School of Politics, Society, Justice and Public Service

Anspach Hall 142 Mount Pleasant, MI 48859

Phone: 989-774-3442

Email: SPSJPS@cmich.edu

Web: class.cmich.edu/spsjps

NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

Wow, I can’t believe it’s already been more than a year since I began this journey in the Fall 2021 semester. As a proud, CMU alum; getting back to campus as a Griffin Chair is truly an honor. Teaching in the very classrooms I sat in over 10 years ago still seems surreal. After each semester I take time to reflect, and I always come to the same conclusion: learning is reciprocal. I am learning as much from my students as (I hope) they are from me, and for that I am grateful. There’s a unique buzz that can only be found on a university campus that continually fuels my classroom with optimism and intrigue as we tackle these critical topics together.

Outside of the classroom, I’ve had the privilege of organizing a campus policy forum each semester. These gatherings create a platform for CMU students and the campus community to interact with various political issues, elected officials, and state agencies. As I began to explore ideas for the Griffin Forum, I was thankful to find willing partners and former alumni to help brainstorm topics and program content. The spirit of collaboration is alive and well, and I want to offer a sincere thank you to Jason Griffin, Jim Tedder, Tony Des Chenes, John Fraser, and Dr. Nikita Murray.

AboutROBERT AND MARJORIE GRIFFIN ENDOWED CHAIR IN AMERICAN GOVERNMENT

The Robert and Marjorie Griffin Endowed Chair in American Government at Central Michigan University was established to stimulate the political conscience of students and scholars and to help prepare principled political leaders to serve Michigan in the future.

The endowment funds the salary and associated costs of a U.S. and Michigan government expert who serves as a faculty member in CMU’s School of Politics, Society, Justice and Public Service. The Griffin endowed chair leads the university’s efforts to elevate political awareness and activity among students, faculty, and citizens.

We are still working our way back to normal and navigating postpandemic life. As we move back to face-to-face classes, the goal remains to enroll more students in the Griffin courses, Michigan politics and elections (PSC 300), and law and policy in Michigan state government (PSC 301). Rest assured; CMU is leading the way in educating the policy leaders of tomorrow.

Fire Up Chips!!!

Andrea

THE GRIFFIN LEGACY

We talked with Robert Griffin’s grandson Jason in the Griffin Legacy Piece this year. Jason shares fond memories of his Grandfather, Robert Griffin. He talked about how he was as a person and politician and how he inspired him.

The Griffin: Tell us about your grandpa.

Jason: While I never knew my grandfather as the US Congressman or US Senator, I did get to grow up hearing stories directly from him and others about his

Fun Fact: I grew up playing golf every Sunday with Grandpa Griff and my father. My Grandpa always thought it was the coolest thing that 3 generations of Griffins were together every Sunday morning. I was also fortunate enough to grow up directly across the lake from my Grandparents, so going over for Grandpa’s famous Turtle Pancakes was a regular occurrence. Don’t worry they only looked like turtles, no turtles were harmed in the making of the pancakes…truth be told, the secret ingredient that made the pancakes so “famous” was Beer!

service. Grandpa Griff (as I know him) was closely aligned with Governor Bill Milliken, Governor George Romney, and President Gerald Ford, all of whom he considered amongst his closest friends. By knowing the type of friends he had, you can also tell the type of Republican he was; someone that could reach across the aisle and put partisan differences aside to come up with the best solution for the people of Michigan and the United States. One of the best examples of this bipartisanship is in the Landrum-Griffin Act, which is widely regarded as The Bill of Rights for Union Workers and protected employees’ union membership rights from unfair practices by unions. Even Grandpa’s closest friends were quick to point out that my grandfather was not driven by the party he represented or what was best for the party, but that his primary focus was always on the people that he represented and what was best for them.

The Griffin: What’s your favorite political memory of him?

Jason: While I don’t have many political memories as he was out of the Senate

before I was born, I will never forget when my grandfather retired from the Michigan Supreme Court. As the eldest Grandson, I was asked, along with my cousin Sarah the eldest Granddaughter, to unveil his portrait which still hangs at the court today. As an 11-year-old in fifth grade, I can’t say that I truly appreciated all that my Grandfather had done up to that point but this was probably the moment in my life that I realized how great of a man he truly was and the incredibly great things he had done.

Senator Robert Griffin & Mrs. Marjorie Griffin with Presidents George H.W. Bush and Gerald Ford

Jason Griffin with Gov. Whitmer

The Griffin: What inspires your career in policy and government relations?

I started in the Michigan legislature as an intern at 21 years old. On my first day, Senator Tony Stamas introduced me to a few of his colleagues in the Senate and I was blown away at how many knew my Grandfather, how many respected my Grandfather, and regardless of D or R how many had a good story to tell about the positive impact that he had on their lives. Grandpa Griff used to always say, “You know J, the biggest difference between then and now, is back then we were civil. We could have our disagreement publicly but then we could sit down 1-on-1 and sort out our differences. It didn’t mean that we would always agree, but it did mean we’d have a deeper understanding of where they were coming from, what life experiences lead to their beliefs and, more often than not, gain mutual respect through understanding.” I’ve always been one to get along with multiple friend groups, being able to talk to anyone regardless of their walk in life, and in general, have been a reasonable consensus builder. After all of my discussions with my Grandfather, it seemed like my skillset was a natural fit in Government Affairs/Relations.

The Griffin: Would you say that the sense of civic duty “runs in the family”?

Jason: Yes, a sense of duty runs deep in the Griffin family. My Grandfather never ran for office to “see his name in lights”, he did it out of a sense of service to his community and to the State that had given him so much. My grandfather had to work for everything he had in life, which in turn gave him the utmost respect for every other Michigander working to pull themselves up by the bootstraps. Volunteering what time and resources you have to better those around you was a core tenet of what my Grandfather taught us growing up.

We all do our best to give back to the community. I currently serve as President of the Andrew J Griffin Foundation which was founded in my brother’s name to support the Andrew J Griffin Scholar program at the Great Lakes Culinary Institute in Traverse City, as well as have volunteered with numerous organizations such as Habitat for Humanity and the Michigan Children’s Trust Fund, to name a couple.

The Griffin: To date what has been a career highlight for you?

Jason: This is a tough question as it depends on what phase of my career I was in. My work as campaign manager and on the legislative staff for both Tony and Jim Stamas will always hold a special place in my heart as it was how I got

Senator Griffin with President Carter

Senator Griffin with Senator R. Kennedy

Senator Griffin with President Nixon

Senator Griffin with President Reagan

“

My grandfather had to work for everything he had in life, which in turn gave him the utmost respect for every other Michigander working to pull themselves up by the bootstraps.”

started in this field. Being able to bring then-Senator Tony Stamas to Grandpa’s house and watch the two of them trade stories on the back deck is something I’ll never forget.

My career in corporate Government Relations has been focused on Energy Intensive manufacturing operations, which has led to me focusing my efforts on decarbonizing heavy industry. My work on Governor Cuomo’s Energy Intensive Trade Exposed Advisory Workgroup to the New York Council on Climate Solutions or being an industry expert and presenter to Governor Whitmer’s Energy Intensive Industries Advisory Workgroup to Michigan’s Council on Climate Solutions, has been especially rewarding. Knowing that projects I’ve worked on will have immense positive impacts on the World around us far after I’m gone is something that I take great pride in. An example would be working with the State of Michigan to increase the alternative fuels program at the Alpena Cement Plant to help reduce their reliance on coal as well as divert current waste streams from being landfilled indefinitely.

Or working with the MEDC, the Governor, and the Legislature to secure funding for the expansion of a municipal wastewater

system in Saginaw County to provide long-term reliability for the residents as well as allow for business expansion and attraction to the region for decades.

Truly the biggest highlight for me is being able to talk with High School and College students about my career and encouraging students to “blaze their own trail.” If you are passionate about making a difference, are driven to find solutions, are willing and interested in working with people from ALL walks of life, and are willing to admit that, regardless of age or experience, you still have a lot to learn, government affairs is a great pathway.

If there are three things I can leave you with, it’s this:

• How many people you bless is how you measure success.

• Never burn a bridge, you never know when you’ll need it to get back across that divide.

• Don’t ever assume you know where someone else is coming from without understanding it directly from them first. We can never understand what is shaping someone’s decisions until we ask, and every time we ask we tend to learn something new.

Senator Griffin with President Eisenhower

Jason Griffin with State Representative Graham Filler at Hemlock Semiconductor

Senator Griffin with Governor George Romney

Senator Griffin with President Ford

2022 GRIFFIN FORUMS RECAP

Griffin Forum: Spring 2022 Cannabis Policy: Hashing it Out

Panelists for the Spring 2022 Griffin Policy Forum on March 15th discussed the history and background of cannabis nationally and in Michigan, the licensing market, operators’ perspectives, and the path forward. The panel was moderated by Chad Livengood, Senior Editor, Politics and Policy, Crain’s Detroit and panelists were Andrew Brisbo, Executive Director, Michigan’s Marijuana Regulatory Agency, Jerome Crawford, Director of Legal Operations & Social Equity, Pleasantrees, John Fraser, Michigan Team Leader of Dykema’s Cannabis Practice, Yousef Rabhi, State Representative, 53rd House District, and Benjamin Sobczak, Chief Legal Officer, Pleasantrees.

After initial opening remarks from interim-Provost Dr. Richard Rothaus, Professor Andrea LaFontaine, and Dr. Nikita Murry, the forum began with a historical overview of humans and cannabis from Fraser of Dykema. John Fraser emphasized the stigmatism of cannabis to racist policies and nonsensical decision making which defies reason in the face of the plant’s historical use by humanity. Andrew Brisbo discussed the density of medical marijuana facilities in the Detroit area after the 2008 ballot initiative with over 200+ stores in the city alone. He emphasized the ballot initiative process in Michigan as the way to move the cannabis issue forward. Jerome Crawford talked about the marijuana industry from a business and social equity perspective which recognized the historical precedent of criminalized marijuana that put many people behind bars. Benjamin Sobczak spoke of the legal barriers that face marijuana businesses in

Michigan including it being a cash-only business, inability to access lines of credit from large banks, and the 280E part of Representative Yousef Rabhi like Brisbo, focused on the ballot initiative process in Michigan for having moved the cannabis issue forward. Rabhi said that the state legislature is willing to continue to engage with the issue because voters have made it permissible to do so through their legalization efforts. According to Rabhi, it will allow individuals with offenses scrubbed to better secure employment, gain loans for their homes, and be able to live more unhindered lives. Once the panelists each had their initial remarks, the panel then moved to a question-answer session where existing rules and regulations, social justice, and awareness issues concerns were addressed by the panelists.

The Griffin Endowed Chair in American Government organizes multiple policy forums that highlight social, political-economic, environmental, and other relevant and important issues. The forums are hosted twice yearly by the Robert and Marjorie Griffin Endowed Chair in American Government in the School of Politics, Society, Justice and Public Service at Central Michigan University.

Spring 2022 Panelists with Griffin Chair and Jason Griffin

Griffin Forum Fall policy discussion conducted on October 25, featuring campaign representatives for Proposals 1, 2, and 3. This forum is hosted in partnership with the Mary Ellen Brandell Volunteer Center, the League of Women Voters, the Institute for Transformative Dialogue, CM Life, and the CMU Voter Coalition. In the support of Proposal 1, ‘Voters for Transparency & Term Limits’, was Rich Studley, former president and CEO of the Michigan Chamber of Commerce and current chairman of the Central Michigan University Board of Trustees, and opposition ‘No More Time for Career Politicians’, was represented by Scott Tillman, the grassroots activist. In support of Proposal 2, ‘Promote the Vote’, was Susan Smith, and in opposition, ‘Secure MI Vote’, was Jeff Litten. Dr. Melissa Bayne, DO was representing Proposal 3 Support, ‘MI Reproductive Freedom’, and Abby Wirth was in opposition to proposal 3, ‘Support Women & Children,’ and the forum was moderated by Professor Dr. Andrew Bloom. Opening remarks were given by CMU President Dr. Bob Davies, Griffin Chair Andrea LaFontaine, and Assistant Director for Volunteer Center, Symantha Dattilo. Supporting proposal 1, Rich Studley said, “I don’t deliberately seek out people with less than six years experience,” using experienced individuals in other fields as an example of competency in political roles. Opposing that, Scott Tillman argued that “legislators in states with tighter term limits tend to write tighter legislation that can’t be abused

later on.” He further added, “lobbyists hate term limits because it breaks up the relationships and makes their jobs difficult.”

In favor of Proposal 2, Susan Smith, the vice president of the League of Women Voters in Michigan, said, “this proposal will ensure that every voice is heard and every vote is counted in every election, no matter what political candidate or party or where we live.” In opposition, Jeff Litten, the executive director of Secure MI Vote, said they see this proposal as an opening for more questioning of election security. He said he opposes the use of affidavits instead of voter identification at voting sites because they lack a verification process.

Favoring Proposal 3, Melissa Bayne, a physician specializing in obstetrics and gynecology affirmed that she is voting yes. She stated that she has read the entire proposal and does agree with all of it. Abby Jones, a recent CMU graduate, and political activist argued that Proposal 3 is confusing, extreme, and permanent. She said that the language of the proposal, saying the reference to an “individual” having access to abortion procedures means children can receive an abortion without parental consent. After the panelists expressed their supporting and opposing arguments for all three proposals the forum went to a questionanswer session, where participants raised their concerns about the proposals. The forum ended with concluding remarks of professor Dr. Norma Bailey.

President Davies speaking at the Fall 2022 Forum

GUEST SPEAKERS

Every semester, a series of speakers that work in the political and policy field are invited into the classroom to share their professional experiences and to network with Griffin Students. With sincere appreciation, the following list is of the individuals who shared their time and expertise. If you or someone you know is interested in being a guest speaker, please contact Andrea LaFontaine at lafon1am@cmich.edu.

» Governor John Engler — Michigan’s 46th Governor (1991-2002)

» State Representative Tom Leonard — former Speaker of the House. 2x candidate for Michigan Attorney General

» David Knezek — Wayne County Commissioner, Chief Deputy Director for Administration – Department of Health and Human Services, former State Senator

» Samantha McClain — Research and Communication for Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Hilary for President, and Illinois Amendment 1, Right to Collective Bargaining Measure (2022)

» State Senator Sylvia Santana

» State Representative Harvey Santana

» Bret Marr — lobbyist at Muchmore Harrington & Smalley

» Eric Ventimiglia — Executive Director, Michigan Rising Action

» Jonathan Jarosz — Executive Director at Heart of the Lakes, advocate for Proposal 1 2020

» Maggie Pallone — Vice President of Public Sector Consultants

» Meghann Keit-Corrion — Government Policy Advisor at Dykema

» Jason Griffin — State Government Affairs and Policy Director – Hemlock Semiconductor and grandson to Senator Robert Griffin

» Earl Poleski — Jackson County Commissioner, former State Representative

» Michelle Lange — Director of Dept. Technology Management and Budget, former legislative liaison for Governor Rick Snyder, former Michigan Tax Tribunal justice

» State Representative Kevin Cotter — former Speaker of the House

» Amanda Fisher — State Director National Federation of Independent Businesses

» Matthew Campbell — CMU student and congressional staff to Brenda Lawrence

» State Senator Rick Outman

» Lisa Posthumous Lyons — Kent County Clerk, former State Representative

» Gabe Schneider — lobbyist and founder of Northern Strategies 360, former staff to Senator Carl Levin

» Emily Daunt — Vice President of Communications and Operations at Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association

» Steve Daunt — Senior Policy Analyst, Michigan House Republicans

» Tony Daunt — Board of State Canvassers

» Laura Biehl — Director of Public Affairs, Resch Strategies

» Kelli Saunders — Executive Advisor & Director of Office Administration at Small Business Association of Michigan

» State Senator Pamela Hornberger

GUEST SPEAKERS

Kent County Clerk, Lisa Posthumus Lyons

Andrea and former Speaker of the House and State Representative Tom Leonard

Emily Daunt (Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association), Stephen Daunt (House Republican Policy Office), Tony Daunt (Board of State Canvassers) with Spring 2022 Griffin Students

Former Speaker of the House and State Representative Kevin Cotter

Wayne County Commissioner and former State Senator, David Knezek State Senator Rick Outman

2022 Mid-Term Election Analysis

November 8th, Election night 2022. I was graciously invited to join WNEM (CBS in Saginaw), in the studio to act as a political analyst for their 8, 10, and 11 pm newscasts. In preparation for this opportunity, I took a deep dive into everything discussed in the PSC 300 Campaigns & Elections Course, all the political chatter from insiders that I found myself privy to while watching from the sidelines, and then I mixed that with gut feeling and what I was reading from various news outlets leading up to the election. While there were so many unique occurrences this election cycle, I want to highlight a few:

Redistricting – the common thread of nearly all our class guest speakers. Everyone had something to say about redistricting. The current elected officials continually expressed how it is impacting their upcoming re-elections and the domino effect that follows when deciding who is running where. Policy advisors and lobbyists discuss how it’s slowing the agenda in Lansing because officials are back in their districts. And we were able to witness the election results that came from these newly drawn districts, and how it shifted the power of both legislative chambers in Lansing. While I do believe

redistricting played a role – I don’t think it was the only factor that shook up this election cycle.

Proposal 3 - Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the landmark Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe. v Wade, and lead to Michigan voters deciding whether the right to obtain an abortion should be enshrined in our state’s constitution. There is no doubt that this was something traditional Republicans had long desired. But were they ready for it to actually happen? And does the majority or society agree with their fundamental, pro-life, zeroexception stance? Apparently not; 56.7% of Michigan voters (2,480,000 Michiganders) showed up on election day and voted in favor of Proposal 3. This is an instance where a down-ballot issue drove voter turn-out that aided in the “blue wave” we saw here in Michigan.

Two women at the top of the Ticket –how great was it to witness that? We are progressing! While I’m uncertain of any ancillary effect this may have had on the election, it was a welcome occurrence that I hope we see more of in the future.

Quality of candidates – admittedly this was a GOP issue this cycle, and

the party still feels like it is having an identity crisis. It’s as if there is a faction within the GOP that has come to power through convention elections, and it is their message that the entire GOP is being painted with. On one side there are the Trump/electiondenying/extremists on the other side are the establishment/RINOs who are in desperate need of rebranding. Until these sides come to any sort of understanding that they should put their collective energies towards the opposing party instead of each other the democratic party will continue to reap the benefits of this quandary.

What does this mean moving forward? I will admit that my favorite line from this election season was “This will be another election year that requires an asterisk.” I love the unpredictability factor of elections. Personally, I feel like that is when my vote matters most. I can only hope that future elections include unanticipated results and surprises that stem from impassioned voters showing up, casting their votes, and making their voices heard. As we catch our breath during this brief intermission between election cycles, it is my hope that the Griffin students are looking to the future with optimism and opportunity – and maybe considering a run for public office.

Andrea Lafontaine

A message

from Dr. Richard Rothaus

In Fall 2022 Griffin Forum focuses on ballot initiatives, and ballots are very much at issue right now. The U.S. voting and electoral systems have come under scrutiny and skepticism. The issue is not widespread and obvious fraud. We have no 97% electoral landslides that are the mark of totalitarian states. We have no fraud like in 1927 Liberia, where President King received 234,000 of the 15,000 possible votes. We have election statistics that indicate almost no fraud at all. But this is to miss the point. Faith does not come from statistics, but from belief, and many Americans have lost faith.

Athens, the home of democracy, chose most officials with klesterion. Eligible citizens put their tokens in, and while everyone watched, the names of the next officials came out. Citizens voted by raising their hands in affirmation; nine people chosen at random counted the votes. For matters that required anonymous voting, a citizen would drop a pebble in the “yes” or “no” jar.

Athens grew into a direct democracy after periods of aristocracy and tyranny, and the Athenians built western democracy out of skepticism about paths to power. In the U.S., we have elections that conclude with invisible electrons in the guts of computers. I am not doubtful of the veracity of the system, but I also am not surprised when people want to see paper ballots counted by hand. We cannot go back to pebbles in jars, but we should be able to see why voting is not inspiring faith in people who want something more physical.

Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences

The 2022 Midterm Election: Michigan’s Blue Wave and the Defying of Midterm Trends

- Michael Buzzy

The forecast for Democrats going into this year’s midterm election was stormy to say the least. Hanging on to the majority in Congress by the slimmest of margins with a 50-50 Senate and a 2-seat lead in the House of Representatives, issues such as inflation, crime, increase in the cost of living, and no sign of near-term economic relief for the American people seemed to create the perfect set of circumstances for the Republican party to win big. And Republicans were confident in their chances of success, too. A Fox News election forecast conducted a day before the midterms predicted that Republicans would take 53 seats in total in the Senate and would gain 30 seats in the House (Morris & Murray, 2022). As election night results rolled in, it became all too clear that things were not going as Republicans had planned. Democrats managed Senate victories in crucial battleground states such as New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Arizona, and staved off a Republican victory in the Georgia Senate race which is now headed to a runoff (Ulloa, 2022). Such victories represent a stunning reversal in the classic majority-party-midterm-loss trend, and with control of Congress still unclear as of November 12th, what went so wrong for Republicans this election cycle? The midterm election results in Michigan may give us one answer.

Michigan witnessed a record-breaking midterm election turnout this year with

4.45 million Michiganders having voted (Fifelski, Rich, & Li, 2022). Michigan Democrats won big with Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Attorney General Dana Nessel, and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson all having won against their Trump-endorsed Republican challengers. In another stunning outcome, Democrats managed to secure majorities in both the State House and State Senate resulting in complete Democratic control of state government for the first time since 1984 (Fifelski, Rich, & Li, 2022). Given the unfavourability of the political environment for Democrats going into election day, such results seem extraordinary. One major hindrance of Republicans in Michigan appears to be the “Trump effect.” The main Michigan GOP nominees, Tudor Dixon, Michael DePerno, and Kristina Karamo were all Trump-endorsed candidates which carried with it the “Big Lie” conspiracy baggage regarding the 2020 election (Egan, 2022). With Trump looming large and other candidate specific elements such as their strong anti-abortion stance, such facts of the GOP candidates appears to have greatly hindered their appeal to the broader Michigan electorate resulting in their defeat (Egan, 2022). With similar defeats occurring for other Trump-aligned GOP candidates across the board, voters seem to be sending a strong message that more moderate, less ideological candidates are desired. This also sends a message

that GOP distancing from Trump is also desired as his endorsed candidates are unable to win crucial elections. In an interview just before the election, GOP House Leader Kevin McCarthy said, “majorities are not given — they’re earned” (Singman, 2022). If Republicans want any chance of earning majorities in Michigan or elsewhere in 2024, they are going to have to rethink their hard right ideological alignment.

REFERENCES

Egan, P. (2022, November 10). Michigan GOP memo delivers scathing election post-mortem on Trump-backed candidates. Detroit Free Press. https://bit.ly/3GdHbFu

Fifelski, A., Rich, S., & Li, I. (2022, November 10).

Michigan makes history: 2022 state-wide midterm election results. The Michigan Daily. https://bit.ly/3TrpbKJ

Morris, K., & Murray, A. (2022, November 7). Political experts issue midterm election predictions, most conclude GOP will take House and Senate is toss-up. Fox News. https://bit.ly/3O4ZjDq

Singman, B. (2022, November 3). Midterm Elections: McCarthy says Republicans will put America 'in a new direction' if they take back the House. Fox News. https://fxn.ws/3EpBToO

Ulloa, J. (2022, November 11). Mark Kelly Wins Arizona Senate Race, Putting Democrats a Seat From Control. The New York Times. https://nyti.ms/3NZpTh3

The Purple Haze

- Evan Charles Carlson

The historic nature of the 2022 Midterm Elections has not yet been recognized by the American public. In what should have been a banner year for the Republican Party they did not just come up short, they fell flat on their faces. They had the perfect conditions to completely wipe out Democratic control of Congress and state capitols, yet faltered. An unpopular president, record high inflation, and fears about an upcoming recession should have been a boon for them in the pursuit of the control of Congress, Governor’s Mansions, and State Legislative Chambers. Yet, Republicans nationwide failed in a purple haze that marinated across the country.

What did it take for the Democrats to hold their own against what has once been coined a “red tsunami? Republican underperformance nationwide indicates that the electorate is not buying what they are selling. This includes brash candidates, election denial, and overall extremism. A perfect example of Republican failures this year is state legislative chambers. Their party failed to pick up a single legislative chamber, something the party out of power has not done since 1934. I think this can be attributed to the toxicity of the issues Republican candidates ran on. Down-ballot candidates were drug down by the top of the ticket underperforming with more moderate and independent voters.

The perfect example of this is my home state of Michigan. Many pundits were projecting close races for the executive offices of governor, secretary of state, and attorney general. Voters have a different idea of what they wanted. Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer was re-elected by an 11-point margin. The leader of the ticket was Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, who won a decisive re-election in a 14-point landslide victory. Rounding out the Democratic ticket was Attorney General Dana Nessel who won by 8.7 percentage points. This proves Democrats in Michigan, and across the country can win big, even when facing national headwinds.

Instead of engaging in culture wars with the Republican opposition Democrats diffused the talking points and pivoted

towards issues favorable to their party. Issues like this include abortion, protecting democracy, and voting rights motivated the democratic base and were more effective in motivating people to vote Democratic than transgender playing sports and critical race theory. If Republicans would have run more traditional candidates and campaigns focused on bread-andbutter issues the results from the midterm election could have looked much different. By Republicans not focusing on inflation, economic issues, and taxation they essentially ceded territory to the Democratic Party which led to robust wins in essential races across the country, many of which broke for the Democrats. While Republicans ultimately flipped control of the House of Representatives and Nevada’s Governor’s Mansion, they came short of their goals. The party now needs to enter a time of reflection to account for their mistakes. Without a course correction, the Republican party may no longer be a viable party in much of the United States in the following elections.

REFERENCES

Douglas E. Schoen, opinion contributor. “What the Democrats’ Surprising Midterm Means for the Party.” The Hill, The Hill, 14 Nov. 2022, https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/3734253-what-the-democratssurprising-midterm-means-for-the-party/.

“Michigan Election Results.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 8 Nov. 2022, https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/11/08/us/elections/results-michigan.html.

Rascoe, Ayesha, and Domenico Montanaro. “Midterm Results Show Trump’s Politics Don’t Hold up in Purple States.” NPR, NPR, 13 Nov. 2022, https://www.npr.org/2022/11/13/1136342566/midterm-resultsshow-trumps-politics-dont-hold-up-in-purple-states.

Donegan, Moira. “We Were Told Abortion Wasn’t an Important Election Issue. How Wrong That Was | Moira Donegan.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 11 Nov. 2022, https://www.theguardian.com/ commentisfree/2022/nov/11/abortion-important-election-issue-wrong.

MICHAEL BUZZY WINS 2022 MAXINE BERMAN AWARD

About

Established in 2018 by Dr. David Jesuit and friends of Maxine Berman. Maxine was an American politician who served on the Michigan House of Representatives between 1983 and 1996. Berman was raised in Oak Park and graduated from the University of Michigan. She then taught at Oak Park High School until running for political office. She was a member of the Michigan House of Representatives from 1983 to 1996. Upon leaving office, Berman established Capitol Strategies, Inc., a consultancy firm, and led the Women’s Health Network of Michigan. Governor Jennifer Granholm appointed Berman as director of special projects in 2003. She left the post in 2008 and became the Robert and Marjorie Griffin Endowed Chair in American Government at Central Michigan University the next year, retiring in 2013. In 2015, Berman was elected to the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame. She died at the age of 71 on March 2, 2018, of lung cancer, in West Bloomfield, Michigan.

Criteria

The Award recognizes the academic accomplishments and promises of a student enrolled in one or both of the seminar courses taught by the Griffin Chair (PSC 300/301).

• Recipients will embody the qualities epitomized by Maxine Berman’s long public service to Michigan and reflect her concerns for social justice.

• Minimum GPA of 3.00 on a 4.0 scale.

• The award will be made only if highly qualified applicants apply.

• Nominations are made by the Griffin Chair and, if there are multiple nominees, recipients are selected by the School of Politics, Society, Justice and Public Service.

About the Recipient:

Michael Buzzy

Michael Buzzy is the recipient of the 2022 Maxine Berman Scholarship Award. He is a 4th year Honors student double majoring in political science and philosophy. At Central Michigan University Buzzy has served as a HON 100 TA for CMU’s Honors Program, the Lead TA for HON 100/300 for CMU’s Honors Program, and as the Vice Chair of the Honors Council. In addition to this, Buzzy has served as the Ambassador of Persons, Places, and Ideas for the Centre for International Ethics leading international educational initiatives based on the pedagogy of public-facing scholarship. Buzzy has also been the recipient of a U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholarship for Persian in 2021 and designated as a David L. Boren Award Alternate for Japan in 2022. After graduation Buzzy plans to continue his education by attending law school.

Maxine Berman

Abstract

Like many states in the US, Michigan state law permits children under the age of 18 to marry with the permission of at least one guardian or parent. Child marriage has been statistically proven to have both short-term and long-term negative impacts on the health, education, and economic standing of married American children. The legalization of this undermines statutory rape laws, enables human rights abuses, and makes the state of Michigan a destination for child marriage due to reduced restrictions. To remedy this, I propose to amend Act 128 of 1887, Section 551.103 to strictly prohibit marriage to persons under the age of 18 without exception as well as void all existing child marriages.

1. Child Marriage

According to the international outreach organization Girls Not Brides, child marriage is defined as “any formal marriage or informal union where one or both parties are under 18 years of age. It is rooted in gender inequality (“About child marriage”, 2022).” It is a national problem and state problem that has affected over 300,000 American children in the past two decades alone. Only a handful of states prohibit child marriage without exception and there is no federal age requirement for marriage. In Michigan, 5,259 child marriages were recorded between the years of 2000 and 2018, primarily between teenage girls and

PSC 301 STUDENT PAPER

The final assignment for students in PSC 301 is to assume they were successfully elected to the Michigan Legislature and propose their first piece of legislation. The following proposal was submitted by student Natalie Stetler.

adult men (“Child Marriage – Shocking Statistics - Unchained At Last”, 2022). Child marriage originates from gender inequality and “is made worse by poverty, lack of education, harmful social norms and practices, and insecurity. Its drivers vary between communities, and it looks different across – and within – regions and countries (“Why it happens”, 2022).”

In the United States, researchers have identified a few potential drivers of child marriage despite limited data. First, a recent study found that American Indian and Chinese American children have disproportionately higher rates of child marriages (Brides, 2022). This suggests that ethnicity may be a driver of child marriage in the United States. Second, the same study found that immigrant children were more likely than U.S.-born children to marry. “Prevalence among children from Mexico, Central America, and the Middle East countries was two to four times that of children born in the United States. In the majority of cases, children from these countries were married off after they arrived in the United States (Brides, 2022).” This suggests that migration could potentially be a driver of child marriage in the United States. Finally, there is “anecdotal evidence of girls being married off to perpetrators of sexual violence so the men can avoid being prosecuted (Brides, 2022).” Although statutory rape is a crime in Michigan, married couples are an exception. Therefore, an adult cannot be prosecuted for having sexual relations with a 16-yearold or 17-year-old if the adult can receive permission from at least one of the child’s parents. This suggests that the weak federal and state legal frameworks for child marriage may be a driver of its existence in the United States (Brides, 2022).

1.1 History of Michigan Act 128 of 1887, Section 551.103

Under Michigan Act 128 of 1887, Section 551.103, a “person who is 16 years of age but is less than 18 years of age may con-

tract marriage with the written consent of 1 of the parents of the person or the person’s legal guardian (“MARRIAGE LICENSE [EXCERPT] Act 128 of 1887”, 2022).” This statute became effective September 28th, 1887. Although it has since faced many amendments, child marriage of 16and 17-year-olds remains legal in Michigan with parental permission despite public outcry.

2. Motivation Behind Bill

Child marriage must be outlawed. International outreach program

Unchained, at Last, has identified three main reasons that child marriage should be prohibited without exception (“United States’ Child Marriage Problem: Study Findings (April 2020) - Unchained At Last”, 2022). First, child marriages can often be forced marriages due to the limited legal rights of children when it comes to leaving home, entering a shelter, and retaining an attorney. Children who seek to escape forced marriage and flee their families are legally considered runaways. This means that if they are found, the police may return them to their families. Anyone who assists a child in leaving their home, even if it is to escape a forced marriage, could be subject to arrest (“United States’ Child Marriage Problem: Study Findings (April 2020) - Unchained At Last”, 2022). Children who runaway from forced marriages are often not accepted at domestic violence shelters as unaccompanied minors. Youth shelters accept runaway children but are not viable for children in forced marriages as they focus on family reunification. Children seeking to flee forced marriages can rarely retain attorneys. “Contracts with children, including retainer agreements with attorneys, usually are voidable... Only the most generous attorneys would agree to represent a child (“United States’ Child Marriage Problem: Study Findings (April 2020) - Unchained At Last”, 2022).”

Second, the U.S. State Department itself considers marriage before the age of eighteen to be an abuse of human rights that “produces devastating, lifelong repercussions for American girls, destroying the education, economic opportunities, and health (“United States’ Child Marriage Problem: Study Findings (April 2020) - Unchained At Last”, 2022).“ Child marriage “significantly increases a woman’s risk of experiencing domestic violence” and “almost always ends in divorce (“United States’ Child Marriage Problem: Study Findings (April 2020) - Unchained At Last”, 2022).” There is no positive impact of child marriage and criminalizing it will exclusively harm child predators.

This amendment will also prohibit any new marriage licenses to be granted for persons under the age of eighteen without exception. Given the nature of this law, it will simply act as a barrier to adult men seeking to have a legal relationship with underaged girls in Michigan.

4. Interest Groups

Third, child marriage protects statutory rapists by making sexual relations between a child and an adult legal instead of a crime. This gives statutory rapists a loophole to allude prosecution from authorities if they can marry their victim. This can result in forced marriages as well as the perpetuation of long-term sexual abuse. In the United States, “60,000 marriages since 2000 occurred at an age or spousal age difference that should have been considered a sex crime (“United States’ Child Marriage Problem: Study Findings (April 2020) - Unchained At Last”, 2022).”

3. Anticipated Impact on Michiganders

In the past two decades, there have been over five thousand legal child marriages in Michigan. Passing this amendment will void those and all other previous legal child marriages in Michigan.

I will primarily work with four interest groups to pass this amendment: Equality Now, UNICEF USA, ICRW, and Unchained at Last. Equality Now is an advocacy organization that seeks to remove sex-discriminatory laws worldwide. “Unchained, at Last, is the only organization dedicated to ending forced and child marriage in the United States through direct services and advocacy (“Home - Unchained At Last”, 2022).” These two organizations partnered together to create the National Coalition to End Child Marriage in the United States which serves to unite organizations and individuals seeking to federally outlaw child marriage in the United States. UNICEF USA, also a member of the National Coalition to End Child Marriage in the United States, is an organization focused on creating “an equitable world for every child (“About Us”, 2022).” I will also involve the ICRW, the International Center for Research on Women, whose main goal is to “advance gender equity, social inclusion, and shared prosperity (“About ICRW - ICRW | PASSION. PROOF. POWER.”, 2022).” Other interest groups I would include are Michigan’s Children, MI Nurses Association, National Association of Social Workers-Michigan, Michigan’s Women Commission, Child and Family Services, Child Labor Coalition, and the more than 30 Zonta Club chapters across Michigan (“Bipartisan Legislators Take Action to Put an End to Child Marriage”, 2022).

There are many ways interest groups and the lobbyists that represent them will be involved in the amendment. First, “interest groups and lobbyists enlist candidates for legislative office” that share their position (Rosenthal, 2009). In this case, our interest groups against child marriage will enlist candidates for legislative office that also seek to prohibit child marriage in Michigan. Second, “lobbyists and interest groups endow candidates through endorsements, funding, and campaign staff” as well as “provide campaign funds and independent

expenditures (Rosenthal, 2009).” In this case, interest groups involved with my amendment will utilize endorsements and donations to support myself and other legislators that advocate for the passing of the amendment. Third, “lobbyists and interest groups enable legislators by directing assistance toward their efforts as representatives and lawmakers (Rosenthal, 2009).” In this case, I will work with interest groups to concentrate advocacy and funding efforts toward ending child marriage in the state of Michigan.

Another key way that interest groups will support the passing of this amendment is by assisting me in forming and conducting a strategy for the opposition. They do this in a few ways including mobilizing grassroots, utilizing lobbyist opposition strategy and assisting in public relations efforts. Involved interest groups will mobilize grassroots efforts by organizing sit-ins and protests at the state capitol. Our interest groups will also follow lobbyist opposition strategy: put together a coalition advocating for the bill, identify legislator allies for indirect lobbying, ask for things no one is likely to object to, persuade legislators, conduct head counts, and frame child marriage as a bipartisan human rights issue (Rosenthal, 2009).

Finally, our interest groups will fight to inform the public about child marriage and our proposed amendment through the media and public relations. We will also work to inform legislators about the widespread public support for the amendment (Rosenthal, 2009).

5. Similar Laws in Other States

Less than 10 years ago, child marriage was legal in all fifty states. However, recent legislation has led to six states enacting total bans: Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Rhode Island, and New York. Child marriage is also illegal in the District of Columbia, American Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin Islands (“United States’ Child Marriage Problem: Study Findings [April 2020]Unchained At Last”, 2022).

6. Chances of Success

The success of my amendment largely depends on the environment of my issue, the current composition of the legislature, my interest groups, and their resources (Rosenthal, 2009). The environment of issue is child marriage and the protection of human rights which makes it largely uncontroversial. This significantly raises the chance that the amendment will receive bipartisan support from both legislators and

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In the United States, “60,000 marriages since 2000 occurred at an age or spousal age difference that should have been considered a sex crime.”

the public. The current composition of the Michigan government is mixed which increases the need for bipartisan support. Democrats control the Michigan Senate and Republicans control the Michigan House of Representatives. The Governor is a Democrat, but the amendment must pass through both legislatures before it reaches her desk. It is my hope that most reasonable people will agree that child marriage should be illegal and that partisanship can be overcome for the common good. When it comes to interest groups, I believe the number of interest groups who support my amendment will significantly increase the likelihood my amendment will pass. Child marriage is a human rights issue, a child protection issue, a human trafficking issue, and a family issue. Interest groups and individuals who care about any of these things will care about this amendment. Although many of them are relatively small apart, they are a force together that will undoubtedly impact future elections and legislation. For these reasons, I believe my amendment will be successful.

REFERENCES

MARRIAGE LICENSE (EXCERPT) Act 128 of 1887. Michigan Legislature. (2022). Retrieved 11 April 2022, from https://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(vugkb5jdqjtlqg3lxyfzhd32))/ mileg.aspx?page=getObject&objectName=mcl-551-103.

About child marriage. Girls Not Brides. (2022). Retrieved 11 April 2022, from https:// www.girlsnotbrides.org/about-child-marriage/.

Child Marriage – Shocking Statistics - Unchained At Last. Unchained At Last. (2022). Retrieved 11 April 2022, from https:// www.unchainedatlast.org/child-marriage-shocking-statistics/.

Why it happens. Girls Not Brides. (2022). Retrieved 11 April 2022, from https://www. girlsnotbrides.org/about-child-marriage/ why-child-marriage-happens/.

Brides, G. (2022). Girls Not Brides Atlas. Atlas.girlsnotbrides.org. Retrieved 11 April 2022, from https://atlas.girlsnotbrides.org/ map/united-states.

United States' Child Marriage Problem: Study Findings (April 2020) - Unchained At Last. Unchained At Last. (2022). Retrieved 11 April 2022, from https://www.unchainedatlast.org/united-states-child-marriage-problem-study-findings-april-2021/.

Home - Unchained At Last. Unchained At Last. (2022). Retrieved 11 April 2022, from https://www.unchainedatlast.org.

About Us. UNICEF USA. (2022). Retrieved 11 April 2022, from https://www.unicefusa.org/ about.

About ICRW - ICRW | PASSION. PROOF. POWER.. ICRW | PASSION. PROOF. POWER. (2022). Retrieved 11 April 2022, from https:// www.icrw.org/about/.

Bipartisan Legislators Take Action to Put an End to Child Marriage. housedems.com. (2022). Retrieved 11 April 2022, from https:// housedems.com/bipartisan-legislators-takeaction-to-put-an-end-to-child-marriage/.

Rosenthal, A. (2009). Engines of Democracy: Politics and Policymaking in State Legislatures. CQ Press.

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