It’s lame duck season!

Lame duck season is here and the Michigan and Wisconsin legislatures are going full out to pass anti-democratic measures before the new year when a Democrat governor will take over in both states.

Michigan legislators were told by environmentalists that there is a big problem with P-FAS chemical pollution around the state. P-FAS is (had been?) used in fire fighting foam and is showing up in lots of places around the state. So it would be really helpful if the legislature offered some help. The response: we don’t have time.

They don’t have time because of all the destruction they want to accomplish. This is what I know is being worked on in Michigan:

* Delay the increase in minimum wage from 2022 to 2030. This was approved in September in an obvious ploy to keep a voter initiative off the ballot with the intent of undoing it after the election. And here we are. They are very practiced in the crocodile tears they are shedding on behalf of business.

* Repeal the paid leave act, another voter initiative approved for the same reason.

* Amend the recreation marijuana law that voters approved to ban letting citizens grow their own plants.

* Provide some “clarity” for the recently passed constitutional amendment for a citizens redistricting commission, the campaign I spent the fall working for. That “clarity” defines who is counted as associated with each party, making it easier for strong party supporters to masquerade as something they’re not. Campaign staff are also wary of the amendments that are likely to be added just before passage. The campaign has already declared that since the commission is part of the constitution any bills to modify it are unconstitutional. But that doesn’t stop the GOP from trying.

* An effort to curb the power of the Attorney General to take effect as the office passes from GOP to Dem control.

And in Wisconsin they are definitely working to limit the power of the incoming Dem governor.

The GOP efforts in Michigan and Wisconsin to limit incoming Dem governors caught the attention of NPR in a couple stories, here and here.

Brian Dickerson explains why this is going on. He is the Editorial Page Editor of the Detroit Free Press. The reason is actually simple – term limits. Every two years about a third of each Michigan legislative chamber is term limited and can’t be elected again.

Before term limits were imposed most legislators would face voters again in two or four years. That is no longer true. This year a third of the Michigan House was replaced and an amazing three-quarters of the Senate won’t be back. The Senate will still be in GOP control, though with a smaller majority. So these legislators who aren’t continuing in January don’t care what voters think.

They do care what their donors think. Because at the end of the year they’re out of a job and if they do what donors want the donors might supply that missing – and usually cushy – job.

Dickerson sees two ways out of this mess. Alas, neither can be done this year. The first is to repeal term limits. But, this requires a big voter-led initiative and too many voters still think term limits are good – keep the rascals from becoming entrenched! They don’t understand the shorter a politician is in office the more he or she must rely on the advice of donors and lobbyists and that there is higher incentive for lame duck destruction.

The other option is to abolish lame duck sessions. Again, it would mean another voter initiative.

I’ve heard from a few people on the team that got the redistricting commission passed that they’re looking for another government reform to tackle. One I’ve been thinking of is campaign finance. Ending lame duck sessions could be another.