Congress has passed the Big Ugly Bill, and we must suffer the consequences. All anti-Postal Service provisions were eliminated from the final bill. Some of these provisions included raising the FERS contribution to 15.4%!!!! It also eliminated all electric vehicles and infrastructure from the USPS. The high five versus high three for retirement calculations was also stripped from the final bill. Passage hinged on a final vote in the Senate with VP JD Vance breaking the tie, resulting in a 51-50 final vote. We can usually count on Lisa Murkowski, Republican of Alaska and Susan Collins, Republican of Maine to side with the Democrats but a deal was struck with Murkowski to give extra to Alaska, and so she voted in favor. Senators Thom Tillis, Republican of North Carolina and Rand Paul, Republican of Kentucky as well as Collins voted nay. Murkowski’s no vote would have killed the bill but alas, it was not to be. Millions of Americans will lose their health coverage, and the hard-fought green incentives will have to wait for a sane President. This should pose a crushing defeat in the midterms and our focus must be to take back the House and the Senate to take control of the legislative agenda. We must remember that 38% of the electorate did not vote in the last Presidential election. Trump won 31.59% and Kamala won 30.66% of the total voting age population (hardly a mandate or a landslide). Trump is still insanely alleging that he won the 2020 election and is asking for investigations even though he lost sixty-two times in court.

 

      With John James, of the 10th district deciding to run for Governor we have a real chance to recapture this seat. The independent redistricting commission has restored all the southern base in this district as far south as 8 Mile Rd and this is a traditionally Democratic area so it may come down, again, to voter turnout. We must get behind a candidate early and not rest until the election is over. Remember that James voted with Trump 100% of the time. It is equally important that we maintain our two Democratic Senators and Michigan is considered pivotal on the national scene as a toss up race. It is our civic duty to vote, and we must take this responsibility seriously!!