Ward Connerly has recently announced plans to put an anti-Affirmative Action initiative on the ballot that would disallow the consideration of race or gender in public education, in contracting, and in government employment (might be wrong on this last piece).
Interesting response from the Republican Party--they don't want any part of Ward. Michigan's Republican Party has a tiny fracture beneath the surface that pops up every now and then--there is a staunch social conservative wing, and a more liberal cosmopolitan wing. Their unwillingness to support this initiative could signify that for the time being at least, the cosmopoles run the Republican tent.
Another spin though, would just look at 2004. Michigan looks to be a highly contested state in the presidential election...and the last thing Republican stalworths of whatever ideological stripe want is the "sleeper" to be awakened. The sleepers in this case are cities like Flint, Pontiac, Lansing...and of course Detroit. Connerly gets enough signatures to put this issue on the ballot, and he single handedly ensures that the mobilization engine is upgraded to 3.0...and black voters across the state will turn out to defeat it.
It is very possible that Connerly's initiative will pass...but I'm almost positive that there is no way for the initiative to pass AND still have a Bush victory in Michigan.
Just to gum up the works, I'm suggesting that everyone I know in the state of Michigan sign the petitions.
I hear "Mickey Mouse" is a popular name.
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