Civil wars within state GOP | News, Sports, Jobs – Alpena News
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Michigan Democrats these days must be thinking they have died and gone to Harbor Springs as they observe not one, but two civil wars within the state Republican party.
Everyone knows about the first one as the pro and anti-Trump troops duke it out but the second one, until right now, has remained basically beneath the political radar.
It’s too early to declare this a full-scale battle but it is clear that the traditional love-fest between the GOP and the business community ain’t as lovey-dovey as it was a decade ago. That’s because the two sides have some major disagreements on issues that are near and dear to each and there is no hint that these differences will get better before they grow worse.
Item: Many businesses want to reopen but before any employees walk to their cob-web infested workstations, the company wants everyone to get a virus shot pronto. Many of the workers want them too because the last thing they want is to catch COVID at the water cooler from some anti-vaxxer.
However, there’s a bill in the Michigan House that would wipe out the power of business to order the mandate. The GOP opposition comes under the heading of “personal freedom” and there is fear and loathing by many Republicans that the business won’t stop with ordering COVID shots.
As Rep. Sue Allor of Wolverine told a house committee the other day, the next thing you know, in order to save health care employees costs, businesses might order workers to submit to all sorts of medical mandates thus reducing personal freedom to nothingness.
Some businesses, on the other hand, are scratching their heads wondering what happened to those Republicans who advocated for no government interference and more free market attitudes.
These proposals, “represent an overreach of government into the operations of private industry,” was the comment sent to the GOP committee by seven chambers of commerce around the state and they added, “we have a legal obligation to keep workers safe.”
On this one business will eventually prevail even if the R’s ignored their pleas and passed the ban on shot mandates anyway. That’s because Gov. Gretchen Whitmer makes points with the business types with this, “I do support business having the ability to make those decisions and if the legislature sends me a bill that precludes that, it will not get signed.”
Item: Many Republicans continue on the rampage that the oft declared “fair and legal” presidential election was anything but. This has now spawned a statewide petition drive to “make sure elections are fair” according to the sponsors.
And once more, it’s business and some R’s on different sides. Months ago, a rather impressive list of hot shot business titans penned a letter essentially advising these folks to knock it off and don’t do anything that would impede the easy ability of everyone to vote. They were especially concerned about disenfranchising the disadvantaged and others who can now take advantage of absentee voting as millions did in Michigan in 2020.
Ignoring the letter, the GOP inspired petition drive is cued for a launch soon.
Item: Business wants to expand the state civil rights act to end the practice of firing and evicting LGBTQ members from their jobs and homes. That is now legal and business argues this is not only unfair but in order to attract more qualified workers to the workforce, it’s good business to open the doors to everyone with equal protection.
Problem is for 20 years in a decidedly GOP-dominated legislature, it has refused to budge on this demanding “religious freedoms” for those who don’t want to bake cakes for a gay couple getting married, etc.
Those three items where there is no unanimity has “business frustrated” according to pollster Richard Czuba. “There has been a fraying of the traditional relationship and bonds between the two sides,” he reports.
What he does not know yet, and he’s polling to find out, will business begin to pick more Democrats for the legislature or will business leaders hold their noses and set aside their issue differences and plunk for Republicans so as to maintain control of the legislature?
The answer to that question has far reaching political implications for years to come as to which party will have more power in Lansing.
A continuing schism between R’s and Biz can only be good news for the D’s on that front.