Michigan Senate approves pro-wolf-hunt initiative

I described the first shoe dropping in Examiner.com article on wolf hunt and minimum wage proposals.

Board of State Canvassers approves wolf hunt, denies minimum wage

On Thursday, the Michigan Board of State Canvassers decided the fates of two ballot initiatives that had their petitions submitted at the end of May.

The Board unanimously approved the initiative from Citizens for Professional Wildlife Management that would allow the wolf hunt to continue along with funding measures to combat Asian Carp and continue offering free hunting and fishing licenses to active-duty members of the armed services.

They also denied the initiative from Raise Michigan to put a measure on the ballot that would allow voters to vote for an increase in the state's minimum wage to $10.10 per hour on a 3-1 bipartisan vote, citing not enough valid signatures.

Much more about both decisions and the reaction to them at the link.

As I told the readers of Join the Coffee Party Michigan, it's possible that neither will be on the ballot, as the minimum wage measure was turned down, while the pro-hunting measure may be voted into law by the state legislature, bypassing the voters entirely.  Welcome to life in a republic, not a democracy.

That's exactly what appears to be happening, as Kathleen Gray of the Detroit Free Press reported in Wolf hunt can continue after Michigan Senate passes law on August 13, 2014.

LANSING — The issue of hunting wolves in the Upper Peninsula intersected with the historic flooding in Detroit today as the state Senate passed a citizen-initiated law that will allow the hunt to continue.

But the fact that the Senate dealt with the wolf hunt on its only day of the session in August, instead of issues like improving Michigan’s roads and other crucial infrastructure in the wake of the flooding this week, drew the ire of Democrats.

“Democracy is one of the founding principles of our nation, but you continue to treat people like your subjects, rather than your bosses,” said Senate Minority Leader Gretchen Whitmer, D-East Lansing. “It’s not as if we don’t have serious work we could be doing here today. Metro Detroit is literally under water. Our roads are still falling apart. But on the one day you bother to show up for work this month, you ignore all that and come here to take away the rights of the people to vote again.”

The measure is not law yet, but it could happen this month.

The bill still has to go to the House of Representatives, which expects to take it up on Aug. 27. If lawmakers pass the legislation, it will automatically become law. If they reject it or do nothing, the issue will go on the November general election ballot. The last time the House took up the issue of allowing the hunt, it passed with bipartisan support.

The other shoe has been released.  The only question is whether it hits the floor or is caught in mid-air.  Pay attention to what happens at the major party nominating conventions next week.  The Democrats are likely to consider a resolution against the pro-hunting measure, or at least in favor of allowing the voters to make the decision.  I have no idea what the Republicans are going to do about it.  I suspect that they may be too busy with the credentials of the delegates sent by the district/county conventions to put together a formal motion.  If they do, I'm sure they'll support its passage into law.  In either event, stay tuned.