Everytime we turn our heads the other way when we see the law flouted, when we tolerate what we know to be wrong, when we close our eyes and ears to the corrupt because we are too busy or too frightened, when we fail to speak up and speak out, we strike a blow against freedon, decency and justice.
Robert Kennedy
NEWS FROM THE PROGRAM COMMITTEE Only two more programs before our summer program recess. The LWVGTA Program Committee announces just 2 more virtual programs for spring of 2021. The programs will be held the 3rd Tuesday of the month in April and May from noon to 1:30 PM.
These League of Women Voters Grand Traverse Area broadcasts can be viewed on the Traverse Area Community Media Facebook page, in April on Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87319479489 or on Community TV Channel 189 (with Spectrum cable) and additionally on the LWVGTA Facebook page. For those who are unable to tune into the live events, a recording will be available at TACM website (www.TACM.tv) as well as the LWVGTA Facebook page.
Questions can be asked on zoom or in the Facebook comments. For those that are unable to tune into the live event, a recording will be available at TACM website (www.TACM.tv). More information can be found on the League of Women Voters Grand Traverse Area website: LWVGTA.org.
The programs planned are:
April - INDEPENDENT CITIZENS REDISTRICTING COMMISSION (MICRC) with Donna Hornberger and Margaret Leary who are on the committee to observe the Commission's work
May - A program on the ELECTORAL COLLEGE with Dr. John Zachman, a political science and social studies professsor at NMC
Watch for more details in each LWVGTA Newsletter and in e-mail blasts.
For more information or to join this committee, contact Cheryl Naperala at napperch@yahoo.com or 231-223-7903 (land line), or Anne Montgomery, annemontgomerytc@gmail.com.
Volunteer Section
Volunteers are needed for the program committee. While the committment can be brief and for just a month, more members are needed to help with our fall and winter programs.
Please contact Cheryl Naperala at napperch@yahoo.com or 231-223-7903 to find our what you might be able to do to help out with our very successful programs.
March's Program Report: Simon Schuster, Executive Director of the Michigan Campaign Finance Network, presented 2020: Dark Money in Michigan's Most Expensive Election.
Simon's information packed presentation was recorded and can be watched on the Facebook page of TACM.tv, Spectrum Cable channel 189 (check schedule) or on YouTube through TACM-TV's You Tube Channel as well as on our LWVGTA Facebook page
Some of his important points were:
-Over $510,000,000 was spent on Michigan's 2020 election, with much coming from out-of-state,
-The money was spent on broadcast ads, political mail and social media ads,
-Attack ads are paid for by dark money coming from shell companies and non-profits that is filtered into Super Pacs and can't easily be traced,
-Michigan is 50th out of 50 states for campaign spending transparency.
The Michigan Campaign Finance Network is striving to find ways to get corporations to be transparent about their spending and have spending limits. It has been found that when spending is disclosed, the amount of out-of-state spending drops. Simon believes that an amendment to the U.S. Consitiution is needed to make elections more fair. He believes that we are all affected by dark money and that makes campaign finance reform a non-partisan issue. Making donations directly to a candidate or a slate of candidates is best for individual donations.
Thank you to everyone who participated, and especially to our Event Manager, Cheryl Naperala, Program Coordinator Anne Montgomery , Moderator Anne Magoun, Linda Crandall, Publicity and Matt Kern, Traverse Area Community Media.
NEWS RELEASE March 25, 2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Cheryl Naperala
231-223-7903
napperch@yahoo.com
THE VOTERS REJECTED GERRYMANDERING! REDRAWING THE MAP!
On Tuesday, April 20, from noon to 1:30, the League of Women Voters of the Grand Traverse Area will present Donna Hornberger, LWVGTA and Margaret Leary, LWVAA who will cover the basics of redistricting, how and why the process was changed, and what is happening with redistricting in Michigan now.
Donna and Margaret are retired librarians. Donna, former Head of the Literature and Languages Department of the Cincinnati and Hamilton County (Ohio) Public Library, currently serves on the Peninsula Township Planning Commission. Margaret, librarian emerita of the University of Michigan Law School, holds degrees in librarianship, law, and history. Both are members of the LWVMI Observer Corps for the Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission (ICRC).
The April 20th LWVGTA broadcast can be viewed on the Traverse Area Community Media Facebook page, on Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86353509609, on Community TV Channel 189 (with Spectrum cable) and on LWVGTA Facebook page. Questions can be asked on Zoom or in the Facebook comments. For those who are unable to tune into the live event, a recording will be available at the TACM website (www.TACM.tv) and the LWVGTA Facebook page or a few days later on TACM's YouTube channel. More information can be found on the League of Women Voters Grand Traverse Area website: LWVGTA.org.
LWVMI STATE CONVENTION UPDATE
The League of Women Voters' state convention will be held virtually on May 21 and 22, 2021 and will focus on Defending Democracy. There will be local, state and national speakers as well as panel discussions.
The convention is highly recommended and will be Zoomed from 6:30PM on Friday, May 21st until 5:00PM on Saturday, May 22nd. Our registration fees will be paid by LWVGTA.
The annual State League Convention is always a good way to get a wider view of League activities. Members may attend all the sessions as a voting delegate ($75 each and right now we have 3 of our allotted 6) or members may attend as non-voting delegates ($35, unlimited number, and as of now 4 will participate). LWVGTA has budgeted for members’ Convention attendance, so let Acting President Mary Grover know of your interest and we’ll pick up the tab for you. For more information, go to the LWVMI website, find LWVMI 2021 Convention, and click on the link to updated details.
From Deborah AnnTurner, LWVUS President, on the U.S. House of Representatives voting to eliminate the deadline for ratification of the ERA:
"Since the 1070s, the LWV has fought to make ERA part of our nation's Constitution. Today during Womens' History Month, we celebrate an important step forward in achieving equality among the sexes.
"The ERA will ensure equal rights for all, regardless of sex, allowing the courts to scrutinize and strike down sex-based discrimination.
"We urge the Senate to follow the House and remove the deadline for the Equal Rights Amendment. There is no deadline on equality."
Deborah Ann Turner on the For the People Act now before the Senate The For the People Act speaks to some important current issues facing our democracy:
-Restoring the Voting Rights Act
-Modernizing our voter registration system
-Restoring voting rights to formerly incarcerated people
-Curbing partisan gerrymandering, and
-Making campaign donations more transparent
She asks that we contact Senators to get this important bill passed.
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Annual Meeting Tuesday, June 1, 2021 at 10:00 to 11:00AM As we did last year, the Annual Meeting wil be held via Zoom The Zoom link will be sent in and Email Blast and a reminder will be sent Monday, May 31st. This year we are excited to have Peg Siciliano, a LWVGTA member speak to us. Peg writes about our regional history and particularly about Women's History. You may have noticed her Record Eagle articles back in June of 2020 when we were celebrating the 100th anniversary of LWV. Reserve the date. Peg's talk will be followed by a brief business meeting; comittee reports, approval of our 2021-2022 budget, election of officers and DUES RENEWAL for fiscal year 2021-2022.
With any luck we will all be injoying an IN PERSON Saturday Morning Annual Meeting Brunch in May of 2022. Keep your fingers crossed!
Save Olesons Receipts
One way we raise money is to collect Olesons receipts. Please send your receipts to: Jan Warren, 12055 S. Woodwinds Circle, #15, Traverse City, MI 49684.
The League of Women Voters of the Grand Traverse Area
www.lwvgta.org
Facebook: Search for LWVGTA or League of Women Voters Grand Traverse Area
Serving Antrim, Benzie, Crawford, Grand Traverse and Kalkaska Counties
President: Unfilled
1st Vice President: Mary Grover 2nd Vice President: Linda Crandall Treasurer: Ingrid Brophy (Liz Messing) Secretary: Ann Swaney Board of Directors:
Mary Beeker, Web Master
Ingrid Brophy
Marcia Koppa, Crawford County
Peg Townsend and Anne Montgomery, Voter Services Co-Chairs
Nancy Nordfjord, Membership
Cheryl Naperala, Programs
Natural Resources, unfilled
If you have content for this newsletter please contact Nancy Nordfjord at: njnordfjord@gmail.com.
LWVGTA Membership renewal for the fiscal year of 2021-2022 (July 1, 2021 - June 30, 2022) begins in May. To pay dues by Paypal or print a membership application go to: https://www.lwvgta.org/join.html.
