A
s
a
University
of
Michigan
graduate,
former member of the
Michigan
Marching
Band
and a lifelong Wolverine fan,
I am saddened by the retweet
from Michigan running back
Donovan
Edwards’s
account
of a clip containing virulent
antisemitism from Kanye West,
with the caption “Jewish people
will literally tell you that they
want you to kill your own and
humiliate your women simply
because
they
have
children
to feed.” There is no place at
the University for racism and
antisemitism.
I
believe
the
athletic
department
should
set
an
example of Michigan’s high bar
of academic, athletic and ethical
excellence by suspending Mr.
Edwards
for
this
weekend’s
game against Michigan State
University. Edwards and the
team should understand that
there is no place for this behavior
at Michigan. Had a white player
retweeted a racist David Duke
tweet, for example, I believe
that player should and would be
suspended.
The team is more than one
player, and this behavior cannot
be tolerated.
I believe the athletic department should set an
example of Michigan’s high bar of academic,
athletic and ethical excellence by suspending
Mr. Edwards for this weekend’s game against
Michigan State University.
Opinion
Wednesday, November 2, 2022 — 11
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Letter to the Editor:
Suspend Donovan Edwards
Stanford Lipsey Student Publications Building
420 Maynard St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
tothedaily@michigandaily.com
Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890.
PAIGE HODDER
Editor in Chief
JULIAN BARNARD AND
SHUBHUM GIROTI
Editorial Page Editors
Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of The Daily’s Editorial Board.
All other signed articles and illustrations represent solely the views of their authors.
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS
Ammar Ahmad
Julian Barnard
Brandon Cowit
Jess D’Agostino
Ben Davis
Shubhum Giroti
Devon Hesano
Sophia Lehrbaum
Olivia Mouradian
Siddharth Parmar
Rushabh Shah
Nikhil Sharma
Lindsey Spencer
Evan Stern
Anna Trupiano
Jack Tumpowsky
Alex Yee
Quin Zapoli
VANESSA KIEFER
AND KATE WEILAND
Managing Editors
I
t’s the most wonderful
time of the year! It’s
not Christmas, but it is
time for the biennial elections.
On Tuesday, Nov. 8, Michigan
voters will have the opportunity
to vote for a variety of state-
level
politicians,
including
governor, Secretary of State and
attorney general, as well as U.S.
Representatives. Furthermore,
three proposals will be on the
ballot this upcoming Tuesday,
covering several crucial policy
areas.
Michigan voters can register
until 8 p.m. on Nov. 8 and can do
so in person at any township or
city office or at the University
of Michigan Museum of Art.
Gubernatorial Race
Occupying
much
of
the
recent
discourse
around
Michigan politics, the race for
governor is hotly contested.
Democrat Gretchen Whitmer is
up for reelection after spending
the last four years in office. A
near life-long public servant,
Whitmer spent 13 years in the
Michigan
State
Legislature.
During her term as governor,
Whitmer
helped
create
thousands of jobs, increased
funding for education and led
the state through the pandemic.
She is opposed by Trump-
endorsed
Republican
Tudor
Dixon, who is new to politics
and has spent her professional
life working for her father’s
steel foundry, as an actress
and,
most
recently,
as
a
conservative TV commentator.
Key
elements
of
Dixon’s
campaign include increasing
parental involvement in public
schooling, opposing COVID-19
lockdowns and cutting down on
corporate regulation.
The
candidates’
divergent
views
and
experiences
are
nowhere more apparent than on
the issue of reproductive rights,
which are at the forefront of
many voters’ minds in the
aftermath of the overturning of
Roe v. Wade.
Tudor
Dixon
opposes
exceptions for rape and incest,
but
supports
exceptions
to
protect
the
health
of
the
mother. Despite her staunchly
pro-life stance, Dixon stated
in a recent debate she would
accept the results of Proposal
3,
which
would
codify
reproductive
rights
in
the
state if passed. Even with this
cession, Dixon has expressed
her disapproval of the proposal,
although she has stated that
she does not believe abortion
should be an issue for the
gubernatorial race. While the
proposal on the ballot should
be the determining factor on
the matter, this Editorial Board
has concerns that even if it
passes, Dixon may implement
roadblocks to abortion access
or fail to respect the outcome
entirely, a concern enhanced
by her refusal to accept the
results of the 2020 presidential
election.
On the contrary, Whitmer
is in full support of Proposal
3 and intends to uphold the
rights guaranteed under Roe
v. Wade. She has evidenced
this
commitment
not
only
through her urgency to protect
reproductive rights before the
overturning of Roe v. Wade,
but also through her continued
advocacy for these rights since
the Supreme Court’s decision
to overturn. In the fallout of
the June 24 Dobbs v. Jackson
Women’s Health Organization
decision, she sued to block
the enforcement of a strictly
anti-abortion 1931 law that is
still on Michigan’s books and
has worked to share accurate
information on abortion. If
re-elected, she would seek to
ensure that individuals have,
and
subsequently
maintain,
access to abortion care and
other reproductive rights.
In addition to her advocacy
for reproductive rights, another
important issue Whitmer has
been vocal about is gun control.
In late July, Whitmer signed an
executive directive aimed at
reducing the amount of illegal
guns and increasing compliance
checks to identify those who
cannot legally own a gun due
to past criminal history. She
has also expressed her support
for background checks, secure
storage and red flag laws.
There
is
also
room
for
improvement
on
Whitmer’s
promise
to
“fix
the
damn
roads.” Despite being a major
aspect
of
Whitmer’s
2018
campaign, this goal has not
been
comprehensively
met:
There has been only a 4%
increase in the amount of roads
rated “in good condition” since
Whitmer took office in 2019.
Should Whitmer be reelected
next week, she should be held
accountable for the promises
she so ardently made to voters.
Even
with
these
shortcomings,
Gretchen
Whitmer is the better candidate
to lead the state of Michigan
for the coming four years. Her
track record has shown that
she is a capable politician,
in touch with Michiganders
and aware of the issues most
significant to Michigan. The
other major-party candidate,
Tudor Dixon, lacks experience
and holds what many would
consider extreme views. With
consideration
of
all
these
factors, this Editorial Board
endorses Gretchen Whitmer for
Governor of Michigan.
Secretary of State Race
The
race
for
Michigan’s
Secretary of State is between
Democrat Jocelyn Benson and
Republican Kristina Karamo.
Benson, the incumbent, has
had
an
extensive
impact
on improving access to the
Secretary of State’s functions
with her emphasis on making
more functions of the SOS
available online. While in 2018,
only 28% of all Secretary of
State-involved
transactions,
like
renewing
a
drivers
license, could be done online,
today 60% can be completed
without having to step foot in
a SOS office. This increased
utilization of digital operations
has resulted in an average office
visit time of just 20 minutes
— a shocking figure when
considering
the
notoriously
long
wait
times
previous
generations have endured.
As the Secretary of State
is responsible for overseeing
elections
and
ensuring
a
fair and democratic process,
Karamo’s spreading of election
misinformation
should
be
considered.
Karamo
openly
discussed
her
opposition
to the outcome of the 2020
presidential
election,
a
position insufficiently backed
by disproved claims of voter
fraud. In contrast to Benson’s
established
success
in
this
position, Karamo’s continued
reliance on scare tactics and
conspiracy theories make her
a less suitable choice for the
position of Secretary of State
and as such, the Editorial Board
is endorsing Jocelyn Benson for
Secretary of State.
Attorney General Race
Incumbent Democrat Dana
Nessel
is
running
against
Republican Matthew DePerno
for Michigan Attorney General.
The
position
of
attorney
general
holds
significant
influence, including the power
to
appoint
state
attorneys
and
the
responsibility
of
investigating questions relating
to elections and the removal
of public officials — making
the race extremely important
in determining the future of
Michigan’s justice system.
A topic of contention in the
race is the investigation of
DePerno for plotting to steal
and
tamper
with
election
machines. As this investigation
falls under the oversight of the
attorney general’s office, Nessel
appointed a special prosecutor
to investigate DePerno in an
attempt to avoid any conflict
of interest. This showed her
ability to be impartial and
apolitical when necessary; an
important
characteristic
for
an attorney general. DePerno’s
evident unpredictability makes
Dana
Nessel
this
Editorial
Board’s preferred candidate.
District 6 House Race
The leading candidates in the
U.S. House of Representatives
race in Michigan’s 6th district,
which includes Ann Arbor,
are
incumbent
Democrat
Debbie Dingell and Republican
Whitney
Williams.
While
Williams would be new to
politics if elected, the Dingell
family has a long-held political
dynasty: Debbie was elected to
her husband’s seat after almost
60 years of his service, and
almost 22 years by his father
before that.
Dingell vies for progressive
policies
related
to
health
care
and
the
environment.
A
proponent
of
expanding
health care coverage, Dingell
is working to restore previous
protections
under
the
Affordable Care Act. She has
also worked on several pieces
of legislation to increase fuel
efficiency and protect the Great
Lakes. In addition to these
policies, Dingell advocates for
progress within the automotive
industry
with
a
focus
on
uplifting new companies in
Michigan.
Even
though
Williams’s
website has an aesthetic flare
that Dingell’s might not be
able to compete with, it lacks
substance
relating
to
her
stances
on
political
issues.
While
there
are
not
any
glaring controversies related to
Williams’s platform, its lack of
specificity speaks for itself.
Considering the role Dingell
plays on a national level, if she
loses her incumbent seat, the
House of Representatives will
become one seat closer to having
Republican Kevin McCarthy as
the Speaker of the House. This
will be dangerous not only to
progressive initiatives but also
the
trajectory
of
American
politics as a whole, as he would
likely be influenced by some of
the more extreme members of
the Republican Party. Dingell’s
seat is an important one that
she should retain because of her
involved role in the community
and how she has wielded her
role to help the constituents
of the district. As such, this
Editorial
Board
endorses
Debbie Dingell for Michigan’s
6th district.
State Senator Race
Other
contentious
races
on the ballot in and around
Ann Arbor are those for state
senators, in which Democrat Sue
Shink is up against Republican
Tim Golding in District 14, and
Incumbent Democrat Jeff Irwin
is up against Republican Scott
Price in District 15. District 15
will be the less controversial of
the two races, as Irwin is in a
generally safe seat. The District
14 race, however, is a highly
competitive one, as it extends
beyond Ann Arbor into rural
parts of the state.
Policy-wise,
Shink’s
goals
for climate policy, pollution
accountability
and
mental
health
support
are
more
productive
and
rigorously
outlined than Golding’s focus
on family values and Second
Amendment
rights.
Shink’s
actionable policy goals lead
this Editorial Board to endorse
Sue
Shink
as
District
14’s
Senator. Given the fact that a
Democratic
majority
within
the
Michigan
Legislature
would
make
policymaking
more efficient under a Whitmer
administration, we endorse Jeff
Irwin as District 15’s Senator.
Proposals 1, 2 and 3
On
the
ballot
alongside
these elections are three ballot
initiatives, labeled “proposals.”
Equally, if not more important
than the aforementioned races,
these proposals concern the
integrity of our state politics,
the protection of democratic
access and the safeguarding
of reproductive rights for all
Michiganders. It is key to
take a similar degree of care
in considering one’s choice
on these initiatives, as their
outcomes
have
the
ability
to determine the future of
Michigan’s politics and the
everyday life of its citizens.
Proposal 1 concerns term
limits
for
state
legislators
and
the
requirement
that
they publicly disclose their
personal financial assets and
income sources. The initiative
proposes the term limit for
state officials be lowered from
14 to 12 years. Currently, state
officials in Michigan are able
to serve six years in the House
and eight years in the Senate,
but if this proposal were to
be approved, they would be
only be able to serve their
tenure in one chamber of the
Legislature. This would allow
representatives to gain more
experience in one chamber
while also limiting the amount
of time they spend in office.
The
second
section
of
Proposal
1
concerns
the
financial
transparency
of
state
officials.
Michigan
is
just one of two states — Idaho
being the other — that does
not require elected officials
to
disclose
their
financial
information. This aspect of
the proposition is a common
sense addition to the Michigan
Constitution: politicians should
be
transparent
about
their
earnings, as their constituents
deserve the right to see who is
funding their causes.
The approval of Proposal
1 is essential in protecting
the ethics of Michigan’s state
politics. Placing additional term
limits on officials and requiring
that they be more open about
their earnings creates a more
democratic and honest system
for Michigan citizens, leading
this Editorial Board to endorse
a “Yes” vote on Proposal 1.
The next initiative on the
ballot is Proposal 2, which, if
approved, would expand voting
rights in Michigan, lengthen the
period to vote by absentee ballot
and allow for multiple forms
of voter identification. The
“Promote the Vote” initiative,
as it is being called, would
promote both election security
and
accessibility,
variables
that have become increasingly
important since the previous
election cycle. In approving
nine
days
of
early
voting,
Proposal 2 would allow for a
transition to more equitable
and flexible elections, wherein
all eligible Michigan voters
have the chance to participate
in the election process. Voting
“Yes” for this ballot initiative is
a vote to enhance the integrity
of state elections and grant
more democratic voting access.
As such, our Editorial Board
endorses a “Yes” vote on this
proposal.
Proposal
3
is
arguably
the
most
notable
of
the
aforementioned
ballot
initiatives. Also known as the
“Reproductive
Freedom
for
All” initiative, this proposition
would establish the individual
right for reproductive care for
all
Michiganders,
including
the right to make decisions
about childbirth, contraception
and abortion. It would also
invalidate an abortion ban from
1931 which assigns criminal
penalties for those who obtain
or
administer
abortions
in
Michigan.
This initiative is the subject
of current debate, with an
extremely
widespread
“No”
campaign
that
claims
the
proposition
is
“confusing”
and
“extreme.”
But
what
this
Editorial
Board
finds
even more “extreme” is the
alternative to the approval of
this initiative: a “No” vote on
the proposition leaves those
who depend on reproductive
health care in Michigan in a
dangerous situation, one where
the draconian 1931 ban could
be enforced. It is essential
that we approve this ballot
initiative in order to validate
reproductive rights and protect
the future of abortion in the
state of Michigan. As such, the
Editorial Board recommends a
“Yes” vote on Proposal 3.
Our vote has power, and it
is essential that we recognize
that fact. The future of the
state of Michigan rests on the
outcome of your vote, from your
governor to your reproductive
rights. You have the power to
protect the lives, bodies and
interests of Michiganders this
year, and it is exceedingly
important that you utilize your
fundamental democratic right.
Vote this year — in-person,
early or on Election Day — and
lead the change that you want
to see in the state of Michigan.
From the Daily, Endorsements for the 2022 Michigan midterms
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
EDITORIAL BOARD
ROD LOEWENTHAL
LILA TURNER/Daily