The Munising Beacon asked two of Alger County’s political action groups, Alger County Action and Stand Up Alger, to discuss why or why not local voters should or should not support the three statewide proposals on the ballot. One group is conservative leaning and one group is liberal leaning to ensure equal representation. The opinions and information below was created by Alger county citizens to help discuss the pros and cons of each state proposition and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Munising Beacon.

Why yes?

BY ALGER COUNTY ACTION

Don’t expect quotes of chapter and verse here—there are many sources that can give you the details of each ballot proposition. Let’s go straight to the reasons to vote YES on each of them.

Prop 1: Prop 1 is a bit insincere. It claims to toughen the term limits already in place when it actually expands the term of any given legislator. Instead of three terms for a Representative and two for a Senator (six years and eight years respectively), it allows for twelve aggregate years for any elected legislator. There’s logic here, if a legislature is made up of perpetual newbies, the whole place is controlled by lobbyists (who can stay as long as they like). Twelve years allows for some institutional memory. But the real reason to vote YES is that financial disclosure rules for all legislators are greatly tightened. We voters will be able to get a better look at who is paying the tab.

Prop 2: Voting YES for Prop 2 is a no-brainer. Who doesn’t want to make it easier for more people to vote? OK, that’s obvious. But, seriously: this is a winning idea for the area in which we live and the neighbors we have. Snowbirds can continue to mail their ballots. Nine days of early voting makes it easier for working folks to get to the polls on their own schedules, not to mention making it possible to avoid the nasty weather often forecast around the first week of November. Making it easier to prove identity will eliminate long trips to distant places to get required IDs. And drop boxes make it easier for everyone. Finally, it returns the conduct and final count of elections to the local election officials. So, unless you are sure that everyone else everywhere but here is cheating, Prop 2 is good news for Alger County.

Prop 3: Prop 3 is not confusing, nor is it extreme. It is simple. If Freedom means the right to bear a rifle, if Freedom means the right to reject government mandates, if Freedom means the right to speak your mind, then it is clear that Freedom, first and foremost, means the right to control your own body. Don’t talk of Freedom then tell half the population they must relinquish control of their bodies to the state or the church. Period. All the rest of the arguments against Prop 3 (and the money being spent on them) are smokescreens, trying to make it harder than it is. If Prop 3 fails, Freedom will become a meaningless term. YES for Bodily Autonomy. YES on Prop 3.

Why no?

BY STAND UP ALGER

If they passed, they would be embedded in our MI State constitution! Please know that these proposals are written very deceptively. Words are important and without a definitive description of what those words mean, deception is very easy.

Prop 1: Would actually double how long Representatives can serve. Reduces maximum length a lawmaker can serve from 14 years to 12 years, but would allow them to serve the full 12 years in one chamber! Since the Senate only has 38 seats and the House 110, currently most House Reps never make it to the Senate. Therefore, it actually doubles a State Rep’s ability to serve from 6 years to 12 years and Senator’s from 8 years to 12 years.

Prop 2: Would make Michigan highly vulnerable to voter fraud…we can not survive as a republic if our voting is not secure.

Would allow voters to cast ballots without voter I.D.; Changes our Constitution to merely require voter applicants to sign an affidavit, and this affidavit cannot be traced back to the applicant’s ballot. Think about what this means for election integrity. Over 72% of Michiganders support a photo I.D. to vote, according to a poll conducted by Strategic National.

Would allow non-government third-party funding of our elections. Outside special interest groups can pay for our elections.

Absentee ballots (not ballot applications) would automatically be mass mailed in perpetuity to voters who may or may not be interested in voting in the upcoming election, have changed their residence, moved or even died.

Prop 3: Allows abortion up to birth, including partial-birth abortion and the termination of babies that survive abortion.

Allows minor children to obtain abortions, sterilization, puberty blockers and sex change surgery without parental knowledge or consent.

It would eliminate screenings of women coerced into abortion. Removes health and safety requirements of abortion facilities.

Would void the law that currently bans taxpayer funded abortion.