NMU Alumnus Takes Lead on Protecting Same Sex Marriage, More Candidates Join 2026 Governor Race, Interest in College is Sinking, & the American Gerontocracy
– INFORMED BREVITY –
(Next) Week on Rural Insights
A week from today we will be publishing Michael Broadways’s latest piece, “Births, Deaths and Migrants: The U.P.’s Changing Population 2020-2024.” This article examines newly available data from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services on births and deaths, along with IRS Migration data to provide an update on population changes in the UP between 2020 and 2023/4.
NMU Alumnus Takes Lead on Protecting Same Sex Marriage
Jason Morgan is an NMU alumnus and former NMU student government leader. He is now a State Representative from lower Michigan. Jason represents Ann Arbor and is a member of the Democratic caucus.
Earlier this month he introduced House Resolution F to remove the prohibition of same sex marriages in the Michigan Constitution. The Michigan Constitution only recognizes marriages between one woman and one man.
The United States Supreme Court has previously ruled in Obergefell v. Hodges that the Michigan ban was unconstitutional. However, the ban language remained in the constitution and Representative Morgan’s Resolution would remove the language from the constitution.
Talk to your State Representative and State Senator if you are interested in House Resolution F.
More Candidates Announce Intent to Join Race for Governor in 2026
Governor Whitmer is term limited and cannot seek reelection at the end of her current term. Her Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist recently announced his intent to run to succeed her. Two other democrats, the incumbent Secretary of State and the Genesee Sheriff have said they will join the race for Governor. SOS Benson has already formed a campaign committee.
Republican Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt and Genesee County truck driver Anthony Hudson said they would seek the office. Also on the Republican side Congressman John James is being encouraged to run, as well as Tudor Dixon who ran against Governor Whitmer.
Former Democrat and Mayor of Detroit Mike Duggan has announced he will run as an Independent and not as a Democrat.
More Republicans and Democrats are expected to join this race in coming months.
Lansing pundits are watching folks who might fill the Lt. Governor slot in 2026 with one of the candidates for Governor. The Upper Peninsula’s State Senator Ed McBroom (R) is one name that is bounced around. State Representative Jason Morgan we mentioned above is also a possible strong candidate for Lt. Governor. Let us know what you think about all this. We know it is only March of 2025, but time flies when you are having fun.
Michigan High School Interest in College is Sinking
In a recent report by Bridge Michigan they found that only 53.4% of the 2024 high school graduates enrolled in college. They report that number is down from 62.2% in 2019.
The report also says that Michigan invested over $100 million in student scholarships. That number was not enough to get the enrollment number increased.
NMU Men’s and Women’s Basketball Teams Have Great Season
They both secured a position in an NCAA Tournament. Great work and we owe a huge thank you and congratulations to each and every member of the teams and their coaches. Proud of my alma mater.
The American Gerontocracy
In a recent Whispers we mentioned the aging of our US House and Senate. Nationally, pundits have been writing about the age of our last two US Presidents with some regularity.
The response we had was overwhelmingly positive about some type of age limits for these offices. While not a scientific poll it was an indication how folks in the Upper Peninsula feel about this issue.
So this time let’s try to do this a little more scientifically.
Quotes That Make Us Go Hmmm
“Geography made us neighbors. History has made us friends. Economics has made us partners. And necessity has made us allies. Those whom nature hath so joined together, let no man put asunder.” President John F. Kennedy.
“Weak people take revenge, strong people forgive, intelligent people ignore.” Albert Einstein.
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We don’t need a rule regulating the age of legislators or presidents. It should be managed through the ballet box. If the voting public want younger people, they can vote for younger candidates.
There’s a minimum age requirement in the Constitution just as there should be a maximum age limit in the Constitution for elected officials and judges. Judges should not be ruling on the ability of agency’s to provide expertise in an area in which judges or legislators have no experience or interest. Legislation needs to reflect and guardrail the behavior of the citizens most impacted by those laws. Geriatric representatives foment dissent in the general populations precisely because they are out of touch with technology, culture, religious beliefs, medicine….just as pilots are forced to retire from commercial service at 65, so should elected officials and judges be forced to retire.
Air traffic controllers have a mandatory retirement age of 56, due to the onset of cognitive decline at that age. If it isn’t safe for people above that age to work air traffic control, why does it sound like a good idea to let them run our country?
In Michigan state judges have to retire at the age of 70. Yes, we need both term limits and mandatory retirement ages. The ballot box argument is not effective due to gerrymandering, most congressional districts being uncompetitive and the primary system keeping them that way, and of course the influence of unrestricted money in politics. Congress should be 4 terms max for Reps, concurrent or not, and 2 terms for Senators under same time parameters. Age max 70 or 75….or lets say the age at which you have to take money out of your retirement accounts (its either 72 or 73 right now).
marriage is a contract between a man and a woman … others can call it whatever they want .. they only want to call it marriage to slap believers in the face .. it’s the everything’s ok mindset .. everything is not ok … the sooner democrats are out of office the better … we have had enough of this nonsense
Eugene a contract can be between any folks. A slap in the face, no just equality between folks. Is everything okay right now heck no. Eugene the Dems are out already nationally. Nonsense when you lose your SSW perhaps you will wake up?