Why won't Granholm commute Kevorkian's sentence.

[David Briggs]

The guy is still in prison. Governor Jen should grow a pair and spring him.

This clipping is from A YEAR AGO!

http://www.detnews.com/2004/metro/0411/08/metro-328557.htm

[obxhead]

1. Welcome to DU

:hi:

He shoulda skipped bail. The U$ was not ready for his kind.

[akarnitz]

2. Here's my theory

Election politics. There are still quite a few of what were once glossed as "Reagan Democrats", UAW folks in places like Macomb County, who, while on board with the Democratic pro-labor platform, are very anti-choice. Those voters tend to be older church goers who get out and vote. When Jenny G. can't(or won't) run again, she'll let Kervorkian go. No votes to get means no votes to lose.

I live in Grand Rapids. There are quite a few blue islands in a sea of red. Most of the State Reps. and Sens. from Kent, Ottawa, Ionia and Allegan Counties are Republicans. Both US Reps(Ehlers and Hoekstra) are Republicans. The west side of GR is made up of "Reagan Dems". They're older, retired working class folks. They are VERY Catholic. They toe the Party line and vote in Democrats to the State House and Senate, but with a caveat: the Democrat MUST be anti-choice. These same voters usually vote Republican in Federal elections based on the choice issue(and its sibling, right to die issue). Jenny's got to get the fence sitters on her side. She'll avoid speaking on these issues in West Michigan.

Jenny's facing a tough race this next year against Dick DeVos(and all that ill gotten AMWAY/pyramid scheme money). She's gotta hold the cards close to the vest.

[akarnitz]

3. Oh, yeah, welcome!

:hi:
You a Michigander, David?

[calimary]

4. Welcome to DU! Good question.

Why he was ever thrown in prison is beyond me.

[akarnitz]

5. After the first few

suicides, if I recall correctly, the MI legislature re-wrote what had been a fuzzy law. Kervorkian decided to challenge the newly clarified law and lost.

[tsuki]

6. Because he will continue to do what got him thrown in jail. eom

[michreject]

7. Not a chance

It would be political suicide.

[Totally Committed]

8. There are a lot of things Pols SHOULD do, but don't because...

of political expediency and their own political viability. She wants to get re-elected. She's probably had polling done that says she won't be if she commutes his sentence. That's how it goes these days.

TC

[JNelson6563]

9. Yeah, she should fuck it up for that guy

I marvel at how many clueless souls post here.

Julie

[Lefty48197]

10. Because it would be a stupid move politically.

.