The leader of a national political group aimed at America’s working class said that Michigan Democrats missed their opportunity to enact sweeping policy that would have benefited the state’s most vulnerable residents.
“Michigan is a labor state, but you wouldn’t necessarily know that by the outcomes coming out of the Legislature,” said Maurice Mitchell, the national director of the Working Families Party.
Mitchell came to Detroit last week at an endorsement event at the Mothering Justice office near Eastern Market.
“Democrats are calling out Trump, and they should, but when they have trifecta power it’s not enough to simply call out Trump,” Mitchell said. “They actually need to deliver for working people. Democrats here had a trifecta and unfortunately they squandered that trifecta. That was a time for them to use all of that power to demonstrate what it looks like when we have power and the people have power.”
Mitchell said voters see Republicans enact their will when in power.
“At least the right wing knows what to do with power, which is why we have to build alternatives, so the next time we have governing power, we actually wield it,” Mitchell said. “People are fed up with the status quo, they understand that the right wing is fascist, but they also believe too many Democrats are status quo as well.”
Mitchell said the goal of the Michigan Working Families Party is to transform local politics to better serve working people, while the national group aims to builds a new force in American politics.
Deploying door knockers and political education literature, the group has helped elect Georgia Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock, New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and boosted several Detroit lawmakers such as council members Gabriela Santiago-Romero, Latisha Johnson and Denzel McCampbell.
While in control of the executive and legislative branches of government from 2022-2024, Michigan Democrats passed some wish list items like gun control, a repeal of right to work, increases to the earned income tax credit, protections for LGBTQ+ residents under the state’s civil rights law, free breakfast and lunch to all 1.4 million public school students and expanded access to community college.
However, infighting among Democratic state representatives resulted in a disappointing end to the two years of complete Democratic control in Lansing.
House Republicans stalled efforts when they walked out in protest of then-House Speaker Rep. Joe Tate’s refusal to put certain legislation up for a vote. Democrats couldn’t get a quorum before or after Tate forced members to return. He adjourned the House without seeing votes on several items already passed by the Democratic controlled Senate.
More gun safety provisions, police accountability, water affordability, government transparency, juvenile justice, driver’s licenses for undocumented residents and several other efforts championed by advocates were left to die before seeing votes on the House.
While some Democrats blamed Tate’s leadership, others pointed fingers at Democrats like Rep. Karen Whitsett, D-Detroit, who joined Republicans in protesting the House. Insiders point to the loss of two members to their successful mayoral elections, which left the House deadlocked 54-54 for a brief period before special elections saw Democrats retake their majority, 56-54.
Branden Snyder, the state director for the Michigan Working Families Party, said the endorsement event Friday was a big day for the Michigan group, adding that it was their first ever press conference.
The progressive group on Friday endorsed U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib; state Rep. Donavan McKinney, D-Detroit, in his primary challenge of U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar; and Mid-Michigan’s William Lawrence, who is running in the Democratic primary for the state’s 7th Congressional District, currently represented by incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Barrett.
“I know that Donavan will go to Washington D.C. and understand what policies we need to fight for, will understand not to sell us out, who understands it’s actually about returning people’s calls when they have constituent service issues,” McCampbell said. “As a city council person, right now we’re going through the budget process. Our budget is getting smaller as we’re seeing a smaller impact from the federal government. To have folks there that will fight for our local communities is key, and that’s who Donavan is.”
Tlaib on Friday said suggested reason Democrats in Congress aren’t looking for bold ideas to benefit poor and low-income residents is because the majority of her Congressional colleagues are millionaires.
“They are an income class that is really disconnected with the pain and the suffering that many of my residents are going through here in Michigan,” Tlaib said. “Even though many people come from their district in a way of really wanting to change the world, I think when they get there, they’re at a point where something halts them and stops them — it’s like paralyzation. It’s not even about selling out, it’s becoming so numb that you don’t act.”
