Progressives call to end Lame Duck legislative sessions

Is it time to end Lame Duck action in Michigan?

Sam Inglot, Progress Michigan’s relentless deputy communications director, has a provocative op-ed in the Lansing State Journal this week slamming Republicans for “gut[ting] popular policies that help working families” in this late-year session.

The GOP-controlled Legislature has taken up a number of bills giving progressives heart palpitations, including cutting minimum wage and paid sick leave proposals; tinkering with the anti-gerrymandering Proposal 2 just passed by voters; keeping the Enbridge oil pipeline running up north; taking aim at public sector unions; and yanking powers away from Gov.-Elect Gretchen Whitmer, Attorney General-Elect Dana Nessel and Secretary-Elect Jocelyn Benson, who are all Democrats.

Inglot argues enough is enough and it’s time to ax Lame Duck sessions altogether:

“Lame duck is a dangerous time because for many of the legislators leaving office, they have no future in public office. They will never be held to account for their actions during lame duck. … It’s a broken process that needs to be fixed because whether it’s Democrats or Republicans who are leading the charge during the session, it’s filled with unaccountable, last minute decisions. That’s not how our democracy should work.” 

There’s also been plenty of social media chatter from progressives about gathering signatures to put a constitutional amendment on the 2020 ballot ending Lame Duck.