An Introduction to the First

cross posted at Right Michigan

Michigan's 1st Congressional District covers a huge land area totaling nearly 25,000 square miles. It is the second largest congressional district east of the Mississippi River and has more coastline than any other outside of Alaska. In fact, its size alone is larger than the combined land areas of Rhode Island, Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey and Massachusetts. (That is ten US Senators if you are counting.)


If a person was to jump in his vehicle (assuming he could actually afford the gas and the bridge toll) to travel from Pinconning, one of the district's most southern cities, to Ironwood, one of its most western, the trip would be 471 miles in length and take eight and one half hours to complete, assuming, of course, that my Dad wasn't driving in which case the drive might take up to six days. That Pinconning to Ironwood trip would be about ten minutes shorter than one completed by another driver, equally rich, and leaving Pinconning for a land called Tennessee.

Forty four percent of Michigan's land mass is contained within the 1st. (If we include coastal waters the percentage is larger.) Have I mentioned that it is a big district?

In a state where much is shrinking including the population, employment and incomes, the same cannot be said of the 1st, at least geographically. Redistricting (and renumbering) in 1993 and 2002 have added to the mass of the 1st, while chipping away at what little political clout it ever had. If current trends continue, the 1st might very well swallow the rest of Michigan while M*A*S*H is still in syndication.

Since 1993, Michigan's 1st has been represented in Washington by Bart Stupak of Menominee. Stupak is a native of the UP and, without a doubt, a Yooper at heart. He would be considered, by today's standards at least, a conservative Democrat, though his American Conservative Union places his lifetime voting record at a thin 22 percent. That being said, he is an outspoken critic of abortion and a stalwart advocate of 2nd amendment rights--he has proven that he will not strictly tote his party's line (unlike a couple of US senators that I know.)

While there are many nice things that can be said about Bart Stupak, there are many issues on which he can be taken to task. There is, after all, the remaining 78 percent that someone has to answer for.

Over the next few weeks and months I will be delving into many of the issues that most affect the average Joe living in northern Michigan. These topics will often times relate directly to Bart Stupak's political leadership and voting record, but will not strictly adhere to a "lets bash Bart" format.

We do have other candidates involved in the upcoming election, many far reaching issues to look into, and since I am the average Joe that I referred to, I might even talk about that stupid black bear that keeps dumping over my burn barrel and getting into the bird feeders. While the first two topics might be more important to both of my regular readers, it is the latter one that confirms my desire to "keep and bear," if you know what I mean.

Nick at Right Michigan, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to dreadfully blather to a wider audience of readers that, up until now at least, has been fortunate enough to entirely avoid the Rougblog.

Now, if you will excuse me, I have a bear to go clean up after.