FEBRUARY 2005

ONE-on-ONE
Michigan Democratic Party’s Mark Brewer
Mark Brewer, chair for the Michigan Democratic
Party (MPD), talked to The Chaldean News about
what is going on in the State of Michigan as it
impacts the Chaldean community and the Democratic
Party.
Chaldean News (CN): Can you tell us briefly about
some of the initiatives from the Michigan Democratic
Party?
Mark Brewer (MB): Michigan Democratic Party
policy initiatives include:
• Election Reform, including no-restriction absentee
voting, same-day voter registration and early voting.
• Economic development for small business.
• Increase in the minimum wage.
• Ensuring that all Michiganders have affordable
health care.
• Quality public education.
• Fighting against President Bush’s plan to privatize
Social Security.
CN: Michigan always seems to be near the bottom
of the list in the country when it comes to receiving
federal dollars. Why? And what can you do to help
change that?
MB: Senators Levin and Stabenow and our
Democratic Congressional delegation are tirelessly
working to make sure Michigan receives every federal
dollar that it deserves.
CN: The Iraqi election is an historical time. What
has the Democratic Party done to assist the President
with the election process to ensure a true democracy,
considering many Iraqi-Americans were eligible to
vote?
MB: As a political party, we have always supported
the aspirations of people everywhere seeking a
free and democratic society. We fully support the Iraqi
people, their elections and their freedom. We encouraged
all eligible Iraqi Americans to register and vote
in the Iraqi elections.
CN: Jobs were one of the issues at the forefront of
this past presidential election. What has the State of
Michigan and the Democratic Party done to attract
jobs? Have we done everything possible to bring jobs
to the state?
MB: The Granholm Administration is working to
kick start the state’s economy. The Governor invested
$25 million in the Technology Tri Corridor to ignite
investment in life sciences and high-tech job-creating
capabilities and charged the Commission on Higher
Education with development of strategies to double
the number of college graduates to create a highly
educated and well-trained workforce.
Governor Granholm’s goal is to make Michigan a
global economic powerhouse in the 21st century. In
2004, more than 54,000 jobs were created or
retained as a result of targeted assistance provided
by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.
Overall during 2004, the Governor announced the
creation or retention of some 130,000 jobs by all state
agencies.
CN: What is the Democratic Party doing to get
involved in the rebuilding efforts of Iraq, if anything?
MB: As a political party, we are not directly
involved in the rebuilding process, but we believe in
and advocate a vigorous effort to rebuild Iraq.
CN: How can Chaldeans Americans become
more involved in doing business with various levels of
government? What type of outreach has the
Michigan Democratic Party done with the Chaldean
community?
MB: I encourage all Chaldean Americans in
Michigan to get involved with the Michigan
Democratic Party as voters, members and candidates.
The MDP has a Chaldean Democratic Club
and Chaldean Americans can also get involved with
their congressional district and county parties, which
would give them the opportunity to meet and work
with Democratic leaders in national, state and local
With WWW.ATMWHOLESALER.COM
34 CHALDEAN NEWS FEBRUARY 2005