Having gotten the pessimism out of my system last week, I’ll start 2022 with an upbeat featured post: “Democracy Returns to Michigan”.
Since the 2011 redistricting, Michigan’s legislature has been so blatantly gerrymandered that the state has arguably not had the “Republican form of government” that Article IV of the Constitution guarantees to every member of the Union. But in 2018 the voters rose up and passed a ballot initiative establishing a non-partisan redistricting commission. In some states, gerrymandered Republican legislatures have managed to circumvent anti-gerrymandering ballot initiatives, but this one seems to have worked. So in November, the voters of Michigan should finally get to decide which party controls their legislature.
That post should be out by 9 EST.
The weekly summary will look at the Omicron surge, the upcoming anniversary of the January 6 coup attempt, the New Year, Betty White, and a few other things, before closing with an ethical dilemma that not even gingerbread people can escape. It should be out before noon.
The Weekly Sift 
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Perhaps we can vote to tear off our football jersey and make all of Detroit into a farm. Breed butterflies, train morning show hosts. Find some good Americans and shove apartheid revenge down their throats. Boycott Jim and Donna out on the peaceful sidewalk lassoing the moon. Draw tape on Dr. Todd Eklof’s mouth. Transform somebody else’s Elm Street into Haiti. Pat ourselves wildly for the gains. Wonder why it never gets any better.