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| MCA to State Leaders: "It's Time for Real Cable Choice!" |
For years, Michigan residents have had limited options when it comes to choosing their cable TV provider. In municipalities throughout the state, virtual monopolies are granted by "local franchise agreements," effectively choking off real competition. This, in turn, drives up prices for consumers and does nothing to encourage quality customer service.
 We at MCA believe that Michigan residents deserve better. That's why we strongly support efforts to bring new choices to consumers as quickly as possible - including an exciting technology called "IPTV."
Once deployed, IPTV will enable people to receive cable-like television programming over their phone lines from a company other than their cable provider.
Of course, cable companies are loath to surrender their highly profitable monopolies and so are fighting in Lansing and across the state to slow the deployment of this new technology in Michigan.
We believe it's time for lawmakers to put consumers first and establish a fair, efficient franchise system so that cable monopolies become a thing of the past.
That's why we are urging lawmakers to act now.
Prices for cable television consumers have skyrocketed over the last twelve years - rising an average of 86% - even as service continues to decline.
But studies show that when consumers can choose between competitive video providers, prices drop - sometimes by as much as 40 percent.
It's time for the cable companies to get out of the way of competition - and give consumers the power to choose. |
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| About Michigan Citizen Action |
| Our core purpose is to educate, encourage, and support the citizens of Michigan in the pursuit of a more prosperous life, including promotion of consumers' and workers' rights and formation of public policy as it relates to the local, state, and national levels.
We aim to encourage increased participation in local, state, and federal government - and to work to assure safer and healthier neighborhoods and workplaces.
Most recently, Michigan Citizen Action has been at the forefront in the fight for the repeal of Michigan's drug industry immunity law, a statute that leaves our state's residents uniquely unprotected against consumer fraud when it is perpetrated by pharmaceutical companies.
We are also working to support real alternatives to the cable monopoly system in Michigan (see pg. 3), so that consumers are provided real choices, lower prices, and better services.
At the federal level, we have been standing up against destructive cuts to vital social programs such as the federal student loan program and Head Start, and calling for an end to tax policies that worsen income disparities
Other issues we have worked on include:
- Fighting Social Security privatization
- Preserving and protecting Medicare
- Consumer education
- Automobile insurance rates
- Utility rates
- Health insurance
In all this work, you, our members, are the driving force. Thank you for taking action with Michigan Citizen Action! |
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| Standing Up for Michigan Residents in the Federal Budget Battles |
 A bull's-eye has been placed on Michigan's poor working and middle class families. The President along with his supporters in Congress have advanced a budget proposal that will eliminate over $10.3 billion dollars in domestic discretionary program funding for FY 2007 - including cuts to education, health care, and veteran benefits. The overall goal of the plan is to slash over $167 billion from these programs over the next 5 years. The plan also calls for a $228 billion dollar for the wealthy over the next several years.
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 Over the past several months, MCA has participated in press conferences, meetings, and rallies along with other groups and organization across the state to educate Michigan residents about the impending crisis. Our goal is to persuade the Michigan Congressional Delegation to vote against any legislation that will jeopardize the most vulnerable of our residents- the young, elderly and disabled.
We are asking every person who receives a MCA Newsletter to contact their Congressional Representative and demand for them to support a budget that supports children and seniors instead of giving tax breaks to the rich.
To find your congressional representative go to www.congress.org.
You are also encouraged to write a letter to the editor to your local newspapers to express your concern over the budget (see "Action Tips" feature in this newsletter!) Please let Michigan Citizen Action know when you are sending a letter, so that we may provide you with assistance.
Seniors in the Bull's-eye
- In his FY 2007 budget, the President is proposing to slash Medicare -the safety net our parents and grandparents depend on. It also inflicts further cuts to Medicaid. Additionally more than65,000 low-income Michigan seniors would lose food assistance under the Bush budget.
- The Bush budget also revives then Administration's attack on Social Security - cutting benefits to widows, orphans and children and pushing privatization.
Michigan Workers in the Bull's-eye
- The President's budget proposal slashes vocational and adult education by $247 million. Over 234,100 jobs and 179,500 manufacturing jobs have been lost in Michigan, with 344,066 looking for work.
- As oil prices drive the cost of home heating prices sky high, home heating assistance for low-income families in Michigan would be cut by more than $104 million.
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