Georgia’s new voting law is facing pushback and rightfully so. Today Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred announced the 2021 All Star game and the MLB draft will no longer take place in Atlanta as a result of the passing of the new voting law. In a statement, Mr. Manfred said that after conversations with teams, players, former stars and players union officials he had concluded that “the best way to demonstrate our values as a sport is by relocating this year’s All-Star Game and MLB Draft.”
Yesterday the CEO of Delta Airlines, Ed Bastian, issued a statement calling the new law “unacceptable” and noting that “the entire rationale for this bill was based on a lie: that there was widespread voter fraud in Georgia in the 2020 elections. This is simply not true. Unfortunately, that excuse is being used in states across the nation that are attempting to pass similar legislation to restrict voting rights.” In response to this statement, Georgia House, Republicans voted to get rid of a tax break on jet fuel that benefits Delta. The leader of the the Republican Party in the House, David Ralson said, “You don’t feed a dog that bites your hand. You got to keep that in mind sometimes. They like our public policy when we’re doing things that benefit them.”
Beaumont Health System and Michigan Medicne announced new vistor restrictions as a result of the recent increase in Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations. This feels like deja-vu all over.
Per the Detroit News, “Michigan’s Isaiah Livers was among a trio of college basketball players who met with NCAA president Mark Emmert on Thursday to discuss their #NotNCAAProperty movement that demanded changes to how college athletes can be compensated. Alongside Iowa’s Jordan Bohannon and Rutgers’ Geo Baker, the three requested that the NCAA make a temporary rule change allowing athletes to make money from use of their name, image and likeness (NIL) during the 2021-22 school year.” None of the players were optimistic Emmert would take any swift action. The NCAA thinks it is OK to promote the NCAA by using the likeness of student athletes without paying them. The only way the NCAA will do anything about this is if they are forced to do something through legislative action. The NCAA is one of the most self serving institutions in the US. I hope Isaiah Livers and others continue to push this issue. Livers helped gain national attention to his concerns by wearing a #NotNCAAProperty shirt during the NCAA Tournament while sidelined with a foot injury.
The U of M Board of Regents called a special meeting today to pressure Ron Weiser to resign from the Board. Weiser was not having anything to do with it. Weiser said, “I will not be cancelled.” And the battle continues.
Have a happy Easter. Stay safe. Wear your mask properly. Wash your hands regularly. Social distance. Schedule your vaccine.
Quote of the Day. “We brought up a lot of our points, and it’s kind of like he would say the same thing and kind of agree with us. But that really wasn’t going anywhere. And obviously, from what I hear, he likes to kind of talk about points instead of make action.” Isaiah Livers.
Orchid of the Day: Juwan Howard for being named the Associated Press National Coach of the Year and Michigan junior Naz Hillmon, the most decorated player in the history of the women’s basketball program, for being named to the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Women’s All-America team.
Onion of the Day: Georgia Republican Leader of the House, David Ralston. See story above.