Leon Drolet
Encyclopedia
Leon Drolet is a Michigan
Republican
politician
and political activist known for his libertarian
views.
From 2000 to 2006 Drolet served in the Michigan House of Representatives. Drolet also served as a Macomb County, Michigan county commissioner from 1999–2000 and from 2006-2008.
In the 2006 election he acted as state-wide Chair of the successful Michigan Civil Rights Initiative
. The Michigan Civil Rights Initiative used the petition process to place a state constitutional amendment (Proposal 2 of November, 2006) before voters that prohibits governments in Michigan from discriminating against, or giving preferential treatment to, any citizen on the basis of race, gender, ethnicity or national origin in the operation of government hiring, contracting, or state university admissions. The amendment was approved by 58% of voters despite the fact that proponents were heavily outspent in the campaign by opponents who supported race-based government preference programs.
During his final term in the state legislature, Drolet co-authored a state constitutional amendment that prohibited governments in Michigan from using their power of eminent domain to seize citizens' private property and turn it over to new owners for their private use. This proposed amendment was Proposal 4 in the November, 2006 election and was overwhelmingly adopted by voters.
After serving his final term in the Michigan state House, Drolet founded the Michigan Taxpayers Alliance, which he Chairs. In 2008, Drolet served as Treasurer of Michigan Recalls, which sought the recalls of several state legislators for their votes in favor of income and business tax increases during Michigan's budget crisis in 2007. After a highly acrimonious petition drive and numerous local and federal court battles, Drolet was successful at obtaining the needed signatures to force a recall election
against the Speaker of the Michigan House, Andy Dillon
(D-Redford Twp.). Drolet and recall proponents were also successful in having the federal courts invalidate as unconstitutional Michigan's highly restrictive laws governing recall petition circulators. The prolonged court battles, however, had the effect of postponing the recall election from the targeted August, 2008 primary ballot to the November, 2008 general election ballot. Speaker Dillon survived the recall vote by a significant margin and was reelected to office.
Drolet continues to Chair the Michigan Taxpayers Alliance.
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and political activist known for his libertarian
Libertarianism
Libertarianism, in the strictest sense, is the political philosophy that holds individual liberty as the basic moral principle of society. In the broadest sense, it is any political philosophy which approximates this view...
views.
From 2000 to 2006 Drolet served in the Michigan House of Representatives. Drolet also served as a Macomb County, Michigan county commissioner from 1999–2000 and from 2006-2008.
In the 2006 election he acted as state-wide Chair of the successful Michigan Civil Rights Initiative
Michigan Civil Rights Initiative
The Michigan Civil Rights Initiative , or Proposal 2 , was a ballot initiative in the U.S. state of Michigan that passed into Michigan Constitutional law by a 58% to 42% margin on November 7, 2006, according to results officially certified by the Michigan Secretary of State. By Michigan law, the...
. The Michigan Civil Rights Initiative used the petition process to place a state constitutional amendment (Proposal 2 of November, 2006) before voters that prohibits governments in Michigan from discriminating against, or giving preferential treatment to, any citizen on the basis of race, gender, ethnicity or national origin in the operation of government hiring, contracting, or state university admissions. The amendment was approved by 58% of voters despite the fact that proponents were heavily outspent in the campaign by opponents who supported race-based government preference programs.
During his final term in the state legislature, Drolet co-authored a state constitutional amendment that prohibited governments in Michigan from using their power of eminent domain to seize citizens' private property and turn it over to new owners for their private use. This proposed amendment was Proposal 4 in the November, 2006 election and was overwhelmingly adopted by voters.
After serving his final term in the Michigan state House, Drolet founded the Michigan Taxpayers Alliance, which he Chairs. In 2008, Drolet served as Treasurer of Michigan Recalls, which sought the recalls of several state legislators for their votes in favor of income and business tax increases during Michigan's budget crisis in 2007. After a highly acrimonious petition drive and numerous local and federal court battles, Drolet was successful at obtaining the needed signatures to force a recall election
Recall election
A recall election is a procedure by which voters can remove an elected official from office through a direct vote before his or her term has ended...
against the Speaker of the Michigan House, Andy Dillon
Andy Dillon
Andrew "Andy" Dillon is a Democratic Party politician from the U.S. state of Michigan. He was appointed by Governor Rick Snyder, a Republican, to be the state's treasurer...
(D-Redford Twp.). Drolet and recall proponents were also successful in having the federal courts invalidate as unconstitutional Michigan's highly restrictive laws governing recall petition circulators. The prolonged court battles, however, had the effect of postponing the recall election from the targeted August, 2008 primary ballot to the November, 2008 general election ballot. Speaker Dillon survived the recall vote by a significant margin and was reelected to office.
Drolet continues to Chair the Michigan Taxpayers Alliance.