Stealth political scam artists are taking aim on Michigan's constitution with a sweeping cockamamie bait-and-switch proposal that could further dilute northern Michigan's voice in the judicial and legislative branches.

Or call it carrot-and-spear - carrots being the populist lure of cutting the pay of the governor, legislators, and judges; requiring more financial disclosure by elected officials, and prohibiting lobbying by retired legislators for two years after they leave office.

Among the troubling spears: Cutting the Senate from 38 to 28 members and the House from 110 to 82; reducing the Court of Appeals from 28 to 21 judges.

As it is now, the entire 15- county Upper Peninsula has only two state senators. Senator Michael Prusi, (D-Ishpeming) represents 13 counties. Senator Jason Allen (R-Traverse City) represents Chippewa and Mackinac, and six counties below the bridge.

As it is now, the 4th District of the Court of Appeals spans 58 counties (including all of the U.P.) and extends down to Lansing. The "inevitable effect" of slashing seven appeals judges "is to dilute the northern part of the state," said one downstate appeals judge who declined to be quoted by name.

Appeals Judge Bill Schuette of Midland, a former GOP congressman, state senator, and state ag director who is leaving the appeals bench for an expected bid to replace term-limited Attorney General Mike Cox, has no such hesitation. He says the proposal gives "greater concentration to urban areas," and "looks like a huge frontal assault on the judiciary."

It is, particularly, a Democratic assault on the GOP rule of the Michigan Supreme Court. The two Supreme Court seats that would be eliminated by the seniority provisions of the ballot proposal just happen to be those held by Republicans - Justices Robert P. Young Jr. of Detroit, and Stephen J. Markman of Lansing.

I hold no brief for preservation of the 5-2 GOP majority on the court, and will soon comment on published independent negative assessments of the court, as well as Democratic efforts to defeat Chief Justice Cliff Taylor.

But this cumbersome ballot proposal, replete with state Dem fingerprints, is no way to rewrite the Michigan Constitution. As noted by Rich Robinson of the watchdog Michigan Campaign Finance Network, the so-called reforms "do not address one glaring shortcoming in Michigan political regulation: campaign finance rules that allow a hugely expensive ballot proposal campaign to operate without transparency for months leading up to an election."

The Detroit Free Press said the ballot proposal, "officially sponsored by an obscure group based in Hastings called Reform Michigan Government Now!, is clearly designed to take advantage of public dissatisfaction across the board with the state of governance and politics in Michigan."

Fine. But dealing with dissatisfaction across the board should not result in a bad deal for northern Michigan.

The Schuette Seat

Not that partisan leanings are as pronounced among appeals judges as they are among the supremes, but it could be tough for Republicans to keep Schuette's seat.

Two-term state Representative Kevin Elsenheimer (R-Kewadin) had a good shot at the nomination but stepped aside when party biggies rallied behind Eric Doster of Lansing, longtime Michigan GOP legal counsel. Ex-Representative Jim Howell (R-St. Charles) also is in the four-candidate mix and could erode Doster's bid for the GOP base.

The only one with judicial experience is Ingham County Circuit Judge Paula Manderfield of East Lansing. Inside Michigan Politics (IMP) newsletter noted she also has the advantage of having been elected in the district's largest county, and being the only female in the field.

IMP, which is second to none with a media finger on the local pulse of judicial and other races across the state, said of the race: "Another strong contender will be a man with a golden Irish surname - Michael J. Kelly, who lives and practices law in Flint, although his legal residence is in tiny Leelanau County 200 miles northwest within the 4th district."

In 2004, noted IMP, Kelly "came within some 2% of becoming the first person in Michigan history to knock off an appellate judge. (Chief Judge William C. Whitbeck survived by only 32,990 votes out of nearly 1.4 million cast.) Kelly and Manderfield are thus the two most likely to survive the August 5 primary and square off in November."

Binsfeld, North Honored

Restored theaters were the venues as two prominent former officeholders from northern Michigan who have made a profound impact beyond their political careers recently received welldeserved honors.

Former Senator Walt North of St. Ignace received Michigan's 2008 Community Foundation Award for Philanthropy from Governor Jennifer Granholm during the Governor's Service Awards program June 19 at the Fox Theater in Detroit. A former executive secretary of the Mackinac Bridge Authority, Mr. North has served on, and chaired, various foundation boards.

Last week in Traverse City's City Opera House, former Lieutenant Governor Connie Binsfeld of Maple City and Munising was praised by ex- Governor John Engler at the Michigan GOP's inaugural Wall of Honor dinner. Republican State Chairman Saul Anuzis noted that Binsfeld, a member of the Michigan Women's Hall of Fame and the only woman to have leadership positions in Michigan's House, Senate, and Executive Office, had a stellar record of leadership on child and other family issues even before her service in Lansing.

George Weeks retired in 2006 after 22 years as political columnist for The Detroit News. His weekly Michigan Politics column is syndicated by Superior Features.