Affirmative action ban passes

The Detroit Free Press reports:

Michigan voters sent a clear message about affirmative action programs that offer preferences to women and minorities: It’s time for them to end.

An Election Day poll and hard voter numbers showed the controversial proposal winning by a wide margin.

Michigan now becomes the third state to outlaw the practice of giving preferential treatment to groups or individuals based on their race, gender, color, ethnicity or national origin for public employment, education or contracting purposes.

In the poll of 800 voters, the ban led 55% to 45%. In addition, with 49% of Michigan’s precincts reporting, the proposal was ahead 58% to 42%.

Fran Smeak, 80, a registered Republican from Birmingham, said she read the pros and cons for the five ballot proposals, but Proposal 2 was the hardest to make a decision about. In the end, she voted for the ban.

“I can see how some people would feel like if they did not get extra help, they would not make it,” she said Tuesday. “My overall view is that if everyone is on the same basis, then they should all get fairly treated.”

You can be sure that the university types will try and get around this one way or another.