Michigan voters are being asked to vote on one statewide ballot proposal tomorrow, one that will eliminate the Personal Property Tax (PPT) imposed on equipment a business owns. Businesses hate this tax because it is essentially double taxation. They pay taxes when they buy equipment and then pay the PPT every year on the same equipment. This tends to disincentivize […]

In a piece at the subscription-only Politico Pro, Michigan Republican Governor Rick Snyder boldly refused to say whether or not he believes humans are contributing to climate change: Michigan Republican Gov. Rick Snyder said this afternoon that climate change is happening, but he declined to say whether humans are causing it. […] Snyder said he believes climate change is real. […]

There’s no question that Terri Lynn Land is getting a big, wet money kiss from David and Charles Koch, the infamous “Koch brothers”. Through their corporatist front groups Americans for Prosperity and Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce, the two billionaires have spent nearly $5 million attacking Land’s Democratic opponent Gary Peters. Some have suggested it’s payback for Peters having the […]

County Commissioners from Oakland and Ingham Counties joined Progress Michigan yesterday in calling for Governor Rick Snyder to end the state’s prison food services contract with Aramark. Aramark has faced a rash of scandals including employees bringing drugs and other contraband into prisons, employees engaging in sexual activities with prisoners, and maggots being found in food service areas in two […]

In preparation for the Michigan Democratic Party statewide nominating convention on Saturday, August 23rd, the MDP will announce announced today (see update below) that Detroit civil rights attorney and Wayne State adjunct law professor Godfrey Dillard will be the Democratic candidate for Secretary of State. Dillard had planned to run for Attorney General along with Mark Totten who has been […]

For those of you who missed the opening night keynote speeches at Netroots Nation in Detroit, here is my speech welcoming the conference attendees to the Motor City.

After George Zimmerman was aquitted for the murder of Trayvon Martin in Florida, the owner of the Pompano Pat’s gun store did what any compeletly (ir)rational person would do: he gave Zimmerman a free gun. The store’s owner Pat Johnson let Zimmerman know about the offer in a letter to Zimmerman’s attorney: “Upon receiving your confirmation that he is well […]

With the recent conflicting rulings by federal courts over whether subsidies for health insurance can be used by residents in states relying on the federal health insurance exchange created by the Affordable Care Act, there is discussion of revisiting the creation of a state-run exchange in Michigan. There could be another push in Lansing to set up a state-run website […]

WARNING: Trigger alert for those sensitive to discussions of rape of any kind. The former host of a popular “family friendly” Christian morning show based in Grand Rapids has admitted to the rape of a bound 12-year old boy. John Balyo was indicted in June. The charges, which can be read HERE, are “sexual exploitation of a child” and “possession […]

Depends on what your definition of “moratorium” is, I guess… Last week, the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department, bowing to pressure from Detroit bankruptcy judge Steven Rhodes, instituted what they said was a 15-day moratorium on water shutoffs in Detroit. However, despite this, water shutoffs continue: The Detroit water department recently announced a temporary break in its campaign to cut […]

The race for Michigan’s comically gerrymandered 11th district is one of the most interesting in the country. The story really started two years ago when Thad McCotter botched his reelection campaign by hiring some idiots who photocopied signatures for his nominating petitions and then proceeded to get busted by elections officials. If McCotter himself wasn’t a big enough oddball, his […]