“Only the Michigan GOP could look at crumbling roads, underfunded schools and struggling communities and think, ‘You know what? We need LESS revenue’.” That quote from Progress Michigan executive director Lonnie Scott sums up what happened last night in the state legislature perfectly. After more than two and a half years of wrangling to find $1.2 billion annually that experts […]

This afternoon, Vice President Joe Biden announced that he will not be running for the Democratic nomination for the 2016 presidential election. His speech made me a bit weepy when I read it. Then I watched the video and got teary-eyed again. While I think he ultimately made the right decision, I have nothing but admiration and affection for Joe […]

In April of 2014, under the direction of Flint Emergency Manager Darnell Earley, the City changed the source of its drinking water from the Detroit water system (drawing from Lake Huron) to the Flint River. The move was touted as a cost-saving measure which would save $7 million annually. However, there were problems from the start. High levels of bacteria […]

It’s a been a while since we checked in on Michigan’s two most “special” political candidates (and by political candidates, I mean disgraced former state legislators trying like hell to get their jobs back at a place where almost nobody wants them) so I thought we would check in. First up, we have Cindy Gamrat holding a fundraiser last night. […]

Children, have a seat and let me tell you a story. Way back in your granddaddy’s time, ten years ago, every day some high school-aged kid on a bicycle would come by the house and deliver a thing called a “newspaper.” The newspaper was exactly what it sounds like: a stack of papers where a bunch of writers got together […]

8 clinic workers murdered. 17 attempted murders of clinic workers since 1991. 6,900+ reported acts of violence including bombings, arsons, death threats, and assaults since 1977. 19,000+ reported acts of disruption, including bomb threats, hate mail, and harassing calls since 1977. This is the face of domestic terrorism in the United States of America, most of it perpetrated by people […]

The primary justification for Emergency Financial Managers or Emergency Managers in Michigan from the very earliest iterations (and continuing through to today) is that some cities and school districts were just too full of corruption and ineptitude and that the state needed to swoop in and save the day. However, this easy answer has turned out not have been the […]

In the past week and half, Michigan gun owners have made the news for improper use of their handguns several times. First, concealed pistol license holder Tatiana Duva-Rodriguez saw a guy running out of the Auburn Hills Home Depot and load stuff in his vehicle. When a security guard came running after him. Duva-Rodriguez took the law into her own […]

I was astounded as I was watched the Democratic presidential debate last night. It was real adults having a real conversation about real issues. I know it’s silly to say that but after suffering through the “debates” from the Republican candidates, it had to be said. It was rather refreshing, but it also occurred to me, what would my political […]

I learned this morning that my friend Bonnie Bucqueroux passed away yesterday. Bonnie, who changed her last name to a French-looking version of the word “buckaroo” (which was totally a Bonnie thing to do), had been sick recently but her death came as a shock to almost everyone who knew her. And just about everyone in Michigan progressive political circles […]

I’ve been sitting on this Big News for days now but now I can finally write about it. This week Equality Michigan, our statewide advocacy group for the LGBT community, chose Stephanie White as their new Executive Director. She is the wife of Eclectablogger Emma White and was the political director for Mark Schauer’s gubernatorial campaign. She’s also a close […]