This whole democracy thing is just getting out of hand, isn’t it? Last year, the Michigan legislature took wolves off the endangered species list and earlier this year, the Department of Natural Resources proposed hunting them again, despite the fact that there are less than 700 of these native animals in the state. A statewide coalition of people began gathering […]

If you have to stop people from voting to win, your ideas suck. The Nation‘s Ari Berman — the intrepid soul who helped expose the GOP’s War on Voting to the world — is back documenting the far right’s continued effort to use big government to stop the “little people” from voting. The front line of this now endless war […]

This is NOT what Jesus was talking about, folks

The more I talk to people about Michigan SB 136, the “Religious Liberty & Conscience Protection Act,” the more I see that I’m not alone in my serious concerns about this bill. Not even close.

As I wrote in my guest post here last week, the bill would give everyone involved in healthcare broad rights to make care decisions based on religious or moral views — everyone, that is, except for patients.

Much more after the jump.

It’s about preventing choice, not abortion A federal judge appointed by Ronald Reagan struck down a Health and Human Services decision Friday that prevents girls under 17 from accessing the emergency contraceptive “Plan B.” Immediately pro-life groups slammed the ruling, saying that “Girls Will Be Exploited!” “Young girls need medical supervision in taking such a potent and potentially life-ending drug,” […]

Casting the first stone in the name of the Lord since forever Tuesday the Associated Press announced that they would no longer use the term “illegal immigrant.” Besides the fact that people aren’t illegal, actions are, there are several reasons AP made a good decision. Foremost, it’s inaccurate. “Illegal” is a poll-tested Frank Luntz-term designed to gin bigots up and […]

Bigotry is just plain hard to defend Since the Supreme Court hearings on Proposition 8 and the Defense of Marriage Act earlier this week featured some of the worst arguments ever made in front of the highest court in the land, Republicans have been retreating from their strict position that the federal government should ban same-sex marriage like it’s Mitt […]

REMINDER: Jesus never once mentioned gays or abortion. But he was sure pissed at the people who didn’t help the poor. America, we’ve reached a milestone and it’s time to reflect. Same-sex marriage has finally been argued in the highest court of the land. And as true sign of how we have matured as a country, the only arguments the […]

Republicans punishing schools for 100% legal union contracts

This week, Detroit Public School teachers ratified a new union contract that staves off the impact of a new Right to Work law that goes into effect tomorrow. While the contract doesn’t give much to the teachers, it at least provides them with continued collective bargaining rights into the future.

With this action, the DPS now joins at least 40 other schools and five universities that face punitive action from Michigan Republicans who seek to deny them and some cities critical funding in a childish act of retribution.

Details and commentary after the jump.

If you want to prevent abortions, you make sure everyone has health care, sex education and birth control. Not the exact opposite. You’ve probably heard that North Dakota has become the first state to pass a “personhood” bill that bans all abortions. It will now head to voters for approval. But you probably didn’t hear that the same people have […]

Will Michigan Republicans go after and punish counties now???

Last night, the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners ratified union contracts with union groups providing services to the County that stave off the effects of the recently-passed Right to Work law for ten more years.

More after the jump.

America’s never-ending quest to take 2% of scientists who don’t agree with climate science as seriously as 98% who do As we examine the mass delusion that led up to the invasion of Iraq, it’s important to note that a similar delusion still pervades American politics. The perfect example of this is in Michigan. President Obama won the state by […]