The following essay was written by Dr. Ben Pauli, Ph.D., an Assistant Professor of Social Science in the Department of Liberal Studies at Kettering University in Flint. Enjoy. In a special meeting on May 17, the Flint City Council voted to approve a one-year moratorium on the city’s practice of putting tax liens on properties for overdue water bills. A […]

The following essay was written by my friend Desiree Cooper. Desiree is the author of Know the Mother, a freelance writer, and the former Communications Director for Planned Parenthood of Michigan. Enjoy. Birth control is a no-brainer. Americans have agreed that family planning is a good thing as far back as 1936, when Gallup first asked whether Americans favor the […]

The following guest post was written by Dennis L. Green, a retired certified Professional Engineer from the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD). Dennis graduated from Cass Technical High School’s Electrical program in 1963 and received his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Lawrence Tech in 1969. After graduation, Dennis went to work for the Detroit Water Department, Engineering […]

The following editorial essay was written by Ingham County Clerk and former State Representative Barb Byrum. Enjoy. Administering elections is a fascinating job, and one that I take very seriously. Like Michigan’s other 82 county clerks, I’m focused on providing reliable, secure, and hassle-free voting for all U.S. citizens, including military and overseas voters who face unique challenges in exercising […]

The following guest post was written by Jenny Doezema, a Kalamazoo resident who sends her children to Kalamazoo Public Schools. Enjoy. Earlier this month, Kalamazoo schools were closed when more than 1,900 students fell ill on the same day. The district closed all schools on a Friday to allow them to disinfect the school buildings over a long weekend. Other […]

The following guest post was written by Ingham County Clerk and former State Representative Barb Byrum. Enjoy. Recently, President Trump assigned Vice President Mike Pence to oversee a special commission to investigate what he believes to be voter fraud. While I welcome this investigation, I believe the resources that will be expended could be better spent on strengthening the integrity […]

The following essay was written by an Eclectablog reader who wishes to remain anonymous. Enjoy. Is this a sprint or a marathon? I recently texted a local elected official and suggested he lead a protest against the latest Trump attack on American morality, the Muslim Ban. The official responded that we had just had a massive protest against Trump and […]

The following essay was written by a friend who wishes to remain anonymous. Enjoy. It’s time… It’s time to realize that we lost. It’s time to move on to the next battle. It’s already started, and our failure to realize that has put us two steps behind a ruthless and effective opponent. No. I’m not talking about the Presidential election. […]

The following guest post was written by Walt Sorg, a long time political activist and observer from Lansing, Michigan. Walt was a candidate for the Michigan House of Representatives in 2012 in the 67th State House District. Follow him on Twitter at @WaltSorg. Enjoy. We look at the cabinet appointments of the incoming President, and we are baffled. It is […]

The following guest post was written by Ron Bieber, president of the Michigan AFL-CIO. You can sign up to receive legislative action alerts from the Michigan AFL-CIO HERE. You can also follow them at facebook.com/miaflcio, twitter.com/miaflcio, and twitter.com/ronbiebermi. Enjoy. Lame duck sessions are when bad bills happen to good people. That’s been true in Michigan after every major election since […]

The following essay was written by Ingham County Clerk Barb Byrum, a Democrat who was reelected to a second term. Prior to serving as County Clerk, Byrum represented the 67th District in the Michigan House of Representatives for three terms. She is renowned for being banned from speaking on the House floor for saying “vasectomy;” for performing what has been […]