If it was such a good thing, why hide the donors? [Caricature by DonkeyHotey from photos by Anne C. Savage for Eclectablog] WXYZ is reporting that Michigan Governor Rick Snyder is closing the shadowy, secretive slush fund — the “NERD Fund” — that was used, until last week, to pay the salary of his confidant and advisor Richard Baird, as […]

This is the kind of leadership Michigan — and America — needs more of. Let’s have a round of applause for State Representative Sam Singh (D-East Lansing), who was selected as one of twelve rising leaders from across the country to join the NewDEAL. This national network is committed to highlighting innovative ideas from state and local elected leaders who […]

So proud If you listen to the ad the Michigan Governor Rick Snyder recently released, an authoritarian narrator informs you that Michigan was once number 50. Dead last. He doesn’t actually tell you what we were last at but it’s clear that we were just the bottom of the barrel, the ole Mitten State. “Never again”, says the narrator. Governor […]

Legislation would allow taxpayer-funded adoption agencies to deny placement based on moral or religious views. At any given time, Michigan has 14,000 children in foster care — children who need good, stable homes. Yet Michigan legislators serving on the Michigan House Committee on Families, Children, and Seniors passed three bills out of committee today that could prevent these children from […]

Omahgosh! Who woulda thunk it??? You are NOT going to believe this. It turns out (are you sitting down?) that the Snyder administration (I still cannot believe this is true), through the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, gave wildly inflated job creation numbers to the state legislature last spring. INORITE???! The Legislature was told April 1 that companies that received grants […]

Doing well by doing good This story refutes absolutely everything corporatists and companies whose business model requires the lowest labor costs possible want you to believe. According to them, there is no way fast food joints can succeed, turn a profit, and grow if they are forced to pay their workers a living wage. “Nobody will pay for burgers that […]

Just when you thought Michigan’s 11th Congressional District had the worst possible Representative… It seems even Representative Kerry Bentivolio’s own party isn’t a big fan of his work. It’s clear plenty of folks in Michigan’s 11th Congressional District aren’t. So it looks like there are going to be some reindeer games in the 2014 primary election. Yesterday, David Trott announced […]

There’s no reason for a delay that will cost Michigan and its citizens millions of dollars. The Michigan Senate passing Medicaid expansion last week was, in the immortal words of Vice President Joe Biden, a BFD. There was plenty of cause for celebration, but there’s still more to do before it’s actually implemented. The way it stands, because the Senate […]

Metrics, schmetrics. Did they think we wouldn’t notice??? Governor Snyder is takes great pride in his reliance on transparency and metrics as indicators of his “success” as the leader CEO of our state. His “dashboard” is supposedly a way for the citizens of our fine state to keep an eye on his “progress”. However, looking at his dashboard today, it’s […]

Michigan LCV helps make sure the Mitten’s natural resources are in good hands. If you’re spending the last blast of summer enjoying Michigan’s great outdoors, you can thank the Michigan League of Conservation Voters, at least in part. According to their website, “the Michigan League of Conservation Voters is the leading non-partisan political voice for protecting Michigan’s land, air, and […]

Calling all artists! Harbor Country Progress is putting together an art show on gun violence in America at their office/gallery in Union Pier, Michigan in the very southwest corner of the state. The show is titled GUNS? They are soliciting artwork from artists around the country. Here’s the schedule: Submissions being accepted now via email to gunstheartshow@gmail.com. Deadline for submissions […]