Collective bargaining helps ALL workers and anti-labor forces know & fear that

The anti-labor, pro-business group Protecting Michigan Taxpayers has a television ad out now that may be the most egregious, lie-filled, dishonest political ad on Michigan televisions at the moment.

The ad is designed to make Proposal 2, a ballot initiative to protect collective bargaining rights in our state, look like it will endanger children rather than giving our teachers the right to bargain for smaller class sizes, living wages, health care, and retirement benefits.

Almost every day, you see someone on the right accusing groups on the left of using scare tactics. And yet, this ad is the most shameless effort to frighten voters that you’re likely to see this election cycle. They even use the words “dangerous”, “terrifying”, and “risk”.

The ad and much more after the jump.

Zombie fighters are on the case

In early August, after an intentionally absurd legal battle, Public Act 4 — Michigan’s anti-democratic Emergency Manager law — was repealed. Attorney General Bill Schuette immediately declared that the former version of the law, Public Act 72 — the Emergency FINANCIAL Manager law — was back in force. The lengths to which Schuette went to justify this decision were nothing short of epic.

Now a group of civil rights attorneys has stepped up to slay the zombie beast. Click through for details.

Like a dog shaking off fleas…

In 46 days, the people of Troy, Michigan will decide if they made a tragic, horrible mistake when they elected Janice Daniels to be their mayor last year. The intelligent, thinking Troy residents know that this is true but it’s important that they get the word out to the others in their community. In order to do this, they are doing a 24-hour money bomb starting today at 9:00 a.m.

Details on how you can help after the jump.

University of Michigan Law School professor Bridget Mary McCormack has earned a coveted endorsement from Democracy for America (DFA), the premier progressive political action organization in the country. McCormack joins the ranks of other progressive women like Senate candidates Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Kristen Gillibrand (D-NY) who have all been endorsed this year by DFA. You can read my recent interview with McCormack HERE.

Details about this important endorsement after the jump.

A true advocate for those with the greatest need

When I arrived at the campaign office of State Supreme Court candidate Bridget Mary McCormack just south of Dexter, I found her Skyping into a house party meeting Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. She had just finished making her pitch to a room full of nearly two dozen potential supporters, who could be seen on the screen of her laptop, and was taking questions. When you’re running a statewide campaign for a position most people know little about and often ignore on the ballot, it’s this type of unconventional approach that could make the difference between who wins and loses the race for one of the three open spots on the Court. It’s also completely in line with the type of campaign that McCormack is running.

Click through for my interview with this terrific candidate and to find out more about her out of the ordinary campaign.

A massive crowd of 17…

One of several Romney campaign buses making the rounds in the USA made a stop on the campus of Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant this week and drew a teeming crowd of “about 17”. Michigan Victory Communications Director Kelsey Knight said, “We’re here in an effort to splash how strong our grassroots efforts here in Michigan.”

Mission not accomplished.

More after the jump.

Well, this was totally predictable

Not that it takes any magical powers of divination to do so but, almost a year ago today, I predicted that if Mitt Romney won the Republican nomination for President, he should probably just skip Michigan:

It will be interesting to see if Romney dares to show his face in Michigan again after advocating for letting the Detroit auto companies die. If he does, I knew a few auto workers who will have a thing or two to say to him when he gets here.

Based on a poll released last night by the Detroit Free Press, I doubt we’ll see him back. The poll has President Obama opening a three-point lead in late August to a ten-point lead now.

Click through for details and more.

So, Governor, where were YOU on Friday???

This past weekend, former Republican Florida Governor Charlie Crist endorsed President Obama and was announced as a speaker at the Democratic National Convention next week. Here in Michigan, Governor Rick Snyder seems to be keeping out of the limelight with the Romney campaign, as well. At the last two Michigan stops by the Romney campaign, including one last Friday in Commerce, Michigan, our Republican governor was notably absent from the public view. He skipped a rally in June, as well, attending a meeting of business owners only.

Why is that? Heck, even disgraced Republican House Speaker Jase Bolger spoke at the Commerce event.

Is it because the Romney campaign has become too extreme for even our conservative governor?

More after the jump.

For the love of God…

Mitt Romney actually said this today in Commerce, Michigan:

“Now, I love being home in this place where Ann and I were raised, where both of us were born. Ann was born in Henry Ford Hospital, I was born in Harper Hospital. No one has ever asked to see my birth certificate. They know that this is the place that we were born and raised.”

Red meat for the tea partiers of southeastern Michigan, that’s all that is.

Video and more after the jump.

Olympic Boxing gold medalist Claressa Shields, before introducing Vice President Joe Biden, spoke to a crowd of Obama/Biden supporters during a campaign stop at Renaissance High School in Detroit on Wednesday, showing her support for President Obama and Vice President Biden. After that, Vice President Biden gave a rousing speech.

Photos and quotes after the jump.

It’s a MIRACLE!!!

Oh, my freaking GOD! Romney has pulled ahead of Obama in both Michigan and in Florida! The Ryan Splat turned out to be the Ryan Kertwang after all!

That’s what one of the most highly discredited polling firms in the country, Foster McCollum White & Associates, says. Their Michigan poll, released on Friday, is breathlessly titled “Its official, Paul Ryan has created a significant bounce for Mitt Romney and down the ballot as well, creating a new challenge for President Obama and Democrats, per poll”. The poll has President Obama down by almost 4 percentage points and, hilariously, has Pete Hoekstra up by over two over Senator Debbie Stabenow.

Problem is, the people they polled were ridiculously old and white, way more so than the people who typically vote.

Details after the jump.