Part 1 in a series. Part 2 is HERE and Part 3 is HERE. There are few topics that unite tea partiers with progressive liberals but Michigan’s Prop 1 has not only united these two disparate groups, it has, for all intents and purposes, turned many progressives into tea partiers in their own right. What I mean by this is […]

With the U.S. Supreme Court hearing testimony tomorrow on the constitutionality of same-sex marriage bans in places like Michigan, I thought it would be a good time to repost my interview with April DeBoer and Jayne Rowze. Although much has happened since our interview a bit over a year ago – like the addition of a fourth child to their […]

This post has been updated to reflect Brian Klawiter’s conviction on assault and battery charges and for parole violation. After the owner of Indiana pizzeria Memories publicly declared she wouldn’t make her pies for same-sex weddings, she raked in well over $800,000 from a GoFundMe.com fundraiser. Eager to get in on the action, or at least to share the limelight […]

As I went to compose this post, I didn’t have to create a new “Clean Water Action” tag because I have written about Clean Water Action and their incredible work many times in the past and have quoted their state Director Nic Clark on numerous occasions. That’s because I have a special place in my activist’s heart for CWA. Immediately […]

Conventional wisdom in the 21st Century says that the salvation of our economic future will come from the so-called “knowledge economy“, an economy based largely on technology and that sees education and knowledge as both a business product and a productive asset. In knowledge economies, the need for high-skill workers is amped up and these workers are, presumably, paid more […]

More than 30 organizations are engaged in the bipartisan initiative to empower women and ensure gender equality. Women make up more than half of Michigan’s population, yet they are facing some significant challenges. That’s the reason for the creation of the MI Lead coalition, a bipartisan group dedicated to protecting women’s rights and empowering women by giving them more say […]

Hearings set for Dec. 3 and 4 on two pieces of legislation critical to the LGBT community and beyond. Take action now. If you believe that every Michigander deserves equal protection under the law — with no exceptions — the time to be heard is now. The Michigan Legislature is holding hearings on two pieces of legislation this week that […]

Unfair as it may be, there are certain things we northerners think of when you think of southern states. The first is bigotry and intolerance. Another is a near worshipful devotion to guns and anything related to guns. Hunting is part of it but just walking around with a big weapon strapped to your body is a much bigger part […]

Michigan Radio’s Lester Graham has a great piece out this week titled, “More and better jobs?” that takes a balanced look at Rick Snyder’s claims about the rebounding of Michigan’s and his role in it. What Graham shows is that much of the job growth in Michigan is due to the rising national economy and, just as importantly, efforts taken […]

Could this be the end of Pure Michigan? The following guest post was written by Janis Bobrin, Washtenaw County Water Resources Commissioner from 1989 to 2012. The Pure Michigan advertising campaign is so compelling because it touches on a fundamental Michigan value – the sense of place fostered by the state’s majestic waters, lands, fish and wildlife. No one who […]

There are still undecided votes to be won for Democrats. Now is the time to make your case. I know regular readers of Eclectablog are fully aware that Election Day is next week. A lot of you are the same people who are knocking on doors, making phone calls and doing whatever you can to help get out the vote. […]