3,707. That’s how many reported issues were found relating to the for-profit private prison food vendor Aramark in just an 8-month period. A new report from Progress Michigan shows just how widespread the problems were and, just as important, the utter failure of the Snyder administration to correct them. After reviewing over 25,000 pages of emails between the Department of […]

There are an inordinate number of rumors swirling around the state at the moment, all of them unconfirmed. I don’t typically dabble in reporting about rumors but it seems silly to ignore things like this that are being widely talked about in various circles. The first rumor is probably the biggest potential bombshell if it turns out to be true. […]

The day after Governor Snyder signed a package of bills I call the “RFRA for Adoption” into law, his administration sent out an email to all state employees imploring them to consider becoming foster parents to unadopted Michigan kids. Here’s a screenshot: They probably realized just how disgustingly ironic it was to ask people to foster kids the day after […]

BREAKING: Michigan is breaking It’s been a tough week in Michigan. Gov. Snyder signed the “RFRA for Adoption” bills into law. Michigan ACLU is planning a lawsuit since many of our state’s adoption agencies are “faith-based” and, since they received state funding, they are considered an “agent” of the state and should not be in the business of discrimination or […]

Despite claims that he doesn’t support the “Religious Freedom Restoration Act” (RFRA) for Michigan, Gov. Snyder has signed a package of three bills into law that are accurately described as “RFRA for Adoptions”. LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Gov. Rick Snyder signs law letting adoption agencies refuse referrals that violate beliefs. — David Eggert (@DavidEggert00) June 11, 2015 By signing the […]

UPDATE: This post has been updated and the title updated to reflect the new information. As Amy wrote about earlier today, the Michigan senate was considering a package of bills that will allow adoption agencies to discriminate against LGBT couples when placing children. So-called “sincerely-held religious beliefs”, at least for the bigots among us, include consigning some children to a […]

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder has been doing a LOT of bragging this year about how Michigan is the “Comeback State”. The data, he says, “is in”. However, his presentation of the data is flawed and doesn’t tell the entire story. Yes, the number of people employed in Michigan is up since he took office. However, even though Gov. Snyder claims […]

The backbone of Michigan’s industrial economy, making cars and trucks, is solid and strong. The current numbers and brisk demand for new vehicles are highlighted in two recent articles HERE and HERE. The ripple effect of a healthy auto manufacturing sector is apparent in those parts of the state that have auto-related facilities and businesses. All shifts running full bore […]

If you’re on Governor Snyder’s email list you recently received his most recent glitter bomb of self-congratulation. In it he points out that Michigan’s unemployment rate has dropped by half from 11.2% in December, 2011, but offers no reasons for this drop. It’s reasonable to assume the drop is primarily related to the increase in auto sales along with the […]

The privatization of prison food services to the for-profit group Aramark has generated a seemingly endless litany of scandals and more are likely to come as Progress Michigan plows through the results of their exhaustive FOIA request. The scandals so far have been thoroughly documented here at Eclectablog. Although this collosal failure at privatization would lead most good leaders to […]

Today’s guest post was written by Tali Wendrow. She and her husband Julian, the parents of an autistic daughter, were put through a legal ordeal unlike anything you’ve likely ever heard of. In her essay, Tali contrasts their own experience with the favorable treatment that Alan Gocha, Jr. recently received when Gov. Rick Snyder issued a rare pardon for Gocha, […]