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.

Leadership? Not so much…

As I reported last month, tea partiers in Michigan have been working diligently against their own self-interest, trying to prevent a state-run health insurance exchange from being formed in Michigan. The exchange, mandated by the Affordable Care Act, would help up to a half million Michiganders obtain affordable health insurance.

If the state doesn’t create one of their own, the federal government will do it for them. And that, apparently, is exactly what is going to happen in Michigan because Governor Rick Snyder has backed down from his push for the Michigan-run exchange.

More after the jump.

They could have asked US…

The New York Times published a rather fawning review of Michigan Governor Rick Snyder on Saturday that suggests he’s a centrist leader who basically isn’t afraid to piss off and on anyone, no matter what their political persuasion. And, while it’s true that there are those on both the right and the left that are less than happy with the Tough Nerd, the NYT piece is noticeably free from some of the essential facts about his governorship.

My friend and fellow Michigander Marcy Wheeler from emptywheel has an elegant fisking of the article. It’s so good, rather than write one of my own, I will simply highlight some of the better parts of her essay, “The Gray Lady Falls Off the Balance Beam”, and point you to it to read the entire thing. Which you absolutely should do.

More after the jump.

Hallelujah

In a surprising blow to conservative Michigan Republicans working to make it harder to vote in our state, Governor Rick Snyder vetoed three key components of a package of voter suppression bills. The move apparently caused House Speaker Jase Bolger to temporarily lose his mind.

The good fight was fought After the devastating result on Tuesday to recall Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, Michigan Rising, the group who organized two efforts to recall Michigan Governor Rick Snyder, has decided to end its signature gathering. It’s a smart decision given the apparent lack of enthusiasm, interest and level of involvement by Michiganders from the highest levels of […]

Get your democracy on Michigan Rising, the group working to recall Michigan Governor Rick Snyder, has hit the ground running. According to spokesperson Bruce Fealk, the group already has tens of thousands of petitions in the field in the first few weeks of their signature-gathering drive. As of this week they have distributed more than 50,000 petitions in 57 of […]

Democracy: use it or lose it

In a perfect confluence of democratic goings-on, I hereby dub May 5th, 2012 Democracy Day in Michigan. Two key events are happening that day. First, from 9 a.m. until noon, Democrats across the state will caucus to choose Barack Obama as their candidate for President of the United States.

Then, starting at 2 p.m., there will be a rally on the grounds of the State Capitol to kick-off the second attempt to gather enough signatures to put the recall on Governor Rick Snyder on the November ballot. If you can’t make it to the rally, it will be live-streamed here at Eclectablog.

[Details about both events after the jump.]

This is going to be big

Next Saturday, May 5, 2012 is the kickoff of the second attempt to recall Rick Snyder. It will start with a huge rally at the state Capitol building and you won’t want to miss it. The event starts at 2:00 and thousands of people are expected to attend.

In fact, it’s essential that thousands of people DO attend. The huge rallies in Wisconsin galvanized the activists and volunteers there and we need to do the same here as we fight back against a conservative/corporate takeover of Michigan.

Please plan to attend and help spread the word throughout all of your networks.

Speakers include…

Birds of a feather The most-reviled governor in the country, Scott Walker of Wisconsin, will be in Troy Michigan tonight to headline a Republican fundraiser. The venue is the same one where Americans for Prosperity held their forum a couple of months ago — The San Marino Club on Big Beaver Road. As you might imagine, there will be a […]

And they’re off! In a clear statement that they mean business and are not pulling any punches, Michigan Rising the group setting out for a second attempt at recalling Michigan Governor Rick Snyder begins their petition language with the statement “Governor Snyder has abused the children of Michigan”. Here is the petition language in full: Governor Snyder has abused the […]

Second time’s a charm Michigan Rising has risen like a phoenix from the ashes of the first attempt to recall Michigan Governor Rick Snyder and is giving it a second try. Last week, they submitted petition language in Washtenaw County. They had no trouble getting their language approved last year so there is little reason to believe they will have […]