Just a reminder that this afternoon, starting at 4:00 p.m., there will be a protest march on the Ann Arbor-area home of Governor Rick Snyder. Word has it that, in addition to scheduled speakers, the Reverends Al Sharpton & Jesse Jackson are also in town for the event. Here are the details from my original post that also had an […]

My friend Bruce Fealk, Michigan Rising Communications Director, got the ball rolling on this one: Today, January 13, 2012, is the last day for signatures for the recall of Governor Scott Walker in Wisconsin. For 260 days, the Solidarity singers have been singing in the Rotunda and outside the Capitol in Madison, WI. Today I asked Chris Reed, the leader […]

Last night I spoke on the phone with Pastor David Bullock, the president of the Michigan Chapter of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition and the Highland Park NAACP. He and his group are organizing a Martin Luther King Day march on the Ann Arbor home of Michigan Governor Rick Snyder. Details on the “Occupy for Democracy Rally” to protest Michigan’s anti-democratic […]

[UPDATE: I have corrected this post to indicate that the Oakland County Democrats are the ones suing Governor Snyder over the redistricting there, not the Michigan Democratic Party as I initially (and incorrectly) wrote.] Governor Rick Snyder is facing two impending lawsuits. One is from the ACLU over new law prohibiting health insurance benefits for to same-sex partners of public […]

In spring of 2012, Michigan Rising (formerly Fire Rick Snyder) will start a second recall attempt against Governor Rick Snyder. The first recall effort was done without the formal help of the unions or the Michigan Democratic Party (MDP). Considering a piece published last week in the Detroit Free Press, I think it’s safe to say that the UAW, at […]

One step closer to half the African Americans in Michigan being without local democracy and being disenfranchised. If Inkster, which is one step ahead of Detroit, falls as well, OVER half will be. A preliminary review of Detroit’s finances has moved the city a step closer to appointment of an emergency manager. Treasurer Andy Dillon issued a statement today that […]

I guess we’re supposed to be thankful for this? Michigan Governor Rick Snyder said this week that he’s done robbing from our children to balance the state’s books after he took $1 billion from the school fund to help pay for an 86% tax cut for businesses. Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder said Tuesday that his next budget proposal likely won’t […]

Not only are Senators Stabenow & Levin asking Michigan Governor Rick Snyder to reconsider his imposition of Emergency Managers on cities around the state, 66 elected officials, all Democrats, have sent a letter of their own (pdf). Although we come to this matter from a variety of differing perspectives and ideologies, we all share in the belief that applications of […]

In a letter to Michigan Governor Rick Snyder, Senators Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin are urging the governor to reconsider the Emergency Manager law, citing constitutional concerns and its divisive nature. December 14, 2011 Govemor Rick SnyderP.O. Box 3001iLansing, Michigan 48909 Dear Governor Snyder,We are writing to express our concern regarding the state’s Emergency Financial Manager law. We are deeply […]

In the increasingly likely event that Michigan Forward and Stand Up For Democracy secure enough petition signatures for the referendum to repeal Public Act 4, the law immediately goes on hold. This leaves the question “what now?” Will the previous law go back into effect or, because PA 4 replaced that law, will there simply be no law allowing for […]

Today the Michigan Senate Government Operations passed an S-1 substitute bill to SB 0865 on to the full Senate. The bill creates a transition team that will be assigned to municipalities and school districts under the control of an Emergency Manager. From the Senate summary: The bill would create a new act to do the following, with respect to a […]