This is depressing: I am writing today to announce the closure of the Michigan Messenger. After four years of operation in Michigan, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news into a single site, The American Independent at Americanindependent.com. This is part of a shift in strategy, towards new forms of journalism […]

Two events this week for folks interested in the We Are the 99%/Occupy movement. The Washtenaw Community Action Team (WCAT) (part of the We Are the People Michigan coalition), Occupy Ann Arbor and Occupy UM will jointly hold a pair of events this week that address the Occupy movements and how local labor, students and community members can get involved […]

State Senate Democratic Leader Gretchen Whitmer is on a tear lately. After dressing down Republicans for their passage of an anti-bullying bill that was anything but last week, today she read them the riot act for going on a two-week deer hunting season vacation when they have so much left undone. To my colleagues: we are poised today to leave […]

A new report out today from Environment Michigan titled “Michigan’s Biggest Mercury Polluters” (pdf) shows that Michigan is tenth in the country for mercury emissions and has three of the top 100 most-polluting coal-fired power plants. Their report shows that: The Detroit Edison Monroe Power Plant in Monroe emitted the most mercury pollution of any power plant in Michigan in […]

President Obama is on a tear lately. Under the banner “We Can’t Wait”, he is using Executive Orders to accomplish things that Congress is unable or unwilling to do themselves. The latest salvo is cutting government waste. WASHINGTON, DC – This morning, President Obama will sign an Executive Order that will cut waste and promote more efficient spending across the […]

America is about to get saved. On 11/11/11, TheCall Detroit prayer rally is gonna save us all. On November 11–12, 2011, thousands from across America will gather to Ford Field (Home of the Detroit Lions) to fast, pray and cry out to God. We will gather to this city that has become a microcosm of our national crisis—economic collapse, racial […]

You can tell a great deal about a given situation, as they say, by following the money. As anti-union, anti-teacher Republican state Rep. Paul Scott faces the voters of his district in a recall election tomorrow, it’s useful to see who has been pouring money into his coffers for the past couple of months. All of this information is available […]

I’m getting a bit weary of the obnoxious political commentary suggesting that the Occupy movement is full of spoiled brats with plenty of money. The reality is that many people in the middle class, people like me, for instance, are one or two missed paychecks from losing everything. President Obama and the Democrats want to put people to work on […]

In one of the sickest and most vile acts of irony yet seen in Michigan under the current Republican regime, Michigan Republicans yesterday passed a bill that lays out specific pathways for legalized bullying in our schools. It is effectively a “Blueprint for Bullying”. The bill passed 26-11 along party lines. It now goes to the House of Representatives. Legislation […]

Saugatuck Township on the shore of Lake Michigan has been battling against developer and natural gas tycoon Aubrey McClendon for several years to prevent the development of sensitive dune land in the community. They were subject to countless lawsuits, essentially draining the Township coffers until, last summer, they finally capitulated and came to an “agreement” with McClendon’s group, Singapore Dunes. […]

In September, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder appointed Lou Schimmel to replace Michael Stampfler as Pontiac’s Emergency Manager. Yesterday, Schimmel fired several key department heads: the city clerk, the city attorney and director of public works. Pontiac Emergency Manager Lou Schimmel has fired the city’s clerk, attorney and director of public works in what he says is realignment in City Hall. […]