Back in September, I wrote about how Michigan Republicans, facing massive pressure from across the state – including from the business community they worship with such reverance – started discussing updating the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to include civil rights protections for the LGB community. They had no intention, I had heard at the time, of including protections for “gender […]

Faith is not rational — remember that because we will be coming back to it. This column has been long delayed for a variety of reasons, which matter not to the essence of what I have to share today. An autopsy of the November 4, 2014 election continues to manifest itself in many publications and television shows the world over. […]

The MNA is working with Michigan health systems to protect nurses and patients, even as Governor Rick Snyder stalls on meeting about statewide standards. On Wednesday, registered nurses from the Michigan Nurses Association (MNA) held a press conference in front of Governor Rick Snyder’s office to discuss Michigan’s ability to safely care for an Ebola patient and demand a state […]

There’s no denying that Americans showed outrageously schizophrenic behavior last week on Election Day. While progressive initiatives on things like the minimum wage and pot legalization were passed around the country, Republicans still scored big wins everywhere. Here in Michigan, Terri Lynn What’s-Her-Name got trounced by double digits and two pro-wolf hunt ballot proposals went down in flames but, outside […]

Her story demonstrates how critical health insurance is for many people — and disproves the myth that small companies aren’t going to provide employee insurance under the ACA. For Emily Todebush, going without health insurance simply isn’t an option. In early 2013, the 29-year-old was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system […]

Saving big money was just the beginning of the good news. In November 2013, I struck gold — literally. I found a Gold plan on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace that saves me $900 a month on my premiums for the same coverage. With 2015 open enrollment starting on November 15th, it’s a good time to take a look […]

Last January, a federal appeals court struck down rules promulgated by the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) that ensure net neutrality, the idea that internet service providers should not regulate access to the internet by allowing some customers to get better, faster, and/or more reliable access through pricing arrangements or other deals. It’s a big deal because the ability of small […]

Republicans now have a solid formula for winning midterm elections. Hide your base yet keep them motivated by blindly attacking Obama and Obamacare for everything that’s wrong in the world. When John Kasich — a Republican governor who had fought for Medicaid expansion by invoking Reagan — pointed out the reality that Obamacare is improving lives, he was forced to […]

Prove to your constituents that you care about everyone in the state — not just big-money special interests. Dear Governor Snyder: I didn’t vote for you in either election, but you are Michigan’s governor. I haven’t agreed with you on much, but you did support Medicaid expansion in Michigan, although you could have done a lot more to urge the […]

Yesterday, the 6th Circuit Court upheld same-sex marriage bans in four states. Their decision was the opposite of four other federal court decisions on this issue, all but ensuring it will end up in the hands of the U.S. Supreme Court. Their 2-1 decision, as explained in the majority opinion (read it HERE), was flawed, something made obvious and clear […]

Below I am crossposting a piece written by Walt Sorg and published at his blog The Michigan Curmudgeon. Walt has held senior positions in all three branches of Michigan state government, serving under Speaker Bobby Crim and Governor Jim Blanchard as well as at the State Bar of Michigan. He began his 48-year tenure in or around Michigan government as […]