You call that “Leadership”? That’s not leadership, that’s corruption.

After the incredible revelation that House Speaker Jase Bolger conspired with Representative Roy Schmidt to commit blatant and disgusting election fraud in May, it’s now time for him to step down as the so-called “leader” of the House. No group can be called legitimate that has at its head someone so clearly corrupt and fraudulent as Jase Bolger has proven himself to be.

He doesn’t deny doing what he did. He simply says that it’s okay because it was legal.

Nobody else believes that.

Much more after the jump.

Medical professionals’ knowledge vs. tea party hallucinations about Obamacare

I get an absolutely ridiculous amount of email every day and a goodly amount of it comes from folks recommending things for me to write about or from one of the various organizations that I subscribe to. I also subscribe to some right wing groups, just so I can get a pulse on what they are going on about at any given time.

This past week I received two emails that were essentially about the same thing. One pointed me to an amazing interview of two medical professionals by my dear friend Betsy de Parry. In it, they talk about the Affordable Care Act (ACA or “Obamacare”) and what it really means to Americans.

The other was yet another freakout passel of lies and fabrications about the ACA from the Tea Party of West Michigan.

The two emails could not have been in starker contrast. More after the jump.

Democracy for America, the progressive political action committee founded by Vermont Governor Howard Dean and now chaired by his brother Jim, is having a busy week. Yesterday, in conjunction with the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC), delivered petitions containing the signatures of 115,000 Michiganders outraged at the actions of Jase Bolger. Recall that Bolger temporarily banned Democrats Lisa Brown and Barb Byrum from speaking on the House floor as punishment for making Bolger angry.

Tomorrow, they will deliver upwards of a quarter million signatures to Republican Mitt Romney’s Boston headquarters, asking him to release his tax returns for the voters in America to see, an act of disclosure he seems determined not to make.

I spoke with Jim Dean by phone this morning at the bright and early time of 6:30 a.m. (we’re both early risers) about these events and lots more.

Enjoy (after the jump.)

This is an example page. It’s different from a blog post because it will stay in one place and will show up in your site navigation (in most themes). Most people start with an About page that introduces them to potential site visitors. It might say something like this: Hi there! I’m a bike messenger by day, aspiring actor by […]

Who woulda thunk it?

Earlier this week, Rush Limbaugh suggested that the bad guy in the new Batman movie was somehow intentionally named “Bane” to hurt Mitt Romney. Then, yesterday, he said Romney is more like Batman.

I agree. See why after the jump.

So simple, so easy, so effective

Chad Phillips over at Michigan Populist Blog has a good idea.

See what it is after the jump.

Drunk with power, House Republicans continue to silence their opposition

Yesterday the Michigan Legislature met for one day before reconvening again on August 15th. This occasion brought several protests to the Capitol, mainly from groups supporting women’s rights and disgusted with the way female legislators are being treated by their Republican colleagues.

After the jump, details about the protests and interviews with Matt Wall from the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC) and Democratic Representative Barb Byrum talking about the delivery of 115,000 petition signatures to House Speaker Jase Bolger demanding an apology for his treatment of Rep. Byrum and her colleague Rep. Lisa Brown as well as Rep. Byrum’s account of being prevented from speaking on the floor of the House again yesterday.

You are NOT alone!

Working America, the 3-million strong group supporting American workers (not just unionized workers — ALL workers), has introduced a new website called “Dear David”. In today’s work environment, it’s often tough to know what your rights are as a worker and it’s even tougher to know where to turn to get answers to those questions.

“Dear David” is intended to change that. Details after the jump.

Still think the War on Women isn’t real???

Michigan House Representative Barb Byrum (D-Onondaga) was prevented from speaking on the House floor today by Republican leadership. She and other Democrats asked to speak on a package of pay equity bills that would address income inequality in Michigan.

They were rebuffed.

More after the jump.

This is a war worth fighting

Democracy for America (DFA) is conducting a multi-part series titled “The War For Women” (notice the “for” rather than “on”) and tonight, Wednesday, July 18th, is the second installment.

You can sign up for tonight’s event HERE.

The first event took place last week and you can see a recap via Storify (with livetweets and photos) HERE.

More information about upcoming webinar sessions after the jump.

Corruption in the House of Bolger

A press release from Kent County Prosecuting Attorney William Forsyth has revealed a jaw-dropping level of corruption and fraud on the part of Michigan House Speaker Jase Bolger and Democrat-turned-Republican Representative Roy Schmidt. You can read the back story on Schmidt’s last minute dick move switch from Democrat to Republican that effectively ruined any chance of Democrats having a viable candidate HERE and HERE.

Forsyth’s investigation reveals that Schmidt and Bolger conspired to hire the weightlifting buddy of Schmidt’s nephew, Matthew Mojak, to run as a Democrat but not actually campaign. This would have forced Democrats to run a REAL Democrat in the primary as a write-in candidate, virtually assuring they would lose and that Schmidt would essentially have no opponent in the November general election.

The level of corruption and fraud perpetrated by Representative Schmidt and House Speaker Bolger is beyond anything witnessed in this state in recent memory.