It’s not keeping Palin out of the White House, but that’s close. Can I share with you the most offensive thing I’ve read since I last accidentally read chyron on the Bill O’Reilly show? David Greenberg writes in The New Republic: Because Barack Obama has accomplished relatively little in his first term—boxed in by a recalcitrant Republican opposition, the sluggish […]

If you’re going to take over our state, you at least need to file the paperwork

The Mackinac Center for Public Policy has long been the “policy house” for far-right conservatives in Michigan. Much like the national American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), their purpose in life is to create anti-union, pro-business policy and to assist in getting legislation passed that makes their policy law. In the process they work diligently to shape public dialog and the opinions of lawmakers in pursuit of their goals.

This is not a secret. They do it publicly and are brazen in their efforts.

Michigan Representative Sander Levin sees what they do as lobbying, which it is. He has proof and is now asking the Internal Revenue Service to look into the tax filings of this non-profit group which claims they do no lobbying. Rep. Levin sent the IRS a letter asking them to investigate…

The number you have reached is no longer in service…

That is a picture of the (empty) Romney grassroots organizing office in Michigan, taken by the Michigan Democratic Party this morning. In their recent press release, they had this to say…

This economy we ruined. These wars we didn’t end. These deficits we created over 8 years. How dare this President not fix everything immediately! When Mitt Romney realized he could only get the Republicans behind him by being George W. Bush’s biggest apologist, he must have known that would make him look like a fool. How could he defend going […]

Kicking cities while they’re down

Michigan Republicans passed a budget last year that gives businesses $1.6 billion dollars in tax breaks, paid for by slashing school funding and raising taxes on over half of Michiganders. Now, they are about to hand them another half billion dollars by phasing out the personal property tax (PPT).

It’s generally agreed that the PPT is not a particularly smart tax. It forces companies to pay taxes on equipment that they purchase which has the effect of encouraging them NOT to make capital investments that can help them thrive and grow.

However, here’s the rub: getting rid of it will take nearly half a billion dollars out of city budgets, many of which are largely dependent upon this tax. If you think the problem with bankrupt cities and Emergency Managers is bad now, this will make it worse.

Have a look at this chart from the Michigan Municipal League’s Replace Don’t Erase website…

Liberal media, my ass

As I have already written about, yesterday President Obama visited Michigan for a couple of fundraising events. The Associated Press, of course covered the event. How they covered it blew my mind.

Goosebumps

One of the really cool things that they have at the Henry Ford museum in Dearborn, Michigan, is the bus on which Rosa Parks took her famous stand. Or sit, rather.

Yesterday, President Barack Obama, another African American to break down barriers and make history, sat on that same bus and was photographed by White House photographer Pete Souza.

[Photo after the jump.]

Fired up and ready to go in Michigan!

Here are some photos and video from yesterday’s Obama campaign stop at the beautiful Henry Ford museum in Dearborn, Michigan. I don’t have much to say other than it was a spectacular venue, an energized president, and an even more energized crowd. As you look at the video and images, notice how diverse the crowd is. It’s one of the hallmark’s of President Obama’s supporters, in my opinion.

All photos by Anne C. Savage, used with permission. You can view more of her photos from the event HERE.

You can’t haz tax returnz

The Democratic Party sent out this fun tweet yesterday:

As Steve Benen at Maddow Blog points out, Romney’s latest evasive maneuver…

Won’t someone think of the bombers? Nevermind. Someone did. When the deficit cutting committee failed to reach agreement last year, it set in motion a series of automatic budget cuts which included some military cuts. This, of course, is an anathema to the Republicans so they have been scrambling like crazy to find a way to trim the budget to […]

Oh. NOW you tell us. Former Emergency Manager of Pontiac Michael Stampfler is giving a presentation to the Rotary Club of Wyandotte about why Public Act 4 – Michigan’s Emergency Manager law — isn’t working and cannot work. Stampfler says, “I do not believe EMs can be successful — they abrogate the civic structure of the community for a period […]