Joseph Harris, the Emergency Manager for Benton Harbor, Michigan, is proposing a couple of major changes to the make-up of the City Commission. Emergency Manager Joseph Harris announced Wednesday he’s filed ballot language that would shrink the Benton Harbor City Commission, but widen the commissioners’ voter base. Harris said during a town hall meeting that he filed two proposed changes […]

Autumn Smith’s effort to recall Republican House Speaker Jase Bolger has been a roller coaster thanks to legal gymnastics Bolger has been performing. (For some history on his pathetic and desperate attempts to avoid facing his constituents at the ballot box next February, click HERE.) When we last visited this drama, Bolger had filed a number of lawsuits against the […]

I have a new piece up at A2Politico that looks at the impact on the area in and around the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore on being named “The Most Beautiful Place in America” by “Good Morning, America” viewers. It talks about the history of the formation of the national park, why some locals are not particularly happy about all […]

A couple of weeks ago, I reported on a series of robocalls being conducted on the west side of the state warning people not to sign petitions because of the threat of identity theft. It’s a particularly odious tactic to suppress petition signature rates in the myriad recall and repeal efforts against Republicans across the state. Turns out the idea […]

A lot: The last year or so in American politics has been a tragedy. With unemployment over nine percent and underemployment closer to 16 percent, Washington has stopped talking about how to create jobs and turned its attention to cutting deficits. But it couldn’t get that done, either. Having agreed to focus on the wrong question, the two parties proceeded […]

Flint appears to be the next city in line for an Emergency Manager in Michigan. With only a $2 million deficit, it is still undergoing the initial review process. This is odd because, as Brandon Jessup of Michigan Forward notes, other cities with much larger problems have had their requests for an EM denied. Interesting, though is how Flint, facing […]

The group Protect Your Care issued a statement today that reminds me of why I love liberals so much. Statement on Rick Perry’s Letter Praising Hillary Clinton on Health Care in 1994August 31, 2011For Immediate ReleaseContact: Eddie Vale – eddie@protectyourcare.org In response to Governor Rick Perry’s health care letter to then First Lady Hillary Clinton Protect Your Care Communications Director […]

When you have done nearly all there is to do to hurt teachers, what remains? It’s simple, really. Outsource their jobs. Privatize the actual education of our children. And that’s just what Michigan Senator Phil Pavlov (25th District), who cancelled his only townhall meeting this summer, is planning to do. School districts could hire school teachers through a private company, […]

This past week, John Covington was hired by the state of Michigan to oversee a collection of underperforming schools in the state. The new group, the Education Achievement Authority (EAA), will focus its efforts on improving failing schools around Michigan. In his new position, Covington may make as much as $1.5 million per year over 4 years if he meets […]

Tonight’s haul, our first harvest: 145 pounds of organically-grown heirloom tomatoes. And there ate LOTS more on the vine. I’m skeert.

These people have moved beyond being hateful to being truly evil. Here’s Eric Cantor, Republican House Majority Leader, regarding federal funds for hurricane relief after Irene’s stroll up the eastern seaboard that left almost a million and a half people without power, massive flooding and extensive damage (not to mention some deaths): Despite the devastation caused by Hurricane Irene this […]