I learned this morning that my friend Bonnie Bucqueroux passed away yesterday. Bonnie, who changed her last name to a French-looking version of the word “buckaroo” (which was totally a Bonnie thing to do), had been sick recently but her death came as a shock to almost everyone who knew her. And just about everyone in Michigan progressive political circles […]

Michigan citizens: 1, Attorney General Bill Schuette: 0

Back in January, I wrote about a lawsuit filed by the ACLU, the MEA, the AFL-CIO and others that challenged Michigan’s Right to Work law since it was passed in violation of the Michigan Open Meetings Act. Because Republicans locked citizens (and Democratic lawmakers) out of the building during the vote, the plaintiffs say the law should be invalidated.

This could be a HUGE deal because Republicans passed the legislation by a margin that was larger than than the margin they hold in the House after last November’s election. They would be forced to bring more of their GOP caucus over to vote yes on this legislation which may be difficult do, politically speaking.

Yesterday, Ingham County Circuit Judge William Collette overruled a request by Attorney General Bill Schuette to throw the case out of court.

Details after the jump.

The fight continues…

My good friend Bonnie Bucqueroux, a professor at Lansing Community College and owner of the esteemed Lansing Online News, has joined with the American Civil Liberties Union and a coalition labor groups to file a lawsuit intended strike down Michigan’s recent Right to Work law. The suit contends that the legislation was passed in violation of the Open Meetings Act when Republicans locked down the Capitol and wouldn’t even allow journalists, including citizen journalists like Bucqueroux, to cover the unfolding drama.

Details after the jump.

Stop the attacks on organized labor This past weekend at the Michigan Democratic Party Endorsement Convention, Michigan AFL-CIO President Karla Swift led a training session for people that will circulate petitions for the Protect Our Jobs constitutional amendment drive. As I wrote before, the effort has the goal of enshrining protections for collective bargaining rights in Michigan’s constitution. Bonnie Bucqueroux […]

I sat down for an interview with Lansing Community College Professor Bonnie Bucqueroux a couple of weeks ago to talk about citizen journalism and blogging in Michigan (and in general). Professor Bucqueroux has posted the interview in two parts at her blog Occupy Journalism as well as at her site Michigan Online News. I’m very pleased with the videos she […]

I joined Dr. John Schweitzer from Michigan State University on Bonnie Bucqueroux’s radio show last night to talk about the situation in Benton Harbor. Dr. Schweitzer spent two years there, working with a grant from the Whirlpool Corporation, bringing the University’s many various resources to bear in Benton Harbor. Unfortunately, his funding was pulled the third year. I come in […]