There might be a lot of progressive news from the past week, but the only thing on my mind is the nerve of Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville. I’m mad as hell — and you should be too!
Let’s do it.
This week in PM blogging:
In honor of Mothers Day this Sunday, we pulled together some numbers to see how women – and moms in particular – would benefit if we increased the minimum wage to $10.10. On a national level, raising the minimum wage to $10.10 would help 4.7 million moms.
For Nurses Week, skip the pizza – give me safe staffing
Julia Morrissey, a registered nurse in Ann Arbor, guest blogged at Progress Michigan about nurses week and how you could help. The long and short of it? Focus on patients rather than profits and invest in a fully staffed, safe work environment.
Gov. Snyder sold himself as a no-nonsense businessman with the economic acumen to make Michigan the “comeback state” while living up to his promise of transparency in government. Four years later, that just isn’t the case. From awarding a $41 million furniture contract that benefitted his cousin to closely working with Severstal’s steel plant as they lobbied the MDEQ for permission to release higher levels of pollutants in the air and avoid air quality regulations, the governor’s record proves that the only ones making a comeback are his relatives, his funders, and corporate polluters.
Last week, a secretive group of small businesses calling themselves “Keep Michigan Growing” released an ad touting Gov. Rick Snyder’s economic performance, claiming it had Michiganders “smiling.” Well, we decided to check if the folks in the video were in fact Michiganders and guess what? Not a single one was from Michigan – not one!
TWIP Clips:
So Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville is continuing our conservative state government’s tradition of trying to pull one over on the voters of Michigan. Please see Proposal 1 of 2012 and Jase Bolger/Roy Schmidt election rigging for more examples.
This time, Richardville has set his sights on undermining the Raise Michigan Coalition’s effort to improve the lives of 1 million Michiganders and help get families out of poverty by raising the minimum wage to $10.10.
Let’s get one thing clear: Richardville’s proposal is not about raising the minimum wage or helping workers. It is about undermining the $10.10 campaign.
Here’s some proof:
Randy Richardville doesn’t care about helping working families who are struggling to afford the basics. He just wants to appease his corporate donors. Polling shows overwhelming support for $10.10 and Richardville (and conservatives in general) seem like they’ll do anything to stop voters from having their way.
Progressive Reads:
Michigan abortion insurance riders just a mirage
CEO of Biggest Fast Food Chain Comes Out In Favor Of a Minimum Wage Increase
The Impact Of Climate Change On The Midwest: More Heat, More Droughts, More Floods, Fewer Crops
Michigan GOP’s solution to poverty: give working poor a $30/week raise
You just need to call him by his true name which is Slimeyville.