Republicans love to wrap themselves in the flag, wave around (albeit not always read) the Constitution and sow division by embracing phrases such as “Blue Lives Matter.” But, this week Lansing Republicans showed just how much police lives (and teacher lives, and firefighter lives, etc.) matter to them by proposing cuts to retiree health care.…
By now it’s clear that the first line of the book on the Snyder years will include the poisoning of Flint. Rick Snyder’s policies that led to the problem, his lackluster response and his insistence that the people of Flint pay for his high-priced lawyers for his legal defense will forever define his shattered legacy.…
Republicans tried twice, and failed, to beat Jennifer Granholm at the ballot box. Not only did they fail, but Dick DeVos failed spectacularly in 2006. Despite those failures, Michigan Republicans continue to run against Granholm. What many of us call, “The Bush Years” are called, “The Lost Decade” by the Michigan GOP. The fact of…
Macomb County Commissioner and Republican candidate for the State House Steve Marino is apparently a fan of outsourcing jobs, lowering wages and forcing 10-year old children to work. Marino was caught making these abhorrent statements at a public meeting. This isn’t the first time that Marino was caught making statements that should make people question…
Today is Labor Day – a day that many will mark with one last summer cookout, or a day that students have dreaded since the beginning of summer vacation. Some will mark the holiday by celebrating past victories for the labor movement. These victories earned child labor protections, overtime rules, healthcare, secure retirement and built…
Indiana Governor Mike Pence is trying to sell himself as a working class hero who hears the concerns of working class people. It shouldn’t work if voters understand that Pence’s record is more self-serving than public servant. In 2009, auto workers across the country but especially in Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin and Indiana were facing economic…
My daughter has the awesome opportunity to attend the DNC this week. As a teenage girl, she is aware of the history being made this week as a major political party nominates the first woman in our country’s history for President. These are my words to her as she takes in this moment. To my…
In February of this year, Michigan’s Auditor General issued a damning report of the care that veterans were receiving at the Grand Rapids Veterans Home. The report showed that the home suffered from a lack of staffing. Even worse, the Home was accused of falsifying records to show that our veterans were getting better care…
Last week, Gov. Snyder attended the Mackinac Policy Conference. Snyder had an opportunity to speak truth to power to the assembled business leaders. He could have urged them to support a tax plan that asks them to pay their fair share – pointing out that our roads, schools and water infrastructure are inadequately funded.…
The Flint Water Crisis is a man-made tragedy that has dominated local, national and international news coverage. People in Flint, all across Michigan, the United States and other countries are paying attention. Sadly, it seems that the only place where the crisis isn’t a big deal is the Michigan State Senate. As a matter of…