Pete Hoekstra still isn’t sorry. After a racist and offensive Super Bowl ad, Hoekstra is still oblivious. Hoekstra’s election gimmick featured an Asian American woman speaking in broken English to attack Sen. Debbie Stabenow. The ad backfired, and was widely criticized by newspaper editorials and Republican pundits. On Sunday when asked on Michigan Matters about…
What’s worse than unethical lawmakers crafting legislation? Unethical lawmakers facing absolutely zero repercussions for blatantly sidestepping a moral duty and trying to disenfranchise voters. Secretary of State Ruth Johnson claims to uphold the law in Michigan – repeatedly citing putting a stop to fraud as a top priority – but her actions following this scandal…
Income inequality is defined as “the unequal distribution of household or individual income across the various participants in an economy.” Based on this definition, it’s clear Lansing Republicans have the wrong priorities. The evidence shows that support for middle class families and funding for K-12 schools in Michigan have fallen by the wayside, while big corporations and…
We’ve all experienced the bitter taste of disappointment in life. We’ve all had reactions we regret. But as the Hartland Township “Retake our Government” group is about to prove, there are always new lows for extreme reactions to disappointment. The local “tea party” group planned to burn then bury the 2,409 page Affordable Care Act.…
“Temper tantrums.” “Time out.” No matter how Republicans have spun state Reps. Lisa Brown and Barb Byrum being muzzled on the House floor, it’s still wrong. Rep. Wayne Schmidt in an interview with Michael Patrick Shiels recently described it as “a time out.” Listen: “You know, as I said to someone up north here, it’s…
A firestorm has followed the anti-woman omnibus that has chugged its way through the state house. I call it the anti-woman omnibus, because that’s what it is: anti-woman. When female legislators attempted to speak about the anti-woman omnibus, they were gaveled down. Rep. Barb Byrum (D-Onondaga) wasn’t allowed to speak on the floor to her…
The Republicans in the state of Michigan have openly declared war on middle class families, the poor, seniors and students. So it should come as no surprise that they’ve expanded their attacks to women. A massive 60-page omnibus bill introduced last week drastically limits women’s health access, and could shut down every abortion provider in…
Imagine being 14-years-old. Your mother passes away, and your entire life is in upheaval as you grapple with her death. Now imagine your father doesn’t value you at all and sells you into slavery. This isn’t the twisted plot of a novel; it’s the reality that Cayla Robertson faced as a teenager. When Cayla was…
Let’s face it – Michigan has been through the ringer. Since the collapse of the automotive industry, Michiganders have been working hard to redefine ourselves, and looking for new ways to grow and thrive. The beacon of hope and one constant that has threaded itself throughout Michigan’s history – what makes us different than just…
Privatizing prisons is a bad move for Michigan – but especially when those introducing the legislation are the ones profiting. Prisons that are privatized lack oversight and threaten public security, especially when a for-profit company is at the helm. Take the example of the Walnut Grove Youth Correctional facility in rural Mississippi. A report by…