Progress Michigan is a first-of-its-kind organization. Our mission is to provide a strong credible voice that holds public officials and government accountable, assists in the promotion of progressive ideas and uses state-of-the-art web based new media to creatively build grassroots support for progressive ideas.

Koch Brothers Spending Millions on False TV Ads Attempting To Undermine Clean Energy

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, Nov. 3, 2011 Contact:  Mitchell Rivard, 517-227-5233, mitchell@progressmichigan.org Solar industry has created thousands of good-paying jobs in Michigan LANSING – Conservative, Big Oil billionaires Charles and David Koch are spending millions on a new television ad attempting to frame the failure of the Solyndra solar energy company as an election liability…

Environmental Groups Call for Public Comment on Dangers of Fracking

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, September 22, 2011 Contact: Nic Clark, 517-203-0754 House Subcommittee has not allowed citizens to give input during hearings LANSING – While the Michigan House Natural Gas Subcommittee held a third public hearing today to discuss a dangerous natural-gas extraction process known as fracking, one thing was once again missing from the…

Incidents Cause Employees to Urge State to Halt Shortcuts at Veterans Home

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2011 CONTACT: David Holtz (517) 999-3646 or (313) 300-4454   Contracted caregivers responsible for resident’s broken neck, another’s hospitalization LANSING – Employees alarmed by deteriorating conditions at the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans are calling on the state to halt the transfer of the veterans’ care to contracted workers like…

Citizens Tell Richardville to Rescind Teacher Threat

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                CONTACT: Friday, September 9, 2011                                    David Holtz 313-300-4454 Senate Leader Criticized for Retaliating Against Teachers Who Disagree LANSING, MI—Progress Michigan today called on state Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville to rescind his reported retaliatory political threat against Michigan’s teachers and their constitutionally protected rights to participate in the…

REPORT: STATE POLITICIANS USE TAXPAYER FUNDS TO JOIN CORPORATE SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP, ALEC

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – August 23, 2011 CONTACT: Zack Pohl (We Are the People), 517-980-6190 Dawn Kettinger (Progress Michigan), 517-614-6810 GOP lawmakers spent thousands to join controversial group pushing to cut education funding LANSING – A report released today by We Are the People and Progress Michigan shows that current and former Michigan Legislators spent…

DPS Students, Parents To Use Social Media to Tell Story of Damage from Empty Classrooms

Wednesday video screening aimed at sending message to Roy Roberts DETROIT – Students and parents involved in the campaign to ensure teachers are in classrooms when students start the school year in September will screen video testimony at 6pm on Wednesday from students, parents and teachers showing how empty classrooms in past years have impacted…

Koch-backed Group Sells Lies and Is Going to Hell

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                           TUESDAY, July 9, 2011 MORE INFORMATION: DAVID HOLTZ 313-300-4454                   Big Oil front group tours Michigan; local affiliate used fake eviction notices LANSING, MI- A right-wing group that fronts for the Big Oil billionaire Koch Brothers is touring seven Michigan cities this week in an effort to deceive the public about high gas…

Michigan’s New Natural Gas Panel Chief Tied to Big Oil, Gas Industries

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 1, 2011 Contact: Leigh Fifelski, 517-999-3646 LANSING, MI–The Chair of a new state House panel created this week that is responsible for protecting Michigan’s waters  from a highly controversial natural gas drilling method dubbed “fracking,” has close and extensive ties to oil and gas industry lobbying and advocacy groups, state and…

Citizens Call New Natural Gas Instructions Insufficient to Protect Health, MI Water

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, May 26, 2011Contact: Leigh Fifelski, 517-999-3646 LANSING – Citizens groups today said new permit requirements affecting the removal of natural gas from Michigan deposits is not enough to address growing public concerns over the impact of the controversial process on public health and its impact on Michigan’s Great Lakes and other…