Progress Michigan blog posts.

Can We Talk?

I don’t mean to downplay or disrespect the power of people who faced down police dogs, fire hoses and mob violence in the fight for civil rights and it’s not just because I’m a media jackal that I’m playing up the role of the media, but I don’t want to even try to imagine that…

Thoughts on Ferguson

As I sat and watched the events unfold in Ferguson last night I was filled with many emotions. As a parent, my first thoughts were with Michael Brown’s family and the pain they’re enduring as they not only bury their son, but as they received word that their son’s killer would not be brought to…

25,000 and Counting

As one of Michigan’s most trusted watchdog groups, we have worked hard to hold the Snyder administration accountable for managing the contract between Aramark and the Department of Corrections. To that end, we submitted a FOIA request on September 12th asking for all documents related to the contract. It’s two-plus months later and we’re still…

This Week in Progress

This Week in Progressive Blogging: Eclectablog: Constitutionality of Michigan’s anti-democratic Emergency Manager law headed to federal court Eclectablog: Everything that’s wrong with the debate over marriage equality in one screenshot Democracy Tree: The Detroit News Overstates the Value of Privatization TWIP Clips: #ImmigrationAction The biggest news of the week has been President Barack Obama’s announcement…

This Week in Progress

Lame Duck has begun…hold on! This Week in PM Blogging: Detroiters Resisting Emergency Management Not everyone is lauding the Plan of Adjustment that ended Detroit’s bankruptcy. Apathy is a Dangerous Course Last Tuesday’s election marked Michigan’s worst midterm voter turnout in 24 years. Exclusive Inclusivity LGB? Something is missing here… Conservative legislators introduced a bill…

The Dismantling of Detroit

By Matthew Kovac While politicians and CEOs celebrate the approval of Detroit’s Plan of Adjustment, and the mainstream media parrots their line to the public, the real story of the bankruptcy deal has yet to be written. The court proceedings may be over, but the harm inflicted by the city’s austerity and privatization measures is…

Exclusive Inclusivity 

Today, conservative state legislators introduced a bill to amend the Elliot-Larsen Civil Rights Act that leaves out the transgender community completely.  This is happening despite the fact that discrimination against transgender people is often more severe than that experienced by lesbian, gay and bisexual people. In the first four months of 2014, over 100 acts…

Apathy is a Dangerous Course

By Brad O’Neil In the era of Citizens United and a gutted Voting Rights Act where corporations are people, money is speech, and legislators making it harder for people to vote are the new norm, voting is more important today than it ever has been. Apparently, Michiganders don’t agree. Michigan’s voter turnout last Tuesday was…

Detroiters Resisting Emergency Management Statement on the Plan of Adjustment

By Detroiters Resisting Emergency Management Federal Bankruptcy Judge Steven Rhodes’ approval of the Plan of Adjustment is not in the best interests of Detroiters. The plan, submitted by emergency manager Kevyn Orr, supported by Mayor Duggan and Gov. Snyder, protects banks, gives away public resources, and has no method to revitalize the city. We object!…