Progress Michigan blog posts.
The childish standoff over the government shutdown is dead. But the extremists and irrational crazies in the Tea Party are very much alive and well. The Senate voted 81-18, and the House voted 285-144 to reopen the federal government and prevent countless Americans and our country from careening off of the fiscal cliff. However, following…
The Republican party is in disarray and their brand is badly damaged, sporting their worst poll numbers in the history of poll numbers. Days after supporting the shutdown, several members of Michigan’s Republican Congressional delegation heeded Progress Michigan’s call to return, donate, or withhold their salaries while federal employees are furloughed. Rep. Dan Benishek is…
Last week on Off the Record, Chad Livengood suggested that plenty of groups, including ones like Progress Michigan, utilize the tax code to shield their donors just like the Governor Rick Snyder’s NERD Fund. He added, “It’s interesting that the governor — and maybe even the Michigan Republican Party — have not gone on the offensive…
Welcome to the land of nonsensical decisions, where the tyranny of the minority is holding countless people hostage in a logistical standoff. The federal government shutdown has lasted one week, with neither side appearing to back down. When do Republicans want to end this nonsense? Even they’re not sure. This past week, one thing has…
On Friday, Progress Michigan made a call to Michigan’s Congressional Delegation to either return or donate their paychecks during the government shutdown. Why? Because if federal employees don’t get a paycheck then it only makes sense for the people who made this happen not to get paid either. However, Rep. Tim Walberg has continued to…
Progress Michigan is calling on our state’s Congressional Delegation to donate or return their salaries in the wake of the federal government shutdown. Hundreds of thousands of federal employees are going without pay while Republican demagogues use the opportunity to advance their political gamesmanship with radical elements of their party. If federal workers aren’t collecting…
After I told one of my friends — who happens to be a corrections officer at a state prison — about Governor Rick Snyder’s plan to privatize prison food services, his response was short, but spoke volumes. He sighed and said, “You don’t mess with prisoners’ food.” Indeed, in the highly-regimented life of a prisoner,…
Once again, the United States is facing a self-manufactured crisis. And right on cue, conservatives have answered by holding our country hostage. In an asinine and desperate attempt to stop Obamacare from being implemented, Republicans in Congress are holding all U.S. citizens hostage by threatening a government shutdown. In a semi-maniacal effort to delay the…
Governor Rick Snyder’s recent campaign ad brands the former Gateway CEO as “One Successful Nerd” and claims “50th out of 50? No way and never again.” Well, according to Forbes’ “Best States for Business” list, Michigan isn’t 50th out of 50, but it’s pretty darn close. Forbes’ annual rankings had Michigan’s business climate ranked 47th…
Today, the Snyder administration announced they will hear objections raised over the bidding process to privatize Michigan’s food service program. The contract was awarded to Philadelphia-based Aramark. In 2005, the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency settled with Aramark for $2.4 million in a dispute involving the company breaking the law to avoid paying unemployment insurance taxes. Aramark’s…