Progress Michigan blog posts.
Governor Rick Snyder sold himself as an outsider: someone who would break through the partisan gridlock that had gripped Michigan, while making government more transparent, responsive and accountable to Michiganders. Snyder’s “simple, fair and efficient” solutions would reinvent Michigan’s economic motor and bring with them “more and better” jobs. As evidence of his nerdiness and…
Guest post by Allena Tapia Governor Rick Snyder talks tough when it comes to positive immigration reform and being an immigrant-friendly state, whether that’s at forums, in the news or via interviews. And, why wouldn’t he? As his strategist, Ania Bieciuk, noted at Tuesday’s Welcoming Michigan event, Michigan only stands to benefit from increased immigrant…
When Tea Party activists bested their GOP brethren and passed Medicaid expansion without immediate effect – costing Michigan taxpayers up to $630 million – they weren’t saving money in the “classic” sense. No, they were saving money in the modern-we’re actually losing money-sense. Similarly, as One Weak Geek signed the first major tax increase in…
As if the Great Lakes weren’t facing enough environmental challenges — like Asian carp or algae blooms — there appears to be another daunting threat to Michigan’s most precious natural resource. This threat is miles away on the Canadian shore, but is one of the most formidable and clear dangers to the Great Lakes delicate…
There are some things we have come to expect in Michigan since 2010: When something is not on Governor Snyder’s agenda it means it is fast tracked; When there is a troubling world issue you can expect Terry Lynn Land to fundraise off of it; and When conservatives put forward a bill to “protect religious…
Monday, while working Michiganders struggled to make ends meet, Gov. Snyder was being wined and dined at a luxury steakhouse in Beijing. Meals on Snyder’s China junket have lasted three hours and included everything from eel to white chocolate flower petals that blossomed when marinated in hot chocolate. In the background of this video, you…
When a coalition of state employee unions asked Snyder if they could negotiate everything at once and save Michigan taxpayers money in the process, One Weak Geek said no. Why? Because in Michigan your opinion only matters if you’re incorporated. Think about it: We gut our education budget and started taxing folks living on fixed-income…
Ron Weiser, former chairman of the Michigan Republican Party and a key player in making Michigan a Right to Work state, wants to go back to school. On Sept. 3, on the conservative talk show “Patriot Voices Radio,” Weiser announced that he would be running for the University of Michigan Board of Regents in 2014.…
The fine folks of Detroit have already had their democratically-elected government stripped away from them by an emergency financial manager and now it seems the powers that be want to take away any semblance of civil liberties left in the city by pushing for a stop-and-frisk policy. For the past year, the Detroit Police Department…
Can’t afford to pay for school lunches? Didn’t fill out the proper paperwork? Today, Fox News recommended throwing the meal away as a “teaching moment.” This kind of thinking is popular among those trying to privatize Michigan’s public education system. Aside from embarrassing students in front of their classmates, the only reason to promote such…