Hopefully driverless cars can navigate around potholes Michigan Governor Rick Snyder signed legislation last week that will allow driverless cars to be tested on Michigan roads. Snyder released a statement saying that, “By allowing the testing of automated, driverless cars today, [Michigan] will stay at the forefront in automotive technological advances that will make driving safer and more efficient in […]

More like “Didn’t say it, did it anyway” or “Said it, did the opposite” Eclectameme by Anne C. Savage for Eclectablog Discussing possible campaign slogans during his non-announcement of his candidacy last fall, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder said, “One that I really do appreciate, that I’ve used in my life is, ‘Said it. Did it.’”. In other words, according to […]

When the numbers don’t support you, myth-making is your only other option Last week House Speaker Jase Bolger told the Detroit Free Press that Governor Snyder’s biggest challenge as a campaigner is his biggest asset as he governs. “The governor insists on no credit and no blame,” said Bolger. This was only one day after the Michigan Republican Party sent […]

Under fire and on the run You can always tell when you have the tea party backed into a corner. That’s when they bring out the Big Crazy guns with both barrels blazing. That happened this week when the tea party’s Madison Project Michigan PAC sent out an email from Jack Hoogendyk, a tea partier who primaried U.S. Representative Fred […]

Leadership! [Caricature by DonkeyHotey from photos by Anne C. Savage for Eclectablog] In a year-end interview with MLive, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder took the bold step of letting others lead on providing basic civil rights protections for members of the LGBT community. It was a proud moment: Gay-rights advocates were quick to point out that Michigan law does not currently […]

come·back – noun \ˈkəm-ˌbak\ — A return to a former position or condition (as of success or prosperity) I feel like Governor Snyder and his administration have a different dictionary than I do. He has repeatedly claimed lately (as part of the non-launch of his 2014 campaign) that Michigan is the “Comeback State”. The only thing that I can figure […]

Day-um [Caricature by DonkeyHotey from photos by Anne C. Savage for Eclectablog] Today’s Detroit Free Press editorial “Snyder must uphold state’s constitutional protection of Detroit pensions” is direct and unflinching on Governor Snyder’s obligation as the state’s leader to protect the pensions of Detroit retirees as the city goes through bankruptcy. I’d love to reprint the whole thing. It’s that […]

Transparency, schpransparency… Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) has released its “Worst Governors in America” list and, for the second year in a row, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder is on it. This year he is cited for his lack of transparency, particularly with regard to his NERD slush fund, now disbanded, which paid for state employees from donations […]

Governor Snyder: it’s not working Three new municipalities are now under consideration for an Emergency Manager: Lincoln Park, Royal Oak Township, and Highland Park. If Highland Park goes, it will be its second time around and it will be the third city to come out of financial crisis under an Emergency Manager only to go back under an Emergency Manager […]

It’s a good gig if you can get it See updates below. The Snyder administration recently gave three of its investment experts massive pay raises, making them some of the highest paid members of his administration. One of them, chief investment officer, Jon Braeutigam, makes more than the Governor and the Lt. Governor combined! The State of Michigan quietly increased […]

It’s the time of year to be thankful After going up for three straight months in a row, June through August, we now have some good news: Michigan’s unemployment rate has flat-lined at 9.0%: It’s an interesting chart. Michigan Republicans and Governor Snyder ensured us that making Michigan an anti-worker right to work (for less) state was going to create […]