Champion for equality says Michigan Legislature should focus on real problems, urges Michiganders to voice opposition to bigoted bill. Never one to mince words, Congressman Dan Kildee (MI-05) is particularly blunt in his condemnation of the “bathroom bill” introduced by State Senator Tom Casperson. I spoke with Rep. Kildee the day after Senate Bill 993 was introduced in the Michigan […]

Early this month, in a piece about Republican attacks on State Board of Education President John Austin, I noted that State Senator Tom Casperson was moving forward with introducing one of his own here in Michigan. Sure enough, as he promised, today that bill was introduced as Senate Bill 993. In that piece, I also said this: Sen. Casperson’s yet-to-be-introduced […]

NOTE: There is simply too much news arising from the poisoning of Flint’s drinking water to do separate posts for everything. Therefore, I am assembling various news items into a single news round-up on a semi-regular basis. You can follow all of our coverage HERE. Former Snyder advisor concedes that “running government like a business” led to the poisoning of […]

Earlier this month I wrote about a truly horrible piece of legislation passed by Michigan Republicans that would have compelled county clerks to issue concealed weapons permits to stalkers & spouse abusers. Today, Gov. Rick Snyder used his veto pen to send it to the rubbish bin of history where it belongs: Gov. Rick Snyder today vetoed a controvhttp://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2013-2014/billanalysis/House/pdf/2013-HLA-0789-6F92BDA1.pdfersial bill […]

In a 2011 paper published in the journal Nature, Elsa Cleland studied the impact of biodiversity on ecosystems. Her study concluded with this summary: Evidence from multiple ecosystems at a variety of temporal and spatial scales, suggests that biological diversity acts to stabilize ecosystem functioning in the face of environmental fluctuation. Variation among species in their response to such fluctuation […]

Go, Iggy!

After Michigan wolf hunt opponents gathered enough signatures earlier this year to put the issue on the 2014 ballot, Republicans, in their typical anti-democratic fashion, passed a law that would make the vote moot. The group Keep Michigan Wolves Protected is now embarked on a second petition drive that would overturn this law, as well. If they are successful, you could actually see TWO wolf hunt ballot referendums on your ballot next year.

Rock icon Iggy Pop has now gotten involved. Earlier this week, he sent Governor Rick Snyder a letter taking him to task for signing the bill that prevents Michigan residents from having a voice in the matter.

Read his letter after the jump.

Aw geez…

Michigan Republican Tom Casperson opened his mouth and removed all doubt about his status as a tea party fool this week when he answered “don’t know” when asked by radio show host Michael Patrick Shiels if President Obama was born in the USA. Casperson joins the ranks of the 37% of Michigan Republican Party delegates that believe President Obama was not born a US citizen, an astonishing figure given that he has released both the long-form and the short-form versions of his birth certificate. There’s also the fact that a birth announcement appeared in a Hawaiian newspaper the day he was born.

Much more with audio after the jump.

It’s like they don’t realize how ironic they are being

Currently in Michigan, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in in charge of protecting and preserving land and other property under its control from damage or improper use. The Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act says that “it is the goal of this state to encourage the lasting conservation of biological diversity.” Republican state Senator Tom Casperson from Escanaba, however, wants the legislature to take over that overseeing of the protection of our natural areas in Michigan and to forbid the DNR from passing any laws or taking any action that will set aside land for the purpose of maintaining biological diversity.

This is from the party that repeatedly tells us that regulations are strangling our state and frequently advocates for a part-time legislature. The irony is rich and deep.

Details after the jump.

Here’s what we have so far: Pat Somerville (23rd House District)Anthony Forlini (24th House District)Jeff Farrington (30th House District)Andrea LaFontaine (32nd House District)Mark Ouimet (52nd House District)Rick Olson (55th House District)Dale Zorn (56th House District)House Speaker Jase Bolger (63rd House District)Al Pscholka (79th House District) – Donate to his recall effort HERE.Kurt Damrow (84th House District)Joel Johnson (97th House District) […]