We found out today that the DCCC is spending money in Michigan’s 6th Congressional District to take that seat away from Fred Upton, the man who played a huge role helping to dismantle the Affordable Care Act. Haley Stevens is up by double digits in the 11th District meaning that seat will swing from David Trott, the Foreclosure King. In […]

The race for Michigan’s open seat in the 19th State House District is a virtual tie according to polling. Democrats have a dynamite young woman running. Laurie Pohutsky is a microbiologist (you know I have a soft spot for scientists!) who has an impressive list of endorsements from progressive and labor organizations as well as notable community leaders. She supports […]

We are up against formidable political opponents. The conservative right and the corporatists — not always the same players — have spent decades rigging the game in every system imaginable in their favor. They’ve gerrymandered our districts, convinced even liberals that taxes are bad and deficits are worse, and they privatize everything not nailed down to funnel tax dollars into […]

U.S. Senate candidate John James is the Republican running against Democrat Debbie Stabenow in the general election. James recently was revealed to making a joke about “grabbing boobs” in a campaign speech, showing just how myopic he is about our country and the issues people care about. However, his first television ad of the general election takes this to a […]

Seems like all we hear these days is about how a Democratic Blue Wave is going to sweep across the country like an electoral tsunami this year on Election Day. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: It’s not going to happen. It’s not going to happen, that is, unless everyone — not just long-time Democratic Party volunteers […]

I recently returned from a week in Shanghai, China, where I had been invited to speak at a conference and serve as a consultant to a group of Chinese music educators who are developing a music assessment system for use in their schools. While I was there I kept a running log of reflections on what I noticed, and the […]

In case of emergency break glass “These are the times that try our souls. The social media soldier and the part-time patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country. But those who stand for freedom and justice now, deserve the love and thanks of the past and future.” –Thomas Paine, basically When I started telling myself […]

UPDATE: Michael Steinberg, mentioned below, has amended his Facebook post and, thankfully, no longer recommends “plunking” for Sam Bagenstos. I’m leaving the post up because a number of people still are spreading this tripe. I have also heard that some people believe this is the position of the ACLU of Michigan. It is NOT. I was recently made aware of […]

By now you have likely seen or at least heard about a newly released video showing a young Bill Schuette acting totally inappropriately with a photo journalist. The video quickly went viral and has generated headlines like “Schuette tells woman in video: ‘I will do anything you want’” and “Schuette regrets ‘embarrassing’ exchange from 1989” and “‘I Think I Need […]

The following post was contributed by my good friend Frank Houston. Frank is the Michigan Regional Program Manager of the BlueGreen Alliance, a group that encompasses a variety of progressive values: labor, environmental, and political action. For this reason, it’s a group that I’m happy to share this platform with. Enjoy. I was born and raised in Michigan. As a […]

I’m delighted to share the following essay with you from my friend Mark Schauer. I worked hard to help get Mark elected to Congress representing Michigan’s 7th Congressional District in 2008 and to try to get him elected as governor in 2014. He’s a fierce warrior for the issues and values that are important to progressives and continues to make […]