Surprise, surprise [Caricature by DonkeyHotey from photos by Anne C. Savage for Eclectablog] Yesterday afternoon, Detroit Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr, with the blessing of Governor Rick Snyder, filed bankruptcy paperwork for the city at 4:06 p.m. An emergency hearing by attorneys representing city pensioners was scheduled for 4:00 p.m. in the court room of Ingham County Judge Rosemarie Aquilina. The […]

“Like the phoenix, Detroit WILL rise again” – Former Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm I had a meeting yesterday with a client looking for current photographs to reflect their growing business, with its many new employees and in its new location only 10 miles north on Woodward Avenue from downtown Detroit. This client was a good 50-minute drive away from where […]

This hurts me more than it hurts you… I’ll admit it: I HATE begging my readers for money. I live a pretty simple lifestyle with no expensive boats or vacation homes. We don’t travel much outside of work because we can’t afford it. But I do work hard. And so do the other contributors at Eclectablog. We’re trying to build […]

Submitted without comment Michigan Governor Rick Snyder explains his decision to authorize Detroit Emergency Manager Kevyn to file for Chapter 9 municipal bankruptcy for the city:

It was inevitable The Detroit Free Press is reporting this afternoon that Detroit Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr may file Chapter 9 municipal bankruptcy paperwork as early as tomorrow morning in an effort to stave off multiple lawsuits from various pension groups. The City of Detroit is in final preparations to file for federal bankruptcy as early as Friday morning, several […]

Pure Iowa Graphic by Anne C. Savage After it was revealed last week that the state of Michigan had awarded a $1.5 million contract to produce and distribute a Michigan tourism magazine to an Iowa-based company, Crain’s Detroit Business filed a Freedom of Information Act request and learned that at least two Michigan-based companies had come in with lower bids. […]

Look out, Tim Walberg. Your days are numbered. Pam Byrnes with Congressmen John Dingell and John Lewis Several months ago, I contacted former Michigan House Speaker Pro Tempore Pam Byrnes and her husband Kent Brown. I wanted to discuss the possibility of her running for Congress in the 7th District to oust the odious tea party grandfather Tim Walberg. I […]

Michigan’s “stand your ground” law resembles Florida’s more than any other state Graphic by Chris Lozos The tragic death of unarmed Trayvon Martin in Florida was a direct result of that state’s odious “Stand Your Ground” law. The fact that George Zimmerman was acquitted of his death is a direct result, not of the six female jurors ignoring the law, […]

It’s been a busy quarter! Hi, folks. We’re back again, asking for your support. I thought it might be useful to look back at some of what we brought to you since our last fundraiser in April. Here are some of the highlights: An interview with Michigan Teacher of the Year Gary Abud about being exploited by corporatist, anti-teacher groups […]

If only having a big heart could overcome having an afflicted neurological system…

The following open letter is by 28-year old Emily Todebush. Emily was recently diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and faces a lifetime of medical problems and major health issues. But Emily is fortunate: she has health insurance. Thanks to her health care coverage, she doesn’t have to face catastrophic medical bills that would bankrupt families without health insurance.

In Michigan and every other state in the United States of America, millions of people who go to work to earn a living don’t have health insurance and don’t make enough money to pay for insurance on their own. These are the people that the Affordable Care Act, though the expansion of Medicaid, would be saved from bankruptcy, crippling diseases, and even death.

Despite the fact that she has health insurance, Emily understands the critical importance of expanding Medicaid in Michigan. While others would be preoccupied with their own problems were they in her shoes, Emily has a heart big enough to care for those not as fortunate as she is. She understands that upwards of a half million Michiganders — WORKING Michiganders desperately need this life-saving health insurance. This is a situation in which, though the tea partiers and conservatives would love to simply shout “GET A JOB!“, having a job is not enough.

Unfortunately, Emily’s senator, John Pappageorge does not understand any of this. Pappageorge is one of the many Republicans with hearts too small and ideologies too large to understand just how important expanding Medicaid is. He is far more concerned about harming our president’s legacy and making sure that he has no successes, even one that would help so many people.

So, Emily wrote to Senator Pappageorge. He has not responded.

You can read Emily’s important letter after the jump.

Scrub-a-dub-dub… Graphic by Anne C. Savage, special to Eclectablog Last January, I wrote first about the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) crowing about screwing workers with Right to Work. In fact, they corrupted our beloved “Pure Michigan” brand to do so. Shortly after that, I broke the story of how they scrubbed their Right to Work bragging from the state […]