You heard it there first Gary Peters with Lizz Winstead at kick-off of Winstead’s WTF Tour to support Planned Parenthood, photo by Anne C. Savage, special to Eclectablog. The National Journal is reporting that Congressman Gary Peters will announce his candidacy for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Carl Levin sometime this week. That and a Mark Schauer gubernatorial […]

Those who do not read history are doomed to repeat it

This past week, journalist Lee Fang’s new book The Machine: A Field Guide to the Resurgent Right was released. Fang is a reporting fellow with the Investigative Fund at The Nation Institute and a contributing writer at The Nation and the book represents the culmination of several years of researching and writing about the intersection of conservative politics with corporate influence on our government. The book is, at its core, a history book, showing us how America arrived at a place where a relatively small number of wealthy individuals and corporate entities have shaped the national dialog, our elections, national policy, and even the laws of our land to their own benefit, privatizing wealth while socializing risk.

Click through for my review of this important new book.

This is not good government

I’ve been writing a lot about how both Republicans and Democrats submit identical legislation, sometimes in the same legislative session, in order to get credit for passing bills and joint resolutions that enjoy widespread bipartisan support (HERE, HERE, and HERE.)

After writing about this, I heard from folks across the country that told me that (a) this isn’t something that’s by any means unique to Michigan, (b) both Democrats and Republicans do it, and (c) “it happens all the time”. From the outside looking in, this looks like nothing more than plagiarism and credit stealing. In some cases, it certainly is, particularly in terms of getting credit for passing good legislation. However, there’s a bit more to the story that’s worth getting out there so that we can discuss the issue with as many of the facts in hand as possible.

It’s all there waiting for you after the jump.

Nom nom politics

This coming Sunday, the Ann Arbor Dems will host what has become one of Michigan’s premier Democratic events for bringing together Ann Arbor-area Democrats, politicians and elected officials for an afternoon of good food and conversation – their Annual Chili and Cornbread Cook-Off.

Details after the jump.

A pox on ALL their houses…

Last Thursday, I wrote about the how legislators appear to be stealing each others legislation in order to get credit for something that seems to have widespread support in a piece titled “Michigan Republicans stealing bills introduced by Democrats to deny them legislative victories”. After writing it, I updated later when I learned the Democrats steal legislation, too, and posted about my frustration that good, bipartisan legislation is getting polluted by the politics of who gets credit.

It appears that the situation is even more complicated than I first realized. As it turns out, the legislation that Democrat David Knezek apparently had stolen from him by Republican Jim Stamas is identical to legislation that Stamas himself introduced or supported in the two previous legislative sessions and that Knezek himself lifted the language verbatim from them.

More after the jump.

“Planned Parenthood is not going anywhere”

President Obama delivered remarks to the national Planned Parenthood conference today. He had been scheduled to deliver them earlier in the week but, instead, delayed his speech to spend more time with the victims of the explosion in West, Texas. When it was announced that his original speech was cancelled, the anti-Choice group Susan B. Anthony List declared victory (as did others).

They were, of course, quite wrong.

Details and a full transcript of his speech after the jump.

The State of Michigan is in a weird state

A collection of stories about Detroit, Flint and the jaw-dropping stuff happening in these two cities.

Click through for the Full Monty.

Bonnie Duncan deserves your support

Last week, Alex Showerman from Democracy for America did a guest post about DFA’s scholarship program to the Netroots Nation conference every year.

Many esteemed activists have received scholarships over the years and I typically promote the candidacy of one or two of them. This year I’m asking you to give one of your votes to Bonnie Duncan, a former Michigander now living in Vermont and running a health food store. Why? Click through to find out.

Reclaiming Abraham Lincoln’s progressive legacy from today’s Republican Party

Next Saturday from 5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., the Lapeer County Democratic Party will have their annual Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser. Anne and I have been invited to speak to the attendees and we’re both really looking forward to it. In addition, Anne has assembled a 30-minute slideshow of some of her best photos, a “greatest hits” album, if you will, that we’ll be showing for at least part of the time.

Details and printable flyer after the jump.

I had a terrific conversation with Tony Trupiano last week on Night Shift with Tony Trupiano talking about the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, the State Policy Network and Lee Fang’s terrific article on the corporate front groups that are shaping our public policy and laws.

You can listen to it after the jump.

After spending time reading and writing and thinking about the post I put up earlier, “Michigan Republicans stealing bills introduced by Democrats to deny them legislative victories”, I ended up in a funk. I realized that there are actually some areas of common ground between our legislative Democrats and Republicans. They actually DO agree on some things and on some good legislation.

But the politics in this state (and elsewhere, too, I’m sure) have become so toxic that our politicians are fighting to get credit for anything that could be described as “good”. They are so intent on pandering to their constituents and making sure “the other guys” don’t get credit for anything positive that they will steal each others legislation.

More after the jump.