Legally fired for who she loves

Last week, Lauren Jasenak from Brighton, Michigan was fired by the Boy Scouts of America from her job at a Michigan BSA ranch for being a lesbian. Because of Michigan’s bigoted laws, the firing was legal and Jasenak has little to no recourse in what should, by all accounts, be a violation of her civil rights.

Details after the jump.

The Curse of the Living Romneys

Michigan, a state which had a Romney for governor and then endured over a year’s worth of a man who hasn’t lived here in sixty years telling us he is a Michigander, doesn’t seem to be able wash the Romney kids out of its hair.

First, Slate’s Davie Weigel suggested Mitt Romney as a the perfect candidate to be Detroit’s Emergency Financial Manager. And now Mitt’s older brother Scott Romney is considering a run for Carl Levin’s Senate seat.

Why won’t they leave us alone?

Click through for details.

Spring forward but don’t trip over the Sgnomes

The days getting longer. Ducks and geese returning. Setting our clocks forward an hour for Daylight Saving Time. All of these are clear signs that spring is nigh. But no other sign fills our hearts with more joy than the annual migration of Sgnomes.

Once a common sight throughout the northern part of USA and Canada, global climate change has tragically had a devastating impact on Sgnome populations. Their migratory paths require a unique combination of heavy, sustained snowfall followed by a gradual warming as spring approaches. However, with the shift in climate, the Sgnome migration is coming earlier and earlier and, in some years, doesn’t happen at all.

Thankfully, this year’s Sgnome migration has been epic. My wife, Anne C. Savage, was there to capture it with her camera and we offer it to you today as you set your clocks forward an hour, to cheer your spirits and prepare you for the glorious spring that has nearly sprung.

Click through for the Full Monty.

If it walks like a bribe and quacks like a bribe

Michigan Republicans are hoping that the lure of state cash will entice Detroit city officials into accepting an Emergency Financial Manager without a fuss. After stripping $152.2 million in annual revenue sharing from the city, Republicans are pushing a familiar theme: take away funding or increase taxes then give a bit back to make themselves look benevolent.

Details after the jump.

Well this makes things interesting…

U.S. Senator Carl Levin (D – Michigan) announced today that he will not run for re-election in 2014, a move that opens the seat to a newcomer and has Republicans licking their chops at the chance to run for a Senate seat against someone who is not a powerful incumbent.

More after the jump.

The dysfunction continues…

In a series of events that only serves to highlight the dysfunctional relationship between Detroit’s elected officials, the Detroit City Council voted Wednesday to fight the imposition of an Emergency Financial Manager and, a short time later, Mayor Dave Bing went before the media to say it was a stupid idea that he would not be supporting.

All the gory details after the jump.

What, I have to leave town for good things to happen in Michigan???

I leave Michigan for a few days and then THIS happens? Turns out a Michigan judge has invited a Michigan lesbian couple who filed a complaint about not being allowed to adopt each others children to take it a step further and challenge our state’s odious and discriminatory ban on same-sex marriage.

Click through for details on this amazing turn of events.

It’s like the Oscars for state blogs It seems that our efforts here at Eclectablog have gotten national attention recently. The Washington Post “The Fix” blog does a listing of the “Best State Blogs” every year and a half or so. The last time they did it, Eclectablog was not chosen. However, this time around, we were. In fact, we […]

You know who REALLY likes Rick Snyder? Nobody.

Rick Snyder has given numerous signals that he intends to run for a second term as the Nerd in Chief of Michigan. The problem is that not only do Democrats despise him, he’s wildly unpopular among Republicans, too. He’s especially hated by the far-right tea party element of the GOP.

A Lambert, Edwards & Associates poll out last week conducted by Denno Research tells the tale. Details on that and more after the jump.

Democracy is not disposable

Today at 4 p.m., there will be a townhall meeting in Detroit, Michigan to protest the imposition of an anti-democratic Emergency Financial Manager on Michigan’s largest city. Details are below. You can RSVP and get more information at their Facebook event page HERE.

Click through for details on this event and a prayer vigil to be held this Thursday.

It takes a lot to render me speechless, but…

So, we’re headed home after a movie yesterday and came upon this minivan on the highway. Fortunately it got off at our exit so that we could get a better photo.

Click image for a larger version

Yes, you are reading that correctly. It says “NOBAMA 2016”.

The derangement has now reached the point where these “strict constitutionalists” have come completely detached from the fact that a president can only run for two terms, something clearly spelled out in the document they worship as if it were a chapter out of the Bible itself.