Spreadin’ the Eclectagospel… If you are in the Macomb County area, Anne and I will be speaking to the North Macomb County Democratic Club this evening. During the talk, we’ll be showing a 30-minute slideshow of Anne’s amazing photos and she’ll have her historic Obama photomosaic posters on sale, as well. The event starts at 7:00 p.m. at the UAW […]

“There is a group of extremists in the House that is controlling the agenda and that has to stop.” – Sen. Amy Klobuchar When Wyandotte was in Congressman John Dingell’s district, every year he held a fundraiser at the Yack Arena. That ended in 2001 when redistricting took Wyandotte away. But, now, thanks to re-redistricting, Wyandotte is again represented by […]

Now THAT is a party!

As I wrote a couple of weeks ago, Rene and Matt Greff, owners of Arbor Brewing Company and the Corner Brewery are huge supporters of Mark Schauer to be Michigan’s next governor. This past Saturday, they held a fundraising party for him at their home in Ypsilanti and it was a rousing success.

After the jump are some photos taken by Anne C. Savage along with some choice quotes from the evening. More photos can be seen on Anne’s Facebook page.

Two of Ann Arbor’s most stalwart & savvy progressives talk politics

Anyone who has worked with me in organizing things in the Ann Arbor area knows that I’m fond of holding meetings at Arbor Brewing Company in Ann Arbor or the Corner Brewery in Ypsilanti. They have an inviting atmosphere, vegetarian-friendly food, and excellent beers. However, since 2010, I have occasionally had pushback for giving them my business from Democratic purists who can’t get past the fact that the owners, Matt and Rene Greff, donated to fellow Ann Arbor business owner Rick Snyder during the 2010 Republican primary.

To hear some people talk, you would have thought that the Greffs had gone out and campaigned for Rick Snyder. While these same critics will patronize nearly every other business in Ann Arbor without administering a political litmus test, Rene and Matt seem to get special attention and invective others do not.

A couple of weeks ago, the Greffs announced that they would be holding a fundraiser at their home for Democratic candidate for governor Mark Schauer. Anne and I sat down with the two of them last Friday night in Ann Arbor to talk about their experience in the Democratic limelight over the past few years, their long history of supporting Democrats and progressive causes, and their excitement about the Schauer candidacy. During the conversation, we joked about them doing a “Greff Apology Tour” but the fact is, they were far more level-headed and realistic about the state of the race in 2010 than most of their critics and, in fact, do NOT apologize for their decision.

Enjoy after the jump.

A BFD for the D

Last night I “appeared” on the Night Shift with Tony Trupiano radio show to talk about Netroots Nation being held in Detroit in July of 2014. If you are unfamiliar with Netroots Nation, this segment will give you a better idea of just how big a deal this is.

Audio after the jump.

Taking the show on the road The Livingston County Democratic Party has graciously asked me to be the headline speaker at their June meeting this Thursday, June 27th at 7 p.m. The meeting will be held at party headquarters at 10321 Grand River Road, Suite 600, in Brighton. Here’s their announcement: A Michigan blogger whose writing brought nationwide exposure to […]

Effective change in Detroit must come from communities, not from the top down This Saturday, the Change Agent Consortium (CAC), a coalition of Detroit faith, labor, and social justice groups, will hold their Advance Detroit Summit at the Bethany Baptist Church (15122 W. Chicago) in Detroit. The event is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is open to the […]

Click through for video of my Netroots Nation mainstage announcement of the 2014 location of Netroots Nation.

It’s not as easy as it looks… This week at Netroots Nation, in addition to my role as volunteer coordinator for the Netroots for the Troops CARE package assembly, networking, and attending sessions, I’m participating in a session myself as a panelist for a session titled “You Get Paid to Do This? Tips for Supporting Your Blog through Advertising and […]

The grassroots making things happen in Michigan

The rally to support public education in Michigan that happens at the state Capitol on Wednesday (details with links, etc. HERE) is getting bigger by the day. In a major coup, organizer Rochelle Noel informed me over the weekend that Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mark Schauer is now scheduled to speak at the rally.

Details after the jump.

Solidarity

Over a year ago, Panera Bread bakers along the I-94 corridor Michigan voted to form a union. The parent company refused to recognize the union, forcing the workers to file a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) demanding that the company recognize and bargain with their union, the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers, and Grain Millers International Union (BCTGM). The NLRB ruled for the workers. However, due to a decision in Noel Canning v. NLRB overturning President Obama’s recess appointments to the NLRB, Panera Bread has refused to comply.

Click through for more details and information about June 21st rally to support the Panera Bread bakers.