Government small enough to let terrorists get away? Getting out of bed this morning, Anne said, “I feel like everything that happened in Boston yesterday was a movie I watched.” It feels that way to me, too, especially given how the 24-hour cable news coverage puts the on-screen personalities in the position of having to fill every second with jabber, […]

Progress Michigan staff are our state’s leading progressive warriors against Republican overreach

I haven’t written about Michigan Republican National Committee Chair Dave Agema’s offensive, lie-filled Facebook post a few weeks ago primarily because (a) I didn’t want to give him any more attention than he already has gotten and (b) others have done it well already. You’re probably aware of Agema’s latest foray into the land of anti-LGBT bigotry but, if not, he put up a post that he claims is by a “doctor” who says that, among other odious things, gays are for half the murders in large cities, 39-59% of homosexuals are infected with intestinal parasites like worms, flukes and amoebae and that part of the homosexual agenda is to turn people from Christianity. It was truly hideous. Agema has since doubled and tripled down on his outrageous post.

One group that has been on the forefront pushing back against this hateful rhetoric is Progress Michigan. Click through for details on how you can help them fight this very good fight now and into the future.

Dude, are you SERIOUS???!

There’s a piece in today’s Livingston County Press & Argus that starts with this statement: “Both those for and against the Affordable Care Act, or “Obamacare,” agree on one thing: Emergency room visits by those with little or no insurance are driving health-care cost increases.” The article then goes on to prove that’s not entirely correct. Apparently Republican state Senator Joe Hune DISAGREES with this.

All the facepalming details after the jump.

They are counting on us to be too stupid or distracted to care

If there is one thing that you could count on hearing in the stump speeches of Michigan Republicans during the 2010 midterm campaign it was that they were going to lower your taxes, by God. Smaller government funded by fewer taxes was their recipe for success.

Of course, they immediately got to work NOT lowering taxes and passed the Emergency Manager Law, started a campaign to destroy all unions that is well into its third year and have continued to attack women’s reproductive rights and freedoms with an anti-woman zeal not seen since the days of New England witch trials.

But today, April 15th — Tax Day — it’s worth taking a moment to pause and realize that not only did they not lower our taxes, for more than half of the people living, working and trying to get by in Michigan, they actually RAISED taxes.

Click through for much more.

Take note, Michigan GOP: It’s not just good for Michigan’s health. It’s good for Michigan’s economy, too.

I’m having trouble remembering the last time I heard Michigan Republicans talk about creating jobs, what with all their carrying on about defending religious liberty, protecting the unborn, railing against the LGBT community and … well, pretty much everything except creating jobs.

So let’s give them a nudge and make it easy for them to understand: Medicaid expansion will create jobs. It will increase economic activity and revenue. Which is what the GOP has always claimed is their top priority. Right?

In part 1 of this series, I wrote about why Medicaid expansion is good for the health of Michigan’s citizens. But I’m not entirely sure that’s enough to get through to those in the Michigan GOP who are dead set on crushing anything related to Obamacare. So it’s time for a primer on the positive economic impact of Medicaid expansion.

Click through for details.

The Michigan GOP doesn’t seem to get why Medicaid expansion is good for Michigan. Time for them to hit the books.

Medicaid expansion isn’t exactly elementary. Then again, it’s not rocket science, either.

Members of the Michigan GOP have said they just haven’t had time to look into all the details of Medicaid expansion so they can make an educated decision. For now, let’s ignore the fact that they apparently needed no time at all to examine Right-to-Work (For Less) before making it a state law. Let’s also ignore the fact that they were clearly counting on the Supreme Court to overturn the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare, so they didn’t bother doing their homework.

Instead, let’s educate them on why Medicaid expansion is the right thing to do for Michigan. Follow me over the jump for details.

Hey, Republicans, are you listening?

The percentage of Michigan residents covered by health insurance through their job has dropped from 78.1 percent in 2000 to 62.9 percent in 2011 according to a new report out by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. That’s the second highest decline in the entire country, second only to South Carolina.

The study was done to get baseline information prior to the implementation of many of the core components of the Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”) so that we’ll have something to compare to as the ACA is rolled out.

Some of the key findings and more after the jump.

This whole democracy thing is just getting out of hand, isn’t it? Last year, the Michigan legislature took wolves off the endangered species list and earlier this year, the Department of Natural Resources proposed hunting them again, despite the fact that there are less than 700 of these native animals in the state. A statewide coalition of people began gathering […]

For the Love of Goddess what is the matter with these heartless idiots?

Yesterday the Republican-controlled Michigan House and Senate passed budget bills that rejected the expansion of Medicaid in our state. The impact of this is that hundreds of thousands of working poor Michiganders will continue to go without adequate health care coverage, saving the state exactly nothing. In fact, we will still pay into the program but the only states to benefit will be those that wisely choose to expand Medicaid. In other fact, we actually will be in the hole by $200 million a year which will need to come out of other programs like, you know, food assistance for the poor and stuff.

Details after the jump.

Tell Michigan’s House and Senate Appropriations Committees to include Medicaid expansion in this year’s budget

Both the Michigan House and Senate Appropriations Committees are holding hearings TOMORROW Thursday, Apr. 11, where they might decide to include Medicaid expansion in this year’s budget. Expanding and strengthening Medicaid is vitally important to Michigan’s citizens and economy.

Our friends at Michigan Consumers for Healthcare are asking everyone to show their support for including Medicaid expansion in this year’s budget.

Click through to find out how you can easily take action.

“Don’t tell me what you value. Show me your budget and I’ll tell you what you value”

Earlier today I wrote about the budget priorities of the Michigan House Democrats. In that piece I wrote, “In stark contrast to our far-right ideological Republicans and our corporatist Governor, the Democrats’ priorities reflect concern and care for middle class families, children and seniors. Their budget is a sincere reflection of their values.”

Little did I know that just a few hours later, House Republicans would show their values. It’s a very ugly thing to behold.

All the gory details after the jump.