Last week, Rick Perry and Jeb Bush both pointed to most important issue of the most important election of your lifetime. In what Think Progress‘ Ian Millhiser called the “Single Most Incisive Statement About the 2016 election,” Rick Perry — as a representative of the conservative ID — put it bluntly: “Something I want you all to think about is […]

Let’s take a break from our usual programming to talk Mother’s Day. The history of Mother’s Day in this country goes back just over a century but has a profound and deep history throughout the world and time. I think we can all agree that mothers are special in so many ways and most mothers have undefined qualities that are […]

Thirty-four states along with Washington, D.C. have graduated state income taxes where wealthy people pay a higher percentage than people who make less money. This is also how our federal taxes are configured. Michigan, however, does not. We are one of only seven states with a flat tax. A recent EPIC-MRA poll shows that an astonishing 66% of Michigan voters […]

Earlier this week, President Obama issued a proclamation regarding National Teacher Appreciation Week which runs from May 3rd through May 9th. In his proclamation, he wrote: “On National Teacher Appreciation Day and during National Teacher Appreciation Week, we honor America’s outstanding teachers and the vital role they play in the lives of our children and the success of our country. […]

On March 3rd, State Senator Bert Johnson (D, MI-02) and three other Michigan Democrats introduced Senate Bill 172 requiring the state health department to provide information about “emergency contraception,” otherwise known as the “Morning After” pill. The bill was referred to committee with no further action at this time, and probably not at any time under the current GOP-dominated legislature […]

Republicans might be worried about this chart, the gold-standard Kaiser Foundation tracking poll of opinion on the Affordable Care Act, which shows approval for the law above water for the first time since the launch of HealthCare.gov: But it’s blip and likely an outlier. What they should be worried about is this chart, Gallup’s measure of Americans’ satisfaction with government’s […]

Michigan’s 7th District Congressman Tim Walberg is in deep trouble if recent events are any indication. It started with his sole Democratic opponent Gretchen Driskell raising more money than him during the last quarter. According to FEC filings, Driskell raised $173,732 compared with only $165,929 for Walberg. Those numbers don’t tell the entire story, however. Driskell didn’t even get into […]

It’s a good gig if you can get it… After leaving as Detroit’s Emergency Manager, bankruptcy attorney Kevyn Orr was quickly tapped to do consulting work for a newly-appointed Emergency Manager in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Orr has completed his work there after just over three months and returned to work at his former employer Jones Day last week. During […]

Dan Benishek, the Congressman from Michigan’s 1st Congressional District made a pledge when he first ran for that seat that he would only serve three terms. When he recently reneged on that pledge, I sorta shrugged. Republican politicians lying about things isn’t particularly BREAKING NEWS!!! However, when Benishek revealed his supposed reason for breaking his pledge, I got angry. According […]

Not just predictable. Predicted. The dust hadn’t even settled on the epic crash and burn of Michigan’s Proposal 1 yesterday when Republican House Speaker Kevin Cotter began discussing his plans for slashing the budgets of other areas to come up with over a billion dollars needed to rebuild our crumbling roads and bridges. He gave a glimpse into his thinking […]

Blame politicians, not the voters, for Prop 1’s failure I want to be clear that, like the other authors on this site, I voted for Prop 1 and am disappointed that it failed. We need to fix the roads. I think increasing the gas tax is an appropriate way to pay for that. And Michigan’s low-income workers lose out without […]