The Republican Party’s first convention took place “under the oaks” in Jackson, Michigan on July 6th, 1854. A crowd of three thousand felt-hatted Free Soilers, top-hatted ex-Whigs and hatless abolitionists* gathered in the summer’s wet heat for a day to organize in protest of the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which had shattered the fantasy that America could survive a half-slave and […]

All photos by Anne C. Savage, special to Eclectablog In August of last year, I sat down with Pam Byrnes, the sole Democratic candidate for Michigan’s hotly contested 7th Congressional District. In 2008, Democrat Mark Schauer defeated incumbent Republican Tim Walberg but, in 2010, Walberg won the seat back. Walberg, a former pastor and bible salesman is one of the […]

More jobs were created so far this year than in George W. Bush’s eight There’s no doubt that our recovery has been purposely stifled by the party that bequeathed us the financial crisis. But we just had the best jobs report of the recovery. The only attack Republicans could put together to sour this good news was to ignore it […]

I … I … I can’t even … Yes, it’s a fundraiser. Centered around how much the GOP misses George W. Bush. What was it? The wars against an enemy that didn’t truly threaten us? The catastrophic tax cuts that favored the uber-wealthy and blew a gigantic hole in our budget? The Great Recession? What? What exactly is that you […]

This is getting ridiculous First we had dozens of employees from for-profit prison food vendor Aramark banned from prisons for inappropriate contact (sex) with prisoners, smuggling things and selling drugs to inmates, and other infractions. Then Aramark was cited for running out of food before all prisoners were fed. Then dozens of prisoners got sick with what looks like food […]

So, like it’s a like gay burger or what…? I’m not a fast food eating sort of dude but this right here is pure awesome. Burger King’s “Proud Whopper”. They did it at one location only in San Francisco but it needs to be done everywhere from time to time. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBkAAortU_g Go, Burger King. I’m lovin’ it (so to speak.)

During the 2012 GOP primary, wobbly Mitt Romney adopted a policy “self-deportation” to get to the right of Rick Perry. A few months later, he endorsed a bill that would have allowed bosses to deny birth control coverage to their employees as he tried to convince America that his one great accomplishment as governor would destroy the nation if every […]

On Friday, July 18th, Michigan’s next governor Mark Schauer is holding a Happy Hour Fundraiser during Netroots Nation in Detroit. It takes place at the Anchor Bar at 450 West Fort Street and begins at 6 p.m. Buy a ticket and get a free drink (while supplies last ; ) This is a terrific chance to meet Mark in person. […]

Yesterday, Terri Lynn Land accepted the endorsement of the National Federation of Independent Business claiming that it shows she is supported by Michigan small business owners. However, what it really shows is that, once again, she’s being backed by a Koch brothers’ corporatist front group set up to shape laws and public policy to benefit corporations. The Koch brothers are, […]

The following is a guest post from Teresa Blundell of Michigan. She gathered signatures asking Governor Snyder to agree to participate in multiple debates with Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mark Schauer. This is her account of getting the run-around from Gov. Snyder’s office in her attempt to deliver the petitions. When you’re through reading it, ask yourself if this sounds like […]

Public Policy Polling’s latest Michigan poll has very good news for Democrats. Let’s start out with the very best news: after trailing in all previous polling, Mark Schauer is now in a 40-40 dead heat with incumbent Republican Governor Rick Snyder. What’s more, Snyder’s numbers are down four points from December and he has a negative job approval of 54% […]