A web of money, power, and deception Earlier this year, I wrote about Lee Fang’s important piece in The Nation magazine titled “The Right Leans In”. In that piece, Fang detailed the pervasive influence of the corporatist network called the State Policy Network (SPN) in shaping public policy in states throughout the country. Funded heavily by corporate interests and wealthy […]

The number of people with diabetes is escalating rapidly. Education and prevention are key to stemming the tide of this chronic disease. It’s World Diabetes Day. But as a person who lives with the condition, it’s something I think about every day. I have to, because if I don’t manage my health even the many significant advances in care and […]

This is gonna be good Our pals at Progress Michigan have launched a new website called SnyderFails.org. The site will show the reality behind Rick Snyder’s failed policies as well as the reality behind his phony persona as a moderate nerd who’s just trying to do a “nerdy job”. The truth, as most of us know, is that Rick Snyder […]

What’s the hold-up, Mr. Boehner? In about 60 days, the current agreement to keep our federal government funded will run out. This sets the country up for another battle with tea party Republicans dead-set on repealing the Affordable Care Act. With the power of the Republican-led House of Representatives apparently in the hands of Senator Ted Cruz, there is, apparently, […]

The most progressive part of the Affordable Care Act is working the best. There’s no doubt that the craptacular launch of Healthcare.gov will go down in history with the vice-presidential nomination of Sarah Palin as one of the early 21st century’s great unforced errors. Calling it Obama’s Katrina is absurd, but we can’t ignore the fact that people will die […]

Drunk. With. Power. Michigan Governor Rick Snyder signed legislation today that is one of the final steps in consolidating Republican power in Michigan. The new law moves the Court of Claims — the court where suits against the state government are heard — from the Ingham County Circuit Court where it’s been for decades to Michigan Court of Appeals. Governor […]

Michigan Republicans are starting look desperate and obsessed and controlled by the Mackinac Center It’s no secret that Michigan Republicans are hellbent on destroying unions. Teachers unions seem to be their prime targets, likely because teachers are particularly vulnerable because they are focused on educating our kids, not on political action and activism. When Republicans rammed right to work (for […]

They rock [All photos by Isaac Epstein, used with permission] In the spring of 2012, a handful of from various faith, labor, and community organizations began to meet to discuss building a local group to work on solving some of the intractable problem confronting their communities. Over time, that group swelled in size and became known as the Washtenaw Regional […]

C’mon, it’s not that hard to find black people in Detroit… [Photo credit: Anne C. Savage, special to Eclectablog] I want to start off by saying that I think Anthony Bourdain’s CNN program “Parts Unkown” is some of the best programming on television right now. From the insanely high-quality and artful videography to Bourdain’s ability to capture the heart and […]

They know what democracy looks like. If Gov. Snyder signs this bill into law, it will prove once again that he doesn’t. [Caricature by DonkeyHotey from photos by Anne C. Savage for Eclectablog] The speed at which Republicans rammed through Senate Bill 652 is enough to give anyone legislative whiplash. And when bills are rushed through that quickly for no […]

#SaveMI, #SaveHamtownFarms Photo by Anne C. Savage, special to Eclectablog Late last month, I wrote about the amazing Hamtown Farms urban farm in Hamtramck, Michigan. The farm sits on city land that had been vacant for decades. Now that the city is legally able to begin selling off their empty lots, Cathy Square, the Emergency Manager in Hamtramck has swept […]