Tea Party homophobe and Troy, Michigan Mayor Janice Daniels led the way to the city losing out on $8.4 million in federal transportation funding for a state-of-the-art transit center this week. After a decade of planning, a regional transit center is off the table after the Troy council voted Monday to pass up a design contract that would have paved […]

In a rather stunning rebuke this week, the Obama adminstration, through the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services denied an effort by the Republican Snyder administration in Michigan to thwart part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). The federal government has denied a request by the […]

No, seriously. Barack Obama is such a freak for taxing your ass off that he has imposed a Christmas tree tax this year. Those danged Democrats! Those guys will tax anything. Executive Director of the Michigan Christmas Tree Association Marsha Gray says most Christmas Tree operations are small farmers. “When we have so many different individual farmers it’s difficult for […]

This morning, President Obama signed an Executive Order establishing a National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security. You can read the Executive Order HERE (pdf) and the comprehensive plan itself HERE (pdf). This is the part of the Executive Order that is most compelling for me: Sec. 2. National Action Plan. A National Action Plan shall be created pursuant […]

You may have seen my previous post about Lauren Reichelt (TheFatLadySings) and her effort to expand the number of “People of Color” at Netroots Nation by bringing a large group of folks from her area. To do this, she is applying for a $50,000 Pepsi Refresh grant. Right now, her grant stands at a sad #104. From Netroots Nation coordinator […]

War on Christmas? Really? What the heck is it with conservatives and their outrage that people dare to say “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas”? That’s what I say. This year, Hanukkah is December 20-28. Kwanzaa is December 26. I have lots of friends who are Jewish and a bunch that celebrate Kwanzaa as well. I even have some solidly […]

Republicans got very, very busy in the short time between Thanksgiving and Christmas. One of the things House Republicans did was to vote to turn down federal funds for creating a statewide health exchange to help make health care insurance available to all Michiganders. In an action with major implications for health reform in Michigan, the state House has voted […]

Not only are Senators Stabenow & Levin asking Michigan Governor Rick Snyder to reconsider his imposition of Emergency Managers on cities around the state, 66 elected officials, all Democrats, have sent a letter of their own (pdf). Although we come to this matter from a variety of differing perspectives and ideologies, we all share in the belief that applications of […]

Now this is a fine-looking First Family: The photo was taken by White House super-photographer Pete Souza. The last one was taken by photographer Annie Leibovitz two years ago. My, my, those two kids are growing like weeds. They’re going to be a couple of very beautiful women, just like their mom. So proud. [From the White House blog]

In a letter to Michigan Governor Rick Snyder, Senators Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin are urging the governor to reconsider the Emergency Manager law, citing constitutional concerns and its divisive nature. December 14, 2011 Govemor Rick SnyderP.O. Box 3001iLansing, Michigan 48909 Dear Governor Snyder,We are writing to express our concern regarding the state’s Emergency Financial Manager law. We are deeply […]

I’m in Ithaca, New York this weekend and tired from a 9-hour drive so instead of my usual Eclectablather, I offer you this amazing video. She’s really, really good at Sun Salutations. So’s the lady.