Michigan
updated
6:42 a.m.
I guess a lot of people saw this coming and its great news. The Michigan Public Service Commission, which oversees rate hikes and cuts, grant distribution and licensing in the Great Lakes region of energy companies like Detroit Edison, Consumers Energy et al, has made a giant leap toward the future. Today brings the announcement of nearly $2 Million to get us started moving toward b...
DailyKos (Michigan) - 6:26 a.m.
I had the pleasure of listening to a lecture tonight by Dr. Fred Johnson. A top notch speaker, Johnson is a pleasure to listen to, and his knowledge of American history is second to none. For over two hours Johnson kept our rapt attention discussing the history of the Black Church and race relations in American as it pertains to both politics and religion. In addition to his work as an e...
Sean Mullally's Blog - Mon 9:47 p.m.
This morning Pete Hoekstra was in town to answer questions about the Asian Carp threat. A bipartisan effort in Michigan including our Democratic governor and Republican Attorney General have recently asked the locks separating Lake Michigan from the Carp infested rivers be closed. Chicago officials have refused citing high costs and the need to redesign systems for controlling rain water. &nb...
Sean Mullally's Blog - Mon 9:47 p.m. - 2 clicks 
By John Byrne Democratic heavyweight Rep. John Murtha (D-PA) -- who went by Jack -- has died after complications following gallbladder surgery. A local news station said the congressman had died in the hospital with his family by his side at 1:18 PM ET Monday. Murtha was the chairman of the House Appropriations defense subcommittee, where he oversaw Pentagon spending. He was the longe...
Motor City Liberal - Mon 6:25 p.m.
By Faiz Shakir On MSNBC’s Daily Rundown this morning, Andrea Mitchell reported that “one of the most interesting things” from Sarah Palin’s appearance at the Tea Party Convention this past weekend was the notes written on her hand . “Very clearly,” Mitchell observed, “were some cheat sheets.” Mitchell then mocked Palin by displaying her own hand, which had some handwriting on it. Holdin...
Motor City Liberal - Mon 5:43 p.m.
By Lee Fang This past weekend, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) addressed the right-wing Constitutional Coalition’s annual conference in St. Louis. She had dropped out of the Tea Party Convention occurring on the same day in Nashville to make the appearance. Speaking to a small group of conference attendees and ThinkProgress during lunch on Saturday, Bachmann outlined how the Republican Par...
Motor City Liberal - Mon 5:43 p.m.
By Matt Corley In an interview with CBS News’ Katie Couric that aired before the Super Bowl yesterday, President Obama announced “that he would convene a half-day bipartisan health care session at the White House to be televised live this month.” “I want to come back and have a large meeting, Republicans and Democrats, to go through systematically all the best ideas that are out there ...
Motor City Liberal - Mon 5:43 p.m.
For some reason I don't think this will do it, but give it a try. $78 million worth of something has to be better than nothing. Plans include intermittent lock closures, which could begin by the end of April, and adding more crews to hunt down and destroy Asian carp before large numbers of them can make it into the Great Lakes. The battery of techniques they plan to use includes sonar equipme...
Blogging For Michigan - Mon 3:28 p.m. - 2 clicks
OK kids, ya talked me into it. I went downtown to hear what candidate Virg Bernero had to say as he announced his run for governor here in Grand Rapids. First of all, it's obvious that this is going to be an "outsider" race, as Bernero took aim at the "empty suits" in the Capitol, and pledged to stop the business as usual, partisan politics that caters to special interests and holds the s...
Blogging For Michigan - Mon 1:49 p.m. - 4 clicks
Last night, GOP gubernatorial hopeful Rick Snyder spent more than a million dollars to run a commercial during the Super Bowl. Senior Political Analyst Jack Lessenberry has always been fascinated by how people spend money. Hear Audio Story Sometimes my......
Jack Lessenberry - Mon 1:25 p.m.
(cross-posted at WMR, ML, BFM, and SSP-pb) Following my earlier analysis of the 2009 Compliance Statements from the Michigan State House, the State Senate is also worth examining. It is important to remember how wide open the Senate is for turnover in 2010, as there are 30 of 38 State Senate seats open. In the past decade, only one state senate incumbent has lost to a challenger (Laura To...
Blogging For Michigan - Mon 10:47 a.m. - 6 clicks
Hamburg Township residents will have two chances to get to know Hamburg Township Clerk candidate Annette Koeble this week. Annette will appear in the forum being held at Hamburg Township Hall on Tuesday (Feb. 9, 2010) from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the township hall, 10405 Merrill Road. Come hear why Annette, with 40 years of hands-on business experience and 28 years of residence in Hamburg, is the...
Livingston County Democrats - Mon 9:29 a.m.
Brian Rooney reports today that he has been endorsed by Dominos Pizza founder Tom Monaghan. "I am proud to announce my support for Brian Rooney for the United States Congress. I believe his principled and unwavering convictions and new perspective promise to better serve Michigan's interests and help return responsible leadership to Washington, D.C.," said 7th District resident Monaghan....
Blogging For Michigan - Mon 6:42 a.m. - 7 clicks
Cross-posted at Eclectablog.com . Our Michigan members of Congress are falling all over themselves to get into the spotlight regarding the Underpants Bomber. It's like the news story that keeps on giving. ...
DailyKos (Michigan) - Mon 5:49 a.m. - 6 clicks
(cross-posted at WMR, ML, BFM, and SSP-pb) Following my earlier analysis of the 2009 Compliance Statements from the Michigan State House, the State Senate is also worth examining. It is important to remember how wide open the Senate is for turnover in 2010, as there are 30 of 38 State Senate seats open. In the past decade, only one state senate incumbent has lost to a challenger (Laura To...
West Michigan Rising - Sun 8:23 p.m. - 6 clicks
Yesterday, February 6, three Democratic candidates for statewide office appeared on a panel to discuss their candidacy and to answer questions from the audience. The event was sponsored by People of Diversity United for Equality (PODUE) and was held at the Brown Chapel AME in Ypsilanti. In attendance were Alma Wheeler-Smith -- candidate for governor, Jocelyn Benson -- candidate for Secretary of St...
Blogging For Michigan - Sun 5:42 p.m. - 6 clicks
By Stephen C. Webster /RawStory A Christian group in Michigan has filed a lawsuit alleging that a package of hate crimes laws named after murder victim Matthew Shepard is an affront to their religious freedom. Far from the intended purpose of severely punishing criminals who commit unspeakable acts against a persecuted minority group, the religious activists claim the laws are a guarded effo...
Motor City Liberal - Sun 4:59 p.m. - 5 clicks
From Media Matters research department During her address before the National Tea Party Convention, Fox News contributor Sarah Palin made numerous false and misleading claims about national security and foreign policy, including suggesting that the Obama administration doesn't use the word "war," that interrogators didn't ask alleged Christmas Day...
Motor City Liberal - Sun 4:43 p.m.
By Igor Volsky This morning on Fox News, host Chris Wallace asked Sarah Palin about her public call for White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel to resign after reports surfaced that he called a group of liberal activists “f—ing retarded.” Palin reiterated her call for Emanuel to “step down” and explained that while she’s not “politically correct” or “one to be a word police,” she was com...
Motor City Liberal - Sun 4:27 p.m.
I've been hammering at Bank of America and other big banks for their predatory lending and awful customer service. Seems I'm not the only one: Italy Seizes Bank of America Assets - Fraud Is Finally Catching Up With Wall St./Bankers From what I can tell, the bank near me that has done the best is TD Bank. I am switching to TD and so far I am happy. They avoided predatory lending (probably bec...
DailyKos (Michigan) - Sun 9:20 a.m. - 18 clicks
Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero will make his campaign for governor official with an announcement tour on Monday... mlive.com - "Bernero enters Dem race for governor" The announcement tour will stop in Detroit, Grand Rapids and Lansing. Sign up to attend at the following link... Meetup - Fighting for Michigan Jobs In addition, Mayor Bernero has launched his official campaign website... ...
West Michigan Rising - Sun 7:43 a.m. - 8 clicks
On October 6 2008 Governor Granholm signed into law a bipartisan law mandating that 10% of Michigan's power come from renewable sources by 2015. The three-bill package signed by Granholm at two different events today includes a renewable portfolio standard (RPS) that mandates 10 percent of the state's energy come from renewable sources by 2015 Article That's a tall order. That's almost 3000...
Blogging For Michigan - Sat 8:13 p.m. - 13 clicks
From the email: Dear Friend, For the past weeks, I've been traveling across Michigan exploring a possible run for Governor. I've thought it over. And I've made a decision. I'll be announcing my decision on Monday, February 8th. After meeting people across Michigan, I can sense that people in this state are fed-up and frustrated, anxious and angry - and so am I. The...
Blogging For Michigan - Sat 2:08 p.m. - 8 clicks
When we first blogged about the Dow Powerhouse solar shingle back in October , Dow was still weighing offers from other states as to where they would manufacture the final product. One of the nice surprises in the State of the State Address Wednesday was that Dow decided to stick close to home, thanks to the work from MEDC at putting together a nice incentive package. As much as the Republicans...
Blogging For Michigan - Sat 11:23 a.m. - 6 clicks
COMMMUNITY EDUCATION ON THE CANDIDATES FORUM (Public Is Invited) Rep. Alma Wheeler Smith (Candidate For MI Governor) Topic: Free college tuition for MI high school grads Professor Jocelyn Benson (Candidate For MI Secretary of State) Topic: Correcting the disenfranchisement of college student votes Rep. Rebekah Warren (Candidate for Michigan Senate, Moderator/Q&A Session) Rep. ...
Blogging For Michigan - Sat 6:04 a.m. - 7 clicks
President Obama pledges help for small business in this week's address. $30 billion From TARP for small business loans, cutting the capital gains tax, providing tax credit for new hires. The White House said Obama's plan would temporarily increase the cap on SBA Express loans from the current maximum of $350,000 to $1 million. Obama's plan would also expand the SBA's program to s...
Blogging For Michigan - Sat 4:20 a.m.
By Alex Seitz-Wald South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford (R) waged a high-profile war against the economic stimulus package last spring, claiming that accepting the $700 million for which his state was eligible would lead to “ a thing called slavery .” Even as his state’s unemployment rate climbed above the national average, Sanford maintained his partisan and politically motivated refus...
Motor City Liberal - Fri 5:39 p.m.
From Tom Tancredo's February 4 speech at the National Tea Party Convention: TANCREDO: And then, something really odd happened, mostly because I think that we do not have a civics literacy test before people can vote in this country. People who could not even spell the word "vote," or say it in English, put a committed socialist idealogue in ...
Motor City Liberal - Fri 5:39 p.m.
By Amanda Terkel In recent weeks, CBS has been taking heat over its decision to allow a pro-life ad by Focus on the Family, featuring Heisman winner Tim Tebow, to air during the Super Bowl. Last week, CBS faced further complaints when it rejected an ad by a gay dating site . Today, USA Today reports that Focus on the Family will now be airing a second ad — also featuring Tebow and hi...
Motor City Liberal - Fri 5:18 p.m.
Interesting. Both the U.S. House and Senate voted to raise the national debt limit by $1.9T yesterday. The entire Michigan House delegation voted against it , including all Democrats. The measure snuck by on a 217-212 vote. Senators Levin and Stabenow voted for it. ...
Blogging For Michigan - Fri 1:48 p.m. - 7 clicks
ESCANABA – Standing alongside local business leaders and anglers, lawmakers from the Upper Peninsula today launched an online campaign at www.noasiancarp.com demanding that Chicago bureaucrats and the Governor of Illinois close two shipping locks to keep Asian carp out of the Great Lakes. If the invasive species enters Lake Michigan it would destroy the native fish and plant life in wat...
Michigan House Democrats - Fri 1:27 p.m. - 5 clicks
The Michigan House voted to end lifetime benefits for legislators this week, but Michigan Radio’s Jack Lessenberry says the reality isn’t at all what it seems. Hear Audio Story Here's something you may believe, but which just isn't so. A......
Jack Lessenberry - Fri 12:02 p.m. - 10 clicks
This old Lear/GM plant will house Hangar 42 Film Studios During the SotS Address Wednesday night, the governor rattled off a bunch of cities and companies that are creating jobs for the new Michigan economy. Renewable energy, automotive, life sciences, movie studios, other big name projects, all in the works or already creating jobs, with thousands to follow in the next few years. Thi...
Blogging For Michigan - Fri 11:43 a.m. - 11 clicks
MI-07 Rep. Mark Schauer is questioning whether or not rules were broken during the apprehension of the so-called Christmas Day bomber, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab on Flight 253 inbound to Detroit. Via the Detroit Free Press : Was protocol violated when Flight 253 -- after a failed attempt to set off a bomb on the Christmas Day flight from Amsterdam, Netherlands, to Detroit -- proceeded to a gat...
Blogging For Michigan - Fri 11:28 a.m. - 6 clicks
Cross-posted at Eclectablog.com and Blogging for Michigan . I hate to give teabagger candidate Brian Rooney more attention than he deserves because the only thing that would be worse than Tim Walberg regaining his seat in MI-07 would be if Brian Rooney were to succeed in defeating Mark Schauer. But his latest " press release " screams to be addressed. It is a nauseating example of ex...
DailyKos (Michigan) - Fri 6:07 a.m. - 7 clicks
I hate to give Brian Rooney more attention than he deserves because the only thing that would be worse than Tim Walberg regaining his seat in MI-07 would be if Brian Rooney were to succeed in defeating Mark Schauer. But his latest " press release " screams to be addressed. It is a nauseating example of exploiting one's children, in this case a child with a serious medical condition, for personal ...
Blogging For Michigan - Fri 5:02 a.m. - 7 clicks
Normally, we have a diary on Tuesdays in the morning, but we were missing out on all the west coast commentary. So we decided to try something different and go with a multi-authored diary under a subject specific diarist. Each person's contribution is copy/pasted with no editing and is clearly shown as that person's. I hope you enjoy this new experiment! ...
DailyKos (Michigan) - Thu 6:55 p.m. - 2 clicks
(cross-posted at WMR, ML, BFM, and SSP-pb) February 1 marks a big day for Michigan political junkies, a day when candidates and officeholders who have filed a candidacy committee to run for office on the state level must file an annual compliance statement (CS). Candidates who have filed for a financial waiver (meaning that they are not going to spend or raise more than $1,000 on their campaign...
Blogging For Michigan - Thu 3:35 p.m. - 9 clicks
(cross-posted at WMR, ML, BFM, and SSP-pb) February 1 marks a big day for Michigan political junkies, a day when candidates and officeholders who have filed a candidacy committee to run for office on the state level must file an annual compliance statement (CS). Candidates who have filed for a financial waiver (meaning that they are not going to spend or raise more than $1,000 on their campaign...
West Michigan Rising - Thu 3:25 p.m. - 5 clicks
By Amanda Terkel The NAACP released its annual report card looking at how federal lawmakers voted on civil rights issues, such as hate crimes, D.C. voting rights, and expanding children’s health insurance. Glenn Thrush looks at some of the main points from the report : – All Senate Republicans got an F but two (Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, Maine — they got C’s) – All Senat...
Motor City Liberal - Thu 3:24 p.m.
By Amanda Terkel This week, former Alaska governor and Fox News contributor Sarah Palin will be on Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace, in his first Sunday show appearance ever. This morning, Wallace spoke with Fox Business host Don Imus about how excited he is for the segment: WALLACE: We’re going to be down in Nashville with her at the National Tea Party Convention, and I’m excited. F...
Motor City Liberal - Thu 2:08 p.m.
By Ben Armbruster Last night on Fox News, Sean Hannity criticized President Obama for inviting famous guest chefs to cook at the White House, claiming the President is “out of touch” with regular Americans. “He’s jetting around to Broadway on vacations on our dime!” Hannity complained. “He is so far out of touch with what is going on,” said former Bush adviser Nicolle Wallace. Both ...
Motor City Liberal - Thu 2:08 p.m.
By Zaid Jilani Tuesday, during a hearing of the Helsinki Commission — an independent U.S. agency charged with promoting security and economic cooperation with eastern Europe and central Asia — that featured Kazakh foreign minister Kanat Saudabayev, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) showed contempt for human rights by telling Saudabayev that Kazakhstan’s nature as a virtual dictatorship doesn’t con...
Motor City Liberal - Thu 1:48 p.m.
Western Michigan University Takes Top $20,000 Prize in the iOMe Challenge; Texas Tech and St. Norbert College Also Receive Honors and Cash Prizes After extensive review, a blue-ribbon panel of judges announced today that the winner of the iOMe Challenge - and a cash prize of $20,000 and $1,000 for their faculty advisor - is the team from WesternMichigan University in Kalamazoo, Mich. The winn...
West Michigan Rising - Thu 12:05 p.m. - 4 clicks
Governor Granholm delivered her final State of the State address last night. Her speech focused on education, job-creation and the economy. However, Michigan Radio’s Political Analyst Jack Lessenberry thinks we should pay attention more to what the Governor didn’t say......
Jack Lessenberry - Thu 10:43 a.m. - 9 clicks
After my diary about the epic Frank Luntz fail got so much attention here and at Daily Kos yesterday, I emailed Countdown with Keith to bring it to their attention. It seemed to fit in nicely with their segment about Luntz from the day before. Sure enough, they picked it up and it was the subject of Keith's only "Short Comment" last night. The video can be seen in bfealk's diary . It was a fu...
Blogging For Michigan - Thu 8:25 a.m.
We all saw that Frank Luntz used a picture of Congressman Mark Schauer in his memo to the Republicans on how to defeat financial reform. Keith Olbermann did his comment on it tonight. ...
Blogging For Michigan - Wed 8:54 p.m. - 9 clicks
Little late this week getting the newsletter to Daily Kos. Some parts might be outdated, but most is up to date. I also want to draw attention to a fellow Culture Kitchen blogger, Leo Igwe, whose attempts to further reason and oppose fundamentalism in Nigeria have gotten him beaten up by a mob and harassed by cops. Here are his two most recent articles regarding Nigeria: Humanism and the Ques...
DailyKos (Michigan) - Wed 6:09 p.m. - 10 clicks
By TODD SPANGLER The terrorism defendant in the Christmas Day attempt to blow up a Detroit-bound airplane is cooperating with FBI agents, a law enforcement official said today. Nigerian national Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, being held in federal prison in Milan on charges that could lock him up for life, has talked more than once with the FBI in the past week, the person said. He has provided...
Motor City Liberal - Wed 12:09 p.m. - 13 clicks
By Alex Seitz-Wald Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) painted an Orwellian vision of health care reform yesterday, claiming that critics of the Democrats’ plan could be denied coverage . Citing an unnamed Japanese man who supposedly approached her in Washington, Bachmann suggested that critics of the Japanese government are placed on a “list” and prohibited from receiving medical care under J...
Motor City Liberal - Wed 12:09 p.m. - 3 clicks
by Simon Maloy I'd wager there aren't many people right now who would count themselves among James O'Keefe's supporters -- at least, far fewer than there were before he was arrested for entering Sen. Mary Landrieu's New Orleans office under false pretenses with the purpose of committing a felony. But what friends he does have left are doing their damndest to exonerate him ...
Motor City Liberal - Wed 11:41 a.m.
I've always felt that teabagger candidates and protesters were out of touch with mainstream Americans, but now we have a poll showing just how far off the cliff they've fallen. Or, as this HuffPo article put it, this DKos/Research 2000 poll of more than 2,000 self-identified Republican voters illustrates the incredible paranoia enveloping the party. Some results: 39 percent of Republican...
Blogging For Michigan - Wed 11:41 a.m. - 2 clicks
UPDATE: full text of the speech here . Hello from Lansing. Coming to you live from a darkened room inside the Capitol - this place is pretty much empty right now. A few school groups are touring, but other than that, it's nice and quiet. The legiscritters are out doing other things today, the media isn't here yet... very peaceful. Gives me time to shoot this beautiful build...
Blogging For Michigan - Wed 11:41 a.m. - 10 clicks
By Lee Fang Yesterday, ThinkProgress reported on the rise of “ Tea Party Profiteers ” — Republican operatives who are exploiting the tea party movement to make money and funnel volunteers to Republican campaigns. The profiteers tap into legitimate feelings of anger and distrust among many struggling Americans, but then steer people into organizations set up to make money off of them. S...
Motor City Liberal - Wed 11:22 a.m. - 2 clicks
By Sahil Kapur /Raw Story WASHINGTON -- Republican pollster and strategist Frank Luntz turned many heads this summer when he penned a report detailing how the GOP can sink health care reform. Now, a new document indicates he's at it again, this time plotting to kill financial regulatory reform. Like his health care paper, Luntz' new 17-page memo dated January 2010, titled "The Language of ...
Motor City Liberal - Wed 11:22 a.m. - 2 clicks
Governor Granholm delivers her final State of the State address tonight. Michigan Radio’s Jack Lessenberry knows what he’d like to hear. Hear Audio Story Governor Jennifer Granholm’s final state of the state speech is tonight, and the state’s political commentators......
Jack Lessenberry - Wed 10:48 a.m. - 13 clicks
I've always felt that teabagger candidates and protesters were out of touch with mainstream Americans, but now we have a poll showing just how far off the cliff they've fallen. Or, as this HuffPo article put it, this DKos/Research 2000 poll of more than 2,000 self-identified Republican voters illustrates the incredible paranoia enveloping the party. Some results: 39 percent of Republicans...
Stone Soup Musings - Wed 10:26 a.m.
This is brilliant. Republican Message Guru Frank Luntz recently sent out a memo to Republicans giving them his assessment of how they should best combat Financial Reform legislation that is being pushed by the Obama administration along with numerous Democrats. Here's the FAIL: On page 14 of the memo he shows an example picture of a happy couple in front of their new small business with a giant...
Blogging For Michigan - Wed 4:04 a.m. - 3 clicks
From Kos/Daily Kos As I've mentioned before, I'm putting the finishing touches on my new book, American Taliban , which catalogues the ways in which modern-day conservatives share the same agenda as radical Jihadists in the Islamic world. But I found myself making certain claims about Republicans that I didn't know if they could be backed up. So I thought, "why don't we ask them directl...
Motor City Liberal - Tue 6:02 p.m. - 2 clicks
By Lee Fang Republican partisans — aided by lobbyists and corporate front groups — are exploiting the legitimate feelings of anger and distrust among many struggling Americans. These operatives and profiteers, many of them experienced public relations professionals, have set up sophisticated social networking portals and online solutions to control the flow of information within tea party...
Motor City Liberal - Tue 3:44 p.m. - 3 clicks
From Media Matters Ailes revises Beck's claim that progressives "are taking you to a place to be slaughtered" to assert that Beck "was probably accurate" Beck asserted that progressives "are taking you to a place to be slaughtered." After naming SEIU president Andy Stern, George Soros, "anyone else around this White House," and "progressives," Beck stated on th...
Motor City Liberal - Tue 3:44 p.m.
By Matt Corley After President Obama declared in his State of the Union address last week that he would “work with Congress and our military to finally repeal ” the military’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy “this year,” conservatives predictably balked at the idea. “With all due respect to his sincerely held if abstractly formed views on this subject, it would be reckless to require the mili...
Motor City Liberal - Tue 2:45 p.m. - 2 clicks
You can't make this stuff up, but you can certainly find out about it by taking a poll, which is what the namesake of the blog DailyKos did. Lucky for you, me, and people who believe the President was born in the United States (as his birth certificate proves), the poll is published for our perusal. So when we call the right "out of touch," we don't just mean out of touch with America. We me...
The Upper Hand - Tue 12:42 p.m. - 2 clicks
This year, a number of gubernatorial candidates are expected to seek state campaign finance funds for the primary election. But, as Michigan Radio’s Political Analyst Jack Lessenberry explains, the money might not be there… Hear Audio Story Once upon a......
Jack Lessenberry - Tue 12:24 p.m. - 7 clicks
After years of updating, the ArborUpdate crew is taking a break. It may be temporary, it may be permanent, but for now the ArborUpdate sign is flipped to “closed.” There’s a few reasons for this: What had set ArborUpdate apart was intelligent discussion of local issues. You can now find intelligent reporting and discussion on Ann Arbor Chronicle , the Michigan Dail...
Arbor Update - Tue 11:49 a.m. - 8 clicks
In November of last year Secretary of State (SOS) Terri Lynn Land declared she was shutting down or consolidating 11 Secretary of State offices. As part of that plan, she announced she would shut down the two Muskegon County offices which provide excellent coverage to the citizens of Muskegon County, in favor of one office located in the southernmost part of our county on Sternberg road. She ...
West Michigan Rising - Tue 9:04 a.m. - 9 clicks
Most observers agree that the only road to a Democratic majority in the Michigan Senate runs through Kalamazoo. Now that Campaign Finance Reports are out for 2009, how do the contenders stand? Raised Spent Taylor $112,100 $5,769 Totten $133,862 $13,826 Jones ...
West Michigan Rising - Tue 7:43 a.m. - 12 clicks
This morning I attended the community kick-off for the "Make an Impact" initiative at Grand Valley's Michigan Alternative and Renewable Energy Center (MAREC) and sponsored by Alcoa Howmet and the Muskegon Chamber of Commerce. Alcoa officials highlighted the company's efforts at making their facilities in our community more environmentally friendly in recent years, and they have made striki...
Sean Mullally's Blog - Feb 1 - 8 clicks
Governor Granholm startled many on Friday when she unveiled a tough government reform plan that calls for considerable sacrifice. Michigan Radio’s Political Analyst Jack Lessenberry takes a closer look… Hear Audio Story We’ve all seen those situation comedies where a......
Jack Lessenberry - Feb 1 - 10 clicks
The first weekend of the 9th Annual Ferndale Blues Festival is behind us, and it was "all good". About 25 concerts were held so far, with six more days to go ! FAQ's How do I get my band in the festival? Each venue selects its own music and talent and does its own booking. Most bands are paid, although some donate their time to the "cause". We can send you a list of the bars, restaurants...
Covey's Corner - Feb 1 - 12 clicks
This November, the State of Michigan is to vote whether to hold a Constitutional Convention and completely re-do much of what went wrong during the Bush years, and protect our state's consitution from conservative onslaught in the future. ...
DailyKos (Michigan) - Feb 1 - 10 clicks
Bob has been a fantastic, informed, and involved County Commissioner. He deserves to be reelected to a second term. My election made 2009 a year of new challenges. How to balance work, commissioner duties, and home life; learning the ups and downs of local government; and working with my fellow commissioners to promote the common good. Some of our successes: ? Kent County passed a landma...
West Michigan Rising - Jan 31 - 3 clicks
Representative Tom Pearce was recently quoted in the Press saying we shouldn’t expect much from the legislature in an election year – a statement that was remarkable for both its candor and its fecklessness. Since Representative Pearce is term-limited, he can actually tell the truth – something Michigan politicians seem to have trouble with when they think their positions are on the line. ...
Public Pulse - Jan 31 - 12 clicks
On Friday, the Press reported that the state was canceling 243 highway construction projects, resulting in the loss of 10,000 jobs and the accelerated deterioration of Michigan’s infrastructure. The reason is that Michigan’s gasoline tax is too low to win Federal matching grants. Because of this, we will forgo $2.1 billion in grants and get back only 50% of the federal taxes we pay at the pump. ...
Public Pulse - Jan 30 - 13 clicks
The Grand Rapids Press : One poll, of 845 likely Democratic voters conducted Jan. 20, shows LaGrand besting Dean in the August Democratic primary 37 percent to 13 percent with 51 percent undecided. The poll has a 4 percent margin of error. A second poll of 1,325 likely voters conducted Jan. 26 shows LaGrand beating Republicans Dave Hildenbrand and Lori Wiersma by an average of 45 to 39 percent...
West Michigan Rising - Jan 29 - 16 clicks
Governor Jennifer Granholm yesterday supported the idea of a new Constitutional Convention. Michigan Radio’s Political Analyst Jack Lessenberry explains why this may be the time for a so-called “Con-Con.” Hear Audio Story Sixteen years ago, Michigan voters who went to......
Jack Lessenberry - Jan 29 - 13 clicks
By Raw Story The Democrats' second ranking senator on Thursday bemoaned Republicans' attempts to stall and derail the Democratic agenda, saying they had been able to cast protest votes "with impunity" and positing that Republican tactics were almost treasonous. Speaking to reporters, including one at The Hill, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) said his party's members would face public wrath if the...
Motor City Liberal - Jan 29 - 2 clicks
Grand Haven, MI - January 18, 2010. Growing up and living in Grand Haven for over 30 years, I would be the first to admit our community has changed - we have become more interconnected with the rest of the County as we have continued to grow. Our citizens depend on the County for valuable services from road maintenance to health care. We need to refocus on our commitments and make sure...
West Michigan Rising - Jan 29 - 13 clicks
(A co-worker asked me to submit this article to our local union newsletter and I thought I would post it here as well!) Several years ago General Motors was accused of selling pickup trucks with exploding gas tanks; you may remember the Dateline NBC story that featured a GMC pickup blowing up to demonstrate the danger. The problem was that the producers of the story rigged the explosion to cr...
Far Left Field - Jan 29 - 2 clicks
I hope you saw President Obama's State of the Union speech last night. He was direct, occasionally funny, clear in his intentions and challenges, willing to call the Republicans out on their amnesia as to when this recession/depression began and the causes for it. He even told the country what the Repubs will be saying about his budget proposals (cut taxes for the corporations and the rich, cut go...
Isabella County Democrats - Jan 28
Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop has a knack for doing nothing. In fact, he has presided over the Say No Senate for more than two years. A time period that is most notable for yearly budget debacles and a general resistance to progress. Also, he seems to be an unabashed opportunist. A recent article from the Free Press says as much: Measured by the same standard, the initiative ...
The Upper Hand - Jan 28
From a Press Release from the LaGrand for State Senate Campaign : Polls Show David LaGrand Winning Primary and General Election LaGrand up 3 to 1 in Possible Democratic Primary Election Grand Rapids, Mich. January 28, 2010 - Just three weeks after announcing his candidacy for State Senate, two polls released today show former City Commissioner David LaGrand winning a potential August pr...
West Michigan Rising - Jan 28 - 10 clicks
Mike Rogers' response to President Obama's State of the Union address? "While Michigan families can certainly appreciate the President focusing on getting America back to work, he unfortunately continues to advance policies that will cost more jobs. His plans to create a massive new energy tax and have the government run America's health care system from Washington, D.C. , are both job kille...
Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood (MI-08) - Jan 28 - 8 clicks
Mark Brewer has an idea : Brewer told the Free Press he will ask hundreds of top party officials today to call for an “endorsement convention” as a way to give those candidates more months to raise money for their campaigns, and to promote the party’s ticket – whatever that will be. Those endorsements would virtually assure the candidates’ nomination at the regula...
West Michigan Rising - Jan 27 - 9 clicks
First, from the NYT, comes the bad news . A new ranking of the world’s nations by environmental performance puts some of the globe’s largest economies far down the list, with the United States sinking to 61st and China to 121st. In the previous version of the Environmental Performance Index, compiled every two years by Yale and Columbia University researchers, the United States ranked 39th, and...
Stone Soup Musings - Jan 27
LANSING – The Michigan House of Representatives today approved a bipartisan plan sponsored by State Representative Deb Kennedy (D-Brownstown) to protect Michigan families by banning the manufacture, sale and distribution of products in Michigan that contain a toxic fire retardant found in everyday products in our homes, offices, vehicles and schools. Studies show that exposure to the ch...
Michigan House Democrats - Jan 27 - 5 clicks
President Obama will make his State of the Union speech Wednesday and you have a chance to watch it with fellow Obama supporters. Local Dems will gather at Memories Lounge and Restaurant, 1840 S. Old U.S. 23, Brighton, at 7 p.m. You can order off the menu and watch the speech in a private room on big screen TV. See you there! ...
Livingston County Democrats - Jan 26
Local Residents Call on Senator Levin and Stabenow and the Democrats to Fight for Real Change WHAT: Rally for Real Change WHO: MoveOn members, Organizing for America and other local residents WHERE: Federal Bldg. corner of Ottawa and Michigan NE WHEN: Tuesday, 25 January, 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. Press Release: On Tuesday, local residents will rally at the Federal Bldg. in downt...
West Michigan Rising - Jan 25 - 14 clicks
Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm proclaimed January 2010 Stalking Awareness Month in Michigan. For more information about stalking, you may also contact your local domestic violence program, visit the Michigan Resource Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence Web site at www.resourcecenter.info or the National Stalking Resource Center at www.ncvc.org/src. ...
Ismael Ahmed - Jan 25 - 12 clicks
Why I Sing the Blues….2008 (and the 2010 updated version in bold) 1) It's 19 degrees outside tonight. (actually its a warmer this year...global climate change) 2) It gets dark at 5:30 (It is now staying light until almost 6 pm) 3) Gasoline is costing $3.09 a gallon. (now running at about $2.69 but they stole my car) 4) My stocks are down 15 percent...
Covey's Corner - Jan 24
For years, conservatives have flogged the theme of “liberal activist judges”. The message is that unelected, liberal judges subvert the will of the people when they overturn laws on constitutional grounds. The Supreme Court’s recent decision to overturn nearly 100 years of precedent and allow corporations unfettered rights to influence political campaigns should put to rest the canard that activ...
Public Pulse - Jan 24
Fred Johnson, Democratic candidate for the 2nd District House seat (Pete Hoekstra's seat) has been invited, and has accepted, an invitation to a candidate's forum organized by the Holland-Zeeland faction of the West Michigan Tea Party Patriots . All four of the Republican candidates for US House will be in attendance: Wayne Kuipers, former Buffalo Bills tight-end and Holland golden bo...
West Michigan Rising - Jan 24 - 10 clicks
Read about it in the GR Press: Some Grand Rapids school board members pushing for town hall meeting on possible school closings . ...
West Michigan Rising - Jan 24 - 7 clicks
I've released a video in which I discuss my vision for Michigan's future . I invite you to take a moment to watch and I invite any feedback . Also, I've got more information at my Facebook page . Please check it out. Thank you for your time! Thank you, Sean ...
Sean Mullally's Blog - Jan 24 - 11 clicks
Judges and justices are servants of the law, not the other way around. Judges are like umpires. Umpires don't make the rules; they apply them. The role of an umpire and a judge is critical. They make sure everybody plays by the rules. But it is a limited role. Nobody ever went to a ball game to see the umpire. - Judge John Roberts, September 12, 2005 It seemed like a good analogy. The pr...
Trusty Getto - Jan 23
LANSING – With new evidence that DNA from Asian carp has been found in Lake Michigan, House Democrats today launched an online petition calling on the U.S. Supreme Court to immediately reconsider Michigan's request to block this dangerous invasive species by closing two Chicago-area shipping locks. An Asian carp assault on the Great Lakes could devastate the multibillion-dollar fish...
Michigan House Democrats - Jan 22 - 5 clicks
LANSING – House Democrats today blasted a U.S. Supreme Court decision that will allow corporations to spend nearly unlimited amounts of money to influence elections. "Elections should be about issues and candidates, not who has the most money or the closest ties to Wall Street banks and big insurance companies," said House Majority Floor Leader Kathy Angerer (D-Dundee). "At...
Michigan House Democrats - Jan 22 - 4 clicks
