The Greening of Detroit
A hundred years ago, Michigan was a cut-over wasteland. Unsustainable logging practices had left most of the state covered in stumps, detritus and land with zero economic or ecological value.But some...
View ArticleRep. Peters (D) Health Care Town Hall Feed [Event Complete]
The health care town halls keep rolling on.Tonight, Democratic Representative Gary Peters is holding a town hall in suburban Detroit.The event seems to have attracted a pretty mixed crowd, at least...
View ArticleAdventures with Swine Flu
Sniffle. Sniffle. Cough. Cough. That was the sound of my middle-school classroom earlier this week as swine flu took dead aim on my county - Lenawee - in southeastern Michigan.And it occurred to me...
View ArticleCan Michigan Afford to Go Green? State Cuts MSU Extension/College of Natural...
The Lansing State Journal has disturbing information from Michigan's knock-down, drag-out budget battle in today's editions. Apparently, Governor Jennifer Granholm has refused to cut an October check...
View ArticleOntario Freezes Offshore Wind Energy Permitting
The Toronto Star reports that the Province of Ontario has placed a temporary freeze on applications for new Great Lakes wind farms.Toronto Star: Ontario Freezes Wind ProjectsBackground: Ontario...
View ArticleArsenal of Democracy Retrofits for Climate Battle: Wind Turbines on Zug Island?
As a child of the most southern reaches of Metro Detroit, I have an image burned permanently into my memory. The image results from the one trip that my family made into the actual City of Detroit...
View ArticleMI: Obama Ready to Dump Cherry for Dillon or Archer?
Tim Skubick, the well-known Michigan capitol reporter, has a provocative column this weekend in which he suggests that President Obama might be planning to force Lt. Gov. John Cherry from the race for...
View ArticleBrown Dogs Held Balance of Power in House
There are now 3 quadrillion diaries on this site bemoaning the role of Blue Dog Democrats in the House health care debate. But what I find interesting is the little-discussed role of a second tier of...
View ArticleStupak Town Hall Meeting: 5:30PM, 11/11, Escanaba
I monitor local news feeds from roughly 350+ MI news sources and I found a little nugget that I thought might be of interest to the readers of this board.Bart Stupak is hosting a town hall meeting on...
View ArticleMy Town's Only Bookstore is Closing
The economic destruction of Michigan continues.As I write this, I am looking out my front window and observing my neighbors across the street load up a Ryder truck. They have decided not to pay their...
View ArticleCommunity and Compromise
I have to admit that Barack Obama was not my guy last year. I didn't think that he was experienced enough to be president. As a teacher, I was skeptical of his plans for school reform.I was a Hillary...
View ArticleSchauer (MI-07) Holds Town Meetings
Bart Stupak has become a lightning rod for media attention because of his vote on abortion in the health care debate. And Stupak represents one way for Democrat to lead a marginally-Republican...
View ArticleBishops/Catholics Now Must Push for Health Care
Catholics are prototypical swing voters. Traditional Catholic positions do not fit easily into Democratic or Republican Party platforms. The Catholic Church - whatever that means - has generally been...
View ArticleMichael Moore to Traverse City: Republicans and Democrats Must Work Together
Michael Moore elicits a fantastic range of reactions at the national level. But I have just one reaction when I see the man on television: He's one of us.Michael Moore, of course, is a Michigander....
View ArticleOH Public Employees: Heads Up
Editor and Publisher Magazine reports that the Ohio News Organization, a consortium of widely-read Ohio newspapers, will run an investigative report focused on public employee pensions next Sunday,...
View ArticleMI: More Cuts Coming to My School
When I was first hired to teach at my current district in Michigan eleven years ago, we had 72 teachers on staff. We now have fewer than fifty. I teach in a rural area and the loss of manufacturing...
View ArticleLions vs. Pack: Tradition
This past August, the Detroit Lions held an open practice session at Ford Field and 15,000 people showed up. This happened despite the team's historic 0-16 record last year. And it happened despite...
View ArticleClimate Bill/Talks: Difficult Politics
This past weekend, my wife and I were visited by a friendly member of a national/state organization called Clean Water Action. The man who visited was looking to drum up support for the climate bill...
View ArticleVirg Bernero to Run for MI Governor?
WILX TV in Lansing is reporting that Mayor Virg Bernero is considering a run for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in Michigan. Currently, Bernero serves as mayor of Lansing. He won reelection...
View ArticleClimate Bill/Talks Force Utilities to Change
It is easy to criticise the current round of climate negotiations in Copenhagen and the climate bill discussions in Washington. Making sausage ain't easy.But I think that it is important to understand...
View ArticleMichael Moore Plans MI Comedy Fest...in February
One has to be a contrarian to live and stay in Michigan these days. Michiganders are the kind of people who feel the winter wind, clench their teeth and fists and walk faster into the breeze. And...
View ArticleJ.D. Power: U.S. Auto Sales Rebounding
J.D. Power and Associates, a major analyst of the automotive industry, reports that U.S. car sales have grown at a "robust" pace since October and that December sales were "strong." J.D. Power predicts...
View ArticleWon't "Cadillac" Plans Just Shift Costs?
Much has been made of the tax on "Cadillac" health care plans proposed within the Senate health care bill. Any employer-provided plan with premiums in excess of $8,500 for individuals or $23,000 for...
View ArticleWhy not run regional presidential candidates?
I am curious about what the members of this board thought of a potential strategy to change the dynamics of Washington politics: running regional presidential candidates.Before I write any further, I...
View ArticleMI Approves New $2B Coal Power Plant Permit
This past Tuesday, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality approved an air quality permit for a proposed 930 megawatt, $2 billion coal-fired power plant near Bay City, Michigan.The permitting...
View ArticleTime to Pin Failure on Republicans
I am not one of those who backhandedly celebrates the Brown win in MA as a way towards Democratic Party policy reform.However, there is opportunity in the new situation. It is time to start making the...
View ArticleStupak Out, Schwarz In (?) for MI Gov
Jockeying for position in the Michigan governor's race has been fascinating. Several weeks ago, the presumed favorite for the Democratic nomination, John Cherry, pulled out. Ever since, there has...
View ArticlePass Major Legislation in Lame Duck Session?
I've got a question: Why not pass major legislation during the lame duck session after this November's election?Presumably, some Democrats are hesitant to support certain legislation and options like...
View ArticleLet's Learn from Walmart/McDonald's: Publicize Cost Per Person of Good Programs
All we see today are people advocating government cuts. But government programs - social security, medicare, free and reduced lunch program - do a lot of good. And these programs are often very...
View ArticleDenise Ilitch Out of MI Gov Race; Is Bernero the Guy?
Derek Melot, political reporter/blogger at the Lansing State Journal, reports that Denise Ilitch has decided NOT to run for the Democratic nomination in the Michigan governor's race.Ilitch Drops OutNo...
View ArticleObama to Deliver Spring Commencement Address at U of Michigan
Obama at U of MPresident Barack Obama will deliver the spring 2010 commencement address at the University of Michigan. At the ceremony, to be held on May 1 in Michigan Stadium, Obama will receive an...
View ArticleKildee Ends Bid for MI Gov.
Flint-area Democrat Dan Kildee ended his bid for Michigan governor last night, according to reports cited by the Detroit Free Press:Kildee OutLack of UAW support was cited as the reason for Kildee's...
View ArticleMilitia Suspect Apprehended: North Adams, MI
Channel 7, WXYZ TV in Detroit is reporting that the ninth suspect in the Hutaree militia case in Michigan has been apprehended:WXYZ TV DetroitLinks from prior to the apprehension:WXYZ TVAdrian Daily...
View ArticleWe Just Declared 5K of Teaching Expenses on Our Taxes
Every day of my life I feel blessed. I have a fantastic wife, a three-month-old son who sleeps twelve hours uninterrupted each night, a nice house, car and good parks nearby.I also have a good job. I...
View ArticleMI Gov. Granholm Declares Perfect Game
I have been a Detroit Tigers fan for my entire life. I remember shaking hands with Al Kaline and listening to Ernie Harwell allow the sounds of the game to come through the radio. I remember the 1984...
View ArticleBernero = 14 Pt. Lead in MI Gov Nomination Race
The latest poll on the Democratic side of the race for Michigan governor shows that Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero has taken a 14% lead over MI House Speaker Andy Dillon.LANSING, MI (WKAR) - Political...
View ArticleWorst Oil Spill in Midwest History: 800K Gallons Head to Lake Michigan
More than 800,000 gallons of oil spilled into Talmadge Creek and the Kalamazoo River on Sunday and Monday. The oil is a part of the eight million gallons that traverse the area each day en route from...
View ArticleVirg Bernero up by 8 in latest poll [MI-Gov].
Virg Bernero seems to have blown the door off the Democratic Party nomination race for Michigan governor. The Detroit Free Press/WXYZ/EPIC-MRA poll now shows Virg with an eight point lead over Andy...
View ArticleEPA sues fifth biggest coal plant in U.S.
The Associated Press reports that the EPA is suing DTE Energy [Detroit Edison] in federal court because of improper renovations/permitting at its coal-fired Monroe, MI power plant.The power plant is in...
View ArticleMichigan Leads Economic Recovery
Last month, President Obama visited Michigan to tout the success of the GM/Chrysler bailout. Despite criticism, the bailouts have been an unqualified success.That success continued today with two new...
View ArticleMI AG wants to hire new prosecutors fast. :)
Pretty much everyone in the world is now aware of the high quality of lawyers working for Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox. One staff member, Assistant AG Andrew Shirvell has spent almost all of his...
View ArticleSchauer (MI-07) and Peters (MI-09) Making a Charge
The latest polls out of Michigan are VERY encouraging for several Democratic House incumbents. My representative, Mark Schauer (MI-07), has opened up a six point lead on Republican Tim Walberg.Nearby,...
View ArticleMI State Employees Earn Same Sex Health Benefits
The Michigan Civil Service Commission voted today to honor agreements that will extend benefits to same sex partners of most state employees. Unions representing 70% of state employees were impacted...
View ArticleSecretary Duncan Provides Cover for Massive Michigan School Funding Cut
Secretary of Education Arne Duncan made three joint appearances in Michigan yesterday with Republican Governor Rick Snyder. During the visit, Duncan said that he was "very encouraged" by the reform...
View ArticleMI Teachers Stay In Union
This Labor Day weekend is more important to me than usual. While I will certainly be enjoying a hot dog or two with my wife and three young kids, I am also Facebooking, e-mailing and calling to make...
View ArticleMI Gov. Snyder's Labor Day Walk with Robot
One of Michigan's great annual traditions is the Labor Day Mackinac Bridge walk. It is a five mile walk surrounded by some of the most majestic scenery the state has to offer. It celebrates a...
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