Mark Maynard | partisan politics

Senate Bill 652, which will likely be signed into law Friday, ensures that handpicked Republican judges will hear cases brought against the State by the citizens of Michigan

By Mark | November 7, 2013

Remember how, last winter, Michigan Republicans, flush with corporate money and well armed with legislation drafted in far right think tanks, set out to kill unions, and systematically roll back women’s rights, gay rights, and public education? Well, it would appear that they weren’t quite done… Unsatisfied with having just control over the House, Senate […]

Posted in Civil Liberties, Politics, Uncategorized | Also tagged checks and balances, coup d’état, Court of Appeals, Court of Claims, endgame, Gretchen Whitmer, Ingham County, Ingham County Circuit Court, legislative end run, Michigan Republican Party, Michigan Republicans, Michigan Supreme Court, NERD Func, Open Meetings Act, Rick Jones, Rick Snyder, Senate Bill 652, threats to Democracy | 13 Comments

Calling what happened during Michigan’s lame duck session “very, very bad,” former State Senator Joe Schwartz blames term limits and the unprecedented influence of corporate money

By Mark | January 22, 2013

As we recently discussed, Michigan Radio, as part of their Issues & Ale series, hosted a panel discussion in Ypsilanti late last week on the subject of Michigan’s newly passed right-to-work legislation. The panel, which included former Republican State Senator Joe Schwartz, Kristin Dziczek, the Director of the Labor & Industry Group at the Center […]

Posted in Media, Politics, Uncategorized | Also tagged Ave Maria, Ave Maria graduates, Center for Automotive Research, collective bargaining, Community Capital Forum, Corner brewery, corporate takeover of politics, F. Vincent Vernuccio, get the money out of Washington, Gretchen Driskell, Issues & Ale, Jack Lessenberry, Koch brothers, Kristin Dziczek, Mackinac Center for Public Policy, MEDC, Michael Shuman, Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Michigan House of Representatives, Michigan Radio, Michigan Senate, Mike Finney, money in politics, Proposition 2, Pure Michigan, right-to-work, Ron Weiser, tea party, term limits, Tom Monaghan, union busting, unions | 28 Comments

Non-partisan elections and the Ypsi City Charter

By Mark | October 21, 2012

Ypsilanti, as most of you probably know, has partisan City Council elections, which means that, in the primaries, Democrats run against Democrats, and Republicans run against Republicans. Well, come Election Day, Ypsilantians will be voting to amend the City Charter, and change that. The following analysis comes from our friend Richard Murphy, the former City […]

Posted in Politics, Uncategorized, Ypsilanti | Also tagged America First Party, Bob Doyle, City Charter, Claudia Pettit, elections, Hatch Act, jungle primary, Mike Eller, Murph, partisan elections, Paul Schreiber, Richard Murphy, Rodney Nanney, Ypsilanti City Council | 19 Comments

Anonymous Lansing insider speaks out on the disappointment of Snyder

By Mark | April 2, 2012

A few days ago, I received the following note from an individual who identified himself as working ‘inside the belly of the beast,’ in Lansing. I followed up with the questions below, and, given his responses, and a few other things that he mentioned, I have no reason to believe that he’s lying about his […]

Posted in Michigan, Politics, Rail | Also tagged anonymous sources, anti-science, Bill Milliken, domestic partner benefits, Gary Peters, gay demonization, gay rights, Gretchen Driskell, Gretchen Whitmer, homophobia, job creation, Lansing, Mark Ouimet, mass transit, Michigan by Rail, Michigan House of Representatives, Michigan Senate, Obama, Rick Snyder, tea party, those anti-science Republicans, voting, Voting Rights Act | 10 Comments

Jimmy Carter on the increasing partisanship in American politics, the separation of church and state, the power of lobbyists, and the prospect of Palestinian statehood

By Mark | September 17, 2011

A little while ago, someone in the comments section suggested that I watch Rachel Maddow’s interview with former U.S. President Jimmy Carter. I’m watching it now, and finding it incredibly interesting. Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy