Tag Archives: public employee unions

Rick Snyder’s budget and the impact on cities like Ypsilanti

By Mark | February 19, 2011

A couple nights ago, I posted something here about our Governor’s proposed 2012 budget. My impression, as I shared with you, was that, while he was doing some things that were both good and necessary, he was, for the most part, just shifting the economic burden to the local communities, who would be forced to […]

Posted in Ann Arbor, Economics, Michigan, Politics, Ypsilanti | Also tagged 2012 Michigan budget, asbestos, Brownfield Redevelopment Tax Credits, brownfields, budget cuts, class warfare, Ferndale, Glen S, Hazel Park, Headlee, Headlee Override, Historic Preservation tax credits, income tax, lead, leveling the playing field, Mack & Mack Building, Madison Heights, Maurer Management, Mellencamp Building, Murph, Oak Park, Pete Murdock, Rick Snyder, Romulus, Scott Walker, shared sacrifice, soil contamination, Stop City Income Tax, stop picking winners and losers, the growing gap between rich and poor, Thompson Block, union busting, Water Street, Ypsilanti City budget | 23 Comments

Russ Feingold announces the launch of Progressives United

By Mark | February 19, 2011

One of the best Senators our country has ever known, Russ Feingold of Wisconsin, has just announced the launch of a new organization dedicated to the lessening of corporate influence in American politics. It’s called Progressives United, and following you’ll see Feingold’s video announcing the organization, as well as his appearance on Rachel Maddow’s MSNBC […]

Posted in Uncategorized | Also tagged campaign finance reform, cheese curds, collective bargaining, Corporate Crime, corporate money, corporate speech, get the money out of Washington, Michele Bauchmann, money in politics, Progressives United, Rachel Maddow, Russ Feingold, Scott Walker, union busting, unions, Wisconsin | 5 Comments

A letter to EMU faculty on the growing threats to collective bargaining

By Mark | February 19, 2011

I just received the following from a friend at Eastern Michigan University, and thought that you might find it of interest. It’s a letter to the faculty from EMU professor of finance Susan Moeller, who heads the university’s chapter of the American Association of University Professors. Dear EMU Colleagues: I am writing today to discuss […]

Posted in Economics, Other, Politics, Uncategorized, Ypsilanti | Also tagged AAUP, American Association of University Professors, Eastern Michigan University, EMU, Michael Bailey, middle class, Rick Snyder, right-to-work, Rudy Fichtenbaum, Senate Bill 5, Susan Moeller, threats to the middle class, union busting, unions, Wisconsin, Wisconsin is open for business | 23 Comments

Wisconsin’s public employee unions fight back

By Mark | February 16, 2011

We may not be at Egyptian levels yet, but the protests in Wisconsin are growing in the wake of Governor Scott Walker’s demand that public employees no longer be allowed to negotiate their employment contracts collectively. Here’s footage of thousands of people taking over Wisconsin’s State Capitol building today. One just hopes that Walker wasn’t […]

Posted in Civil Liberties, Politics | Also tagged collective bargaining, National Guard, protest, Scott Walker, tea party, union busting, unions, Wisconsin, Wisconsin State Capitol | 12 Comments

The assault against collective bargaining

By Mark | February 13, 2011

Metafilter has a good thread this evening on the current assault against collective bargaining in America, which is being led by state governments beset by debt. Here’s the post that kicked off the conversation. I’d encourage you, though, to check out the original, posted by a fellow calling himself Saul Goodman, which is chock full […]