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  • NFL Week 12

    Green Bay at Detroit (ha ha ha! Well, I tried)Oakland at DallasNY Giants at DenverTampa Bay at AtlantaMiami at BuffaloCleveland at CincinnatiSeattle at St. LouisCarolina at NY JetsWashington at PhiladelphiaIndianapolis at HoustonKansas City at San Diego Jacksonville at San Francisco Chicago at MinnesotaArizona at TennesseePittsburgh at BaltimoreNew England at New [...]
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    Posted: November 26, 2009, 5:31am EST

  • A Turkey Named Courage

    The 2009 Presidential Turkey Pardon:Want something to be thankful for? The guy in that video is not George W. Bush.See? There's always somethin'.This has been one tough year, no doubt about that. One of the hardest in Michigan's history. "Courage" is the one thing I wish for us all, for' [...]
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    Posted: November 25, 2009, 4:31pm EST

  • K-12 Cuts Starting to Take Shape, Wyoming Teachers Offer to Donate Salary to Save Jobs

    For those who don't know, Wyoming is a city that borders Grand Rapids. Faced with a $2.4 million dollar deficit and the elimination of 57 jobs in the school district, 20 of those teaching positions, some teachers are looking at the possibility that they could donate part of their salaries' [...]
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    Posted: November 24, 2009, 12:30pm EST

  • Five Senate Republicans Who Would Love to Hear From You About the Promise Scholarship

    The MSU Dems have identified five Senate Republicans who are feeling a bit left out when it comes to constituent calls and e-mails about the Promise Scholarship. Lost, lonely, three of them a little frightened about prospects for re-election, they have been shoved off to the side as Mike Bishop [...]
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    Posted: November 23, 2009, 10:30am EST

  • NFL Week 11

    Miami 24, Carolina 17Washington at DallasCleveland at DetroitSan Francisco at Green BayPittsburgh at Kansas CityAtlanta at NY GiantsNew Orleans at Tampa BayBuffalo at JacksonvilleIndianapolis at BaltimoreSeattle at MinnesotaArizona at St. LouisNY Jets at New EnglandCincinnati at OaklandSan Diego at DenverPhiladelphia at ChicagoTennessee at HoustonYeah, yeah, those Thursday games. Next week [...]
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    Posted: November 22, 2009, 3:13am EST

  • Saturday Weekend Update

    Coming to you from Seoul, South Korea, President Obama ties in a strong pitch for job creation here in America...Michigan Weekend Update:Uh oh. It looks like the Asian carp are closer to invading the Great Lakes, which led one local news anchor to proclaim that it may be the "end" [...]
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    Posted: November 21, 2009, 10:03am EST

  • California Tuition Hike Should Serve as a Warning to Michigan College Students

    Seeing as how Michigan has been lumped in with California as one of the ten states that face "looming budget disasters" in the next year, we probably should keep an eye on what is happening out there - and it ain't pretty. After $60 billion in severe cuts, stimulus spending,' [...]
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    Posted: November 20, 2009, 12:28am EST

  • Taxes in Michigan: The Poor Pay More

    Great reporting gods Gongwer pointed out this new study from the non-partisan Institute on Taxation & Economic Policy yesterday: The poor and middle class in Michigan pay a greater percentage in taxes than the wealthy do. Surprise! (Not.)Most of Michigan's income and local taxes come from the state's poorest residents, [...]
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    Posted: November 19, 2009, 5:26pm EST

  • Protest in the Twilight

    I had to get away from the Grand Rapids Palin Mania yesterday. Our local media was downright embarrassing in their coverage - this was a celebrity, selling a book, and you would have thought it was a visit from the Pope or something. If a woman who abandoned a position [...]
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    Posted: November 19, 2009, 5:24pm EST

  • Must See Video: MSU Dems Fight for the Michigan Promise Scholarship

    Great video from the MSU Democrats. Wish we could slap it on heavy rotation on TeeVee stations throughout the state. It's that good.Call you Senator today, 517-373-2400, or e-mail them at senate.michigan.gov. The governor is right - public pressure is the only thing that will move these guys to do [...]
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    Posted: November 17, 2009, 3:47pm EST

  • More Bad Press for the Do-Nothing Legislature

    WILX has a scathing report about the lawmakers taking vacation while the schools are in crisis, even going so far as to wave around the Senate schedule that shows they will only work four more days this year. Glad someone finally noticed.The story is one you have read here already; [...]
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    Posted: November 17, 2009, 10:37am EST

  • Governor Granholm Fights for the Promise Scholarship

    If the wimpy House Dems won't do it, the governor will. Greatly admire this woman's willingness to meet with the public on these issues - besides facing many school officials and local citizens on the K-12 cuts over the past couple of weeks, this week the governor will take the' [...]
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    Posted: November 16, 2009, 11:52am EST

  • More Bishop-Dillon Budget Fallout: Troy to Ask Voters For Millage Increase

    Millage. Such a polite word. The Bishop-Dillon budget trickles down to another community, and the voters of Troy will be asked to take on the responsibility of saving their police department. Amongst other things. City Manager John Szerlag estimates that Troy is facing a $22 million deficit over the next [...]
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    Posted: November 16, 2009, 9:08am EST

  • NFL Week 10

    San Francisco 10, Chicago 6New Orleans at St. LouisTampa Bay at MiamiDetroit at MinnesotaJacksonville at NY Jets Buffalo at TennesseeCincinnati at PittsburghDenver at WashingtonAtlanta at CarolinaKansas City at OaklandSeattle at ArizonaDallas at Green Bay Philadelphia at San DiegoNew England at IndianapolisBaltimore at Cleveland·Bye: NY Giants, HoustonYes, I missed the Thursday [...]
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    Posted: November 15, 2009, 11:31am EST

  • The Deer Are Everywhere...

    In the UP, they stop and stare at your car.Not a lot of time for this today, but here are a few tidbits from the morning papers... Drunks with guns, out in the woods. Oh boy. Be careful out there. The Freep tells us that the deer are on the [...]
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    Posted: November 15, 2009, 7:54am EST

  • Saturday Weekend Update

    President Obama's Weekly Address: Veterans Day and Ft. Hood revisited.Michigan Weekend Update: Great editorial from Gongwer in Dome on Lt. Gov. John Cherry, pointing out that he is rapidly becoming the "alternative" candidate in the 2010 race, putting a very nice distance between himself and (ahem) "others" in the legislature. [...]
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    Posted: November 13, 2009, 12:31pm EST

  • Michigan Senate Ignoring School Funding and Leaving for Vacation - Call Today!

    It looked for a moment like they might do the responsible thing and forgo any personal vacation time to work on Michigan's budget issues - but today the Senate schedule was changed from "tentative" for the next two weeks, to one session next Wednesday. Call it "No Vacation Left Behind" [...]
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    Posted: November 12, 2009, 12:20pm EST

  • From Grief to Acceptance: Adjusting to a New Normal in Michigan

    Tell us something we don't know. The Pew Center on the States delivered a diagnosis for Michigan that has been apparent to our economists for quite some time: the collapse of the auto industry and subsequent loss of jobs, a manufacturing based revenue system, our aging population, special tax breaks' [...]
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    Posted: November 12, 2009, 5:33am EST

  • Over 1500 Rally in Lansing to Protest Cuts to Schools

    What was that again about lack of "public pressure"? Too bad Speaker Dillon wasn't around to see this... More than 1,500 parents, students and educators from Plymouth-Canton, Livonia, Taylor and other districts rallied this morning on the Capitol steps before going inside to bring their message to elected officials. Their' [...]
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    Posted: November 10, 2009, 5:25pm EST

  • How Republicans Raise Taxes: Massive Cuts to Grand Rapids Police and Fire Departments Announced

    Grand Rapids, like every other city/town/county in the state of Michigan, is facing a huge budget deficit due to the Bishop-Dillon cuts to state revenue sharing and a drop in local property tax collection. This morning, Grand Rapids City Manager Greg Sundstrom announced that we will be losing 125 city [...]
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    Posted: November 10, 2009, 10:35am EST

  • NFL Week 9

    Washington at AtlantaArizona at ChicagoBaltimore at CincinnatiHouston at IndianapolisMiami at New England Green Bay at Tampa BayKansas City at JacksonvilleCarolina at New Orleans Detroit at SeattleTennessee at San Francisco San Diego at NY Giants Dallas at PhiladelphiaPittsburgh at Denver8-5 last week, 80-36 for the year.6-7 this week (bah), 86-43 for [...]
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    Posted: November 08, 2009, 10:47am EST

  • No Post Left Behind

    (Just realized I forgot to cross this from BFM - this was from Sunday, Nov. 8th)US House Democrats, after last night's historic vote.Forgive me for not celebrating. While I realize that this bill is a giant step forward towards providing affordable health care for Americans, I cannot get past the [...]
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    Posted: November 08, 2009, 6:33am EST

  • Saturday News Dump

    President Obama speaks about the tragedy at Ft. Hood in this week's address. Listen, and take a moment for reflection. Flags will be at half-staff through Veteran's Day.And now for this week's "Things I Would Have Blogged, But I Ran Out of Pepto-Bimol", featuring your wacky Michigan Legislature. DHS employees [...]
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    Posted: November 07, 2009, 11:54am EST

  • Senate Republicans Say "No!" to Funding Michigan Schools

    The House tapped remaining stimulus funds to mitigate the K-12 proration cut today (see post here for earlier details), passing HB 4860 by a 74-29 margin. Governor Granholm says that she will support the measure, but reminds everyone it is only a temporary solution to the larger problem. Done deal, [...]
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    Posted: November 05, 2009, 5:37pm EST

  • Congress Passes Unemployment Benefits Extension

    Finally! From the AP:The House passed the bill on a 403-12 vote Thursday, a day after the Senate ended a monthlong stalemate with a 98-0 vote. With some 7,000 people exhausting unemployment benefits every day and the $8,000 tax credit for first-time homebuyers set to expire at the end of [...]
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    Posted: November 05, 2009, 3:39pm EST

  • Legislature Skipping Vacation to Work On Budget?

    This was rather interesting:That is the schedule for the House. The Senate has this time slot penciled in for "tentative" after Nov. 12th, back for the first week in December, and "tentative" after that, meaning their possible intention is to bolt for the year after Dec. 3rd.Think that public pressure [...]
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    Posted: November 05, 2009, 11:02am EST

  • Wednesday Morning Quarterback: When Democrats Ignore the Base, the Base Stays Home

    By the time last night's numbers are analyzed to the nth degree, the voters treated like the statistics that they are to the parties and the politicians and talking heads alike, you have to hope that Democrats get a clue and realize that this was not a "repudiation" of Obama's,' [...]
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    Posted: November 04, 2009, 9:38am EST

  • Another 20% Off the Top of the State Government

    This story literally took my breath away. From Gongwer/MiTech:All state departments will start the 2010-11 fiscal year with 20 percent less general fund money than they have for the current year under the budget proposals being developed by the administration of Gov. Jennifer Granholm.Granholm press secretary Liz Boyd confirmed Monday [...]
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    Posted: November 03, 2009, 7:19am EST

  • Vote!

    Never fails. Every election I find something on the ballot that I didn't know would be there - today it's a non-partisan vote for Library Commission. Other than that, I have a school millage renewal and a few city seats running unopposed - not exactly your big, burning, OMG I' [...]
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    Posted: November 03, 2009, 5:55am EST

  • Mike Nofs and the MRP: Too Heavy on the Rovian Tactics for the Jackson Cit-Pat

    Thought this was an interesting endorsement. The Jackson Citizen-Patriot endorsed Marty Griffin yesterday, and, besides Griffin getting the nod for simply being the "local" guy here, the subtle message throughout the endorsement seems to indicate that they did it over Mike Nofs negative and misleading advertising. The first example comes [...]
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    Posted: November 02, 2009, 7:45pm EST

  • You Let Andy Dillon Down

    Didn't know where to start with the Christoff story in the Freep about Dillon and Bishop still being BFF. That part didn't surprise me. Dillon has always excused Bishop's behavior, even after Mike repeatedly has broken "his word" on these so-called "deals". It happened in '07, it happened again this' [...]
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    Posted: November 02, 2009, 1:11pm EST

  • Saginaw Valley Will Pay Cost of Promise Scholarship With Stimulus Funds

    Thank the nice President and Congressional Democrats for doing what the cowards in our Legislature wouldn't. Saginaw Valley State University will take care of the cost of Promise Scholarship for this semester, and apparently they will use funding provided by the federal government to do it. This will take away' [...]
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    Posted: November 02, 2009, 12:24pm EST

  • NFL Week 8

    Houston at BuffaloCleveland at ChicagoSeattle at DallasSt. Louis at DetroitDenver at BaltimoreSan Francisco at IndianapolisMiami at NY Jets NY Giants at PhiladelphiaJacksonville at TennesseeOakland at San Diego Carolina at ArizonaMinnesota at Green BayAtlanta at New Orleans ·Bye: Cincinnati, Kansas City, New England, Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay, Washington10-3 last week, 72-31 for [...]
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    Posted: November 01, 2009, 5:51am EST

  • Fall in the Cemetery

    Pictures from the Fulton St., Oakhill, and Mount Calvary cemeteries in Grand Rapids. Special guest appearance by Nessie at the end.Happy Halloween. [...]
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    Posted: October 31, 2009, 4:11pm EDT

  • Granholm Signs Remaining Bishop-Dillon Budget Bills

    Make sure and call this what it is - the "Bishop-Dillon Budget Agreement". It's important that you never, ever forget who brought us this. Ever. Had a feeling this would happen - there was not enough wiggle room left in these budgets to restore the Promise Scholarship, or your local [...]
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    Posted: October 30, 2009, 4:38pm EDT

  • Senate Republicans Say "No!" to Health Care Funding for Michigan

    Our Senate just threw away hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding for Medicaid. Get ready for your private insurance rates to rise even further as more people will be forced to use expensive emergency services as a massive amount of Medicaid funding goes bye-bye.The state Senate voted 32-4 [...]
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    Posted: October 28, 2009, 1:00pm EDT

  • State Board of Education Recommends Tax Reform for School Funding, But They Forgot It's All About Mike Bishop

    The "bipartisan" State Board of Education weighed-in on the school funding debate yesterday, unanimously passing a resolution 8-0 that calls on the legislature and the governor to please, for the love of God, do something about this crisis and get some money to the schools. They heard from school officials, [...]
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    Posted: October 27, 2009, 11:01am EDT

  • 10 West Studios in Manistee: How Independents Should Factor in on Michigan Film Incentives Debate

    The big names tend to draw the most publicity about Michigan's exploding film industry; Clint Eastwood, Hillary Swank, Drew Barrymore and Sigourney Weaver filming in Detroit, Meg Ryan, Forest Whitaker, Val Kilmer and 50 Cent in Grand Rapids, Ed Harris and Jennifer Connelly filming today in Holland as I type [...]
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    Posted: October 26, 2009, 11:59am EDT

  • Amway High

    Amway is going to be the lead partner in a project with the Grand Rapids Public Schools to create a new high school program that teaches business leadership and management.Yeah, that scares me too.An announcement is planned for Monday to unveil a new partnership involving the Grand Rapids Public School [...]
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    Posted: October 26, 2009, 8:58am EDT

  • Finley: Budget is an "Outright Fraud"

    It's a scary day when I hear Nolan Finley echoing some of the things I've said and thought recently. Good to see him admit the budget isn't balanced, because that is one whale of a talking point whopper that needs to stop right now.Government won't shut down, but maybe it' [...]
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    Posted: October 25, 2009, 12:02pm EDT

  • NFL Week 7

    Green Bay at ClevelandSan Diego at Kansas CityIndianapolis at St. LouisMinnesota at PittsburghNew England at Tampa BaySan Francisco at HoustonBuffalo at CarolinaNY Jets at OaklandAtlanta at DallasChicago at CincinnatiNew Orleans at MiamiArizona at NY Giants Philadelphia at Washington·Bye: Denver, Detroit, Tennessee, Seattle, Jacksonville, Baltimore5-9 last week (Ack!), 62-28 for the [...]
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    Posted: October 25, 2009, 6:50am EDT

  • Lawmakers Are Outraged!

    Republicans insist on cuts. House Democrats stood there and did nothing. Republicans then bragged about how they delivered this budget, and are now turning around and blaming the governor for the cuts. And if that isn't bad enough, they all are simply outraged, outraged I tell you! by the cuts' [...]
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    Posted: October 24, 2009, 10:47am EDT

  • Cuts to Michigan State Government Since 2000

    Interesting that the Detroit News would choose to run this story on a Saturday; perhaps Sunday's edition was too full with the likes of Finely et al. and their endless columns about how we should just "cut government!", the standard wingnut answer to all our problems.We have "cut government!" here [...]
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    Posted: October 24, 2009, 10:30am EDT

  • Republicans Know K-12 Budget is Not Balanced

    They knew it when they passed it, they know it now. Despite all the protests you are hearing about changes to this so-called "balanced budget" - it doesn't exist, and it never did.MIRS, 10/8. Kevin Elsenheimer admits the K-12 budget was not complete, that the funding at that point was' [...]
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    Posted: October 23, 2009, 3:19pm EDT

  • Granholm Announces Drop in School Aid Revenue; $127 Per Pupil Cut Ordered for K-12

    I have not been feeling well, so I can't work up my usual level of... whatever it is I'm doing here... but this basically is what is going on in the budget war today.Revenues are down, as reported repeatedly by the House and Senate Fiscal Agencies, mostly recently reported here [...]
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    Posted: October 22, 2009, 8:48pm EDT

  • House Republican Elsenheimer Upset by Veto of Snowmobile Trail

    Never mind the destruction of the public schools. Or public safety. Or health care. When it comes to those things, House Republicans insist that we "live within our means", even though it might, you know, kill people. They bragged as they controlled this budget process, and they delivered the majority [...]
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    Posted: October 22, 2009, 1:35pm EDT

  • "She Can Cut What She Wants"

    As Mike Bishop screams about the cuts that Granholm made to K-12, maybe it's time to remind the Republicans of their own fiscal policy here. Seems we have an issue about them insisting on cuts to government, but throwing a fit when those cuts actually happen. This also occurred back [...]
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    Posted: October 20, 2009, 4:39pm EDT

  • Public Policy Associates Study: Dillon Health Care Plan "Greatly Exaggerates" Savings to Taxpayers

    In theory, the plan to pool the health care of public employees sounds plausible. But the difference between theory and practice is sometimes a wide chasm...A plan by House Speaker Andy Dillon, D-Redford Township, to place all Michigan public employees under a single, statewide health care plan greatly exaggerates the [...]
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    Posted: October 20, 2009, 1:17pm EDT

  • Senate Releases Remaining Budget Bills

    Finally.The state Senate this morning sent the last six budget bills to Gov. Jennifer Granholm.The governor has promised to sign the bills but says she's likely to make line-item vetoes.The spending bills are for higher education, general government, community health, human services, state police and energy, labor and economic growth.So,' [...]
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    Posted: October 20, 2009, 1:16pm EDT

  • "Flu-like Illness" Sweeping Michigan Schools

    Not seeing this out of the Detroit area yet, but we have a rapidly growing problem over here on the west side. Numerous schools, enough to run a crawl on the bottom of the screen on our local TV stations, are closed due to "flu-like" illness - with some districts [...]
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    Posted: October 20, 2009, 12:10pm EDT

  • Day 20: Michigan Budget Held Hostage: Republicans Refusing to Fund Schools

    20 days have gone by since these bills were passed, 20 days!, and still the Senate Republicans are holding on to six budget bills for no apparent reason except to obstruct the process from being completed. Most reports have said the bills would be released today - but an ominous [...]
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    Posted: October 20, 2009, 7:23am EDT

  • The MDP is Making a List...

    Alright. Who are you, and what have you done with Mark Brewer?Looks like certain legislators have got some 'splaining to do. This makes the rumors of withheld contributions even more believable...Just in from the MDP:The Michigan Democratic Party sent surveys to Michigan legislators about key issues and candidates in the' [...]
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    Posted: October 19, 2009, 5:22pm EDT

  • Day 19: Michigan Budget Held Hostage: The Thin Blue Line

    Hey Democrats! Remember this?I know! Let's do everything the red line wants, and see how we fare in 2010!19 days now Mike Bishop has been holding six crucial budgets. 19 days. No excuse for that. There were some laughable editorials over the weekend from the usual right wing suspects who' [...]
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    Posted: October 19, 2009, 5:13am EDT

  • NFL Week 6

    Houston at CincinnatiDetroit at Green Bay Baltimore at MinnesotaNY Giants at New OrleansCleveland at PittsburghCarolina at Tampa Bay Kansas City at WashingtonSt. Louis at JacksonvilleArizona at SeattlePhiladelphia at OaklandTennessee at New England Buffalo at NY Jets Chicago at AtlantaDenver at San Diego·Bye: Dallas, Indianapolis, Miami, San Francisco10-4 last week, 57-19 [...]
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    Posted: October 18, 2009, 4:52am EDT

  • Saturday Obama and Other Stuff

    Listen to your President. He knows best.Michigan Weekend Update:Day 17 of Michigan Budget held hostage. Bishop claims that he might, maybe, sorta, somewhat, we'll see, gotta talk to the caucus first, mumble mumble, excuses, more excuses, turn in the remaining budgets on Tuesday. Maybe. The LSJ had a nice editorial' [...]
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    Posted: October 17, 2009, 11:15am EDT

  • Granholm Honored as National Education Policy Leader of the Year

    Kathy Barks Hoffman nailed it right away. "Bittersweet". Yes, it surely is, when you realize that between the Great Recession and our cowardly legislators, public education is going to take a major hit in Michigan, and exceptional, award-winning policy will stop or go into hibernation due to lack of spine [...]
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    Posted: October 16, 2009, 11:45am EDT

  • K-12 Faces a $330 Per-Pupil Cut, Double the Current Budget Figure

    Kudos to the Adrian Daily Telegram for being the first to put some documentation to this story. Yesterday, Treasurer Bob Kleine reported that current K-12 budget as passed is off to the tune of $264 million. (Also keep in mind that they haven't even passed the funding for that yet.)' [...]
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    Posted: October 15, 2009, 9:27pm EDT

  • Detroit Will Host 2010 World Stem Cell Summit

    Time for some good news. This just in from the Governor's office:Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today announced that Detroit will host the 2010 World Stem Cell Summit organized by the Genetics Policy Institute. The conference will take place October 4-6, 2010, at the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center. It [...]
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    Posted: October 15, 2009, 5:07pm EDT

  • Day 15: Michigan Budget Held Hostage: Dillon Speaks. Sort Of.

    Michigan Public Radio managed to land a quote:"One of the frustrations has been that we don't get any signal from them as to what's acceptable," he says. "So I got to make my people make some bad votes on something that may not survive in the Senate."Many House Democrats voted' [...]
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    Posted: October 15, 2009, 6:45am EDT

  • Bishop Threatens More Cuts to the Budget

    All you folks that were hoping that the Governor could find some money to mitigate the severe cuts contained in the Bishop-Dillon budget? College students, city leaders, health care providers, public safety officials? Yeah, you. Listen up. Even if the Governor does find some extra money through the use of [...]
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    Posted: October 14, 2009, 6:02pm EDT

  • No Worker Left Behind Training People for Michigan's Economic Recovery

    The very popular No Worker Left Behind has now hit the 100,000 mark in enrollment, months earlier than anticipated, so naturally our esteemed Legislature saw fit to cut the funding in next year's budget (bitter? do I sound bitter?). Actually, I'm being a little too hard on them here; they' [...]
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    Posted: October 14, 2009, 10:45am EDT

  • Schauer Secures Funding For International Food Protection Training Institute

    My favorite Congresscritter is hard at work, bringing jobs and investment to Battle Creek. Following last week's House and Senate approval of the 2010 Agriculture Appropriations bill, Congressman Mark Schauer (D-MI) today announced $1 million in federal funding for the International Food Protection Training Institute in Battle Creek. The funding [...]
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    Posted: October 14, 2009, 10:36am EDT

  • Day 14: Michigan Budget Held Hostage: It Never Was a Matter of Trust

    Two weeks ago today, late afternoon, Matt Marsden promised that if the legislature could not finish its job by midnight, a continuation budget would be sent to the governor before the deadline. As you know now, they did not do that. Upset that they couldn't ram the all-cuts budget through' [...]
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    Posted: October 14, 2009, 6:10am EDT

  • One Kalamazoo Releases Television Ad "Neighbors"

    Nice ad. Get out and vote November 3rd!Here is the text:Admit it. Kalamazoo is special. A great place to live, study, work and raise a family. And black, white, straight, gay – we’re working hard to be one Kalamazoo. On November 3rd , a Yes vote on Non-Discrimination Ordinance 1856 [...]
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    Posted: October 13, 2009, 8:26pm EDT

  • Senate Repubicans Indicate That They Will Fight to Keep Promise Scholarship Eliminated From Budget

    I put this as a comment on the earlier diary, but decided that this statement from Bishop warranted its own special attention. Yes, it's time to highlight that the Senate Republicans are going to fight to keep the Promise Scholarship out of the budget, they are going to fight to [...]
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    Posted: October 13, 2009, 8:25pm EDT

  • Day 13 Michigan Budget Held Hostage: Senate Republicans Offer Up More Excuses

    "Every bill passed by the legislature shall be presented to the governor before it becomes law, and the governor shall have 14 days measured in hours and minutes from the time of presentation in which to consider it." -Constitution of Michigan of 1963 Senate Republicans are now grasping at some [...]
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    Posted: October 13, 2009, 9:19am EDT

  • Granholm to Use Line Item Veto to "Fight for Priorities"

    There's my governor.She said Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop's strategy "is not clear to me," adding she's heard Bishop, R-Rochester, "is afraid I am going to veto portions of those bills. He's correct. I am." Granholm reiterated that some of the budget cuts go "far too deep." She said she's' [...]
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    Posted: October 12, 2009, 5:04pm EDT

  • NFL Week 5

    Cleveland at BuffaloDallas at Kansas CityMinnesota at St. LouisOakland at NY Giants Tampa Bay at PhiladelphiaPittsburgh at DetroitWashington at CarolinaCincinnati at BaltimoreAtlanta at San Francisco Jacksonville at SeattleHouston at ArizonaNew England at DenverIndianapolis at TennesseeNY Jets at Miami·Bye: Chicago, Green Bay, New Orleans, San Diego9-5 last week, 47-15 for the [...]
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    Posted: October 10, 2009, 6:41pm EDT

  • Day 12: Michigan Budget Held Hostage: Are Republicans Aiming For Another Shut Down?

    "Every bill passed by the legislature shall be presented to the governor before it becomes law, and the governor shall have 14 days measured in hours and minutes from the time of presentation in which to consider it." -Constitution of Michigan of 1963On Oct 1st, 2009, budget bills were passed [...]
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    Posted: October 10, 2009, 3:27pm EDT

  • "I'm pulling out of here to win"

    For Marybeth. [...]
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    Posted: October 10, 2009, 10:15am EDT

  • Senate Republicans Offer Up the GOP Wish List for Budget Compromise

    From Gongwer tonight:Senate Republicans have developed a proposal that would raise more than $300 for the next two fiscal years, with the proviso the money would then go to reducing the surcharge on the Michigan Business Tax. Senate leaders are hoping they can vote on the proposals yet Thursday night.The [...]
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    Posted: October 09, 2009, 7:58am EDT

  • Six O'Clock News: Long Time No See Budget Edition

    I stopped doing these on a daily basis because they take an ungodly amount of time to put together, but today there has been a bunch of little items that I wanted to put up here... Budget update. No news is no news. Well, there was a little news. The [...]
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    Posted: October 08, 2009, 5:09pm EDT

  • Bishop Calls Senate Obstruction on the Budget "The Will of the People"

    Ignore last year's election that saw the House pick up nine Democratic seats for a 67-43 advantage - the biggest Dem margin since 1980. Ignore the 2006 election, where Democrats actually picked up over 300,000 more votes than Republicans for our state Senate. Election results don't matter to Mike Bishop.' [...]
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    Posted: October 08, 2009, 12:09pm EDT

  • Manufacturing Jobs Moving From China to Greenville

    Great story tonight from WOOD TV in Grand Rapids. A West Michigan chair manufacturer plans to move manufacturing from China to Greenville, adding a planned 93 jobs over the next two to three years. ZERO1 LLC co-founder David Valdiserri told 24 Hour News 8 that China still has an edge [...]
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    Posted: October 08, 2009, 12:04pm EDT

  • Deals Made, Deals Broken, and Tales of Courage from Yesterday's Budget Battle

    No one could have foreseen...Matt Marsden, spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Michael Bishop, R-Rochester, called the House approach on tax bills "a joke," adding: "What do they possibly expect us to do with them?"This came after House Democrats passed revenue measures last night that are aimed at restoring a minimal [...]
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    Posted: October 07, 2009, 7:39am EDT

  • Will House Democrats Fight for Michigan's Future?

    UPDATE: Follow Mitch Rivard on Twitter for the latest voting updates.UPDATE 2, 6:54PM: House has passed two of six revenue bills. House Republicans yapping on and on about this is disturbing Tiger pitching, putting game in jeopardy. Read more from the AP here and here.UPDATE 3, 8:33PM: House has adjourned [...]
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    Posted: October 06, 2009, 7:35pm EDT

  • Lack Of Budget Cuts Off Federal Funds to Schools

    UPDATE: Never fails. The second I post, the DNews has a headline saying they have agreed on a continuation for K-12. No details yet.When we last left our hapless Legislature, they were walking out the door to enjoy a four-day weekend after having failed on passing a continuation budget on [...]
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    Posted: October 06, 2009, 7:34pm EDT

  • Grand Valley Bills Students For Promise Scholarships Cut From Bishop-Dillon Budget

    The first of many to come, if these scholarships aren't restored. President Thomas J. Haas e-mailed students Monday saying the university is reversing course and is assuming that scholarships of up to $4,000 will be lopped from the state's still evolving 2010 spending plan. "I am disappointed beyond words that'" [...]
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    Posted: October 05, 2009, 5:22pm EDT

  • Dow Unveils Solar Solutions Powerhouse Roof Shingles

    Let's get back to talking about cool stuff, shall we? Today in Midland, Dow unveiled a new solar shingle roof system that is going into testing and limited release, and should be available to homebuilders on a mass commercial scale within the next two years. WJRT has video which won't' [...]
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    Posted: October 05, 2009, 3:49pm EDT

  • Do You Know the Enemy?

    Paul Krugman does. In today's column entitled "The Politics of Spite", you can't help but draw the parallels between state and national politics. “Cheers erupted” at the headquarters of the conservative Weekly Standard, according to a blog post by a member of the magazine’s staff, with the headline “Obama loses!' [...]
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    Posted: October 05, 2009, 9:09am EDT

  • NFL Week 4

    Detroit at ChicagoCincinnati at ClevelandSeattle at IndianapolisNY Giants at Kansas CityBaltimore at New EnglandTampa Bay at WashingtonTennessee at JacksonvilleOakland at HoustonNY Jets at New OrleansBuffalo at MiamiSt. Louis at San FranciscoDallas at DenverSan Diego at PittsburghGreen Bay at Minnesota·Bye: Atlanta, Philadelphia, Arizona, Carolina13-3 last week, 38-10 for the year.Some really [...]
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    Posted: October 04, 2009, 12:13pm EDT

  • 2012

    From the director of "Independence Day" and "The Day After Tomorrow", you know the saccharine quotient is going to be very high indeed. But man oh man, I've been waiting for the next big destroy-every-major-landmark-known-to-mankind-in-high-definition movie for a long time now, and this one surely looks like it will fit' [...]
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    Posted: October 02, 2009, 8:11am EDT

  • The Veto Pen of Justice

    Heh. Governor gonna do some vetoin'. Too bad she can't veto the entire Legislature. Gov. Jennifer Granholm indicated today she will veto portions of a new budget approved by the Legislature because it cuts spending too deeply for schools, eliminates the popular Michigan Promise grant for college students, and jeopardizes local [...]
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    Posted: October 01, 2009, 7:43pm EDT

  • House Democrats Who Voted to Eliminate Promise Scholarship, Cut Revenue Sharing

    Here are your names from Gongwer, who made it easy. First, the Promise Scholarship/Higher Ed. budget.Fifteen House Democrats supported the measure: Rep. Ed Clemente (D-Lincoln Park), Rep. George Cushingberry Jr. (D-Detroit),Speaker Andy Dillon (D-Redford Twp.), Rep. John Espinoza (D-Croswell), Rep. Richard Hammel (D-Flushing), Rep. Michael Lahti (D-Hancock), Rep. Richard LeBlanc [...]
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    Posted: October 01, 2009, 10:52am EDT

  • Summary of the State Budget Meltdown

    Didn't have time to get these over here last night. Here they are, in chronological order, with time posted at BFM, and my comments in the aftermath this morning in blue.**********The Bishop-Dillon "deal" went down in flames as the Legislature could not pass their budgets. K-12 and revenue sharing failed' [...]
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    Posted: October 01, 2009, 10:21am EDT

  • Speaker Dillon Needs a New Set of Friends

    Hey Andy. Check out what your buddies at the GOP are saying about you. Geez, if you are going to "sign agreements" with their top dog in the Senate and move all their budgets for them, the least they could do is stop trashing you. Don'tcha think?House Democrats who are' [...]
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    Posted: September 30, 2009, 7:47pm EDT

  • Senate Republicans Now Balking at Continuation Budget - Will They Shut Down the Government?

    UPDATE: Granholm has begun the process of a shut down, sending letters to state employees telling them they are temporarily laid-off as of 12:01 AM Oct. 1st. If this isn't an indication that the Senate Republicans have no intention of protecting the best interests of Michigan citizens, I don't know [...]
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    Posted: September 30, 2009, 3:59pm EDT

  • House Gambit: Pass the Cuts, Blame the Republicans When They Won't Vote for Revenue Later

    This comes from the comments in my previous diary, just to let everyone know what is happening here as these contentious budgets with their devastating cuts appear to be passing in the House using Republican votes.The House Democrats have introduced a supplemental spending bill to "save" the Promise Scholarship and [...]
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    Posted: September 30, 2009, 1:29pm EDT

  • Portrait of an Underfunded State Government

    With all the hand wringing over taxes going on, maybe it's time to drag out this chart once again. From the Senate Fiscal Agency, it shows the Headlee revenue limit for state government - and how far we are below it at this point.Peter Luke explained it back in March:The [...]
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    Posted: September 30, 2009, 1:26pm EDT

  • September 30th, 2009. More Broken Promises on the Budget.

    UPDATE: House has passed a continuation budget this morning, 88-18. Ready for another month of this?Where we stand this morning. Mike Bishop says that House Democrats have to "pull the trigger", a very apt description considering that Fred Durhal claims "people will die" if they pass these cuts to revenue [...]
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    Posted: September 30, 2009, 10:09am EDT

  • Legislature Filling Holes With Stimulus Dollars

    So much for this "signed agreement". "Adjustments" are being made to the big ticket controversial budgets, and as you probably could have guessed, the Bishop-Dillon Dance Troupe is taking the path of least resistance and using more stimulus money to avoid having to do any really heavy lifting when it [...]
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    Posted: September 29, 2009, 9:05am EDT

  • Grand Haven Today

    It's all fun and games until you are hit with a little phenomena that I like to call "horizontal mud rain" - blowing sand mixing with raindrops that not only soaks your clothes, it covers you and all your stuff with wet sand as well. At that point, I had [...]
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    Posted: September 28, 2009, 8:01pm EDT

  • Is Dillon Lying About the Revenue Vote?

    Curious statement from Senate Minority Leader Mike Prusi yesterday indicates that perhaps Dillon is once again making promises that he has no intention of keeping. Remember, he was going to have the budget done by summer, he was going to have the budget done by Sept. 1st, he was going [...]
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    Posted: September 28, 2009, 10:24am EDT

  • 100,000 Paper Planes and Melodies Over Monroe

    The symphony played as a rainbow of color rained down from the sky. An estimated 20,000 people packed Monroe Street in downtown Grand Rapids for "100,000 Paper Planes and Melodies Over Monroe", urban legend Rob Bliss' entry for the ArtPrize competition. (This is the same guy who did "Chalk Flood"' [...]
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    Posted: September 27, 2009, 8:09pm EDT

  • Bridgewater 2B

    Not an ArtPrize entry, but maybe it should have been. Breathtaking in person, gotta admit that in the right conditions those Bridgewater Place buildings are very cool.Still going through ArtPrize pictures. It was one of the shoots where I overwhelmed myself (13GB worth, love those big cards!), and then I [...]
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    Posted: September 27, 2009, 11:30am EDT

  • NFL Week 3

    Washington at Detroit (ha ha ha! - I'm going for it)Green Bay at St. LouisSan Francisco at MinnesotaAtlanta at New England Tennessee at NY Jets Kansas City at PhiladelphiaNY Giants at Tampa BayCleveland at BaltimoreJacksonville at HoustonNew Orleans at BuffaloChicago at SeattleMiami at San Diego Pittsburgh at CincinnatiDenver at OaklandIndianapolis' [...]
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    Posted: September 26, 2009, 5:24pm EDT

  • Saturday Deep Breath Open Thread

    New Pure Michigan Fall TV ad. Enjoy.Now take a deep breath, and ponder on the word "deal" for a moment.House Speaker Andy Dillon says the chamber is prepared to move budget bills that reduce cuts to scholarships, Medicaid providers and local governments by raising revenues he declined to specify.“There’s a [...]
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    Posted: September 26, 2009, 10:57am EDT

  • The First of the 11th Hour Ideas Start to Take Shape

    That's fine, as long as you guys don't go and do something crazy...State Sen. John Pappageorge, R-Troy, said the 13.4% cut to revenue sharing for local governments was too steep and he was able to find $20 million from other parts of the budget so the cut would only be' [...]
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    Posted: September 25, 2009, 11:13pm EDT

  • EPIC: Most Voters Disagree With Bishop-Dillon Cuts Only Budget

    New EPIC poll is showing that the majority of voters disapprove of the cuts-only budget agreement that Andy Dillon signed with Mike Bishop - and when the cuts are specifically identified, not surprisingly support drops even further. 800 voters, a bit higher than the usual EPIC sample, tell the real [...]
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    Posted: September 25, 2009, 5:45am EDT

  • Tim Walberg Holds Fundraiser With Joe "You Lie!" Wilson

    Two extremist peas in one pod for one morning, turning a buck off of disrespect and fifteen minutes of wingnut fame. Guess Walberg can't afford Palin... or Joe the Plumber, for that matter. He will have to stick with Old Yeller.South Carolina Congressman Joe Wilson, who famously shouted "You lie!"' [...]
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    Posted: September 24, 2009, 7:49pm EDT
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