Michigan’s minimum wages increased 20 cents today to $9.45 per hour Friday. It won’t reach $12 an hour until 2030 after Republicans delayed the increase by eight years. — Motor City Muckraker (@MCmuckraker) March 29, 2019 Hundreds of thousands of Michiganders signed petitions to raise the state’s minimum wage to $12 an hour by 2022….
Category: Blog
Left of Lansing Podcast: Episode 6– Ingrid Jacques of The Detroit News
The Left of Lansing Podcast with Pat Johnston. Ingrid Jacques from The Detroit News debate free-speech issues at universities. Pat highlights progressive changes happening in Michigan despite what’s happening in the nation.
Left Of Lansing Podcast: Episode 5–Rick Haglund from Michigan Advance
Here’s Episode 5 of the Left of Lansing podcast! This week, Rick Haglund joins us to talk Michigan economics. Rick is the business columnist for the fantastic Michigan Advance news site. I’m telling you, check it out. They do some awesome work over there. I talk about how conservatism is no longer based on solid…
“The World We Live In”
Word of an active shooter on the University of Michigan campus caused a wave of panic during a vigil for the 50 Muslim victims who died in a New Zealand terrorist attack. The good news is that the active shooter turned-out to be a false alarm. University police determined people heard balloons popping, and assumed…
Rep. Tlaib Demands Trump To Denounce White Supremacy
Michigan Democratic Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib is certainly a breath of fresh air. While some congressional Democrats hem-and-haw over how tough they should be on President Trump, Tlaib isn’t afraid to go after him. Tlaib is calling on Trump to denounce white supremacy after a right-wing terrorist killed 50 Muslims, who were worshiping at two Mosques…
Will Business Leaders Push GOP On Roads?
Susan Demas from Michigan Advance writes: During Snyder’s tenure, there was rarely any daylight between Republican politicians and business leaders. But on Thursday, Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Sandy Baruah was candid about a “growing split” between the two groups on infrastructure. Business leaders have certainly enjoyed their tax breaks, but they’re feeling…
Left of Lansing Podcast 4–David Hecker, President of AFT Michigan
Here’s the Left of Lansing podcast for March 14, 2019! You’ll hear me talk about how decades of Republican laissez-faire politics failed Michigan. And how refreshing it’s been that Michiganders are finally waking up to their game. I also interview David Hecker, President of the American Federation of Teachers-Michigan. We talk about how Republican rule…
Yes, Gas Taxes Suck, But What’s The Alternative?
As I stated in my weekly podcast, I’m not crazy about Governor Whitmer’s 45-cent tax increase either. Like my guest, Democratic state Rep. Laurie Pohutsky correctly described it, the proposed tax is regressive. The tax really won’t hurt rich Michiganders, but it will affect the rest of us in a negative way. Which is why…
Left Of Lansing Podcast: Episode 3–State Rep. Laurie Pohutsky
Left of Lansing Podcast: Episode 3. Interview with Democratic state Rep. Laurie Pohutsky.
Getting In The Game To Save Michigan’s Education System
Great article by Chalkbeat on new Michigan State Senator Dayna Polehanki. She was a high school English teacher for 17 years, but Trump’s 2016 spurned her to get into Michigan’s political game. She ran. And she won, flipping a Republican district in the southeastern part of the state. State Senator Polehanki’s now trying to slowly…