Progressive changes continue in our state thanks to the Democratic majority in the state legislature as both the general and education budgets passed this week. These budgets provide significant funding boosts for K-12 spending, including more per-pupil funding and universal free breakfast and lunch. And the general budget provides more funding for roads, infrastructure, health…
Tag: Environment
Judge Orders Line 5 Shut Down In Three Years
This is clearly not the end, but it’s a bit of good news. From Michigan Advance: Enbridge Inc. must shut down its Line 5 pipeline within three years and pay more than $5 million in profits to the Chippewa Indians Bad River Band, a federal judge in Madison ruled Friday. Judge William Conley reaffirmed his September…
Closing Line 5 Won’t Lead To Higher Gas Prices
One of the major planks of Enbridge’s misinformation campaign is that closing the old pipeline will lead to skyrocketing gas prices. Chemical Engineer and researcher Gary Street says the evidence proves otherwise. Street, who worked at Dow for 30 years but now works pro bono for environmental groups, took note of when Enbridge closed both…
Left of Lansing Podcast–Episode 40: Dr. Joshua Cowen on The Right Wing’s Attack on Public Schools Using Vouchers
Here’s the 40th episode!!! In this week’s episode, I share some thoughts on WJR-AM’s “next generation” of talk show hosts, which kinda sounds a lot like the last generation. I also talk about how former Republican “Nerd” Governor, Mr. Flint Water Crisis, himself, Rick Snyder is back in the news, announcing that he’s helping Michigan…
Left Of Lansing Short–How Biden’s Infrastructure Bill Is Helping St. Louis, MI Turn The Page
Here’s this week’s Left of Lansing “Short.” President Biden’s Infrastructure Bill his helping accelerate the cleanup at the Superfund Site along the Pine River in St. Louis. This is a big deal for the people who’ve had to live with the toxic disaster left by the old Velsicol Chemical Corporation plant, which was part of…
Left Of Lansing Short–GOP Loses Young Voters, But Democrats Must Fight To Keep Them–May 5, 2023
Here’s this week’s LOL “Shorts,” which I post every Friday right here exclusively on the blog. I take my cue from this fine article by The American Prospect’s Gabrielle Gurley, which is titled, “Republicans Declare War On Young Voters.“ Even though Michigan had the highest youth voter turnout in 2022, that’s still lower than the…
Left of Lansing Podcast Episode #14: Pat Talks About Justin Amash & Impeachment; PFAS; Vaccinations; Harriet Tubman; And How Progressives Must Fight Against Trumpism
This is the first SOLO Left of Lansing Podcast with Pat Johnston, and it’s posted! Once in awhile, I’ll reserve the microphone strictly for me because I’ve got lots on my mind when it comes to pushing the progressive fight in Michigan, and the nation. On this week’s podcast, I begin by giving an exhortation…
Shocking News That A Corporation Hid The Harm It Did! (Sarcasm)
I’ve been meaning post this appalling story for the last few days. And it’s one reason why I back efforts to make the corporations that knowingly put toxins in our state’s water systems pay for their abuses. From The Detroit Free Press: A 3M environmental specialist, in a scathing resignation letter, accused company officials of being “unethical”…
Michigan Tops In PFAS In Nation. We’re Number…One?
This is a list the state of Michigan doesn’t want to win. Unfortunately, as Michigan Advance notes, we are “winning”: Michigan has the most sites in the country known to be contaminated with the group of toxic chemicals known as PFAS, according to a new report from the Washington, D.C.-based Environmental Working Group. The environmental and…
Show You’ll Fight For The People, And You’ll Win. Democrats, Please, Take Note!
This new ABC News poll illustrates what I’ve been advocating for years: 72% of Americans say the country’s political system works mainly to benefit those in power, and 62% say the same about the economic system, according to a new @ABC News/WaPo poll https://t.co/0FzqHL2E5B pic.twitter.com/3mdUBlwukh — ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) April 29, 2019 As I…
