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The Michigan Messenger going forward

By Staff Report | 11.16.11

I am writing today to announce the closure of the Michigan Messenger. After four years of operation in Michigan, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news into a single site, The American Independent at Americanindependent.com. This is part of a shift in strategy, towards new forms [...]

Colorado-based abstinence program provided false and misleading information to Michigan students

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By Todd A. Heywood | 11.16.11

An abstinence-only presentation provided to numerous school districts in Calhoun and Eaton Counties in October of this year provided false and misleading information to students about HIV, experts allege.

Class action lawsuit filed against MERS over unpaid taxes

foreclosure
By Todd A. Heywood | 11.15.11

Two county registers of deeds filed a class action lawsuit Monday on behalf of Michigan’s 83 counties alleging that the Mortgage Electronic Registration Services owes millions of dollars in property title transfer taxes.

Schuette fights important mercury regulations

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By Eartha Jane Melzer | 11.14.11

Despite evidence of the impact of mercury on children and public health, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette last month joined with 24 other state attorneys general in filing a lawsuit to scuttle new EPA regulations that would reduce mercury emissions from power plants.

Obama weighs in against bill to save auto dealerships

By Ed Brayton | 07.16.09 | 12:29 am

With Congress looking at the possibility of passing legislation requiring GM and Chrysler to restore the thousands of dealerships they collectively terminated during their bankruptcy proceedings, the White House issued a statement strongly opposing that legislation. Automotive News reports:

The White House issued a “Statement of Administration Policy” saying that the dealer cuts at GM and Chrysler were “a critical part of their overall restructuring to achieve long-term viability.”

“It would set a dangerous precedent, potentially raising legal concerns, to intervene into a closed judicial bankruptcy proceeding on behalf of one particular group at this point,” the statement said.

The legislation to reverse those dealer terminations has been appended to a spending bill that is likely to pass. The provision has more than half the members as sponsors in the House and 24 sponsors in the Senate. Meanwhile, GM and Chrysler have opened negotiations with members of Congress to reach a non-legislative agreement on the matter, but no specific proposals have been made public at this point.

Comments

  • dkmich

    I thought this diary from dailykos was right on target.

    “A bill to save GM and Chrysler dealerships from forced closure has gained majority support in the U.S. House. Dozens of auto plants have closed over the past few years, hundreds of thousands of autoworkers have been laid off, and not one bill was introduced to stop the slaughter of jobs and communities. Now, the same corporations plan to cut their retail outlets to match their shrunken market, and Congress is rushing in with a plan to interfere with our magical marketplace, to protect these community pillars from the consequences of capitalism. Such hypocrisy! Such duplicity!

    jimredped's diary :: :: Years back, a protester held up a sign at a John Engler event in Wyandotte, Michigan that read “Apple juice, steel, what's the difference, John?”. Former Governor of Michigan Engler had sent a letter to the feds demanding action on China's dumping cheap apples on the market, but refused to sign a letter from Great Lakes Governors on China dumping steel. The answer to this cryptic question was that Republicans grow apples and use cheap Chinese steel, while Democrats make American steel and buy cheap apples. Republican Governor John Engler was beholden to rural Republican apple growers, (salt of the earth rugged individuals), and thought little of urban steelworkers, (lazy overpaid unionized collectivists).

    Now, we have Republican Congresspersons, and too many Democrats that should know better, showing the same kind of double standard in the auto industry. Big 3 unionized plants are closed, Midwestern communities are wrecked, and Congress gives a collective shrug. Main street auto dealers are told to give up their franchises, and the political party of rural and suburban America goes into high dudgeon. “UnAmerican!” “deprives the American dream”, says Rep. Steve LaTourette, one of the bill's chief Republican mouthpieces.

    Aside from the rank hypocrisy, consider this”:
    [http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/7/15/61854/1886

  • dkmich

    I thought this diary from dailykos was right on target.

    “A bill to save GM and Chrysler dealerships from forced closure has gained majority support in the U.S. House. Dozens of auto plants have closed over the past few years, hundreds of thousands of autoworkers have been laid off, and not one bill was introduced to stop the slaughter of jobs and communities. Now, the same corporations plan to cut their retail outlets to match their shrunken market, and Congress is rushing in with a plan to interfere with our magical marketplace, to protect these community pillars from the consequences of capitalism. Such hypocrisy! Such duplicity!

    jimredped's diary :: :: Years back, a protester held up a sign at a John Engler event in Wyandotte, Michigan that read “Apple juice, steel, what's the difference, John?”. Former Governor of Michigan Engler had sent a letter to the feds demanding action on China's dumping cheap apples on the market, but refused to sign a letter from Great Lakes Governors on China dumping steel. The answer to this cryptic question was that Republicans grow apples and use cheap Chinese steel, while Democrats make American steel and buy cheap apples. Republican Governor John Engler was beholden to rural Republican apple growers, (salt of the earth rugged individuals), and thought little of urban steelworkers, (lazy overpaid unionized collectivists).

    Now, we have Republican Congresspersons, and too many Democrats that should know better, showing the same kind of double standard in the auto industry. Big 3 unionized plants are closed, Midwestern communities are wrecked, and Congress gives a collective shrug. Main street auto dealers are told to give up their franchises, and the political party of rural and suburban America goes into high dudgeon. “UnAmerican!” “deprives the American dream”, says Rep. Steve LaTourette, one of the bill's chief Republican mouthpieces.

    Aside from the rank hypocrisy, consider this”:
    [http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/7/15/61854/1886

  • dkmich

    I thought this diary from dailykos was right on target.

    “A bill to save GM and Chrysler dealerships from forced closure has gained majority support in the U.S. House. Dozens of auto plants have closed over the past few years, hundreds of thousands of autoworkers have been laid off, and not one bill was introduced to stop the slaughter of jobs and communities. Now, the same corporations plan to cut their retail outlets to match their shrunken market, and Congress is rushing in with a plan to interfere with our magical marketplace, to protect these community pillars from the consequences of capitalism. Such hypocrisy! Such duplicity!

    jimredped's diary :: :: Years back, a protester held up a sign at a John Engler event in Wyandotte, Michigan that read “Apple juice, steel, what's the difference, John?”. Former Governor of Michigan Engler had sent a letter to the feds demanding action on China's dumping cheap apples on the market, but refused to sign a letter from Great Lakes Governors on China dumping steel. The answer to this cryptic question was that Republicans grow apples and use cheap Chinese steel, while Democrats make American steel and buy cheap apples. Republican Governor John Engler was beholden to rural Republican apple growers, (salt of the earth rugged individuals), and thought little of urban steelworkers, (lazy overpaid unionized collectivists).

    Now, we have Republican Congresspersons, and too many Democrats that should know better, showing the same kind of double standard in the auto industry. Big 3 unionized plants are closed, Midwestern communities are wrecked, and Congress gives a collective shrug. Main street auto dealers are told to give up their franchises, and the political party of rural and suburban America goes into high dudgeon. “UnAmerican!” “deprives the American dream”, says Rep. Steve LaTourette, one of the bill's chief Republican mouthpieces.

    Aside from the rank hypocrisy, consider this”:
    [http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/7/15/61854/1886

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