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 [...]
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.
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.
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.
Stumbling upon this story in today’s USA Today, I had instant flashbacks to the long-tradition of famous name politicians in the city of Detroit — and Michigan generally. From the Kilpatricks to the Cockrels to the Dingells and even the Conyers and the Levins, it’s quite a tradition.
While just about every state has its hereditary princes and princesses, it’s always struck me as surprising that politics and governance in the good ol’ USA — the world’s oldest democracy — would have so much in common with Old World monarchies. They have their Tudors and the House of Bourbon, we have our Kennedys and House of Bush.
The other flashback the USA Today piece gave me was something Mildred Madison, the president of the Detroit League of Women Voters, told the Detroit Free Press’ Stephen Henderson last year on Detroit public television. Discussing last November’s ballot initiative calling for council-by-district in city elections — ultimately backed by a lopsided majority of voters — Henderson asked Madison which politicals interests stood to lose the most if at-large city council elections were replaced by more local district-based council elections.
Madison’s answer: Detroit’s political family dynasties.
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