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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

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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.

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State to count assets to cut food stamps

By Ed Brayton | 09.21.11 | 8:14 am

Beginning next month, many Michigan residents now receiving food stamps will likely lose their benefits as the state begins to look at assets as well as income in determining eligibility.

AP reports:

Michigan has determined food assistance eligibility based only on income for roughly a decade. A new policy will include a review of certain financial assets starting Oct 1. The requirements will affect new applicants right away and existing recipients when their cases come up for review, which typically happens once every six months.

Those with assets of more than $5,000 in bank accounts or some types of property would no longer be eligible for food assistance. Other assets that would count against the cap include vehicles with market values of more than $15,000 and second homes, depending on how much is owed on the properties.

Some assets, such as primary residences and 401k accounts, would not be considered for determining food assistance eligibility.

Advocates for the poor say the new policy will make it more difficult for the unemployed to qualify for the program and discourage people from saving. Almost 20 percent of Michigan residents currently receive food stamps.

Comments

  • CarmanK

    This is just disgusting!! The republicans are taking the morality of this nation into a DARK, DARK place, that will leave lasting scars on families,especially poor children. I know there is not justice in this world, but I sure hope there is a GOD to mete out just punishment to these craven individuals. Because no matter how hard they try, they can hide behind the corporate shield. for no one to witness their individual heinous acts of inhumanity, but they cannot hide from GOD. And some how, I don’t think a simple sorry will cut it. These kinds of actions are contrary to everything that is good about this country’s ultimate goals to make life better for all. We took care of each other at Plymouth Rock, where it all began.

  • CarmanK

    I think of those guys in the mine in Brazil, and how much they worked together for those many days, just to stay alive. They shared what they had. They cried together, did exercise, shared their rations and most of all didn’t give up. It is just so incredulous to believe that the republicans have given up on the american people and so willing make the innocent suffer. Hell is too good for Snyder and his minions, who dismiss the poor as irrelevant in human terms and demonize their status to achieve power and money. These hypocrites profess belief in God, but they really can’t believe in a JUST GOD and od the things they do.

  • ehleaveme aloneokay

    People who consider their morals to be so high (republicans) stoop so low and do VERY dirty things in the American legal system. So this means that a person who has a vehicle that “costs to much” should then sell it to eat?  How can you keep a job if you have a vehicle that is cheap or unreliable?  That is an investment in getting that person BACK in a better position to be more stable.  I was considering moving back to Mi in my lifetime.  They hate their citizens, and spit on them. I will not move back there ever! I wouldn’t want to be buried in their rotten soil either. Matter of fact, if this sort of thing becomes a trend in our laws, I am shopping for another country. I hate this sort of crap. I am not on welfare, have not been in my whole adult life but if I were legitimately down and out , my country should have my back. They demand for me to have theirs as a citizen. They take my taxes. If they decided to do another draft they would take my brothers and the sons of my family. They demand so much from us! The sweat off our backs, and have even demanded our lives, but spit on us in return.

  • http://digg.com/users/OmegaWolf Silver Fang

    Republicans are disgusting, inhumane pigs who work for the mega-corporations and the wealthy elites at the expense of regular people. I don’t understand why people keep electing them.

    Thankfully, Election Day is coming and we can vote these swine out of office.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_5Y5IZULFFTYQY4SYVYGNMI5QUU wolffsongg

    ehleaveme aloneokay…It won’t help to sell the vehicle that “costs too much”. Whatever money is leftover after purchasing a new car (after the sale) that fits within their cost perimeters will be considered as assets/income. Chances are the person would still be denied on their first application, if that money took them even a smidgen over the allowable income limits. They’d have to reapply after they’d used that money up spending it on food etc.. This hits the hard pressed unemployed and their families who have seen their unemployment benefits cut or are out of them and obviously the financially disadvantaged. I wonder if this changes anything for SSI (Social Security Insurance) or regular Social Security beneficiaries.

  • Anonymous

    This is another way to squeeze out the middle class worker who is trying to better themselves and needs some temporary help. Sell your car and stay home and sit on your butt and qualify for food,  and don’t pay back into the system.
    Do these so called experts in government know about the basics of economics?
    The job market is terrible, unemployment is terrible and foreclosures are sky rocketing. Let’s give aid to the average family who wants to better themselves with new education and training. 

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_QJNGGXOK7VAJ2OGROB4CGLGU7M Wrangler4065

    everyone says that this is a bad thing.  I think it is good people need help and they get it.  I can use help but i don’t get it.  I am tired of watching the porch monkeys driving escalades and hummers while spending my tax money.  Screw them and screw anyone that takes there side.  If your poor then these new changes wont hurt you.  Before you spend my tax dollars cut your expenses where you can.  For example me I srtruggle so I have no TV no Internet I drive a POS I ride my bike when I need to.  if you can cut the expense then you dont need my money

  • Anonymous

    why dont we do this to the rich,the corporate welfare state (big oil,agribusiness,etc) and the dept of offense,i mean defense.let them have yard sales,wash cars,etc to raise funds for their projects(iraq,afghanistan,new arms,etc)while WE THE PEOPLE take our monies back and fix our homes,schools,infrastructure,etc. oh yes,and if they have ‘assets’ over $5k then no more corporate welfare for you pal!!

    Corporate welfare,for those who didnt know,is a little like people welfare,just add more zeroes at the end of the govt’s check.Next time some politco starts slamming welfare moms and says we must cut welfare to make our (state-town-country) area more business-friendly, ask them about corp.welfare and all the extra zeroes……silence will never be more golden………………………. 

Categories & Tags: Poverty| Unemployment| |