In 2010, Gov. Snyder presented himself as a no-nonsense businessman who would move us beyond the partisan gridlock that had gripped Michigan with simple, fair, and efficient solutions. He even promised, “As Governor, I will ensure that government is open, fair and accountable to the citizens by making Michigan a national leader in transparency and…
One of the nation’s largest homebuilders, PulteGroup Inc., yesterday announced that they’d be moving their headquarters and over 300 workers from Bloomfield Hills, Michigan to Atlanta, Georgia. Reports indicated that Snyder and other state officials were “surprised” by the decision that came as they attended a weeklong party dedicated to celebrating the state’s supposed economic…
Since the Great Recession, Wall Street has made all of their money back and then some. Last week, main indices reached records highs. The conservative website Forbes detailed how good the past couple years have been for investors: And it has been a boon for investors, as even the safest indices have yielded a 250%…
According to Gov. Snyder, Michigan is a business, and we’re all his customers. Like most companies, Gov. Snyder’s stockholders are looking to make good on their investment. How? It’s pretty straightforward: privatize core functions of government and create more customers. More customers means more money; and Michigan has nearly 10 million potential customers. A few…
Yesterday, the Snyder administration said they’d be shelving their “Skunk Works” group, but left open the possibility that the “value schools” piece of it will live on. The father of “Skunk Works” and Mackinac Center cofounder Richard McLellan declared that while the group is dead, “value schools” are still very much alive. And after claiming…
Oooh, that smell. Can you smell that smell? It’s the smell of “Skunk Works” slow-roasting in Michigan’s hot spring sunshine. Over the weekend, emails obtained by the Detroit News through a FOIA request revealed that “Skunk Works” – contrary to what Gov. Snyder has claimed – has always been a government-sanctioned work group. Basically: they…
Radical politicians and anti-choice extremists are at it again. They’re resuscitating a failed attempt to dismantle women’s rights. When it comes to making choices about a women’s health and her body, it’s clear conservatives don’t think women have the wherewithal to make their own decisions. They’re escalating efforts to roll back the clock on progress,…
What happens when you cut funding to local schools? Easy: they can’t pay their bills. Over the past two weeks, Buena Vista schools, the Flint School District, and Albion High School have had to shut down, cancel classes, or lay off staff and teachers. Even Ann Arbor schools are having trouble and considering cuts to…
One year ago today, the election-rigging scandal now known as “Bolgergate” started to unravel. On May 16, the day of the 2012 election filing deadline, then-Democratic State Rep. Roy Schmidt announced he was switching parties to run as a Republican, and an unknown amateur bodybuilder named Matt Mojzak filed to run as a Democrat. Bolger…
Fresh off a major embarrassment when his Administration’s secret “Skunk Works” project to defund public education was exposed, Gov. Snyder forced the group into the public eye. State Superintendent Mike Flanagan is now leading the project, and accepting public input on Facebook and through an online survey. We saw earlier this week that Superintendent Flanagan…