Progressive values. Smart policy. Stronger America.
The Michigan legislature is considering merit pay for public teachers and conservatives are attempting to convince voters that this free market idea is essential to improving educational outcomes. Unfortunately these articles tend to be heavy on opinion and light on data showing that merit pay actually improves educational outcomes. The most recent examples of the [...]
Lee Fang joins us in this podcast to talk about the issues he addresses in his new book, The Machine: A Field Guide to the Resurgent Right. My take on the book When you evaluate a book about politics, sometimes the best way to reach a conclusion is to look at what the “other side” [...]
The latest version of The Truth About the Mackinac Center is now available. Click here to download the pdf. This version includes, A history of the Mackinac Center Info on the Mackinac Center Board of Directors Funding & staff compensation (of several years ago) Info on the Mackinac Center programs of privatization, breaking organized labor, [...]
Why Michigan newspapers continue to reference the Mackinac Center as a think tank rather than a willing partner in the right wing echo chamber has always been a mystery. Evidence abounds. Take for instance, its recent reposting of President Emeritus Larry Reed’s Thanksgiving piece, which tells us that the original Thanksgiving took place only after [...]
Cross-posted from EAGTruth.com Last week, the conservative blame-unions-for-everything mantra was given an apparent boost from a new movie, Won’t Back Down. It depicts a mother and teacher taking advantage of a parent trigger law to save their children from the clutches of a nasty teacher’s union. Joining in the right’s revelry was EAGNews’ Victor Skinner: [...]
Jim Hightower outlines in a well-researched piece the dictatorial nature of the Michigan Republican Governor Rick Snyder’s Emergency Manager Law (PA 4) to be challenged on the 2012 Michigan Ballot Proposal #1 in November and its relationship with the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and implications to both Michigan and other US States. UPDATE: Vote [...]
Michigan needs the “ALEC Accountability Act” NOW or yesterday or actually over a decade ago. Since it should be abundantly clear by now that the Michigan State Legislature, like dozens of other states, has a special interest infestation and corporate corruption problem something should be done. But what to do about it? This week dozens [...]
The mega-retailer Wal-Mart announced yesterday their “suspension” of their corporate membership in the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), they were also joined by Medtronics Corporation, who like several members claimed to have given up ALEC membership much earlier in 2010. But the question remains – Will Michigan’s “Detroit 3” (GM, Ford and Chrysler) also drop [...]
Public employees and the middle class are under attack, but many are unaware that the source of this campaign is carefully coordinated, well financed and has been underway for many years. Who’s behind this? In 1968, because “conservatives were being killed politically” Joe Coors financed the founding of the Heritage Foundation in Washington DC [...]
You have to hand it to Michael Van Beek. As the Mackinac Center’s “Director of Education Policy” he has a pretty kewl job. He works in a truth casual environment with the likes of Henry Payne and Manny Lopez. He gets to write whatever he wants and use his own articles as supporting evidence. He [...]
Cross-posting this time from Kos. This just out from MediaMatters.org with the title “No Oxygen: Michigan Media Silent As State Passes ALEC Bill Limiting Compensation For Asbestos Victims“: “Last week, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder (R) approved a bill that curbs the ability of asbestos-exposure victims to recover losses from some companies that are legally responsible. [...]
Filling in for Christine today, and since it was an enormously busy day and evening yesterday running a bit late, but that’s a good thing. Means things are happening. Sooooo right on with some news…. In the News: Protest at Scott Walker Republican Fund Raiser in Troy, MI Yesterday, hundreds of protesters jeered at Michigan [...]
