Author Archives: chadphillips

Public School’s 2% Increase Will Feel Like Only a 1/2% Increase

Posted on February 18, 2013 by chadphillips

Governor Snyder recently released his 2013-14 budget.  School districts breathed a sigh of relief when they heard they would be getting a 2% increase instead of the rumored funding cut.  Schools are getting used to funding cuts.  After all, the per-pupil foundation allowance was actually … Continue reading →

Posted in Schools | 2 Comments

Michigan’s Poor and Middle Class are Disproportionately Burdened with Taxes. Snyder’s Road Bill Would Add to the Problem.

Posted on February 10, 2013 by chadphillips

Michigan has a fairly regressive tax rate.  According to data from The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP), the bottom 80% of Michiganders pay almost 10% of their income in taxes while the top 20% only pay about 7% of their … Continue reading →

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Legislators Have the Means to Make Michigan Schools Safer. Here is What They Should Do and How You Can Help.

Posted on February 6, 2013 by chadphillips

Legislators have the means to make Michigan schools safer.  Since Republicans have  control of the House, the Senate, and the Governorship, they will need to lead the initiative.  Here are three relatively uncontroversial ways they can help us protect school children. 1. … Continue reading →

Posted in Schools | 1 Comment

Republicans Pledge Support For Teachers (No this is not a joke)

Posted on February 2, 2013 by chadphillips

They’ve compared teachers to whiny children who haven’t earned their allowance.  They are making them pay an additional 6% or more for benefits they were already promised.  They have raided the school aid fund causing their employers to freeze their wages and charge them more for … Continue reading →

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Michissippi Rising: Rick Snyder is our Jefferson Davis

Posted on January 28, 2013 by chadphillips

Some people have begun calling Michigan Michissippi.  This is not meant as an insult to the many smart and decent people who live in Mississippi.  It is meant as an insult to the dominant political force in Mississippi whose ideals are now … Continue reading →

Posted in Poor, Richard Snyder | 1 Comment

School District Loses $57,000 for Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Posted on January 19, 2013 by chadphillips

Do you remember the movie Indecent Proposal?  The movie, released in 1993, starred on-screen couple Demi Moore and Woody Harrelson.  It also starred Robert Redford as a handsome billionaire.  Redford’s character becomes so smitten with Moore’s character after meeting her in a casino that he offers the … Continue reading →

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State of the State Statement

Posted on January 16, 2013 by chadphillips
Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Michigan Populists’ Top 5 Threats to Democracy in 2013

Posted on January 2, 2013 by chadphillips

2013 Ranking (2012 Ranking) 1. (not listed) Governor Richard Snyder- It is one thing to be eccentric (call it a nerd if you want).  It is quite another to completely disregard this crucial fact; government is not a business.  States are democratic institutions.  Businesses … Continue reading →

Posted in ALEC, Chamber of Commerce, Darwin Booher, DeVos Family, Government Reform, Mackinac Center, Phil Potvin, Richard Snyder, Right-to-Work | Leave a comment

Drumroll Please . . . After Two Years of “Reinvention” We are Still the 47th Best State to do Business in!

Posted on December 16, 2012 by chadphillips

For the third year in a row, Michigan was ranked 47th in Forbes’ Best States for Business and Careers list.  The people at Forbes were nice enough to let Governor Snyder write an op-ed to offer excuses for why his policies … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Richard Snyder | 1 Comment

How The Winners and Losers Nearly Clashed At The Capitol Tuesday

Posted on December 13, 2012 by chadphillips

When Governor Snyder set out to “reform” Michigan’s tax structure, he repeatedly said “let’s stop picking winners and losers, let’s start being fair.”   Snyder’s fairness did not extend to right-to-work legislation though.  Police and firefighters are exempt from the new … Continue reading →

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