Left of Lansing
117 episodes - English - Latest episode: 5 days ago - ★★★★★ - 6 ratingsAn insight into Michigan's progressive political and pop cultural scene. Pat Johnston highlights how the progressive movement is helping shape Michigan's political landscape with opinion and interviews. It's time to make Michigan's political machine work for the people!
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
117: Episode 83: Salon's Amanda Marcotte on Fascism & The Christian Nationalist Movement
April 25, 2024 15:16 - 48 minutes - 44.3 MBHere's episode 83 of Michigan's premier progressive podcast! Salon columnist Amanda Marcotte spends a few minutes talking with Pat about the Christian Nationalist Movement, and its ultimate goal of not just getting Dear Leader Trump back into power, but of ending religious freedom for all. Ms. Marcotte's written extensively on how Christian Nationalists are trying to defund public schools, public libraries, attacking the nation's democratic institutions, attacking abortion rights and women'...
116: Friday Short: Investing in People Really Works! April 19, 2024
April 19, 2024 15:12 - 5 minutes - 4.8 MBHere's this week's LoL Friday Short for this April 19, 2024 There's hope new legislation could be introduced in Lansing called The Working Parents Tax Credit. If passed, it could help around 250,000 Michigan kids in just one year. Supporters say this tax credit would incentivize work, and reward working families, and recent polling shows widespread support for this proposal. However, as we saw with the federal child tax credit in 2021, not only did the program cut child poverty in half, ...
115: Episode 82: Transforming the Social Contract with Rx Kids in Flint
April 18, 2024 04:36 - 43 minutes - 39.5 MBHere's Episode 82 of Michigan's premier progressive podcast! It's another week. That means it's another episode of the Republican Crime Syndicate! Democratic Attorney General Dana Nessel announced several charges against former Michigan Republican state House Speaker Lee Chatfield, and his wife, Stephanie, for operating a criminal enterprise! Just like Chatfield's hero, Dear Leader Trump, he will soon find himself in a courtroom. And Chatfield also finds himself following in the footstep...
114: Friday Short: Making Michigan Charter Schools Accountable Is Long Overdue
April 12, 2024 16:58 - 4 minutes - 3.92 MBHere's this week's LoL "Friday Short" for this April 12, 2024. The Michigan Board of Education passed a resolution this week asking the Democratic majority in the state legislature to pass laws requiring more transparency and accountability when it comes to charter schools. For years, charter schools haven't had to play by the same rules as public schools when it comes to accountability, even though charter schools receive taxpayer money! This resolution is a start of a movement that sho...
113: Episode 81: Don't Believe the Hype on Corporate Subsidies w/ Bridge Magazine's Paula Gardner
April 11, 2024 22:24 - 41 minutes - 38 MBHere's Episode 81 of Michigan's premier progressive podcast! On this week's episode, Pat talks about "Florida" Mike Rogers' audacity to run for Michigan's open Senate seat this Fall even though he hasn't lived in this state for years (because he wanted to make lobbying cash), and he's registered to vote in both Florida and Michigan! How can a guy, who didn't even know about the abortion rights proposal, which passed in 2022, portray himself as a true Michigander? Pat would like to know. Pa...
112: Episode 80: Michigan Republicans Shill For Fascism in Grand Rapids
April 04, 2024 19:25 - 35 minutes - 32.4 MBHere's Episode 80 of Michigan's premier progressive podcast! This week, Pat takes the Michigan Republicans to task, and the handful of right-wing Michigan sheriffs, who stood on stage with Donald Trump this week in Grand Rapids. Trump showed-up in our state to exploit the death of Ruby Garcia, who was shot and killed by someone she knew. The alleged killer is an illegal immigrant, and that's all Trump wanted to focus on. No, he didn't address domestic violence, which is exactly what this is...
111: Friday Short: The Maddocks are an embarrassment to Michigan
March 29, 2024 16:27 - 4 minutes - 3.82 MBTime for the LoL "Friday Short" on this March 29, 2024 Michigan Republican State Rep. Matt Maddock baselessly claimed on "X" that buses at Detroit Metro Airport were filled with "illegal invaders!" The only problem with such a claim? The people in those buses were members of the Gonzaga Men's Basketball Team, which is playing in the Sweet 16 of the men's college tournament in Detroit this weekend. Maddock refuses to admit his lie, and has doubled and tripled-down on the lie. He and his ...
110: Episode 79: Time for Transformational Change w/ Lou Glazer of Michigan Future, Inc.
March 28, 2024 05:20 - 45 minutes - 41.6 MBIt's episode 79 of Michigan's premier progressive podcast with the award-winning Pat Johnston! Pat's guest this week is Lou Glazer from Michigan Future, Inc., which is a nonprofit, and nonpartisan organization that focuses on helping Michigan succeed in a knowledge-based economy. And as Lou says, Michigan Future is also trying to make Michigan a more prosperous state. Michigan currently ranks 39th in per capita income. Lou says transformational changes are needed to make the state a more pr...
109: Friday Short: Shutting Down Line 5 Is A States' Rights Issue, Too
March 22, 2024 19:01 - 4 minutes - 4.05 MBHere's this week's Left of Lansing "Friday Short." Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel's office argued in a federal appellate court that the fight to shut down the Line 5 oil pipeline belongs in a state court, and not in federal court. Enbridge, which owns the pipeline, argues that due to U.S.-Canadian treaty from 1977 means the battle ought to remain in federal court. But why isn't the Michigan Republican Party joining in Nessel's effort to protect Michigan's rights to protect hersel...
108: Episode 78: Making a difference for Michiganders w/ Democratic State Rep. Ranjeev Puri
March 21, 2024 03:35 - 43 minutes - 39.5 MBWelcome to Episode 78 of Michigan's Premier Progressive Podcast! Democratic State Representative, and House Majority Whip, Ranjeev Puri talks with Pat on a host of issues, including some key bills he helped pass the state legislature last year, such as gun safety, clean energy and climate bills, water filtration in schools and daycare centers, and more. They also talk about the importance of local and state elections. They also discuss the future of transit and mobility in the state, and ho...
107: Friday Short: MI GOP Members Cry About Being Called Racists For Being...Racists
March 15, 2024 19:24 - 4 minutes - 4.16 MBHere's this week's LoL Friday Short! Members of the Michigan Republican "Freedom Caucus" in the State House introduced a resolution to censure House Speaker Joe Tate. Tate, who became the state's first Black House Speaker last year, stripped state Rep. Josh Shriver of his committee assignments and staff after he re-posted tweets pushing the white supremacist "Great Replacement Theory." These right wing Freedom Caucus fellows argue it was wrong for Tate to punish Shriver, but they went fur...
106: Episode 77: TikTok Ban, MAGA Violence, & Right Wing Cognitive Dissonance
March 14, 2024 15:04 - 37 minutes - 34.3 MBHere's Episode 77 of Michigan's premier progressive podcast! Vote on this week's Left of Lansing Online Poll via Twitter or X: Does Social Media help or hurt the political process? On this week's show, Pat talks about how Alabama Republican Senator Katie Britt's ridiculous and disturbing State of the Union response showed how the White Christian Nationalist movement dominates the Republican Party. Pat compares her speech to that of Michigan Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's SOTU response ...
105: Friday Short: The White Christian Nationalist "Fundie Baby Voice"
March 08, 2024 21:10 - 4 minutes - 3.95 MBWe've made it to another Friday, which means it's time for another LoL Friday Short! I continue my examination into the different aspects of White Christian Nationalism by concentrating on Alabama Republican Senator Katie Britt's response to President Joe Biden's strong State Of The Union address this week. Britt's breathy, high-pitch delivery is known as the "fundie baby voice," as explained by Missouri Dirt Road Democrat, and former Evangelical, Jess Piper. And Republicans also made s...
104: Episode 76: The History of White Christian Nationalism w/ Dr. Sara Moslener
March 07, 2024 12:30 - 45 minutes - 41.6 MBIt's episode 76 of Michigan's premier progressive podcast! Lots of material in this week's episode, including Pat's examination of new Michigan GOP chair Pete Hoekstra's record as a former congressman, ambassador, Tea Party founder, Trump-backer, and lobbyist. Sure, Pete Hoekstra doesn't believe in demonic possession unlike his predecessor (at least, he hasn't publicly said he does) but there's no ideological daylight between Hoekstra and the now-ousted chair, Kristina Karamo. In fact, Pat ...
103: Friday Short: GOP is All-In on National Abortion Ban
March 01, 2024 18:24 - 3 minutes - 3.68 MBHere's this week's LoL Short on the how the GOP is all-in on a national abortion ban. Thanks to Distill Social for providing a video clip when they spoke with MAGA supporters before a recent Trump rally in Waterford, MI. Republicans try to minimize and hide their true intentions when it comes to abortion care. But as the Alabama Supreme Court ruling puts the future of IVF treatments in jeopardy is showing us, Republicans can try to run away from their extremism, but they can't hide. Pl...
102: Episode 75: Polluter Pay 2.0 w/ Sean McBrearty of Clean Water Action Michigan
February 29, 2024 15:48 - 42 minutes - 38.9 MBHere's the 75th episode of Michigan's premier progressive podcast. We've covered the ways Michigan Democrats are protecting the state's environment, and building a cleaner and more affordable energy future for both our environment and economy. Democrats also repealed the "No stricter than federal" law, which Republicans passed in 2018 that prevented the state from enacting stronger environmental protections. But if they'd like to put an exclamation on how much they put the environment abo...
101: Friday Short: Why Christian Nationalists Push For Abortion, Contraception, IVF, and Fun Sex Bans
February 23, 2024 18:35 - 4 minutes - 4.09 MBHere's this week's LoL Friday Short! Last week, the Christian Nationalist Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embroys used in in vitro fertilization are "children." This is just another step in the attack on women's reproductive rights. It's just not a national abortion ban these extremists are pushing. They want a ban on contraception, IVF, and also a ban on recreational sex. They want to be the fun police. They want to tell us, but especially women, how they must live their lives...
100: Episode 74: Fighting to move Delta County forward w/ Kelli van Ginhoven
February 22, 2024 16:21 - 43 minutes - 40 MBHere's episode 74 of Michigan's premier progressive podcast! As we've seen in our state, elections have consequences, especially on the state and local state side! I talk about how within a year, Michigan Democrats passed some much-needed legislation to move the state forward in terms of women's reproductive rights, worker rights, union rights, setting-up a robust clean energy future, and protecting family farms. But despite those victories, Christian Nationalists within the Republican Part...
99: Friday Short: Josh Shriver's Radicalism (and Racism) Is What America's Right Wing Is All About
February 16, 2024 19:07 - 4 minutes - 4.17 MBHere's this week's Left of Lansing "Friday Short." Michigan Republican State Representative Josh Shriver was stripped of his committee assignments, and of his staff, after retweeting a racist tweet on the "Great Replacement Theory," which pervades the radical, right wing world. Naturally, Shriver's got his online defenders, but also defenders within the Michigan Republican Party. But make no mistake, Republicans court and depend on voters to believe in this misinformation and propaganda....
98: Episode 73: Right Wing Tries To Repeal Law Allowing Renewable Energy Projects On Family Farms
February 15, 2024 17:36 - 48 minutes - 45 MBHere's Episode 73 of Michigan's Premier, Progressive Podcast! As we've covered on the show, Michigan Democrats passed a rather robust package of clean energy bills last year. Many of those laws will go into effect later this year, including the 100% clean energy standard by 2040, energy efficient programs, increases in the state's energy reduction program, and removing the power of local governments to block large clean energy projects and placing that power in the Michigan Public Service C...
97: Episode 72: New Michigan Gun Safety Laws w/ Dr. April Zeoli
February 08, 2024 20:52 - 40 minutes - 36.9 MBHere's episode 72 of Michigan's Premier Progressive Podcast! In my opening segment this week, I talk about the appalling and Islamophobic Wall Street Journal column declaring Dearborn, MI as the "America's Jihad Capital." Islamophobia within the right wing world never left, and it's putting lives in danger. I then cover some of the many new laws scheduled to go into effect in the state on February 13th, including the repeal of the anti-union "Right To Work (For Less) law, expanded voting ri...
96: Friday Short: How Is Rashida Tlaib Raising Over $3 Million in Campaign Donations? Easy. By Standing Up For People
February 02, 2024 19:29 - 4 minutes - 4.03 MBHere's this week's LoL Friday Short. It's being reported this week that Michigan Democratic Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib has raised nearly $4-million in campaign contributions in the last three months. That's despite House Republicans censuring her last Fall for her stance against Israel's bombardment of the Gaza Strip. And that's despite being hung-out to dry by some in her own party. But why does Tlaib garner so much support and vitriol? Because she's a threat to the donor base, and stan...
95: Episode 71: Interview w/ Susan Demas of Michigan Advance
February 01, 2024 21:16 - 51 minutes - 47.6 MBHere's episode 71 of Michigan's premier progressive podcast! Please vote on this week's LoL Twitter Poll: What is the biggest winning issue for Michigan Democrats heading into the November election? If you have others, leave them in replies Susan Demas, Editor-in-Chief of Michigan Advance, joins Pat this week. Michigan Advance is a progressive, nonprofit news site dedicated to covering policy and politics across the state. Susan is a veteran of the Michigan political news scene, and we di...
94: Friday Short: 'Good Guys' Don't Stop Bad Guys With Guns--January 19, 2024
January 19, 2024 18:57 - 4 minutes - 3.88 MBThanks for listening to this week's LoL Friday Short! The Justice Department released a damning report citing "cascading failures" in the way authorities handled the Uvaldi school shooting massacre in 2022. Like other school shootings, this was another example where "good guys with guns," didn't stop the bad guy with a gun. The common denominator with many mass shootings is military-style weapons, like the AR-15. Republicans treasure the gun more than they treasure lives. Michigan Dem...
93: Episode 70: The Rich Are O.K With Fascism
January 18, 2024 16:48 - 30 minutes - 27.9 MBHere's episode 70 of Michigan's premier progressive podcast! Please vote on this week's poll question: Polls show President Biden's losing to Donald Trump in Michigan. How do you feel about these numbers less than 10 months from Election Day? On this week's episode, I cover how Democrats across the country have been given a beautiful chance to show why they're on the side of workers, and how and why Republicans are always on the side of the rich and the connected. JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon...
92: Friday Short: Popular Free School Lunches Hard For Republicans To Digest
January 12, 2024 21:07 - 4 minutes - 3.86 MBHere's this week's LoL Friday Short. Michigan Democrats are hoping to make the new and popular free public school breakfast and lunch program a permanent fixture in the education budget. But that's making the right wing furious, not because of their daily abject cruelty, but because they know the program is a big hit with voting age parents. Also, they know a successful programs such as this hurts their voucher scams. Michigan Democrats scored a big win on this issue, and it's one they m...
91: Episode 69: Interview with Democratic State Rep. Laurie Pohutsky
January 11, 2024 13:00 - 46 minutes - 43 MBHere's Episode 69 of Michigan's premier progressive podcast! I'm thrilled to have Democratic State Representative, and Speaker Pro Tempore, Laurie Pohutsky back on the show this week! We cover a range of topics including abortion rights, clean energy and climate change, if the Michigan Democratic Party's messaging machine is improving, the establishment and progressive factions of the party, and how she's changed since her upset victory as a progressive outsider back in 2018. I open-up th...
90: The Friday Short: Nikki Haley's Profiles In Courage Moment Failure
January 05, 2024 19:04 - 4 minutes - 4.25 MBMy first Left of Lansing "Friday Short" for 2024 deals with GOP Presidential candidate Nikki Haley's failure to flat-out say the American Civil War was fought over the right for Southern states to continue the practice of slavery. But there's a reason why Haley couldn't give a straight answer to that simple question. She, like all of her Republican cohorts, are afraid of angering and losing their white Christian Nationalist base. Please, subscribe to the podcast, download each episode, a...
89: Episode 68: Michigan's Right Wing Is Working To Erase History
January 04, 2024 21:18 - 35 minutes - 32.2 MBHappy New Year, and here's Episode 68 of Michigan's premier progressive podcast! This week, I have lots to say after taking some time-off for the holidays. We have to cover the hypocrisy of Michigan's right wing, in particular the Christian Nationalist Moms For Liberty chapters throughout the state. As you'll hear, while they've been busy banning books, intimidating teachers, and trying to dismantle the public school system, they aren't exactly practicing what they're preaching. We also...
88: Friday Short: Progressive Policies Are Popular Pro-Worker & Pro-Growth Policies
December 15, 2023 18:15 - 4 minutes - 4.03 MBHere's the final LoL "Friday Short" for 2023! To close-out the year, I talk about a story in Michigan Advance which details how business lobbyists formed a coalition in the hopes of stifling bills proposed by Michigan Democrats. These business lobbyists fail to understand that Michigan Democrats are simply passing pro-worker and pro-growth policies that are popular with Michiganders. Have a Happy Holiday Season! Please, subscribe to the podcast, download each episode, and give it a good ...
87: Episode 67: Kasey Helton and the Michigan "Dirt Road Democrats"
December 14, 2023 19:52 - 50 minutes - 46.3 MBHere's the 67th, and the final episode for 2023, on Michigan's premier progressive podcast! Livingston County progressive activist Kasey Helton returns to the podcast this week as we discuss how "dirt road" Democrats are trying to move the political needle towards the progressive side in rural Michigan. And we've seen some of that hard work pay-off with Democrats winning some key races in Livingston County, which has been a reliable red county for Republicans. We also discuss how out of tou...
86: Friday Short: Michigan Energy "Regulators" Give Big Energy Another Win Over The People
December 08, 2023 18:57 - 4 minutes - 3.95 MBListen to this week's Left of Lansing "Friday Short." Right after its inexplicable decision to build a tunnel around the Line 5 oil pipeline in the Straits of Mackinac, the Michigan Public Service Commission granted DTE Energy's rate hike request totalling over $360 million. Despite DTE being part of the reason why Michigan has the most expensive energy in the Midwest, and is also one of the least reliable states to provide energy to its citizens, DTE got its rate hike. It's business as ...
85: Episode 66: Pushing The Overton Window w/ Democratic State Rep. Emily Dievendorf
December 07, 2023 15:45 - 46 minutes - 43.1 MBIt's Episode 66 of Michigan's Premier Progressive Podcast! This week, I can't hold back my disdain for the Michigan Public Service Commission's decision to green-light an expensive, and short-sighted, tunnel project for the stretch of the 70-year old Line 5 oil pipeline in the Straits of Mackinac. Despite studies showing why the pipeline must stop operating, and that shutting-down the pipeline wouldn't lead to drastic energy increases, the MPSC chose a corporation's needs over the needs of ...
84: Friday Short: UAW Momentum Focuses On Non-Union Automakers
December 01, 2023 17:56 - 4 minutes - 3.73 MBListen to this week's Left of Lansing "Friday Short," where I highlight a major UAW organizational push to attract thousands of non-union workers with other automakers. Also, notice again how Republicans across the board are AWOL when it comes to standing up for workers' rights. Please, subscribe to the podcast, download each episode, and give it a good review if you can! –Pat [email protected] leftoflansing.com
83: Episode 65: Long Overdue (and imperfect) Clean Energy Future Is Michigan Law
November 30, 2023 15:36 - 30 minutes - 27.9 MBHere's episode 65 of Michigan's premier progressive podcast! Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed some long overdue, albeit imperfect, clean energy legislation into law this week. I've covered the path The Clean Energy and Jobs Act had to take in Lansing throughout the year on the podcast. And while I believe Democrats missed an opportunity to pass some meaningful, and stronger, progressive clean energy bills that included game-changing environmental justice for those dealing with po...
82: Episode 64: Pro-Publica's Anna Clark on Eliminating Michigan's Emergency Manager Law.
November 22, 2023 17:02 - 47 minutes - 43.4 MBHere's episode 64 of Michigan's premier progressive podcast! It's great to have author and Pro-Publica reporter Anna Clark back on Left of Lansing this week. Anna's written an insightful article on Michigan's Emergency Manager Law, which allows state government to erase democracy by completely taking-over financially-strapped cities. Anna highlights how despite Michiganders voting to eliminate the law a decade ago, Republicans not only reinstated the law, but ensured voters could never have...
81: Left of Lansing Monday Musing: Mass Transit Needed To Stop Michigan's Mass Exodus
November 20, 2023 19:14 - 4 minutes - 3.8 MBListen to my "Monday Musing," in which I agree with a Detroit Free Press column by Michael Griffie, who serves as Detroit Metro Leader for AECOM--an American multinational consulting firm. Mr. Griffie is pressing the need for a massive reinvestment in Michigan's lacking mass transit system, particularly in the entire Metro Detroit region. If we're going to stop Michigan's brain and population drain, spending more on mass transit is a necessary step considering how Millennials and Gen Z A...
80: Left Of Lansing Friday Short: MI Dems Clean Energy Bills Imperfect, But an Important Step
November 17, 2023 18:30 - 4 minutes - 4.43 MBListen to my LoL "Friday Short" on while the Michigan Democrats' clean energy bills are indeed imperfect, they mark an important step towards much-needed changes in the state's energy and economic future. Yes, the bills fall short in many areas, like considering natural gas "clean energy," and ignoring environmental justice provisions to help those in low-income areas affected the most by years of polluted fossil fuels. But they do bridge the gap between unions and environmentalists, and...
79: Episode 63: No More Waiting For Environmental Justice w/ Roshan Krishnan of The Michigan Environmental Justice Coalition
November 16, 2023 11:05 - 44 minutes - 41 MBHere's Episode 63 of Michigan's Premier Progressive Podcast! Michigan Democrats passed a package of clean energy and affordable energy bills last week. While these bills are for sure a step in the right direction in revamping our antiquated energy grid, these bills still fall far short of the aggressive push many progressives were hoping would happen. Joining me this week to talk more about these bills, and how corporate pressure helped water them down, is Roshan Krishnan, policy associate ...
78: Left of Lansing Friday Short: Could Michigan Become a Death with Dignity State?
November 10, 2023 17:38 - 4 minutes - 3.94 MBThe Left of Lansing Friday Short this week applauds a trio of state Senate Democrats (Mary Cavenagh of Redford Twp., Kevin Hertel of St. Clair Shores, and Veronica Klinefelt of Eastpoint) for introducing the Death with Dignity Act. If passed, Michigan would become the 11th state to grant terminally ill patients the power to make their own end-of-life decisions. Since the legislative calendar is finished for the rest of this year, the bills will have to wait until next year. But it ought t...
77: Episode 62: MAGA Keeps Losing On Abortion Rights, and My Defense of Rashida Tlaib
November 09, 2023 12:30 - 38 minutes - 35.1 MBIt's episode 62 of Michigan's Premier Progressive Podcast! MAGA Republicans suffered another beatdown at the polls this past Election Day, and once again, abortion rights proved to be the key reason. Abortion rights scored a major victory in Ohio, and played a major role in Democrats retaining the Virginia state legislature. Yet, MAGA is doubling-down on putting government in-between a woman and her doctor as Right To Life of Michigan filed a lawsuit to nullify a woman's right to choose whi...
76: Left of Lansing "Monday Musing." MAGA Fights For Statues, But Not Books
November 06, 2023 19:44 - 6 minutes - 5.77 MBIn this week's "Monday Musing," I discuss an amendment introduced by Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor-Green would block the removal of monuments. MTG and her MAGA allies are outraged Charlottesville, Virginia decided to remove a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. That statue was the focus of what led to the killing of a protester by a right wing terrorist in Charlottesville back in 2017. Even more, the amendment says it'll protect monuments of our founding fathers, even...
75: LOL Friday Short: No Justice In Flint Water Crisis
November 03, 2023 18:26 - 5 minutes - 4.88 MBMy Left of Lansing "Friday Short" covers a sad ending to the Flint Water Crisis, in which not one public official will face prosecution for their role in one of the greatest man-made disasters the state of Michigan, and the country, has ever experienced. Former Michigan Republican Gov. Rick Snyder won't have to face any kind of punishment for the crisis he and his administration caused. Meanwhile, as Allen Overton, pastor of Flint’s Christ Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church told Bridge M...
74: Episode 61: UAW Win; Michigan Dems Strengthen Abortion Rights; Arab Americans Leaving Biden
November 02, 2023 13:46 - 38 minutes - 34.9 MBWelcome to Episode 61 of Michigan's Premier Progressive Politics! This week, I breakdown how the right wing Republican Party has always worked on behalf of the elite class to eliminate government assistance for working Americans. They've done it by whittling-down the New Deal and Great Society programs through the years, and they've done it using racist tropes, like the mythic "welfare queen." But now, working Americans are fighting back thanks to the UAW's victory against the Big Three D...
73: LoL Friday Short: A Victory For Tolerance & Education
October 27, 2023 19:10 - 4 minutes - 4.09 MBThe Left of Lansing Friday Short this week celebrates a judge's ruling in which he dismissed a lawsuit over so-called "pornographic" books in Kent County's Rockford Public Schools District. A right-wing Christian Nationalist group wanted to ban 14 books, most of which dealt with LGBTQ+ stories. The judge ruled the books as a whole have literary value. It was a harsh defeat for those seeking to silence and erase marginalized voices in our nation's history and society. It was a victory for...
72: Left of Lansing Ep. 60: Update on Michigan Climate Bills with NRDC's Derrell Slaughter
October 26, 2023 11:00 - 45 minutes - 41.3 MBIt's episode #60 of Michigan's premier progressive podcast! Michigan Democrats continue working on clean and affordable energy bills in the state legislature. They must get some of these bills passed before the November adjournment date, or else everything will get pushed back until next year. The main goals of these bills are to make Michigan caborn-free by 2035 or 2040, pushing for strong energy efficient standards to help low income areas, and to hold DTE and Consumers Energy more accoun...
71: Left of Lansing's "Monday Musings." MI Democrats' plan to stop local MAGA governments from blocking clean energy farms
October 23, 2023 21:09 - 3 minutes - 3.49 MBListen to my inaugural Left of Lansing "Monday Musings!" I talk about how local Maga governments throughout Michigan are fighting against solar and wind farms in their areas. Democrats have proposed one solution to remedy this problem: put the state in control of large scale clean energy projects, which overrides a local government's powers. Democrats want to put the power of allowing farmers and developers the right to take part in large-scale solar and wind projects into the hands of th...
70: LoL Friday Short: Democrats working to abolish Snyder's "Polluter Panels"
October 20, 2023 17:12 - 4 minutes - 3.98 MBHere's the LoL Friday Short on this October 20th, of 2023 Democrats in the Michigan Legislature have introduced bills to abolish former Republican Gov. Rick Snyder's "Polluter Panels." Snyder and the MAGA majority back in 2018 created a panel filled with industry and commercial insiders with the main goal of slowing down or stopping any real, meaningful protections for the environment and every Michigander. But thanks to the new Democratic majority, steps are finally happening to eliminat...
69: Episode 59: Taking On Corporate Greed, And Fighting FOR The People w/ State Rep. Dylan Wegela
October 19, 2023 11:45 - 44 minutes - 40.4 MBIt's the 59th episode of Michigan's Premier Progressive Podcast! My returning guest this week is Michigan Democratic State Rep. Dylan Wegela from the 26th House District. We talk about his plans to thwart the state's two main utility companies--DTE & Consumers Energy--from using dark money to influence Lansing, especially at a time when Michiganders want our lawmakers to hold them accountable. We also discuss corporate welfare, the continuing UAW strike, and his push for what he calls "comp...
68: LoL Friday Short: UAW's Fain Shows The Power of Messaging
October 13, 2023 19:03 - 4 minutes - 4.33 MBThe Left of Lansing "Friday Short" this week puts a spotlight on UAW President Shawn Fain's effective messaging campaign during the union's strike against the Big Three Detroit automakers. Fain isn't allowing right wing forces, including the Republican Party or Donald Trump, to pit worker against worker, or the union against environmentalists. He's clearly defining who the real opponent is in the UAW's strike: The Big Three and their CEO's. And Fain's disciplined messaging campaign is ...