Left of Lansing Left of Lansing

It's Episode 90 of Michigan's premier progressive podcast!

On this week's show, Pat speaks with Danielle Atkinson, executive director and founder of Mothering Justice, which is an organization working to empower mothers of color through public policy. Mothering Justice is part of a coalition demanding the Democratic majority in the Michigan legislature to vote on paid family leave bills--bills that have yet to receive a hearing even though they were introduced last year! This is a beautiful chance for Democrats to demonstrate how they truly care about the working class, not to mention how passing paid family leave would help them retain their slim majority in Lansing! 

Before Danielle joins this week's show, Pat spends the first segment talking about the continued improving economy, and why Biden and the Democrats should celebrate the good news of cooling inflation and corporations scaling-back on their rampant greedflation. It's not to say the economy is perfect. It's not, and millions of working people need help and are feeling squeezed, which is why a paid family leave bill would help even the playing field in Michigan. However, with cooling inflation and greedflation, and low unemployment, Democrats must remind voters how they once again saved the country from another failed MAGA Republican administration. 

The "Last Call" covers another example of a Michigan MAGA Republican bobbing-and-weaving when cornered on whether or not they'd support a national abortion ban if elected to the U.S. Senate. But make no mistake. Every MAGA Republican wants to ban all abortion care, and contraception, in order to show how government can control and limit the freedom for women.

Please, subscribe to the podcast, download each episode, and give it a good review if you can!

leftoflansing@gmail.com

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Visit the episode page for a full list of the show notes.

Here's the Monday Musing for June 10, 2024

Michigan Republicans in the state House introduced a bill making the AR-15 the official state rifle. They introduced it on the week of Gun Violence Awareness Day.

And they introduced it for two reasons: To own the libs, and to show the libs how they're ready to take over power through violence, or the threat of violence. 

Remember, Democrats passed sensible gun safety measures to save lives. Republicans is more concerned about their donations from gun manufacturers. 

And that's "pro-life?"

Please, subscribe to the podcast, download each episode, and give it a good review if you can!

leftoflansing@gmail.com

Left of Lansing is now on YouTube as well!

leftoflansing.com

NOTES:
 

"Michigan Republicans introduce legislation allowing guns in college campuses." By Anna Gustafson of Michigan Advance







"Michigan Republicans introduce permitless carry legislation, aim to deregulate gun ownership." By Lily Guiney of Michigan Advance

Here's the Left of Lansing Friday Short for June 7, 2024

The Guardian's Jon Henley wrote about a study conducted by European political scientists, which showed when center-left parties in Europe adopt right-wing policies, the center-left parties suffer at the polls. 

These researchers conclude that when center-left parties move further to the center, they end up failing to capture right-wing voters, and they alienate their progressive base voters.

This just confirms what many of us have always said here in the United States. It's why Michigan Democrats must run on the popular policies they've made into law, and on the policies they should pass, including paid family leave and polluter pay.

Please, subscribe to the podcast, download each episode, and give it a good review if you can!

leftoflansing@gmail.com

Left of Lansing is now on YouTube as well!

leftoflansing.com

NOTES: 

"Adopting rightwing policies ‘does not help centre-left win votes.’" By Jon Henley of The Guardian

"As youth poverty spikes, Manchin has no regrets on Child Tax Credit." By Joseph Zeballos-Roig of Semafor

"Manchin Registers as Independent." By Senator Joe Manchin

Here's episode 89 of Michigan's premier progressive podcast.

Happy Conviction Week!

Michigan Republicans continue having a collective meltdown after their Dear Leader was found guilty of committing 34 felonies in New York. Republicans call the trial a "sham," and "un-American," as they keep degrading our judicial system. Pat shares the unhinged statements from many Michigan Republicans in both Congress and the state legislature after the verdict. This is part of a pattern by Michigan Republicans to destroy the institutions of our democratic republic. And he calls-out some of these state Republicans, including Congresspeople Jack Bergman, Tim Walberg, and Lisa McClain for putting their party, and Trump, above country. 

Democrats had better quickly come to that conclusion, or else they'll find these Christian Nationalists in charge of our national and state governments. 

In the "Last Call," Pat asks congressional Democrats to boycott Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address to a joint session of Congress on June 13th. Netanyahu's not only been charged for war crimes over Israel's war in Gaza, but he's been disastrously wrong repeatedly, costing the United States in lives and treasure. No Michigan Democrat should attend this propaganda stunt. 

Please, subscribe to the podcast, download each episode, and give it a good review if you can!

leftoflansing@gmail.com

Left of Lansing is now on YouTube as well!

leftoflansing.com

Here's the Monday Musing for June 3, 2024

Democrats are in trouble of diluting and mixing their campaign messaging when it comes to the serious threat Trump and the Republicans are to democracy.

Democrats must be firm and consistent with their messaging in order to ensure Democrats keep not only the Michigan Legislature blue, but to ensure Democrats keep or gain state legislative seats throughout the country!

Please, subscribe to the podcast, download each episode, and give it a good review if you can!

leftoflansing@gmail.com

Left of Lansing is now on YouTube as well!

leftoflansing.com

NOTES:

"Poll finds ‘jarring’ stats on democracy amid widening gulf of economic misperception." By Jon King of Michigan Advance

Democratic Michigan Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin’s first ad for the U.S. Senate

Anat Shenker-Osorio tweet on the threat of Republican fascism

Here's the Left of Lansing "Friday Short" for May 31, 2024

The entire Michigan Republican Party is revealing its fascist and authoritarianism ways by its reactions to Dear Leader Trump being found GUILTY of all 34 felony counts of falsifying financial records to hide his payoffs to a porn star, which influenced the outcome of the 2016 election.

The so-called "Law & Order," family values, and personal responsibility party is rallying behind its Dear Leader, proving once again how Republicans never believed in those "values."

Their reactions also serve as a reminder on the grasp the extreme Christian Nationalist "America First" movement has on the party.

Please, subscribe to the podcast, download each episode, and give it a good review if you can!

leftoflansing@gmail.com

Left of Lansing is now on YouTube as well!

leftoflansing.com

NOTES:

"BREAKING: Trump found guilty on 34 felony counts in NY hush money trial." By Ashley Murray of States Newsroom (via Michigan Advance)

“Scenes From a MAGA Meltdown: Inside the “America First” Movement’s War Over Democracy.” By Andy Kroll of ProPublica