Civil Rights
Rick Haglund: How can Michigan become a top 10 state? It may not be what you think.
Hey, average Michigan worker: How would you like to be making $13,000 a year more than you earn now? You would if Michigan was performing at the average level of the top 10 states in key job, productivity, personal income and population indicators. Unfortunately, we’re not even close. And we’re falling behind in most of […]
Slotkin talks prescription drug prices, PFAS at East Lansing event
U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Holly) held her first “State of the 8th District” event Friday night at East Lansing High School, where she recapped her first year in Congress and announced two bipartisan bills regarding border security and the cost of insulin. Slotkin was joined by state Rep. Julie Brixie (D-Meridian Twp.) and East Lansing […]
Michigan Dem chair blasts GOP for fighting voting rights suits
During a voting rights roundtable held in Detroit on Friday, Michigan Democratic Party (MDP) Chair Lavora Barnes called out the GOP and the Republican National Committee (RNC) for “rigging the game.” This comes after the RNC announced $10 million for a motion to intervene and challenge several voting-related lawsuits. As the Advance previously reported, Priorities […]
Column: End HIV stigma and discrimination, and then we can end HIV
It’s a weird word to use, but in many ways I’m lucky — lucky because I only had to watch one friend die as his HIV progressed to AIDS. It was the early 2000s, and I was still a teenager. I wasn’t out yet. I was so angry when Billy died because I didn’t understand. […]
Tlaib slams census for leaving out Middle Eastern, North African people
In a testy exchange with the U.S Census Bureau director last week, U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Detroit) slammed the bureau’s failure to include more diverse demographic information for people of Middle Eastern and North African descent. The moment garnered social media attention on Wednesday when the news organization NowThis News posted a video on Twitter […]
Clerks deluged with absentee ballot requests before Michigan primary
Many city and township clerks around the state are struggling to process absentee voter ballots in the first major election under Michigan’s new voting law passed in 2018. Requests for ballots for the March 10 presidential primary are skyrocketing and clerks say they are not prepared to handle the influx. But legislation to ease the […]
Dems pile on Bloomberg in Las Vegas debate
LAS VEGAS — The issue of health care — specifically, the issue of why the richest country in the world has not figured out a way for every citizen to be covered — has commanded significant airtime during previous Democratic presidential debates. Wednesday night’s debate at Paris Las Vegas was no different. The debate before […]
It’s not just Michigan: A state-by-state look at abortion laws across the country
Two anti-abortion groups have been pushing ballot initiatives since last summer in Michigan, part of a trend of new abortion limits and bans all across the country. The Michigan Values Life petition, proposed by Right to Life of Michigan, would ban the dilation and evacuation (D&E) abortion procedure, which it calls “dismemberment abortion.” The Michigan […]
Whitmer draws attention to teen dating violence
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer included some startling statistics when she declared February as Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month. The release, which contained information from the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, stated that almost 1.5 million high school students in the United States are physically abused by dating partners every year. Even more startling — […]
Rep. Whitsett says House Minority Leader Greig is ‘racist’ toward her
State Rep. Karen Whitsett (D-Detroit) says the Democratic leadership in the House is “racist” toward her, specifically State House Minority Leader Christine Greig (D-Farmington Hills), according to reporting from WWJ-AM in Detroit. However, a Greig spokesperson told the Advance on Tuesday the allegations are “demonstrably false.” Whitsett alleges that Greig advised her to vote against […]
Column: DACA decision isn’t just about Dreamers — it’s about whether the White House has to tell the truth
The fate of 700,000 people facing deportation may hang on a new question facing the U.S. Supreme Court: Is the White House legally obligated to tell the whole truth when justifying its actions? In November, justices heard arguments over the administration’s decision to rescind Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA. This Obama-era provision halted […]
Flint water crisis flagged in Dem presidential infrastructure forum
LAS VEGAS — America is falling apart. No, not metaphorically speaking — though several Democratic presidential candidates on the campaign trail would point to the actions of President Trump to argue differently. With thousands of bridges classified structurally deficient, roads in desperate need of repair, gaps in transportation systems and cities that aren’t equipped to […]