Columns
May 24, 2013

The Historical Commission’s Bumpy Road | by Jack Lessenberry
Exactly one century ago, Detroit was a prosperous and fast-growing city on the move. | more

Food For Thought On Mackinac Island | by Tom Watkins
Michigan’s system of governance is structured for the past, not the future. | more

“Twenty-Something” Entrepreneurs Return To Northern Michigan | by Ken Winter
Young adults are returning home, often to create their own opportunities. | more

May 17, 2013

The Canary in the Coal Mine | by Tom Watkins
A crisis is a terrible thing to waste. | more

Voter Disenfranchisement | by Jack Lessenberry
Gerrymandering, term limits and one-party districts are obstructing democratic government in Michigan. | more

A Determined Effort to Crush Quality Education | by John Covington
The EAA responds to Rep. Ellen Cogen Lipton’s claims. | more

M&M: Front-Page News | by Eric Freedman
Meth and marijuana are jockeying as the drug of choice on the front pages of Michigan newspapers. | more

Ms. White’s Dilemma | by Lawrence Glazer
Will a Former Prosecutor Diminish the Impact of the Citizens United Decision? | more

May 10, 2013

The EAA Continues to Raise Questions | by Jack Lessenberry
One potentially troubling revelation that has surfaced so far is that the EAA is anything but financially solvent. | more

Obama’s Gun Restrictions | by Bill Johnson
The city’s future hinges on the pace of evolution beyond the protest de jour. | more

An Oakland County Woman On The Move | by Tom Watkins
Liz Bauer is a human rights advocate driving change. | more

May 3, 2013

Hedging His Bets | by Jack Lessenberry
Why would Dave Bing want more of Detroit? | more

Do Schools Exist For Adults Or Students? | by Tom Watkins
Shouldn’t education be about TLC -Teaching, Learning and Children? | more

Taking Care of China’s Elderly | by Colleen Robar
China has yet to catch up to Michigan’s system of caring for its aging population. | more

April 26, 2013

Is, “Rocky Road” Gov Snyder’s Favorite Ice Cream? | by Jack Lessenberry
Those who once defended the Governor as a secret moderate are now silent. | more

What Happens In China Does Not Stay In China | by Tom Watkins
Everything and everybody is connected in today’s world. | more

April 19, 2013

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Americans Response To Terrorism? Volunteerism! | by Tom Watkins
Give the gift of your time to those in need. | more

A New Bridge | by Jack Lessenberry
The success of democracy is an engaged public. | more

Pressing for the Press | by Eric Freedman
AThe Michigan Coalition for Open Government seeks to correct Michigan’s “F” rating in accountability and transparency. | more

April 12, 2013

Note To Our Representatives: Support Medicaid Expansion! | by Tom Watkins
The Michigan Legislature should follow Governor Snyder’s lead. | more

First, Educate the People | by Bill Cecil
A Michigan Teacher of the Year visits China | more

Republicans Must Thread the Needle | by Jack Lessenberry
The vast majority of the youngest voters support gay marriage and equal rights for LBGT people. | more


April 5, 2013

Buyers’ Remorse | by Jack Lessenberry
Dave Agema is crashing the Republican Party. | more

Michigan Talent for Michigan Jobs | by Andry Schor
Let’s keep our talented workers here. | more

Special People Make A Difference | by Tom Watkins
Jan Maier pioneered Michigan’s humanitarian support for persons with developmental disabilities. | more

March 29, 2013

No Kind of Democracy At All | by Jack Lessenberry
Has Michigan’s government been hijacked by right-wing fanatics? | more

The Governor Prince | by Tom Watkins
Leaders matters – like it or not. | more

March 22, 2013

Why the Emergency Manager Law Makes Sense | by Senator Phil Pavlov, Bill Sponsor
Senator Phil Pavlov’s rationale for sponsoring the bill. | more

Milliken’s Legacy: Focusing on Detroit | by Jack Lessenberry
“If Detroit should fail, Michigan will be in such trouble that we will find it difficult to recover” | more

“Feeling for the Stones”: A Lifetime of Building Bridges with China | by Tom Watkins
Michigan has much to offer the Chinese | more

March 15, 2013

Gay Marriage Advances in Michigan | by Ken Winter
Today, a northern Michigan tribe will adopt a same-sex marriage statute. | more

Who Will Succeed Him? | by Jack Lessenberry
Carl Levin’s successor won’t be his replacement. | more

Michigan Job Losses a Roaring Tsunami – Replaced with Tear Drops | by Tom Watkins
Unemployment is Michigan’s real crisis. | more

A Tale of Two Exits | by Maxine Berman
Pop quiz: Who is Kasandra Perkins? | more

How to Turn a Blue State Purple | by Lawrence Glazer
Engineering majority control with a minority of voters. | more

The Boy Governor | by Eric Freedman
And shall a child lead them? | more

The Kwame Kilpatrick Story….. | by Tom Watkins
A True Greek Tragedy | more

March 8, 2013

The Governor’s Missed Opportunity | by Jack Lessenberry
Snyder makes two major decisions. | more

The Delusional Detroit Dance | by Tom Watkins
What you once had is now gone. This is your new reality. What you make of it is up to you. | more

Detroiter Helps China, “Paint the Town!” | by Colleen Robar
Like most Chinese projects, a personal connection sealed the deal. | more

March 1, 2013

Year of the Snake | by Tom Watkins
The Detroit Chinese Business Association is building economic and cultural ties to Michigan. | more

New vs. Old | by Jack Lessenberry
Let the Campaigns Begin! | more

February 22, 2013

Value and Respect Women; They Hold Up More Than Half the Sky | by Tom Watkins
Women do not occupy leadership roles in the numbers that their competency, skills and numbers reflect. | more

Too Little, Too Late for Detroit | by Jack Lessenberry
The city is almost certain to be under an all-powerful emergency manager soon. | more

February 15, 2013

Common Sense and Statesmanship? | by Jack Lessenberry
Michigan’s road to economic competitiveness may soon get much worse. | more

Invisible Heroes In Our Nations Schools | by Tom Watkins
School support personnel are often overlooked. | more

The Invisible Woman | by Maxine Berman
Pop quiz: Who is Kasandra Perkins? | more

A New Model for Local Chambers | by Ken Winter
Northern Michigan chambers outnumber everyone else in Michigan. | more

Journalists in Pursuit | by Eric Freedman
But for how long? | more

February 08, 2013

“A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Belle Isle…” | by Jack Lessenberry
Detroit City Council is out of touch with reality. | more

The Education Reform Dance Continues—Who Is Leading? | by Tom Watkins
A plan for educational reform. | more

February 01, 2013

Obama’s Gun Restrictions | by Bill Johnson
Gun control laws offer false promises. | more

Part-Time Legislatures | by Maxine Berman
Beware of self-loathing legislators. | more

Finding Guanxi | by Colleen Robar
Edward Shei offers insight on Chinese culture. | more

Paving the Way To A Better Future | by Tom Watkins
Educational pot holes need fixing too. | more

Magic Plus vs. META Expo | by Jack Lessenberry
An under-the-radar battle is being fought over the former state fairgrounds. | more

Under the Dome | by Lorri Rishar
An Evening with Michigan’s Female Leaders. | more

January 25, 2013

The Electoral College and Federal Supremacy | by Jack Lessenberry
You thought the 2000 election was controversial. | more

As Health Care Debated, Remember: “There Is No Place Like Home”! | by Tom Watkins
If you ask anyone where they would want to be, it would be at home. | more

January 17, 2013

Fire in the Belly | by Jack Lessenberry
Sandy Levin isn’t fading anytime soon. | more

A Place in Our Future | by Tom Watkins
Ford and Ambassador Huntsman have better ideas. | more

Pure Michigan | by Maxine Berman
Michigan Republicans ignore Michigan’s electorate. | more




The Debate on Michigan Education: Expert Perspectives | by Amy Hagerstrom
First of a series of interviews with education experts on Michigan’s public education dilemma. | more




Today’s Emergency Manager Law | by Lawrence Glazer
Meet the new boss. (Same as the old boss?) | more

Women in Technology | by Lorie Munson
Make it happen! Be the change! | more

Out of the Mouths of Guns | by Eric Freedman
Gun control is a moral issue. | more


January 11, 2013

Mirror, Mirror | by Tom Watkins
It’s time for Democratic, Republican and labor self-reflection. | more

It’s Not “Who” but “How” for the Supreme Court | by Jack Lessenberry
Will Governor Rick Snyder seize this opportunity to act on the recommendations of a blue-ribbon, bipartisan court reform panel? | more


January 7, 2013

Year 2012: The Calm Before the Storm? | by Jack Lessenberry
A year from now, we may know the impact of Governor Snyder‘s reforms. | more


January 4, 2013

Learn Chinese! | by Tom Watkins
Let’s place Michigan on the global map. | more

Stop the Madness | by Jack Lessenberry
Detroit must address black-on-black violence. | more


December 21, 2012


Culture of Dark Money | by Rich Robinson
We are being swamped by a toxic wave of hidden political spending. | more

Victory Dance | by Maxine Berman
I wonder who will be dancing in 2014. | more

Slow Path to Gender Equity | by Eric Freedman
The age of electoral gender equity has yet to dawn in Michigan. | more




Building Bridges | by Colleen Robar
An emerging Chinese auto culture is fueling Michigan tourism. | more

Agenda 21 | by Ken Winter
Northern Michigan officials take on alleged UN Plot for Global Governance. | more

Stop the Lunacy! | by Tom Watkins
When leaders fail to lead — children die | more

With the Help of the Good Lord | by Jack Lessenberry
A retired colonel takes on Right to Work and the national debt. | more


December 7, 2012

The Educational Fiscal Cliff | by Tom Watkins
Are we playing chicken with Michigan’s future? | more

The Undercaste | by Jack Lessenberry
Michelle Alexander speaks out about America’s new system of racial control. | more


November 30, 2012

Time is Running Out for Detroit | by Jack Lessenberry
Glenda Price is exactly the type of person Detroit needs. | more