Koch brothers front group still promoting ZERO income tax in Michigan | Eclectablog

Last week, the Koch brothers-funded group American for Prosperity held a “Day at the Capitol” event in Lansing, Michigan where they spelled out their corporatist agenda for Michigan (you can see the agenda HERE. Numerous Republican legislators were on the agenda:

• House Speaker Tom Leonard
• Speaker Pro Tempore Lee Chatfield
• House Majority Floor Leader Dan Lauwers
• State Representative Lana Theis
• State Representative Jim Runestad
• State Representative Gary Glenn
• State Representative Jim Tedder
• State Representative Steve Marino
• State Representative Jeff Noble
• State Representative Aaron Miller
• State Senator Patrick Colbeck
• State Senator Judy Emmons
• State Senator Joe Hune

(NOTE: It’s no surprise that Lana Theis is tying herself to the Koch brothers. She just announced she’s running to replace Joe Hune as the Senator from the 22nd State Senate District and clearly wants to keep the campaign donations flowing.)

AFP is focusing on four key areas:

READ MORE HERE: Koch brothers front group still promoting ZERO income tax in Michigan | Eclectablog

Forget ‘Awareness,’ President Trump, We Need Autism Acceptance | Eclectablog

FYI: Fully funding research for autistic people of all ages would help a lot more than just sporting a pin Who can be mad at something as gauzy as “awareness,” especially when it’s tied to a serious disability like autism?

Given that we’re faced with an administration who is looking to cut everything the government does to aid our physical and mental health, the sight of the White House being turned blue for the first time to spread consciousness about those living with autism should be heartening, right?

But this gesture isn’t warming the hearts of many of those with autism or those who advocate on their behalf. Here’s why. President Trump began Autism Awareness with proclamation that included the word “cure.”

It’s a word that’s “like an atomic bomb in the autism community,” Steve Silberman author of the acclaimed book Neurotribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity told me.

“Trump’s statement about ‘cure’ and his tweets about autism represent…

READ MORE HERE: Forget ‘Awareness,’ President Trump, We Need Autism Acceptance | Eclectablog

Celebrating the Grand Rapids Furniture Workers Strike of 1911: Lessons for contemporary organizing and resistance

Celebrating the Grand Rapids Furniture Workers Strike of 1911: Lessons for contemporary organizing and resistance
by Jeff Smith (GRIID)
On April 19, it will be 106 years since hundreds of furniture workers walked off the job in Grand Rapids protesting working conditions, wages and the lack of an 8 hour work day.

We have been researching this historic event over the years and want to offer the following information for those who want to familiarize themselves with this history, learn from it and think about the significance of working class tactics for todays organizing efforts.

First we highly recommend Jeffrey Kleiman’s book, Strike: How the Furniture Workers Strike of 1911 Changed Grand Rapids.

In addition, on the Grand Rapids People’s History site,

Grand Rapids Institute for Information Democracy

On April 19, it will be 106 years since hundreds of furniture workers walked off the job in Grand Rapids protesting working conditions, wages and the lack of an 8 hour work day. 

We have been researching this historic event over the years and want to offer the following information for those who want to familiarize themselves with this history, learn from it and think about the significance of working class tactics for todays organizing efforts.

First we highly recommend Jeffrey Kleiman’s book, Strike: How the Furniture Workers Strike of 1911 Changed Grand Rapids.

In addition, on the Grand Rapids People’s History site, we have written or republished numerous articles based on our own research over the years as it relates to the 1911 Grand Rapids Furniture workers strike.

First is a two-part article written by Michael Johnston, who is know by many as the unofficial labor historian of…

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