Thoughtful Dems

What’s in a hairstyle (and should we care)? The Washington Post analyzes the Secretary of State’s longer hairstyle and argues that she’s breaking down barriers. According to the article, as  women age, they opt for cropped ‘dos so they won’t appear to be clinging desperately to youth. It explains that short hair on women generally makes them [...]

Spending time in West Michigan can be pure torture for liberals. Besides our usual hotspots (Rob Bliss Events, gay bars , and West Michigan Rising), this entire half of the state is comprised mostly of farmland, furniture companies , and Republicans. I thought I’d capitalize on my real world experience on Michigan’s more conservative coast [...]

As a college-aged woman of color, I cannot be more happy that Virg Bernero has secured the Democratic nomination for Governor.  Virg has a proven record of preserving diversity, equality, women’s rights and education.  I’ve been convinced ever since Virg first decided to run for Governor that he would be my candidate and my top [...]

Really? I thought I would come out of retirement for this epically dumb Douche of the Day. Last Tuesday Andy Dillon lost a primary. Virg Bernero won a primary. Facing a particularly rough election climate you would think the two Democrats would make nice for the great good of the party and unify going in [...]

Disturbing news came recently that the website Digg was being covertly ran by a gang of conservative nerds. Via AlterNet, one of these conspirators has been quoted as stating the following: “The more liberal stories that were buried the better chance conservative stories have to get to the front page. I’ll continue to bury their [...]

Ann Arbor’s own John D. Dingell casting his ballot in today’s Michigan primary. The Democratic Party is a house of many mansions. It is a body which is extremely important in representing all kinds of people in all parts of the country who have very broad and very different views. – Representative John D. Dingell

Democratic State Representative Rebekah Warren, who is seeking the Democratic nomination to replace Senator Liz Brater in the State Senate, recently was attacked in a mail piece by Betsy DeVos’ ultra-conservative “Great Lakes Education Project” – an extreme right-wing organization, aimed at destroying public schools in support of private charter/parochial schools.  Please read Rep. Warren’s [...]

It’s been a while since I’ve written this column, unfortunately. It’s been really easy to get swept up in all the domestic events in the news cycle and to forget the bigger picture. Anyway, I’ll try to be more regular in the future. Let me start with a round-up of sorts of fun South Asian [...]

So much empathy in those eyes. So remember when House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) said three of his brothers lost jobs in the recession? At the time, Boehner noted, “I know that three of my brothers lost their jobs, I’m not sure whether they’ve found jobs, yet, so I’ve got a lot of empathy [...]

This will be short: From what I have picked up, this guy named Breitbart, better called Bart (as in our favorite prankster Simpson, though I doubt he deserves that much dignity), put out a video clip. Video clip has USDA official Shirley Sherrod saying things which assuming no other context, are pretty bad, socially wrong, [...]

Over the past few weeks Sarah Palin has rolled out a new campaign and a snazzy commercial to energize conservative women across the country.  Unfortunately her Mama Grizzly and Pink Elephant platform, like all of Palin’s other political dealings, ignores a majority of Americans while energizing her small group of fangirls.  Below is a sampling [...]

Browsing through Borders — it was going out of business, I couldn’t resist dropping by — last week, I became painfully aware of how segregated the genres were. In most chain bookstores, I feel there exists this separate space devoted solely to the African-American genre. Honestly, can I can even call it a genre? It’s [...]

So this has been something that has been weighing heavily on my mind for the past year or so. The way that teen pregnancy is being portrayed on TV could probably be equated to the way that Obama’s presidency has been portrayed on Fox news, totally one sided and totally unfair. With hit shows like [...]

  Live from the Oval Office | BP Spill Address

I’m apprehensive about launching a full-scale war on Urban Outfitters for a number of reasons. My main concern is the fact that it’s a staple on campus at the University of Michigan, and it’s probably safe to bet that we’ve all shopped there. And with good reason: there are trendy clothes and a variety of [...]

Rarely do we have a quote of the day from a Republican that actually I agree with. I think it goes to prove just how crazy Rand Paul is. “Rand Paul’s philosophy got in the way of reality.” – RNC Chairman Michael Steele Source: Taegan Goddard’s Political Wire

Blah, blah, blah, DOUCHE. The animals of allah (terrorists) for whom any day is a great day for a massacre are drooling over the positive response that they are getting from New York City officials over a proposal to build a 13 story monument to the 9/11 Muslim hijackers. The monument would consist of a Mosque for [...]

First, for this and my previous post – Disclaimer: The opinions expressed herein reflect only the views of the author and do not represent the opinions of the College Democrats at the University of Michigan (UMCD), the Michigan Federation of College Democrats (MFCD), the Michigan Democratic Party (MDP), or the Democratic National Committee (DNC). Second, if [...]

+ Rand Paul opposes racism, limits to racism, forced segregation, forced integration, the Civil Rights Act, and repealing the Civil Rights Act. +  A second-grade student asked Michelle Obama if her mother would be deported because she “doesn’t have any papers”. (Expect Miss Oklahoma to swoop in and deport them in 3…2…1.) +  As Zach explained, Thomas [...]

We’ve all known about the Texas plans to eliminate history from their textbooks and replace it with a fairy tale in which, to quote from Eric Foner’s appearance on the Colbert Report, America started out perfect and has been improving ever since. We know that when, on Friday, a board full of  lame-ducks voted out [...]

Attorney General Eric Holder, speakin’ truthz… somewhere. Following Faisal Shahzad’s arrest for the attempted bombing of New York City’s Time Square, Democrats have been quick to promote their anti-terrorism credentials and compliment the reaction time of the law enforcement involved. On Sunday, Attorney General Eric Holder appeared on NBC’s Meet the Press and ABC’s This Week [...]

Since the oil rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico, I’ve read several viewpoints about how the spill will affect the yet-to-be introduced Senate climate bill. The viewpoints have ranged from practically declaring the climate bill already signed by President Obama to stating that it is dead for good. I think it is too early [...]

A new report by the Senate Fiscal Agency (its like the not-cool CBO for the state) notes that as a percentage of personal income state taxes have fallen over the past decade.  State obligations stay the same or go up during a recession, and even with constant tax rates, tax collections will go down during [...]

The most anti-democratic tree ever. Today AnnArbor.com ran an article detailing recent negotiations between the University of Michigan and the City of Ann Arbor over the placement of polling locations in majority student precincts on campus. The University, after years of hosting polling locations in the dorms, has decided it is no longer safe for residents, [...]

The recent oil drilling accidents in the Gulf of Mexico have brought uncertainty to whether or not Obama will follow through with his plan to expand offshore drilling. Some have called it Obama’s Katrina. In either case, it is a horrible situation for the wildllife, for the livelihoods based off of seafood, and much much [...]

While on CNN yesterday, Governor Jennifer Granholm talked about the possibility of being nominated the next Supreme Court Justice. Take a look: I’m still holding out that President Obama will announce that she’s the nominee at Commencement… It can happen, right? Source: CNN

The Daily Show LiveBlog

Ann Arbor, MI – Brendan Campbell, Chair of College Democrats at the University of Michigan (UMCD), issued the following statement on behalf of the organization about Order of Angell, a secret society on campus known for its history of racism, elitism and exclusivity: “Order of Angell’s existence and practices run contrary to the progressive values of [...]

… It’s the 13th of April… here’s it’s Daily Daily, a true Daily Double: 1. Coleman estimates 100K people will show up for Obama’s commencement address. Not really news, but that’s the Michigan Daily for you. Pictured: Rumor has it that the U is hiring this guy to help plan security measures when Obama comes for the commencement [...]

Actually not a swastika or a hammer & sickle. Anyone paying attention to the editorial page of the Michigan Daily over the last month would come to the conclusion that the University of Michigan Ann Arbor campus is in a uproar over a public smoking ban announced nearly a year ago by President Coleman. The libertarian [...]

+ Jonathan Cohn finishes ‘The Treatment’ + With Justice Stevens ready set to retire Obama needs a nominee.  Any suggestions (Granholm, Clinton, NECS’s hair)? + The economy is making gains, but Americans aren’t paying attention. +  When Ben Stein thinks you’re a joke, it might be time to at least consider resigning. +  A round up of the weekend’s [...]

An offering of a mixed bag of goodies from roughly the past week of news packaged with light commentary. An eye needs to be kept on Poland, as we all should have read by now that the president, top military, finance, and other major government officials were killed in a plane accident over the weekend. There [...]

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed herein reflect only the views of the author and do not represent the opinions of the College Democrats at the University of Michigan (UMCD), the Michigan Federation of College Democrats (MFCD), the Michigan Democratic Party (MDP), or the Democratic National Committee (DNC). + RHA agrees to draft a gender-neutral housing plan by January 2011. + The Lecturers’ [...]

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed herein reflect only the views of the author and do not represent the opinions of the College Democrats at the University of Michigan (UMCD), the Michigan Federation of College Democrats (MFCD), the Michigan Democratic Party (MDP), or the Democratic National Committee (DNC). First, a dispute between the fire department and AAPD. (The latter not to be confused [...]

I wanted to introduce you to my new favorite people: a group of “families with net assets of more than $1 million donating the amount they saved from Bush tax cuts to organizations fighting for the repeal of the Bush tax cuts” detailed by Dana Milbank in today’s Washington Post. That’s awesome, and the contrast [...]

Numbers and stuff… from the Freep + From The Daily Caller – Turns out the RNC had some fantastic fundraising scheme wherein wealthy Michigan donors maxed out to the RNC, which would then immediately give all of the money back to the MIGOP. This accomplishes 1) possibly bypassing federal donation limits and 2) inflating RNC fundraising numbers. [...]

+ The Daily reported on something other than sports: term limits in the Michigan state legislature. + Mike Cox and his creepy emoticons will see Governor Granholm in court! + Don’t fill out your census forms! + States debate the virtues and shortcomings of the Race to the Top school funding contest. + Let’s toss in the RNC nightclub [...]

Good news opens the Daily’s report, Gender-neutral housing has student support! 67 percent of the respondents said yes, And Pres. Chris Armstrong believes the plan will progress. – Alas, the front page brings some solemn truths. Yes, I’m referencing the 10% tax on all tanning booths. Ann Arbor salons feel unjustly outdone. (They suspect backroom dealings between Congress and the Sun.) – Next, as Campus [...]

Normally the title “douche of the day” is a label reserved for the type of unsophisticated political pugilist whose comments are nearly universally scorned by every reasonable person. Very rarely is that person handed a megaphone by a major American newspaper. Today’s douche, Shelby Steele, is the exception. The very title of Steele’s Wall Street Journal editorial, “Barack The Good,” [...]

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed herein reflect only the views of the author and do not represent the opinions of the College Democrats at the University of Michigan (UMCD), the Michigan Federation of College Democrats (MFCD), the Michigan Democratic Party (MDP), or the Democratic National Committee (DNC). +A fraternity member says “it’s a little lopsided” that frats should be the ones responsible [...]

“Flexible policies actually make employees more – not less – productive. Instead of spending time worrying about what’s happening at home, employees have the support and the peace of mind they need to concentrate at work which is good for their families.” – Michelle Obama This week’s Quote of the Day isn’t anything particularly idiotic or [...]

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed herein reflect only the views of the author and do not represent the opinions of the College Democrats at the University of Michigan (UMCD), the Michigan Federation of College Democrats (MFCD), the Michigan Democratic Party (MDP), or the Democratic National Committee (DNC). + Chris Armstrong was sworn in as President of [...]

Michigan made big news in crazy this week when several members of a group called the Hutaree Milita were arrested outside Adrian, MI. This small, heavily armed organization was driven by a combination of anti-government hatred and Christian zealotry that sought to fight the coming of the “anti-Christ.” Hutaree is part of a greater trend [...]

You would think that after being forced to apologize for making statements about the “pro-America areas of this great nation” on the campaign trail, Sarah Palin would be cautious about associating herself with anything which might be viewed as questioning American authenticity.  Of course Ms. Palin often has difficulty learning her lesson, which might explain [...]

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed herein reflect only the views of the author and do not represent the opinions of the College Democrats at the University of Michigan (UMCD), the Michigan Federation of College Democrats (MFCD), the Michigan Democratic Party (MDP), or the Democratic National Committee (DNC). +An article on how Obama was recruited to speak at [...]

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed herein reflect only the views of the author and do not represent the opinions of the College Democrats at the University of Michigan (UMCD), the Michigan Federation of College Democrats (MFCD), the Michigan Democratic Party (MDP), or the Democratic National Committee (DNC). + The University has to relinquish its unidentifiable human remains back to [...]

Not since the days of “Panda Watch” have we had such an engaging movement to track an event of great importance. The fine militiamen of Hutaree, in addition to bringing you video with shooting, rolling, and running through smoke, offer an in-depth look at how “the Beast” is slowly encroaching on our world. For those who [...]

Some badge I stole from the creepy Hutaree militia website. + Egg-as-a-person measure makes the Colorado ballot. Omlettes promptly removed from diner menus across the state. + Sarah Palin encourages shootings and attacks that will draw blood. No worries. She’s just talking about basketball. + Obama has returned from a “surprise” trip to Afghanistan, where he apparently spent [...]