Trump is no friend of unions, and Michigan knows it!

I wasn't sure at first if Biden should join the UAW picket line or not. But knowing the fascist, indicted former president is showing up in Michigan to speak against the union, it's a good move for Biden to show his support for working people. https://t.co/2gbqyDvgRt — LeftOfLansing (@LeftOfLansing) September 25, 2023 In my remarks…

Episode 55: Paid Family Leave w/ Danielle Atkinson of Mothering Justice

Here’s Episode 55 of Michigan’s Premier Progressive Podcast! Paid Family and Medical Leave is one of the important policies Michigan Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer mentioned in her “What’s Next” speech last month. If Michigan’s Democratic majority in the legislature can pass State Sen. Erika Geiss’s paid family and medical leave bills, Michigan would join 11…

Left of Lansing Short: UAW’s 4-day work week request makes sense

The Left of Lansing Short on this Friday September 15, 2023 deals with the UAW’s request for a 32-hour work week for its members. It’s not that crazy of an idea, and the data shows that workers are happier and more productive when they work four days a week. If that’s the case, then why…

Respect the elderly, but respect the young, too

Detroit Free Press writer Mitch Albom made some confusing statements in his column last weekend, “Opinion: Criticizing the old isn’t cute, it’s an insulting–and growing–trend.“ I’ll share with you what I think is Mitch’s overall point: Most importantly, if we revered the old for what they’ve endured, the sacrifices they’ve made, and the years they’ve…

Friday Left of Lansing Short: John Moolenaar’s Gotion Hypocrisy

The “Friday Short” puts a spotlight on Michigan Republican Congressman John Moolenaar’s hypocrisy when it comes to the proposed Gotion electric battery plant in Big Rapids. Moolenaar hopped-aboard the right wing xenophobia bandwagon since Gotion’s parent company is from China. Yet, Moolenaar never once uttered a word of skepticism over other Chinese companies which set-up…

Episode 49: Fighting To Close Line 5 w/ Sean McBrearty of Oil & Water Don’t Mix

It’s the 49th episode of Michigan’s premier progressive podcast! I celebrate Ohio’s decision to hand the state Republican party a humiliating defeat at the polls this week, when voters rejected the GOP’s efforts to raise the threshold to pass a state referendum from 50-to-60%. Ohio Republicans were hoping to hurt the chances of enshrining abortion…

Friday Left of Lansing Short: GOP Wants TikTok Ban To Hurt Gen Z

This week’s “Short” deals with the Republican effort to ban TikTok in the United States. Ostensibly, they argue it’s to protect our privacy since TikTok is a Chinese company. But the main reason Republicans are fighting for a ban is to take-away a major communication tool from Generation Z voters, who are by far the…

Episode 48: Progress Michigan’s Jade Gray on Connecting With Gen Z Voters

Here’s Episode 48 of Michigan’s premier progressive podcast! Happy Indictment Week III! I had so many words and thoughts to share as Donald Trump faces his third indictment this week. He’s finally been charged for the role he played for the January 6th insurrection in an effort to steal the 2020 election. Despite getting indicted…

Left of Lansing Short: MI Democrats Ban Degrading Conversion Therapy

Michigan Democrats, with the help of pro LGBTQ+ groups, passed a bill which Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed into law, banning the degrading and hateful practice of conversion therapy. In just a few short months after gaining power, Democrats have passed bills expanding LGBTQ+ rights, and also adding more protections. It’s another example of how progressive…

Episode 46: Sam Inglot of Progress Michigan on GOP’s moral and ethical rot

Here’s the 46th episode of Michigan’s premier progressive podcast! I start-out this week talking about taking the battle to the right wing forces in our state. I illustrated why state Senator Mallory McMorrow’s “We will not let hate win,” speech went viral. It resonated with millions across the country because McMorrow did what so many…

Left of Lansing Short: Rep. Betsy Coffia Helping All Boats Rise

There’s something in my eye 🥺Getting thankyou’s from school leaders in small rural communities & districts like Posen, McBain, Leland, Forest Area for the work my team & I did to get transportation equity into our School Aid Budget …. makes this rural northern girl so proud. pic.twitter.com/oAZkwbty1W — Betsy Coffia (@BetsyCoffia) July 13, 2023…

Left of Lansing Short: Let College Athletes Unionize!

My Left of Lansing Short this week deals with Democratic State Rep. Carrie Rheingans’ bill, which would allow college athletes to unionize in Michigan. Click here to read the actual bill. The effort might fail this time, but it’s something progressives ought to be pushing. Shockingly, legislative Republicans are voicing opposition to such a bill….

Left of Lansing Podcast–Episode 43: Derrell Slaughter with the NRDC on Historic Clean Energy & Climate Change Bills

Progressive changes continue in our state thanks to the Democratic majority in the state legislature as both the general and education budgets passed this week. These budgets provide significant funding boosts for K-12 spending, including more per-pupil funding and universal free breakfast and lunch. And the general budget provides more funding for roads, infrastructure, health…

Who could be against free meals for public school students?

The main reason the Right wants to prevent free meals is to avoid strengthening the community bond between #parents and #publicschools. The other reason is it’s a competitor to big anti-labor grocery chains. https://t.co/Aw6eeTlhnx — Josh Cowen (@joshcowenMSU) June 19, 2023 As I discussed with Democratic State Senator Stephanie Chang in this week’s podcast, Michigan…

Left of Lansing Podcast–Episode 42: Democratic State Senator Stephanie Chang

We’re officially in Summer, and I’m serving up the 42nd episode of the weekly podcast! My opening monologue deals with why I’m supporting the Michigan Multimedia Jobs proposal, which provides tax credits for companies wanting to make movies, shows, commercials, and other multimedia productions in the state. Michigan Democrats are busy helping people, including providing…

Judge Orders Line 5 Shut Down In Three Years

This is clearly not the end, but it’s a bit of good news. From Michigan Advance: Enbridge Inc. must shut down its Line 5 pipeline within three years and pay more than $5 million in profits to the Chippewa Indians Bad River Band, a federal judge in Madison ruled Friday. Judge William Conley reaffirmed his September…

Left of Lansing Short–Newsrooms must have freedom to report news

It’s time for a Left of Lansing “Short” for this Friday, June 16, 2023. Wood-TV in Grand Rapids became the news this week when a leaked internal memo showed how its assistant news director ordered reporters to do fewer LGBTQ+ stories during the rest of PRIDE month. But because those stories didn’t sit well with…

Closing Line 5 Won’t Lead To Higher Gas Prices

One of the major planks of Enbridge’s misinformation campaign is that closing the old pipeline will lead to skyrocketing gas prices. Chemical Engineer and researcher Gary Street says the evidence proves otherwise. Street, who worked at Dow for 30 years but now works pro bono for environmental groups, took note of when Enbridge closed both…

Left of Lansing Short–Michigan Is A Place Where Everyone Belongs

Since it’s Friday, it’s time for a Left of Lansing Short. In this week’s “short,” I take my cue from Greta VanZetten, who explained in a Detroit Free Press op-ed that while she loves her home state of Michigan, she suffers great apprehension and anxiety on coming back to her home on the west side…

Left Of Lansing Podcast–Episode 36: State Rep. Kelly Breen

If we’re not helping to protect our kids, honestly I don’t know what the hell we’re doing here in Lansing because that should be our number one priority. Democratic State Representative Kelly Breen On this week’s LOL Podcast, Democratic State Representative Kelly Breen from 21st House District talks with me to discuss a number of…

Left Of Lansing Podcast 35: Michigan Democrats Fixing 40 Years Of Republican Rule

In this week’s episode, Pat Johnston covers how Democrats are fixing what Republicans destroyed during their 40 years of power in Lansing. He covers how Republicans across the nation are working to erase American history, ban books, silence their opponents, and destroy the public school system. Pat also gives another shoutout to Democratic State Rep….

Left Of Lansing Short–Friday, April 21, 2023

Here’s a Left Of Lansing “Short,” as I like to call it. Sometimes, these “shorts” will feature commentary on a specific news item of the day, or perhaps a follow-up on the week’s full podcast. In this one, I expound a bit on what this week’s podcast guest, Democratic State Representative Dylan Wegela, had to…

More Right Wing Terrorism In Michigan

I’d like to know who radicalized this man: A Saginaw optometrist is going to federal prison for 10 months for threatening to harm Black Lives Matter supporters in a series of rants he made over the phone to Starbucks employees, who got an earful about his beef with workers wearing BLM T-shirts. According to court…

Left Of Lansing Podcast–Episode 34: State Rep. Dylan Wegela

It’s time for another episode of the Left Of Lansing Podcast! This week, I discuss how young people showed-up at the polls in a big way in Michigan, which helped Democrats pull-off the trifecta in state government. But despite the Generation Z breaking for Democrats in the last few elections, Democrats must continue showing that…

Michigan Is Too Old. Democrats Must Pass Laws To Attract Young People

As I mentioned in this week’s episode of LOL, Michigan is getting older: Deaths outnumbered births in all but seven counties in Michigan in the year ending July 2022, new Census figures show, a result of the state’s aging population and the devastating impact of thousands of COVID-19 deaths. That’s 92 percent of Michigan’s 83…

Left Of Lansing Episode 33: Bigotry Is Bad For Business

It’s another episode of the LOL Podcast! Michigan Democrats are banking on Gov. Whitmer’s slogan that “Bigotry Is Bad For Business.” I explain why being the anti-Indiana, the anti-Ohio, and the anti-Florida is the best strategic move for Michigan–both morally and economically. By becoming a more welcoming state for women who want to make their…

This Is What I’m Talking About!

New York Democratic Congressman Jamaal Bowman did exactly what I implored all Democrats to do to Republicans in the gun debate: Republicans won’t do SHIT when it comes to gun violence, but try to tell me to calm down. NO. We can’t calm down. People are dying everyday while we wait. pic.twitter.com/38mYYW9cgs — Congressman Jamaal…

Michigan Democrats Trying To Dent Gun Violence

My political point is that I would like politicians to try to reduce the number of dead bodies of children. https://t.co/FH2RqvrsPO — Kevin M. Kruse (@KevinMKruse) March 28, 2023 The recent tragic shooting at a Christian school in Nashville, which killed three children and three staff members, is a scene all too familiar in the…

Pat’s Ponderings For Monday, January 24, 2022

Allow me to reintroduce myself. I’m Pat Johnston, host of the Left of Lansing Podcast, or better known to my more ardent followers, LOL! Back in 2019, I produced a 30-episode podcast devoted to Michigan’s growing progressive political movement. It was something that I dreamt of doing for a long time, and we were able…

Just Call Republicans What They Are: Fascists

Can we please stop being PC and call trump what he is: A fascist. And the gop is the party of fascism. Period. — (((DeanObeidallah))) (@DeanObeidallah) November 21, 2020 Fascism: a governmental system led by a dictator having complete power, forcibly suppressing opposition and criticism, regimenting all industry, commerce, etc., and emphasizing an aggressive nationalism…

Left of Lansing Podcast–Episode 29–Michigan’s Right Wing Fight Against People Of Color & LGBTQ Rights. And Democratic State House Candidate Jody LaMacchia

The 29th episode of the Left Of Lansing Podcast is posted! While ousting the current occupant from The White House of crucial this November, we must also turn Michigan’s legislature blue! Jody LaMacchia is trying to do just that as she’s running for Republican incumbent John Reilly’s state house seat in the 46th District. Reilly…

We Are All Michigan. How COVID-19 & Dam Failures Reveal We Fight For Each Other

It’s certainly been a Spring to remember in Michigan. The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting the entire nation–and world–with Michigan being one of the worst hit states in the union. As of this writing, Michigan has experienced nearly 53,000 positive COVID-19 cases, and over 5,200 deaths. The pandemic is crushing our working class, small businesses, and…

Left of Lansing Podcast–Episode 28–Republicanism & The Cult

The 28th episode of the LOL Podcast is posted! I have plenty to say regarding how right-wing forces in Michigan are attempting to shif blame from President Donald Trump’s gross incompetence and mismanagement of the coronavirus outbreak, and place it Governor Gretchen Whitmer. These forces, such as the extreme Michigan Chamber of Commerce, are pushing…

Michigan Republicans Want To Feed The Virus To Save Trump

Infections are falling, hospitals are stabilizing, because of what we’ve all done – and must continue to do – together. pic.twitter.com/m2UUeKYF53 — David Coulter (@davidwcoulter) April 19, 2020 I’ve read complaints on social media about not being allowed to paint, or fertilize lawns. And look, I get it. It’s frustrating right now. I usually take…

Willing To Die For The New “Cause”

LIBERATE MICHIGAN! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 17, 2020 I have stayed relatively hopeful up until this last week. People are showing a serious lapse in character and judgement. — Allison R. Donahue (@donahual) April 15, 2020 I started getting the sense of the simmering right-wing outrage over stay-in-shelter orders in state-after-state probably in…

Like a Good Little Cult, Michigan GOP Following Dear Leader During Pandemic

April, 14, 2020 I find it astounding as I listen to Michigan’s right-wing fringe deem gardening and speed-boating more important than saving lives. By the way, who in Michigan does heavy gardening in April? For the record, we don’t begin planting in our garden until May. Sorry, I’ll be 100% honest: The LOL technical adviser,…

Left of Lansing–Episode 27–Dave Wagner from Indivisible Michigan–3/1/2020

Another brand new episode of The Left of Lansing Podcast is posted! This week, Dave Wagner from the Indivisible Michigan joins the podcast. Indivisible Michigan is fighting to turn Michigan’s state legislature not only blue, but deep progressive blue as it highlights candidates with progressive spines. We talk about how Indivisible started, how it’s changing…

Left of Lansing Podcast–Episode 26: Value the Women’s Vote; Force GOP To Defend Health Care Stance; Why Bloomberg?

A new episode of the Left of Lansing Podcast is back! On this podcast, I point-out how Michigan Republicans are teeing-it-up for Michigan Democrats to win in 2020. –Michigan Republicans just can’t help their misogynistic ways, and progressives should put them on the defensive for their anti-women stances. –Michigan Republicans implemented work requirements for hard-working…

Who is Left of Lansing?

This blog serves as a side dish to what is known as the “Left of Lansing” podcast.  I’ve been wanting to do my very own podcast focused on progressive politics and pop culture for a long time. And thanks to the help of many, we finally got the podcast off-the-round! As my show voice says…