• 339: Monday Musing: Whitmer's Friendship With Trump Speaks Volumes
    Dec 8 2025
    #podcast #politics #progressive #Democrats #Michigan #Republicans #MAGA #Whitmer #GretchenWhitmer #CorporateGreed #CorporateCorruption #GovernmentCorruption #WorkingClass #Medicaid #ElonMusk #Vaccines #Data Centers #BigTech #Oligarchy #Authoritarianism #Democracy #LeftofLansing

    Here's the Left of Lansing "Monday Musing" for December 8, 2025.

    Michigan Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer remains eerily silent during The Trump Regime's first year back in power.

    "That Woman From Michigan" is choosing to remain cordial and friendly to a Regime that's causing a lot of harm and hurt to working class Americans while its corporate supporters keep making huge profits.

    To remain silent while the working class suffers speaks volumes about Governor Whitmer's moral compass.

    Please, subscribe to the podcast, download each episode, and give it a good review if you can!

    leftoflansing@gmail.com

    Left of Lansing is now on YouTube as well!

    leftoflansing.com

    NOTES:

    "Doctors, lawmakers urge Gretchen Whitmer to make stand for science, vaccines." By Robin Erb of Bridge Michigan "This 2028 possibility is Trump’s favorite Democrat." By Dasha Burns of Politico "Whitmer’s data center enthusiasm will undo her record of putting the people of Michigan first." By Jon King of Michigan Advance
    Show more Show less
    5 mins
  • 338: Friday Short: DTE's Political Power In Lansing Can Be Stopped w/ Mop Up Michigan
    Dec 5 2025
    #podcast #politics #Michigan #progressive #Democrats #Republicans #MAGA #Whitmer #DTE #MopUpMichigan #CorporateGreed #CorporateDonors #CorporateCorruption #DataCenters #BigTech #CorporateWelfare #GovernmentCorruption #workingclass #Oligarchy #Authoritarianism #Democracy #leftoflansing

    Here's the Left of Lansing "Friday Short" for December 5, 2025.

    Thanks to a bombshell report from Craig Mauger in The Detroit News, we're learning more of the grip utility giant DTE has in Lansing, especially with Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer and MAGA Republican House Speaker Matt Hall.

    This is why the Michiganders for Money Out of Politics ballot proposal, OR BETTER KNOWN AS MOP UP MICHIGAN, is a crucial first step in at least limiting the political power corporations play in Lansing.

    It's a people-powered movement, and it puts the working class ahead of corporate greed that's far too pervasive in Lansing.

    Please, subscribe to the podcast, download each episode, and give it a good review if you can!

    leftoflansing@gmail.com

    Left of Lansing is now on YouTube as well!

    leftoflansing.com

    NOTES:

    "Michigan’s governor replaces clean energy advocate on utilities board with ‘industry ally.’" By Tom Perkins in The Guardian
    Show more Show less
    5 mins
  • 337: Mop Up Michigan Proposal To End Money In Politics w/ Melinda Billingsley
    Dec 4 2025
    #podcast #politics #progressive #Democrats #MAGA #Republicans #Michigan #MopUpMichigan #CorporateGreed #CorporateCorruption #GovernmentCorruption #DTE #ConsumersEnergy #CorporateDonors #Democracy #Trump #WorkingClass #Jobs #DataCenter #RxKids #Authoritarianism #Democracy #LeftofLansing Here's Episode 158 of Michigan's Premier Progressive Podcast! 00:00-15:38: Trump Regime & Corporate Cronyism/Utilities & MI AG Race Pat Johnston starts this week's episode covering the many ways the Trump Family and the Trump Regime are using the government to enrich their pocketbooks while telling working class Americans they're wrong to say they can't afford to buy things anymore. Pat also shares how individuals from DTE & Consumers' Energy are suddenly engaged in next year's Attorney General race in Michigan. Now, why is that? 15:39-38:00: Melinda Billingsley on Mop Up Michigan Prop. Melinda Billingsley from Voters Not Politicians joins us to talk about the Michiganders for Money Out of Politics ballot initiative. Better known as "Mop Up Michigan," the proposal aims to end corporate influence in the state by banning corporations from making political contributions to politicians if they are doing business with the state. Volunteers are gathering signatures in order to put the question on the ballot for voters in 2026. This gives voters the chance to take a big step in ending the corporate donor grip in Lansing that's infecting both sides of the political aisle. Click to learn more about "Mop Up Michigan." 38:25-42:01: Last Call Rx Kids In this week's "Last Call," evidence is coming in showing how successful the Flint Rx Kids program has been during its first year of implementation. Pat argues it's time to make this program available statewide. 42:03-44:32: Ending Please, subscribe to the podcast, download each episode, and give it a good review if you can! leftoflansing@gmail.com Left of Lansing is now on YouTube as well! leftoflansing.com NOTES: Michiganders For Money Out of Politics... aka "Mop Up Michigan." mopupmichigan.org "Bah humbug: Tariffs muffle holiday cheer, raise prices, squeeze margins." By Myesha Johnson of The Detroit News (via The Morning Sun). "Ballot initiative seeks to ban political contributions from monopoly corporations, like utilities." By Kyle Davidson of Michigan Advance "Utility lawyers’ donations to Michigan AG candidate raise conflict-of-interest concerns." By Tom Perkins of Michigan Advance "Electricity prices jump after Trump rejects disaster aid for Michigan utilities." By Thomas Frank of Politico "Ballot proposals advance, aiming to get ‘dark money’ out of politics." By Georgia Hill of MSU Spartan Newsroom "Study: Rx Kids decreasing infant maltreatment allegations in Flint." By Steve Carmody of WKAR News in Lansing
    Show more Show less
    45 mins
  • 336: Monday Musing: DTE & Consumers' Energy Lawyers Donate To Democratic AG Candidate Karen McDonald?
    Dec 1 2025
    #podcast #politics #Michigan #progressive #Democrats #Elction2025 #DataCenters #BigTech #DTE #ConsumersEnergy #CorporateDonations #CorporateGreed #CorporateCorruption #GovernmentCorruption #WorkingClass #AttorneyGeneral KarenMcDonald #EliSavit #Authoritarianism #Democracy #LeftofLansing

    Here's the Left of Lansing "Monday Musing" for December 1, 2025.

    Thanks to great reporting from Tom Perkins in Michigan Advance, we learned that top lawyers for Michigan's utility monopolies, DTE and Consumers' Energy, have given multiple donations to Karen McDonald, who's running in the Michigan Democratic Party's Attorney General primary race.

    This is important since one of the main jobs for Michigan's Attorney General is to represent working class Michiganders against the utility monopolies that keep seeking massive energy rate hikes.

    Even more, with Big Tech invading Michigan to build its energy and job-sucking A.I. data centers across the state, the AG is expected to fight on behalf of working class Michiganders, who are against these data centers.

    Why are individuals from DTE and Consumers giving to Karen McDonald?

    Please, subscribe to the podcast, download each episode, and give it a good review if you can!

    leftoflansing@gmail.com

    Left of Lansing is now on YouTube as well!

    leftoflansing.com

    NOTES:

    "Utility lawyers’ donations to Michigan AG candidate raise conflict-of-interest concerns." By Tom Perkins of Michigan Advance "Oakland Co. Prosecutor Karen McDonald is top fundraiser among candidates for Michigan AG." By Paul Egan of The Detroit Free Press
    Show more Show less
    5 mins
  • 335: Friday Short: Trump Regime's Corruption Gives Working Class The Thanksgiving Blues
    Nov 28 2025
    #podcast #politics #Michigan #Progressive #DemocraticSocialism #Capitalism #CronyCapitalism #CorporateGreed #CorporateCorruption #GovernmentCorruption #WorkingClass #Mamdani #Economy #Populism #Authoritarianism #Democracy #MAGA #Republicans #Trump #LeftofLansing

    Here's the Left of Lansing "Friday Short" for November 28, 2025.

    The working class is suffering this Thanksgiving holiday weekend while those within The Trump Regime and its corporate friends and donors are doing handsomely well.

    Left of Lansing's Pat Johnston explains how government and corporate greed dominate today's politics, and that's why Progressive Populism is now favored by a working class voting block that's tired of being left outside looking in.

    Please, subscribe to the podcast, download each episode, and give it a good review if you can!

    leftoflansing@gmail.com

    Left of Lansing is now on YouTube as well!

    leftoflansing.com
    Show more Show less
    5 mins
  • 334: Monday Musing: Trump Threatens Violence Against Slotkin and other Democrats
    Nov 24 2025
    #podcast #politics #progressive #Democrats #ViolentRhetoric #MAGA #Republicans #Trump #Military #ElissaSlotkin #MarjorieTaylorGreen #Authoritarianism #Democracy #LeftOfLansing

    Here's the Left of Lansing "Monday Musing" for November 24, 2025.

    Dear Leader Donald Trump declared that Michigan's Democratic U.S. Senator Elissa Slotkin, and other Democrats, should be hung like George Washington would hang those found guilty of sedition.

    Slotkin, and a handful of other Democrats, released a video imploring the United States military to refuse to follow any illegal orders from The Trump Regime. And rather than debate the merits of their argument, Trump wants them punished for "seditious" behavior.

    Violence, or even the threat of violence, is the hallmark of the MAGA Republican Party movement. This is yet another example of it.

    Please, subscribe to the podcast, download each episode, and give it a good review if you can!

    leftoflansing@gmail.com

    Left of Lansing is now on YouTube as well!

    leftoflansing.com

    NOTES: "Michigan State Police respond to bomb threat at Senator Slotkin’s home." By Ben Solis of Michigan Advance "Trump accuses Slotkin, other Dems of sedition ‘punishable by death.’" By Associated Press and Bridge Michigan Staff
    Show more Show less
    4 mins
  • 333: Friday Short: Michigan's A.I. Data Center Happening No Matter What People Want
    Nov 21 2025
    #podcast #politics #progressive #Michigan #MAGA #Republicans #DataCenter #ArtificialIntelligence #GovernmentCorruption #CorporateCorruption #CorporateGreed #Authoritarianism #Economy #BigTech #WorkingClass #Democracy

    Here's the Left of Lansing "Friday Short" for November 21, 2025.

    It appears the Big Tech push for A.I. data centers isn't what the working class wants in their neighborhoods and towns.

    Despite massive opposition, like what we saw in Howell Twp., MI this week, government and Big Tech are working together to build these water and energy-sucking data centers thanks to massive state and local tax breaks while creating very little jobs.

    If the rush for A.I. data centers is such a lucrative boon to the economy, then why are we giving tax breaks to these billionaire big tech bros?

    Please, subscribe to the podcast, download each episode, and give it a good review if you can!

    leftoflansing@gmail.com

    Left of Lansing is now on YouTube as well!

    leftoflansing.com

    NOTES:

    "Howell Township board OKs 6-month data center moratorium; opponents say it exempts current plan." By Ben Solis and Jon King of Michigan Advance "Howell Township board passes six-month moratorium, but not what opponents wanted." By Bridget Janis of The Livingston Post
    Show more Show less
    5 mins
  • 332: Data Center Rush in Michigan w/ Bridge Michigan's Kelly House
    Nov 20 2025
    #podcast #politics #progressives #Michigan #Democrats #Republicans #MAGA #Trump #DataCenter #Environment #CorporateSubsidies #ArtificialIntelligence #CorporateGreed #CorporateCorruption #GovernmentCorruption #Economy #Jobs #WorkingClass #Tariffs #Authoritarianism #Democracy #LeftofLansing #BigTech

    Here's Episode #157 Michigan's Premier Progressive Podcast!

    00:00-17:00: Trump Affordability Fail/Dividing Working Class

    Left of Lansing's Pat Johnston points-out the rising grocery prices, rising inflation, and dropping jobs numbers happening during the Trump Regime's first year. Affordability is at the top of voters' minds and concerns. So, it's no wonder why Trump suddenly reversed some of his inflationary tariffs on several grocery items. Pat also brings up the different ways some MAGA grifters drive to divide working class.

    17:01-38:00: Bridge Michigan's Kelly House Interview

    Bridge Michigan's environmental reporter, Kelly House, joins the show to discuss this sudden rush for data centers in Michigan. Ms. House talks about the controversy over a huge A.I. data center in Saline Township, MI, and how Michigan's state legislature helped make it possible to bring these data centers to the state. She also talks about the tax benefits for local communities, but the major environmental concerns these data centers bring with them. Check-out Kelly House's page at Bridge Michigan to read-up on all of her data center stories, and other environmental stories across the state.

    38:28-44:10: Last Call on Data Center Fears

    Pat adds his two-cents on this data center rush in Michigan, and why working class Michiganders are worried about what this means for their communities and their state.

    44:11-46:17: Ending

    Please, subscribe to the podcast, download each episode, and give it a good review if you can!

    leftoflansing@gmail.com

    Left of Lansing is now on YouTube as well!

    leftoflansing.com

    NOTES: "Data centers eyed in at least 10 Michigan towns. How they might change state." By Kelly House of Bridge Michigan "Tensions mount as data centers eye ‘sleepy’ Michigan farm towns." By Kelly House of Bridge Michigan "Michigan utility panel announces hearing on DTE plan to power AI data center." By Arpan Lobo of The Detroit Free Press "If You Thought Data Centers Were Bad, Wait Until You See How DTE Is Using One to FU*K Over Michigan." By Distill Social "GOP lawmakers try again to preempt state enforcement of AI laws." By Keely Quinlan of State Scoop "Benson’s husband to recuse from state work on controversial data center if she is elected governor." By Ben Solis of Michigan Advance "How racist provocateur Jake Lang tried to manufacture chaos in Dearborn." By Steve Neavling of Detroit Metro Times
    Photo of Saline Township, MI farm courtesy of Joel Kurth/Bridge Michigan
    Show more Show less
    46 mins