Politics/Government Archives

U-M Picks Ypsilanti Township For $1.25 Billion AI Supercomputing Center — But How Many Jobs Will It Create?

U-M Picks Ypsilanti Township For $1.25 Billion AI Supercomputing Center — But How Many Jobs Will It Create?

YPSILANTI TOWNSHIP — The University of Michigan is moving toward building a $1.25 billion high-performance computing and artificial intelligence research complex in Ypsilanti Township, putting Washtenaw County at the center of another massive computing investment — but raising questions about jobs, taxes, electricity, water and local control. U-M and Los Alamos National Laboratory are developing

By Mike Brennan|2026-08-14T13:16:07-04:00August 14th, 2026|News, Politics, Politics/Government|

Michigan Utility Regulator Calls For End To Annual Rate Hikes, New Rules To Lower Electric Bills

Michigan Utility Regulator Calls For End To Annual Rate Hikes, New Rules To Lower Electric Bills

MPSC Plan Would Reshape How DTE, Consumers Energy Recover Costs As Michigan Electricity Prices Rank Second Highest In Midwest LANSING — Michigan's utility regulator wants lawmakers to end the cycle of annual electric rate cases that allows DTE Energy and Consumers Energy to seek new increases soon after previous increases are approved. The Michigan Public

By Mike Brennan|2026-08-10T16:52:13-04:00August 10th, 2026|Government/Politics, News, Politics, Politics/Government|

Michigan Workers Lose Ground As Jobs Stall And Inflation Eats Wages

Michigan Workers Lose Ground As Jobs Stall And Inflation Eats Wages

DETROIT — Michigan workers are getting squeezed between a weakening job market and rising living costs, with private-sector employment down about 22,000 jobs over the past two years and inflation-adjusted hourly wages still 2.7% below where they were seven years ago. New federal data released Friday add to the warning signs. U.S. employers unexpectedly cut

By Mike Brennan|2026-08-07T14:38:42-04:00August 7th, 2026|Economy, Government/Politics, Politics, Politics/Government|

House GOP Revives SAVE Act By Attaching It To Defense Bill, Setting Up Senate Showdown

House GOP Revives SAVE Act By Attaching It To Defense Bill, Setting Up Senate Showdown

WASHINGTON – A controversial election bill that supporters say would strengthen voter integrity and critics call voter suppression is back at the center of the national political debate after House Republicans voted Tuesday to attach the legislation to the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), one of Congress' must-pass bills. The House approved a procedural

By Mike Brennan|2026-07-21T16:51:14-04:00July 21st, 2026|News, Politics, Politics/Government|

Michigan Wants To Build The World’s Mobility Capital. Here’s Why It Matters

Michigan Wants To Build The World’s Mobility Capital. Here’s Why It Matters

LANSING - Nearly 500,000 Michiganders already work in what state officials define as the mobility economy—a fast-growing sector that reaches far beyond the automobile industry to include artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles, drones, robotics, maritime technologies, aerospace, defense and advanced manufacturing. The sector already employs about 495,600 people, representing roughly 13 percent of Michigan's workforce, and

By Mike Brennan|2026-07-15T10:14:24-04:00July 15th, 2026|Government/Politics, Mobile MI, Mobility, Politics, Politics/Government|

Michigan Keeps Creating Great Ideas. Why Do So Many Startups Leave?

Michigan Keeps Creating Great Ideas. Why Do So Many Startups Leave?

New Innovation Alliance hopes to turn more Michigan inventions into Michigan companies—and keep billions of dollars in future value from leaving the state. LANSING - For decades, Michigan has been one of America's great innovation engines. The state is home to world-class research universities, global automotive and manufacturing companies, a growing artificial intelligence sector, and

By Mike Brennan|2026-07-10T12:11:04-04:00July 10th, 2026|Economy, Entrepreneur, Entrepreneurs, Government/Politics, News, Politics, Politics/Government|

What Trump’s Decision To Rewrite North American Trade Deal Means For Michigan Consumers

What Trump’s Decision To Rewrite North American Trade Deal Means For Michigan Consumers

ANN ARBOR — President Donald Trump's decision to reopen the North American trade agreement with Canada and Mexico could eventually affect the prices Michigan consumers pay for automobiles, appliances and other everyday goods, while creating new uncertainty for the state's manufacturing economy. The Trump administration announced this week that it will not renew the current

By Mike Brennan|2026-07-05T14:34:33-04:00July 5th, 2026|Auto Tech, Government/Politics, Politics, Politics/Government|

The Constitution’s Forgotten Ethics Rule: What Is an Emolument?

The Constitution’s Forgotten Ethics Rule: What Is an Emolument?

ANN ARBOR - As Americans celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, many are revisiting the ideas that shaped the nation's founding. One of the least familiar is a constitutional safeguard known as the Emoluments Clauses. The word "emolument" is rarely used in modern English. In the late 18th century, however, it generally

By Mike Brennan|2026-07-03T11:58:04-04:00July 3rd, 2026|Featured, Government/Politics, Politics, Politics/Government|

New Report Says Federal Policies Are Raising Household Costs – Here’s What Michigan Families Are Paying More For.

New Report Says Federal Policies Are Raising Household Costs – Here’s What Michigan Families Are Paying More For.

ANN ARBOR — As millions of Americans prepare to hit the road for the Independence Day holiday, Michigan families are finding that filling the gas tank, paying the electric bill and covering other everyday expenses still costs significantly more than it did a year ago. A new report released Thursday by the Center for American

By Mike Brennan|2026-07-02T12:32:37-04:00July 2nd, 2026|Government/Politics, News, Politics, Politics/Government|

Why Michigan Has Some of the Midwest’s Highest Electric Rates—And Why Your Bill Isn’t Even Higher

Why Michigan Has Some of the Midwest’s Highest Electric Rates—And Why Your Bill Isn’t Even Higher

Independent review by the Citizens Research Council largely agrees with state regulators on why Michigan's electric rates remain high—but says policymakers should focus on lowering the cost per kilowatt-hour rather than average monthly bills. LANSING – Ask Michigan homeowners whether electricity has become more expensive and most won't hesitate with the answer. Absolutely. In one

By Mike Brennan|2026-07-01T14:57:16-04:00July 1st, 2026|Clean Update, Clean, green, hybrid, Clean, Green, wireless, Featured, Government/Politics, Politics, Politics/Government|