'We're Not Done with John McCain'



McCain Health Care Plan Bad Deal for Michigan Families, Report Shows

Middle Class Families Feel Burn of Shift from Employer-Based

LANSING – With ordinary Americans increasingly struggling under the combined impact of the banking and health care crises, the Center for American Progress Action Fund is preparing to release a report that details how the McCain health care plan would increase the burden on middle-class families in Michigan.



McCain's Energy Photo-Op Attempts to Hide Dismal Record

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2008
Contact: Dan Farough
517.999.3646

McCain’s Energy Photo-Op Attempts to Hide Dismal Record

McCain opposes renewable energy, bio-fuels; pushes tax giveaways to Big Oil

LANSING — Citizens group Progress Michigan today exposed John McCain as a flip-flopper on energy and called his visit to a Dow Corning solar panel facility in Mid-Michigan a cynical attempt to hide his real record of opposing renewable energy at every turn.



Poll: Strong Public Support For Granholm Crackdown on Coal Plant Pollution

Survey Finds Voters in Support of Restricting CO2 Pollution from Coal Plants

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, August 21st, 2008
Contact: Dan Farough
517.999.3646

LANSING – The Sierra Club, Progress Michigan, and Clean Energy Now released a statewide poll today which found overwhelming support for stronger protections against global warming carbon dioxide pollution before more coal plants are built. Eight coal-fired power plants are being planned in various cities around the state, giving Michigan more current coal plant proposals than any other state, according to a review by the Sierra Club.



Citizens Rally Outside Insurance HQ, Fight Efforts to Derail Healthcare Reforms

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Leigh Fifelski
Tuesday, August 19th, 2008 (517) 999-3646

United Healthcare is part of bogus campaign to fool public

FARMINGTON HILLS – Citizens and healthcare reform groups rallied today outside the United Healthcare headquarters to unmask the insurance industry’s role in a bogus campaign to fool the public and protect its massive profits and a broken system.



McCain's Failed Record of Siding with Big Oil and Job Losses Wrong for MI

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, August 5th, 2008
CONTACT: DAN FAROUGH
(517) 643-2949

Citizens’ groups rally as McCain visits nuclear power plant in Monroe

MONROE – Citizens concerned about the outsourcing of good-paying jobs and bad trade deals gathered at a rally today to hold Sen. John McCain accountable for his failed record of job losses and energy, bringing attention to the Senators support for policies that hurt working families. Organized by the AFL-CIO and citizens’ watchdog groups, the rally was held as McCain visited a nuclear power facility near Monroe.



Giant Mobile Coal Plant, Ogre-like Smokestack Patty Land on Legislature

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Contact: Dan Farough
517.999.3646 Office
517.643.2949 Cell
http://progressmichigan.org

Groups unleash accountability campaign to protect Michigan’s energy future

LANSING – With a 12-foot-tall effigy of Sen. Patty Birkholz and a 20-foot-tall inflatable coal plant looming over the State Capitol grounds, environmental watchdog groups today called on Michigan citizens to oppose a Senate-passed energy plan that will open the floodgates to more dirty coal plants and put a nail in the coffin of clean renewable energy in Michigan.



Major $40M Healthcare Drive Kicks Off in MI

For Immediate Release: July 8th, 2008

Contact:
Dan Farough
517.999.3646

Massive coalition commits $40 million to fix broken healthcare system in Michigan, beyond

LANSING – A Michigan coalition of citizens, faith-based and community groups working to fix the state’s broken healthcare system today announced a new state and nationwide effort to expand and protect access to quality, affordable healthcare. The $40-million Healthcare for America Now! campaign kicked off in more than 52 cities nationwide with the goal of fixing Michigan’s and the nation’s broken healthcare system by 2009.



Healthcare Coalition Forms as Ballot Drive Ends

Healthcare for Michigan Ballot Committee
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, June 27, 2008

Contact: Dan Farough
(517) 999-3646
(517) 643-2949

New citizens group aims to hold legislators’ feet to fire

LANSING – Surrounded by tens of thousands of signed petition sheets and patients who lack healthcare, citizens groups today launched a new healthcare action coalition that aims to continue the fight to make healthcare affordable and available to all Michigan families, and fix a broken system. The coalition was announced after the Healthcare Ballot for Michigan campaign was officially ended.



GROUPS TO HOUSE: Stop Pandering to Anti-choice Groups and Get to Work!



McCain's Failed Record of Outsourcing, Job Losses Wrong for MI

ROCHESTER – Workers harmed by outsourcing and bad trade deals at a rally today blasted John McCain and his failed economic record of job losses, bringing attention to the Senators support for policies that hurt working families. Organized by citizens’ watchdog groups, the rally was held as McCain hosted a Town Hall meeting at Oakland University.



‘Safe Schools Lobby Day,’ Urges Senate to Pass



Citizen Petition Challenges Granholm to Lead Fight Against Global Warming

Michigan Must Stop More Dangerous Coal Plant Emissions

LANSING – Clean Energy Now, a coalition of leading environmental and watchdog groups today launched an online petition that calls on Gov. Jennifer Granholm to help fight global warming by making carbon dioxide a factor in whether the state approves permits for up to seven proposed dirty coal plants. Citizens can sign the online petition at: www.michigancleanenergynow.com.



Michigan’s Wake-Up Call: Renewable Energy Standard Now – or Lose Jobs, Investments

LANSINGClean Energy Now, a coalition of environmental and watchdog groups, today renewed its call to the Legislature to pass a strong renewable energy standard quickly to bring in jobs and investments that are bypassing Michigan, while reducing emissions of dangerous greenhouse gases.



Drug Industry’s Lobbying Blitz Stalls Senate, Repeal of Immunity Law for 1 Year



Wall Street Journal reports new coal plants are bad investments

LANSING — A report in today’s Wall Street Journal detailing how investors are pulling their money out of coal plants shows that Michigan ratepayers must be protected from bad energy investments, a coalition of conservation and watchdog groups said today.



Citizens Groups Praise Granholm for Leadership in Fight to End Drug Immunity

LANSING – Several citizens groups today praised Gov. Jennifer Granholm for calling for the immediate repeal of Michigan’s drug industry immunity law, which the House has acted on but which continues to languish in the Senate amid stonewalling and delay tactics.



Groups Demand Congress STOP Toxic Trade

LANSINGProgress Michigan, labor and environmental groups, launched an online campaign to urge Michigan’s Congressional delegation to back legislation protecting children and families from imported toxic toys and other dangerous products. The legislation is called the U.S. Food and Product Responsibility Act, introduced in the Senate by Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, and in the House by Rep. Pete Visclosky, D-Ind.



Stop the Coal Boondoggle, Protect Ratepayers Now!

LANSING – As the legislature debates Michigan’s energy future, a coalition of conservation, and watchdog groups stood with lawmakers today in announcing a plan to protect the pocketbooks of Michigan consumers from the skyrocketing costs of coal and bad energy investments.



Senate Must End MI Immunity Law after Drug Giants Admit Hiding Data

LANSING – Citizens watchdog groups Progress Michigan and Michigan Citizens Action today renewed their call to the Senate to repeal Michigan’s one-of-a-kind drug industry immunity law after two pharmaceutical giants withheld data for more than a year showing that a blockbuster drug had dangerous – and potentially deadly – side effects.



Legislature Must Stop Dirty Coal Plants as New Report Warns Great Lakes at Risk

LANSING – The Michigan Legislature must act now and prevent as many as seven proposed dirty coal-fired power plants from being built in the state after a new report warned that dangerous greenhouse gases emitted from coal plants threatens the Great Lakes, Michigan jobs and the health of citizens, a citizens action coalition urged today.



Health Care Security Campaign Launches Statewide

LANSING – Saying that political leaders in Washington and Lansing have failed to deal with a broken health care system that is crushing Michigan business and hurting Michigan families, a new coalition launched a statewide campaign today to place health care reform on the November 4, 2008 ballot. The ballot proposal would require the Michigan legislature to develop a ‘Health Care Security’ plan that would protect Michigan citizens and business from a spiraling health care crisis.



Public Urged to Send Legislators Lump of Coal, Stop Dirty Power Plants

LANSING – A new video posted today on Progress Michigan’s Web site as well as YouTube urges citizens to make their voices heard and help protect Michigan’s land, air, water and quality of life from large energy corporations seeking to build dirty polluting coal power plants in Michigan. Citizens can view the video and take action at www.progressmichigan.org/coal. The take action is in support of Clean Energy Now’s campaign to stop more dirty coal-fired power plants from locating in Michigan.



Victims, Citizens Groups Praise Gleason for Fighting to End Drug Company Immunity



Richardville, Kahn Belittle Victims, Refuse to Protect MI Citizens from Deadly Drugs

LANSING – State Sen. Randy Richardville called an effort to protect Michigan citizens from deadly drugs like Vioxx, fen-Phen, and Rezulin “frivolous” while State Sen. Roger Kahn – a cardiologist – put the drug industry ahead of people during TV interviews on Wednesday. The two senators refused to repeal Michigan’s one-of-a-kind drug immunity law, which remains stalled in the Republican-controlled Senate.



Victims of Dangerous Drugs Go Online in Fight to End Unfair Michigan Immunity Law

LANSING – Two women whose lives have been shattered by deadly drugs talk about their loss and heartache in video interviews posted on YouTube in a move to pressure the Michigan Senate to repeal Michigan’s unfair drug industry immunity law, Progress Michigan announced today.



'Clean Energy Now' Launches Campaign to Stop Michigan Coal Rush

LANSING – A new, statewide coalition called Clean Energy Now powered up the fight for Michigan’s energy future today by launching an aggressive, statewide campaign to stop an onslaught of proposals that would build seven new, dirty, coal-fired power plants in Michigan.



Groups Demand: End Legislators' Lifetime Perks, Slash Salaries



Merck's Catch-22 Doubletalk Shows Michigan Must End Drug Immunity Laws

LANSING – Progress Michigan and citizens groups today blasted Merck, maker of deadly drug Vioxx, for claiming that a recent $5-billion nationwide proposed settlement also included those Michigan patients who have been barred since 1996 by state law from holding Merck and other makers of dangerous drug accountable in the first place. Michigan is the only state in the nation that prevents victims from holding drug giants accountable when they sell dangerous drugs.



House Must Reject Bishop Plan to Protect Legislators' Free Ride

LANSING – Progress Michigan today called on the House to reject Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop’s plan to protect state legislators’ free lifetime health care and $79,000-a-year base salary, urging action before Christmas on a tougher plan to slash legislators’ pay and end lifetime health benefits right now – not in the future.