MSU journalism major Max Gun discusses “100 Questions & Answers About Americans,” a new book on U.S. culture and slang with Linh Dao, a freshman from Vietnam. (Courtesy photo) Tell any American college student that you’re tailgating, hooking up or going on a pub crawl, and they’ll know you’re talking about partying before a sporting […]
How to talk to an American
Posted inGuest Commentary
Self-interest in Washington threatens our republic
Mark Lemoine In 1787, as Benjamin Franklin was leaving the Constitutional Convention, he was asked, “What have we got, a republic or a monarch?” “A republic,” Franklin replied, “if you can keep it.” Perhaps Franklin’s pessimism stemmed from his knowledge that a republican form of government empowers the people to rule themselves, rather than bestowing […]
Posted inBusiness Watch
One year later, Right to Work results uncertain
Thousands of protesters converged on the state capitol in December 2012 to oppose passage of right-to-work legislation. Photo credit: Anne Savage of the Michigan Democratic Party. The predictions were both dire and dramatic. But one year after Gov. Rick Snyder signed right-to-work legislation, it has yet to prove either the body blow to labor or […]
Posted inBusiness Watch
Leaving union proves challenging
Ottawa County kindergarten teacher Miriam Chanski is determined to leave the Michigan Education Association. Photo credit: Mackinac Center for Public Policy. As she completed her first year in the classroom, Ottawa County kindergarten teacher Miriam Chanski decided she could do without a union. She thought passage of right-to-work legislation last December ensured that choice. The […]
Posted inGuest Commentary
Michigan residents need better access to mental health care
Marianne Udow-Phillips is the director of the Center for Healthcare Research & Transformation, a nonpartisan health policy center based at the University of Michigan with a mission to promote evidence-based care delivery, improve population health and expand access to care. Soon, many hundreds of thousands of Michigan citizens will be obtaining mental health coverage through […]
Posted inBrunch with Bridge
Propaganda obscures American military's true role
UNCLE SAM WANTS YOU: Americans are comfortable with a level of military propaganda that would be disconcerting coming from another country. (Photo by Flickr user msmail; used under Creative Commons license) Football abounds in war metaphors. Bo Schembechler was often referred to as “the General.” Players think of themselves as soldiers, risking body and life […]
Posted inBrunch with Bridge
In Indian gaming case, little hope of a jackpot
A STACKED DECK? When Indian tribes take their business to the U.S. Supreme Court, they rarely like the outcome. (Photo by Flickr user Rishad Daroowala; used under Creative Commons license) Maybe the best way to understand how a tiny tribal slot casino came to hold the fate of the nation’s tribal gaming under its little […]
Posted inBrunch with Bridge
Detroit's blank slate means new reality for council
NEW SPIRIT, NEW REALITIES: The incoming Detroit City Council is unique in many ways, and members need to approach their jobs differently, too. (Photo by Flickr user Jason Mrachina; used under Creative Commons license) In spite of the tumultuous events surrounding Detroit city government, the reality of a newly elected mayor and city council come […]
Posted inTalent & Education
Michigan weighs “read-or-flunk” law for 3rd graders
How much is it worth to help third graders become better readers? Studies show third grade reading skills are critical. How well children read in third grade often predicts how well they’ll do in the rest of their school career, says State Superintendent Mike Flanagan. Students who are good readers by third grade dropout less, […]
Posted inThe Center for Michigan
Bridge expands statewide reporting team, earns new investment
Chastity Pratt and Michael Wilkinson Fueled by new philanthropic investment, Bridge Magazine has doubled the size of its reporting staff to expand coverage of Michigan cities, intensify publication of data-driven special reports, and help lead a new Michigan nonprofit news reporting collaborative. Bridge will serve as convening partner for the new Detroit Journalism Collaborative and […]
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