Author name: Victor Skinner

Gretchen Whitmer’s Unemployment Website Overhaul Is 14 Months Behind Schedule, Million Over Budget
News

Gretchen Whitmer’s Unemployment Website Overhaul Is 14 Months Behind Schedule, $20 Million Over Budget

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Image Credit: The Midwesterner/Esteban Clark-Braendle

Michigan’s $78 million overhaul of its unemployment software is more than a year behind schedule, and will cost an additional $20 million to complete, frustrated lawmakers learned last week.

About nine months after the Unemployment Framework for Automated Claim & Tax Services was expected to go live, Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency and contractor Deloitte officials explained on Thursday why it will not fully roll out until 2026.

Officials said the delay will cost another $20 million to continue operating the old system, which has faced multiple lawsuits over false fraud allegations and improper payments during the pandemic. Michigan Advance reported that the $78 million contract with Deloitte started in 2023 and will go live on Sept. 30, 2024.

“The project is on an upward trajectory, was shown significant improvement, and we are now tracking on schedule for a go-live for the employer portion of the project this December and the claimant portion of the system next spring,” David Parent, a managing partner with Deloitte, told lawmakers on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government.

To read the rest of the article, please visit The Midwesterner.

Jocelyn Benson Sides With Anti-ICE Rioters, “Appalled” by Trump “Regime” Deploying National Guard
Illegal Immigration

Jocelyn Benson Sides With Anti-ICE Rioters, “Appalled” by Trump “Regime” Deploying National Guard

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Michigan Secretary of State and 2026 Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jocelyn Benson is “appalled” by developments at the anti-ICE riots over the weekend, and she’s taking a stand in support of the “law abiding people” of Los Angeles.

Benson took to X on Sunday to ensure Michiganders understand the leading Democratic candidate for governor adamantly opposes President Donald Trump’s efforts to stop the folks setting their city ablaze to keep illegal immigrants in the U.S.

“As a military spouse whose career is inspired by the bravery of citizens who stood up for democracy during the civil rights movement – and the National Guard who protected them – I am appalled that President Trump is deploying our military to quell protests against his regime,” Benson wrote. “It’s not who we are, it does not make us great, and I pray that no law abiding people are hurt or worse due to this flagrant, tyrannical abuse of power.”

The post followed violent anti-ICE riots across Los Angeles on Friday that compelled the Trump administration on Saturday to deploy National Guard troops to “address the lawlessness that has been allowed to fester.”

Read the rest of the article at The Midwesterner.

Whitmer’s Michigan 39th for Racial Equality — Worse Than Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi!
Culture War

Whitmer’s Michigan 39th for Racial Equality — Worse Than Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi!

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In Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s Michigan, minority students face much more racial inequality than in most states in the Deep South, according to a new analysis.

“Promoting racial equality in education can have a significant impact on promoting equality in the overall economy. It is essential to ensure that all school districts receive sufficient funding, the latest technology, and equal opportunities for tutoring and extracurricular activities, regardless of their racial composition,” WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said.

“This will help bridge the racial gaps in test scores and graduation rates, which will promote equal opportunities for higher education and employment in the future,” he said.

To determine the Best States for Racial Equality in Education, researchers at the personal finance website examined six key metrics that compare the difference between Black and white students in areas like high school and college degrees, test scores and graduation rates.

To read the full article, please visit The Midwesterner

Whitmer’s Michigan: Households Struggling to Afford Basics Grow by 165,271 During Tenure
Economics

Whitmer’s Michigan: Households Struggling to Afford Basics Grow by 165,271 During Tenure

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In Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s Michigan, “it’s hard, especially when you feel like you don’t have help.” “I work at Dunham’s,” Nicole Wares, a single mother living in Traverse City, told WPBN. “I’ve been there almost eight years now. I’m on disability. I would work more, but I physically can’t do it.”

“Money is tight everywhere,” she said. “Cost of living has gone up; income doesn’t really go up much.”

Wares’ situation isn’t unique. A whopping 75% of single mothers are struggling to afford basics like housing, child care, food, transportation and taxes in Whitmer’s Michigan.

That’s based on 2023 data from a 2025 United for ALICE report recently released by the Michigan Association of United Ways. It’s also up 2% from last year’s report.

Statewide, 41% of Michigan’s 4.1 million households struggle to afford a survival budget, which includes 2,359 more than in 2022.

Visit The Midwesterner to read the rest of the article.

Gretchen Whitmer Now Declares Trump Triggering “Constitutional Crisis” — Day After Tarmac Hug!
Democrats

Gretchen Whitmer Now Declares Trump Triggering “Constitutional Crisis” — Day After Tarmac Hug!

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The United States is in a “constitutional crisis” with the president “blatantly violating court orders,” and that should “scare everybody,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said just a day after infamously embracing the 47th POTUS in Michigan in a warm hug.

“Do you think we’re in a constitutional crisis? If the Supreme Court tells the president to do something and he has decided not to do it,” Pod Save America host Jon Favreau asked Whitmer in a clip posted to X on Wednesday. “And what’s the responsibility of other leaders in the country if we are?”

Whitmer responded: “We are, and I think that no one is above the law. The thought that we’ve got an administration that is just blatantly violating court orders, should, I think, scare everybody.

Read the Full Article at The Midwesterner

Trump Rips “Dumb Guy” Shri Thanedar’s Efforts to Impeach at 100-Day Michigan Rally
Democrats

Trump Rips “Dumb Guy” Shri Thanedar’s Efforts to Impeach at 100-Day Michigan Rally

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When President Donald Trump touched down in Michigan on Tuesday to celebrate the first 100 days of his second term, Michigan Democratic Congressman Shri Thanedar’s Detroit billboards were waiting to greet him.

“Rep. Shri Demands Congress IMPEACH TRUMP,” the billboards read.

The billboards, touted by Thanedar on X, coincided with seven articles of impeachment introduced by the Detroit Democrat on Monday over allegations the 47th POTUS is “unfit to serve as President and represents a clear and present danger to our nation’s constitution and our democracy.”

Read the Full Article at The Midwesterner

Border Brief: Crossings Down 94%, While March Arrests Nearly Match Total for All of FY2024
Illegal Immigration

Border Brief: Crossings Down 94%, While March Arrests Nearly Match Total for All of FY2024

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Border crossings plummeted 94% from a year ago, while arrests of illegal immigrants in March nearly matched the total for all of Fiscal Year 2024, according to new federal data. A Boarder Brief factsheet released by the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security on Tuesday highlights U.S. Customs and Border Protection data for March that illustrates the drastic turnaround in the first few months of President Donald Trump’s second term.

The data shows apprehensions along the southern border have declined by 95%, from 137,473 in March 2024 to 7,181 last month, while border encounters nationwide are down 88%, from 189,359 to 11,017 over the same time frame.

“It sure is a breath of fresh air to have a president do what he said he would do,” committee chair Rep. Mark Green, R-Tenn., said in a statement. “With Southwest border apprehensions hitting yet another record-low, law and order is at an all-time high.

Read the full article at The Midwesterner

Power Outages Are So Bad in Whitmer’s Michigan, U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens Wants to Create Government Loan Program for Sufferers
National Affairs

Power Outages Are So Bad in Whitmer’s Michigan, U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens Wants to Create Government Loan Program for Sufferers

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Michigan U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Waterford Township, wants the federal government to step in when the state’s monopoly utilities struggle to restore power following severe weather. Stevens recently introduced the Prolonged Power Outage Relief Act to expand federal disaster assistance to include outages impacting more than 25 businesses or homes for more than 48 hours.

The amendment to the Small Business Act would allow those impacted to apply for low-interest loans to repair or replace appliances, machinery, or equipment or to purchase generators and other power sources to mitigate future outages.

“After ice storms and tornadoes swept our state earlier this month, it is more important than ever to make sure Michiganders have the support they need to continue to care for their families,” Stevens said in a statement.

“That’s why I introduced the Prolonged Power Outage Relief Act, because at a time where prices are on the rise, families and small businesses shouldn’t have to shoulder the cost of power outages alone,” she said. “Keeping businesses open and families fed is key to ensuring that storms don’t cause long-term financial hardship for Michiganders, and I’m proud to reintroduce this legislation to get the job done.”

Read the Full Article at The Midwesterner.

Jocelyn Benson Contradicts Testimony to Congress, Admits at Least 15 Noncitizens Voted in 2024
Illegal Immigration

Jocelyn Benson Contradicts Testimony to Congress, Admits at Least 15 Noncitizens Voted in 2024

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“There is no evidence that noncitizens are voting,” Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson told Congress in September.

On Thursday, Benson announced that a total of at least 15 incidents of illegal voting occurred in Michigan during the 2024 General Election, based on a cross reference between Michigan motor vehicle records and the state’s Qualified Voter File. That review covered the vast majority of voters who cast ballots using their driver’s license or state ID, but omitted plenty of others who used a different form of identification, such as tribal or student IDs.

“This is a serious issue, one we must address with a scalpel, not a sledgehammer,” Benson said in a statement. “Only U.S. citizens can legally register and vote in our elections. Our careful review confirms what we already knew – that this illegal activity is very rare.

“While we take all violations of election law very seriously, this tiny fraction of potential cases in Michigan and at the national level do not justify recent efforts to pass laws we know would block tens of thousands of Michigan citizens from voting in future elections,” she said.

Read the full article at The Midwesterner.

University of Michigan Ditches DEI — Cites Trump EOs, Potential Loss of Federal Funding
News

University of Michigan Ditches DEI — Cites Trump EOs, Potential Loss of Federal Funding

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The massive diversity, equity, inclusion complex is out at the University of Michigan, thanks to President Donald Trump.

“Conversations about (DEI at UM) have been ongoing since at least 2023 and, with recent federal executive orders, guidance and funding cuts bringing urgency to the issue, we are moving forward with changes that will impact our community at the University of Michigan and Michigan Medicine,” UM President Santa Ono and other officials wrote in a statement to students, faculty and staff on Thursday.

The announcement cited Trump executive orders on DEI, a Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals decision upholding enforcement of those orders, and a Dear Colleague Letter from the Department of Education last month that highlighted the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 decision striking down race-based affirmative action.

Read the full article at The Midwesterner


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