Savaged: Michigan’s Best Political Blogs

By Chris Savage

Since most of the writing I do is for my politics-focused blog, Eclectablog which has a strong emphasis on Michigan politics, we thought it would be fun to do a rundown of what I think are the ten best political blogs in Michigan. As a liberal blogger, I do most of my online blog reading on liberal blogs. However, there are a handful of conservative blogs I check in on from time to time, too.

My criteria for the blogs I selected are these: they are a regularly-updated, Michigan-based, blog at least from time-to- time about Michigan and its issues, and that they aren’t affiliated with a media organization. I’m also looking for unique reporting, good writing, incisive commentary and/or a fresh view of the day’s issues and events. There are some great political blogs from people like Tim Skubik (Skoop’s Blog) and Jack Lessenberry, but these guys get paid to blog. Most, if not all of the bloggers I’m writing about here, are unpaid or nearly so and don’t do it for a living.

Group Political Blogs
There are several “big dog” group blogs in Michigan politics where there are multiple contributors. Most group blogs allow anyone to create an account and post essays & articles. Particularly good posts are often promoted to the main section (the “front page.”)

The first liberal group blog is Blogging for Michigan (BfM). First, a disclaimer: I am a significant contributor to BfM as a front-page writer. That said, it remains the premier liberal political blog in the state. It has fantastic contributors, is updated regularly and has a very attractive layout. It used to be a Soapblox blog, a platform used by numerous political (and other) blogs across the country. Soapblox is a fine platform but is, in my opinion, dated and doesn’t have the ease of use or eye appeal of other platforms. The recent move to a WordPress format has really improved BfM.

BfM has a number of significant contributors including Christine (the blog’s owner), Communications Guru, Muskegon Critic, Perfect Stormer, Bruce Fealk and several others. At BfM, you don’t just get regurgitated headlines. You get smart commentary, original reporting, and, often, breaking news. For these reasons, BfM was voted by WaPo readers (and one imagines readers of BfM, as well) as one of only three “Best state-based political blogs – 2011 edition” by the Washington Post.

One interesting story from BfM’s history: back in 2007, then-Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop blocked BfM from computers on the Senate floor after numerous articles critical of him and other Republicans were posted. Access was eventually restored but only after news of the censorship was picked up by the mainstream media sources.

The other big liberal group blog is Michigan Liberal. I’ll admit up front that, while this blog is well-known, I can be very ambivalent about it. The owner and main contributor to it, Eric Baerren (“Eric B”), tends to be very mean-spirited and, because of this, I think the blog lacks a degree of professionality. Baerren has insulting nicknames for many of our state’s politicians and his snark rating is off the charts — not in a good way. His approach has chased off some very good writers. This was the genesis of Blogging for Michigan, in fact.

That said, there are some great contributors to his site including Perfect Stormer (primarily on LGBT issues), Mark Grebner (on political polling and analysis) along with several others. The writing is generally of good quality and Baerren does a good job with his frequent news roundups where he lists a variety of political stories with links in a single post.

On the conservative side, the main group blog is Right Michigan, another of the Post’s “best state-based political blogs” from Michigan. This is the right’s answer to Blogging for Michigan. The writing is generally of very good quality and, for a liberal like me, it’s good to see the other side of the issues I am writing about. The blog’s format is attractive and easy to use and, like BfM and Michigan Liberal, you can set up a free account there and post your writing for the world to see.

Individual Political Blogs
In my mind, the top political blogger on either side of the political spectrum is Wizardkitten. Wizkit has been a blogger at both MichLib and later at BfM. In fact, she was the main blogger there for many years and set the bar for quality on that site as high as it is today. She was front and center when the banning of BfM from the Senate floor took place and is well-known throughout the state for her blogging prowess. In addition to being a great writer, Wizkit is also an accomplished photographer and she is invariably present at Democratic public events in her trademark photographer’s vest and usually sporting a backwards Tiger baseball cap. Her talents earned her the privilege of being the first blogger allowed access to the floor for a State of the State address in 2008, and she was part of the first Michigan blog team to cover a national Democratic Convention from the floor in Denver in 2008. What separates Wizkit from the pack is her ability to connect dots between various places, her copious knowledge of state politics in Michigan, and her actual reporting. Few others do this and it’s why she’s my favorite Michigan blogger (and, truthfully, somewhat of a mentor for me.)

Another good liberal blogger is Extreme Liberal. Extreme Liberal tends to focus mainly on national issues with his writing and is part of a group of liberals who call themselves “pragmatic progressives.” What brings me back to his blog on a regular basis is his digging beneath the surface on national issues, his debunking of many of the claims made by conservatives and those on the far left, and his great photos from around Michigan. Extreme Liberal’s writings are also found at the Angry Black Lady Chronicles (as are mine from time-to-time.)

Muskegon Critic is a superb blogger from the west coast of Michigan. I’m particularly impressed with his writing about state politics and their impact urban Muskegonites, water/Great Lakes issues and the environment. His commentary is informed, direct and based on a solid knowledge of his topic. He is a regular contributor to Daily Kos (where he regularly is promoted to the “Recommended List”) as well as BfM.

Bruce Fealk is the managing editor of another blog I enjoy, The Rochester Citizen. At the Rochester Citizen, Bruce covers both local politics and state politics. He is an avid videographer and his videos are sometimes the only video you’ll find from political events around the state. He is also a dogged critic and investigator of the impact on Michigan of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), a conservative group that writes model legislation aimed at promoting a very pro-business/anti-union laws across the country.

A solid conservative blogger writes at the aptly-named Republican Michigander. Hailing from what he describes as “The red oasis known as Livingston County, Michigan,” Republican Michigander writes about local and state political issues from a conservative position. What impresses me most about his site is his attention to the nitty gritty elements of politics.He writes about things like district-by-district details about redistricting, electoral analysis, and often holds Republicans’ feet to the fire if he feels they aren’t holding true to conservative ideals. He is a political consultant for the right and it shows on his blog.

Organization blog
The last two blogs I read regularly fall into the category of “organization blogs.” These are blogs of groups that work on a whole host of issues on one particular side of the political divide.

The first is Michigan Capitol Confidential, the blog of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. If you are looking for analysis of Michigan politics from a conservative, pro-business/anti-union perspective, CapCon is your one-stop shop. They analyze legislation, candidates, and political activities across the state from a very conservative perspective. Their analysis is frequently quoted in mainstream media articles and they are seen by many as the final arbiter of what the “correct” conservative position is on any given issue.

Finally, on the left side of the political spectrum is the PM Buzzfeed, the blog of the progressive nonprofit Progress Michigan. Here you will find analysis of many of the same issues you read about at CapCon, this time from a liberal perspective. Progress Michigan is very much action-based in its approach so many of their blog posts are about events or actions they are sponsoring or taking part in. Additionally, they provide commentary on many of the Michigan-focused political issues of the day. Like their conservative counterpart, quotes from Progress Michigan staff are often seen in mainstream media articles about specific political events and issues.

So, those are my Top Ten favorite Michigan political blogs. Have one you like that you don’t see here? Tell us about it in the comments. We’d love to hear about it.

For more of Chris Savage’s writing, visit Eclectablog.