tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229578972024-03-13T06:32:24.427-05:00West Michigan PoliticsThe original blog covering Barry County and West Michigan's political scene.Pol Watcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11607022458728937981noreply@blogger.comBlogger195125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957897.post-54681984642034798882010-03-26T21:53:00.005-05:002010-03-26T22:16:01.974-05:00sociopath<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://wkrn.images.worldnow.com/images/12208009_BG1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://wkrn.images.worldnow.com/images/12208009_BG1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />sociopath |ˈsōsēōˌpaθ|<br />noun<br />a person with a personality disorder manifesting itself in extreme antisocial attitudes and behavior and a lack of conscience.<br /></div><br />It seems to me that the definition when applied to political discourse may very well be a descriptor of the many disgruntled partisans on the right. After the new health insurance reform law was signed this week by President Obama an increase of extreme antisocial attitudes and behavior by opposition party members, and followers <a href="http://www.wkzo.com/news/articles/2010/mar/26/threats-violence-over-healthcare-reform/">was noted</a>.<br />In defense of their rhetoric instilling fear, and hate among the conservative flock leaders of the GOP have let it once again be known that any resemblance to the truth that the media may point out will be met with <a href="http://blog.buzzflash.com/dailybuzz/902">dissemination of facts</a>, and <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,589989,00.html">derision</a> for having simply stated the truth. The "lame stream media" as rejected vice presidential contender, and drop out Alaskan governor Sarah Palin accused just yesterday in a speech for soon to be ousted from office Senator John McCain was a "ginned up controversy". Surely she had no information in which to base this remark on. Information is only chatter by those that oppose her quest for power. Even if she were aware of the <a href="http://www.wkrn.com/global/story.asp?s=12208009">10 year old little girl in the back of a car being run off the road</a> it simply could not have to do with the bumper sticker on the rear of the car. It couldn't possibly because "our incitement to violence is simply a metaphore for voting". We vote the bastards out!<br />Well someone just voted with the front end of their SUV.<br /><br />The lack of conscience?<br />Maybe it has to do with blaming the messenger for making it sound as bad as it really is.agnosticrathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06721719728244521845noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957897.post-59019394719978080312009-08-02T12:55:00.003-05:002009-08-09T14:32:35.820-05:00A Teabagger In the Crowd!It amazes me how real life can play out years or decades ahead of time in the movies. It was only a year and a half ago that I watched the film A Face in the Crowd for the first time. A classic movie directed by Elia Kazan, who you may remember also directed many other socially relevant films such as On the Waterfront, and East of Eden.<br />The film takes place in the 1950's during the heyday of radio, and the beginnings of television. Its main focus was a character named Lonesome Rhodes as played by a youngish Andy Griffith. Griffith was absolutely captivating in this film, and if you get the chance to see it you will never be able to watch his series The Andy Griffith Show again without instinctively recoiling at his saccharine voice. The character Rhodes is a found star living among the captives at a small town jail who likes to dispense advise, and grassroots wisdom, while plucking a guitar. Lonesome likes the limelight, and power that comes from the attention his populist screeds on television, and radio bring. He gins up hatred, and anger in a way I find comparable to the way the modern GOP does today.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"> It was during last years election that I first saw similarity between this "found star" Rhodes, and the Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin. She too, (just like ol' Lonesome) can muster mobs of people and raise anger toward made up boogie men, and fake issues using an amazingly sweet voice. People like Sarah, and Lonesome Rhodes often do get the attention they seek, but in real life, as in the film they too find themselves washed up when former allies turn on them. I do not believe it will be long before the cooler heads in the GOP begin to reel in their crazy activist counterparts, and give them a map to the door. If they ever plan to make a run at 2012 in a serious way, they will need to be able to point to level headed leadership in order to woo a majority of voters.<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtaO6UuA8IjJq25-mIKx5Kkrrzwv1tbv8vE7iH3YQ3mLjF9kjwGjwSKyT5g8YsRVNiRz0uDPhmX4fu0KV0RSF3I0rwzy3LTQbJnnWaxzK1GaTp8W5wjf7thyIutngCBYWsqNwNoQ/s1600-h/Picture+1+copy.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 318px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtaO6UuA8IjJq25-mIKx5Kkrrzwv1tbv8vE7iH3YQ3mLjF9kjwGjwSKyT5g8YsRVNiRz0uDPhmX4fu0KV0RSF3I0rwzy3LTQbJnnWaxzK1GaTp8W5wjf7thyIutngCBYWsqNwNoQ/s320/Picture+1+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367002850198691058" border="0" /></a><br /></div> If they are not able to do so, we may be seeing the real end of the GOP as we ever knew them. History shows again, and again how mob mentality eventually leads to the path of destruction. Generally the destruction of those behind the curtains pulling the strings.<br />Make no mistake, it IS the GOP pulling the strings, and pushing a mob mentality this weekend. For every congress person the GOP sends people to scream at, and shout down at town hall meetings this month, they are loosing many voters that came to hear about the health care plan they want and need badly. This time voters will not blame the Democrats for the destruction of health care reform, as the evidence is clear that Republicans are the party of NO!agnosticrathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06721719728244521845noreply@blogger.com50tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957897.post-30065945621808467222009-07-02T18:36:00.009-05:002009-07-02T19:28:27.205-05:00Thoughts that Cross my mindIt struck me that the people I hear who use every single cool day in the summer to sarcastically ask "where's that Global Warming" (never mind that any 3rd grader should be able to tell you Global Warming refers to average global temperatures and not any one day or year in any one region) are also the same ones who complain that the stimulus hasn't helped because we are still losing jobs (never mind that the stimulus may in fact have kept tens or potentially hundreds of thousands of people from being unemployed which would have added to those numbers even more) and that it has cost too much were also the same ones who said repealing the Bush tax cuts would be a "job killer" while ignoring the bloating deficit. These same simple-minded people are also the same ones who blast the Governor for "not doing anything" while cheerleading the G.O.P. to stonewall her every effort and ignore that she's been right from the beginning about what was wrong with the Michigan economy and prevented her from doing anything about it.<br /><br />These people remind me of our illustrious Attorney General Mike Cox. So fevered in his desire to win the love of the state's right wingers in his bid to be Governor that he talks out of both sides of his mouth when trying to attack that favorite Republican target, Blue Cross Blue Shield. Cox will try to argue one minute that Blue Cross <a href="http://www.michigan.gov/ag/0,1607,7-164-17345_18167-185067--,00.html">needs to do more</a> to cover the uninsured:<br /><br /><blockquote><span style=";font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;color:BLACK;" ><span style="font-family:Arial;">"Let us not forget the mission of Blue Cross is to put people over profits and not profits over people."</span></span></blockquote><span style=";font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;color:BLACK;" ><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;" ><br /></span></span>But then the next week Cox will turn around and try to knee cap Blue Cross' ability to do that very mission. Just as Blue Cross reports mammoth losses, Cox is trying to follow the GOP playbook of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starve_the_beast">starving the beast</a> in order to <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Grover_Norquist">drown it in the bath tub</a>. Blue Cross announced losses of <a href="http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/michigan/Blue_Cross_Blue_Shield_posts_144M_loss">$144.9 million in 2008</a> ("losses in the individual market... could exceed $1 billion by 2011") and plans to <a href="http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/01/michigan_ag_mike_cox_again_wei.html">eliminate 1,000 jobs</a> yet Cox is fighting <a href="http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/02/16/bisa0216.htm">the plans of the 'insurer of last resort' to stay solvent</a>. It's obvious what he's doing yet media reports neglect to mention that he seems to want it both ways. He pretends to like Blue Cross' effort to insure the poor yet he does everything he can to prevent them from doing that. While private health care costs sky rocket, Republicans like Cox use BCBS's own mission statement as a cudgel to beat it to death by blocking any possible rate increases, saying it would hurt the poor people Blue Cross is in existence to serve (who would be hurt even more if Blue Cross were killed or privatized as Republican allies <a href="https://www.mackinac.org/article.aspx?ID=4493">like the Mackinac Center</a> have long wished).<br /><br /><a href="https://www.mackinac.org/article.aspx?ID=4493">For years, Republicans have dreamed of doing away with Blue Cross</a>- just look at how much furor the notion of a "public option" has gotten in the national debate as it goes against everything the modern hyper-capitalists believe in (unregulated markets, a government that competes with the private sector or does what the private sector is unwilling or unable to do). Then look back here at Michigan and ask yourself if these people are really worried that any health care reform which includes the public option won't work... or that it will.Pol Watcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11607022458728937981noreply@blogger.com67tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957897.post-72305389399046887932009-06-18T19:38:00.006-05:002009-06-18T20:36:39.098-05:00Peter the Tweeter is at it again!Apparently fearing that the Iranian election dissent has taken America's eyes off the unbearable tragedies of being a Republican our favorite torture loving extremist decided to make a post in his twitter account.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://static.crooksandliars.com/files/uploads/2009/06/Pete%20Hoekstra%20%28petehoekstra%29%20on%20Twitter_1245285423399_a0df8.jpeg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 404px; height: 223px;" src="http://static.crooksandliars.com/files/uploads/2009/06/Pete%20Hoekstra%20%28petehoekstra%29%20on%20Twitter_1245285423399_a0df8.jpeg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Photo Courtesy Crooks and Liars</span><br /></span><br /><a href="http://crooksandliars.com/logan-murphy/republican-pete-hoekstra-compares-ira">Follow</a> as Logan Murphy, nails it when he points to the best part of this absurd statement:<br /><br /><br />The comments afterward!<br /><br />Personal favorite?<br /><br />michstjame: @petehoekstra <span style="font-weight: bold;">Laughed so hard at your tweet water came out my nose. Now I know what waterboarding feels like.</span> #GOPfail<br /><br />This of course made me laugh until I realized that this idiot could be our Governor soon.<br />Nahhh! that would kinda be like.....<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.javno.com/slike/slike_3/r1/g2009/m04/y199540232969516.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 324px; height: 243px;" src="http://www.javno.com/slike/slike_3/r1/g2009/m04/y199540232969516.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>agnosticrathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06721719728244521845noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957897.post-76108163424328270452009-06-10T20:40:00.005-05:002009-06-10T21:20:52.591-05:00Serf and turfYesterday I was driving by the Barry County Friend of the Court and noticed that the county was getting free landscape work courtesy of an inmate at the county jail. Well, free if you ignore the cost to the taxpayer to keep someone in the county jail and to drive them to a work site and to pay someone to keep an eye on them so they don't escape.<br /><br />I know that often the tattooed arms that restrain the pets at the local shelter which get photographed and printed in the local paper belong to jail inmates who do jobs to help pay for their 3 squares and a bed at Sheriff Leaf's B&B. So it didn't seem unusual in any way to see one of trimming the lawn. In fact, it was nice to know some guy wasn't getting paid 3 times my hourly wage to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine while I toil away inside an office not quite enjoying the stale air and flourescent lighting.<br /><br />Various citizens of Hastings were out walking the streets on a nice day. I noticed a few women strolling along a sidewalk not far from the inmate doing some weed whacking. I wondered how they felt looking over to realize a convict was standing not too far from them, without any apparent cuffs, leg irons, shackles or other implement to impede his movement that I could see. Even that didn't seem too odd given that this was at perhaps the busiest corner in the county, despite not seeing any armed guard or other presence to prevent an incident, since chances are this guy would like to hurry up and serve his time so he get out and perform the same menial task for at least minimum wage (if he's lucky enough to find employment, but that's another story I suppose). Maybe I've seen too many films but I half expected the Sheriff to be chewing on a toothpick or match, hand on his revolver or cradling a shotgun while keeping a watchful eye on his ward, but if any one was keeping an eye on the inmate while he performed his duties I didn't notice. I drove off without giving it any more thought.<br /><br />Then today I drove by that same spot and what I saw did seem a bit off to me- enough to remember what I'd seen, and nearly forgotten, from the day before. The same jail inmate in his orange jumpsuit was in nearly the same spot behind the Barry County Friend of the Court building in downtown Hastings. This time instead of doing the yard work he was performing another task, a surprising one, at least as I saw it. This time the orange-adorned inmate was buffing a shine onto a nice looking black Chrysler (a 300, I believe).<br /><br />Now, I have no way of knowing just from driving by and seeing this fleeting image whether the car in question is a county vehicle or privately owned but I didn't see any department insignia that would lead me to believe this car was official government property and I guess I didn't think a nicer car such as this would be used as a county vehicle- then again I still don't get why the Sheriff's Department has to drive gas guzzling SUVs while the state cops and city boys still seem to be able to fit their gear in a car just fine.<br /><br />Is it just me or does anyone else see a different between making jail inmates do some yard work and having them shine a car, especially if the car isn't county property? If someone in the county might order him to clean their car would they then also ask to get their shoes shined? What is the limit of what these inmates are forced to do? Does any one care or does this fall into the common attitude that we don't care how prisoners are treated as long as we feel someone is "bring tough" on them?<br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Blogger's note: </span>I though about waiting on this since I know </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2009/06/barry_township_police_chief_fo.html">local law enforcement is a bit pre-occupied tonight</a><span style="font-style: italic;"> (my condolences to those affected) but I figured if I waited I'd just forget about it or put it off and it would be another month before I posted something.</span></span>Pol Watcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11607022458728937981noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957897.post-14503331541467247552009-04-23T18:48:00.008-05:002009-04-23T19:33:32.059-05:00Hoekstra knew of torture...Admits it!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://images.askmen.com/blogs/politics/daily-blog-is-waterboarding-torture.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 459px; height: 192px;" src="http://images.askmen.com/blogs/politics/daily-blog-is-waterboarding-torture.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><blockquote>"It was not necessary to release details of the enhanced interrogation techniques, because members of Congress from both parties have been fully aware of them since the program began in 2002."</blockquote><br /><br />If it is true as Congressman Hoekstra admits in his editorial yesterday in the <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124044188941045415.html">Wall Street Journal</a> that he knew about, and even condoned torture in his position as ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, we as his constituents should call for his immediate resignation.<br /><br />in his own words:<br /><blockquote>"Members of Congress calling for an investigation of the enhanced interrogation program should remember that such an investigation can't be a selective review of information, or solely focus on the lawyers who wrote the memos, or the low-level employees who carried out this program.".</blockquote><br /> In his editorial he uses the same "everybody was doing it" excuse that my own parents would not accept from me as a child, and an end justifies the means excuse that reminds me of Nixonian days. What others knew, and when they knew it is a matter for investigators, and constituents of other congressional districts. But we cannot sit idly by when our own representative admits to allowing our nation to commit illegal actions.agnosticrathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06721719728244521845noreply@blogger.com40tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957897.post-60495269480724155292009-04-19T08:38:00.007-05:002009-04-19T09:44:15.611-05:00Of tea bags and d-bagsSo, the Republican Party has suddenly once again found its voice when it comes to deficits and bailouts to large industries. Despite years of being in power where they increased deficits, taking the nation from surpluses that could have secured Social Security and Medicare to deficits that were given mostly to the richest among us, and were in fact still power when the government handed out the largest of the bailouts that are they now so vociferously opposed to (it was fine when it was Wall Street but when Main Street started getting help they finally got up in arms about it), now we have to hear the sanctimonious blathering of the un-useful idiots who are now so enamored with the Constitution despite having spent 8 years dumping on it.<br /><br />Now, thanks to the endless cheer leading at Fox News and other right wing propaganda outlets, the so-called 'Tea Party' movement has loudly begun to protest problems that were created by the party they support. Oh, I know their press releases said the events were bi-partisan but looking at the lists of speakers at local rallies one can't help but notice the list of prominent 'celebrity' wingnuts (like "Joe the Plummer" whose major claim to fame was lying about his income in a staged public ambush against the Democratic presidential candidate), right wing party hacks and even announced candidates for office such as Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox who 's making a bid for governor. It's not exactly a bi-partisan movement when your most prominent advocates are Michelle Malkin, Glenn Beck and Neil Cavuto.<br /><br />According to their web site:<br /><p></p><blockquote><p>The Tea Party effort is just <span style="font-weight: bold;">a small piece of a much larger movement aimed at restoring the basic free-market principles</span> our country was built on. The Constitution, for the most part, is being ignored by our <span style="font-weight: bold;">current government</span> and we intend on working together to correct the problem.</p> <p>The Tea Party effort is a grassroots, collaborative volunteer organization made up of <span style="font-weight: bold;">every day American citizens</span> from across the country. We take pride in the fact that we've built a 50 state network of leaders and activists using nothing more than the internet, a few websites and a burning desire to restore freedom.</p></blockquote><p></p> <!--///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// END RECOMMENDED EDIT AREA /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////--> Interesting stuff. Funny, how many times have we heard the protest is against bailouts and yet the "current government" isn't the one that handed that AIG and others billions in taxpayer money. Funny that the current administration has actually done much more to ensure any money is used for its intended purpose and with oversight. It was the Republican administration and its media lapdogs that demanded the money immediately and with no accountability. I give some Republicans credit for having originally opposed the bailout but too many of them were the ones demanding no public oversight and that the money be handed out in the middle of the night like gambling debts paid to a bookie in a back alley. The biggest problem here is that the Republicans seem to oppose government programs for the wrong reason. Once upon a time even most Republicans believed in regulated capitalism but now all we hear is <a href="http://www.mlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2009/04/peter_luke_tea_party_tax_prote.html">"SOCIALISM"</a> every time the government tries to do what it should and needs to be doing to restore order in the markets and security to our financial system.<br /><br />The Republican party's financial benefactors have spent so much time and money "educating" its grassroots that all government is bad, that all regulation is flawed and any social safety net is immoral that too many have swallowed the party line and now hold an economic viewpoint that seems much closer to Mussolini's Italy than to Reagan's America.<br /><br />More disturbing, the groups fomenting these public demonstrations keep using code words such as "revolt" and "revolution." A <a href="http://www.americablog.com/2009/03/us-representative-michelle-bachmann.html">Congresswoman</a> has even taken to calling for "an armed revolution." Recent news reports speak of how people are buying guns and ammo in large numbers. These add up to disturbing trends that could lead down dangerous paths. We have already seen too many instances of people making threats of violence. It all seems like the 1990s again when the right wing rhetoric pumped up such "every day citizens" as Timothy McVeigh and Eric Rudolph to oppose government in a way that was much more than simple protest. The level of rhetoric is quickly ratcheting up and the paranoid hostility seems misplaced when many of the "government actions" these people oppose were ones originally enacted during the past adminstration.<br /><br />So, let's dial down the heated rhetoric and realize that the right wing lost the election and that the way to ensure being out of power for even longer is to embrace the nuttiest loons in the party and on it's fringes. The GOP is <a href="http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1108/15259.html">on the verge of becoming a regional party</a>, isolated in the deep south. <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/13/719435/-Poll:-Americans-love-France,-San-Francisco,-Europe,-and-NYC">A recent survey</a> showed the majority of Americans outside the deep south, including a majority of Republicans, outside of the deep south holding favorable opinions of such "liberal" icons as San Francisco and France yet listening to prominent Republicans you'd think they were despised by most Americans and certainly most Republicans. Most Americans support the current administration's efforts to re-enact regulation that prevented the type of calamity seen in the stock market over the last few months. Just as Republican opposition to the attempts by Franklin Roosevelt to repair the damage created by the GOP which helped fuel the Great Depression left them in the minority for years (one of the most vocal critics being Michigan's own <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Coughlin">Father Coughlin</a>), the current right wing's exuberant opposition to common sense and mainstream plans to fix years of fiscal "reforms" that dismantled consumer and worker protection and that promoted endless mergers and consolidation which turned our economy into a perilous house of cards could just make it harder for them to win in November... even if it helps them win in August.<br /><br />With a gubernatorial campaign and a dismal economy, the candidates for office in the Republican Party will fall all over themselves to see who can most strongly embrace right wing anger over having been kicked out of power and doing so might just help them win in the primary, but chances are it could actually hurt their chances to win in November. The Republican Party seems virtually assured of owning the Michigan Governor's Mansion unless they decide to dump those chances in the harbor. Will restraint win out? Given the nature of the GOP base over the last few years, I think the tea leaves suggest it's not likely.Pol Watcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11607022458728937981noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957897.post-81894717607607909222009-03-29T19:06:00.005-05:002009-03-29T19:29:18.177-05:00Don't forget to turn out the lights...Bye the way...Don't come in on monday either!<br />More unfortunate news as Wayland Chevy closes in Wayland. Tempers apparently ran high and there were a couple of scuffles.<br />Video from a WWMT report captured one of these scuffles.<br /><br /><embed src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f8/980289759" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashvars="videoId=17851781001&playerId=980289759&viewerSecureGatewayURL=https://console.brightcove.com/services/amfgateway&servicesURL=http://services.brightcove.com/services&cdnURL=http://admin.brightcove.com&domain=embed&autoStart=false&" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" swliveconnect="true" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash" height="412" width="486"></embed><br /><br /><br />It drives home the real cost of this terrible economy, as people loose their livelihoods, and families are effected. From what little I gleaned from this report, and others on the net, the company decided to not give notice of the closure until the day the doors would be shut. If true, such actions may very well be deserving of a knuckle sandwich being delivered in my opinion. As heartbreaking as it is to the owners and their families, that their businesses are being forced shut, they must remember the people working for them that put their hearts and souls into that company as well.agnosticrathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06721719728244521845noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957897.post-3083719239286485162009-03-24T17:56:00.007-05:002009-03-24T18:43:32.040-05:00CARS Act...Cash For Clunkers!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://gatecityauction.com/files/pedal_car.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 429px; height: 343px;" src="http://gatecityauction.com/files/pedal_car.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I was considering a post on the outlook for new fuel efficient auto's and new business' that are interested in making them here in Michigan. But rather than running through some hopefuls that may or may not designate this state for their American home I thought we could put that off until another day. Instead let's take a look at<br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"><br />Rep. Betty Sutton's (OH) Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save (<a href="http://www.usnews.com/articles/news/stimulus/2009/03/24/how-the-cash-for-clunkers-plan-would-help-new-car-buyers.html">CARS</a>) Act<br /><br /></span>While I am sure <a href="http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/03/18/cars-act-revives-cash-for-clunkers-scrapping-plan-in-u-s/">everyone knows what I am talking about</a> when I mention the CARS Act, please give me a moment in case you have been out of town for awhile.<br /><br />The CARS act proposes to give consumers up to $5,000 for an old clunker trade in on an auto that is built in the United States that gets at least 27 mpg.<br />This proposal has many advantages to people living in the state of Michigan.<br /><br />First and foremost it would help the economy as people who take advantage of the measure buy new cars. A similar measure in Germany caused a new car sales surge of 21 percent.<br /><br />Secondly it helps the environment when people buy autos with more efficient motors. I still see some eighties land yachts floating around our highways, and this may be enough money to benefit those that otherwise cannot afford more practical means of getting to, and from work.<br /><br />Third it makes us more independent from foreign sources of oil. Something that all sides of the political spectrum can agree is in our best interest.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"></span>agnosticrathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06721719728244521845noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957897.post-24441059231905863532009-03-21T12:45:00.005-05:002009-03-21T13:31:34.887-05:00A taste for cheap political stuntsOne of the rumored contestants in the reality show political sweepstakes to be Michigan's Next Top Governor is the CEO of Domino's Pizza, David Brandon. Now, if you're like me, when you heard that you said "who?" Maybe you know Tom Monihan, the wingnut billionaire who founded Domino's and is using his fortune to create an ultra-conservative Catholic law school and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ave_Maria,_Florida">city/cult compound</a> in Florida. You may also know Mike Ilitch, founder of Little Caesar's and owner of the world champion Red Wings (who look capable of repeating) and the hoping to not stink as bad as last year Detroit Tigers (good luck on that without serious pitching help). Both of those last guys would at least be close to household names in Michigan if they chose to run, but Brandon is a relative unknown to most people.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/17/144732/855">Dana Houle</a> knows about Brandon:<br /><blockquote>"You probably wouldn't realize that he's a rightwing Republican who in 2006 <a href="http://www.pizzamarketplace.com/article.php?id=4620">chaired</a> the gubernatorial campaign of <a href="http://metrotimes.com/editorial/story.asp?id=9712">Amway heir and rightwing loon Dick DeVos</a> and in 2008 <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119267248520862997.html">bundled donations for Mitt Romney</a> and was a major <a href="http://www.campaignmoney.com/political/contributions/david-brandon.asp?cycle=08">donor to John McCain</a>. <p>You might not know that in 2006 Brandon seriously considered running against Democratic Senator Debbie Stabenow..."</p><div style="text-align: left;">Or...<blockquote></blockquote></div> <p></p><blockquote></blockquote>"that last year Brandon was the <a href="http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20080630/SUB/806300303">second highest paid CEO in Michigan</a>, or that he is often paid in the range of <a href="http://www.allbusiness.com/company-activities-management/company-structures-ownership/8589287-1.html">$20 million per year</a>."<p></p></blockquote>That's a lot of money for a guy who's company <a href="http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/reuters/MTFH91154_2009-02-24_19-12-21_N24353950.htm">isn't even doing that well</a>. Well, thanks to a high profile advertising campaign that has suddenly appeared on the TV airwaves, people are getting to know David Brandon who is now shamelessly touting "Domino’s Big Taste Bailout" with high-profile spots aired during mega-ratings blockbuster "American Idol."<br /><br />According to a press release:<br /><blockquote>"<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dave Brandon</span>, CEO of Domino’s Pizza is taking to the streets for the launch of "Domino’s Big Taste Bailout" promotion. The TV commercials will premiere today during Fox’s American Idol. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Brandon</span> will be guiding us from Capitol Hill via Wall Street to Main Street, with an offer to deliver three or more medium, one topping pizzas or oven baked sandwiches for just $5 each to American consumers. <p>In an on-line continuation of the promotion, Domino’s consumers can actually win a Super Big Taste Bailout. Consumers are encouraged to visit Dominos.com to nominate a friend in need of a bailout. Two winners, as well as their nominating friends, will receive a year’s worth of Domino’s Pizza products with the prize delivered directly to their door by CEO <span style="font-weight: bold;">Dave Brandon</span> himself. Leading up to the first delivery, a countdown can be viewed on Dominos.com indicating when the delivery will take place. When the delivery takes place, the site will change to show <span style="font-weight: bold;">Brandon</span>’s location as he arrives at the winner’s house."</p></blockquote><p></p>So, are these ads meant to advertise the offer (which gets a single mention in the press release) or the name of the CEO (which appears four times in the space of seven sentences) who is suddenly a "pizza populist" who is spreading economic goodwill in the form of affordable slabs of bleached flour topped with tomato sauce, cheese, etc.? And does this remind anyone else of the last time we had a gubernatorial campaign and suddenly the company of a candidate started to use it's ad money to assist the campaign in a way that played footsy with potential campaign finance violations?<br /><br />If you've already forgotten, Brandon's buddy <a href="http://www.michiganliberal.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=6427">Dick Devos tried this</a> with the Amway company who's horrible reputation as a reputed pyramid scheme was dragging down his campaign and was becoming the target of more and more attacks from the Democratic Party. Amway, who many life-long Michigan citizens could never recall having advertised on TV, suddenly brought out a huge waves of ads in a campaign called "I Am Amway" which were meant to show the company in a positive light and meant to help DeVos' poor personal approval numbers. It didn't help. Then again, I'm sure people like their cheap pizza more than the low cost laundry soap their co-worker keeps nagging them to buy. The difference here is that Amway and Devos were already unpopular and the candidate, mired in a losing campaign, tried this as a last ditch effort. This time around, Brandon is merely trying to raise his <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Q_Score">Q rating</a> so Michigan voters in the GOP primary will have heard of the CEO when he runs.<br /><br />Any way you slice it, it's obvious Brandon is using company money to build up his name recognition in order to bolster his upcoming campaign. Will Michigan voters buy it? Myself, I just find it humorous that a right wing Republican is talking up a bailout as if it's a good thing. Maybe those ads might not work as well as Brandon would like them to, especially since the base of the Republican Party likes the idea of bailouts about as much as most people like their pizza with anchovies.Pol Watcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11607022458728937981noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957897.post-75453799942419482612009-03-17T08:42:00.004-05:002009-03-17T09:07:45.135-05:00Found in the local paperFound in the Thursday, March 12, 2009 edition of The Hastings Banner:<br /><br /><blockquote style="font-weight: bold;">"...there was an editor in Barry County who sometimes freely published his opinions about individuals."<br /><br />..."he had a way of stating what he meant. He did not criticize to be mean-spirited. He had the conviction that a newspaper should be free to criticize officers and persons, if public interested seemed to demand that course."</blockquote>The quotes come from former Hastings Banner M.L. Cook circa 1940 speaking of Orno Strong who was editor at the Nashville News apparently sometime in the 1890s. They appear in the "From Time to Time" history column without much information. I find it ironic those words were printed in the paper that fired their editor for espousing a personal opinion on his own blog with quotes fully attributed under his name, the blog even carrying a disclaimer that the writings were his own personal opinion.<br /><br />I think one reason we see the trouble that newspapers are in is because so many of them took personal criticism as something to be avoided, firm stances alienate advertisers and readers. I can remember having a discussion with David T. Young, the former editor of the Banner, when I was considering starting this blog. The way I saw it, blogs were returning to the roots of the American newspaper. Blogs are all about opinion and point of view.<br /><br />While many look down their noses even to this day, I think we've seen the American public voting with their wallets as newspapers whither on the vine and blogs enjoy increasing respectability and visibility. When I've been (often rightly) criticized for my own failings and shortcoming, I always tell the critics that they are free to start their own blog.<br /><br />We are no longer help captive by the rich men who buy ink by the barrel. In fact, if this site cost me a dime I'd never have been able or willing to start it. You are free to publish your own unedited opinion without charge or much technical skill and I welcome you to do so. And sure, some may abuse that privilege, you may even think I've done so but how many newspapers have ignored their duty? How many newspapers, as well as TV news outlets, led the way into a misguided war in Iraq? How many stood by while the last administration ran up the debt and dismantled the protections that could have stopped or impeded the "economic tsunami" that now threatens us? How many newspapers are still allowing viewpoints they agree with through the filter of the editors pen without question while stopping others from accessing the precious space of the editorial pages? How many times does a trusted friend or political ally get to have their say, while potentially violating campaign finance laws and standards of ethics, while others are censored and silenced?<br /><br />You can't ignore that often this blog and others like it have been places for vigorous discussions that couldn't take place in newspapers which often censor opinions the publisher disagrees with, while allowing its owner to stand high on his soapbox spouting off his own personal opinion. The thing is, you probably don't have the personal fortune to start your newspaper if you don't like the one you have. But you can start your own blog....Pol Watcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11607022458728937981noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957897.post-71233942222003478582009-02-24T18:01:00.007-05:002009-03-01T22:08:14.813-05:00On the Virge<object height="344" width="425"> There always seems to a seminal moment in the career of many leaders. An instance where clarity of voice welds with singularity of purpose. The most recent of these has culminated in an overwhelming response from the net roots. Captured forever on the blogosphere in this video.<br /><br /><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/a-nLS6FJtSM&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/a-nLS6FJtSM&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br />Mayor Bernero seems to be just the kind of person that is able to share how big 3 employees are building the future of our nation, and not just our state.<object height="344" width="425"> Not to mention fight for the common worker in a system that has for the last decade been tilted for the large corporations. A voice that will not be shouted down by the Rush Limbaugh talking points of an obviously partisan commentator in the conservative media.<br />To simply point this out to no end would be sufficient for most. But as I type these words I wonder what could be the future for this man. Where he will be led to further the goals of an increasingly (and necessarily so) progressive nation.<br />In a state that has been been placed upon the back burner in the minds of many, it is my hope that there are a few others that may consider that we may be on the Virge of a great comeback.<br /></object>agnosticrathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06721719728244521845noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957897.post-92007320928790182112009-02-22T08:33:00.005-05:002009-02-22T09:22:56.664-05:002010 Governor's race heats up in Feb. 2009Despite it only being February of 2009, the eyes of politicos are all cast on fall of 2010 when Michigan elects a new Governor to replace term-limited Jennifer Granholm. A mushrooming field of entrants have declared or are testing the waters, almost a year and a half before the August 3, 2010 primary. With the state political conventions taking place this weekend, we are sure to see the race heat up even more.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.freep.com/article/20090220/NEWS15/902200345/Who+wants+to+be+next+governor?+Parties+hear+from+hopefuls">The Free Press</a> has a short article discussing the race and the impact of the weekend conventions on shaping the race:<br /><br /><blockquote>"I don't think these party conventions are a huge deal," said Lansing political consultant Robert Kolt. "But when you're at this point, these are the people you need to help launch a campaign."<br /></blockquote><br />So, who's running and who's thinking about running and who's trying to get their name out there to get some free publicity? <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michigan_gubernatorial_election,_2010">Wikipedia</a> offers this field of candidates and prospects testing the waters for possible bids:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Democratic Party</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br /></span><ul><li>Lieutenant Governor John D. Cherry</li><li>State House Speaker Andy Dillon</li><li>Wayne County Executive Robert A. Ficano</li><li>Genesee County Treasurer Dan Kildee</li><li>Congressman Bart Stupak</li><li>former Speaker of the House Curtis Hertel</li><li>former Flint Mayor Don Williamson* (who just resigned under threat of recall)</li></ul>*So far, only Williamson has formally declared his candidacy.<br />Also said to be considering a run are former Michigan State University football head coach George Perles (who must be like 1,000 years old) and Macomb County Sheriff Mark Hackel (who? a county sheriff for Governor? what's next, dog catcher?). Former Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer ruled out a gubernatorial run on November 20, 2008 despite decent <a href="http://publicpolicypolling.blogspot.com/2008/07/michigan-governor-2010.html">polling</a> last summer showing him outperforming the Lt. Governor in hypothetical match ups with DeVos and Land.<br /><br />Without Archer, the Democrats seem to lack a 'superstar' with name recognition across the state. So far, the field is uninspiring to Democrats I talk to, with many alarmed that the milquetoast Cherry could even be considered a "front runner." It almost makes you wonder if outside those term-limited politicians who have nothing to lose, the rest of the Democratic Party has decided it's just not their year and are basically ceding it to the GOP.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Republican Party</span><br /><br />Early reports had 2006 gubernatorial loser Dick DeVos trying to elbow any competition out of the race. But when the defeated DeVos decided not to get his billionaire butt bounced by the "overpaid" and unwashed masses a 2nd time, the race opened up for the GOP. Having effectively stonewalled the Governor's agenda for 8 years and blamed her for the economic mess and endless budget battles, the GOP looks ripe to pick off the seat.<br /><br />With lust in his heart, Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox was the first candidate to join the whole affair when he let his eyes wander to the Governor's mansion, forming an exploratory campaign last fall. Also officially in the mix is Michigan Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land. Other candidates might include:<br /><ul><li>State Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop</li><li>Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard</li><li>Domino's Pizza CEO David Brandon</li><li>Congressman Peter Hoekstra (said to be speaking at the Barry Co. Lincoln Day dinner)</li><li>State Senator Wayne Kuipers</li><li>Congresswoman Candice Miller</li><li>Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson</li><li>State Senator Tom George</li></ul>Also among those being discussed: Congressman Mike Rogers announced that he would not be running. National Review is trying to find a job for former Massachusetts governor and 2008 Presidential candidate Mitt Romney and is floating his name, despite Romney not even living in the state. Washed up rocker Ted Nugent has said that he has been looking into a possible run in 2010- just as he threatens to do every four years before chickening out every time. Personally, I think "The Nuge" is just trying to (Great White) 'Buffalo' his gullible fans into thinking he's politically relevant and earning some free publicity for his next reality show. The Republican race seems stacked with contenders and it should be an epic battle, with lots of early drop outs and likely a very hard fought contest leaving lots of scars and bruises, something the Democrats must be counting on if they have any chance to retain the Governor's mansion.<br /><br />The coming days and weeks will likely shirt the landscape even more as we find out who's in and who's out. Chances are that the party faithful will find some things to like and a lot not to like about the current crop of candidates.Pol Watcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11607022458728937981noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957897.post-50429310230660400612009-01-24T09:35:00.004-05:002009-01-24T09:54:35.512-05:00Prosecutors propose prolonged punishmentAccording to <a href="http://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/index.ssf/2009/01/sat_prosecutors_oppose_early_r.html">this story</a> in the Muskegon Chronicle, West Michigan prosecutors are coming out of the woodwork to loudly oppose Governor Granholm's proposal to release thousands of non-violent offenders from state prisons, <span style="font-weight: bold;">saving the state $262 million dollars</span> in 6 years:<br /><br /><p></p><blockquote><p>Gov. Jennifer Granholm and legislative leaders asked the Council of State Governments to review Michigan's criminal justice system and recommend cost savings. Those savings could be realized by reducing Michigan's prison population from nearly 48,500 inmates down to around 43,500, the report said.</p> <p>Suggested legislation endorsed by key Republican and Democratic lawmakers would require the release of <span style="font-weight: bold;">inmates who have served 120 percent of their minimum sentence, unless the parole board determines they pose a "very high risk" of committing new crimes.</span></p> <a name="more"></a><p>The new law <span style="font-weight: bold;">would not apply to current inmates nor to felons serving a maximum term of life for offenses including murder, rape, kidnapping, armed robbery or carjacking.</span></p></blockquote><p> </p><br />In other words, the worst offenders would stay behind bars where they should be and only a small amount (5,000 out of 48,500) would be eligible for early release. Mostly, the prosecutors just want to sound tough so they win their next election and don't really seem to mind that Michigan is once again facing a budget shortfall that could wipe out the types of programs that are built to actually prevent crime. In fact, the plan actually beefs up those programs. According to <a href="http://www.freep.com/article/20090122/NEWS06/90122055?imw=Y">the Freep article</a> on the study:<br /><br /><blockquote>Also included in the group’s potential remedies are <span style="font-weight: bold;">beefed-up law enforcement and crime lab capabilities</span>, and increased training and job placement for offenders and disconnected young people.</blockquote>So, now we get the hysterical prison industrial complex saying that the "early" release (even though they will have served 120% of the minimum sentence) of these prisoners will jeopardize public safety and those same people will offer no remedies in fixing the state budget or the economy other than casting blame at the people who have in fact been making the tough decisions. The answer to public safety isn't to lock everyone up. The answer to patching yet another budget hole isn't passing tax cuts and building more prisons. The answer isn't to listen to a bunch of politicians who can make a name for themselves by sounding tough and taking the easy path to popularity. We need adults who can quit grandstanding and picking on society's bogeyman to pad their resumés and win reelection.<br /><br />This all reminds me of a quote from the quotable H.L. Mencken:<br /><br /><blockquote>"<span class="huge">The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.</span>"</blockquote>Pol Watcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11607022458728937981noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957897.post-51404322936675911682009-01-12T21:17:00.008-05:002009-01-13T07:20:29.031-05:00All-inclusive invocationI just talked to someone tonight who still had their Christmas tree up and since this is my first post of the new year I guess I can't make fun of <a href="http://www.hastingsbanner.com/">the Hastings Banner</a> for still having it's Seasons Greetings header up on their web site. I didn't even realize their web site was up and running! So, here all of this time I could have been link blogging to the paper of record for Barry County and I didn't realize it. According to the Banner, it's seems <a href="http://www.hastingsbanner.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=87&twindow=Default&mad=No&sdetail=198&wpage=&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=2765&hn=hastingsbanner&he=.com">the first order of business</a> of the new Barry County Board wasn't to deal with public health and safety, it was to tend to their spiritual needs.<br /><br /><blockquote>Having an invocation at future meetings was part of the discussion during the reorganizational session. Newly elected County Commissioner Mike Bremer brought up the subject, asking board members whether they wanted to have an invocation at future meetings. Bremer read a sample invocation to the board. Callton said to include an invocation during a meeting does not require a vote by the commissioners. Callton said he will include an invocation, after the pledge of allegiance, on the next meeting agenda <span style="font-weight: bold;">and will give Bremer the opportunity to give the invocation.</span></blockquote><br />Perhaps, Mr. Bremer's request to say grace before meetings was sincere but I seem to remember the last time that sticky wicket reared it's ugly head, a former commissioner threw it out at a meeting in the midst of a political campaign to try to separate himself from an opponent he was trying to paint as too liberal. When this stuff comes up, even if it's brought up in a sincere, humble and tolerant way, it almost always gets used eventually by those who simply need a cheap and easy way to gain re-election. Let's hope this isn't the case no matter what the intent.<br /><br />This year is full of challenges in West Michigan and across the country. Let's not get distracted by fights over who's invisible friend is stronger than who's when there is more serious work to attend to.Pol Watcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11607022458728937981noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957897.post-91740104402576431802008-12-28T15:13:00.011-05:002008-12-30T20:00:42.659-05:002008- Leftovers (part 1)I think going forward it would do us well to take a look back at things left unsaid, and those little items that made mention but were lost in posts that may have been on a different subject at the time.<br /> A perfect example of loosing the forest through the trees is the sudden loss of interest in what plagued our state at the beginning of the primary season. Disenfranchisement of voters through a system that allows that a few select states will always be allowed to kill candidacies before other states may have a say. I think this antiquated system must go, and I have to chuckle at those Republicans that mocked the Democrats during this years primary for what can only be described as inter party turmoil. The GOP base must realize that McCain held advantages through this system that led to his nomination. Only now after the General Election are conservatives beginning to say that they were forced to back a candidate they would not allow to speak for them previously, and since.<br /><br /><h3 class="post-title entry-title"><a href="http://westmichiganpolitics.blogspot.com/2008/01/primary-post-mortem.html">Primary post-mortem</a></h3><blockquote style="font-weight: bold;">"While the country and the Republican candidates talked about the state's issues (which was the intent of those in the state who forced the change), the Democratic candidates were nowhere to be found. What followed was an absurd one-sided discussion which mostly focused on the same George Bush voodoo economics that hasn't worked and never will- and certainly not the cure for what ails us."</blockquote><br />As for the Democrats, I fear that Pol's comment may very well explain how the recent conversation dealing with bridge loans to automakers was easily hijacked by GOP talking points meant to blame the workers in the UAW for the folly of executives in the auto industry. Without the firm footing of knowledge brought on by a vigorous primary campaign in Michigan, the Democrats gave conservatives the upper hand when trying to explain the difficulties we are having here, and what caused them.<br /><br /><br />The subject comes up again, while discussing the popularity numbers for our Governor.<br /><h3 class="post-title entry-title"><a href="http://westmichiganpolitics.blogspot.com/2008/04/not-as-unpopular-as-they-would-have-you.html">Not as unpopular as they would have you believe</a></h3><blockquote style="font-weight: bold;">"I'd say that all in all this isn't bad news for Granholm who has taken the brunt of round after round of budget battles with belligerent opponents who can't accept defeat at the ballot box as a sign that the public is not with them in their quest to restrict investments in state infrastructure and education, as well as getting the blame for the economic downturn <span style="font-style: italic;">which was caused by the failure of the Big 3 to nurse itself away from production lines raking in vast profits making gas-guzzling SUVs before the price of oil rose and dried up their profits, leading to massive job layoffs in a state already hit with the effects of trade deals without sufficient worker and environmental protections to level the playing field."</span><br /></blockquote>A prediction could have been made at this moment that Republicans were not going to fare well in the coming general. Consistently being shown as the party of obstruction will have an effect on it's popularity. <h3 class="post-title entry-title"><a href="http://westmichiganpolitics.blogspot.com/2008/06/lights-out.html">Lights Out</a></h3> A chance to discuss the Obama plan to rebuild infrastructure. Something the Granholm administration has pushed for the state for some time. It is clear to me that this will be something that will not be on the back burner in months to come. It is a great chance to help ourselves build our way to a better tomorrow. I am hoping that while much of this infrastructure re-building is done through works projects, that there will also be something in it for the companies that they may help grow and adapt to what will likely be one based on green technology. Let's face it, if I am to ever get my electric car I hope to be able to utilize the power grid in such a way as not to overtax it, and wouldn't want Pol to have to endure another three day weekend without power:<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><blockquote><span style="font-weight: bold;">"I'm taking my chances with this post since many of you regular readers might be among those without power, but for those with some juice feel free to share your story about how you made it through the weekend. Enjoy your weather-related 3 day weekend... and give some sort of thanks to the crews working 'round the clock to get everything back up and running even as you wish they could do it even faster."</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></blockquote><br />Another on the list of things to do is a suggestion by Pol that I hardly believe would bother either party, or the electorate as a whole in Barry County<span style="font-weight: bold;">:</span><h3 class="post-title entry-title"><a href="http://westmichiganpolitics.blogspot.com/2008/06/thats-debatable-sheriffs-edition.html">That's Debatable- Sheriff's edition</a></h3><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span> <blockquote><span style="font-weight: bold;">"While it makes sense for the Republican Party to host their own primary debates,<span style="font-style: italic;"> I still would prefer to see the debates sponsored by the local media and/or a consortium of local civic organizations </span>especially when it comes to the general election- at least when we manage to get a slate on candidates running on both sides of the political fence. "</span></blockquote>Such a move would likely save some party money needed in the battle for election, but also free up the possibility of third parties to be more of a factor in coming local elections. Cries of bias will always be around, but they will not have as much weight if outside forces were to gain control of the agenda during debates.<br /><br />This brings to close the first part of our feast, but stay tuned as the meat, and potatoes are yet to come.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span>agnosticrathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06721719728244521845noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957897.post-36384685026401932872008-12-14T17:40:00.008-05:002008-12-14T18:10:22.221-05:00Union Busting!Thom Hartman is one of those people that can cut through the bull like a laser through butter. He was on Countdown recently to discuss the GOP's opposition to helping the Big3 automakers. As has been <a href="http://thenewshole.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/12/12/1713569.aspx">proven</a> this has nothing to do with the amount of money asked for, or the viability of these corporations. It is purely revenge for the unions backing the Democrats in past elections, coupled with their vile hatred for organized labor.<br /><br />Via Crooks and Liars (<a href="http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/thom-hartmann-countdown-consequence-reaganomics">video cafe</a>):<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Tuo1iG6eF-M&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Tuo1iG6eF-M&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br /><blockquote>We have gone, when Reagan came into office we were the largest exporter of manufactured goods and the largest importer of raw materials on the planet. And the largest creditor. More people owed us money than anybody else in the world. Now just twenty eight years later we're the largest importer of finished goods, manufactured goods, exporter of raw materials which is kind of the definition of a third world nation and we're the most in debt of any country in the world. This is the absolute consequence of Reaganomics.<br /></blockquote>agnosticrathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06721719728244521845noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957897.post-38028054272763735772008-12-06T10:31:00.008-05:002008-12-06T11:45:59.279-05:00Making bailThe news since Election Day has been mostly filled with talk of the next administration which is akin to following the pre-season in sports. Well, as many Michigan residents may know the Lions went an undefeated 4-0 in pre-season and have yet to win any games in the regular season (0-12 as of now). For that reason, I've pretty much been ignoring most news lately.<br /><br />The other big story has been the proposed "bailout" of the "Big 3" sort of-U.S. based automakers. Sadly, the manner in which the issue is discussed is the same old sensationalism and sponsor-based propaganda. I'm pretty sick of politics because I'm tired of the same arguments from the same people. And here we go again, more Monday morning businessmen telling the Big 3 how they should be run which becomes a sort of sick comedy when it's a Senator who has helped run up the debt and the deficit. It's even funnier when it's a newspaper editor or publisher in a dying industry that is losing jobs faster than Detroit telling us how to run the national economy. Except it's not funny when people are losing jobs and homes and health care.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span><br />Now, Congress acts as if it's not responsible for the dire straights of the automakers when they approved tax breaks for people to buy large SUVs for their small businesses when a smaller vehicle would have done the job, failed to pass stringent fuel-economy standards or instituted some sort of price controls to keep gasoline prices at a rate which would allow alternative energy to compete or done away with the tax breaks for "Big Oil" which allowed them a competitive advantage. It's also obvious how much our reckless trade deals have other countries sell their products on our shores while sending the profits to their overseas headquarters.<br /><br />While it's true the automakers contributed to the mess, it seems odd to hear them get blamed for what is American business 101: maximize short-term profit and to hell with everything else. We now live in a country where many seem to equate regulated capitalism with socialism so it seems funny to hear those same advocates of unregulated markets turn around and blame the Big 3 for doing what was in their shareholders best and most immediate interest- a central tenet of capitalism! I find it odd that a culture that celebrates money above all else suddenly wants to wag it's finger at an industry that pretty much followed those rules.<br /><br />Of course, to hear some people tell it, the real villains are the money-grubbing workers who wanted to be paid well for back-breaking labor which most people won't subject themselves to.<br />In their warped world-view the UAW is to blame for all of this. Let me say this clearly: the job of the union is to advocate for the employees. When they negotiate wages and benefits they are out to maximize what their members receive. It is the job of the corporate representative to negotiate with the best interest of the company in mind. The CEOs signed off on every single deal. If they thought wages or benefits were too generous it is up to the CEOs to not sign the deals, period. In fact, since Reagan's election in 1980 unions have been under seige and on the decline, yet almost 30 years later they are still a convenient whipping-boy of the corporations and the media who would like to ignore all the free trade agreements and other deals which created the mess we're in.<br /><br />But let's get to one of the biggest unspoken and underlying reasons for the mess we're in: other countries can make products cheaper because health care costs are killing American companies and crippling their ability to hire new workers even in good times. The idiot's answer is to gut the benefits. Everyone else can clearly understand that if we took away the need for companies to supply health benefits then they'd be free of that burden and workers would no longer fear leaving their jobs because of the fear of losing health care benefits.<br /><br />In fact, I maintain one of the biggest strangleholds currently on the entrepreneurial spirit in this country is people scared to start their own business because they risk having to go without health care. Imagine if health care was guaranteed how many new businesses could be developed? Some workers aren't even allowed to work over 35 hours because the company would then be forced to label them as full time and pay benefits which means lots of people might have jobs but nobody can pay their bills and they don't have health care when they get sick (they go to the emergency room which costs more which we still end up paying for which forces health care costs up even higher).<br /><br />The good news is that this is being discussed. The bad news is that the discussion is still controlled by the same people who's economic solutions are akin to a medieval doctor who's cure just might kill the patient sooner than the disease. It just reminds me: what's the opposite of a bailout? Drowning...Pol Watcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11607022458728937981noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957897.post-80270844238258346472008-11-06T08:36:00.006-05:002008-11-07T07:26:22.458-05:00Governor to Obama Cabinet?<a href="http://www.mlive.com/business/index.ssf/2008/11/with_obama_win_speculation_swi.html">MLive carries an AP story</a> speculating on Governor Granholm's future:<br /><br /><p></p><p></p><blockquote style="font-style: italic;"><p>Granholm has made attracting wind turbine manufacturers and alternative energy suppliers a key part of her administration's economic development strategy. Now, some are speculating that could mean Obama might be interested in asking ask her to lead the federal Department of Energy.</p> <a name="more"></a><p>The Canadian-born governor says she's ready to work with Obama as governor until her term expires in 2010, but hasn't ruled out leaving for Washington. She's also been mentioned as a possible U.S. Supreme Court justice if an opening arose.</p><blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><br />Granholm is term-limited and this would be a perfect opportunity to find her next job and set up a successor. I've been saying for a while to anyone who would listen that Granholm would make a great Secretary of Energy given her focus on and knowledge of energy issues and how those issues affect the domestic auto industry. This would also give a successor a head start on a win in 2010 and help Democrats retain the governor's mansion (although a repeat run from DeVos would practically ensure that anyway).Pol Watcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11607022458728937981noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957897.post-33621488483926335452008-11-06T08:22:00.007-05:002008-11-06T08:32:21.770-05:00EARTHQUAKEThis is what a landslide looks like....<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Michigan 2004:<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMGDQu-7tnxPNaOaqFm1zHBF6U3ioGEiEQBzBTq8BXXyhp0sX7ngyKGwgkOqEkYv_gXRTmLqmNxvPHrZMgz3BBTf7rUeRLgHy2erIr3ydYCSMathn5uD0K10cUoGUV67q6syW7Yg/s1600-h/Mich04.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMGDQu-7tnxPNaOaqFm1zHBF6U3ioGEiEQBzBTq8BXXyhp0sX7ngyKGwgkOqEkYv_gXRTmLqmNxvPHrZMgz3BBTf7rUeRLgHy2erIr3ydYCSMathn5uD0K10cUoGUV67q6syW7Yg/s320/Mich04.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265534841597710082" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Michigan 2008:<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYWFLz5fPMDruuYFDsShUGZhvV6T4944wvnMCb_htxohbcI-dK-ZA5_rWFuuupSoJF1HLrZNMvXViMsSKBom8TQNyQsX5Kr9GMmFkWsGDQlx2R4i6-QfM8T1IrpXcPEGbmXULeYQ/s1600-h/Mich08.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 303px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYWFLz5fPMDruuYFDsShUGZhvV6T4944wvnMCb_htxohbcI-dK-ZA5_rWFuuupSoJF1HLrZNMvXViMsSKBom8TQNyQsX5Kr9GMmFkWsGDQlx2R4i6-QfM8T1IrpXcPEGbmXULeYQ/s320/Mich08.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265535057752511426" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://eclectablog.blogspot.com/">Hat tip to Eclectablog</a>Pol Watcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11607022458728937981noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957897.post-15290472837023885332008-11-04T21:30:00.005-05:002008-11-04T21:58:17.391-05:00Election Day NightWOOD TV is reporting they exit poll showing <a href="http://www.woodtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=9291096">Proposal 1</a> and <a href="http://www.woodtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=9291120">2</a> both passing by a wide margin, also Obama winning huge in Michigan. <a href="http://www.woodtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=9293541">7th House district</a>, the only competitive West Michigan national race is tight with Schauer looking to take the seat- hasn't been called yet but how can Walberg overcome such huge Dem margins? Levin, of course, romps to victory. Supreme Court justice Taylor going down in defeat?<br /><br />Still waiting for local totals... <a href="http://www.ask4direct.com/InfoRead.asp?id=WBCH&InfoID=475048">looks like Yarger and Calley win</a>?<br /><br />The Detroit Free Press is keeping track of all of the State House races <a href="http://www.freep.com/article/20081104/NEWS15/81104060">here</a>.Pol Watcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11607022458728937981noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957897.post-36919446155470223932008-11-03T20:28:00.004-05:002008-11-03T21:02:46.262-05:00Election day resourcesWell, here we go!<br /><br />During the day tommorow you may want to check in with <a href="http://www.electoral-vote.com/">electoral-vote.com</a>, they have comprehensive coverage of polling results. Or if you are a numbers freak I highly recommend <a href="http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/">fivethirtyeight.com</a>. They will make you wish you payed more attention in math class, but also make it fun with updates, and blog posts that always have something interesting.<br /><br />For the evening a couple of things:<br /><br />First, I recommend that you be prepared for the evening with a scorecard. The best that I have seen so far is the <a href="http://images.dailykos.com/images/user/3/Daily_Kos_2008_Crib_Sheet_.pdf">one-page downloaded crib sheet</a> .pdf from <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/">Kos</a>. I recommend you download it somewhere with a color printer as it will be much easier to decipher. For those of you so inclined the comprehensive <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/special/2008ElectionGuide">Election Guide</a> has much more to offer.<br /> Secondly, when the polls close locally, the results by precinct will be available on .pdf format <a href="http://www.barrycounty.org/unofficial-november-election-results/">here</a> at barrycounty.org.<br /><br />Oh yeah! You may want to <span style="font-weight: bold;">VOTE!</span>agnosticrathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06721719728244521845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957897.post-4903936428706602922008-10-26T13:59:00.004-05:002008-11-02T10:14:16.333-05:00Proposal 2<div style="text-align: center;">PROPOSAL 08-2<br />A PROPOSAL TO AMEND THE STATE CONSTITUTION TO ADDRESS HUMAN<br />EMBRYO AND HUMAN EMBRYONIC STEM CELL RESEARCH IN MICHIGAN<br /></div><br />The proposed constitutional amendment would:<br /><br />• Expand use of human embryos for any research permitted under federal law subject to the following limits: the embryos --<br />-- are created for fertility treatment purposes;<br />-- are not suitable for implantation or are in excess of clinical needs;<br />-- would be discarded unless used for research;<br />-- were donated by the person seeking fertility treatment.<br />• Provide that stem cells cannot be taken from human embryos more than 14 days after cell division begins.<br />• Prohibit any person from selling or purchasing human embryos for stem cell research.<br />• Prohibit state and local laws that prevent, restrict or discourage stem cell research, future therapies and cures. <br /><br />Should this proposal be adopted?<br /><br />Yes!<br /><br />The easiest way to explain this vote is compassion versus ignorance. Compassion means allowing scientific research to take place that can lead to new discoveries. A no vote, cast out of ignorance means you will let your personal religious beliefs trump the good of all society. The Catholic church hierarchy and Right to Life lobbyists are fighting this issue on religious and moral grounds which might make sense if these embryos were not already being destroyed. If the "no" voters really had any conviction they would have their own proposal on the ballot to outlaw fertility treatments and in vitro fertilization. Allowing this research shows we are a society of reason, science and compassion. There simply is <span style="font-weight: bold;">no reason to vote no</span> unless you think a frozen embryo on the way to a garbage can has more right to 'its" life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness than someone suffering from a curable disease that won't be saved because the Puritans, witch-hunters and forces of moral purity have allowed their unfounded fears to take precedence over reason, compassion and science yet again.<br /><br />Bogeyman arguments and superstition have been used to squash science for centuries (anyone remember the black helicopter crowd opposing flouride in drinking water not too long ago?). Fortunately, over time most of these absurdities find their way into the dustbin of history, another example of our ignorant past. Basing your vote against such a well thought out proposal, on the plots of science fiction novels is silly. The thought of not using these embryos that are already being discarded to save human lives is ridiculous and certainly not a "pro-life" position, it's also not a pro-science position or even a pro-economy position. Michigan has the potential to continue to press its investment in life sciences to build an economy for the 21st century and this proposal is one more step in that direction. We would be allowing scientists the ability to recycle materials for the possible betterment of mankind.<br /><br />There simply is not argument to not vote YES on proposal 2- it's a matter of compassion.agnosticrathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06721719728244521845noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957897.post-30683950781197863852008-10-26T13:55:00.005-05:002008-10-26T14:41:52.573-05:00Proposal 1<div style="text-align: center;"></div><blockquote><div style="text-align: center;">PROPOSAL 08-1<br />A LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVE TO PERMIT THE USE AND CULTIVATION OF<br />MARIJUANA FOR SPECIFIED MEDICAL CONDITIONS<br /></div><br />The proposed law would:<br /><br />• Permit physician approved use of marijuana by registered patients with debilitating medical conditions including cancer, glaucoma, HIV, AIDS, hepatitis C, MS and other conditions as may be approved by the Department of Community Health.<br />• Permit registered individuals to grow limited amounts of marijuana for qualifying patients in an enclosed, locked facility.<br />• Require Department of Community Health to establish an identification card system for patients qualified to use marijuana and individuals qualified to grow marijuana.<br />• Permit registered and unregistered patients and primary caregivers to assert medical reasons for using marijuana as a defense to any prosecution involving marijuana.<br /><br />Should this proposal be adopted?<br /></blockquote><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">YES</span><br /><br />Marijuana benefits seriously-ill and terminally-ill patients in that it provides pain relief and appetite enhancement. Any arguments about a slippery slope are nothing more than scare tactics that have nothing to do with the proposal as it stands. Many people have died in the state of Michigan without the ability to gain benefit from a drug that has proven to be of help in ensuring pain, and nausea relief. Allowing someone to die in any form of discomfort that is preventable, is nothing short of cruel. Marijuana gives doctors the ability help their patients terminal, or not and standing in the way are outdated, and cruel federal and state laws that turn a blind eye to the suffering of many citizens.agnosticrathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06721719728244521845noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22957897.post-88496309874850871692008-10-14T18:24:00.003-05:002008-10-14T18:31:15.906-05:00DDA should ante up with facts<span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >When the Hastings City Council decided they wanted to tear down the old library building, citizen outrage forced them to reconsider the fate of the library which also once housed the local post office. Now, the beautiful and historic brick building that some wanted to be a parking lot (in a town filled with empty parking lots and available retail space) may be sold to an unknown consortium who turned in their bid well past the deadline, beating out the county which had made repeated requests to negotiate purchase of the building and was rebuffed by the city time and again. Many feel the late bid was made on behalf of one of the losing bidders in an attempt to get around the request for proposal (RFP) and the city's own rules.<br /><br />The county wanted to have room for future expansion and felt the old library building which is right across the street from the courthouse would serve the purpose well. In addition, the city had an opportunity to ensure that any future growth of the county offices would be enriching the city's downtown. More workers downtown means more sales for local merchants even if the property is officially off the tax rolls. For some reason it seems the DDA or the city council did not want the county to purchase the property. Some feel this is the latest attempt by the DDA to grow at the expense of what is good for all of Hastings. In fact, it has now come to light that the DDA isn't passing along money from millages that should be going to services for the elderly, public safety and historic preservation. Many believe the fact that the property wouldn't enrich the DDA if it was purchased by the county is the main reason the county's attempts to purchase the old library were ignored.<br /><br /><b>Some important questions need to be answered by the Hastings City Council members and the DDA:</b><br />• Has the DDA become a beast too large to control, demanding ever-more tax money and choking off important services to the public such as infrastructure spending and important services? • Did the DDA turn down the lucrative offer from the county just so a losing bidder could slip in a winning bid well past the deadline after some insider informed them of what it would take to outbid the county? • Did the DDA violate it's own rules in awarding the bid to Encore whose bid was not only seriously late but also laughably vague- especially when part of the rules stated that the project would be awarded based on the creativity of the proposal? • Did members of the DDA tamper with the process? • Did members of the DDA have any communication with people from Encore or other bidders that could have resulted in a tainted and unfair bidding process which violated not only the spirit of the RFP but the letter of it as well?<br /><br />It sure seems the answer to most of those question is a resounding YES to anyone watching the process. This highly questionable act happened right out in the open and so far there hasn't been much noise about it yet from the public. The original attempt to bulldoze the building was stopped by local citizens, This must also surely be rejected by an even more vocal public. The next meeting of the city council would be the perfect opportunity for opponents of the bungled bidding process to attempt to stop this injustice.<br /><br />When the city council next meets, citizens of Hastings should be ready again to tell their elected officials that they are wrong, that the process was rigged and that someone smells in Hastings. The DDA is seriously out of control, attempting to become an independent government free from oversight, capturing valuable tax revenue and spending it on frills while the city infrastructure outside the DDA crumbles. Citizens with decaying curbs and gutters have serious reservations that the DDA has over-stepped it's bounds one too many times, that some people are power hungry and that the beast known as the DDA is choking off the oxygen to the rest of the city.<br /><br />Many feel that the Encore proposal is really just a backdoor for the Gilmore Group, known for high end restaurants in West Michigan. This speculation increased when the secret plan hinted that it would require a large number of parking space for a business that would employ few full time employees. Many also worry that Hastings would gain a restaurant and perhaps lose 1-2 of it's existing restaurants. Should the DDA be trying to attract businesses that compete with existing business owners or should they be trying to find new ventures that would complement what we already have? For a town of modest means, Hastings has more than enough fine dining opportunities. What Hastings needs is more workers downtown to fill those restaurants during the lunch hours and more families in the city that can afford to frequent those places for dinner.<br /><br />And <span style="font-weight: bold;">now</span>, out comes word that a city official accidentally slipped during a private conversation last week. A source told me that this public person talked as if Encore was one and the same as Gilmore. Perhaps it was a slip of the tongue and perhaps it was a Fruedian slip- a "tell" in the parlance of the poker tables. It's time for citizens to ask questions, to call their bluff.<br /></span>Pol Watcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11607022458728937981noreply@blogger.com7