Jason

Kwame’s Sinkhole

The former Mayor of Detroit's "impact" lives on.

Kwame Kilpatrick is the gift that keeps on giving.

Long time readers might remember that our outgoing president once lauded praise upon the once venerated Detroit Mayor.  Barack Obama who in the video here was speaking about the “great mayor” responsible for Detroit’s “renaissance” etc.

The as-yet-to-be-elected Senator Obama speaking at the Detroit economic club could little imagine how Detroit’s political crime syndicate was about to crash with Kilpatrick at the wheel. And the As-yet-to-be-dismissed president Obama might be less inclined to offer the intransigent former mayor felon a pass on future political relevance.

Kilpatrick’s current crib will likely remain occupied by the big K.  His legacy is a thing of legend. From the Ivory Tower:

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Quote Of The Day.

Thomas Sowell is retiring his pen (or keyboard, IBM selectric, whatever).

In one post today, he reflects on how nice it was to be away from the noise of politics, news etc., during a recent outing with friends.  He implies in another, that it is the lessons unlearned which plague our youth with unrealistic expectations and social fantasy.

“The old are not really smarter than the young, in terms of sheer brainpower. It is just that we have already made the kinds of mistakes that the young are about to make, and we have already suffered the consequences that the young are going to suffer, if they disregard the record of the past.”

It’s well worth reading both.

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More Trouble With TIF

Traverse City enables more cronyism in its latest money grab.

Does a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) scheme really work?

It seems that each year, special TIF districts are set up throughout our state in order to promote growth or development of a particular economy or industry.  The revenues raised through a TIF scheme are theoretically targeted, specifically for the district raising the value of that district over a specified period of time.

But does it work well enough and is it worth the effort, and goodwill lost, as it continues to be abused by those who hold the authority?  As voters look at the millage requests on the ballot, they now see the language that reminds them that not-all-of their voted in millage will go where it is intended.

A TIF scheme is done by

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Renew Your Plates Now!

With Michigan's upcoming confiscatory registration hikes, its time! - Save 20% by renewing early.

Michigan vehicle owners can renew their registrations up to 6 months ahead of time.

If your tabs are going to be due from now till June, its time to act to save a few bucks.  Using Express SOS, you can avoid the 20% markup this year that our tax hungry legislature and governor have in store as-of Jan 1, 2017.

You’re welcome.

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Human Error?

Plausible deniability of the year tale comes with "machines bumping up against each other"

I probably could have commented on this several times since the recount nonsense.

The unintended consequences of the Jill Stein recount, was to officially put the Michigan Secretary of State on notice that there are irregularities with the voting in the motor city. Of course the unspoken truth has always been known, but proof of such shenanigans was elusive and considered inconsequential for most elections.

Given the revelation of fraud, and the incredible magnitude which it has appeared, it would seem only proper to fully investigate all of those who are entrusted with our voting responsibility in these precincts.  Criminal sanctions are likely warranted in some cases revealed by Stein’s efforts, yet the players caught with their hands in the cookie jar are not going to admit culpability too easily.  From the New American

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And … Cut!

The recount was over when the appeals court said Stein had no standing.

That’s a wrap, everyone can go home.

As I said yesterday, when the Michigan court of appeals demonstrated the logic we expect from our best legal minds, it was a done deal.  Tonight, the big news is that judge Goldsmith followed the constitution, and responded properly to the state court decision of recount propriety. From ABC news:

U.S. District Judge Mark Goldsmith agreed with Republicans who argued that the three-day recount must end a day after the state appeals court dealt a blow to the effort. The court said Stein, who finished fourth in Michigan on Nov. 8, didn’t have a chance of winning even after a recount and therefore isn’t an “aggrieved” candidate.

“Because there is no basis for this court to ignore the Michigan court’s ruling and make an independent judgment regarding what the Michigan Legislature intended by the term ‘aggrieved,’ plaintiffs have not shown an entitlement to a recount,” Goldsmith said.

Clearly, he recognized his role was not to determine standing in this case.

The image on the right btw, is for those who think the GOP is forcing them into a safe space.

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