Tag: NICT (page 2)

"Beyond this raising the question of: Does public ownership/private operation mean any losses are public, any profit private? (and I think the answer is, "yes"), I've seen this concept elsewhere, and Merriam-Webster has the definition."

But its more in how crony capitalists roll.  In fact, this would be a great place to stop and find a local 'occupier' for the purposes of redirecting them to the Michigan capitol's lawn.  No doubt much of the occupy movement is (for lack of a more appropriate word) 'occupied' by hardcore progressives, but one of the messages they seem to be sporting is they want an end to 'capitalism'.  And though they say 'capitalism,' we all know they mean 'crony capitalism,' as it has been the only thing allowed by the institution of an all powerful bureaucracy through political reward and economic gamesmanship.

This thing, this bridge thing.  As we watch the governor squander political goodwill in deal trade after deal trade, we also watch the effect of good legislators who are willing to question its efficacy, or the need for the bridge.

From The Mackinac Center's McHugh:

"MIRS has reported that all 12 Democrats in the state senate -- only four of whom are from Detroit -- will vote "yes" on a controversial Detroit-Windsor bridge, but only if the deal includes a wish list of "community benefits" being written by Sen. Tupac Hunter, D-Detroit.

What are these "community benefits"? The fancy labels like "employment training and related facilities;" "housing;" "economic development;" "green development initiatives;" and more sound nice, but the benefits of these programs are, at the very best, uncertain. Here's what is certain: For the political system's foot soldiers, these programs translate into jobs with the government or organizations funded by government. For the moneyed interests that bankroll the political system, it means "economic development" -- business subsidies, sweetheart real estate deals, selective tax breaks, government contracts and so on. These benefits to the politically connected boil down to political patronage. "

In this case, lets fill the pockets of the community organizers just before the 2012 elections. That way fair elections are sure to occur.

McHugh has put the dot on the i. Between the patronage Snyder could guarantee for the left, and the crony capitalism that has no political center, the vote rewarding is apparent.

COMMITTEE: Senate Economic Development
DATE:    Wednesday, October 12, 2011
TIME:   1:30 p.m.

PLACE: Senate Hearing Room, Ground Floor, Boji Tower  124 W. Allegan Street, Lansing, MI   48933

AGENDA

SB 410   Sen. Richardville               Transportation; funds; a new international bridge crossing act; create.

In an attempt to lure lawmakers into thinking popular opinion is on the side of committing Michigan to a boondoggle project that is the NITC, the administration is now pushing polls that seem to show consensus. At least once "they know the facts." A couple of weeks ago from the Ivory Tower:

"Two-thirds of Michigan voters support Gov. Rick Snyder's plan for a new bridge to Windsor once they understand Canada's role in helping to pay for the span, new poll results showed Monday.

Conducted for the corporate leadership group Business Leaders for Michigan, the poll of 600 likely voters showed that 62% favored building the public bridge and 33% opposed it. "

Folks, I present to you the greatest collection of crony capitalists this side of Wall Street. And they are all in our back yard. In this writer's view, these folks wouldn't understand a free market business model if it hit them on the head with a hard bound copy of Atlas Shrugged. The few Republicans you may find in the overall group are names added to give credibility to the rest and still does not guarantee their business models are not reliant on government handouts, intervention or "collaboration." (Read: taking from us to make their model work)

And these lefty supporting, steal from the taxpayer types want the bridge and are pushing heavily for it.

Never let the list of questions WHY the governor wants this bridge project to go on become shortened prematurely.  The Canadians are considering this a "done deal" and are building a road to the presumed location of a new bridge.  The one that has no investors, no Michigan money tied up, and is not going to cost us a dime, if one were to believe promoters of it. Even though $41 million has already been spent by Michigan taxpayers the Canadian government is sure they are not building a road to nowhere:

"What if Michigan doesn't approve it?" some nervous Nellies wailed on The Star's comment threads of the new bridge. "Then it really will be a road to nowhere!"

Relax, people. That Road to Nowhere meme is just a catchy advertising slogan dreamt up by the Ambassador Bridge and its allies. It's a last-ditch attempt to preserve the lucrative private monopoly they hold on commercial traffic and sales of duty free fuel and goods.

The control they exert over two national economies is simply unheard of anywhere else in the world, and it's high time it came to an end.

Oh yeah.  Thats right its about power and taxes.  

I guess no private entity should EVER hold that kind of power, that would be bad.

Why is that?  Why is it important to destroy a Michigan business for the sake of another country's desires? Why is it so important to this governor that he would put our tax dollars at risk by continuing to promote in a different way what could be done in the same location already?

This type of activity by two governments is exactly the reason the original owners of the bridge sought the treaty that grants that authority to the owners of the bridge in perpetuity. Is it the end of that treaty that a private entity controls that these two governments seek?

I like to read the view, and enjoy the commentary, even in those times with minor disagreements. Henry Payne and crew are a pretty good pulse check of what is alive in Michigan.  In fact, because it is a collaborative affair like RightMichigan.com and doesn't seem to have any crazy lefties on board, I would say the accuracy confidence is high.

But once in a while ..

As I was singing along with Dan Calabrese's column (new app for windows - involves show-tune melodies and a bouncy ball)  I kept getting a frog stuck sideways when I hit this part:

"It's entirely possible that whatever good Snyder's policies do (assuming you believe they are doing good) could be wiped out by the nation's deepening debt and economic stagnation.

It doesn't make sense to heap a bunch of disapproval on Snyder for that, since none of it was his doing. But then again, it doesn't make a lot of sense to take polls like this all the time or to report on them like they're actual news."

There must be an accurate assessment of who is responsible for failures AND successes.

Both sides will be participating in a larger than (earlier) expected forum. From a recent press release:

A local town hall meeting next week on the Detroit-Windsor bridge proposals will move to a larger venue to accommodate a higher than expected turnout, state Reps. Earl Poleski and Mike Shirkey announced a couple days ago.

The event, still scheduled for Tuesday, June 28 at 7 p.m., will now take place at Jackson High School's auditorium, 544 Wildwood Ave., Jackson.  It was also announced that Michigan Lt. Gov. Brian Calley, of Gov. Rick Snyder's administration, and Mickey Blashfield, of the Ambassador Bridge Company, will attend to give both sides of the issue.

"People continue to ask me about the potential for a new international bridge, whether I'm at my local office hours, the grocery store or at church," said Poleski, R-Jackson.  "We're delighted that Lt. Gov. Calley and Matthew Moroun have agreed to take time out of their busy schedules.  Outside of a formal legislative committee meeting, this will be the first time we have officials from both sides of the issue together in one room to publicly address the issue."

WKHM-Radio Program Director Marc Daly will host the meeting, and residents will be allowed to submit questions.

"The town hall is a testament to open government and our continued efforts to ensure transparency in the democratic process," said Shirkey, R-Clarklake.  "We encourage all citizens who have an interest in the issue to attend."

What if Canada didn't care about the $550 million dollars it has promised to Michigan.

What if it doesn't even have to give it up (the money)in the first place?

What if the entire charade is to force what Canada has not been able to do, however hard it has tried through court actions for decades?  To force the Moroun family to relinquish its holdings on the ambassador bridge?

A lot of questions:

Ms Borges is hiding Canada's real goal: to buy out the Ambassador Bridge Company as the PM instructed his Ttransport Minister to do over a year ago in a secret mandate letter!

Are being asked.  Read the rest.

Oh..  and before you go, ask yourself what if