Tag: U of M (page 3)

The University of Michigan has barred about 2,000 people from its campus or parts of its campus since 2001, according to documents released this week by the university.

The policy is now under review.

Those restricted from campus receive trespass warnings that come with a lifetime ban that can only be lifted or modified by the campus police chief.

But at what point does having an opinion that differs from that of a majority of Michiganders become an action that differs with a rule of LAW?

That U of M Victory was exactly what this State needed.  Maybe the best game of the day and we're all able to sing Hail to the Victors after it was over.  Even on the banks of the Red Cedar.  OK, maybe not there, but everywhere else.

And while we're talking about things the state really needed (THAT, boys and girls, is what we call a smoooooth transition.  No.  Sorry.  I can't teach you... you've either got it or you haven't), the Ivory Tower this morning published an op-ed by Attorney General Mike Cox calling on state government to publish online her full budget.  That's a move that's about as common sense as running the Michigan offense through Manny Harris.  

Recently, the emergency financial manager for Detroit Public Schools, Robert Bobb, announced that he will put all of the Detroit Public Schools' spending online for everyone to see. Moreover, Bobb promises to accomplish this task within one year. Given all the other challenges that Bobb faces, such as the district's large deficit and dwindling student body, his willingness to embrace transparency in spending is nothing short of amazing...

But why should transparency be limited to Detroit Public Schools and not the State of Michigan? How is it that a struggling school system is able to implement transparency while the governor cannot implement it at the state level? And how can DPS get this done in less than 12 months while Michigan has been unable to make any progress on this for years?

Because, Mr. Attorney General, big-government liberals are always better served when they're able to operate in the dark.  They don't call transparency bills "sunshine" legislation for no reason.

I'm reminded of the classic Rankin Bass animated version of The Hobbit.  Check out the 3 minute mark in this clip (because residents of the lower peninsula know everything is better with trolls):

For his part, Cox is walking the talk.  The AG's office was the first in the state to publish its entire budget online, including all contract information.  The House Republican caucus is following suit and every member but Representative Rocca (shame, and eternal shame on him, by the way!) has pledged to do the same.  

The House Democrats and the Governor should pledge to do the same with their office and the entire state budget.  And then they should do it.

As long as they obfuscate and avoid and keep voters in the dark its fair to ask... what are they hiding?

And so we focus on sunshine and rainbows.  Like, for instance, this week the big-shot politicians in Lansing will start figuring out how to spend $625 million of our grandkids money to repair those potholes that put such a serious crimp in yesterday's trip to church.  

Yeah, yeah, spending our grandkids money might not make the most economic sense but c'mon, nobody likes pot holes!  Plus, they're spending so much to make these road repairs, if push comes to shove they can actually fill each pot hole with stacks of twenty dollar bills.  So that's a win-win.

Good news... good news... Monica Conyers arch-enemy on the Detroit City Council is going to run for Mayor of Detroit this August.  Good old Kwame Kenyatta.  (Apparently rumors of the man's impending cancer-related death were greatly exaggerated by the Council President.)  

That's... something.  But even better, according to the Detroit News, he's one of more than 50 (FIFTY) some odd candidates whose names might appear on the ballot.  

And by "might appear" I mean over 50 have already grabbed the paperwork to file.  Not rumors, not speculation... 50+ are already starting the legal process.  Guess how many are going to wind up filing as Republicans.  Go ahead... guess.

Talk about a crowded field.  Somebody should work up some brackets and we could run those elections NCAA Tournament style, then instead of cutting down the nets, the ultimate winner could take the first shift re-roofing Cobo Hall with city cash since they refuse to take any money from the state.  Oh, wait, they don't have any cash to stop the leaks... shoot.

But, seriously, in happier news, big ups to the Michigan State Spartans and the University of Michigan Wolverines men's basketball teams on their selection to the NCAA tournament beginning this Thursday!  Start working on those faux-coughs and sniffles around the office today or tomorrow, gentlemen, because come 11:30AM-ish on the 19th we're in for four days of pure, unadulterated madness.

This is Michigan's first trip to the tournament in a decade and Maize and Blue fans are pretty geeked today.  They should be extra excited about their first round draw, too, matching up against a tough but beatable Clemson team.  At that point you're only a sterling game away from the Sweet 16.  

And the Spartans?  A well deserved 2.  Casa De Leeuw will undoubtedly have competing brackets this year with some picking the Green and White to win the whole thing and others playing the homer-role and picking those guys from Ann Arbor to run the table.  Silly Wolverine fans.

That said, it should give me a clear path to the family pick-em championship and THAT, my friends, is good news.