Tag: empowered grassroots operation

Local officials and Consumers Energy are at odds over whether a wind plant located south of Ludington meets safety standards.

Those living close to the wind plant continue to be exposed daily to the turbines and their apparent negative impact on health and quality of life.

Allegations that Lake Winds Energy Plant has significant safety issues are not new. On April 1, area residents filed a lawsuit claiming noise, vibrations and flickering lights generated by the 56 turbine facility are adversely impacting their health. Dizziness, sleeplessness and headaches are among the symptoms noted in the lawsuit.

REST

You know what goes unmentioned about who is making a profitable living off this junk science wealth redistribution scheme? Lawyers. You name it, from them changing a bill originated in the Senate into a tax bill, which is now deemed health insurance law under the Unaffordable Care Act, to lawsuits like this - lawyers win. Jefferson warned that lawyers will lay all things at their feet, and they are too well versed in English law to forget the maxim, "boni judicis est ampliare juris-dictionem."  We all now live that today. Doubt me, then take it from those with a law degree.

What surprises me (and it shouldn't) is that nobody in the legislature has called out the Snyder administration for destroying evidence. Then again, perhaps a reason for that is explained rather well in comment, here.  Still, that's not a good enough excuse for our Forth Highest Compensated in Lansing. Note: "Such legislatures not only cost less; they also tend to spend less."

"No man's life, liberty, or property are safe while the Legislature is in session" - Gideon J. Tucker, quote circa 1866 (commonly misattributed to Mark Twain as, "No one's life, liberty, or property are safe while Congress is making laws.")

Regardless of whether we're citing Judge Tucker or Mister Clemens, we should note clearly that the reference in question is conspicuously to the legislative arm of the government, and not the executive or judiciary.  There's a reason for that, and it's the same reason that a certain initiative is once again gaining traction in Michigan.

"Oh, I am heartily tired of hearing about what Lee is going to do.  Some of you always seem to think he is suddenly going to turn a double somersault, and land in our rear and on both of our flanks at the same time.  Go back to your command, and try to think what we are going to do ourselves, instead of what Lee is going to do." - Lt.Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, to an unnamed Union field commander, on the evening of May 6th, 1864, during the Battle of the Wilderness.

In sports, a key to keeping one's opponent off the scoreboard is to keep their defense off the field (or to significantly disrupt their offensive rhythm).  Matt Stafford, Calvin Johnson, and Reggie Bush can't do the Lions much good if they can't get off the sidelines; nor can Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder do the Tigers much good if they can't get into the batter's box; nor can Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk do the Red Wings much good if they can't inside the opponent's blue line.

Similarly, in war, both strategic and tactical success is often determined by whichever side can maintain the initiative, denying the enemy forces the operational latitude to dictate the time, location, and conditions of any engagement more significant than an isolated skirmish.  Doing so keeps the enemy reactive, instead of proactive, and denies them the opportunity to accomplish their objectives, while allowing friendly forces to achieve theirs.

In regard to maintaining the initiative, politics is no different from either sports or war.  Keep the opposition responding to your actions, or keep them just disorganized enough that they can't do anything productive, and the next thing they know, the election's been won before a single vote gets tabulated.

Me?  I think the truth is somewhere in the middle of all of that.  I also think that these various characterizations dance around an interesting finding of the iCaucus Michigan survey, but which wasn't referred to in the press release in a way that would draw attention, and which by itself explains why a top-down approach to Michigan Republican Party unity is never going to work.

That having been said, with regard to a couple of bills that were reported out of the House Tax Policy Committee back on Wednesday (2013 House Bill 4202 and 2013 House Bill 4203), the critic has at least one valid point that, as a matter of professional integrity, I really ought to address.

Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself.
Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.

Solomon's words of wisdom here have been quite helpful this past week and a half, when I've had the sense to heed them.  Further relevant advice comes from my dad (a Mustang pilot during WW2) and one of my elementary school teachers (a Mitchell navigator during WW2):  If you're not drawing fire, then you're not over your target.

Judging by some of the flak I've been catching since Labor Day, I'd say I've discovered a target the value of which neither the blueblooded old guard party elites nor the Snyder-Calley "nerd herd" want as public knowledge.

Truthfully, I am not sure if it has ever happened.  In 2014 it would likely succeed, according to polling by iCaucus that was completed on Friday and finalized this weekend. The scientific polling was done over a week targeting a specific group that will decide who is the GOP flag bearer going forward; active, educated and engaged republican delegates.

As a foreshadowing through early results had revealed, there is little question of where folks are at this point in time, and on the eve of Snyder signing Obamacare capitulation into law in Michigan.  The polling shows Rick Snyder in disfavor with delegates, and unwelcome to nearly half. Less than 40% would NOT like to see a primary challenge.

Not surprisingly to this writer, the results are not as clear with Lt Governor Brian Calley, who has results that are within the margin of error.  Outside of the polling there is a sense that many conservatives still find the problem to be with the governor himself, and Calley to be more incidental and possibly holding the governor to more conservative positions than he would be otherwise.

Nevertheless, I was kinda hoping that it'd be more than 48 hours before someone went shooting their mouth off to the press.  (62 days or so sounded like a really good number.)  Apparently, I shouldn't underestimate some people's ability to attract reporters.