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Tag: iCaucus MichiganBy Kevin Rex Heine, Section News
"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.
(8 comments, 2706 words in story) Full Story By Kevin Rex Heine, Section News
As a general rule, I really don't give so much as one airborne rodent derriere what my critics think of me. This is especially so given that, to paraphrase Pierre S. du Pont IV, critics aren't required to be consistent (assuming that they're even required to know what they're talking about in the first place). And since the specific critic in question can't seem to move past his standard M.O. of schoolyard-style insults and misleading vividness fallacies, where he doesn't engage in outright argumentum ad hominem, I'm even less inclined to personally give a damn what he thinks.
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.
 (1018 words in story) Full Story By Kevin Rex Heine, Section News
First off, let me remind all of my readers that the very fact that 2013-HB-4111 is still sitting on the Senate Schedule means that Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville can call it up for a vote the second he thinks that the grassroots aren't looking (assuming that he has the whip count necessary to ensure passage). So we need to keep the pressure on our state senators (by all lawful means, including face-to-face discussion when possible) until this Trojan Horse is at least referred to a committee. However, we also need to keep in mind that the progressives aren't stupid, and will take advantage of our focus to accomplish other things while we're not watching "the other hand," and so in addition to raising a royal stink about the alleged party of smaller government caving to the single biggest expansion of federal government intrusion in our lifetimes, we must keep our other eye on everything else that's going on in Lansing while we're at it.
You may remember me mentioning a couple of weeks ago that the grassroots are just a tad ticked at 29 "republican" squishies who caved on House Roll Call 11 and brought this state one step closer to what is perhaps the single biggest government intrusion into private lives that I can recall in my lifetime. While I'm not going to go into too many technical details here, I will say that one particular organization isn't screwing around.
 (1250 words in story) Full Story By Kevin Rex Heine, Section News
A favorite political campaign strategy is to keep one's opponent off balance. Keep them on the defensive, keep them reacting, get them chasing down rabbit trails and responding to red herrings. Anything at all to have your opponent operating in "reactive mode" instead of "proactive mode." In a tight race, getting into an opponent's head, or into the head of her campaign team, can throw them off their game, and perhaps enable an easier victory than otherwise would happen (perhaps even snatching victory from the apparent jaws of defeat).
(4 comments, 2577 words in story) Full Story By Kevin Rex Heine, Section News
Just in case you've forgotten, there is a special primary election taking place in the old 11th Congressional District about a week from now. According to the Official Michigan Special Primary Candidate Listing, this is going to be a non-issue for the democrats, as David Curson is unopposed. The republican side of that ballot, however, is the entire reason for next week's special election in the first place. And that's just what the mischief-makers on both sides are probably counting on.
 (4 comments, 752 words in story) Full Story |
 External FeedsMetro/State News RSS from The Detroit News+ Craig: Cushingberry tried twice to elude police, was given preferential treatment + Detroit police arrest man suspected of burning women with blowtorch + Fouts rips video as 'scurrilous,' defends Chicago trip with secretary + Wind, winter weather hammer state from Mackinac Bridge to southeast Mich. + Detroit Cass Tech QB Campbell expected to be released from custody Friday + New water rates range from -16% to +14%; see change by community + Detroit's bankruptcy gets controversial turn in new Honda ad + Royal Oak Twp., Highland Park in financial emergency, review panels find + Grosse Ile Twp. leads list of Michigan's 10 safest cities + Wayne Co. sex crimes backlog grows after funding feud idles Internet Crime Unit + Judge upholds 41-60 year sentence of man guilty in Detroit firefighter's death + Detroit man robbed, shot in alley on west side + Fire at Detroit motel forces evacuation of guests + Survivors recount Syrian war toll at Bloomfield Hills event + Blacks slain in Michigan at 3rd-highest rate in US Politics RSS from The Detroit News + Apologetic Agema admits errors but won't resign + Snyder: Reform 'dumb' rules to allow more immigrants to work in Detroit + GOP leaders shorten presidential nominating season + Dems: Another 12,600 Michiganians lose extended jobless benefits + Mike Huckabee's comments on birth control gift for Dems + Granholm to co-chair pro-Clinton PAC for president + Republican panel approves tougher penalties for unauthorized early primary states + Michigan seeks visas to lure immigrants to Detroit + Peters raises $1M-plus for third straight quarter in Senate bid + Bill would let lawyers opt out of Michigan state bar + Michigan lawmakers launch more bills against sex trade + Balanced budget amendment initiative gets a jumpstart + Feds subpoena Christie's campaign, GOP + Poll: At Obama's 5-year point, few see a turnaround + Obama to release 2015 budget March 4 Front Page
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