Tag Archive for ACLU

Grow a spine, Governor!

You DO know that whole “Freedom of Speech” thing isn’t just limited to only aggrieved community agitators.

After recently engaging in security theater on a grand-scale, I didn’t really have a whole lot of respect for what passes law enforcement here in Michigan.

My thoughts on that issue echo those Benjamin Franklin made over two centuries ago.

And then they(/she) doubles-down on bad decision making.

Yes, this is becoming disappointing.

{Post continues after the fold}

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Battles of the Lower Depths in Detroit

Davis et al v. Detroit Downtown Development Authority et al; U.S Eastern District of Michigan Case Number: 2:17-cv-11742

Eastern District of Michigan U.S. District Judge Mark A. Goldsmith ruled on June 19th that Detroit’s Downtown Development Authority can issue $34.5 million in bonds to pay for the relocation of the Detroit Pistons basketball team to the new Little Caesar’s Arena. The Judge’s ruling rejected arguments that the eventual use of school tax money to repay these tax increment finance bonds violates Detroit residents’ constitutional and statutory right to vote on a school tax money diversions.

Judge Goldsmith’s ruling denied Robert Davis‘ and D. Etta Wilcoxon’s motion for a preliminary injunction or temporary restraining order in their lawsuit against the Detroit Downtown Development Authority. The Judge said the plaintiffs did not establish the need for an emergency injunction. The Judge politely neglected to mention that Robert Davis was sentenced in the very same Eastern District U.S. District Court to an 18 month Club Fed vacation for stealing $ 200,000 from the Highland Park School District in 2014. Mr. Davis should still be on probation for this minor peccadillo.

One complication here is that the tax monies being diverted are not those of the current Detroit Community Public School District, but rather those of the legacy Detroit Public School District which was reduced to zombie status last year in the DPS bailout. Is the old DPS really a school district today, or just a financial entity? The Detroit Community Public School District is a near bankrupt ward of the State of Michigan that won’t receive any Detroit property tax revenues until the legacy DPS district debts are paid off. No one alive today will live to see that.

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Michigan’s PC Christmas

Governor Rick Snyder once again uses the generic happy holidays to wish our citizens ...well .. nothing.

Its not illegal for Michigan’s governor to wish folks a “Merry Christmas.”

The ACLU has probably fought that battle before and lost. And In Texas, the governor signed a bill in 2013 clearing the decks for public institutions in that state to freely express the real reason for the season.  From the Houston Press:

Governor Rick Perry signed what has become known as the “Merry Christmas bill” last week. In addition to permitting holiday greetings, the legislation also says that schools are allowed to display scenes or symbols associated with winter holidays on school property, such as a Christmas tree or a menorah, as long as there is at least one other religious or secular symbol present as well.

Now THAT is a real governor.

The freedom FROM religion nuts would like to equate expressions of faith by government officials which are allowed under the 1st amendment, to mandating a state religion which is not allowed under the 1st amendment.  And even while absurd legal battles still rage on about nativity scenes on public property, opinions or sentiment from respected offices or positions are clearly allowed.

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(Failing) School’s out… completely.

With apologies to Alice Cooper.

 

♪ “Well we got no choice.” ♪
♪ “All the girls and boys.” ♪
♪ ”Makin’ all that noise .” ♪
♪ “’Cause they found new toys.” ♪
♪ “Well we can’t salute, ya can’t find a flag .” ♪
♪ “If that don’t suit ya that’s a drag.” ♪
♪ “School’s out for summer .” ♪
♪ “School’s out forever .” ♪
♪ “School’s been blown to pieces.” ♪

We should never see this happen again with Taxpayer’s money…ever.

Promoters of Cloward-Piven will need to go back to the drawing board this month.

Another spigot has been turned off…hopefully for good!

{I promise: No more misusing and abusing the songs of your youth below the fold!}

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