Constitution, Cronyism, Economy, Liberty, Michigan, Opinion, Philosophy

Still Missing the Fire (Truck) for the Flames

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But I insist.

My friend Scales is a thoughtful writer, but in this case, he’s wielding a classic rhetorical sleight of hand—introducing a different frustration about private equity (fire truck manufacturing) to distract from my original argument: government-created scarcity is the true culprit in manufactured housing rent spikes.

Let’s talk about that fire truck video.

Yes, fire departments are paying more. Yes, trucks are expensive. But blaming that on private equity alone is like blaming a grocery store for high egg prices during a bird flu outbreak. It’s convenient—but wildly incomplete.

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Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Philosophy, Republicans

Private Equity isn’t the disease..It’s just buzzards circling the corpse.

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I am a person who believes you solve problems by correctly identifying what those problems truly are.

In this case there are some ..that are real.  Scales makes a point and the video may make you feel a little bad about those mean ol money changers.

But .. They only show up after local governments have already choked off the oxygen. Manufactured home residents don’t own the land under their feet because zoning laws make sure they can’t. In Michigan, most localities have quietly outlawed new parks or single-wides on private lots unless you beg for an exception—and those usually come with fees, delays, or a fat NO. The result? A handful of legacy parks become monopoly zones, and suddenly private equity gets that look in its eye.

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Conservative News, Constitution, Firearms, Liberty, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion

Government Transparency and Gun Rights: A Win in Washtenaw County

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Full disclosure: Michigan Open Carry, Inc.’s  (MOC) website is hosted by yours truly. I support its mission to normalize lawful open carry, ensure gun owners understand their rights, and demand adherence to the rule of law—especially by those sworn to uphold it.

Michigan Open Carry, Inc. Applauds Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Decision to Cease Illegal Preapplication Forms for Firearm Licenses

Michigan Open Carry, Inc. (MOC) is pleased to announce that the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) has discontinued the use of preapplication forms for License to Purchase (LTP) firearm applicants. This significant change comes after MOC obtained the forms through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request and subsequent legal action.

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Conservative News, Firearms, Liberty, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Philosophy

Grand Traverse County, Clous, and The Nutty Left

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The bat guano crazy left won one this time.  And it’s not a good look on local government.

TRAVERSE CITY — Grand Traverse County has settled a long-running lawsuit involving former Commissioner Ron Clous for $100,000, according to plaintiff attorney Blake Ringsmuth.

The settlement of the case likely came from a desire to end the nuisance suit and get back to the work they were supposedly elected to do.  However, the core of the lawsuit against Commissioner Ron Clous revolves around the claim that his display of a rifle during a virtual meeting had a “chilling effect” on free speech. Yet, the ensuing legal action itself arguably exerts a chilling effect on expressive conduct, particularly when it pertains to constitutionally protected rights.

The “chilling effect” refers to the inhibition or discouragement of legitimate exercise of natural and legal rights by the threat of legal sanction. In this case, Clous’s action—while perhaps ill-advised (and maybe a little funny at the time), was a form of expressive conduct. The lawsuit, and the subsequent $100,000 settlement, could deter public officials from engaging in similar expressions, fearing legal repercussions.

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Constitution, Economy, Liberty, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Philosophy, Religious Freedom, Taxes

The Case Against Zoning Enabling in Michigan

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So .. In Lansing, there is great ballyhoo about Lansing “returning zoning power to the local governments.”

All well and fine .. but

There was a time when homes were built by families with sweat, timber, and willpower. Before the advent of bureaucratic overreach, people lived in homes they designed, worked in businesses they created, and adapted their communities through mutual interest and common sense. Today, we’re told we cannot build like our parents did. We’re trapped in a maze of restrictive zoning laws enabled by the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act (MZEA) of 2006—a law that stifles private property rights, innovation, and natural development.

As a real estate agent working in Northern Michigan, I see firsthand the impact of these constraints. Buyers are fighting for affordability while sellers—who must often become buyers again—face a new market skewed by government-imposed scarcity. My goal is to ensure both sides find the best value, despite a system that increasingly works against them.

Private Property Is a Natural Right

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