Philosophy

Define “Blown Away”

Will Michigan continue to provide unchecked investments for unworthy results?

pure-somethingI would say that yes, we were indeed “Blown away” by the abuses of our state government allowing such abuse by the taxpayer.

Pure Michigan has become the key phrase for all thing corruptible and cronyist. According to Cap Con, much of the taxpayer largess spent on economic development has yielded zero benefit. They point out:

“.. In addition, some investment groups received millions through the fund but created zero jobs and no proceeds ..”

“Investment”  ..It has a catchy ring to it, yes?

You Betcha! (10)Nuh Uh.(0)

So What About The Big M?

The 'progressive' left will leave no institutions standing when it is through.

msu-towerHas the left destroyed all of our traditions yet?

Perhaps not, though progressives cannot abide by any roadblocks to the ultimate agenda of ‘change’ toward their vision of a Utopian prison for all.  David French in The Left Is Weaponizing Sports, reminds us that it ain’t over till every institution has been destroyed, and the bonds that hold us together have been severed:

While the NCAA — as perhaps the peak representative of progressive hypocrisy and cheap virtue signaling — is an easy target, its action raises a much more significant concern. Simply put, there are not many cultural spaces remaining where Americans can meet on more or less neutral ground — where Americans of all faiths and political beliefs can meet, unite, and share a positive communal experience.

Our political polarization is but one symptom of our increasing Balkanization. When I speak, I sometimes challenge audiences to name one significant cultural force or trend that is binding Americans together, rather than pulling them apart.

The NCAA is being used as a weapon.

Which begs a great big question:Aren’t we supposed to store weapons in a safe place?”

You Betcha! (9)Nuh Uh.(0)

Because It’s More

There are some things that simply cannot be trademarked.

m22Bill Schuette was right on this one.

His opinion in 2012, and recently compounded with a lawsuit to deny the Myers brothers their trademark is clear.  The M22 signs you see on apparel, coffee mugs, stickers on cars and used to profit a  Northern Michigan business cannot be claimed for their exclusive use:

“..  In documents filed with the U.S. District Court in Grand Rapids, the state argues that highway signs can’t be registered and that trademarking signs violates the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), which sets the federal standards for signs, signals and pavement markings. Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette wrote in a 2012 opinion that “no entity can lawfully claim exclusive control over use of the state’s highway route marker design, because the design is in the public domain and is otherwise not subject to protection under trademark law.”   ..”

In other words, we all bought and paid for this design.

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Trump In Detroit

A soft spoken Trump delivers his message in Democrat afflicted Detroit.

This is good.

I have never been a fan of pandering to demographic subsets, but this visit wasn’t pandering IMO. It was done well, and in the way that many conservative blacks in Detroit have been requesting for years. By approaching through the faith community in SW Michigan and straight talking to the people there, Donald Trump has once again defied CW and walked away a winner.

With Detroit born Ben Carson by his side, Trump went where so many GOP seemingly fear to tread. He showed that the RIGHT message can be delivered.

Well done.

 

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Well Hot Dayum

I suppose I could have predicted this.

And again, perhaps I should have.  While not exactly putting me in the Nostradamus category, it might have been fun to be that guy who says “I told you so.”   Capitol Confidential has (as expected) caught on to the ‘changing of the guard’ in Emmet County:

While primary elections for local offices rarely garner much attention, the results of the August election were dramatic for one county in northern lower Michigan. Of seven members of the current county commission, only one will be on the fall ballot.

Charlie MacInnis.  And good for him.

We mentioned this a year ago.  At that time also speaking of predictability.

I Could have predicted this.

Perhaps I would have; if I lived in Emmet County.  However, there should still be nothing surprising about an apparent divergence of priority between the voters and the elected numbskulls who ‘serve’ them.  The same type of thinking that drives the nonsense in DC can be just as bad locally, and have a more immediate financial effect.

Reading the bills, or allowing a real debate to happen before committing millions of dollars extracted forcefully from taxpayers should be paramount.  The latter option was never allowed to happen however.  A year ago, Emmet County commissioners jacked the electorate without the chance to object, leaving them to foot the bill for a $15 Million boondoggle.

As quick as a shooting star, Emmet County commissioners (pictured above) approved a sale of $15 million in bonds with nearly half of the proceeds being used to build an observatory and a new event building at the Headlands International Dark Sky Park in Mackinaw City.

Without the chance to object.

Taxpayers didn’t even know there would be a vote on such an expensive proposal. One watchdog called it out.

Apparently the voters are wising up?

One could hope.

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Rails To Fails

Rails to trails projects - Are they worth the investment?

MicDSC_4010higan, and other states have seen a change from railroad grades to walking biking trails over the last several years.

While the old industrial infrastructure is converted to ‘cool cities’ attractions, communities are being asked to pitch in for tourism, and by golly, to commit for more of that brownfield dollar abuse as well. From today’s ticker:

“The new trail route is estimated to cost $5.3 million to complete. According to TART Trails Executive Director Julie Clark, $3.6 million (or 68 percent of the construction budget) is already earmarked in brownfield funding for the project. TART will seek an $800,000 commitment from Garfield Township trustees at their 6pm meeting tonight (Tuesday), leaving an $877,000 funding gap, or the remaining 17 percent of project costs. The city could help cover those costs, and partners could also apply for state grants, which “have funded the Boardman Lake Trail since day one,” Clark said.”

Its only money right?

One commenter says:

Kudos to the City and TART. Trails are big money for cities, both in enhanced tourism and in adding value to properties. This will open up a lot of cool opportunities and add value all around Boardman Lake.

Well snap.

I guess its “big money.”

Add to this the suggestion of creating a new parks authority, it only starts there.

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This Is Why

To fight evil we must first call it out by name.

In 2007,  Congressman Pete Hoekstra told me that the Bush administration was going to call terrorist attacks “Man-Made disasters” going forward.

It was a report of incredulity. It was the first time I became aware that our federal government was not at all interested in fighting a ‘holy war,’ and was actually more concerned that any reference to Islam in a negative way would incite more violence and hostility from Muslims as such.

It was at that point, I knew we had lost a major battle in the fight against radical Islam.

Words matter, as other popular pundits note.  The failure to recognize one’s enemy can only guarantee that enemy remains invisible until it is too late.  This administration has made no attempt to reverse that policy, and has in-fact embraced it to the point that Islam Jihad has occurred on our soil several times since 2008.

No change would be expected under a 2nd Clinton administration either.  Of this we can be certain.  Hillary’s European style pandering would likely give us more Charlie Hebdo, or Paris theater style attacks.  As it is, she is calling out for more refugee settlement of radicalized Muslims in the US and IN MICHIGAN, a position that the Obama administration has been obliging.

This speech by Donald Trump should remind folks that he is not afraid to call out an evil by its name.

 

You Betcha! (13)Nuh Uh.(1)

Inside Job

Just order the damned happy meal and be quiet.

Customer:     A Whopper with cheese please

BK Guy:    I think you would like the Big Mac better.

Customer:     Big Mac? Isn’t that McD’s?

BK Guy:    Yes.  They are quite good too.

Customer:     Is this BK selling Big Macs now for the McD’s next door?

BK Guy:    Oh.. Not really, but I am.  I just think that is a better choice.

Customer:     But you work here at BK?

BK Guy:    For about 60 years. Yessiree.

You Betcha! (21)Nuh Uh.(1)

The Milliken Resolution

As far as the Grand Traverse County GOP is concerned, Bill Milliken isn't recognized as a Republican

Every couple of years, Former Michigan governor William Grawn Milliken trots out his endorsements for Democrat candidates.

While endorsements are a part of the political process, it is always noted that this has been by a ‘Republican’ who “is crossing party lines” to support Democrats.  Often enough it has been against incumbent Republicans, and is used in the press to promote disunity within the party.

Over the years, this has happened several times, and is consistent enough that it seemed prudent that the Republican party in his county of residence have a say in whether he is even considered to be a Republican at all.

Much in the way our nation has been beset by ‘gender confusion’, it seemed the former state executive has had a political identity crisis for some time. Supporting publicly funded abortion through the veto pen, and supporting Democrats against Republicans in critical contests not once or twice, but habitually for too many years to ignore.

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Yawner – Liberal Former Michigan ‘Republican’ Governor Endorses Radical Liberal

Liars Lie. Milliken was never a true Republican anyhow.

Queue the ‘Republican’ governor endorsing the Democrat ..again.  ZZZZZZZ

From the Ivory tower:

Current and former governors of Michigan are either working for the Democratic candidate for president, Hillary Clinton, or have declined to endorse Trump in the race for the White House.

Former Gov. William Milliken, a moderate Republican from Traverse City, broke ranks over the weekend and is endorsing Clinton for the presidency.

Oh my, this has never happened before!

Well, maybe once before.

You Betcha! (10)Nuh Uh.(1)