Especially the way the weekend ended... and with headlines like these greeting me.  There's good news and there's bad news.  The latter in abundance, sadly, but for the sake of general sanity we'll try to limit ourselves to only the most relevant stories.  (And by "most relevant" I mean, of course, the stories that I want to talk about.  Har.)

That means this particular post won't be discussing Peter Luke's dissection of Michigan Democrats local stimulus obstruction (via an MBT kill and other tax relief), how the UAW is dragging its feet on concessions with General Motors and Chrysler, what with the companies already showing a willingness to take "free" tax cash before making tough decisions or even about how the Granholm / Cherry team's pet economic development "success story", United Solar Ovonics has decided they aren't going to be doing all that growing they'd promised in press conferences after all.

Yeah, there's bad news out there.  This is Jennifer Granholm and John Cherry's Michigan, after all, but it isn't all thunderclouds and little black rainstorms. There's some good news out there, too, and, custom dictates I give you that first.

So... how `bout those Spartans?!  Feels good to keep dancing.

And while we're saying nice things about nice people, the Ivory Tower has a swell article this morning about Barsamian Prep Academy's work with expelled students in the D.  But I actually suggest you bookmark that one and come back to it later to help wash the rotten taste of the rest of the news out of your mouth.

Specifically the Associated Press report that DTE and Consumers Energy are going to be raising rates on residential customers by a full (and astronomical) 11%.

Residents and advocacy groups for the poor and elderly oppose the increases.

"I think it is crummy in this time of hardship," says Bonnie Banks, 61, a retired court recorder who splits her time between Ann Arbor and Oscoda and is a power customer of both Consumers Energy and Edison. "Because of the economy and all the layoffs and our high unemployment rate, it seems like there would be an even larger hardship for people."

It will be, Ms. Banks.  

Long-time readers of this blog will quickly attest that I'm NEEEEEVER one to say "I told you so," but... I told you so.

The Democrats in Lansing last year granted DTE and Consumers a monopoly on the energy market in Michigan.  It was a massive pay-off to their special interest pals and came despite warnings of double-digit rate hikes and customers getting pinched six ways from Sunday.  

Competition?  Bah.  Its over-rated, they assured us.

All told, the Dem's pet utilities are expected to raise rates by $593 million a year.  Make no mistake... that is a $593 million a year tax increase courtesy of Gretchen Whitmer, Andy Dillon, Jennifer Granholm and John Cherry.

Thanks, guys.  Really appreciate it.  Because working moms and dads in this state are just rolling extra cash these days.