This blog is no longer active as of October 31, 2011
I have to respect the man for going after the Obama Administration like this here:
(WARNING THE ARTICLE I AM ABOUT TO QUOTE HAS SOME SERIOUS LANGUAGE IN IT, IF YOU ARE EASILY OFFENDED, DO NOT PROCEED BEYOND THIS POINT!)
Further more, if you happen to be one of those type of people that believe that Unions are inherently evil, you might want to stop here. Least your head explode…
I were to file this one under anything. It would be under, “Blaaaahahahahahahahahahahahahaw!”
The Video via WXYZ-TV in Detroit:
and the Story, Via the Michigan View at the Detroit News:
Add Jesse Jackson’s ride to prominent vehicles being stripped in Detroit.
Following the embarrassing news that Mayor Dave Bing’s GMC Yukon was hijacked by criminals this week, Detroit’s Channel 7 reports that the Reverend’s Caddy Escalade SUV was stolen and stripped of its wheels while he was in town last weekend with the UAW’s militant President Bob King leading the “Jobs, Justice, and Peace” march promoting government-funded green jobs.
Read that again: Jackson’s Caddy SUV was stripped while he was in town promoting green jobs.
Add Jesse to the Al Gore-Tom Friedman-Barack Obama School of Environmental Hypocrisy. While preaching to Americans that they need to cram their families into hybrid Priuses to go shopping for compact fluorescent light bulbs to save the planet, they themselves continue to live large.
“We need an economy that creates employment that can’t be shipped overseas,” the Green Rev wrote for CNN about the march. “Home-grown American labor will be installing windmills and solar panels. A green economy is not an abstract concept.”
Well, its certainly abstract to Jesse, but I digress.
Yeah, the labor would be; Jesse Jackson has not done a day of honest hard work in his entire life. Hell, I’ve worked harder than he will ever work. Oh, wait, Jesse Jackson has worked hard, yes, very hard. That is, if you consider running one’s mouth continually about how oppressed the black man is; and doing the continual race hustle that he is very much known for. Then, yes, he is a very, very hard working man.
Others giggling about this very funny story: AmSpecBlog, Red Dog Report and Weasel Zippers
That’s right folks, the President and his Administration are in one hell of a huge bind. If they do not do something fast; they are going to be sunk come the midterms and possibly come 2012.
Here’s your video:
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Now, for the Stories….
Via the New York Times:
American businesses added more jobs in the last three months than originally estimated, but the wheels of the economic recovery are still spinning in place.
The private sector added 67,000 jobs in August, according to the Department of Labor, higher than consensus forecasts, and the government upwardly revised its numbers for June and July, suggesting that job creation was slightly stronger over the summer than originally reported.
But the continuing wind-down of the 2010 Census, as well as state and local government layoffs, led to an overall loss of 54,000 jobs in August.
With businesses adding about half the number of positions needed simply to accommodate population growth — much less dent the ranks of the jobless — the unemployment rate ticked up to 9.6 percent, from 9.5 percent.
“The overall picture is one where the labor market is still kind of treading water,” said Joshua Shapiro, chief United States economist at MFR Inc. “It’s better than sinking, but it’s certainly not surging ahead.”
Given the continuing addition of private jobs — albeit at a tepid pace — Friday’s monthly snapshot of the labor market seemed to calm fears of a double-dip recession. But the numbers are likely to do little to assuage political pressure on the Obama administration in the run-up to the midterm elections.
Speaking from the White House Rose Garden on Friday morning, Mr. Obama called the latest job report “positive news,” but said he would be unveiling “a broader package of ideas next week,” to shore up the flagging economy, although he declined to give specifics. The president once again urged Congress to pass a stalled bill that would offer tax breaks to small businesses and create a $30 billion program to encourage community banks to lend.
“There’s no quick fix for this recession,” he said. “The hard truth is that it took years to create our current economic problems, and it will take more time than any of us would like to repair the damage.”
Responding to the higher-than-expected private sector numbers and revisions, investors pushed up the major stock gauges. By early afternoon, the Standard & Poor’s 500-stock index was up 1 percent. Market reaction to the jobs data was tempered somewhat by a report that said growth in the services sector had slowed in August.
The Labor Department revised its private sector number for July, raising the number of jobs added to 107,000 from the 71,000 originally reported. And private sector hiring in June, originally reported at 83,000 and lowered to 31,000, was raised again to 61,000.
This is not making Democrats happy at all… Jack Tapper Reports:
Flanked by members of his economic team – including outgoing Council of Economic Advisers Dr. Christina Romer, whose replacement has yet to be named – President Obama chose to look at the silver lining in the economic clouds of today’s jobs report – not even mentioning that August saw a net job loss of 54,000 jobs.
“In the month I took office, we were losing 750,000 jobs a month,” the president said. “This morning, new figures show the economy produced 67,000 private sector jobs in August, the eighth consecutive month of private job growth. Additionally, the numbers for July were revised upward to 107,000. Now that’s positive news, and it reflects the steps we’ve already taken to break the back of this recession.”
The net job loss for August is largely because of the layoffs of 114,000 Census temporary workers.
….and from David Corn:
Democrats are spooked by recent polls and predictions indicating the GOP may slam the Dems so badly that the D’s lose the House and possibly the Senate. The Republicans need to gain 39 seats to seize the House, and it’s not difficult these days to find nonpartisan handicappers who predict the R’s could gain 40 to 50 seats. The conventional wisdom in D.C.: A tsunami is heading toward the Democrats. A Democratic strategist toiling on the party’s House efforts refers to working on the “Titanic” (though he claims there may be some hidden life rafts). “The president keeps saying it’s a tough environment,” says a Democratic House staffer. “We know that. We want to know what he’s going to do about it.”…
“He still wants to be seen as post-partisan and bipartisan,” says a House Democratic leadership aide. “But we’re in a fight here.” Democrats expect Obama to come out swinging nonstop — bashing the R’s repeatedly and proposing economic initiatives that actually register with voters. At the same time, members of the House Democratic leadership are worried that Obama will cave and yield to GOP demands that George W. Bush’s expiring tax cuts for the wealthy be extended. “If he doesn’t do something immediately, our members will be livid,” says a House Democratic aide. “And when there’s fear of a bloodbath, it’s never too early to start the blame game.”
I just blogged about how the Democrats can fix this mess. However, knowing them like they do; they would rather let the Nation suffer and blame the Republicans for the entire mess, while living large on the taxpayers dime —- than to actually do something to fix the problem. FDR did this, to a certain extent as have many other Democrat Party Presidents; I mean, it is not like Obama is going to be affected by any of this economic downturn.
One there is very certain, the tide is turning, Democrats had the chance to actually fix things and they have failed at it miserably. The Tea Party has now crystallized into a political force to be reckoned with — even among Republicans. RINO’s are being flushed out and true-blue Conservatives are being brought to the battle. It is so bad that the liberal media is gone to terrible spinning facts, an example:
It is possible that coming at the end of the summer an uptick in people looking for work is not as positive as it appears. This is the time of year, after two hot months, when recent graduates start to actually think about their future and send out resumes. And you can image many other out of work people deciding to take off looking for a job in the summer. In August, with the summer ending, some of those people started looking again in earnest. But you would expect the big uptick in post-summer people searching for work to come in September. So the fact that it is coming early is a good sign.
Oh Yes, it is that bad on that that side of the political aisle. When you start reading that sort of idiotic spin in a liberal publication, you know that things are horrifically bad right now for the Democrats. This midterm election and possibly in the general election; will most likely go down as the worst ever failure of the Democrat Party ever. The Democratic Party roared into power in 2006 to take the keys away from the Bush Administration, then they won the General election in 2008. They then got the entire key chain of the Country —- and proceeded to drive the Country as a whole over a cliff! Because of that and because of this economic that we are in, which was, in fact, created by the Carter and Clinton Administrations; whom were, Democratic Party Administrations — we are about to see a major collapse of a party’s authority in the political realm. I have written here, time and time again; that the Democratic Party has horribly overreached…..again. This happens just about every time the Democrats get into power. To be fair and as non-partisan as I can be; Republicans have done it too — Nixon did it, Bush did it and some others. However, this administration took it to another more frightening level. Because of this; they are about to do what many call, “Paying the Piper.”
The ship is sinking and the rats are jumping. It should be very interesting to watch. 2010 looms and they have no answers.
Welcome to the meltdown. Get popcorn. Hold on tight and enjoy the show.
(H/T to HotAir on the story leads for this posting. Good show AP! 😀 )
If there is any truth to this; it can turn the most rabid Democrat into a Republican, real quick:
Administration officials have struggled to develop new economic policies and an effective message to blunt expected Republican gains in Congress and defuse complaints from Democrats that President Obama is fumbling the issue most important to voters. Following Obama’s vacation and focus on foreign policy in recent weeks, White House advisers have arranged a series of economic events for the president next week, including two trips to swing states and a news conference.
“We’ll continue to do everything we can, understanding that recovery will require persistent effort. There are no silver bullets,” senior Obama adviser David Axelrod said in an interview Thursday. “At the same time, we have to make clear our ideas and theirs, and the fact that the Washington Republicans, having helped create this recession, have attempted to block our every effort to deal with it.”
But with the unemployment rate expected to rise again in jobs numbers due out Friday, panic is setting in among many Democratic candidates who fear it is too late for Obama to convince voters that he understands the depth of the nation’s economic woes and can fix them.
[….]
Last November, Obama announced that he would turn his attention to unemployment, calling it “one of the great challenges that remains in our economy.” He declared the same intent two months later, telling House Democrats he would focus relentlessly on job creation “over the next several months.” Senior aides went on television pledging that the mantra would become “jobs, jobs, jobs.”
But other matters – health care, the BP oil spill – continually stole the limelight, creating the impression, some Democrats complain, that the president was barely focused on the economy at all.
His advisers described his attentiveness – noting, for example, that he discussed the economy with New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg (I) for 15 minutes before golfing – but got little traction.
“Obviously it’s going to be hard to get anything done before the election, but it’s really important for him to try, and to make the case to the American people that he’s trying to do something and the Republicans aren’t letting him,” said Steve Elmendorf, a Democratic strategist. “We are at the final moments here.”
Obama has another incentive to act: Tax cuts enacted during the George W. Bush administration are scheduled to expire in January, and Democrats – accused by Republicans of plotting to let them vanish – feel compelled to do something before the midterms.
Obama campaigned on a pledge to let cuts expire for the richest 2 percent of households, but some Democrats say the economy is too weak to raise anyone’s taxes right now. And they fear a backlash from small-business owners who could be hit with higher taxes.
Pairing targeted business tax breaks with an extension of middle-class tax cuts could help alleviate those problems.
This article alone, ought to be a lesson for any Democrat thinking about running for office. That raising Taxes in a recession, just does not work. Only tax breaks for the wealthy and making the business climate more healthy will help. Also cutting spending is another way to bring down inflation. This article alone, should be a text book example of why Keynesian Economics does not work in a recession, at all. If you tax businesses to death, you spur growth, if you spur growth, jobs disappear — it is a vicious cycle. Democrats have been making these same stupid mistakes for years.
Which is why we need to vote them out, come November of 2010. Especially here in Michigan, where job growth is desperately needed.
My Fellow Conservatives, if we are the people that we claim to be; a group of people that does distinguish between moderate Muslims and radical Muslims who wish to destroy America. It is time to put our money, where our mouths are.
This man was a victim; A victim of someone who, although intoxicated, was caught up in the euphoria surrounding the Mosque that the backers of park51 want to build. While I feel that the backers of park51 project ought to be covering this man’s bills. I also feel that we, as Conservatives, ought to take the higher plane and ought to at least contribute to this man’s cause and help him cover his bills until he can get back to work. Because, whether we want to admit it or not; there are some on our ranks, that actually created this mess. We ought to be the honorable ones, and help this man. He is an innocent bystander in a war, between those who want to destroy America and those who wish to preserve it.
From CNN:
(CNN) — New York cab driver Ahmed Sharif cannot bring himself to talk about the young man who allegedly cut his throat and nearly killed him last week, a taxi union representative said Sunday.
“Ahmed is a strong man, but mentally he has limits,” said Bhairavi Desai of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance. “The trauma he’s experienced will last for a long time.”
Desai spent time this weekend with Sharif. She said his most pressing worry is how he’ll provide for his wife and four children — including a 10-month-old –without a job. Sharif is receiving 2/3 of his salary, about $30,000 a year, in workers’ compensation. Union members do not get health insurance or disability payments, Desai said.
“My guess is that he’ll be unable to work for at least four months,” Desai said. “He can’t even pick up his baby because of the wounds to his arms. He can’t turn his neck.”
There’s been so little money raised over the past few days for Sharif that it would “barely cover baby formula,” said Desai who, along with Sharif, held a widely publicized press conference Friday announcing the union was creating a fund for the family. The union’s website indicates how to mail a donation or give online.
There is also an address that you can send your checks and money orders to, it is:
Ahmed Sharif
c/o New York Taxi Workers Alliance
250 Fifth Avenue, Suite 310
NY, NY 10001
Further more, I do not want to hear any idiotic griping about how this place is some sort of a union or progressive organization. Who cares? They are helping this man, and that my friends is all that matters. In fact, when this posting goes live. I will be sending a small donation, along with the link to this posting. Because I do want to show, that unlike some people out there, calling themselves Conservatives, I am not ate up with hatred of those of another race. I want to show, that my battle is not against those of the Islamic Faith or those of Arab decent; but that my battle is against radical Islam and Jihad — against those who have hijacked a religion to further an agenda of hate. Sort of like these guys here.
I encourage my fellow Conservatives to for once, to put aside our feelings of mistrust; and help someone, who was quite honestly, caught in the crossfire. If we do this, we can rebuild an image that was tarnished the day this man was stabbed. Do it now; go, give and give abundantly.
Other Great Americans, who feel this is just the right thing to do: Alan Colmes’ Liberaland, New York Magazine, Suburban Guerrilla and Gawker
Republican for Michigan Governor Candidate Rick Snyder has tapped a Lt. Governor Candidate. Rick Snyder for Governor campaign site has more:
Grand Rapids, MI. — Rick Snyder today sent a clear message that Michigan needs a fresh start by naming 33-year-old state Rep. Brian Calley as his pick for lieutenant governor during a town hall meeting at the Grand Rapids Public Museum.
Snyder said he was impressed by Calley’s grasp on the challenges facing the state and his experience working on tough issues.
“I was looking for a partner, not just a running mate. Brian Calley will help seize our one chance to Reinvent Michigan,” Snyder said. “He’s someone who shares my positive vision for Michigan’s future. He’s someone who can hit the ground running on Day One and help shoulder the load of working with the Legislature to reinvent our state.”
Calley, of Portland, is a relatively new face to the Michigan political scene, currently serving his second term in the state House. Well-respected and a proven conservative, he has repeatedly demonstrated his ability to work with both Republican and Democrat lawmakers to find common-sense solutions.
“With Rick Snyder, I think we have a real chance to finally break the partisan logjam in Lansing, and I want to be part of that,” Calley said. “Rick’s positive message is setting the right tone for getting things done. I am honored to be Rick Snyder’s partner in helping reinvent Michigan.”
Snyder said he knew Calley was the right person for the job after meeting with him.
“Brian is a family man and a man of integrity. He wants to make Michigan a place where his kids can grow up, get a good education and find a job instead of having to move to Chicago or Texas. He wants what all of us want – he wants Michigan to succeed,” Snyder said.
As a former banker and member of the House Tax Policy Committee, Calley has been involved in some of the most complex legislation lawmakers have worked on in recent years. He earned some name recognition statewide for leading the fight to prevent property taxes from going up when property values go down and holding meetings showing homeowners how to appeal their property taxes.
Calley made national news last year when he stood up to the government for a family accused of running an unlicensed, illegal day care because they babysat their neighbor’s children – without accepting payment – while they waited for the school bus in the morning.
Calley recently won a landslide victory in a hard-fought primary election in the highly-conservative 33rd Senate District, but he will have to forgo that campaign in order to run for lieutenant governor.
Calley is married to Julie Calley, who is an Ionia County Commissioner. They have three children. Calley is a graduate of Michigan State University with a degree in business administration and holds an MBA from Grand Valley State University.
Sigh….
Why must I write about insanely stupid things such as this?
I mean, is being a moderate Conservative automatically a mandate to sign on with the stupid now? If it is, I must have not have gotten the memo on this at all. Because this bunch of blatant stupidity, I find to be most distressing — almost to the point of shutting my blog and disappearing from Politics altogether.
What I am griping about, is this incredibly stupid poll out, which says that more and more people believe that President Obama is a Muslim. I mean the man’s Father gives to his kid an Arab middle name, because the man was a Muslim at one time, and everyone freaks and says, “He’s a Muslim!” or in some quarters, “He’s a nigger Muslim!” —- Depending on where you are, north or south of the Mason-Dixon Line. Yes, I went there, you are very welcome. Figure if Dr. Laura can go there, so can I.
Seriously, folks, I am honestly beginning to wonder if some members of the Anglo-Saxon race are not inflicted with some sort of incurable disorder. I like to call it “Negro-Phobia,” White people are honestly frightened by anyone that looks, talks, acts, and even sounds different than they do. This is 2010, I thought we were over such nonsense; after all, we did elect the Nation’s first black President. Nevertheless, this nonsense is still being polled about, talked about and blogged about.
My question to my fellow Conservative is this; do you people honestly believe that this sort of idiotic nonsense is going to get the Republicans elected back into office in November? I mean, seriously!
What is fueling this sort of nonsense? Fear —– You know damned well the Republicans are playing that little card for all it is worth.
Look, I know the President is a socialist I get that. However, to accuse a man of lying about what his Religious leanings are, is just plain underhanded tripe. I mean, has all of the damned intellectualism disappeared out of the Conservative side of the Political fence for God’s sake? Have all of the men of wisdom within the ranks of Conservationism been replaced with Hillbilly Mouth breathing idiots, who have no concept of any sort intellectual thought?
I will not try to mislead my readers — at this point, I am seriously beginning to believe that Conservatives have officially jumped the damned shark on this little subject. I am not ready to official change to another political stripe or anything; because I have learned too much about the left, and much of it, I cannot stand. Nevertheless, this nonsense of accusing the first black President of the United States about lying to America, as to what God his subscribes to, is just very ridiculous.
Is this what the Republican Party has become? The President of the United States, who happens to be black and have Arab middle name has a dinner with a group of Muslims. The President tells a group of Arabs that are visiting the White House, that this Park 51 site — has the legal, not the moral, but the legal right to build in New York City and that the United States Government will not interfere with this process — and alone, that makes him a Muslim?
Another example: The economy is not recovering as fast or a well as the Democrats had hoped and that somehow means that President Obama is some sort cryptic-Muslim socialist that wants to overthrow the capitalistic system in America, and introduce us to Sharia law and Communism.
Do not laugh; I have heard such stuff out of the mouth of Glenn Beck himself and from other well-known Conservative Bloggers.
If this all somehow sounds familiar to some of my older readers, it should, the same very thing was said about President John F. Kennedy. There were actually Conservatives and yes, some Democrats who were going around shrieking that Kennedy would be taking orders from Rome. You see, Kennedy was Catholic and back in those days, a Catholic had never served as President of the United States. In fact, the issue got so bad, that Kennedy had to address the Southern Baptist Convention in 1960 to convince them and the rest of America that he would not be taking orders from Rome.
Fortunately, back then, it worked.
What you did not have in 1960 were Conservative Bloggers who were “hell bent” on destroying a President, for the simple fact that he is a Black Democrat. However, today, you do have them and there are many of them.
Look, I am going to make an admission to you all. I did not create this blog to attempt to destroy President Obama. I started this blog to criticize the President of the United States on his policies, when I thought that they were wrong, dumb, and misguided, and I will continue to do so. However, what I will not partake in is the silly idiotic partisan rumormongering that is not based on facts.
Having said all of that let me give an open message to the Conservative and Republican Blogging community:
I will not partake in this stupidity and if this is, what is required to be in with the “Cool Kids” in Conservative blogger, then by all means, count me is an outsider — Because I want nothing to do with this sort of stupidity.
Seriously, what is it with the stupid media and that word?
New U.S. claims for unemployment benefits unexpectedly climbed to a nine-month high last week, yet another setback to the frail economic recovery.
Initial claims for state unemployment benefits increased 12,000 to a seasonally adjusted 500,000 in the week ended August 14, the highest since mid-November, the Labor Department said on Thursday.
Analysts polled by Reuters had forecast claims slipping to 476,000 from the previously reported 484,000 the prior week, which was revised up to 488,000 in Thursday’s report.
A Labor Department official said there was nothing unusual in the state level data. The data covered the survey week for the government’s closely watched employment report for August, scheduled for release early next month.
“There are some technical factors out there and the seasonal factors seem to be pushing it up a little bit. But given the trend of claims it looks like the economy ran into a wall in August,” said Chris Rupkey, chief financial economist at Bank of Tokyo-MitsubishI UFJ in New York.
via Weekly Jobless Claims Post Surprise Jump, Hit 500,000 – CNBC.
Unexpectedly? Oh Please, like these idiots did not expect the jobless claims to rise, seeing that we are in the worst recession, since the great Depression. Just more of that Presidential butt kissing since the election of that idiotic Democrat in the White House —– by the liberal owned and financed main stream media. I will say this; when I saw Ed Morrissey making a fuss about the use of the word, at first, I thought Ed was being a bit silly and quite melodramatic about it. However now, it is getting even ridiculous for even me to bear now. So, seriously guys. Knock off the use of that idiotic word, please.
Ed Morrissey adds:
CNBC’s headline writer also got gobsmacked, writing this header for the Reuters story: “Weekly Jobless Claims Post Surprise Jump, Hit 500,000.” Maybe Reuters should seriously look at hiring better analysts.
Ed is so nice — Allow me to take that a bit further. Perhaps Reuters ought to actually try reporting news; instead of being the liberal Democratic Party supporting, terrorist apologists, that they actually are — Maybe then we could actually trust them again, as a legitimate news source; instead of having to employ the “Idiot Liberal” filter every time someone has to actually read their propaganda stories that they attempt to pawn off on actual thinking Americans.
I know, it sounds quite harsh; but when you strip off the gloss, and the shiny paint —- that is what you have.
Others: Ezra Klein, Michelle Malkin, Firedoglake, Gateway Pundit, Hot Air, Scared Monkeys, The Powers That Be, TalkLeft and Conservatives4Palin.com and more Via Memeorandum
The Videos via NBC Nightly News:
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
50,000 advisers remain. But, the worse….. Hopefully, is over.
If you served; thank you. 😀 I could never, ever express that in any fashion that is remotely worth a darn. At least not without sounding like some sort of an idiot.
What happens now? This, via NYT:
To protect the civilians in a country that is still home to insurgents with Al Qaeda and Iranian-backed militias, the State Department is planning to more than double its private security guards, up to about 7,000, according to administration officials who disclosed new details of the plan. Defending five fortified compounds across the country, the security contractors would operate radars to warn of enemy rocket attacks, search for roadside bombs, fly reconnaissance drones and even staff quick reaction forces to come to the aid of civilians in distress, the officials said…
The department’s plans to rely on 6,000 to 7,000 security contractors, who are also expected to form “quick reaction forces” to rescue civilians in trouble, is a sensitive issue, given Iraqi fury about shootings of civilians by American private guards in recent years. Administration officials said that security contractors would have no special immunity and would be required to register with the Iraqi government. In addition, one of the State Department’s regional security officers, agents who oversee security at diplomatic outposts, will be required to approve and accompany every civilian convoy, providing additional oversight.
MSNBC and WaPo both have some seriously excellent articles on soldiers reflections on coming out.
Keith Olbermann obviously, is overjoyed:
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Blackfive which is a very excellent Milblogger has much to say about this. I will be honest; I am very disappointed that more of the Conservative Bloggers are not covering this. It seems that they are more interested in the Mosque story. Which is highly disappointing. My high kudos to AllahPundit over at HotAir, for at least giving the Military the dignity that they deserve.
And now, for a special comment from me, your humble host, about the ending of this long seven year war.
I think I can speak for the great majority of America — I am just damned glad it is finally done, over, finished. For seven long years, our Nation sat, rent asunder, divided over what could possibly be called the biggest blunder that a Presidential Administration, not to mention a Nation, a Congress, and Country could ever have pulled off — A decision to go to war with a Country based upon now what is now known as horrifically flawed intelligence. Without over simplifying it and at the risk of sounding like a far-leftist Liberal —- Oops, we blew it and blew it bad —– Because of this very idiotic blunder, 4415 of our Nation’s finest young men and woman, ended up going to a damned meat grinder and losing their lives. For a war, that had absolutely nothing, zero, nada to do with the attacks on the World Trade Center, The Pentagon and on Flight 93 that the Government claims was on the way to the White House on September 11, 2001. In short and quite bluntly, we screwed the pooch on that one, and whole bunch of Military people were killed.
I say the word “Claims,” because the United States Government has not exactly been very forthcoming about all of the evidence that they have, which supports the claims made by the Government about what really happened on 9/11. Now, before anyone begins to think it; no, I am not a 9/11 “truther.” No more, than I am a far leftist or even a damned Republican. However, I will say to you that I do not trust my Government. Because to blindly trust the Government is to never question what they say to you; and to never question or challenge is to be a slave or a servant; and the last time I checked, I am not, nor have I ever been, a slave to anyone or a servant of anyone, save the Lord Jesus Christ. That even that I readily admit to being quite lousy at doing, at times.
Having said all that let me say this:
We won.
No thanks, of course, to the Democratic Party, The libertarian leftists, The Ron Paul people, The Pat Buchanan types, The Paleo-Conservatives in General, the far-leftists, and the liberal, owned, controlled, and financed media in this God-forsaken Country of ours.
However, all praise, honor and any sort of decree is to be given to the United States Armed Forces. They simply kicked Al-Qaeda’s ass in Iraq. The US Military smoked them damned towel heads from one end of Iraq to the other. Most of their dead bodies are in Iraqi Cemeteries; which is a good place for them, if you ask me.
Personally, I am glad this conflict is over. I am also glad, that we actually won. There was no Vietnam-like ending, we left victorious.
We won.
In the future, we should be much more careful.
We also should remember those who did not make it out alive.
However, today, we dance, we rejoice.
Because tomorrow, we go back to work and we finish the damned job on the war on terror.
One word…. Awesome. 😀 (H/T HotAir)
Now this is different:
Ahlam Mohsen - Unhinged Pie Thug
Washington — Sen. Carl Levin was hit in the face with a pie this morning at a question-and-answer session on what should’ve been friendly ground in Big Rapids.
The Democrat from Detroit was speaking to members of the Mecosta County Democratic Party when a young man — who described himself as a student — began chastising Levin for his work on the Senate Armed Services Committee, which helps direct military and war policy.
After a few minutes of speaking at Pepper’s Café and Deli, a woman who accompanied the student to the event walked up to Levin and hit him in the face with a pie, a source with Levin’s office confirmed.
Big Rapids Police arrested the woman on assault and battery charges.
via Levin hit in face with pie in Big Rapids — The Detroit News.
Interesting. I thought it was the Tea Party folks who were supposed to be the violent ones? Do you expect to see wall to wall coverage of this event on CNN and MSDNC MSNBC? Me either. 🙄 It just does not fit the narrative.
Because according to MSNBC and CNN, only the Teabagging white racist bigots can be violent pie throwers. 🙄
This is unreal:
The Video, which comes via John McCormack over at the Weekly Standard:
For the record, he did say:
I don’t know how anyone of Hispanic heritage could be a Republican. ‘Kay? Do I need to say more?
Ed Morrissey over at HotAir adds the following:
I have some advice for Senator Reid. If he wants to find out how someone of Hispanic heritage can be a Republican, he can call Brian Sandoval in Nevada. Reid should be able to recognize Sandoval, because he’s currently beating Reid’s son Rory like a drum in the polls for the gubernatorial race (via Karl in the Green Room). Small wonder Rory has stopped using his dad’s name in his campaign advertising.
At first, when I saw this clip, I resisted posting it. Because I was kind of worried that this might be another Sharrod moment. However, after thinking about it. This is exactly how Democrats think. I have heard the same statements made by blacks, about blacks who decide that the Democratic Party is just not for them and runs against their Conservative Christian values. They are called uncle tom’s, house negro’s and so forth. That is, what is called, “the plantation mentality,” and when you stray off of that plantation, you get scolded by the plantation boss. That is because the Democratic Party and Liberals in general, do not what you to think for yourself. The Democratic Party and the Liberals want to do your thinking for you. They want to be the ones to decide what is good for you and what is not. You do not have an personality; you are just a number and a contributor to our master plan!
That is the tragic thing about the Democratic Party. It claims to the party of the people; when in reality it is nothing but the party of the Government, for the Government, and BY the Government — and the people, of who’s tax dollars pay for this Government, has no say so in what they choose to do. “You will do what you are told and you will like it!” is the thought process behind these socialists. The sick and sad part is this; many hard working, middle class Americans, (Like my Parents) fall into the trap of believing what these bastards tell them. These poor people actually believe that the Democratic Party is on their side. When in all honesty, these people do not give two flips about the American people. They just care about their socialist agenda and the people are just an means to an end. Many socialists have admitted that in the past.
We need to remember this in the coming 2010 elections here in Michigan and in the coming 2012 elections as well and vote accordingly.
Michelle Malkin, whom I do not always agree with politically, but of whom I do respect, has a great write up on this as well. Check it out!
Right now on Memeornadum, the big trending thread is about the Primary results from last night.
Now I am going to be perfectly honest with you. I have about as much interest in the primary results from other states; as I would going to a Roman Catholic Seminary. After all, it is not like anyone is really paying me to sit here and analyze the political impact of a primary race in another state.
However, take heart! There is someone out there who does actually get paid; albeit by a right wing news outlet, to sit and expound upon the primary results. Ed Morrissey; of whom I happen to believe is one of the more level-headed Conservative Bloggers out there, gives his personal analysis on the primary results.
Honestly, the thing that I am focused on here; is the general election in November. That little event cannot come fast enough for Michigan.
First the bleak outlook, from the Old Gray Lady:
With the American economic recovery hanging in the balance, private employers added 71,000 jobs in July, up from a downwardly revised 31,000 in June but well below the consensus forecast of 90,000. The unemployment rate stayed steady at 9.5 percent.
Over all, the nation lost 131,000 jobs last month, but those losses came as 143,000 Census Bureau workers left their temporary posts, the Labor Department said. June’s number was revised dramatically downward to a total loss of 221,000 jobs. The agency originally reported that the nation lost 125,000 jobs in June.
Figures released last week confirmed that the United States economy slowed in the spring, and the Department of Labor’s monthly statistical snapshot of hiring pointed toward a stall in hiring this summer, as employers failed to add jobs at the rate they were earlier this year.
What’s more, the number of jobs added in July is about half the 125,000 to 150,000 that economists generally say employers need to generate simply to accommodate new entrants to the labor market. With more than 8 million people having lost their jobs during the recession, such tepid job growth can’t begin to plug the hole.
“The private sector is still hobbled and certainly is not nearly strong enough to overcome the drain on the government side,” said Robert A. Dye, senior economist at PNC Financial Services Group in Pittsburgh.
Which, of course, results in the proverbial “Rats Jumping from the ship.”
The Story Via Hotline on Call:
Christina Romer, chairwoman of Pres. Obama’s Council of Economic Advisers, has decided to resign, according to a source familiar with her plans.
Romer, an economics professor at the University of California (Berkeley) before taking the key admin post, did not respond to repeated calls to her office.
“She has been frustrated,” a source with insight into the WH economics team said. “She doesn’t feel that she has a direct line to the president. She would be giving different advice than Larry Summers [director of the National Economic Council], who does have a direct line to the president.”
[…]
Instead, the jobless rate is 9.5%, after exceeding 10% last year. It was “a horribly inaccurate forecast,” said Bert Ely, a banking consultant. “You have to wonder why Summers isn’t the one that should be taking the fall. But Larry is a pretty good bureaucratic infighter.
So much for all the wonderful economic recovery promised under the promised “Hope and Change” of the Barack Obama Administration. This should be a textbook example of why “Tax and Spend” strategies to get a Country out of a recession does not work. If that does not convince you, this might:
and…..
(H/T Calculated Risk)
Welcome to Obama’s America. It is going to be long four years. Remember this come 2010 and 2012.
Obviously I am not happy about Mike Bouchard not winning the primary.
However, I do understand why it is that Mike Bouchard was not able to pull off a victory. Well, frankly, it was this:
Governor Republican
Rick Snyder 380,489 36%
Pete Hoekstra 280,326 27%
Mike Cox 239,752 23%
Mike Bouchard 126,991 12%
Tom George 16,965 2%
100% reporting(Via WXYZ-TV)
There we just too many people running on the Republican ticket. As you can see above, there were five names on the ballot for Republicans; there were two on the Democratic Party side. If it had been Tom George and Mike Bouchard; Bouchard would have aced the race. But because you had three big ticket names in the race and one person that I had never heard of; Bouchard just was not able to pull it off.
Seeing that Bouchard is out of the race, I will support and do endorse Rick Snyder for Governor of Michigan.
In other news locally here in Michigan; there was a HUGE upset in the race for Congress. Hansen Clarke, who grew up on Detroit’s lower east side, has soundly defeated Congresswoman Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick. WXYZ-TV has the videos and the story:
(WXYZ) – Hansen Clarke has won the Democratic nomination in the 13th Congressional District.
Clarke’s victory is an upset over sitting Congresswoman Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick. Many political analysts believe the legal troubles of the congresswoman’s son, former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, contributed to her loss.
Because of the nature of the district, the nomination is viewed as an automatic path to the Congressional seat.
Okay, the whole “power to the people” thing was a bit creepy. But that is to be expected amongst Democrats; as the Democratic Party was founded as the “Party of the people.” Anyhow, even as a “Right of Center” blogger, I, as someone who has lived here all my life, watching Kilpatrick having to eat crow, is one of the best things I have ever seen. The really cool part is, Kilpatrick cannot scream “Race!” at all. The man who beat her was a minority too. The truth is, Kilpatrick screwed herself, when she said, “I’m proud of my son, very proud…” I mean, that just sealed it for her. She is proud of a corrupt man? Not that anyone actually believes that; but in politics perception is a big of reality. Heck, just look at Ron Paul and Pat Buchanan. There are some on the right that cannot look at those two, without going into a Tourette’s Syndrome-type fit and screaming “Jew Hater! Anti-Semite! Racist!”
I just am hoping and Praying that the Republicans can pull off a nice victory in November. The climate is right; we just need to get the message right and not louse it up.
I should have posted this earlier. But, I was busy.
I voted in today’s primary. I voted for Mike Bouchard for Governor of the State of Michigan.
I ask that if you live in Michigan and you are registered to vote, that you do so. When you vote, vote for Mike Bouchard.
A little about Mike Bouchard:
Born and raised in Michigan, Mike Bouchard has been committed to improving our state. Growing up in Oakland County, he attended Birmingham Brother Rice high school. He and Pam, his wife of twenty years, are teaching the same Michigan values they learned growing up to their three kids. From police officer to small business owner to elected office, Mike has taken on many different roles in his efforts to preserve and protect our way of life.
Mike brings all his experience, knowledge and leadership to the race for Governor. He understands it’s a critical time for the state, as many families face uncertain times as our economy continues to struggle. As governor, he’ll be prepared on day one to start making the tough choices that will turn our state around. He knows it took a long time to get here, so there are no easy fixes or simple solutions. But we need to take the first steps in order to get us back on the road to prosperity.
Mike believes if we fix Lansing, we’ll get Michigan back to work.He’ll be able to bring his knowledge from serving as a leader in the state Senate to develop lasting solutions. He was in the Senate when our leaders worked together to deliver balanced budgets and tax cuts every year he was there. As Assistant Senate Majority Leader, he worked closely with leaders like Governor Engler and then Senate Majority Leader Posthumus. Mike placed a priority on helping families. He pushed for the Michigan Sex Offender Registry requiring sex offenders to register with local law enforcement agencies and making that information publicly available for concerned parents and neighbors. He also chaired the education committee where he worked to empower parents and students to make more decisions about their future.
Go read the rest of that. Mike’s a proven leader, that knows how to get things done. Just we need for Michigan and for jobs to be returned to this area. I supported Mike Bouchard since day one and I do truly hope that he does win this primary.
Check out Mike Bouchard for Republican Governor of the State of Michigan.
Here is another reason why I basically decided to part ways with the Neo-Conservative, Far-Right in the Blogosphere — Which included me leaving the Conservative Hive on BlogAds.
It seems that some writer over at John Hawkings’s Right Wing News Blog, which is a strict Neo-Conservative Blog, has posted a entry rife full of lies and outright racism towards Arabs in Detroit.
First, the racism:
Just as no good deed goes unpunished, no act of evil remains unrewarded for long — much less a whole career of evil that reached its crescendo with a denunciation of Jews so tasteless that not even the liberal establishment media could stomach it. This is why the Muslim colonists populating Dearbornistan are erecting a statue of Helen Thomas.
Did you get that? “Dearbornistan.” That is what your Far-Right in this Country is come to; outright racism and bigotry towards Arabs. Dearbornistan is a racist play on words for the city of Dearborn, Michigan. Which is populated by Arabs. The good majority of which are peace-loving Muslims and yes, some Christian Arabs as well. But, that is no matter to those on the far-right; they are ate up with bigotry and hatred towards the Arabs in this Country. Mainly because of 9/11. My question to them is this; do two wrongs make a right? I think not. Could you imagine if someone referred to an area of America, that was heavily populated by Jews in the same manner as this? The outrage would be absolutely deafening.
Not being satisfied with just being a racist bigot, this guy is also a liar as well, check out this little nugget of B.S.:
I’d be surprised if taxes aren’t making up most of the difference. No problem, Michigan is flush with cash these days.
Nowhere at all in this story, which is about Helen Thomas getting statue of her likeness in a Arab Museum; does it say a thing about Helen Thomas’s statue being paid for by U.S. Tax dollars, nowhere. But that does not stop these far-right, Neo-Conservative bigots from spreading lies like this. Because, you see, it is all about their bigoted little narrative, that ALL Arabs are terrorists, and that they are out to kill all Americans and so forth.
Do not misunderstand me here, I do not not, nor will I ever side with the socialist left in this Country. But I will be damned if I ever side with a bunch of far-right bigots either! This is the reason why I personally believe that the Republican Party is going to get it’s ASS handed to it in the primaries and in 2012. The American people, like me, just do not have any tolerance for bigotry and racism —– towards ANY race at all. This is why I voted libertarian in the 2008 election. One because I thought Sarah Palin was an idiot, and still do; two because of this sort of idiotic racist bigotry that exists in the Conservative circles. It is wrong, it should be flushed out and exposed for what it really is.
I mean, these guys are acting like the Jim Crow racist Democrats of the south prior to 1964. It is truly unreal.
Let me also say this; this sort of crap right here, is why I basically parted ways with the more Paleo-Conservative circles in the past. Because I just do not have any tolerance for this sort of nuanced bigotry and racism, and now here it is being found in the more main-stream, Neo-Conservative circles. If William F. Buckley was alive he would be fit to be tied for idiotic nonsense like this. Using 9/11 as a license to act like Klan members; it is truly unbelievable.
I feel the need to write about this, but I am not. I am going to post a video reply.
Over at “The Other McCain”, I saw this headline:
EMERGENCY: SAVE STOGIE!
Aside from the “ZOMG! Eleventy!!!!” element to it. I didn’t think much of it. So, I went over and looked:
Home foreclosures are continuing at a brisk pace, according to an article by McClatchy News. Many of the first foreclosures that began three years ago, when the housing bubble began to burst, were for subprime mortgages. Now, however, a fresh batch of foreclosures is occurring because people have lost their jobs and can’t pay them. I am now in that category. I didn’t pay my July mortgage payment and probably will miss August as well. I haven’t been answering the phone, which rings constantly from bill collectors.
Our savings kept us afloat for a year. When it was gone, I borrowed the equity out of my life insurance. That’s gone too. We were hoping to ride out this recession, to survive until it was over.
This prompted a back and forth between me and Robert Stacy McCain:
Pat
July 31st, 2010 @ 6:30 amMeh, No pity…
Maybe Rupert Murdok or one of his Zionist friends can bail him out.
—-
Robert Stacy McCain
July 31st, 2010 @ 6:50 amDammit, Pat, if you knew what a great guy Stogie is, you wouldn’t say useless crap like that. I was tempted to delete your comment, but I’ll leave it up, just to chastise your conscience when you see the testimonials to Stogie’s valiant character.
Pat
July 31st, 2010 @ 7:10 amI’m sure he is a great guy. But nobody bailed my ass out when I was over 18 grand in the hole back in 2004. I filed for chapter 7 and started over.
I’m just sayin’…
Of course, McCain’s sock puppets came out in full force against me; which is of no surprise.
Here’s my video reply on the subject and my apologies in advance for the poor audio quality and picture:
That’s my opinion, and I welcome yours.
Another name in my life here in the Detroit Area is retiring. The BEST name in Weather in Detroit is retiring.
Jerry Hodak
Some Videos from WXYZ-TV:
and a much better and much longer video:
The Story Via WXYZ-TV:
After more than 45 years as Detroit’s trusted source for weather, WXYZ-TV Chief Meteorologist Jerry Hodak will retire from Detroit’s ABC affiliate in September.
Hodak, a native Detroiter, began his broadcasting career as a newscaster at WDET-FM at Wayne State University. He went on to report for WDBO-TV in Orlando, Florida and covered many of the early space launches from Cape Canaveral for the CBS radio and television networks.
He returned to Detroit in 1965 as a weathercaster for WJBK-TV. In 1977, he joined the WXYZ-TV family as a weathercaster and Science Editor. He currently appears on Action News at 5 p.m., 6 p.m., 7 p.m. and 11 p.m.
“Jerry Hodak is synonymous with weather in Detroit and we will certainly miss his calming style, smooth approach and delivery,” said WXYZ-TV Vice-President and General Manager Ed Fernandez. “We in the WXYZ family are grateful for his years of service and dedication to WXYZ, the broadcast industry, and the viewers of Detroit. Jerry is a true professional who will be sorely missed for his gracious nature and his gentlemanly style inside the halls of Broadcast House. We wish him all the best as he makes this important decision for his life and begins to enjoy more time with his family and friends.”
I have been watching this man since I was a kid still living on the southwest side of Detroit. Jerry is the best. I could go on and on about his intelligence, his even-handed cool delivery and so on. He is one the best at what he does and I believe that Detroit, Michigan will be a poorer place because of it. However, Jerry knows when it is time to retire and let the new talent take over. Jerry is a part of what I like call the “Golden Age” at WXYZ-TV in the 1960’s, 1970’s and especially in the 1980’s, when I was watching as a kid.
Jerry Hodak - WXYZ-TV Chief meteorologist - Simply the best!
He will be truly missed. I truly wish Jerry a wonderful retirement. He has more than earned it.
I usually do not follow the local news in this area. That is why I missed this. My apologies to those who actually read this blog.
It appears that there has been a major oil spill, right here in Michigan.
The latest via the various wires services…
Video from WXYZ-TV in Detroit:
MARSHALL, Mich. (WXYZ) – Governor Jennifer Granholm is criticizing the company responsible for the massive oil spill in Calhoun County, saying the reaction to the disaster has been anemic. Granholm says Enbridge Energy, based in Houston, has not done enough to stop the flow of oil.
The oil was discovered leaking from a ruptured pipeline in a creek in Marshall. By Tuesday evening the slick had traveled almost 30 miles, creeping closer to Morrow Lake.
The governor declared a state of disaster in Calhoun County and other potentially affected areas to make state resources readily available.
In the path of the oil, animals, including birds and fish. Also homes that have stood for decades are now empty because some residents were forced to leave, but state and local officials say the number of evacuees has been minimal.
All told almost 850,000 gallons – or 19,500 barrels – of oil has spewed from the broken pipeline. The cause for the breach in the 30-inch diameter line is still under investigation, though it has been sealed. State officials say it was last inspected in 2009.
Enbridge Energy’s CEO says his company will be responsible for the damage the slick has caused and will compensate Michigan’s families and businesses. However no commitment has been made about how much the company will spend to repay those affected.
Pictures of the affected area… and believe me, I know right where this is, as I have family in this area:
Kalamazoo Lake
Affected Wildlife
Here is a report via WOOD-TV:
Here is hoping that our state handles this situation better than the United States Government handled the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Hopefully, my family is okay over there. I will be asking to make sure.
Here is a report about the Wildlife that is now suffering because of the blatant incompetence of this oil company:
As those of you who read this blog on a daily basis know, in a fit of anger the other day, I decided to tell the World that I was no longer a “Right of Center.”
I tend to say many things when I am ticked off.
Listen folks, I am an American. I am also someone who believes that America is a great place and that we have it good here and last thing we need is a bunch of idiots from California, New York, and other such liberal bastions lousing it up for us. They have already done this to a point, however, I believe that we can still reverse course and make things right, if we get the right leadership in the White House and in Congress.
Another point that I would like to make is this; Centrists, for all their good points also have issues as well. They tend to be accepting to far left socialism. I just cannot find that acceptable, socialism and Democratic policy has been the ruin of many a good State; Michigan included. I ought to know this, as I live only about 15 miles from Downtown Detroit. Detroit, before the rise of black liberalism in the Detroit area, was an industrial Mecca, people came for all around the Country, just to get a good job in the auto plants. What happened? Well, if I were a partisan hack, I would simply blame the unions. They are easy, but there is much more to it than this. The international auto industry changed; and the big three here did not and as a result; the hiring days ended.
Now my statement about black liberalism is not a racist one, but rather a political one — simply put, black liberals just were not able to run this city like their white predecessors. Why was this? Because of the identity politics of the city, this goes back to the first black mayor of Detroit. The election of the first black Mayor of Detroit was widely seen as a defeat of the white Democratic power structure in Detroit. Another reason was the corruption in the City of Detroit. Mayor Coleman Young was the most corrupt Mayor ever. The reason why he was never caught is that he was just that good. Another reason is that it is believed that Mayor Young was bribing investigators as well. Nothing says leave me alone better than a case full of money. It does tend to work.
As I have said on this blog many times. I will always tell you what I think; not what some partisan talking point says. I will tell you what I, personally, think about politics and policy. If I feel something is wrong, I will tell you about it. If I like something, I will tell you that as well — Having said that, I personally believe that Andrew BreitBart is a vile, disgusting excuse for a human being. Andrew Breitbart knowingly released a video that portrayed a woman in a dishonest manner. That, together with the things that this disgusting excuse for a Jew said about Ted Kennedy the DAY he died, just proved to me what sort of a vile, disgusting, piece of human excrement that this man really is. Now, if anyone wants to play the Semite card because I brought up the fact that Breitbart is a Jew, feel free, I would give two flips about that, I would have said that about him if he were White, Black, or Latino. The issue here is not Breitbart’s Semite status, it is his morals; and quite bluntly, they suck.
Now as for my politics, I still consider myself a Classic Liberal, a libertarian-minded individual, a right of center, a Goldwater type; someone who believes in the individual rather than the collective. I am someone that believes that a person has the right to succeed and a right to fail. I have not changed; I was simply angered by what I saw as an opportunist smearing someone to make a cheap political point. There should be no place for that sort of nonsense in the discourse of politics; however, in this age of unfiltered new media it does happen. The question is, will we as Bloggers, and Americans continue to give a platform to the vile disgusting likes of this morally depraved fool? That is the question that all of us in this thing we call the Blogosphere should be asking ourselves this day — and not whether this woman is a socialist; of course she is, that really is not the point. The point was, she was smeared as a racist and is not; THAT is the point my dear friends. Until we can get to that place of realizing that, the Blogosphere of the right, will be seen as nothing more than a child’s playground and propaganda mill; and that my friends is the sad thing about this, it has destroyed us as a whole.
The real sick and sadistic part of this whole mess is this. A little while back, the controversial Louis Farrakhan said that Jews have caused damage to blacks for years. At the time, I thought that to be an outrageous statement, not to mention Anti-Semitic; now it seems that the people like Andrew Breitbart and many others on the right are trying their damnedest to prove Farrakhan right. I think we as a whole, on the right, need to work on that little image very quick. Because frankly at this point, we are giving people like Farrakhan and the many people on the left, that think like him; black, White, Latino, and whatever else, the talking point they need to further that “gospel” of hatred.
That is my opinion and I welcome yours.
Finally, something worthy of a blog post!
This has to be the MOST tone deaf things that I have read since the election of Barack Obama…:
The debate in Ann Arbor, where firefighters are being laid off due to a multimillion dollar budget deficit, is over an $850,000 piece of art.
That’s how much the city has agreed to pay German artist Herbert Dreiseitl for a three-piece water sculpture that would go in front of the new police and courts building right by the City Hall.
The city has the money to do it because in 2007, it agreed to set aside for public art 1 percent of money that went into capital improvement projects that were $100,000 or larger. Most capital projects involve streets, sewers and water.
Ann Arbor City Council member Stephen Kunselman, a Democrat, opposed the art deal.
“I think it is incredibly insensitive,” Kunselman said. “It is insensitive to the staff and their morale. It is insensitive to the community. There are people out there struggling financially, and here we are spending a large amount of money on a piece of art.”
Kunselman said the city is also eliminating the solid waste coordinator from the budget, which oversees trash pickup, and hiring an art coordinator.
City Administrator Roger Fraser wrote in an e-mail that the solid waste coordinator position was eliminated as a cost-cutting measure because the solid waste millage had decreased. Fraser wrote that the art coordinator position would be paid for by the public art fund.
Fraser noted that the public art dollars did not come from the city’s general fund, which is used to pay salaries and benefits, and that less than $6,000 of the art money came from the general fund.
The art projects also must have a “thematic connection” to the source of funding, Fraser wrote. The $850,000 art project is water-themed, because the money came from storm water funds.
But some critics say that a city creative enough to fund art from storm water projects should be able to find money to cover essential city services.
“That’s the classic argument,” said Glenn Thompson, an Ann Arbor resident and longtime critic of city spending. “But the city has become very, very good at shuffling money in and out of the general fund when they want. These people are very good at putting it in and out of the general fund when they wish.”
Michael LaFaive, the director of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy’s Morey Fiscal Policy Initiative said nonessential services are being funded throughout the state.
“Administrators cry poverty while lavishing money on the beautiful people,” LaFaive said. “The threat to dismiss firefighters often comes while officials protect golf courses, wave pools and art. No city can cry poverty while it defends recreation and aesthetics such as art.”
LaFaive said administrators get creative with budgets to fund pet projects.
I would say that I am shocked about this; but hey, it is Ann Arbor. Ann Arbor, for those who are not from these parts; is a bastion of Liberalism. Basically, it is San Francisco in Michigan. Yeah, it is that liberal. 🙄
True Story: When I actually worked for a living; back in the mid 90’s, I made a delivery to that city, I mean, right downtown; you talk about feeling like driving into an alternative universe. 😯 There were people…..everywhere. I was near, as in like a block away, from the local university there. It was quite the interesting experience. I remember getting my package signed for, and scrambling to find the entrance to the freeway and getting the heck out of dodge! I went back to the shop and said in my most pitiful, mournful, voice, “PLEASE, DON’T SEND ME TO ANN ARBOR ANYMORE!” I thought the secretary at the office was going to fall out of her chair laughing at me. 😀
A man can only handle so many weird looking people in one place! 😀
Others: Classical Values, American Spectator, Questions and Observations, The New Editor, Wizbang, theblogprof and Moonbattery
