Millennium Park plan calls for 12,000-seat amphitheater

Loot the "rainy day fund"?

I thought the state was out of money?

Millennium Park plan calls for 12,000-seat amphitheater
"All the planned 12,000- to 14,000-seat amphitheater in Millennium Park needs is financial help from Lansing."

Lawmakers in Lansing are being asked for a $10 million outlay, .... and possibly bond funds making up costs not covered by the state.
But bringing home the bacon might prove difficult, since the project and millions of dollars in other similar requests are being tied to using money from the state's budget stabilization, or "rainy day" fund.

Enviro-Harassment

IBDeditorials.com:Enviro-Harassment: "'Let me say it plainly: The environmental movement has been taken over by anti-capitalist radicals who are using it to wage war against capitalism and campaign for liberal Democrats,' he said. 'Protecting the environment is now number three, or lower, on their list of priorities.'"

Muskegon city income tax

I won't get into a city income tax vs. increased property tax vs. new business taxes/fees vs. increased spending on grant writers/lobbyists or other begging-for-money- from- government schemes.

Though that would be an interesting subject.

A city income tax has one benefit, increased revenue.

It is critical that revenue be thoughtfully invested or the net result for a city will be negative.

As it has been for Muskegon.

Unfortunately, there are some serious negatives that arrive with a new or increased city income tax.

(Read the rest of this in the "comments section")

"Tonya Harding" option?

Political Punch: "She will have to 'break his back,' the official said. She will have to destroy Obama, make Obama completely unacceptable.
'Her securing the nomination is certainly possible - but it will require exercising the 'Tonya Harding option.'' the official said. 'Is that really what we Democrats want?'"

Ford Sells Jaguar, Land Rover to Tata

Ford Sells Jaguar, Land Rover to Tata

Two nice new Tatas!

Gore-D'OH?

Hillary on 60 Minutes: 'Voters Are Tired of People Who Lie to Them'

This is precious!

Hillary on 60 Minutes: 'Voters Are Tired of People Who Lie to Them'

"Now that the major media have acknowledged en masse that Hillary Clinton lied shamelessly about landing in Bosnia to sniper fire, it seemed like the right moment to remember Mrs. Clinton’s claims about honesty and truthfulness in the famous Steve Kroft 60 Minutes interview in 1992 – not the part that aired in 1992, mind you, but a different set of snippets that aired on February 1, 1998, twelve days after the Monica Lewinsky scandal broke."

New warnings about entitlements shortfall

New warnings about entitlements shortfall
"Trustees for the government's two biggest benefit programs warned Tuesday that Social Security and Medicare are facing 'enormous challenges,' with the threat to Medicare's solvency far more severe.
The trustees, issuing a once-a-year analysis, said the resources in the Social Security trust fund will be depleted by 2041.


The reserves in the Medicare trust fund that pays hospital benefits were projected to be wiped out by 2019."

55 Specific Recommendations for Michigan

55 Specific Recommendations [Mackinac Center for Public Policy]

NO, THEY DON'T SUPPORT THE TROOPS

NO, THEY DON'T SUPPORT THE TROOPS
"Since when can’t a vet return to his own high school and talk about his service to his country?
I’ll let Hegseth have the last word: “Are we saying that patriotism and duty and honor have no place in our public schools?”"

Jobless rates up in Muskegon, Ottawa, across state

Jobless rates up in Muskegon, Ottawa, across state
"The employment picture worsened in all 17 of Michigan's major labor markets as jobless rates increased from December to January.
Muskegon County and other West Michigan counties followed the trend. The January unemployment rate in Muskegon County was 7.5 percent, up from 7 percent in December and 7.3 percent a year ago."

Study: Great Lakes 'salties' ban may create jobs - Muskegon Chronicle - MLive.com

Study: Great Lakes 'salties' ban may create jobs - Muskegon Chronicle - MLive.com: "the notion of barring them from the Seaway is 'absurd,' said Terry Johnson, Jr., administrator of the St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corp.
'The premise is that we would somehow abrogate a 100-year-old treaty with one of our largest trading partners and neighbor to the North, and that's just not going to happen,' Johnson said. 'This (study) is a paper exercise"

We break down the 12 charges

Graphic: We break down the 12 charges

The Power of Cook County, Illinois

Vote early and often in Cook county...... a treasured tradition!

The Power of Cook County, Illinois - The New Editor:

"In the race for the most popular votes in the Democratic Party's presidential primary contests, Sen. Barack Obama's lead over Sen. Hillary Clinton is about 711,000 votes -- not including Florida or Michigan -- according to Real Clear Politics.

Of Sen. Obama's 711,000 popular-vote lead, 650,000 -- or more than 90% of the total margin -- comes from Sen. Obama's home state of Illinois, with 429,000 of that lead coming from his home base of Cook County.

That margin in Cook County represents almost 60% of Obama's total lead nationwide.

Interestingly, Sen. Obama's 429,000-vote margin in Cook County alone is larger than the winning margin of either candidate in any state.

Chicago Dems still know how to support their candidates better than anyone else in the country..."

Victor Davis Hanson on Wrong on Wright on National Review Online

The story the MSM won't report.

Victor Davis Hanson on Wrong on Wright on National Review Online:

"Over the past four days, I asked seven or eight random (Asian, Mexican-American, and working-class white) Americans in southern California what they thought of Obama’s candidacy — and framed the question with, “Don’t you think that was a good speech?” The answers, without exception, were essentially: “Forget the speech. I would never vote for Obama after listening to Wright.” In some cases, the reaction was not mild disappointment, but unprintable outrage."

Women, Want a Healthy Marriage? Marry Man Uglier Than You, Study Says

Rep. Henry Waxman must have the BEST marriage in America.

Women, Want a Healthy Marriage? Marry Man Uglier Than You, Study Says

"The best marriages are those where women marry men who are less attractive than themselves, research has found."

Lib whine-fest over Rush's "Operation Chaos"

This is good lib-squooshie

Opinion - StatesmanJournal.com: "Writer: 'Limbaugh undermines American values'
March 24, 2008
I am appalled by Rush Limbaugh's shameless appeal to his listeners to intentionally throw the democratic process in the primaries.
Limbaugh believes that Hillary Clinton would lose to John McCain, while Obama could beat McCain. In order to keep Obama out of the election in November, he wants to set up a false win for Clinton in the primaries.
He encouraged his Republican listeners to register as Democrats then vote for Clinton in the primaries in order to undermine Obama. While I do not necessarily support Obama, I do support fair-play and honesty.
It is despicable to cast votes that are outright lies in order to further a political agenda."

Deepening Democratic Dilemma

Deepening Democratic Dilemma: "Over the last week, I have been repeatedly asked by non-political people about Obama's connection with Wright's tirade. In the process, Obama's political persona has been altered -- transformed, as described by one friendly Chicago politician, from Harvard Law Review to South Side activist."

Obama racial issues may extend to Pa.

Obama racial issues may extend to Pa. - Carrie Budoff Brown - Politico.com: "Stephanie Gill, a bartender in a white working-class neighborhood, noticed the shift immediately.

A week ago, her customers at Rauchut’s Tavern in Tacony didn’t have much to say about Barack Obama. But when she returned to work Wednesday, a day after the Illinois senator attempted to quell the furor over his pastor’s racially incendiary remarks, the reaction inside the corner bar was raw and unapologetic.
“People are not happy with Obama,” Gill said. “It’s the race stuff.”

If It's Intentional, Is It Malpractice?

If It's Intentional, Is It Malpractice?: "Over the last five years, we have witnessed something remarkable: our principal news media outlets have fabricated an alternative reality around the Iraq war by simply misreporting the facts. They have done this in order to advance their own political agenda. It is really quite extraordinary; someone should write a book about it."

Detroit Mayor Kilpatrick charged with perjury, obstruction, misconduct

Jeepers, no mention of his political party!

He must be one of those crooked, pervert Republicans...... right?

Detroit Mayor Kilpatrick charged with perjury, obstruction, misconduct

"Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, a one-time rising star and Detroit's youngest elected leader, was charged Monday with perjury and other counts after sexually explicit text messages contradicted his sworn denials of an affair with a top aide"

March Madness | James T. Harris

The true meaning of Easter..... and basketball....hilarious.

March Madness James T. Harris

NATIONAL JOURNAL: 2007 Vote Ratings (03/07/2008)

The most liberal senator in the US Senate!

Compiled by a lefty magazine, no less!

NATIONAL JOURNAL: 2007 Vote Ratings (03/07/2008): "Senate Liberal Scores"

YouTube - Raining McCain

WAY too funny!
Click and enjoy.

YouTube - Raining McCain

Michigan population drops .3%

Michigan population drops .3%: "Michigan still is shrinking.

The state's population dropped 30,500 people, or 0.3 percent, to 10.07 million residents from July 2006 to July 2007, according to population estimates released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau."

Sidewalk claims cost Flint $1.3M since 1999

Your taxdollars at work in Flint!
I wonder just where they got the $1.3M....and where the federal block grant moolah went....
Sidewalk claims cost Flint $1.3M since 1999: "Flint used to spend about $250,000 annually on sidewalk repairs. But the federal block grant money earmarked for the fixes hasn't been used, or was spent elsewhere, in recent years"

YouTube - Wicked Tony Performance

Coming to MSU's Wharton Center 7/16-8/3/2008

YouTube - Wicked Tony Performance

Obama's promise of a new majority, and the question it prompts

Even more liberal than Mrs Bill, Teddy Kennedy and Harry Reid!

Obama's promise of a new majority, and the question it prompts

"But this promise leads, inevitably, to a question: Can such a majority be built and led by Obama, whose voting record was, by one ranking, the most liberal in the Senate last year?"

Reason Magazine - Hit & Run > Why Our Children Isn't Learning

Reason Magazine - Hit & Run > Why Our Children Isn't Learning: "To soothe the bruised egos of educators and children in lackluster schools, Massachusetts officials are now pushing for kinder, gentler euphemisms for failure.
Instead of calling these schools 'underperforming,' the Board of Education is considering labeling them as 'Commonwealth priority,' to avoid poisoning teacher and student morale."

Granholm's budget based on bogus studies!

GOP against some of Granholm's budget
"Granholm wants to borrow money to create up to 100 smaller, more intimate high schools that would have no more than 400 students each. A quarter of Michigan's high schools have failed to meet goals mandated by the federal No Child Left Behind Act for at least two years, and Granholm said studies show smaller schools have better results."