Friday, January 25, 2013

Attorney General Bill Schuette targets former Supreme Court Justice Diane Hathaway's law license

Attorney General Bill Schuette targets former Supreme Court Justice Diane Hathaway's law license | MLive.com
"Hathaway is charged in federal court with bank fraud stemming from the 2011 sale of a Grosse Pointe Park home on Lakeview Court.
She's accused of hiding assets in order to persuade a bank to forgive part of the loan on her $1.5 million home and approve its sale for $840,000."

AP Exclusive: possible USAID bid rigging probed

AP Exclusive: possible USAID bid rigging probed - NBC40.net
"Memos from the inspector general of the U.S. Agency for International Development also reveal that the IG is investigating whether Deputy Administrator Donald Steinberg tried to interfere with an internal investigation.
Internal inspector general documents said he told the IG's office it shouldn't have investigated the alleged rigging, nor should the matter have been referred to the Justice Department.
Inspectors general are watchdogs within a federal agency and are supposed to operate independently.
The original investigation focused on whether Lisa Gomer, USAID general counsel, may have "wired" a contract last May so the winner of the solicitation would be the agency's retiring chief financial officer, David Ostermeyer.
The contract bidding for a "senior government-to-government assistance adviser" was canceled after questions were raised.
"If the solicitation was in fact designed for Ostermeyer to win, Ms. Gomer and USAID may have violated various federal laws, the Federal Acquisition Regulation and government ethics policies," according to a letter from two House members to USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah in November."

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Rare tie bids for Muskegon County contracts could be decided by a coin toss

Rare tie bids for Muskegon County contracts could be decided by a coin toss | MLive.com
Hammersley said the policy change on bidding wasn’t related to the advent of more than $30 million in government contracts anticipated as a part of construction of the planned Muskegon County Jail.

Wait a minute! 
Flipping a coin is a cute trick but you missed the bigger story. 
The county commissioners voted on an amendment to the self-imposed "prevailing wage" burden that will cost county taxpayers millions of dollars if it is forced on bidders for the new jail. 
It was a confirmation by every county commissioner (except Susie Hughes) that Muskegon will continue to march with failed counties like Wayne and Genesee in this prevailing wage rip-off of large and small contractors and the public. 
Incredible. 
I know you weren't at the meeting but the change was published (and highlighted!) and the entire meeting was recorded and is easily available at EyeOnMuskegon.com. 

Michigan Works consolidation in downtown Muskegon to be done by July 1, county officials say

Michigan Works consolidation in downtown Muskegon to be done by July 1, county officials say | MLive.com

The move will bring more than 60 employees into downtown Muskegon and will save the county $1.3 million over the course of a 10-year lease with Kalamazoo-based Hinman Co., which owns the seven-story office building that overlooks Muskegon Lake.
The Muskegon City Commission this week created a Commercial Rehabilitation District for the Terrace Plaza building, which will allow real estate taxes on the facility to be frozen for 10 years as the owner moves forward with $500,000 in improvements.
.....The county currently has contracted for services located in Orchard View schools in Muskegon Township, the Goodwill Industries center in Roosevelt Park and the Oceana County Employment and Training Center in Shelby.
 The county employment and training staff and human resources department are currently located in the county’s Oak Avenue facility.

Wow! 
The county freezes property taxes. 
Will move county employees from another county location to this new one. 
Will leave Orchard View schools, Goodwill and Oceana county with empty buildings. 
And the "move will save $1.3 million dollars…"! 
Certainly you saw the proof and the math before you wrote your piece. 
Can we see it? 

LA elementary teacher charged with molesting 20 young students

LA elementary teacher charged with molesting 20 young students - EAGnews.org :: Education Research, Reporting, Analysis and Commentary
A Los Angeles elementary teacher faces numerous felony and misdemeanor charges after he allegedly molested 20 students during his 40-year career in the school district."

Why America’s Going Broke

Why America’s Going Broke | Via Meadia
"Raising taxes might make citizens more sensitive to the real cost of healthcare, but it would kill small businesses already struggling under tax burdens, particularly as they take on the costs imposed by Obamacare.
Reducing government spending might close the budget gap this year, but it would still leave our healthcare system struggling with inefficiencies and ever rising costs.
America needs to find ways of transforming the healthcare industry, not just ways to temporarily narrow the budget gap.
We don’t have a deficit problem; we have a healthcare policy problem.

Forbes is a case study on how conservatives lose institutions

» Forbes is a case study on how conservatives lose institutions - Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion
"Can anyone cite an example of where a prominent liberal publication has brought in a conservative in a leadership position and allowed the conservative to turn the publication on its political head?
I can’t think of an example.
This is one of the reasons we lose."

Combat Ban Contributed to Sexual Assault Problem

Dempsey: Combat Ban Contributed to Sexual Assault Problem | Washington Free Beacon
"Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey said Thursday he believes the ban on women in combat positions contributed to the military’s current sexual assault problem.
“We’ve had this ongoing issue with sexual harassment, sexual assault. 
I believe it’s because we’ve had separate classes of military personnel–at some level,” 
Dempsey said at a joint press conference with Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta to formally announce the ban has been lifted."

Naperville smart meter arrest

Naperville smart meter arrest - chicagotribune.com
"“The city has always had and maintains the right to access our equipment, and today we were simply exercising that right,” he said."

NRA boycott kills outdoors show that banned assault weapons

NRA boycott kills outdoors show that banned assault weapons | WashingtonExaminer.com
"A massive boycott sparked by the NRA and other gun-rights groups outraged that the nation's largest outdoors show banned the exhibition of assault weapons has caused the show's organizers to abruptly cancel the week-long event in Harrisburg, Pa."

Right-to-Work Law Means Less Money For Union Political Power Grabs

Right-to-Work Law Means Less Money For Union Political Power Grabs [Michigan Capitol Confidential]
"One of the main effects of right-to-work laws is that they lessen the abilities of unions to wage expensive and economically harmful ballot campaigns. In fact, that may be the main outcome of the legislation.
Despite the doomsday scenarios, right-to-work laws do not eliminate unions.
States like Nevada and Iowa have high unionization rates, while allowing workers to choose whether or not to send money to unions.
What does change in these states is the amount of time and money labor unions spend on politics."

Republican House Members Who Voted Against Right-to-Work

Republican House Members Who Voted Against Right-to-Work [Michigan Capitol Confidential]
"On both bills, 58 Republicans voted “yes” and six Republicans joined the Democrats in voting “no.”
These six were: Reps: Anthony Forlini, R-Harrison Township; Ken Goike, R-Ray Township,; Ken Horn, R-Frankenmuth; Ed McBroom, R-Vulcan; Pat Somerville, R-New Boston; and Dale Zorn, R-Ida.
Five of the GOP House members who voted against right-to-work are starting a new term in the House.
Horn is no longer in the Legislature due to term limits."

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Neighbors Build Defenses Against German Green Energy Grid

Neighbors Build Defenses Against German Green Energy Grid | Job Creators Solutions
"As a result, Germany’s neighbors are now installing switches that will allow them to shut off their connections to German power, essentially quarantining the nation so that it’s temperamental grid doesn’t do damage beyond Deutschland’s borders.
German customers already pay some of the highest electricity rates in Europe, and prices that are nearly three times what Americans pay."

Is Liberalism Doomed?

Is Liberalism Doomed? | Power Line
This is why the Democrats cannot adopt a budget.
A budget requires arithmetic, and arithmetic demonstrates that the welfare state must either come crashing down, or be exposed as the terrible deal it is for those who didn’t get in on the ground floor.

Is this legal? No men are allowed in MSU’s Women’s Lounge

Is this legal? No men are allowed in MSU’s Women’s Lounge | AEIdeas
"Wouldn’t a women-only lounge that discriminates against men be in violation of Title IX?
Or since Michigan State is required to provide gender equality for its athletic programs, wouldn’t Title IX require that MSU provide equivalent space on its campus for a men-only lounge?"

Bill Introduced To Repeal 'Gun-Free School Zones Act' Because Deadly Mass Shootings Up Five-Fold Under It

Bill Introduced To Repeal 'Gun-Free School Zones Act' Because Deadly Mass Shootings Up Five-Fold Under It | CNS News
Stockman's bill notes that there have been 10 school shootings killing at least four people each in the 22 years since the "gun-free" bill passed - compared to only two in the 22 years before passage.

Union Membership in U.S. Fell to 70-Year Low Last Year

Union Membership in U.S. Fell to 70-Year Low Last Year - NYTimes.com
"The number of American workers in unions declined sharply last year, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Friday, with the percentage slipping to 11.9 percent, the lowest rate in more than 70 years.
The report found that the number of workers in unions fell by 612,000 last year to 14.7 million, an even larger decrease than the overall 417,000 decline in the total number of Americans working.
“It was a very tough year for unionized workers,” said John Schmitt, a senior economist with the Center for Economic and Policy Research in Washington.
“We’re seeing declines in the private sector, and we’re seeing declines in the public sector.”"

Firearms Freedom Bills Clear Senate Committee

Firearms Freedom Bills Clear Senate Committee | Core Principles
Senator Rick Jones wasted no time in keeping his commitment to move second amendment bills out of his Judiciary Committee and on to the Senate floor.
He held hearings all all three bills today, in his first meeting of the new legislative session.
All three bills passed.

Frederick Douglass Foundation

Frederick Douglass Foundation

Members of the Frederick Douglass Foundation believe:
We live in a land of liberty where natural rights of individuals precede and supersede the power of the state.
We are a constitutional republic in which government power is limited and employed for the purpose of providing legitimate public
goods rather than for the benefit of insiders and narrow interest groups.
We are a free market in which persons, individually or collectively, have the natural right to sell goods and services to willing buyers,
and in which the individual pursuit of economic opportunity benefits all.
We are a free society where citizens solve social problems not only through government but also by working together in families,
neighborhoods, churches, charities, and other private, voluntary organizations.

Is Right-to-Work Racist?

Is Right-to-Work Racist? [Michigan Capitol Confidential]
Stacy Swimp, president of the Frederick Douglass Society in Flint, recently wrote that "right-to-work works for Black Americans."

"From 2000 to 2010 right-to-work states’ black population increased by 17.4 percent, well over double the 7.6 percent increase for forced-unionism states as a group," Swimp wrote.
"The 9.8 percentage point advantage in black population growth in right-to-work states even outpaced the 9 percentage point edge right-to-work states registered in white population growth.

"Big Labor apologists who are now trying to play the race card against right-to-work laws need to answer one simple question:
If forced unionism is so good for black Americans, why are they fleeing in droves from the states where this exploitative system is still in place?"

Obama Dumps a Smart, Independently Minded General

Obama Dumps a Smart, Independently Minded General | The Weekly Standard
" Pentagon insiders say that he rubbed civilian officials the wrong way -- not because he went all "mad dog," which is his public image, and the view at the White House, but rather because he pushed the civilians so hard on considering the second- and third-order consequences of military action against Iran.
Some of those questions apparently were uncomfortable.
Like, what do you do with Iran once the nuclear issue is resolved and it remains a foe?
What do you do if Iran then develops conventional capabilities that could make it hazardous for U.S. Navy ships to operate in the Persian Gulf?
He kept saying, "And then what?""

Stacy Swimp: Right to work works for Black Americans

Guest view of Stacy Swimp: Right to work works for Black Americans | MLive.com
"In other words, from 2000 to 2010 right-to-work states’ black population increased by 17.4 percent, well over double the 7.6 percent increase for forced-unionism states as a group.
.....It is deeply cynical for proponents of forced unionism to pose as advocates of racial nondiscrimination and harmony. 
Even today, compulsory unionism continues to impede black Americans’ ability to advance economically.
Big Labor apologists who are now trying to play the race card against right-to-work laws need to answer one simple question:  
If forced unionism is so good for black Americans, why are they fleeing in droves from the states where this exploitative system is still in place?"

WayPoint Academy board president defends decision to hire controversial superintendent

WayPoint Academy board president defends decision to hire controversial superintendent | MLive.com
"Fisher said Koeze has “strong credentials” in leadership and education.
“WayPoint is fortunate to have a leader of her caliber to take us to the next level,” Fisher said.
Koeze had been superintendent of West Ottawa Public Schools, where she resigned in 2011.
A few days after her departure, Koeze was arrested and charged with misdemeanor domestic violence involving her husband. 
The case was later dismissed.
Koeze then worked as a consultant for Portage Public Schools, where she eventually was hired as human resources director.
For a time, Koeze simultaneously collected a paycheck from Portage as human resources director and another check from Portage for her consulting work, an investigation by MLive revealed."

Hot Rod Power Tour debt has Muskegon County tourism advisers delaying future event funding

Hot Rod Power Tour debt has Muskegon County tourism advisers delaying future event funding | MLive.com
"“I didn’t gain any more room nights because of the Hot Rod Power Tour,” said Lisa Grossenbacher, president of the Muskegon County Lodging Association and manager of the local Fairfield Inn."

Portage school board releases charges against former Superintendent Ric Perry, detailing 'affair' with human resources director

Portage school board releases charges against former Superintendent Ric Perry, detailing 'affair' with human resources director (with 4-page PDF) | MLive.com
"Portage officials contacted Koeze's attorney on Monday after learning from an MLive/Kalamazoo Gazette reporter that Koeze started Jan. 14 as superintendent of WayPoint Academy, a Muskegon charter school. 
A WayPoint official told MLive that Koeze has "strong credentials" for the job."

Orchard View school board to cut teacher pay by 5 percent after declaring impasse

Orchard View school board to cut teacher pay by 5 percent after declaring impasse | MLive.com
"The board determined it needs $450,000 in concessions from the Orchard View Education Association, with which it began bargaining a new contract in spring 2012, Walstra said.
The district is projecting a $480,000 fund balance at the end of this school year, after starting the year with $1.7 million, she said."

Do Gun Control Laws Control Guns?

Do Gun Control Laws Control Guns? | RealClearPolitics
When it was legal to buy a shotgun in London in the middle of the 20th century, there were very few armed robberies there. But, after British gun control zealots managed over the years to disarm virtually the entire law-abiding population, armed robberies became literally a hundred times more common. And murder rates rose.
One can cherry-pick the factual studies, or cite some studies that have subsequently been discredited, but the great bulk of the studies show that gun control laws do not in fact control guns. 
On net balance, they do not save lives but cost lives.
Gun control laws allow some people to vent their emotions, politicians to grandstand and self-righteous people to "make a statement" -- but all at the cost of other people's lives.

Too Many Students, Too Few Jobs

Too Many Students, Too Few Jobs - The Daily Beast
New England Law certainly pays top dollar for O’Brien’s services. Pressed to name a dean who is paid more, Robert Gray, a political consultant hired by the school to help O’Brien answer questions from the Globe, cited only Brooklyn Law School, in New York City, where a dean and a president are paid combined salaries of more than $1 million.
But some indicators suggest that O’Brien’s impact on New England Law’s performance has been limited. US News & World Report, in its listing of 199 law schools, includes New England Law among the bottom 50 or so schools that it does not publicly rank because they fall “below the US News cutoff.”
In addition, only 34 percent of students in New England Law’s 2011 graduating class were able to land jobs requiring a law degree within nine months of graduating, according to the American Bar Association, compared with 68 percent at Boston College Law School, and 90 percent at ­Harvard Law.
Yet, students at New ­England Law pay almost as much in tuition as students attend­ing law schools where graduates generally have more success finding meaningful employment.

Top Obama Aide: U.S. System Not Worthy of Obama

Top Obama Aide: U.S. System Not Worthy of Obama | The Blog on Obama: White House Dossier
“There’s a moment of opportunity now that’s important,” said White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer .
“What’s frustrating is that we don’t have a political system or an opposition party worthy of the opportunity.”

Checks and balances are a cruel thing when you are trying to do great things that Republicans couldn’t possibly understand, I know.
But because of those idiots who founded our country, that’s the system we got, Dan."

Hot Rod Power Tour debt has Muskegon County tourism advisers delaying future event funding

Hot Rod Power Tour debt has Muskegon County tourism advisers delaying future event funding | MLive.com
Accommodation Tax Advisory Committee members delayed decisions on six requests for assistance from the county tourism event marketing program until a decision on the Hot Rod Power Tour payment accounting is decided. The committee only has $10,000 a year to support local festivals and events.
Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee member Bryon Mazade, who is Muskegon's city manager, questioned how the county got stuck paying bills for a private organization.
The county stepped in to satisfy the vendors, keep the county credit rating from being damaged and to ensure the Muskegon will again be considered as stop on the Hot Rod Magazine’s annual national tour as was the case in 2012 and 2011, county officials have explained.