Tag: corruption

LANSING - Gov. Jennifer Granholm says she's hoping to help business with her tax restructuring plan, but so far her proposal seems to satisfy nobody in the business community.

Ya think?

At some point there must be a tipping point where even her kids turn on her and say "Mom, maybe you ought to just bake cookies.."  In fact I imagine the thoughts of the executive staff when they see her getting in early, ready to go, must turn to: "Gosh, will she PLEEEEASE take a sick day already??"

It has to be that bad..  

Given that its quite obvious the governor has no clue how to attract business, why have we allowed her two terms to wreck what was once the jewel of the midwest?  Two terms of utter and complete incompetence.

So much so, it forced unionization on the unwilling and unsuspecting homeworkers who contract for the state.  Of course even though they resist, they just don't know whats good for them.  A union has benefits!  Being part of a union is being a part of something bigger than yourself right?

Just don't let little details like THEFT and graft get in the way.  Never mind the little rewards by the SEIU and AFSCME to certain elected government officials campaign coffers.  

The union leaders are hell bent on maintaining the power base which they have managed, even in the midst of declining membership in commercial enterprise.  Government membership however is becoming more diseased all the time.  As government jobs increase so does the membership in the very unions which have tried so very hard to mute the voices in America that are contrary to the re distributive schemes of our administration both here and national.  The tea party folks being only the first targets.

Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to Happy Friday here on RightMichigan.com, where we're going to dig into the headlines and specifically and explicitly find a way to accentuate the positive!  

With Michigan moms and dads hurting the way they are it can be difficult accentuating the positive.  Mostly because there's very little positive to accentuate, amidst a landscape of hurt and tough times.  Today, though, seems to represent a perfect storm of happiness.

And what could possibly make anyone happier than hearing Detroit City Councilwoman Martha Reeves performing a one-song-tribute to Michael Jackson at a local Motor City eatery complete with electronic keyboard accompaniment?  The answer, if you're searching for it, is nothing.  Absolutely nothing.

Take a listen here, courtesy of the Detroit News.  

The video also features longtime Detroit Democratic political consultant Adolph Mongo claiming Governor Granholm "played the fiddle while the state's been sinking," then calls her "the worst governor in the history of me being alive."

And Reeves defending her decision to keep cash from the Synagro deal that's sending Monica Conyers to jail.

"The only way you can get into the political ring is by donations," Reeves said, explaining that her change in position from yes to no on the contract was a matter of conscience and good sense. "Am I going to give it back? No!"

Watch the video.  You'll want to cry. Some days I worry there's very little hope for the human race.

But her song is amazing as coffee-shop solos go.  *weep*

Seriously, though, happy news. Like this...

Booth Newspapers reports that GM is headed OUT of bankruptcy protection this morning with "no place to go but up."

GM is expected to close on a deal Friday in which most of its assets would be sold to a new company 60.8 percent controlled by the federal government...

GM, which was the world's largest automaker for more than 70 years and a symbol of American industrial might for much of the 20th century, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy June 1.

If the federal government controlling 61 percent of GM isn't good news then the fact that the UAW will control nearly 20 percent is even better.  So turn that frown upside down.

Because no matter what is happening at GM, in Congress, in City Hall or in the parking lot at Mr. Fish, big things are popping at Comerica Park where the Detroit Tigers learned yesterday that they'll be sending a FOURTH member of the team to the Summer Classic.

Brandon Inge won the fan voting and is now an All Star.  Congrats to the 2009 Gold Glove winning third baseman (knock on wood).

And sure, Comerica Bank which still has it's name affixed to the Tigers' home ballpark recently high-tailed it out of Michigan, relocating to Texas because that state offered a significantly better environment for job creation, but we're not dwelling on the past.

It's Friday.  Happy, happy Friday.

Hmm.  Not quite as pithy.  Nevermind.  Besides, you get the point.

I mean, we could discuss General Motors escape from Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The Ivory Tower even manages to poke a little fun at the Obama administration, which is a little bit jarring on first blush, but nice for a switch.

We could discuss the Associated Press's revelation of additional shady business from elected Democrats in the Motor City.  Shady unless you consider using emergency funds to purchase a $1,600 floral arrangement good stewardship.

Then there's the Detroit News taking the Granholm-Cherry administration out to the woodshed for lying about Michigan's graduation rates.  

(And oh so much more... please read on...)

The Ivory Tower reports this morning that Sam Riddle, a Detroit Democrat and well known political consultant is coming clean about additional dirty deeds, some directly involving Congressman John Conyers (D-Detroit):

Riddle said Conyers even helped draft a letter sent by her husband, Congressman John Conyers Jr., D-Mich., to help a man with whom she had financial ties...

In that deal, Riddle said, Monica Conyers arranged for Riddle to get a $20,000 contract with Greektown entrepreneur Dimitrios (Jim) Papas in about 2007. Riddle said Papas hired him for crisis consulting and political advising -- but he was never asked to do any work. She then demanded $10,000 of that money as a "finder's fee," Riddle said.

At some point after Papas paid him, Riddle said, John Conyers sent a letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in support of a controversial hazardous waste injection well in Romulus that one of Papas' companies was seeking to operate.

Papas, you'll remember, is the same "gentleman" who paid Senator Debbie Stabenow's (D-Michigan) husband Tom Athens to work illegally as a lobbyist backing the same toxic waste dumping project.  The sort of dumping project that Stabenow had explicitly campaigned against, before realizing it represented an opportunity for her family to make serious illegal bank.

Not a bad collection Papas had there.  A United States Senator, a United States Congressman and the top dog on the Detroit City Council, all either directly on the payroll or accepting cash through one paper-thin degree of separation.  

Meanwhile, Senator Stabenow and Congressman Conyers refuse to answer questions about the lifestyle they've enjoyed thanks to Papas generous "giving" or the Congressional favors that cash has purchased.

But while Stabenow has managed to skate thus far on the dirty dealings that happened under her roof, Conyers may not be quite as lucky.  The Ivory Tower reminds readers:

Ethics rules prohibit House members from contacting federal agencies on matters in which they have a personal financial interest. It is unclear whether John Conyers knew of any financial connection between his wife and Papas.

Point A... arguing that a 21 term Congressman could somehow not know about the "professional relationship" between his wife and the specific company for which he went to bat is inane.  The man would almost literally have to be senile.  Point B... if you're going to make that argument then we've got a whole separate set of issues to deal with.

Either way, ethics rules are ethics rules and John Conyers clearly violated them.  

Another Detroit Democrat embroiled in a federal ethics probe?  That's JUST what the Motor City needed.  Maybe Monica isn't the only Conyers who should be considering resignation this morning.